[ayaghmour2]

7th Round, 103rd Overall: LF Clyde Parker
School: Liberty Bluejays
1944: .512/.584/.860, 102 PA, 11 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .516/.584/.847, 229 PA, 26 2B, 8 3B, 7 HR, 60 RBI, 30 SB

I think I have a penchant for collecting 7th Round Picks, as we've had multiple 7th Rounders in six of the last seven drafts. Am I subconsciously trying to find the next Harry Parker? Perhaps, as before he was our lone 7th Rounder in 1934, we had just one year of multiple 7ths while we now have had seven years in the next eleven with at least two 7th round selections. This year we'll add a trio of youngsters, starting with a Parker! The 18-year-old left fielder Clyde Parker hit .500 in each of his two seasons so far, boasting a tremendous hit tool. Tom Weinstock expects Parker to challenge for batting titles, and the hard worker showed some power potential last season while upping his homer total from 2 to 5. Whether he can maintain that at the big league level is a tough ask, but with ~10 homer potential the lefty could develop into another Leo Mitchell type player. The one difference is the eye, as Clyde should walk more and strikeout less then Mitchell (but to be fair, almost everyone strikes out less). Parker is pretty quick too, and while that doesn't mean he has the range for center, he should be a capable defender in left or right, and he has some experience at first as well. Corner bats aren't in high demand, so it's not overly surprising Parker fell, but the Missouri native still projects to be an average big leaguer. He's got a tough path ahead of him, but never bet against someone with a strong work ethic.

7th Round, 107th Overall: SS Rupert Heinbaugh
School: Weedsport Warriors
1944: .452/.519/.730, 132 PA, 17 2B, 6 3B, HR, 32 RBI, 31 SB
Career: .452/.519/.730, 132 PA, 17 2B, 6 3B, HR, 32 RBI, 31 SB

I really wanted to get Pete Butler, but he went right before me after a long wait. Instead, I grabbed our second shortstop of the draft, adding 18-year-old Rupert Heinbaugh. He didn't play until his junior season, and while his hitting wasn't any special, scouts loved his glove. OSA calls him a defensive asset and Tom thinks he'll be above average at short. His speed relates to his range on the diamond, but he won't steal many bases. That's not a problem, as I'd much rather him display range over base stealing ability. Heinbaugh won't hit for much power, but he has a strong hit tool and could hit .300 a few times if he develops into a big leaguer player. His versatility will always give him a chance to break a roster spot, and if he can keep the whiffs in check and place the ball in play consistently, he could be a threat on the bases. He's on the right track already, striking out just 3 times while drawing 13 walks. He's young, so there's a lot of time for him to develop, but he's got a reasonable floor as as utility guy and a chance to be a second division starter.

7th Round, 110th Overall: RHP Steve Davis
School: Brownwood Lions
1944: 9-1, 108 IP, 1.75 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 43 BB, 146 K
Career: 9-1, 108 IP, 1.75 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 43 BB, 146 K

Finishing the round with a pitcher, we nabbed yet another high schooler in righty Steve Davis. Like Rupert, "Scuff" made his high school debut as a junior, but it wasn't the greatest season. His ERA was below 2, but his FIP was 1.93 and he walked 3.6 batters per nine. His stuff isn't great yet, but he throws six different pitches and he just needs at least three of them to be average or better. He's not the hardest thrower yet, sitting in the 86-88 range with his fastball and sinker. None of the pitches really stand out yet, but he mixes all six well and can really cause hitters fits. He does a good job keeping the ball in the park, but he's not necessarily a ground ball pitcher. His sinker can get ground outs when needed, but he doesn't need to rely on it. His major issue now is control, as walks can be an issue, but there's a lot of room for growth. He's a well liked teammate who is good for clubhouse morale. OSA thinks Davis can be a frontline starter, I think that's a little much, but six pitch 7th Rounder? What's not to like!

8th Round, 123rd Overall: RHP Jim Williams
School: Chicopee Pacers
1944: 4-2, 69 IP, 1.70 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 21 BB, 78 K
Career: 15-3, 219.1 IP, 1.27 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 49 BB, 269 K

With the draft all in January now, the human portion will last just 8 rounds, so this is the last pick for now. After dominating as a freshman and sophomore, Jim Williams took a step back as a Junior. A 1.70 ERA and 1.03 WHIP aren't bad by any means, but after a 1.05 and 1.11 ERA with WHIPs of 0.81 and 0.88 it seems far less impressive. That's not the biggest concern for the towering 6'4'' righty, as he's made just 27 starts in 47 appearances and has yet to top 80 innings in a season. It will be interesting to see if his senior year compares closer to his junior year or his first two dominant seasons. In an ideal world, he'll start more of his games, but I don't think that's the type of player he is. He is throwing a little harder this season, but 88-90 may be his max. An extreme groundballer, he relies heavily on his sinker, but but his curve and circle change are both average. The sinker has very good life, making it really hard to hit his pitches over the fences, and he can live on the corners when he's in the groove. An extraordinarily hard worker, Williams' mantra is "no pain no gain", and with his size he could be one of the better pitchers in the game. If he can fill out a bit more, perhaps he'll pitch deeper into games, and he can push past being just a generic fifth starter. The key to that will be his K/BB, which dropped from 7.3 and 6.4 to just 2.7, and I don't expect him to dominate enough to make that worth it. There is plenty to like about Williams, but he's a huge risk, and we're betting more on his projectability then his raw talent.