BNN Report
News from the CBO, MML, BMU, GBRL, and Youth Leagues
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
7 August 2306
Draft Pool
The list of players who have declared for the first-year player draft was announced earlier today. BNN will have special coverage dedicated to this draft. Just look in the transaction section for the special page dedicated to the young players hoping to make a name for themselves in the show. In all, 784 players have been declared eligible for the 15-round, 360-player draft.
While teams struggled in 2306 to fill up their GBRL teams, it is expected that a flush of young talent will join the league in 2307. The NWL and Vim! Leagues will also have the opportunity to pick up a few good players for their franchises.
Teams now have a chance to scout the draft pool for 90 days before the draft is held.
The early favorites to be high picks are the following:
1. Missile Crews, 17 year-old CF out of West Quincy (BYDL).
2. Gavin Deux-Gas, 17 year-old 3B out of Wattz (BYDL).
3. Keg Gutterson, 18 year-old 3B out of Covenant (BYDL).
4. Winslow Beaver, 17 year-old 1B out of Beerthirty (BYDL).
5. Family Sam Partridge, 17 year-old RF out of Boston Harbor (BYDL).
6. Paul Stains, 17 year-old RHP out of North Charles Bank (BYDL).
7. Anxious Wade Osteen, 17 year-old 1B out of Jamiaca Plain-University Point (BYDL).
8. Jaheim Harper, 17 year-old 3B out of Diamond City (BYDL).
9. Jacob Tarberry, 17 year-old 3B out of North Charles Bank (BYDL).
10. Hatrack Hines, 17 year-old SS out of West Quincy (BYDL).
The top ranked players out of the SCYL include 1B Tyler Johnson (Harwich), 1B Mountainside Rockhand (Wellfleet), SP Sebastian Brakefield (Truro), SP Boston Gloston (Provincetown), and 2B Mader Sierra (Swansea).
Scouts have already rated this as the strongest rookie draft in CBO history with 64 players rated to be CBO-potential starters at their respective positions. This group is part of the Commonwealth "baby boomers" born after Nate Howard, Nate's companions, the Minutemen, and the Brotherhood of Steel worked in unison to make Boston and its surrounding areas much safer.
Based on current standings, the top ten draft order would be:
1. Goodneighbor
2. Lexington
3. The Slog
4. Atom
5. FHE
6. Diamond City
7. Finch Farm
8. Quincy
9. Fort Hagen
10. Bunker Hill
Franchise News
With a low population and dwindling attendance, Finch Farm owner Jake Finch is the latest owner looking to move his team to a population center. The Four Leafs' MML affiliate, the Nahant Shoremen, has a larger population and is already considered in the pool of franchises once the CBO expands.
Finch has asked for help from the CBO to help make payroll in the last few months, stating that proceeds from his father Abraham Finch's farm is not enough to finance the team.
Nate Howard has not responded publicly about the situation, but the chances of Finch Farm moving after this season is a probability. Outside of Nahant, there are few current populations with a ready stadium. The nearest population that could support a team is Malden, but many of the fans there opt to follow County Crossing instead.
The farm settlements have found themselves losing more settlers than they have gained in recent years. There are a few exceptions of places that have maintained a nice-sized population, including the previously-mentioned County Crossing area which is also home to a large storage warehouse and goods store, Sunshine Tidings, and Oberland. Sunshine Tidings has shaped itself into a resort town, and Oberland has the Beantown Brewery nearby for many of its residents to work.