BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
14 August 2312
CBO's 2312 Rookie Draft Prospects
Now that all eligible players have declared for the 2312 draft, we have a list of some of the outstanding prospects for the draft. Pundits believe that this year's draft is low in top talent with only nine players considered "can't miss" prospects and just 20 players rated in the "probably CBO" category.
Let's start to break down some of the top talent leading up to the draft with the OSA's original top prospects list and a breakdown of the Top 5 there:
For the entrants in this year's rookie draft, released today by the league, the possibilities are endless. Some will immediately seize their opportunity to play in the bigs with a venom, doggedly working their way up through the system to arrive on the pro circuit in three to five years, if they are lucky. Others will struggle, have their hopes dashed, reborn and dashed again, all the while not fully giving up on the dream. Still others will take each day as it comes, while not losing sight of the end-game. They will figure it out, quietly work their way into the professional ranks and have solid, if not spectacular, careers in Commonwealth Baseball Organization. At any rate, teams now can scout the draft pool for the next 30 days.
The Transactions page also gets a new section dedicated to the pool and will be available for 90 days prior to draft day.
The early favorites to be high picks are the following:
1. Voodoo Sycamore, 20 year-old 1B out of college.
2. Moktar Wakihuri, 19 year-old 3B out of college.
3. Jack of Diamonds Cordero, 20 year-old 2B out of college.
4. Sincere Grey, 17 year-old SS out of high-school.
5. Slocum Simpleton, 20 year-old 1B out of college.
6. Ogre Serrata, 17 year-old 1B out of high-school.
7. Jannar Arbor, 20 year-old LF out of college.
8. Richard Burns, 17 year-old RHP out of high-school.
9. Harvey Aard, 20 year-old C out of college.
10. I.C. Reader, 17 year-old 3B out of high-school.
1. Voodoo Sycamore, 20 year-old 1B out of Quincy College - Depending on the team that takes him, Sycamore is considered to already potentially be CBO-ready straight out of college. The junior batted .385/22/46 for the Masons in 2312. Scouts like that he improved his pitch recognition and learned better how to lay off bad pitches. They see him as being an elite power hitter in the middle of a lineup.
2. Moktar Wakihuri, 19 year-old 3B out of Greenfield College - Despite being banged up his junior season with the Greenies, Wakihuri showed a lot of improvement, finishing the season .399/18/51. While he will never be a star, scouts like his consistency of improvement, showing a better skillset each year, though he may want to work more on his defensive abilities to be a CBO 3B. Still, he can hit with power and could pop his away to a .300 average with 30+ homers.
3. Jack of Diamonds Cordero, 20 year-old 2B out of Holy Cross College - Another player who may be CBO-ready straight from the draft, Cordero may turn out to be the #1 overall player taken. The Crsdaers' junior hit ,390 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI. Right now, he will be more about getting on base than hitting for power, though he does have decent enough power potential to hit in the double digits. His defense is excellent, and if a team wants him to play in the minors, he could also spend more time improving at SS for a better career path chance.
4. Sincere Grey, 17 year-old SS out of Beantown - OSA's top-rated youth league player, Grey is currently projected as a definite 1B in ability, but teams may want to work him elsewhere. He could pretty much play any corner IF or OF spot, along with middle IF. His best projection may be at 2B. As far as hitting is concerned, scouts see his patience at the plate as his greatest asset where he may one day take over the walks leaderboard in the CBO. He has good all-around potential to be a threat at the plate.
5. Slocum Simpleton, 20 year-old 1B out of Glowing Sea College - The three-year starter for the Glowing ones, Simpleton has the ability to be a powerhouse in the middle of a CBO lineup. Scouts like the lefty's ability to take control at the plate, forcing the pitcher to fool him to get him out. Scouts see Simpleton as aggressive but still needing to better recognize his pitch before he is CBO-ready. In the end, they expect him to be hitting 3rd or 4th in the lineup. With the glove, Simpleton is good at nabbing balls, though his limited range and arm will keep him parked at 1B and not moving to the OF.
MML's Worcester Takes 2312 Crown
It was a hard-fought battle for both teams to make it this far. But as the saying goes, "to the victors go the spoils." For the victorious Worcester Cannons, that meant the Massachusetts Minor League Massachussetts Minor Series trophy.
The Cannons took a 7-3 victory over the Finch Farm Shamrocks at Finch Family Park, winning their 2nd championship after taking the series 4-1.
"We've got grit," said Cannons second baseman Burtie Cuttooth, who was named MVP of the series. "We know how to win when we have to."
The new titleholders completed the regular season with a first-place finish in the Stars League Ted Williams Division and a 71-37 record.