BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
10 October 2317
CBO Draft Preview #1
With just a month to the 2317 CBO Draft, we want to start looking, not at the prospects in detail, but to compare the BNN mock 10 to the initial OSA Mock Draft. You see, we like to look at prospects, too!
The OSA believes that County Crossing will select CF Derek Cureall out of Winthrop College as the #1 overall pick. Their complete 1st round mock below:
Now, we at BNN want to break down a bit of a different perspective: looking at the current needs of the Top 10 teams picking and which player may best slot into the pick, along with alternative picks. We have defaulted to the OSA for where in the draft they think players will go. It is not as simple as an 80 potential rating being #1. In fact, in OSA's first 10 picks, only three picks are rated 80 out of the 16 total 80-rated players. OSA considers 80 to be a potential CBO star. On the opposite end of the scale, a 20 potential would be considered having no chance to make it to the CBO.
Now looking at team needs, this is what we think are the top two position groups for teams to consider when drafting based on their overall position group ranking of the 28 CBO teams:
1. County Crossing - SP (27th) and RF (27th)
2. Salem - CF (26th) and C (25th)
3. Bunker Hill - SS (28th) and LF (28th)
4. Goodneighbor - RF (26th) and SP (23rd)
5. Southie - CF (28th) and SP (24th)
6. Egret - C (27th) and RF (25th)
7. Nordhagen Beach - 3B (28th) and SP (19th)
8. University Point - 2B (24th) and 1B (24th)
9. Roxbury - SP (22nd) and 3B (21st)
10. Spectacle Island - 1B (27th) and SS (23rd)
We understand that current needs are not always the way to go. For example, the consensus is that Cureall is the draft's best player. He plays a premier position, CF, so the Bloodbugs could address their RF need by drafting Cureall and then working in whomever they need to fill RF in the meantime while Cureall gets CBO ready. For the record, OSA scouts see Cureall as a straight-to-the-CBO pick, meaning his value in the present is much higher than any long-term prospect.
That brings us at BNN to our thoughts on what the first ten teams picking may decide to do.
1. County Crossing - CF Derek Cureall, Winthrop
The Bloodbugs pick the best player in the draft. Cureall slots into the leadoff role at either CF or LF, with Frak Meng moving to RF. Cureall will be the Day 1 starter for the Bugs, so he should be the pick. In case he is not . . .
Alternatives: SP Casan Evans, Assumption; LF Bad Company Gondek, Bentley
2. Salem - CF Sandy Slinky, Endicott College
Slinky's prospects are not as high as Cureall, but he is considered to be a high pick in the 2317 draft. Since the Witch Hats need a CF, Slinky as the pick is probable unless Cureall is somehow available. Slinky is also considered to be able to play in the CBO from Day 1, but OSA has him currently at the AAA/AA range for current ratings.
Alternatives: CF Derek Cureall (if not taken 1, he will definitely go 2); SS Early Duvet, Worcester Crows
3. Bunker Hill - LF Bad Company Gondek, Bentley
The 75ers fell off from being IL champions to picking toward the top of the draft. While pitching was a bigger problem, another bat would benefit them. Gondek would not be a Day 1 solution, though, with OSA placing him in the AA/A range for current ratings. In time, though, Gondek would make a great hitter to play pepper off the outfield walls at Battle of Bunker Hill Memorial Stadium.
Alternatives: SS Early Duvet; SS Groundhog Molony, Acadia College
4. Goodneighbor - SP Casan Evans, Assumption
Evans is the best pitcher in the draft, and OSA scouts believe that he has ace potential in a strong pitcher's class. Evans has Day 1 potential to start toward the bottom of the rotation and then work his way up. Both Harley Buechel and Dave Cregger are passable, meaning that it is likely Evans would be the third starter behind Jared Porch and Jules Alder.
Alternatives: SP Talley O'Reilly, Rockport Seafarers; LF Bad Company Gognak (if not taken at #3)
5. Southie - SP Talley O'Reilly, Rockport Seafarers
If the Brews were picking at the top of the draft again, like in 2316 when they took CF Ditcher Doyle Cobbler as the #1 overall pick, then the Brews would be picking one of the top two CFers again. Since they have Cobbler, who is expected to move into the permanent starting position with the Brews in 2318, they need to go in a different direction: pitcher. O'Reilly probably would not be in the CBO in 2318, but he could be there in 2319, assuming that the CYL star would go straight to the AAA or AA level.
Alternatives: 2B Otto Megaphone, Plymouth State; LF Shalvey O'Doherty, Haverhill Detectives
6. Egret - C Sevenfold Abrams, Western Connecticut State
The first catcher mentioned, Abrams does not grade out as high as some of the younger players in Daniel Bowler, Rad Malina, and Flavi Muja because of the higher hitter potential those players have. What Abrams could provide is backup catcher duty from Day 1 thanks to his great glove and potential to be a solid all-around hitter. Hugo Steadymaster would remain as the starter, though his hitting must improve to keep that role. Abrams would have a chance to supplant Steadymaster in 2319.
Alternatives: LF Shalvey O'Doherty; 3B Music Man Hughes, WCSU
7. Nordhagen Beach - 2B Otto Megaphone, Plymouth State
The OSA scouts have Megaphone going 2nd overall, so that made us look at what he offers to a team in 2318. The answer is potential, which may lead an IF-starved team like the Party Boys to seek out a starter via trade. Megaphone has high potential anywhere in the infield, and he can also slip into the outfield as needed, making his utility value great. His hitting needs a lot of work, but he has potential to be a great hitter for average in the CBO. The Boys would make this pick as a 2319/2320 stash since Megaphone would currently grade into the AA/A range.
Alternatives: 3B King Fish Davenport, South Charles Bank Moonies; 2B Kicks Stannard, Commonwealth U
8. University Point - 2B Kicks Stannard, Commonwealth U
While Megaphone has more potential, Stannard is currently more CBO-ready, especially with his glove. The CCBL's season saw some record-breaking performances, including the top six single-season batting average records (and 16 of the top 19 single-season performances), and Stannard is second on that list, hitting .521 in 2317 with the Terriers. Stannard could almost be penciled in as the Day 1 starter with the Deathclaws if he were to be selected here.
Alternatives: 1B Heady Stepniewski, New Haven Sailors; SS Early Duvet
9. Roxbury - SS Early Duvet, Worcester Crows
One of our favorite prospects, the CYL star battered other youth pitchers for four years, finishing with a .377/82/246 line. He is a great middle infielder who could also boune to the left side of the field if needed. The bright side is also that the Rad Sox do not need Duvet immediately with one of the CBO's better middle infields in Brennan Colt-45 and Odd Todd Walker. The Sox could develop Duvet in 2318 and help him develop more skills before unleashing him on the CBO in 2319.
Alternatives: SS Groundhog Molony; SP Fog Slater, Portland Trappers
10. Spectacle Island - SS Groundhog Molony, Acadia College
Like Duvet, Malony is close but not quite ready for the CBO. He projects as a AAA starter, though, so he should get good work in with the Clifton Vertibirds of the NEBL if that is the case.
Alternatives: 1B Heady Stepniewski; LF Shalvey O'Doherty
Commonwealth Collegiate Baseball League
The CCBL has added 10 more institutions of higher learning and baseball skills, and several teams have switched conferences.
New colleges are:
Babson Beavers
Salve Regina Seahawks
Albertus Magnus Falcons
Maine-Presque Isle Owls
Hellenic American Greeks
Maine Maritime Academy Mariners
Rivier Raiders
Elms College Blazers
Lesley Lynx
U.S. Coast Guard Academy Bears
Maine-Presque Isle and Hellenic American joined 10 other teams to form a new conference, the New England Athletic Conference. They are joined with Post, Franklin Pierce, Saint Anselm College, Bentley, Bridgeport, Southern New Hampshire, Assumption, American International, New Haven, and Rhode Island School of Design.
Babson will join thje Boston Collegiate Athletic Conference. In the Massachusetts Conference, Revere College, Nicholls College, and Salem State join the nine other remaining schools. Vermont State moved to the Northern Commonwealth Conference. Salve Regina and Albertus Magnus join Bryant and Sacred Heart into the Southern Commonwealth Conference. In the Atlantic Sound Conference, Westerly Education Academy, Westfield State, and University of Narragansett joined. In the Mid-Commonwealth Conference, Worcester Polytechnic Institute joined the smallest conference, keeping the number at eight teams.
Maine Maritime Academy, Rivier, Elms College, Lesley, and USCGA are all independents in 2318 with future plans for those teams, as well as the remaining independents--WCSU, Plymouth State, and MCLA--to join conferences around 2320 or later.
