BRASS Early Draft Preview

I won't put the players in a rankable order, per se. After all, I have to draft against you goombahs myself! But the draft does seem deep in non-AM talent. I'll leave the evaluation of the AM crop to another.

Top of the Heap

Chase Headley
Ian Kennedy
Yunel Escobar
Droobs Cabrera
Mark Reynolds

Two sure-fire starting 3b at the top, two fine middle infielders and a much discussed pitching prospect. Droobs profiles to be an eventual 1 with the glove. Does that put him at the top? Yunel has already shown that he candle the bat in the Bigs and play a commendable SS. Ian Kennedy should make a fine #3 starter for the Twins...Mark Reynolds might have the most power among draftable carded players. And Headley gets on base and is a switch hitter. Who goes first out of this bunch will probably come down to club preference.

The Next Bunch

Steven Pearce
Chin Lung Hu
Jason Maxwell

There are others amongst the groups below I'd put ahead of this bunch, but they all are intriguing options in their own right. Like Droobs, Hu can pick it. SOM gave him a 2 already at SS based on his limited 2007 work at the MLB-level. Pearce is short, but can hit. RH Brian Giles, anyone? Maybe. Justin Maxwell looks like a deer with those long legs of his. If he can become a proficient hitter, mainly get on base, he should have a decent career.

Need a Backstop?

JR Towles
Geovany Soto
Jesus Flores

As a Brewer fan I will refrain comment on Soto. I watched Towles play against the Crew late in the season and he didn't look out of place. Flores? All I know is what I've read. Could have a nice power bat/arm combo. I think the first two go in the first round, with Flores snared in the second.

Or How about a Pitcher?

Manny Parra
Garrett Olson
Jair Jurrjens
Andy Sonnastine
Kyle Kendrick
Bill Buckner

Buckner is the only one on this list who appears to have to sparkle in spring training for a roster spot on the Snakes, although Garrett Olson will probably be back in AAA even though as a proponent of the "Earl Weaver School of Pitcher Development" I think putting him in the pen would be a sound idea. But obviously, the O's ain't listening to me. The Brewers may, nigh should, look to have Parra fill the same role Carlos Villanueva did last season. The other three all should be in their respective team's rotations.

Just Made It!


Ross Detwiler

Hey, hey! On the virtue of one inning pitched Detwiler rockets to importance in the BRASS draft- especially now that only three AM slots will be available. Plus, rumor has it he's good. Hard throwing lefties with command don't exactly grow on trees.

We Throw Hard

Juan Gutierrez
Felipe Paulino
Andrew Brown

Power relievers are always a nice resource to tap and these three can bring it. Paulino may even start in the gutted Stros rotation.

The Alexi Casilla Divsion

Emilio Bonifacio
Eugenio Velez

Speed, triples, defense, I assume? Look for Challenger management to be awkwardly eyeing one of these two in the second round.

General Reliever Mish-mash

Joe Thatcher
Brian Wolfe
Jensen Lewis
Joe Smith
Matt Lindstrom
Chris Schroeder
and a cast of hundreds...

"Why buy in free agency what you can overdraft a year in advance," I say? But in all honesty, Lewis looks like a real keeper. He might be the only one here that sniffs the first round.