2025 MLB Draft Speculation and Discussion

[allentown]

I like the day 1 picks. Shoulder injuries scare me, but at pick 26 the huge upside is worth the risk. Very glad the Phillies are once again devoting substantial bonus resources to pitching. Need to at least shift a little more in that direction in LA. It may be difficult to scout young pitchers, but the Phillies haven't done well scouting young LA hitters, either. Current baseball thinking makes your choice of LA pitching candidates, once you get past the top 1-3, available a lot cheaper than in the past and this is likely sweet spot in market for bonuses around $200K.

[Docs]

For me, the verdict is still out in case the angels end up taking a trio of hard to sign highschoolers towards the end of the first round

[zambonir]

Towards the end of what?

[Docs]

towards the end of the first round

whoops, I meant second half of the first ten rounds and wrote the wrong thing. If picks 8,9,10 are bauer, fischer and sell for instance, then their second overall pick makes sense.

[Squire]

In the 4th Round, I am hoping for

1. One of the College OFs (Turley, Neville, Ford, Quinn-Irons)
2. LHP Jared Spencer, UTexas
3. Any HS player that is signable.
4. A catcher would be cool

[el-pietro]

Harper is a mormon. The Mormons are based in Utah. I thought that was self explanatory.

[andyb]

FYI 11:30 start today.

[Squire]

I may miss a round early.

[bigegypt0417]

Definitely a different type of draft for the Phillies and I'm here for it..bringing in some talent that could move faster through the system could be nice for a change...also higher floors.

[zambonir]

I'm actually surprised Nevada is only 6% Latter-Day Saints, I guess the population in the Eastern half on the Utah border just isn't big enough to make a dent. Idaho, which has a lot more people closer to Salt Lake City, is more than 25%.

I feel like these names are just common for the sort of white American families that produce baseball players these days, be they Mormon or Southern or Midwestern. And then there's hockey [this was a few years back, but has continued]:

[saycheese]

The Phillies really needed more pitching depth in the system (yes every team does). I have zero problems with taking the swings they took. I think Wood has a high floor.

[Squire]

About 10 picks away.

[Docs]

The college arm trend continues - 4th round Sean Youngerman, RHP Oklahoma State

[allentown]

This all points to trading Abel or Ranger.

[saycheese]

Maybe or it just points they are staying true to their board. They need more pitching depth in the org (what team doesn't ) so I really have no issue with this.

[andyb]

This all points to trading Abel or Ranger.

Maybe Abel but not Ranger. Ranger will be a free agent. Trading him says little about the future (and I don't think they are even contemplating that).

[zambonir]

Well, they're not going to trade Ranger, and I don't think any of those guys will be any substitute for Ranger in the next 3 seasons if and when he leaves as a FA. But sure. They also need to replace Luzardo [potentially] in 2027.

[bigegypt0417]

If the phillies make the decision they are not going to get the bullpen issue solved and they are letting Ranger walk I would HOPE they at least test the waters.

No?

[zambonir]

They're going to trade for a reliever. Just a question of whether it is a rental or a controllable guy, and whether it is one or two. Yeah, they will have help from the rotation in October but that will really just be one guy replacing Alvarado, and right now the entire back half of the pen seems a little wobbly [and is only three-deep not four].

If you trade Ranger this deadline it will be for someone who helps this team win this season [i.e. an unexpected bat] not to get a better return compared to the QO comp. There is not going to be any white flag, though I reckon they may quietly claim the market wasn't there for bigger moves when the payroll is just as big a factor.

[saycheese]

24yr old Gabe Craig P from Baylor is the 5th round pick.