WEBVTT - 2026 MLB Draft Preview 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:15.760 It's times raise the groups for our latest Right This 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:19.680 Season podcast and our twenty twenty six MLB Draft special 0:00:20.040 --> 0:00:22.440 and important one because the Rays have the number two pick. 0:00:22.440 --> 0:00:26.880 If you guys don't know, the Rays got very lucky 0:00:26.960 --> 0:00:28.760 in the draft lottery. It would have been nice if 0:00:28.760 --> 0:00:30.200 they would have gotten number one pick. But we'll take 0:00:30.200 --> 0:00:32.320 a number two pick any day of the week. The 0:00:32.440 --> 0:00:35.440 draft is on Saturday in Philadelphia. I will be there 0:00:35.560 --> 0:00:39.920 live to see who the Rays pick. Hopefully it'll be 0:00:40.040 --> 0:00:40.680 someone good. 0:00:40.720 --> 0:00:41.520 I mean, you have. 0:00:41.440 --> 0:00:44.680 Three consensus top three prospects up top, so we'll see 0:00:44.720 --> 0:00:46.400 what happens. But we do have a very special guest 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:50.080 with us, a stats guy for the Baseball and Stitch podcast, 0:00:50.159 --> 0:00:54.000 also the director of data and analytics at East Tennessee State. 0:00:54.720 --> 0:00:57.160 We have Jackson Scudder with us. Jackson, how you doing? 0:00:57.160 --> 0:00:58.600 Man? Doing pretty good? 0:00:58.680 --> 0:01:00.240 Really have to be on the pond talk to rather. 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:02.680 It's my favorite time of the year watch college baseball year. 0:01:02.760 --> 0:01:04.360 So this is this is really fun for me. 0:01:04.720 --> 0:01:08.039 I mean, you're basically grained in college baseball having worked 0:01:08.040 --> 0:01:08.880 for a team, right. 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:11.000 Yeah, pretty much. I keep up with that. 0:01:11.000 --> 0:01:13.399 I would say almost as much as anyone watched games. 0:01:13.400 --> 0:01:14.920 Pretty much all weekend, every weekend. 0:01:15.280 --> 0:01:19.319 Yeah, for sure, so on I guess starting off, so 0:01:19.360 --> 0:01:22.200 the race of the number two pick, we don't know 0:01:22.240 --> 0:01:23.959 what the White Sox are going to do. I think 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:26.000 we have it seems like a lot of people have 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:30.920 a consensus general idea. But right now, the top three prospects, 0:01:30.959 --> 0:01:33.319 at least from what I've seen are Rock Schwalski, the 0:01:33.880 --> 0:01:37.399 shortstop from UCLA, Grady Emerson Prep shortstop, one of the 0:01:37.560 --> 0:01:39.360 it seems like one of the best prep talents that 0:01:39.400 --> 0:01:42.119 we've seen in recent years. And then Georgia Tech catcher 0:01:43.040 --> 0:01:45.120 Vaughan Lackey, who burst onto the scene towards the end 0:01:45.120 --> 0:01:48.920 of the season. For you and how you have looked 0:01:48.920 --> 0:01:52.080 at the draft, are those your top three prospects and 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:54.840 how do you see things filing out in that way? 0:01:55.880 --> 0:01:57.840 Yeah, those are the top three prospects I have. It's 0:01:57.880 --> 0:02:00.320 pretty consistent. Those are the ones I have as well. 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:03.400 So I have him ranked as Chwowsky one, Emerson two, 0:02:03.560 --> 0:02:06.280 Lackey three. That's what I haven't ranked them by board, 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:08.720 but we all know m'll be Draft is a different 0:02:08.760 --> 0:02:11.320 beast than any other sports. Just because the guy's in 0:02:11.400 --> 0:02:13.600 number one on my board doesn't mean he's gonna go 0:02:13.680 --> 0:02:16.720 number one. Even if I think Rock's pretty consensus a 0:02:16.760 --> 0:02:18.639 lot of people have number one. I don't necessari I 0:02:18.639 --> 0:02:21.040 think it's gonna between him and Emerson in that one spot. 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:24.119 I think at two it's gonna between Lackey and whoever's 0:02:24.240 --> 0:02:27.239 left between those two. I could also see maybe Jackson 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:29.840 Flora the best pitcher in the class at two, but 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:32.360 I really highly doubt it. I think he would be 0:02:32.440 --> 0:02:35.000 the other person who could make their jump up. If 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:37.160 the race feel like adding an arm, he would be 0:02:37.200 --> 0:02:40.680 the only arm mad. I think between those four guys, 0:02:40.720 --> 0:02:42.880 we'll see one of those be Tampa Bay ray Backs 0:02:42.919 --> 0:02:43.679 that coming Saturday. 0:02:44.120 --> 0:02:44.560 Got it. 0:02:44.760 --> 0:02:47.079 So on that same note, I mean, when you look 0:02:47.120 --> 0:02:50.720 at the current needs on the big league team and 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:53.760 also in the minor leagues, I know catcher is definitely 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:55.520 a position of need for this team. Even though they 0:02:55.560 --> 0:02:58.360 have like Nick Fort says, has been okay this year, 0:02:58.480 --> 0:03:02.280 Hunter has been okay nothing, but they've been been serviceable enough. 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:05.200 You look in the mind of leagues, you see Nathan Flowelling, 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:09.080 who's been incredible so far. Caden Bodine is already up 0:03:09.080 --> 0:03:12.720 in Double A, has looked great. Are you like, is 0:03:12.760 --> 0:03:15.360 there a certain position if you like, looking at those 0:03:15.400 --> 0:03:20.480 four specifically pitcher, two shortstops and a catcher with the 0:03:20.600 --> 0:03:23.639 race like, are you seeing the Rays potentially targeting one 0:03:23.720 --> 0:03:28.280 need over another position wise looking at the big league team. 0:03:27.919 --> 0:03:30.160 I don't think necessarily. I think the one thing with 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:33.239 that could be, as you discussed, the catch position of 0:03:33.240 --> 0:03:35.880 the minor leagues looks decent right now for the Rays, 0:03:36.080 --> 0:03:38.360 so they might not want to add a catcher this 0:03:38.480 --> 0:03:41.560 high the draft. But also Lacky's such a special talent 0:03:41.920 --> 0:03:44.240 and he's also shown to have a really strong arm. 0:03:44.280 --> 0:03:46.000 This could be a guy that maybe you could play 0:03:46.040 --> 0:03:48.040 him in the right field because he's also a very 0:03:48.080 --> 0:03:50.120 plus athlete behind the plate as well. He's showing the 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:53.080 abley steel some bases. Lackie could be a guy who 0:03:53.080 --> 0:03:55.520 could move to a corner outfields but very successfully if 0:03:55.520 --> 0:03:57.320 you draft him and don't want to keep him a catcher. 0:03:57.760 --> 0:04:00.200 And then I think Twaska Emerson, both in that same like, 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:03.360 could also be moved positioned around as well. However, I 0:04:03.360 --> 0:04:05.840 think both are also high talent shortstops. He could play 0:04:05.840 --> 0:04:08.000 there for long term, and I think the Rays could 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:11.200 use a long term answer at shortstop right now. I 0:04:11.280 --> 0:04:13.680 have a feeling Twasky or Emerson could both be great 0:04:13.680 --> 0:04:15.280 answers for that, Yeah. 0:04:15.160 --> 0:04:19.240 So between those two, is there like, are you part 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:21.320 of the consensus that thinks that Rock is going to 0:04:21.400 --> 0:04:24.800 go number one? Or are like, would you be surprised 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:26.599 at all if if Emerson went one? 0:04:27.640 --> 0:04:30.320 I would not be surprised either way. I like Rock 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:34.760 more because by like the way I look at prospects. 0:04:34.760 --> 0:04:38.760 I always like guys with higher floors necessarily to higher ceilings. 0:04:39.120 --> 0:04:41.520 I think Kwaski has a higher floor of the type 0:04:41.520 --> 0:04:43.640 of player he can be, just because we've seen him 0:04:43.640 --> 0:04:45.240 so much in college seating the type of player he 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:47.919 can be, I just think he has a higher floor. 0:04:48.400 --> 0:04:50.200 I think he's almost definitely gonna be a big league 0:04:50.200 --> 0:04:52.800 player and make an impact, not sure how great, even 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:55.240 though I think he can be a very very good player. Well, 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:57.760 I think Emerson has the upside be a potential like 0:04:57.880 --> 0:05:00.920 Bobby Witt type of player. I think the lowerest being 0:05:00.920 --> 0:05:03.600 a high school guy. But I do think both are 0:05:03.600 --> 0:05:05.560 going to be very good baseball players, and I think 0:05:05.560 --> 0:05:07.560 both are gonna end up being big leaguers. I like 0:05:07.600 --> 0:05:09.400 Emerson's defense a lot as well, so I think he 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:10.600 could have been good Shortsop. 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:13.680 So looking at the top end of this draft compared 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:16.919 to maybe some previous drafts, like is the quality there 0:05:17.080 --> 0:05:20.200 from where it was in twenty five, where it was 0:05:20.200 --> 0:05:22.440 in twenty four to twenty three, just knowing the guys 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:26.800 that were picked, Like does this crop, you know, top three, 0:05:26.880 --> 0:05:30.360 top five, top ten guys have that kind of staying 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:35.760 power that some of these other top ten drafts have 0:05:35.880 --> 0:05:37.200 been in recent years. 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:40.000 I think outside of I believe it was the twenty 0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:42.360 three class or the twenty two class one that Skeins 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:45.320 and crews in it that was pretty ridiculous. I don't 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:47.760 think outside of that, this can probably hold its weight 0:05:47.760 --> 0:05:49.400 with most of them. Mean, Chowawski is one of the 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:53.200 rare guys that last December, last November, we were mocking 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:55.480 him at number one. It's just very rare that we 0:05:55.560 --> 0:05:58.600 see those guys still being discussion for number one when 0:05:58.640 --> 0:06:00.120 it comes to May. They just have to do so 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:02.520 much to still hold on to that spot. In the 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:05.640 fact that he's been able to incredible and the rise 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:09.480 of von Lackey has made is simply unbelievable. Like this 0:06:09.520 --> 0:06:11.520 is the guy who hit two hundred as a freshman 0:06:11.760 --> 0:06:14.120 soft free year was better had like four home runs 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:16.000 this year. He hit four hundred and twenty home runs. 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:19.240 He wasn't on anybody's draft radar in February, and now 0:06:19.279 --> 0:06:21.479 he might go to number one, number two, number three overall, 0:06:21.680 --> 0:06:24.120 probably two or three yearrange. I just really like the 0:06:24.200 --> 0:06:26.320 topest class. I think he has really good depth down board, 0:06:26.400 --> 0:06:29.159 especially with the arms. But I think the top like four, 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:32.279 the top like five to six range is really really elite. 0:06:33.200 --> 0:06:36.359 So like with Lackey specifically, I mean, I know that 0:06:36.400 --> 0:06:38.599 the numbers speak for themselves, but there's plenty of other 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:41.839 guys in this draft, in this in in this class 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:44.600 that have put up equally strong seasons. 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:45.200 I mean, like A. J. 0:06:45.360 --> 0:06:48.920 Garssia over at Virginia has been strong. Ace Reesilver at 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:52.719 Mississippi State has had a good season. You know, Drew Burris, 0:06:53.720 --> 0:06:56.320 Lackey's teammate at Georgia Tech, had a good another good year. 0:06:56.320 --> 0:06:58.240 It took him, took him a while to get there, 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:00.360 and he was more of like that. Like I think 0:07:00.400 --> 0:07:03.280 he was mocked at number two at one point, potentially 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:06.839 number one guy. Now he's closer to the I would assume, 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:09.560 like the eight to twelve, eight to fifteen range. But 0:07:10.800 --> 0:07:15.960 what makes him stand out and what made him go 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:19.320 on this have this meteoric rise up the rankings to 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:21.280 now he could potentially be the number one pick in 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:22.000 the draft. 0:07:22.680 --> 0:07:24.440 Just looking at his career at Georgie Chaps, like I 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:27.560 talked about, he got better every single year. The thing 0:07:27.600 --> 0:07:29.720 that I feel like has really impressed me. He's ability 0:07:29.720 --> 0:07:31.640 to able to stick to an approach. We see a 0:07:31.640 --> 0:07:34.600 lot of these college guys. They're either heavy into power 0:07:34.920 --> 0:07:38.400 but have real swing and misconcerns, or they might not 0:07:38.520 --> 0:07:42.080 have great power but they can hold on the swing 0:07:42.080 --> 0:07:44.200 and miss leamon. He was able to combine both. 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:44.640 Of those this year. 0:07:44.720 --> 0:07:48.240 He hit four h two this year fifteen home runs 0:07:48.480 --> 0:07:51.160 or twenty home runs. I did wasn't looking at the 0:07:51.200 --> 0:07:55.040 postseason numbers, hit sixteen doubles. But he was also able 0:07:55.080 --> 0:07:58.040 to keep on a very elite ky to walk ratio, 0:07:58.520 --> 0:08:01.360 walking eighteen percent of how much, strucking out just thirteen 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:04.040 percent of the time, kept his whiff and his chase 0:08:04.080 --> 0:08:07.040 right under eighteen percent, which is very elite. I think 0:08:07.080 --> 0:08:09.320 it was just the combination of him playing a premiered 0:08:09.640 --> 0:08:12.760 position defensively, having elite power, having a lead back to 0:08:12.800 --> 0:08:16.040 ball skills, while also like limiting Chase limiting with he 0:08:16.120 --> 0:08:18.560 was overall thirty five percent swing gr It's pretty low 0:08:18.600 --> 0:08:21.160 for the college level. I think average around forty two percent. 0:08:21.520 --> 0:08:24.280 He's a very passive hitter, but when he unleashes it, 0:08:24.280 --> 0:08:27.280 he makes contact and makes really hard, loud contact. It's 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:29.320 just very rare that we see a guy playing a 0:08:29.320 --> 0:08:33.600 premium position like catcher have these type of overall numbers. 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:33.640 Of the play. 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:37.040 Yeah, I mean he's been I mean from what I saw, 0:08:37.080 --> 0:08:40.120 because I saw some stuff in the regionals. Not as 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:42.000 much during the Raidar season just because I was too 0:08:42.000 --> 0:08:43.720 busy on my own end and try to watch as 0:08:43.760 --> 0:08:46.320 much college baseball as I could, but I know that, like, 0:08:46.480 --> 0:08:49.520 I mean, his stuff was legit. And then the other 0:08:49.559 --> 0:08:51.920 two haven't really seen as much from Emerson. I have 0:08:52.000 --> 0:08:54.400 seen some high school stuff. Apparently the high school that 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:58.520 he goes to a has like a fall t field 0:08:58.640 --> 0:09:01.280 with like stands and and all that stuff looks really 0:09:01.360 --> 0:09:04.439 nice and has like the best production I have ever 0:09:04.520 --> 0:09:08.600 seen from any high school. Sim will cast any telecast 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:11.080 or anything like that. Like the whatever's going on at 0:09:11.080 --> 0:09:13.080 that high school is absolutely nuts, and they have way 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:14.000 too much money for it. 0:09:14.360 --> 0:09:14.520 Uh. 0:09:14.559 --> 0:09:17.679 And then Chowalsky. I mean, it's hard to not see 0:09:17.679 --> 0:09:20.840 what he's doing at you, Seeli, considering they were more 0:09:20.960 --> 0:09:22.600 more or less than number one team in the country 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:26.200 for most of the season and then uh screwed up 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:29.560 and didn't get out of region. Also, I don't know 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:30.520 what kind of a sign. 0:09:30.320 --> 0:09:30.760 That is, But. 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:36.000 What, like on your end is it does does does 0:09:36.000 --> 0:09:38.000 it seem like Emerson's gonna be the guy for the raise, 0:09:38.040 --> 0:09:41.080 because that's kind of That's essentially how I'm feeling right now. 0:09:41.880 --> 0:09:44.319 And I know that the Rays and like I make 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:46.640 jokes about it and I'm annoyed about it to an 0:09:46.679 --> 0:09:49.000 extent that the Rays tend to draft a lot of 0:09:49.000 --> 0:09:53.360 prep shortstops. But I feel like, if he's available, and 0:09:53.400 --> 0:09:56.600 he's supposed to be someone who, from what I can tell, 0:09:56.760 --> 0:09:59.440 is one of the better prep players that has come 0:09:59.480 --> 0:10:02.800 out of any draft class in the last like five 0:10:02.840 --> 0:10:05.480 to ten years, I feel like it's a no brainer 0:10:05.520 --> 0:10:07.200 to take him if you have the opportunity to. 0:10:08.320 --> 0:10:09.240 Yeah, I completely agree. 0:10:09.280 --> 0:10:11.520 I think if Rock goes one of Emerson's there too, 0:10:11.600 --> 0:10:13.600 I think he should be the easy pick in my 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:16.320 opinion from what like, obviously I don't have as much 0:10:16.320 --> 0:10:18.080 of data and stuff on him just being a high screwrap. 0:10:18.080 --> 0:10:20.440 But from everything I read and everything I watch, he's 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:23.679 very mature in his approach to the plate, swing decision wise, 0:10:23.880 --> 0:10:26.320 which again even rare to see at the seventeen eight 0:10:26.440 --> 0:10:29.199 year level. All these guys are better than everybody that 0:10:29.280 --> 0:10:31.079 play against andor just go up there swing and stuff 0:10:31.120 --> 0:10:31.640 ready to go. 0:10:31.880 --> 0:10:33.240 And from everything i've ready's. 0:10:32.920 --> 0:10:35.600 Also very mature defensively at short top it can almost 0:10:35.640 --> 0:10:39.200 definitely stick there, and having that ability to stick shorts 0:10:39.240 --> 0:10:41.240 up one comers can make him even more valuable even 0:10:41.240 --> 0:10:43.200 if the bat doesn't reach the point where that we 0:10:43.280 --> 0:10:45.800 think it could reach. The power is kind of thing 0:10:45.800 --> 0:10:50.040 I've heard a little bit questionable about, but I think again, 0:10:50.240 --> 0:10:53.040 just really young kid eighteen years old and six three 0:10:53.040 --> 0:10:55.959 point eight five, very projectable body, left handed stroke, I 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:58.400 think he can very easily add power as he gets older, 0:10:58.440 --> 0:11:01.360 grows into his body. Again, just eighteen years old. I 0:11:01.400 --> 0:11:03.120 really like the prospect of this whole, and I think 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:05.360 like the ability to stick a defensive ability to already 0:11:05.400 --> 0:11:07.960 have mature approach at such a young age is just 0:11:08.040 --> 0:11:09.240 very promising for his future. 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:12.839 The last thing I have on this before we get 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:15.680 into because the Rays have three picks in the top fifty. Yeah, 0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:17.800 they have the number thirty three pick in the comp 0:11:17.840 --> 0:11:20.520 round A, which came from the Shame Bos trade, which 0:11:20.559 --> 0:11:23.160 is so funny that the Ray's got a compick out 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:25.120 of that, considering that they traded a compic to get 0:11:25.120 --> 0:11:28.560 Brian Baker and then got that compick back in the 0:11:28.600 --> 0:11:31.400 Shane Bos trade and then got another pick on top 0:11:31.480 --> 0:11:34.040 of it. So in my opinion, that's a win win 0:11:34.120 --> 0:11:36.640 win for the Rays. But they have thirty three and 0:11:36.640 --> 0:11:39.880 then they have forty nine in the second round, which 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:42.200 I think by the second round it just goes by 0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:46.320 record essentially, right and not because you know the I 0:11:46.320 --> 0:11:50.040 guess the the draft lotteries, draft lottery, but it goes 0:11:50.040 --> 0:11:53.600 by record. So that's why they have forty nine at 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:56.480 that point. I think the Blue Jays and apparently the 0:11:56.480 --> 0:11:59.400 Blue Jays and Dodgers have their first picks there because 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:01.760 they screwed up on them with the competitive balanced tax. 0:12:02.160 --> 0:12:05.640 But mostly yeah, yeah, yeah, So the Race have three 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:08.560 in the top fifty there. But so outside of the 0:12:08.559 --> 0:12:11.480 top four that that that you mentioned, including Flora, is 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:14.600 there anyone else that you think could potentially have like 0:12:14.679 --> 0:12:18.160 this meteoric final surge over the next couple of days 0:12:18.240 --> 0:12:21.240 and make a case to be the number two pick, 0:12:21.320 --> 0:12:24.440 or do you think that there's not really anyone that 0:12:24.480 --> 0:12:25.680 would have that kind of ability. 0:12:27.240 --> 0:12:29.560 I honestly do not. It would really shock me. 0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:31.880 I think it would honestly just depend on what they're 0:12:31.880 --> 0:12:33.760 doing money wise, and I think if the races had 0:12:33.800 --> 0:12:36.960 to go underslide, it would be Flora. But like, just 0:12:37.000 --> 0:12:39.280 looking at my board, like Jacob Lombard is the other 0:12:39.320 --> 0:12:44.000 prep shortsop in a world where Emmerson goes one and 0:12:44.040 --> 0:12:46.960 the raiser just gung home wanting to take a prep shortstop, 0:12:47.040 --> 0:12:49.599 Jacob Lombard at two would probably be that take. But 0:12:49.640 --> 0:12:52.200 that would really surprise me, especially with the guys still 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:55.079 on the board. I think like those five would probably 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:57.880 be the main ones. I really it would really shock 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:00.880 me for anybody else to go at number two would 0:13:00.880 --> 0:13:04.000 have to be one of those. The Rays having three 0:13:04.040 --> 0:13:06.120 top fifty picks, are really wanting this table a little 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:07.439 bit of money at two and get a guy that 0:13:07.600 --> 0:13:09.760 really like and then spend a little bit more. Maybe 0:13:09.800 --> 0:13:12.000 a high school guy or junior in college got on 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:14.200 the board. I really think it's gonna be between those 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:16.760 four guys, and that maybe the fifth would be Lombard. 0:13:17.120 --> 0:13:20.760 Got it okay going into the rest of this, so 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:23.520 again thirty three in the comp round and then forty 0:13:23.600 --> 0:13:26.920 nine in the second round. Are there any names that 0:13:27.000 --> 0:13:29.160 kind of hover around either of those that you're interested in? 0:13:29.240 --> 0:13:31.640 I know one of them, at least in terms of 0:13:31.679 --> 0:13:34.480 local for the Tampa Bay areas, Caden Wecter, son of 0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:38.599 current Rays pre and post game guy, also analyst, and 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:41.400 in many ways Doug Wecter. I think that he's still 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:47.520 a top fifty prospect draft prospect by pretty much everything 0:13:47.520 --> 0:13:50.480 I saw. But who do you see around either of 0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:55.200 those picks that stands out as someone that fits, you know, 0:13:55.320 --> 0:13:56.560 fits the Ray's mold. 0:13:57.520 --> 0:13:59.199 I'll go ahead and talk about Lector first, because I'm 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:01.560 actually a lot higher and him some people are. He's 0:14:01.640 --> 0:14:04.160 run fifty seven a MLB. I have him on forty 0:14:04.200 --> 0:14:08.040 six on my board. He's a guy who Tampa Jesuit 0:14:08.040 --> 0:14:10.600 A High school, one of the best high schools in 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:14.160 the country for baseball. They just roll out top prospect 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:16.560 every year. We have a guy at Etsuho went there. 0:14:16.880 --> 0:14:18.520 I mean he just said they're just rolling guys out 0:14:18.559 --> 0:14:22.760 every single year. I mean, he's he just has a 0:14:22.840 --> 0:14:25.680 very clean, consistent motion. Ninety two ninety four has been 0:14:25.720 --> 0:14:28.200 up to ninety five. Ninety six kind of has shown 0:14:28.240 --> 0:14:30.280 a couple of decent off seed pitches. But if you 0:14:30.400 --> 0:14:33.280 just watch him throw, looks very repeatable, it looks clean, 0:14:33.280 --> 0:14:35.480 it looks healthy. I think he could be a very 0:14:35.480 --> 0:14:38.440 fun pick in that I have forty nine spall. I 0:14:38.480 --> 0:14:39.680 don't think you would go all the way up with 0:14:39.680 --> 0:14:41.120 thirty three, but I think forty nine would be a 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:43.640 great pick. And then my favorite player in the thirty 0:14:43.640 --> 0:14:45.840 three range is my favorite player in the entire class, 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:48.720 not saying the best, but my personal favorite, and that's 0:14:49.080 --> 0:14:52.160 I believe another Tampa product who went to Florida State, 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:55.800 and that's West Mendes, left handed pitcher played at Florida State. 0:14:56.480 --> 0:14:59.360 He's my favorite pitcher of the class simply because he 0:14:59.520 --> 0:15:02.720 throws five pitches in the zone a lot like up Florida. 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:03.920 Say, he was truly. 0:15:03.640 --> 0:15:08.120 Throwing five pitches at a fastball, a really really good changeup, cutter, slider, curveball, 0:15:08.160 --> 0:15:10.960 and through all of them around at least nine to 0:15:10.960 --> 0:15:13.360 ten percent of the time. Obviously some of them want more, 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:16.640 but it is very rare to see college guys had 0:15:16.760 --> 0:15:19.920 that mature of an ability to locate and throw five 0:15:19.960 --> 0:15:22.800 pitches with comfortability like he was doing. I think he's 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:24.640 gonna fall a little bit just because he was only 0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:26.440 like ninety two to ninety four. I had the good 0:15:26.440 --> 0:15:29.360 command and had the five pitches. I think he would 0:15:29.400 --> 0:15:31.120 be a great pick at thirty three and could even 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:33.880 follow that forty nine spot. I think most Mendes would 0:15:33.880 --> 0:15:36.200 be an absolute steal. I think he's going to be 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:38.600 a guy who's gonna look, You're gonna look up. He's 0:15:38.600 --> 0:15:40.280 gonna like a three or four in a rotation, and 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:43.080 of five straight years was three seven era with one 0:15:43.160 --> 0:15:44.240 hundred and sixty innings pitched. 0:15:45.320 --> 0:15:47.960 So, like, if the Rays end up taking two people 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:50.960 that are from Tampa, like, like would that be would 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:53.640 that fit the raised mold in your mind of like, hey, 0:15:53.760 --> 0:15:56.800 let's go try to grab these local guys that we've 0:15:56.840 --> 0:16:01.520 seen before. I don't because they have taken guys, I mean, 0:16:01.600 --> 0:16:05.080 Shane being one of them, being you know, a USF guy. 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:08.040 They haven't necessarily always gone that route, but they've had 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:11.040 Tampa guys, Saint Pete area guys that have played through. 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:15.320 Like if that sort of a situation happened would you be, like, 0:16:15.360 --> 0:16:17.440 would that be surprising in the slightest or. 0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:21.400 Now, I mean, maybe a little surprise in just considering it, 0:16:21.680 --> 0:16:23.200 But I think it would be a very cool and 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:26.200 fun storyline, especially for both of those guys, who again 0:16:26.240 --> 0:16:28.240 I'm very high on some people want to be as 0:16:28.280 --> 0:16:30.280 high on others. But I think either of those guys 0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:32.840 at those picks would be very fun spot. There's obviously 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:34.360 a lot of other guys in those spots a life 0:16:34.400 --> 0:16:36.720 as well, but I mean, I think both those guys 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:38.440 and then the storyline right there, both of them being 0:16:38.440 --> 0:16:40.640 Tampa guys, I think it would be very cool. Might 0:16:40.680 --> 0:16:43.320 be a little surprise and just considering, but like it's 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:45.200 not out of the realm of possibility where if the 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:48.200 Rays really want to add to pitching, and we know 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:50.920 the Ray's love of adding pitching all the time, I 0:16:50.920 --> 0:16:52.840 think both of those could be very fun picks. 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:56.280 Yeah, and I know Wes is a Jesuit guy too, 0:16:56.360 --> 0:16:58.920 so yeah, that would be I mean, if they I mean, 0:16:58.960 --> 0:17:01.720 if they picked up Sho's Tampa Tampa Jesuit guys in 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:05.280 the first fifty picks, that'd be crazy. Who so who 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:08.040 else in that realm any other guys that stand out 0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:11.000 to you as potential picks, specifically on like the more 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:13.400 position player side, because I don't know how the Ras 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:16.560 are planning on. I mean, they're weird in how they 0:17:16.600 --> 0:17:18.840 do things, because it could be like, you know, all 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:20.960 position player one time, it could be all pitcher the 0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:23.600 other time. But on the position player side of things, 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:26.960 anyone around either of those numbers that you could see 0:17:27.000 --> 0:17:29.480 them potentially getting and has that kind of raise mold. 0:17:30.200 --> 0:17:32.520 Yeah, I'll drop in like two or three. I can 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:35.919 think fun names. Aiden Robbins, he was an outfielder at 0:17:35.920 --> 0:17:39.399 Texas this year. Really good power and just raw hitting 0:17:39.440 --> 0:17:42.200 ability spin his first two years at Seaton Hall, transfer 0:17:42.320 --> 0:17:44.159 to Texas and was able to keep his cape with 0:17:44.320 --> 0:17:47.800 numbers down. Just good player play center field could be 0:17:47.800 --> 0:17:49.440 a fun corner outfield spot. 0:17:50.680 --> 0:17:54.320 Another fun name is the son of Jim Tomey. Landon Tomey. 0:17:55.280 --> 0:18:00.879 He's projected around that like late first competitive balance. I'm 0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:03.840 not sure what his like number would be to lure 0:18:03.920 --> 0:18:06.920 him out of playing college ball because he's a prep 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:11.040 He's a prep guy, but another left handed hitting prep shortstop. 0:18:11.240 --> 0:18:13.000 So depending on what the Rays do it too. 0:18:13.280 --> 0:18:16.000 But knowing the Rays, I could also see them double 0:18:16.040 --> 0:18:18.520 dipping on left handed hitting prep shortstops because that just 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:20.440 seems like a really fun thing to do. Tomby is 0:18:20.440 --> 0:18:21.960 a very fun player. I could seem be like a 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:24.680 utility type of guy. He's kind of described as like 0:18:24.800 --> 0:18:27.879 good hands, good defender, high IQ and another guy that 0:18:28.000 --> 0:18:29.840 just kind of has very good hit to a very 0:18:29.840 --> 0:18:32.280