2020 Roster Discussion

Intrigued by their prediction of Del in the 3-hole and Toral at cleanup.

LF Lala
2B Vilar
C Del
1B Toral
SS Zamora
3B Gil
DH Gates
RF Rivera
CF Jenkins

or


LF Lala
SS Zamora
C Del
1B Toral
3B Gil
DH Gates
2B Vilar
RF Rivera
CF Jenkins

That 1st one probably wouldn't happen because that's 4 lefties in row to start the game. The 2nd one seems like our best lineup, I'd flip Rivera and Vilar though
 
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Slade Cecconi | Rank: 35

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Scouting grades:
Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

In high school, Cecconi intrigued scouts with his size and live arm that lit up radar guns early in the summer showcase circuit before his senior year. But the combination of an injury that kept him off the mound for most of that senior year and a strong commitment to the University of Miami forced him to slide to the 38th round in 2018. After spending his freshman year in the Hurricanes' rotation, Cecconi is one of the more intriguing Draft-eligible sophomores in the country.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander has the kind of strong and durable frame scouts love to see in a pitcher, and he shows the stuff to match at times. His fastball is regularly up to 96 mph, though his velocity drops off as he goes deeper into starts. Cecconi can be up in the zone too much and gets hit, especially when his velo declines. He throws two breaking balls, with his slider the better of the two, especially when he throws it hard, up to 87 mph. Then it's like a hard cutter with late action and power to it, but he has some arm action issues with it when it's slower and he can get around it at times. He has a changeup, but it's not a real factor, and his curve is in some ways his fourth pitch. He throws strikes, but his command within the zone needs to be refined.

Cecconi is a college arm with upside because of his arm strength. He could make a big move up Draft boards if he shows he can sustain his stuff as a starter, though there is the chance he ends up in a bullpen one day, where that fastball-slider combination would play up.
 
Chris McMahon | Rank: 39

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Scouting grades:
Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

McMahon was a solid high school product outside of Philadelphia who was No. 100 on MLB Pipeline's Draft Top 200 as the 2017 Draft rolled around. The former three-sport standout (soccer and basketball) slid in the Draft, going in the 33rd round, and opted to go to Miami instead. A knee injury cut short his freshman year, and his sophomore year was up-and-down as the Hurricanes' Saturday starter. But he was one of the best performers for USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team, leaving scouts excited to see if he can continue it during his junior season.

The right-hander has more than enough stuff to succeed as a starter at the next level. His fastball is up to 95-96 mph consistently, with late action on it down in the zone, and he was up to 98 mph this fall. He knows how to spin a breaking ball, but it gets caught in between being a curve and slider, looking more like the former. He has a very good feel for his changeup that can miss bats and get ground-ball outs.

When he's on, McMahon combines athleticism, stuff, feel for pitching and command to make him a complete package. With an arm action that can be a little deep, he can get flat and gets hit more than he should. If he can get out front more consistently and not leave pitches up, he could move up this list in a hurry.
 
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Freddy Zamora | Rank: 48

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Scouting grades:
Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

Freddy Zamora Sr. played professional baseball in Nicaragua and his son has the chance to play at a much higher level. The younger Zamora has been a starter since he set foot on Miami's campus, and after being a glove-only type of middle infielder, improvements in his offensive game have him much higher on Draft boards as he enters his junior season with the Hurricanes.

At his best, Zamora has the skill set to be an everyday player at a premium position. He can be a plus defender at times, with a lot of body control, range and wing span at his disposal to go along with an easily plus arm. He's made strides at the plate to make him a more well-rounded player. He's very short to the ball with a contact-oriented approach that makes him tough to strike out, and he started showing more extra-base pop during his sophomore year, though he tailed off at the end of the year.

Zamora is an average runner, especially once underway, and he's shown the ability to steal bases, though he was nursing a hamstring injury this fall. He can play with a low motor at times, but with his overall skill set, he should easily go in the top two rounds, with a climb into the first round a possibility if he continues to improve at the plate.
 
No Del Castillo? Very surprising. I know he is a sophmore but I thought he was eligible like Cecconi

Del Castillo isn't draft eligible until 2021. He's considered the top college catcher in that class so I'm sure he'll rank very highly next year.

Cecconi, Vilar, and Lala i believe are the draft eligible sophs on our roster
 
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Perfect Game Updated Rankings
2020 College Player Rankings
24 Zamora (-)
29 Cecconi (+5)
37 McMahon (+9)
90 Toral (-4)
93 Gil (-17)

2021 Rankings
3. Del Castillo
85. Gates

2022 Rankings
12 McFarlane
 
I really like our roster for this season. The only changes I would have made would have been replacing Chet Moore and Austin Pollack with JUCO bullpen help, just because I don't think Pollack or Moore will get any playing time. I think Paige, Crosbie, Tuero, Thomas, Lauck, and Valdez will be the first 6 guys off the bench, when we have big leads. Plus, you always need a good amount of experienced bullpen arms.
 
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