LHP J.C. Cloney went five strong innings, allowing only two hits while walking one and striking out two. Marcelo Martinez and Janser Lara kept Lexington in the fight, combining for three innings of one-run ball, and closer Tad Ratliff worked out of a late-game rally as Lakewood loaded the bases and threatened to force a fifth game.

Lakewood righty Spencer Howard also went five innings, allowing a single run on three hits, walking none and striking out six. Reliever James McArthur stifled Lexington’s offense over three shutout innings, giving up only one hit, walking one and striking out two. Connor Brogdon took the loss in his inning of relief (1 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K).

The Legends went down in order in the first, with Kyle Isbel flying out to LF Matt Vierling on a 2-1 pitch middle-in, MJ Melendez working the count before a swinging strike three right around his knees put him away, and Nick Pratto lifting a pitch right down the heart of the plate to RF Jhailyn Ortiz to end the inning. Cloney got Vierling to whiff on a 1-2 pitch on the outer third of the plate, but CF Simon Muzziotti stayed inside a pitch on the black and sent a base hit to short. Muzziotti stole second, but 1B Jake Scheiner flew out to LF Brewer Hicklen and C Rodolfo Duran‘s grounder to SS Cristian Perez went for the third out when Perez tossed to 3B Manny Olloque, who tagged Muzziotti to end the inning.

Hicklen got the top of the second underway when he flew out to Muzziotti on a 1-1 change-up that split the plate, Olloque took a 98-MPH heater to left that Vierling had to chase to the warning track, and Perez grounded to 2B Dalton Guthrie on the first pitch he saw for the third out. In the home half, Ortiz popped up to Perez (also on the first pitch), who had to chase it into the middle of the diamond. SS Nick Maton smacked a liner just to the right side of second, but 2B Ricky Aracena made a great diving grab to put him away. DH Colby Fitch reached on an miscue by Aracena, then swiped second when Aracena dropped the throw from Sebastian Rivero. Cloney walked Guthrie, but 3B Jose Antequera left them stranded when he lined out to Aracena.

In the top of the third, Howard struck out RF Cal Jones on a 3-2 pitch up and in, then Rivero struck out looking. Aracena flew out to Vierling to end the top half. Vierling led off the bottom of the inning with a 1-3 ground-out. Muzziotti sent an 82-MPH slider into center for a base knock, but was nabbed at second by about five feet on Rivero’s throw to Aracena. Scheiner popped up to Pratto on a 3-0 outside pitch to end the inning.

Isbel grounded into a 4-3 putout on a 93-MPH middle-low fastball to start the top of the fourth. Melendez ripped a 92-MPH inside fastball deep to right, but foul. Howard countered with an 81-MPH change-up that Melendez swung over, but an 0-2 curve got way out of control and Melendez took first on a HBP. He then took second when Howard’s first pitch to Pratto nearly took out his right ankle. At this point, Howard’s velocity was consistently 3-4 MPH lower than his first-inning fastballs. Pratto struck out looking on a 1-2 inside 81-MPH change-up. Duran struck out looking to begin the bottom of the inning, while Ortiz grounded out, Olloque-to-Pratto, and Maton flew out to Jones in right.

The Legends got a little offense going in the top of the fifth, as Olloque led off with a base hit to left. Perez cracked what would turn out to be a key hit in this pitchers’ duel, driving a double into left to score Olloque, moving to third when Jones sent a slow bouncer to second. Maton ranged past the second-base bag to field it, but had no play. Rivero went down on strikes, and Aracena popped out to Duran on a bunt attempt. Jones was able to swipe second, but Isbel struck out after working a full count. In Lakewood’s half, Fitch, Guthrie, and Antequera went down in order.

McArthur took over on the hill to start the sixth, retiring Melendez, who struck out looking, and Pratto, who lined out to Viering. After walking Hicklen, Olloque sent the first pitch he saw into center. With runners at first and second, Perez ended the inning when he popped up to Antequera. Marcelo Martinez took over in the bottom half, retiring Vierling on a fly-ball to Isbel. Muzziotti caught everyone off-guard when he dropped a push-bunt past Martinez and beat it out to first. Scheiner walked next, and Legends pitching coach Mitch Stetter made a visit to the mound (along with the Lexington infield, en masse), a meeting that home plate umpire Justin Whiddon tried in vain to bring to a conclusion. Martinez induced a pop-out from Duran, put away by Aracena (infield fly rule in effect). That would bring an end to Martinez’s night, with Janser Lara taking over. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Ortiz shot a 2-2 99-MPH (!) pitch off the low-outside corner into right to score Muzziotti and tie the game. Scheiner was sent right behind him, but Jones gunned him down at home.

McArthur got Jones to fly out to center on a 71-MPH curve on the outside corner to start the seventh. Rivero also flew out to center on a 92-MPH fastball that caught an awful lot of the plate. Muzziotti had to sprint back and to his right to get to it. Aracena turned on and grounded a 1-0 fastball to Scheiner to end the top half. Lara’s velocity varied widely (along with his location) as he faced Maton to lead off the bottom half of the inning. The Lakewood shortstop fought an eight-pitch battle before popping up to Rivero for the first out. Fitch worked one of the best at-bats seen all night, coaxing the walk out of Lara after working his way through ten pitches. Guthrie flew out to left and Antequera grounded into a 5-4 force-out to end the inning.

To begin the eighth, Isbel lined out to Scheiner on a bunt attempt, the ball (somehow) jumping off his bat on a low trajectory all the way to first base and just inside foul territory. Had one not seen the drag-bunt attempt, one would have thought it was a swinging out. Melendez took a short hack at a high 76-MPH curve but struck out on the pitch. Pratto took a hard cut at a 1-1 pitch that came right down the middle at 87, but grounded out to first for the third out. Lara came back to the mound for the bottom of the inning, inducing a 4-3 ground-out from Vierling on a low-and-away 94-MPH fastball. Muzziotti grounded out to Perez, and the Lexington shortstop had to rush to make the out at first. Scheiner flew out to Isbel to end the inning.

Connor Brogdon took over for McArthur in the top of the ninth. Right out of the gate, he had some trouble with locating and Hicklen drew the walk. Working the count to 1-1 in between three attempts to pick off Hicklen, Olloque drove a 1-1 slider into center when it caught a bit too much of the plate. Now with runners at the corners, manager Marty Malloy and the Lakewood infield rallied to Brogdon. Perez drove an 0-2 97-MPH fastball into right for the first out, but it would score Hicklen and the Legends would take a 2-1 lead. Brogdon intentionally walked Jones, then struck out Rivero. Aracena followed by grounding out to Scheiner.

As closer Tad Ratliff took over in the Lakewood half of the ninth, Carlos Diaz took over at third. Duran worked a seven-pitch at-bat into a lead-off single. Matt Kroon entered to pinch-run for the Lakewood catcher. Ortiz followed with a grounder to Diaz to force Kroon at second. After Maton went down on swinging strikes, Fitch sent a slider into left for a base hit. Another slider, this one to Guthrie, was bounced back to Ratliff, who lunged to stop the come-backer but deflected it away from a charging Perez, and Guthrie reached to load the bases. Stetter and the infield paid a visit to Ratliff to break up the action and perhaps give Ratliff a chance to take a deep breath. On the first pitch he saw, Antequera grounds to Diaz, who took the force at third for the final out of the game, the series, and the season.

Lara earned the win (though he also picked up a blown save; baseball is a weird game), his first of the series, while Ratliff earned his third save. The Lexington closer finished all four games of the series (5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K).

Lexington was most recently in the championship in 2001, their first year of existence, and were up 2-0 in the series vs. Asheville when the terrorist attacks on 9/11 occurred. The remainder of the series was canceled, and the two teams were named co-champions. Cloney’s five shutout innings came in his first appearance since September 1^st. The two teams combined to leave 15 runners stranded.

They face off against the Rome Braves (71-62 overall, 40-29 in the first half), the first-half champion of the Southern Division in the South Atlantic League. The Legends (76-60 overall, 39-29 in the second half) finished the year as the Southern Division second-half champs, clinching in the first game of a four-game series at Greenville to end the regular season.

Both the Legends and the Braves are young teams, with the average age of each team’s batters under 21 years old. The Legends finished first in the league in runs scored (682; 4.98 R/G), fourth in hits (1151), second in homers (137), first in steals (164), third in team average (.258), and second in OPS (.733). Rome finished seventh in runs scored (578), third in hits (1176), sixth in homers (89), eleventh in steals (78), third in team average (.258; tied with Lexington), and fifth in OPS (.699).

Lexington’s pitchers finished seventh in team ERA (3.62), sixth in hits allowed (1119), second in most HR allowed (129), eleventh in fewest BB allowed (349), and sixth in strikeouts (1147). Overall, Rome finished in ninth in team ERA (3.74), seventh in hits allowed (1085), eighth in HR allowed (86), first in fewest walks allowed (422), and seventh in strikeouts (1143).

By now, the overall talent level on this Lexington roster is no secret, and they took on even more prospects in the last couple of months of the season. Their pitching staff received a significant boost. The loss of RHP Carlos Hernandez (6-5, 3.29 ERA in 79 1/3 IP, 82 K, 3.57 K/BB ratio) might have been felt more acutely had the Legends not added pitchers like LHP Daniel Lynch (5-1, 1.58 ERA in 40 IP, 47 K, 6 BB), RHP Jackson Kowar (3.42 ERA in 26 1/3 IP, 12 BB, 22 K), and LHP JC Cloney (2.73 ERA in 29 2/3 IP, 9 BB, 18 K) was like adding nitrous to an engine that was slowly, but consistently, revving faster as the season came to a close.

Starting Game One will be RHP and 2018 1st-round pick Jackson Kowar, who has made nine short appearances for the Legends this year. Over 26 1/3 innings, Kowar racked up 22 strikeouts against 12 walks. His 19 hits allowed, even over this short sample size, is evidence of his ability to command a plus fastball in the low-to-mid 90s along with a plus change-up in the low-80s that shows good tail and sink, and is delivered with precisely the same arm speed, slot, and release as his fastball when it’s at its best. He mixes in a slurvy breaking ball that is solid enough for a third pitch, but his command with it is still somewhat inconsistent. The Royals have kept his time on the mound short as a precautionary measure against overwork, so a four-inning start is a definite possibility.

He will face off against RHP Alan Rangel (4.09 ERA, 125 1/3 IP, 31 BB, 105 K), who posted a sterling 2.12 ERA in six starts over the month of August, but got knocked around in away games (3.14 ERA at home, 5.05 ERA on the road), and gave up six runs (five earned) and two homers over five innings in his only appearance at Whitaker Bank Ballpark. Perhaps also of note, he allowed a .810 OPS vs. RHH, while lefties had a tougher time (.668 over 57 PA).

RHP Tad Ratliff (1.68 ERA, 48 1/3 IP, 53 K, 10 BB, 10 SV) has been outstanding out of the pen, this year, and is the de facto closer. RHP Janser Lara (3.41 ERA, 23 appearances, 8 starts, 66 IP, 28 BB, 75 K) has steadily improved over the last few months, and can give the Legends a long stint in relief or start the game, though he has been outstanding as a reliever (1.98 ERA in 36 1/3 relief innings; 5.91 ERA in 35 innings as a starter). He brings a fastball that sits 94-95 and a tight slider around 83-84 with good tilt. Lara struck out 25 batters in 18 relief innings in August, so he ended on a high note. 2017’s 26th-round selection RHP Garrett Suchey (1.36 ERA in 21 appearances, 33 IP, 4 BB, 30 K) was a lock-down arm in his professional debut season. A 15th-round pick last year, LHP Robert Garcia (13 appearances, 24 IP, 31 K, 11 BB) and RHP Daniel Duarte (6 appearances, 11 2/3 IP, 11 K, 5 BB) show early signs of promise.

This is a quick look at some of the key batters heading into the first round of the SAL Playoffs.

1B Nick Pratto (.280 BA, .786 OPS 33 2B, 14 HR, 62 RBI, 22 SB in 127 games) is still a month away from his 20^th birthday. That alone says a lot about Pratto’s talent. While he hit the wall in June (.225 BA, .589 OPS in 25 games), he slowly picked up steam in July (.258, .717 OPS in 25 games) and caught fire in August (.358, 1.005 OPS, 20 RBI in 28 games). The steals were a little surprise, but he runs well enough, especially for his position.

C MJ Melendez made a lot of noise this year, becoming the single-season leader in home runs for teen-aged Class-A catchers. Sounds like a lot to say, but 19-year-old catchers don’t typically push 20 homers in their full-season debut. Melendez finished with 26 doubles, nine triples, and 19 homers, driving in 73 runs (.251 BA, .814 OPS in 111 games). In 73 games behind the dish, he threw out 42 percent of base thieves, a dramatic increase from 2017’s 26 percent, though last year he made only thirty appearances at catcher. While he did commit 13 errors (w/ 8 passed balls), there’s no reason for concern there; Melendez’s calling card is his agility, arm strength and glove work, and his defense will improve over time. He’s highly athletic, moves very well (not only for his position), and is an above-average base-runner. By all appearances, Melendez is a safe bet to make it to Kauffman, perhaps by 2021.

OF Brewer Hicklen (.307, 18 doubles, 17 HR, 65 RBI, 29 SB in 82 games at Lexington) returned to the Legends after a 22-game stint in High-A Wilmington that didn’t pan out for him (.211, .573 OPS in 22 games), and the timing could not have been better. With RF Seuly Matias going to the DL because of a thumb laceration, incurred while moving his bags from the baggage compartment on the team bus, the team was going to need that boost to the offense. Hicklen does a lot of things well; he covers lots of ground in the outfield with sure-handed glove work (71 games in OF, 2 errors, 1.87 RF/9), he squares up the ball frequently and has shown a great deal of pop (18 doubles, 3 triples, 17 homers), and he steals bags fearlessly. It seemed that, once he swiped second, he was almost a lock to try for (likely successfully) third immediately afterward. Isbel was a similar runner, in terms of style and aggression. Hicklen also brings added energy to this lineup, though it’s not as if they lack for it. At 22 years old, with his current tool profile, it’s safe to say that his performance at Wilmington is no concern.

SS Cristian Perez (.278, 14 doubles, 37 RBI, 10 SB) isn’t a power bat, but makes a lot of contact and shows a very good eye at the plate. Perez has struck out a total of 94 times over his 194 career games (784 PA), only 43 this year, and while he isn’t likely to walk much (53 BB, career; 11 in 2018), he doesn’t need to. He puts the ball in play with regularity, and aside from a .221 BA/.566 OPS in 24 games in July, Perez has been one of them more consistent hitters on this team. A .348 BA/.756 OPS in June certainly made an impression, during which he struck out only six times in 91 plate appearances. Yet another nineteen-year-old player on this Legends roster, Perez had little difficulty adjusting to Class-A competition. A .252 average vs. RHP (.354 in 92 PA vs. LHP) is acceptable, and should improve in 2019. Making 14 appearances at third base after the loss of Dennicher Carrasco, Perez sometimes struggled with the throw to first, but he also made some low throws from short (10 errors in 69 games at SS, 3 errors in 14 games at 3B). Second base may be in his future, though he could certainly gain arm strength over the next year or two.

Speaking of second base, Ricky Aracena (.261 BA, 10 doubles, 40 RBI, 17 steals in 95 games) is slowly building on the promise that led some international scouts to label him the next Rafael Furcal. With almost no present power of which to speak, Aracena’s value lies primarily in his glove. Coming into 2018, he already had 30 games at short with Lexington, and has been learning second base on the fly since SS Jeison Guzman has been getting the bulk of the time at Aracena’s old position. He is taking reasonably well to the keystone (94 games at 2B, 16 errors, 4.21 RF/9), and has the quickness and footwork to settle in permanently. Listed at 5’8”, which may be generous, there is still room for added strength.

CF Kyle Isbel made his Class-A debut on July 19^th and promptly made his presence known. Isbel batted .342 (.984 OPS) over 10 July games, with five extra-base hits and six steals. He also struck out only four times in his 44 plate appearances. August was more of the same, with a dip in Isbel’s average (.286) and OPS (.750), but he tacked on nine doubles, two homers, ten RBI and six more steals. His strikeouts spiked (36 in 121 PA), even though his pitch selection appeared to be advanced for Low-A. Also intriguing was his lack of a platoon split vs. LHP (.354 between Idaho Falls and Lexington in 89 PA, .314 in 204 PA vs. RHP). He demolished rookie-league pitching to the tune of a 1.063 OPS in 119 PA over 25 games.

UT Manny Olloque made his return to Lexington after starting the year in Triple-A Omaha (.544 OPS in 9 games), then heading to the Pioneer League and the Idaho Falls Chukars, where he performed well enough (.317 BA, 1.006 OPS in 11 games). Olloque’s power seems to have improved since last year, as he popped 21 XBH in 48 games with the Legends. The BB/K ratio is atrocious (7 BB, 67 K), but he did seem more comfortable at the plate this year. He definitely slowed down in August, with his OPS dropping 181 points from July (.690 in August, .871 in July), but he finished on the upswing, tallying a .787 OPS in his final 10 games (3 XBH, 10 RBI).

C Sebastian Rivero (.258, 16 doubles, 7 HR, 34 RBI, .692 OPS in 77 games) had a June to forget (.167 BA, .406 OPS in 17 games), but ranged in OPS between .597 (August) and .898 (July) the rest of the year. In 60 appearances behind the plate, Rivero threw out 35% of base-runners, and made only five errors in that time-span (8 passed balls). He took well to the backup role, but certainly could progress further than that in the coming years.

This is bound to be an exciting series. Lexington hasn’t seen playoff baseball in a very long time, and the team is running half a dozen promotions for this series opener, so the place will likely be packed to the gills. More to come after the completion of Game One.

5th Rd Pick #150 Overall
Charlie Neuweiler RHP
6’1 205 lbs Msgr McClancy Memorial HS
DOB 2/8/99
Slot Value $329,800

The “halo” effect took place with Neuweiler as it often does during the draft when scouts come in to watch one player and get impressed by another enough to decide to draft him. In Charlie’s case, team personnel was in to see teammate Quentin Holmes and came away liking the developing right-hander.

The high schooler presents a low-90s fastball that he can run up to 92-93 mph with decent control at the high school ranks with a spike low-80s curveball that looked plus on some days. The spike curveball is a pitch of controversy, as most times players have difficulty controlling the pitch and manipulating it with regularity and are forced to change it in the pro ranks. This could be the case for Neuweiler. As with any high schooler, the changeup is in its infancy stages and will need to come forward to become a true prospect.

Analysis – The control profile from the limited video I saw didn’t look great and with the curveball possibility needing some tweaks, the Royals development staff could have their hands full in trying to create a prospect.

6th Rd Pick #180 Overall
Tyler Zuber RHP
5’11 190 lbs Arkansas St. Univ.
DOB 6/16/95
Slot Value $251,700

Zuber is a power right-handed pitcher who features two plus pitches according to his coach at Arkansas State. Featuring a fastball that works up to 96 mph next to his power two plane slider from his whip motion that is short and quick. The slider comes from the same tunnel as the fastball making it unrecognizable to hitters and his ability to backfoot hitters or sweep it away makes the combination incredibly difficult to deal with as evidenced in his 80 strikeouts in 52.1 innings and sub-1.00 WHIP this season.

Via Perfect Game – Smaller-framed and a reliever-only, Zuber fits the mold of a quality senior sign who should advance quickly through the lowest levels of the minors. He gets up to 94-95 mph with his fastball at times though he’s more 91-93 mph consistently, and his quick arm helps him spin a decent breaking ball as well. He’s also lauded for being an above average athlete on the mound.

Analysis – The Royals have excelled in the past at finding power armed relief pitchers and this one looks like a possible steal along those same lines.

Brewer Hicklen (VASHA HUNT)

7th Rd Pick #210 Overall
Brewer Hicklen OF
6’2 208 lbs Alabama-Birmingham
DOB 2/09/96
Slot Value $196,900

Every year, the Royals love to take a former football guy it seems in the first few rounds, and that guy this year is Hicklen who went to UAB with the idea of playing both before the program stopped its football program for a couple years. A legit 70 runner, Hicklen ran the 40 in 4.53 seconds as a senior in high school. Able to concentrate on baseball without the football program, he improved his hit tool in college and despite a broken hand the last half of this past year was able to put together a 19-game hitting streak to go along with a 40-game on-base streak while hitting .328/422/.586 for the year.

Baseball America – He’s strong and fast at a listed 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, with 70-grade speed that helps make him a legitimate future plus defender. He has an average arm and above-average raw power. He got more aggressive at the plate this year, resulting in more strikeouts but also a jump from three to eight home runs. Hicklen’s feel for hitting is raw as he needs more reps due to the development time he has missed due to football. He’s a charismatic leader and excellent teammate who plays with intensity. Hicklen would have to be bought out of football, which may be the best argument UAB has to keep him.

Analysis – The Royals have yet to hit on one of these lottery tickets but one would think they will eventually hit their target. A center fielder with developing power and an improved hit tool along with a plus work ethic and good attitude is always a good addition to an organization in the minor league ranks.

8th Rd Pick #240 Overall
Holden Capps LHP
6’2 195 lbs Univ. of Central Oklahoma
DOB 3/24/95
Slot Value $158,900

According to Coach Martin, this left-handed pitcher works 89-93 mph as a starter which could see another tick in velocity as a relief pitcher. Working from a 3/4 arm angle, Capps has the ability to drop his arm angle if needed to create deception against hitters. The two-seamer from the lefty features plenty of downward movement or he can run the four-seam up with more velocity.  A curveball and morphed slider/slurve go along with the fastball for Capps with the ability to manipulate the spin and speed on the pitches. A changeup lags behind the fastball/breaking ball combination currently while the statistics and high walk totals indicate a pitcher that needs to be moved into a one-inning relief role.

Baseball America – Capps transferred from UNC Charlotte to Central Oklahoma for his senior year. He pitches in the upper 80s with his fastball and can touch as high as 92 mph. He’s skinny and has some room to add strength to his frame. His performance for Central Oklahoma was unspectacular; while he struck out 92 batters in 96.1 innings, he also had a 4.39 ERA and walked 40 batters.

Analysis- Capps appears ticketed for a LOOGY relief role that you add to the system at a below slot value in hopes that you can tighten the control profile to turn into a fast moving lefty reliever.

9th Rd Pick #270 Overall
JC Cloney LHP
6’1 226 lbs Univ. of Arizona
DOB 8/03/94
Slot Value $$141,900

Those who are familiar with the College World Series should be familiar with Cloney after his 16 scoreless innings in last year’s tournament. A senior sign, Cloney is a low-velocity lefty who works his fastball in the mid*80s while topping out at 88 mph. The plus command profile baffles hitters along with his crossfire delivery and ability to manipulate the four pitches in his arsenal. The fastball features arm side run as well as an ability to sink the pitch, change speeds and work both sides of the plate.

Next, to the fastball, Cloney likes to use his 2/7 slider that works well with the fastball that he works away with run from righties then comes back with the slider, back footing the opposite side hitters with a good two-plane break in the low 80s. The lefty also can manipulate the slider into a cutter and pair it up with his armside fading changeup. That change, like all his other pitches, is a solid average offering that he throws in the low 80s while featuring some armside fade to it. The sum of all the parts here is greater than any one with Cloney’s knowledge of his stuff and hitters tendencies to take advantage of them despite average tools.

MLB.com – He’s not the type of pitcher who will overpower you with his fastball, but he doesn’t need the velocity of other hurlers to be successful. The left-hander has a fastball that can reach the upper 80s with solid run and sink, working the corners of the plate well. His command and overall feel for pitching are evident with his slider and changeup, too.

Analysis – As a senior sign, one doesn’t expect a whole lot here but maybe his pitching IQ and the mix is so great that you luck into a backend starter. Likely scenario is an inning eating organizational starter.

10th Rd Pick #300 Overall
Jordan Floyd LHP
6’3 255 lbs Kansas State
DOB 2/23/95
Slot Value $133,700

The big bodied lefty works with sink on his low-90s two-seam fastball that tops out at 94 mph that goes along with a swing and miss slider. Despite the two pitches that should work well together, Floyd was able to get hit quite a bit in college, giving up an average of 10 hits per nine throughout his 91 appearance career at Kansas State. The big but still athletic Floyd also features a usable changeup with all of his pitches featuring late life from his 3/4 delivery.

Perfect Game – Floyd may have been the most unique prospect in the Alaska Baseball League. His frame is 6-foot-2 and 250-pounds, yet he is an outstanding athlete who was a high school point guard. He is also a high school draft pick (New York Yankees in 2013, 25th round) who will be back for his senior year of college. Most importantly though, Floyd used his heavy sinking fastball in the 89-91 mph range to utterly dominate the ABL this summer. In this breakout performance, Floyd led the league in both ERA (0.45) and saves (9).

Analysis – Floyd is a big body senior sign who you can count on to give your minor league squad relief innings.

For more information on rounds 5-10, click here with rounds 11-40 coming to you early next week.

1st Rd Pick #14 Overall
Nick Pratto 1b
6’1 195 lbs
DOB 10/6/98
Slot Value $3,727,600

On draft night I compared this pick to that of the 2008 Eric Hosmer pick. However, there are obvious differences with the two. Hosmer was the third overall pick and a consensus top-five talent, something Pratto wasn’t. There are other valid comparisons, though, as Pratto has a long history of teams scouting him as a high-profile player. He appears to be comfortable with a microphone in his face and seems to be the type of leader in the clubhouse that Hosmer has been since his draft day. Do those things matter if you can’t hit? No, but that Alpha Male personality in a locker room surrounded by other stud high school athletes stands out, and Pratto on the surface appears to have that same Hos swagger.

As a player, this first baseman has a sweet, smooth swing, a patient approach, and developing power. Going into this last year before the draft, Pratto worked his swing to left and left-center before realizing he needed to show off the power. Using a more pull-oriented approach, he did generate more pop this season. He is said to have a great feel for the strike zone, even to the point of questioning umpires that he didn’t feel had as good of knowledge of it as he.

Baseball Factory Scouting report

Analysis – Taking a prep first baseman can be risky, but if you’re going to take one, then take one who isn’t afraid of the lights, has knowledge of the game, studies it and can convert those qualities on the field. From all indications, Pratto is just that player. Physically, he’s not the big power hitting first baseman who is going to hit the ball to downtown Kansas City. His game is currently hit over power. The dream here is that the knowledge and approach helps the power play up with the plus hit tool while bringing to the field a great glove and a leadership mentality.

2nd Rd #52 Overall
M.J. Melendez C
6’1 175 lbs
DOB 11/29/98
Slot Value $1,295,700

Much like Pratto, Melendez has been a high profile player who scouts are quite familiar with as he’s been on the showcase circuit since 2012. The defensive grades are well ahead of that bat to this point for Melendez, but scouts saw recently that he was able to unlock some of the power in his wiry 6’1 frame. A coach’s son, M.J. does everything that a team would want from their backstop in terms of calling a game, controlling the running game, and receiving, which made him the best defensive catcher available by many publications.

Via MLBPipeline.com – He has all the tools to be a very good defender behind the plate, with outstanding catch and throw skills to go along athleticism that allows him to move well. He likes to throw from his knees, and while he can do so effectively, he can fall in love with it as well. Offensively, he has tremendous bat speed and he shows pull power now. A refined approach and continued added strength should help him become a better all-around hitter. 

Prep Baseball Report – Melendez would show his present pull side power with a home run over the right field wall. He has consistently shown the ability to pull the baseball with power and consistently hit the ball in the air hard. He has a strong lower half and a short quick swing with more power potential in it. He would also show the ability to go the other way, driving the ball off of the left-center field wall for a double and would finish 2-3 on the day. Melendez would also show what makes him one of the top catching prospects in the country, his defensive ability, and potential. He is noticeably in control of the game, with it appearing to be very slow for him. He showed off his arm strength, catching a runner stealing with a 1.87 pop time. He is one of very few catchers whose pop time is better from his knees as he has plus arm strength and the catch to release is a bit cleaner. He also showed off his athleticism with an impressive play on a bunt where he slid, picked up the ball and threw to first seemingly all in one motion. He showed off all of his tools and athleticism while also showing that even though he has a lot of present ability that the best is yet to come.

Analysis – I’m personally not a fan of prep catchers because of the amount of emphasis needed on the defensive part of the game leaves their offense lacking. From the sounds of reports, Melendez has that part of the game down, so maybe he can work on improving his offense.

2nd Rd Competitive Balance Pick #73 Overall
Evan Steele LHP
6’5 210 lbs 
Chipola JC
DOB 11/14/96
Slot Value $791,700

Steele is a left-handed starter who began his career at Vanderbilt before deciding to transfer to one of the elite Junior College programs to try to get eligible for the MLB Draft.

According to Chipola College Coach Jeff Johnson, Steele hasn’t yet scratched the surface of his talent. The big lefty works from a low 3/4 arm angle and throws four different pitches with his 89-93 mph fastball that peaks at 95 mph next to his curveball, slider/slurve and changeup. Coach Johnson believes his curveball is his best pro pitch going forward as Steele has the ability to command it and throw it in any count to hitters. Next to the curve, Steele offers a slider that operates more like a slurve but is a weapon with his deception against left-handed hitters.

Mechanically, a big part of Steele’s game is the deception that comes from his arm angle. The Chipola coach believes that he needs to continue working on his glove side control and staying closed, but any tweaks that are made might need to be tempered or you run the risk of losing that deception that he offers.

The lefty is a student of the game who surprised his coach with how much he studied. In addition to that love for the game, Steele is a fiery competitor whose determination kept him on the mound against San Jacinto to get his team to the National Championship final, working 143 pitches into the ninth inning while telling the coach he wasn’t coming out of the game earlier when it was discussed.

Despite being in front of the bright lights his entire career Steele is more concerned about the team and team success than his own.-Coach Johnson

Via Perfect Game – He’s got a pretty solid chance to start long-term in professional baseball, even given his somewhat unorthodox mechanical profile; though even if he’s moved to the bullpen, his profile is one of a pretty good bet to be a major leaguer. 

3rd Rd Pick #90 Overall
Daniel Tillo LHP
Iowa Western JC
6’5 215 lbs
DOB 6/13/96
Slot Value $607,300

The Royals doubled up their lefty, low 3/4 arm angle JUCO starters, with this pitcher who was a former Mr. Basketball in the state of Iowa. After just one season in which he pitched seven innings at Kentucky, Tillo decided to transfer to Iowa Western where he had a relationship with Coach Marc Rardin after being recruited by him in high school. The impact on Tillo by Rardin was felt almost immediately, as he was put into the pitching program and daily routine by the staff at another one of the best JUCO programs in the country.

These changes had Tillo impressing scouts almost immediately. With roughly a dozen scouts in attendance during the Iowa Western intrasquad game in November, Tillo worked six innings in the cold weather with 93-94 mph velocity on his fastball alongside his hard biting mid-80s slider.

That fastball works 90 to 93 while topping out around 95 mph with a solid control profile and repeatable mechanics presenting some armside run. The slider is a mid-80s hard biter from the same slot that he was able to back foot righties when I saw him. The combination of the two pitches work well together and Tillo’s control allows them to play well while he repeats mechanics. The change is lagging far behind, having used it just four times per game on average, according to Coach Rardin.

Rardin believes that if a team wants to work Tillo from the bullpen, the combination of fastball/slider along with his control could have him in the majors within three years. He’s become a student of the game and blew away teams in his interviews.

If the pitcher in him catches up to the person he is, then he’ll be a big leaguer.  -Coach Rardin

Analysis – Based on projection, this is a nice lump of clay for the Royals to mold, in hopes that he can refine the secondary offerings. Personally, I like drafting talented basketball players that are adept shooters as the idea of touch could be a transferring tool from sport to sport as the former Royals pitcher Zack Greinke has said.

4th Rd Pick #120 Overall
Michael Gigliotti CF
Lipscomb Univ.
6’1 180 lbs 
DOB 12/14/96
Slot Value $441,700

The speedy Gigliotti went into this season as a possible top-30 overall pick after a Cape Cod season that showed he could hit capably with a wood bat against upper-level competition. A slow start to his season knocked those possibilities down, but as Coach Jeff Forehand mentioned, it played no factor into what he brought to the team every day.

Some think Gigliotti could be a 70 defender in center, with the only tool that lags somewhat behind there is his average but still accurate arm. With speed, long strides and ability to read the ball off the bat with off the charts instincts, the potential clearly exists.

Offensively, Gigliotti has an advanced feel for the strike zone according to his coach, and is a possible table setter with his speed on the bases and ability to bunt well. If there is something that Gigliotti needs to work on still, it is his ability to hit the ball the other way.

Perfect Game –  Lipscomb outfielder Michael Gigliotti is using the big stage of the Cape League to his advantage and everybody, scouts included, have taken notice. The looseness and athleticism are evident as he strides to the plate or tracks down a routine fly ball in center field with balance, coordinated footwork looking as though he’s merely drifting underneath to make a catch. He’s also moved atop the Falmouth Commodores lineup which is where he profiles nicely at the next level. The hands in his lefthanded swing are incredibly easy and the barrel feel is natural and over my few looks at the 6-foot-2 Gigliotti he’s shown nothing but comfort working to all fields. While there are some slap and ability to work the 5-6 hole to which his speed plays, he’s also capable of spinning on the inner half pitch like he did the other night for a hard two base hit to the pull side gap, turning around first at 4.58 seconds.

Analysis – This pick reminds me of last year’s fifth round pick of Nicky Lopez. An elite defender at a premium position who lacks pop but makes up for it with an advanced feel at the dish. That ’16 pick of Lopez looks like a gem now, and if Gigliotti’s feel for the zone is accurate then he could make this one a diamond.

Click here for analysis of rounds 5-10.