2006 Draft Preview

Well the 2006 First Year Player Draft is right around the corner. In less than 2 weeks, on June 6th the Reds wiill make 50 picks. Most of those will be guys that are lesser known players, but could one day turn into productive guys for the Reds. Most of the focus will be on the first round though.
This years draft is said to be a very weak class, and is already being compared to the 2000 draft. The high school positional talent is nothing like it was last year and the pitching talent seems to be thin in the high school ranks as well. Only Clayton Kershaw has been projected recently as going in the top 10 as a high school pitcher, and he came into the year looking at a third round pick. On the otherhand, the draft seems to be full of college starting pitching. The positional college players are dropping off like flies. Evan Longoria and Drew Stubbs seem to head that class and look to be the only two college positional players taken in the top 10.
The Reds have had several different players taken on their behalf in many mock drafts. Below is a list of the guys they have been shown taking and what was said about each player.

MLB.com has had 2 mock drafts in the past month, and in the first one they had the Reds taking Drew Stubbs, CF from Texas. In their latest mock draft they had the Reds taking Bill Rowell, a power hitting SS/3B out of Bishop Eustace Prep in New Jersey. Here is what they have had to say about each player.

8. Cincinnati Reds: Drew Stubbs, OF, University of Texas

As mentioned last week, Stubbs was considered the top position player in the class heading into the season. According to some, he's been passed by Longoria. But Stubbs certainly isn't without skills. Most feel he can play center field defensively in the big leagues right now and he has hit .337 with 11 homers, 48 RBIs and, a 1.031 OPS and 21 steals. He's also struck out 52 times in 53 games, the main knock on his game. Once upon a time, the Reds thought Lincoln could be here, but that doesn't seem realistic now. If Stubbs goes earlier and they still go position player, the guy they might go with is the one I've got listed going next.

8. Cincinnati Reds: Bill Rowell, 3B, Bishop Eustace Prep, Pennsauken, N.J.

For a while, it loooked like the Reds were all over Stubbs, but I now have reason to believe that won't happen. Some say that Rowell, a high school shortstop who profiles as a power-hitting third baseman, might be sliding because of a poor playoff performance, but word on the street is that the Reds were bringing Rowell in for a private workout. If he puts on a show, the Reds will be tempted to take him here.

Baseball Prospectus had this to say about the Reds at the #8 spot in the draft:

8. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are high on Reynolds and University of Texas outfielder Drew Stubbs, but it's hard to imagine a Cincinnati/Scott Boras (who is advising Stubbs) negotiation going well. Enter Billy Rowell. The New Jersey high school shortstop will end up moving to third base or even further down the defensive spectrum, but he's drawing Troy Glaus comparisons for his size, approach, natural loft and incredible leverage. He's almost certainly going to be the first high school position player off the board, and while Rowell didn't even enter the year as a first-round pick, there are whispers that the three teams ahead of the Reds have him in the back of their minds as well.

Baseball America had this on the Reds #8 pick

8. REDS. Cincinnati will hope that Stubbs or especially Kershaw will make it down to them, but that won't happen. The Reds haven't expressed much interest in Lincecum, making Morrow the more likely choice.

Projected Pick: Brandon Morrow

Strange things can happen between now and June 6th and the Reds could end up taking no one that has been mentioned yet in the mock drafts. For now though, it looks like the Reds could be interested in Drew Stubbs, Bill Rowell, Clayton Kershaw and Brandon Morrow. Just a little preview, I can't wait until the draft comes around.

There is a new poll question that is about the draft, be sure to vote.