With the 48th pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, the Mets selected RHP Andrew Church, who has committed to the University of San Diego.
The talented young man is a right-hander out of Palo Verde High School in Nevada. Listed at 6’3” / 199 LBs, Church still has some growing to do. His secondaries are below average right now, but his body projects out to add a little more bulk. His fastball should pick up a couple miles and his curveball might progress to be his second best offering. Baseball America listed him as the 90th-ranked prospect of this draft. This is what they had to say:
Church ranked as the No. 90 high school prospect in the country heading into the season. He has a 6-foot-1, 185-pound build and shows some feel for a four-pitch mix.
His fastball sits in the 89-92 mph range with some riding life and he’s dialed it up as high as 95. Church mixes in a mid-to-upper 70s curveball and a changeup and slider that are both in the 78-80 mph range. Church has swing-and-miss stuff and has cleaned up his delivery since the summer showcase circuit. A member of Team Vegas in the summer and fall, Church is committed to San Diego as part of the Torero’s outstanding class.
Paul DePodesta described Church as having the potential for being a solid middle-of the rotation starter who logs innings, with a plus curveball and three-pitch arsenal (fastball that tops out at 93 mph and changeup).
“It was a nice mix of stuff and command,” amateur scouting director Tommy Tanous said. “I went back to see Andrew pitch in his high school playoffs and he was tremendous in that game.”
The Mets wrap up day one of the draft with two high school players which led DePodesta to defend their strategy.
“In an ideal world you’d love to have somebody who is really close to the big leagues, but our specific marching orders that we’ve been given is to try to get the best player available and that’s what we’ve done each of the last three years.”
Hey Satish…I admit that I do not follow the draft, or the process all that closely. I had never heard of most of these players outside of the pitcher Gray from OU (I was born in Ok). But, I have to ask, if he’s rated as the 89th overall prospect, why choose him at 48?
Excellent site by the way!
A little worried at the low ranking, and not even making the top 100 list of draft prospects on mlb.com. That says to me he could’ve been gotten in the third or fourth. Maybe it’s a money issue and will help get more talent later.
That said, the scouts know more than all of us. So here’s to hoping…
Baseball America rankings aren’t the be-all-end-all.
Take a look at their 48th-ranked prospect: RHP Corey Knebel who has a 93-95 FB and a good breaking ball, but has been a reliever throughout his college career. He was suspended twice this season, once for disciplinary reasons, and once for attempting to use a teammate’s urine for a drug test.
Now, would you really pick Knebel (who actually went 39th, to Detroit) over Church, a high school arm who already projects as a starter thanks to a four-pitch mix (curve flashes plus) and a FB that touches 95 and could add more as he grows?
I’ll take the upside on the HS kid. He sounds to me like the sort of kid who could have been much more highly touted if his high school career hadn’t been swallowed up by weird bureaucratic stuff.
If the rankings of those so called experts are correct why didnt they have Stanton as No. 1 in 2007. He went No. 76. One of the many examples, I am sure.
That’s why I judge a player when (and for a lot of players IF) he gets to Queens.
Looking around I think this is a money thing. Saving money to spend on later rounds. Like the Mets did last year with Cecchini. $250.000 underslot and going a lot overslot on Oswalt in round 7.
Thanks for the compliment! Sylvan below is on point.
GMs and Scouts will find guys that they like — no matter what rankings you see out there, it always comes down to a personal scouting department. Recall that this organization selected Brandon Nimmo and Gavin Cecchini in their past years, reaching for both.
They do have 2 3rd rounders, but they get a little extra allotted money for that. We’ll see tomorrow…er, today, rather.
I realize that GMs and scouts fall in love with their guys and pick them rather then lose them, but isn’t there any adult supervision by Sandy? If a guy has issues, which Church clearly does, and his stock has dropped, why reach for him. Reaching does not seem to be a tenet of Moneyball. There is no value in reaching for a kid that you can get on Day 2.
I was stunned yesterday when they didn’t go for Austin Wilson at 48. He is a first round talent, and pretty much what the mets need at the moment, a powerful outfielder with range. I really question that decision because also he is a college bat and could contribute in a few years, not 5 years down the line like Church.