2014 MLB Draft: Dodgers’ Big Board, v 3.0

This is the final installment of my 2014 MLB Draft Big Board for the Dodgers. There have been some changes after writing most of my draft profiles.

I’m confident the Dodgers will take one of the 10 guys I have profiled (Davidson and Griffin profiles are coming).

Previous Big Boards
Version 1.0 (May 16)
Version 2.0 (May 27)

This is a ranking of the players I think could be realistically available at the Dodgers’ selection (No. 22). There’s no sense in ranking guys like Brady Aiken, Carlos Rodon and Alex Jackson, because they’re three of the top prospects in the draft and wouldn’t fall outside the Top 5.

My Big Board, v 3.0

1. RHP Touki Toussaint, Coral Springs Christian HS (Fla.)
2. OF Derek Hill, Elk Grove HS (Calif.)
3. RHP Sean Reid-Foley, Sandalwood HS (Fla.)
4. LHP Kodi Medeiros, Waiakea HS (Hawaii)
5. SS/3B/RF Jacob Gatewood, Clovis HS (Calif.)
6. 1B/OF Braxton Davidson, T.C. Robertson HS (N.C.)
7. RHP Luis Ortiz, Sanger HS (Calif.)
8. RHP Spencer Adams, White County HS (Ga.)
9. RHP Erick Fedde, UNLV
10. LHP Foster Griffin, The First Academy (Fla.)

Toussaint is now a projected Top-12 pick, so I really don’t expect him to fall to No. 22. If he does, the Dodgers should snatch him up. His likely destination is Toronto, though.

Hill has a lot of helium heading into the draft. He’s been mocked as high as No. 14 to the Giants, which would absolutely suck. But he’s the best bat on my board and is a premium defender in center field. It seems the only way he doesn’t end up in ‘Frisco is if he’s drafted before (duh) or a guy like Grant Holmes falls to 14.

Reid-Foley shot up from No. 8 to No. 3 on my board after I wrote my profile on him. While his arm action isn’t great, he has two projected plus-pitches, an average third and maybe a fourth. He’s big, athletic and projectable — everything Logan White looks for in a first-round prep pitcher.

Medeiros is a guy I’m in the minority on, as he has a high ceiling — higher than most prep arms who will be available in the 15-25 range. But a lot has to go right for him to reach that potential.

Gatewood fell, but not through much fault of his own. While it’s great to dream on the power (and it’s legitimate 70 power), he has a lot of swing-and-miss and isn’t a long-term shortstop. Still, it’s hard to find power, and Gatewood’s would be great to get.

Davidson has a nice left-handed stroke, and after guys like Joc Pederson and Corey Seager, there aren’t many impact bats in the system. If he were the Dodgers’ selection, he’d be one of the four or five best hitters in the system already.

Ortiz is a big kid, which is good and bad. He was once bigger, so he’ll have to keep his weight in check going forward. But the stuff and arm talent are legitimate.

Adams is projectable, but he also seems like the safest guy of any high schooler on my board. He checks all the boxes.

Fedde has Top-10 ability, but Tommy John surgery has pushed him down many draft boards. He’d be quite a risky pick, and I’m not sure the Dodgers actually could take that risk right now.

Griffin is the tallest pitcher on my board, which leaves a lot of room for projection. He already throws in the low-90s, which could tick up as he puts on weight and his body matures.

Next 5
11. 3B/SS Michael Chavis, Spayberry HS (Ga.)
12. RHP Cameron Varga, Cincinnati Christian Academy (Ohio)
13. OF Marcus Wilson, J. Serra HS (Calif.)
14. LHP Alex Verdugo, Sahuaro HS (Ariz.)
15. RHP Jack Flaherty, Harvard-Westlake HS (Calif.)

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Here are some players I would be disappointed to see selected at No. 22:

RHP Tyler Beede, Vanderbilt — College starter, make-up issues
RHP Scott Blewett, Baker HS (N.Y.) — High school starter, would be an overdraft
RHP Nick Burdi, Louisville — College reliever, bad value
LHP Brandon Finnegan, TCU — College starter, had shoulder injury
RHP Nick Howard, Virginia — College reliever, bad value
LHP Justus Sheffield, Tullahoma HS (Fla.) — High school starter, would be an overdraft
SS Trea Turner, North Carolina State — Overrated hit tool, not as fast as reported, decent glove at short
RHP Luke Weaver, Florida St. — College starter, limited upside

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The MLB Draft is tomorrow. We’ll have coverage of the selection here and on the Dugout Blues podcast. Chad and I will follow with breakdowns of the entire Dodger draft.