By Suster Bork
Warrenton Osprey - 1: SP J.J. Brown - A-
Warrenton really could've chosen to go in any direction with this pick, but picking J.J. Brown just makes sense here. He may be coming out of High School, but Vapor Lock is an excellent organizational piece for a rebuilding team. He has the potential to possess a pitch mix containing 6 plus pitches, most notably a plus plus chanegup and curveball. He's got the stuff to strike batters out and the command to keep them guessing. If Vapor Lock reaches his full potential, he will be a force to reckon with and a strong locker room presence. He will have some trouble with home runs but the low HR environment in WPBL should help to combat that. Strong upside pick but a very low floor for J.J.
Walla Walla Wallabies - 2: CF Charles McClure - B-
Much like Warrenton, Walla Walla is a team heading into a rebuild, and they have chosen to add another strong upside pick in the 17 year old CF Charles McClure. McClure is nowhere near ready for A-ball, but don't let that distract you from the immense upside he holds. Scouts project that he will possess plus-plus on-base skills, speed, and plus power that he backs up with defense that will be average at CF and above average at the corners.
McClure has struggled in his first week at A-ball, but expectations should be low for his first professional season. At just 17 years old, McClure might be the rawest prospect in this whole class, making this pick an even larger risk than that of J.J. Brown. If McClure reaches his potential, expect him to be one of the league's best hitters. Problem is he's got a long way to go to reach those heights.
Bandon Bung Hammers - 3: CF Brock O. Lee - A+
Brock O. Lee is probably the most complete prospect in this entire class, and Lee falling to the third pick will have to excite fans of the Bung Hammers. His biggest tool is his elite eye, and coupled with his decent bat on ball skills, Brock O. Lee should be near the top of the OBP charts every single season. What else is there? Lee is one of the toolsiest players in the class, and he is already ready to face A-level pitchers and should have a shot at climbing up to AA by the end of the season. He is almost guaranteed to be one of the fastest players when he makes it, and his pure speed is also visible in the outfield, where we expect that he will play above-average CF defense. As a whole, Brock O. Lee sports upside rivalling the previous two picks and a floor much higher than most other prospects in this draft class. Though a lot of work is still needed to get him to the major leagues, a lot needs to go wrong for him not to come close.
Astoria Fighting Chinooks - 4: SP Pete Funk - C+
The rebuilding Chinooks picked Pete Funk out of the University of Oklahoma, and this is definitely one of the more unusual first round picks. Pete Funk comes out of college ready to play in A-ball, but there's nothing that Funk does particularly well. Funk sports, at best, average stuff, and his lack of a dominant pitch could lead to him struggling to strike batters out at the major league level. While Funk is developing well, a lot is dependent on him developing both his control and his movement, and he is projected to rely on both of those attributes in order to succeed at higher levels. Funk projects as a workhorse through and through, someone who will be capable of throwing 6 to 7 innings every 5 days, and it's hard to tell what else can be expected from Pete. Funk has neither upside nor floor, making this one of the first "aimless" picks of the draft so far. He does nothing particularly well.
Crescent City Kodiaks - 5: SP Peach Johnson - B+
Peach Johnson is another college-level arm that looks well-poised for A-ball, and, at first glance, his biggest asset appears to be his pitch mix. He's a slow-throwing sidearmer that relies on deceiving batters with his fastball, slider, changeup, splitter, and forkball, and scouts project that he has the potential to develop a plus-plus changeup. Peach will never have trouble striking hitters out, but he may have trouble controlling the long ball. Apart from that, he looks pretty solid. He has the stamina to go deep enough into games, and adding some velocity to his pitches could make him truly dangerous. He will definitely struggle vs lefties, but he should have the stuff to make it work, despite his sidearm slot. Decent upside and floor, solid pick.
Elko Truckers - 6: SP Matt Vasbinder - D+
The 22 year old southpaw has incredible stuff, with a 4 pitch mix that consists of plus plus cutters, curveballs, and splitters. The issue with this pick, for me, lies with his control. Vasbinder is now 22 years old, and his control has still failed to move along, and unlike Johnson, scouts don't believe that Vasbinder has the control upside to potentially combat any issues he might have now. In fact, some scouts have suggested that he may fail to develop his control altogether, making this pick hinge entirely on Vasbinder's control. If he is able to reach his potential, Elko will have a top of the rotation arm capable of striking batters out left and right. If he doesn't, he may become nothing more than a frontend reliever.
Kennewick Tri-City Atoms - 7: CF P.J. Slaw - A
How Slaw fell this far, we will never know. Slaw easily has the best bat in this entire class. Possessing plus power, contact, and discipline potential, Slaw could someday become a big league masher, with the potential to sit right in the middle of the order. Unlike some other big mashers in this class, Slaw can play excellent corner outfield defense and can over CF in a pinch. Put simply, Slaw has the potential to become one of the league's best outfielders. Slaw also has decent speed and is a college bat that carries relatively low risk. Expect P.J. Slaw to someday become a star for the Tri-City Atoms. Great upside, relatively high floor.
Lake Tahoe Mustangs - 8: CF Jim Whammer - A-
No GM in this league will deny having considered taking Jim Whammer with this pick, and why should they? His bat certainly rivals those of P.J. Slaw and Brock O.Lee, and he, much like those two, provides both floor and upside. He's 22 year old and ready for AA ball, and he might just be one of the best right-handed hitters in the whole minor leagues. We believe that he possesses the ability to hit for high contact and power, and he is also a major threat on the bases. He is definitely a bit of a corner outfielder, just like Slaw, but he shouldn't have any issues in CF. Whammer is extremely close to the bigs, and might even be able to contribute in the WPBL by late next season. Expect Jim "The Jammer" Whammer to be a future household name.
Victoria Geese - 9: Vigo Whisper - C-
Vigo Whisper is yet another pitcher that falls in the category of watch out for that control. Whisper is just 21 years old, and despite having incredibly developed stuff for his age, his control is still heavily underdeveloped, and until he starts to improve his pitch command, he will be impossible to promote. 20 grade control plays at no level, and he will need major strides in control in order to become a major league contributor. If he does manage to do that, things become scary. Whisper is only 21 years old, and he has enough time to develop that it isn't anywhere near impossible for him to become a major league star. Whisper's biggest asset is his stamina. Whisper sports a whopping 75 grade stamina rating, and if he is able to keep his walks down and strike batters out, we could potentially see Whisper contend for 100 IP seasons, a rare but stunning feat in the WPBL. Incredibly high upside but the floor is lower than anything you could imagine. The draft grade is saved by the fact that we're into the late 1st round.
Pocatello Old Timers - 10: CF Buddy Bragg - A+
Defensive stalwart Buddy Bragg is potentially the biggest steal of this entire draft, and he has no business being drafted with the last pick of the first round. Offensively, Bragg impresses mainly with his impeccable on base skills and ability on the base paths, presenting himself as a future leadoff bat for the Old Timers. Combine that with the fact that he has incredible defensive talent and a very high floor, Buddy Bragg might very well be the steal of the draft class. Regardless of whether he reaches his potential with the bat or not, Bragg will at least have a future in the the majors as a backup OF and pinch runner. That’s his floor! Steal of the draft. If he reaches his potential, he will be a star CF.
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