Okay we’ve already talked enough about MLB Draft to acknowledge it’s far too early to establish which teams might be interested in specific players and why. Again, a player such as Jesus Montero and is not going to change the feeling of the front office or scouting department on one specific player. Just like Felix Hernandez or Taijuan Walker isn’t going to change their minds about drafting Lucas Giolito or Kevin Gausman. The depth of the system in place obviously helps push them in the direction of certain players such as having the need for catching depth last year.  

Though we should at least acknowledge that there there has been a few moves that will shake things up for the coming draft. Such as the Mariners appointing a new national cross checker in, Mark Lummus, former Midwest area supervisor and a member of the organization since 1999 as a local area scout (and per Jason Churchill one key scouts involved in signing Adam Moore). I can’t find out what exactly happened to Mike Cadahia the former national cross checker, but he was referenced by Keith Law in a response to an e-mail from The Common Man and was said to have been recently let go. Which is mildly surprising but it does make you wonder how much had to do with what happened back in June with the draftroom debate of Danny Hultzen vs. Francisco Lindor. But I really don’t like coming back to that situation for every time a scout leaves or someone gets fired.

Anyways, it’s just an example of the changes that have happened and the likelyhood that we might see a few surprises this draft. Not just at the top of the draft but more over the draft as a whole. One example might be how when the new scouting department which came from the northeast and used quite a few picks in the late draft to select a few of their favorites out from under the radar. Likewise while the scouting department has leaned on the east coast for quite a few selections over the last few years we might see them go with a few more Midwest selections. That’s hardly a fact, pure speculation, it probably not happen, but it’s something to watch for as we march towards June.

Last week I talked a lot about catcher Mike Zunino. But I wanted to give my personal Top-5 guys I’m watching going into the spring and then my Top-5 guys to actually watchout, as in guys that I worry about in general. We’ll have some watches going on during the season. But until then here is a little Top-5 to tie you over

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