The Big Blue Wrecking Crew

I will be posting my possibles for the 1st 5 rounds by the end of the week.  For now, here are the Dodgers draft slots through round five.  This is up to date with the Prince Fielder signing.

018 - 1st Round
051 - 1st Round Supplemental (C Rod Barajas)
079 - 2nd Round
110 - 3rd Round
143 - 4th Round
173 - 5th Round

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Building on what said above, here are the "hot" names being mentioned by the mock draft "experts".

1st Round

1B Christian Walker (COL - South Carolina)
OF Nick Williams (HS - TX)
MI Steve Nyisztor (COL - Rutgers)
CA Stryker Trahan (HS - LA)
RH Mitchell Traver (HS - TX)
CI Joey Gallo (HS - NV)

1st Round Supplemental

CA Nelson Rodriguez (HS - NY)
CA Josh Elander (COL - TCU)
LH Taylor Rogers (COL - Kentucky)
LH Andrew Heaney (COL - Oklahoma State)

BLUEFAN said:

I will be posting my possibles for the 1st 5 rounds by the end of the week.  For now, here are the Dodgers draft slots through round five.  This is up to date with the Prince Fielder signing.

018 - 1st Round
051 - 1st Round Supplemental (C Rod Barajas)
079 - 2nd Round
110 - 3rd Round
143 - 4th Round
173 - 5th Round

--------------------

Building on what said above, here are the "hot" names being mentioned by the mock draft "experts".

1st Round

1B Christian Walker (COL - South Carolina)
OF Nick Williams (HS - TX)
MI Steve Nyisztor (COL - Rutgers)
CA Stryker Trahan (HS - LA)
RH Mitchell Traver (HS - TX)
CI Joey Gallo (HS - NV)

1st Round Supplemental

CA Nelson Rodriguez (HS - NY)
CA Josh Elander (COL - TCU)
LH Taylor Rogers (COL - Kentucky)
LH Andrew Heaney (COL - Oklahoma State)

Read plenty on Gallo, but he seems to be limited to first base and later, designated hitter.  His power is prodigious, but he could easily be Billy Ashley if he doesn't do something about the length of his swing.   Walker looks like a winner, but first base is, in my opinion, a position that could be filled in the later rounds.  I like the look of Trahan, but I got a feeling he will end up in right field before he sees the show.  His footwork looks abysmal, but that can be fixed.  I just wonder if he has the build to take the punishment behind the plate. Haven't heard much about Nyisztor or Traver, but I really haven't started researching.  

Many of the names on the list above I hope we steer clear from ... at least in the first couple of rounds.  If they will take 3rd - 5th round money, then I might be interested.  Got a good list of names going so far.  Have a couple of questions to ask the experts at PG/BA before I finalize my early mock list possibles.

Stryker Trahan for example ... on their early lists (Summer 2011) PG had him at # 81, while BA has him at # 31.

He is just one guy I need to get some clarification on before I post.

2012 LAD MOCK DRAFT #1 - 01/31/12

1st Round
0018 3B Trey Williams - 6'1" 211 - R/R - Valencia HS (CA) - PG (12)
     - LH Matthew Smoral - 6'8" 225 - L/L - Solon HS (OH) - PG (15)
     - LH Max Fried - 6'4" 170 - L/L - Harvard Westlake HS (CA) - PG (16)
     - 3B Rio Ruiz - 6'2" 195 - L/R - Bishop Amat HS (CA) - PG (35)
     - RH Ty Hensley - 6'5" 225 - S/R - Santa Fe HS (OK) - PG (50)

2nd Round
0051 MI Jesmuel Valentin Diaz - 5'10" 175 - S/R - PRBA - PG (62)
     - CA Stryker Trahan - 6'1" 215 - L/R - Acadiana HS (LA) - PG (78)
     - LH Hunter Virant - 6'3" 172 - L/L - Camarillo HS (CA) - PG (40)
     - 1B Keon Barnum - 6'4" 220 - L/L - King HS (FL) - PG (54)
     - LH Andrew Heaney - 6'3" 180 - L/L - Oklahoma State - PG (39)

2nd Round
0080 1B Christian Walker - 6'1" 220 - R/R - South Carolina - PG (101) *
     - OF Rhett Wiseman - 6'1" 195 - L/R - BB&N HS (MA) - PG (80)
     - 2B Tony Renda - 5'11" 170 - R/R - California - PG (92)*
     - IN Corey Seager - 6'3" 190 - L/R - NW Cabarrus HS (NC) - PG (70)
     - CA Clint Coulter - 6'3" 210 - R/R - Union HS (WA) - PG (74)

3rd Round
0111 LH Taylor Rogers - 6'3" 170 - L/L - Kentucky - PG (123)
     - 3B Fernando Perez - 6'1" 175 - L/R - Chipola JC (FL) - PG (112)
     - RH Matt Price - 6'2" 215 - R/R - South Carolina - PG (115)
     - 3B Daniel Robertson - 6'1" 190 - R/R - Upland HS (CA) - PG (121)
     - CA Dane Phillips - 6'2" 190 - L/R - Oklahoma City College - PG (113)

4th Round
0144 RH Ross Stripling - 6'3" 190 - R/R - Texas A&M - PG (162)
     - LH Christian Jones - 6'3" 210 - L/L - Oregon - PG (126)
     - 3B David Thompson - 6'1" 195 - R/R - Westminster HS (FL) - PG (155)
     - SS Mickey  White - 6'1" 190 - R/R - Spain Park HS (AL) - PG (161)
     - RH Mitch Mormann - 6'6" 255 - R/R - Wichita State - PG (220)

5th Round
0174 LH Brett Lilek - 6'4" 185 - L/L - Marian Catholic HS (IL) - PG (226)
     - RH Daniel Ponce de Leon - 6'4" 195 - R/R - Cypress College - PG (195)
     - LH Chase Mullins - 6'9" 250 - L/L - Bourbon County HS (KY) - PG (202)
     - LH Ryan Kellogg - 6'5" 215 - L/L - Henry Street HS (CANADA) - PG (203)
     - LH Tyler Alexander - 6'1" 185 - L/L - Hillsborough CC (FL) - PG (225)

* Previously Drafted by LAD
 

Has anyone heard anything about a high school pitcher named Helmink?  He lives in my neighborhood and his Mom told me that a scout from the Dodgers (she only remembered his first name) had visited.  She said that of all of the scouts who had visited them, the family was MOST impressed by the Dodgers' scout.  I know the kid has committed to the University of Texas, which means he is a good prospect.  Just wondering if anyone here has him on their radar.  Thanks.

RH Holden Helmink - 6'4" 185 - R/R - 11/10/93 - Willis HS (TX) - Texas commit

Scouting Report

The right-handed hurler features a fastball that tops
out at 95 mph, a powerful curve-ball and a change-up to keep
opposing batters off balance.

PG had him sitting 87-92 mph in the notes I could find.  He wasn't ranked in their TOP 500.

He did not pitch for his HS team in 2011 due to an undisclosed arm injury, though he did play RF and hit well.
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The Dodger scouts for the area (at least a through the 2010 draft) are Calvin Jones and Chris Smith.

Calvin Jones
- RH Zach Lee (1st Round Pick in 2009)
- RH Chris Withrow (1st Round Pick in 2007)
- OF Brian Cavazos-Galvez (12th Round Pick in 2009)

Chris Smith
- LH Aaron Miller (1st Round Supplemental Pick in 2009)
- RF Kyle Russell (3rd Round Pick in 2008)
- RH Nate Eovaldi (11th Round Pick in 2008)

Thanks for the update, BlueFan.  The Helminks are a good family and though I don't know Holden, I have heard is he an A Student and a great kid.  

SamAdams,

I asked Jim Callis of Baseball America about Helmink:

Don't know much on him other than he's a good projectable body whose present
stuff is solid but not plus. Those type of kids usually wind up making it to
Austin.

Yes, he has committed to UT and if he's not in the top tier, then he will take the scholarship and hope for higher status down the road.  I think I read that he hit something like .570 last year, but is more highly regarded as a pitcher.

A lot will depend on what he asks for.  If he is willing to sign a Allen Webster/Nathan Eovaldi deal ($250,000), then I think the Dodgers will go after him.  If it will take more, then he is probably college bound.

BLUEFAN said:

2012 LAD MOCK DRAFT #1 - 01/31/12

1st Round
0018 3B Trey Williams - 6'1" 211 - R/R - Valencia HS (CA) - PG (12)
     - LH Matthew Smoral - 6'8" 225 - L/L - Solon HS (OH) - PG (15)
     - LH Max Fried - 6'4" 170 - L/L - Harvard Westlake HS (CA) - PG (16)
     - 3B Rio Ruiz - 6'2" 195 - L/R - Bishop Amat HS (CA) - PG (35)
     - RH Ty Hensley - 6'5" 225 - S/R - Santa Fe HS (OK) - PG (50)

2nd Round
0051 MI Jesmuel Valentin Diaz - 5'10" 175 - S/R - PRBA - PG (62)
     - CA Stryker Trahan - 6'1" 215 - L/R - Acadiana HS (LA) - PG (78)
     - LH Hunter Virant - 6'3" 172 - L/L - Camarillo HS (CA) - PG (40)
     - 1B Keon Barnum - 6'4" 220 - L/L - King HS (FL) - PG (54)
     - LH Andrew Heaney - 6'3" 180 - L/L - Oklahoma State - PG (39)

2nd Round
0080 1B Christian Walker - 6'1" 220 - R/R - South Carolina - PG (101) *
     - OF Rhett Wiseman - 6'1" 195 - L/R - BB&N HS (MA) - PG (80)
     - 2B Tony Renda - 5'11" 170 - R/R - California - PG (92)*
     - IN Corey Seager - 6'3" 190 - L/R - NW Cabarrus HS (NC) - PG (70)
     - CA Clint Coulter - 6'3" 210 - R/R - Union HS (WA) - PG (74)

3rd Round
0111 LH Taylor Rogers - 6'3" 170 - L/L - Kentucky - PG (123)
     - 3B Fernando Perez - 6'1" 175 - L/R - Chipola JC (FL) - PG (112)
     - RH Matt Price - 6'2" 215 - R/R - South Carolina - PG (115)
     - 3B Daniel Robertson - 6'1" 190 - R/R - Upland HS (CA) - PG (121)
     - CA Dane Phillips - 6'2" 190 - L/R - Oklahoma City College - PG (113)

4th Round
0144 RH Ross Stripling - 6'3" 190 - R/R - Texas A&M - PG (162)
     - LH Christian Jones - 6'3" 210 - L/L - Oregon - PG (126)
     - 3B David Thompson - 6'1" 195 - R/R - Westminster HS (FL) - PG (155)
     - SS Mickey  White - 6'1" 190 - R/R - Spain Park HS (AL) - PG (161)
     - RH Mitch Mormann - 6'6" 255 - R/R - Wichita State - PG (220)

5th Round
0174 LH Brett Lilek - 6'4" 185 - L/L - Marian Catholic HS (IL) - PG (226)
     - RH Daniel Ponce de Leon - 6'4" 195 - R/R - Cypress College - PG (195)
     - LH Chase Mullins - 6'9" 250 - L/L - Bourbon County HS (KY) - PG (202)
     - LH Ryan Kellogg - 6'5" 215 - L/L - Henry Street HS (CANADA) - PG (203)
     - LH Tyler Alexander - 6'1" 185 - L/L - Hillsborough CC (FL) - PG (225)

* Previously Drafted by LAD
 

The one player I would hope that the Dodgers are in on is Kyle Zimmer, the righty from USF.   His arm has little wear and tear on it, his upside is pretty damn high and he is a Don, which adds bonus points from me because we have had few players make it to the show (Scott Cousins comes to mind and that is it).

Don't forget LH Aaron Poreda, a 1st Round pick by CWS a few years ago.  He is now in the Padre system.

BLUEFAN said:

Don't forget LH Aaron Poreda, a 1st Round pick by CWS a few years ago.  He is now in the Padre system.

I remember Poreda and Evan Frederickson, both first rounders who have struggled since being number one picks.  I like Zimmer's upside over those two guys if only because his arm is relatively fresh and unused.  

I'll look into him a little more ... would like to see his motion/mechanics before I have an opinion.

PG noted that his FB was 92-94, with a SL and CH.  Indicated that some scouts think he has a higher upside than Georgia Southern RH Chris Beck (PG-8 / BA-7) who is considered a Top 10 Pick.  Zimmer is currently considered a late 1st Round Pick (PG-27 / BA-28).

BLUEFAN said:

I'll look into him a little more ... would like to see his motion/mechanics before I have an opinion.

PG noted that his FB was 92-94, with a SL and CH.  Indicated that some scouts think he has a higher upside than Georgia Southern RH Chris Beck (PG-8 / BA-7) who is considered a Top 10 Pick.  Zimmer is currently considered a late 1st Round Pick (PG-27 / BA-28).

I have only seen a couple short videos on him pitching.   Throwing motion is pretty effortless and simple.   Does have a bit of a hand wrap behind his back and tends to finish a bit off balance, but very smooth and less moving parts than someone like Eovaldi or Billingsley.   From the scouting reports I have seen, his finish doesn't seem to affect his fielding as he is considered a very good glove (former shortstop and all that).   I am hoping to take in some USF games to see what his other offerings look like, the only pitch I have seen in the videos is a nice fastball with some downward movement. 

Per Baseball America's Jim Callis, the LAD slot for rounds 1-10 is ~ $5.2 million

BLUEFAN said:

Per Baseball America's Jim Callis, the LAD slot for rounds 1-10 is ~ $5.2 million

It could be an interesting draft heavy on college players, I am thinking.  The penalties for going over slot are harsh and even a team like the Yankees or Red Sox might think twice about dropping a couple million on a fifth round pick.