Monday, June 7, 2010

Rays 1st Round Pick - 17th Overall: Josh Sale

Josh Sale, Rays 2010 1st Round Draft PickI can't believe he actually fell. I am pumped. I am really pumped. I am some kind of pumped.

BaseballAmerica:
Though he works hard, Sale isn't a great fielder, thrower or runner, but there's thunder in his bat. And in a year thin on impact hitters, that's what teams will be buying with Sale in the first round. Sale's father is Samoan and ranks among the best in the nation in drug-free powerlifting. He has inherited his father's love for working out and has a rock-solid, 6-toot-1, 215-pound frame. With bat speed better than Travis Snider—one scout even called it the best bat speed he has ever seen from an amateur—Sale has raw power that approaches the top of the scouting scale. How much of his power he'll be able to use, though, is a question because of a few flaws in Sale's lefthanded swing. He has a high back elbow and sometimes strides too early, but the biggest concern is that he raises up out of his crouched stance, changing his eye level and leaving him susceptible to breaking balls. Most scouts believe the problems are fixable because he's coachable and works hard. He also has a great feel for the strike zone and a patient approach at the plate, and he's so strong that calming down his swing shouldn't sap his power. He also has great hand-eye coordination, as evidenced by the fact that he golfed with a single-digit handicap until he was 15—as a righthanded player. Scouts rave about Sale's makeup and work ethic. He is articulate and studies hard in school, but won't make it to Gonzaga.

Andy Seiler:
Josh Sale is a powerful high school outfielder from Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle. Sale lacks the general athleticism of a typical high school outfielder pick, but with a bat that’s practically unrivaled for its balance, he’s going to be a very high pick. He comes from an interesting background, as both of his parents are bodybuilders, and he himself is a gym rat. That kind of work ethic also carries itself onto the field, where he’s considered one of the best players for makeup. Putting this together with his physical tools, it’s easy to project him as a potential all star at one of the corner outfield spots, depending on how one might rate his range. At the plate, he’s easily the most well-rounded hitter in the class, even more than fellow prospect Bryce Harper. Harper has more power, but Sale isn’t far behind. His hit tool alone is a plus tool, and when combined with plus-plus raw power, you have yourself an elite hitting prospect. That’s where the elite tools stop, however, and this is where the more traditional scouts that love athleticism start to pick. He’s a below-average runner with a fringe-average arm and fringe-average fielding tools in the outfield, and while there’s some belief that he could handle right field reasonably well, those that point to his arm think he’ll play left field or even first base. If he even becomes an average defender, though, it will be a huge success, as his bat will be the thing that carries him through the levels of the minor leagues. He should be picked within the first twenty picks of the first round, and since he’s reportedly signable for slot money, could go as high as the top ten overall.

Here's a link to some video of him on mlb.com. Here's him hitting a home run on YouTube.

8 comments:

  1. Luv it!

    Had him in my shadow draft as well!

    I hope Wimmers, Wojciechowski or O'Connor fall to the Rays at 31!

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  2. If he signs before the season is over, do you think he would go to the Golf Coast team, Princeton, or possibly Hudson Valley?

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  3. Prep kid --> no HDV; Advanced bat --> PRI

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  4. It could depend on when he signs. If he signs quickly, then he could be in Princeton. But if he doesn't sign until August, after all the time off, it'll probably be GCL.

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  5. Could we really get Allie too?

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  6. If we do, it won't be at #31 since it's unprotected.

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  7. Rays get Justin O'Conner at #31, another good pick.

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  8. I have no doubt they will sign this kid, but I wish they already would, because I wanna see him play at least Gulf Coast league. What is considered slot in this pick range?

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