I know you are supposed to do these during the drafts, but I just decided to do one so better late then never is what I always say.

1st Round • 7th Overall – Chris Sale, LHP  School: Florida Southern Year: Jr.   Height: 6’5’’   Weight: 175

I didn’t think Sale would fall this far let alone continue to fall. I guess some teams were scared away by his delivery because it certainly wasn’t his demands. I think at the price he is willing to sign for along with his dominating stuff and the downside of a dominant relief pitcher plus a high probability of reaching the majors he is a no brainer pick. I did not mind the Mets pick of Matt Harvey, but he was asking for more money than he is worth and is too inconsistent to be a top 10 pick IMO.

Chris Sale was the 13th overall pick by the White Sox

Also considered: Karsten Whitson, Josh Sale, and Dylan Covey.

3rd Round • 89th Overall – Aaron Shipman, OF School: Brooks County HS (GA) Height: 6’1’’ Weight: 185

Blake Forsythe wasn’t a great pick here value wise. He was a money saving pick from the Mets, but not having a 2nd round pick and taking Sale who won’t require too much should make it likely a deal could be worked out with Shipman who has great tools and upside.

Also considered: Kevin Gausman, Ryne Stanek, Micah Gibbs.

4th Round • 122nd Overall – Hunter Morris, 1B School: Auburn Year: Junior Height: 6’2’’ Weight: 208

Another place where I like the Mets pick, but I don’t love it and it was extremely hard for me to pass on Kevin Gausman, but I wanted a power college bat and the fact that Morris is available here is a perfect fit an a bit of a shock.

Also considered: Kevin Gausman

5th Round • 152nd Overall – Kevin Gausman, RHP School: Grandview HS (COL) Height: 6’4’’ Weight: 180

He shouldn’t be available the fact that he is makes me as giddy as a school girl.

6th Round • 182nd Overall – Jesse Hahn, RHP School: Virginia Tech Year: Junior Height: 6’5’’ Weight: 200

I don’t think he would be available here if he didn’t get hurt. He was high school teammates with Mets first round pick Matt Harvey.

7th Round • 212th Overall – Alexander Lavisky, C School: St. Edward HS (OH) Height: 6’1’’ Weight: 210
I wanted a catcher and I think he has a better shot at signing than most people think.

8th Round • 242nd Overall – Kenneth McDowall, RHP School: College of Southern Nevada Year: Soph. Height: 6’3’’ Weight: 185
I decided to keep the Mets pick which I like a lot.

9th Round • 272nd Overall – Tyler Holt, OF School: Florida State Year: Jr. Height: 6’0’’ Weight: 190

10th Round • 302nd Overall – Akeel Morris, RHP School: Charlotte Amaile HS, St. Thomas, V.I. Height: 6’1’’ Weight: 180

I’ll keep this pick as well.

11th Round • 332nd Overall – Zach Varce, RHP School: Portland Height: 6’0’’ Weight: 190

12th Round • 362nd Overall – Brett Mithcell, RHP School: Minnesota State-Mankato Year: Jr. Height: 6’2’’ Weight: 185

Another pick I’ll keep.

13th Round • 392nd Overall – Brian Harrison, 3B School: Furman Year: Jr. Height: 6’2’’ Weight: 205

He is someone I may have taken even had the Mets not taken him.

14th Round • 422nd Overall – Stephen Wilkerson, SS School: Pope HS (GA) Height: 6’1’’ Weight: 170

Here is to hoping that he signs.

15th Round • 452nd Overall – Jake Eliopoulos, LHP School: Chipola JC (FL) Year: Fr. Height: 6’3’’ Weight: 175

16th Round • 482nd Overall – Ryan Fraser, RHP School: Memphis Year: Sr. Height: 6’3’’ Weight: 190

Same as Mets

17th Round • 512nd Overall – Chad Sheppard, RHP School: Northwestern State Year: Jr. Height: 6’4’’ Weight: 210

Same as Mets

18th Round • 542nd Overall – Brian Fletcher, OF School: School: Brandon (Fla.) HS Height: 6’1’’ Weight: 195

19th Round • 572nd Overall – Roderick Shoulders, C School: Auburn Year: Jr. Height: 6’2’’ Weight: 225

20th Round • 602nd Overall – Russ Moldenhauer, 1B School: Texas Year: Sr. Height: 5’11’’ Weight: 215

21st Round • 632nd Overall – Dominic Ficociello, SS, School: Fullerton (Calif.) Union HS Height: 6’3’’ Weight: 170

I am pretty happy with this draft class. I think it is a nice mix of arms, bats, college, and high school players. For rounds 22-50 I’ll just go with the Mets picks. Now I wait and hope everyone signs.

The usually draft cheap Mets decided to open their pockets up a little bit this year by going over slot for their 24th round pick out of UCLA Erik Goeddel.  It was first reported at MLBTR about a week ago, but refuted by people like Keith Law and Goeddel’s agent.  This time, however, it is a done deal.  Goeddel has decided to skip his junior year and sign for about $500,000.

Goeddel has good stuff.  He has a lethal fastball/slider combination that is fueled by mid-90′s heat.  Stuff was never the question with him it was always health and signability concerns.  Goeddel’s deliver is SCARY with the way he short arms the ball and it is no wonder he has already had Tommy John surgery. Still not many people thought he would and beggars can’t be choosers so I am glad the Mets were able to work out a deal because with a successful season next he was a lock for the top 3 rounds.

7th-round pick RHP Jeffrey Walters

8th-round pick RHP Kenny McDowall

9th-round pick RHP Jacob deGrom

11th-round pick LHP Adam Kolarek

12th-round pick RHP Bret Mitchell

13th-round pick third baseman Brian Harrison

14th-round pick second baseman James Brown

15th-round selection outfielder Tillman Pugh

16th-round pick RHP Ryan Fraser

17th-round pick RHP Chad Sheppard

18th-round pick RHP Alexander Pinera

19th-round pick RHP Jonathan Koutis

20th-round pick first baseman Lucas Stewart

22nd-round pick shortstop Brand Brown

25th-round selection RHP Peter Birdwell

26th-round pick shortstop James Butler

27th-round pick RHP Michael Weldon

28th-round pick LHP Jeremy Gould

29th-round selection LHP Hamilton Bennett

30th-round pick LHP Joshua Edgin

32nd-round pick catcher Patrick Farrell

33rd-round pick RHP Hunter Carnevale

34th-rund pick SS Justin Schafer*

37th-round pick outfielder Dylan Brown.

This list is from Matt Cerrone of Metsblog.  In his list though he forgot to include Justin Schafer so that is what the asterisk is for.

I highlighted all the college seniors so as you can see it shouldn’t be shocking most of these guys signed so early.  The two people I am pleasantly surprised are already signed are Kenny McDowall and Chad Sheppard.  McDowall wasn’t a terribly hard sign, but had to be given a little extra to buy him away from his transfer to Hawaii and Sheppard is a draft eligible sophomore who I thought might have wanted to return to college to break some more saves records and was the reason he fell (Baseball America top 200 prospect), but I guess not.

Prospect guru John Sickels has been doing a draft review for each team and today was the day for the NL East division.  While almost every other expert has had nothing positive to say about the talent the Mets got Sickels was a little more content with their haul.  He was not in love with it, but some notable things he said were:

4) Cory Vaughn, OF, San Diego State University: Son of Greg Vaughn, so he has good bloodlines. Very athletic, fast and skilled on the bases, has considerable power potential, but problems with contact may limit his batting average/OBP against professional pitching. Good upside, but also a lot of risk.

9) Jacob deGrom, RHP, Stetson: 90-93 MPH fastball, workable slider, athletic enough that he played shortstop at times. This one looks like an interesting sleeper pick that needs to be tracked closely. Walked just 16 in 82 innings.

At first when I saw his stats I was upset with the pick of deGrom. But after I researched him a little bit he began to grow on me. He has very little mileage on his arm, a good sinker, and good command. And even though it was his first year pitching he became the best pitcher and his team and says himself that his stuff plays better against wood than metal.

To read the rest of Sickels’s review click here.

16th Round (482nd) – Ryan Fraser | RHP | Memphis | 8/27/88 | R/R | 6’3 205 lbs.

Not much info on Fraser other than he is a hard throwing right handed pitcher with command issues. Seems like a pretty raw power relief arm to me, which could be seen as an over draft at this position. He is a very smart guy as he was a member of the 2010 All-Academic team with a 3.72 GPA. Looking at his stats he gives up way too many hits and walks to every be successful at the next level, but he is a hard worker who will try and fix that.

17th Round (512th) – Chad Sheppard | RHP | Northwestern State | 11/25/88 | R/R | 6’4 210 lbs.

This has the makings of a great pick written all over it. Sheppard is an imposing figure on the mound with great stuff including a 94 mph sinker and plus slider. There were reports of his fastball hit 96 mph as the season went on. He has had great success in college tying his schools single season saves record two years in a row as a redshirted freshman and sophomore. Although he has the body and stuff to start he is most likely going to remain in the bullpen were he can move quickly through the system. Was ranked the 197th best prospect in the draft by Baseball America.

18th Round (542nd) – A.J. Pinera | RHP | U Tampa | 7/2/87 | R/R | 6’3 185 lbs.

There are no reports yet on what Pinera throws, but I am working on getting a report for you. From the two videos on him it looks like he throws a pretty straight fastball, change up, and a curve ball. The stats say he has very good control, but gives up a ridiculous amount of hits. Had season ending surgery during his freshman season.

19th Round (572th) – Jonathan Kountis | RHP | Embry-Riddle University | 3/15/88 | R/R | 6’3 225 lbs.

This is a big kid with a big fastball. Sound like a theme with the draft? Kountis’s fastball has been as high as 94 mph this season and 96 mph in the past. He also has an average slider with plus potential, but lacks overall command of it. Again another trend with the Mets drafting strategies this year. This is a decent pick and if Kountis can ever obtain any consistency it has the potential to be much better.

20th Round (602nd) – Luke Stewart | 1B | Alabama – Birmingham | 2/29/88 | L/R | 6’4 220 lbs.

Luke has tremendous power from the left side. His average was pretty low for college, but 21 home runs in 53 games is just ridiculous. The kind of power and patience he showed this year was Adam Dunn esque. Hey I can dream can’t I? While his ceiling is probably Mike Hessman he may have the most value to the Mets if he helps them sign his younger brother Brock who was the Mets 40th round pick.