Early 2015 MLB Draft Notes

Kiley McDaniel posted his Way-Too-Early 2015 MLB draft rankings back in September and a quick update in November but it has been rather quiet on the FanGraphs MLB Draft front since then. I’m here to start changing that, as this past weekend gave me my first opportunity of the year to begin getting looks at notable draft prospects in the Southern California area.

Cadyn Grenier, SS, Bishop Gorman HS (NV), Oregon State commit – 2015 Draft

The University of San Diego hosted a high school tournament that was heavy on underclassmen, but also featured Cadyn Grenier, McDaniel’s 45th ranked draft 2015 MLB Draft prospect. The Oregon State commit is the shortstop for Bishop Gorman, a Nevada-based high school you may have heard of before for producing Rangers top prospect Joey Gallo and having  Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux as its pitching coach.

At the plate, Grenier displays a strong feel for hitting and the tools to go with it, including fast hands and bat speed. He’s made several adjustments at the plate, such as a widened base and lowered hands. It has allowed him to eliminate a bat wrap in the front he had over the summer, subsequently creating a bat path more to the baseball. Despite adding a notable amount of strength to the upper half of his medium frame, the power projection remains below-average at best, but that isn’t of great concern given his defensive home.

Grenier posted some plus times from home-to-first over the summer, but I recorded a near 70-grade time on one dig. With all that being said, it’s with the glove where Grenier can significantly improve his draft stock as a defender with a chance to stick at shortstop in pro ball. I think he has the range and hands, but question how the good, but not great, athleticism and lack of standout arm strength will play at the next level. If Grenier can convince teams he possesses a legitimate chance to stick at shortstop, he will be a high pick come draft time.

Tyler Mark, RHP, Concordia (Irvine) – 2015 Draft

There were more than a dozen scouts in Pomona for a Division II scrimmage between Concordia University of Irvine and Cal Poly Pomona, and the number likely would have been higher if not for a late scratch. Pomona righty Cody Ponce, who is perhaps the draft’s biggest wildcard (and Kiley’s 11th prospect for 2015), was out with the flu, lowering the game’s priority level with at least two other interesting games just 20 miles away. By the time I found out, it was already too late for me to change plans, but it’ll actually be easier for me to catch those players at a later date than Irvine’s Tyler Mark, who is the reason talent evaluators didn’t all flee the scene.

Mark threw two innings, and showed why scouts are intrigued by his raw talent. It’s obvious the high level of athleticism the righty possesses after watching him throw just one pitch from the extreme first base ride of the rubber. Mark sat 90-92  and hit 93 mph with his fastball. He shows a breaking ball that comes in at 80-82 mph with shape and some bite as well as feel for a changeup in the same velocity range. Despite inconsistencies in the delivery, such as failing to flow into the glove and essentially jumping off of the mound with his back foot, Mark is able to throw strikes because of his athleticism. A player development staff will need to make adjustments and tweaks with Mark’s delivery, but the athleticism and feel for a three pitch mix makes for an interesting draft hopeful.

Hagen Danner, RHP, Huntington Beach HS (CA), UCLA commit – 2017 Draft

California proves year after year to be a hotbed of finding high upside amateur talent, especially in the southern part of the state. After taking a peek at the future, it doesn’t appear as if The Golden State will lose its shine anytime soon. Blake Rutherford of Chaminade Prep (CA) is arguably the top bat, if not prospect, for the 2016 draft, after showing as the best hitter on the SoCal team at the Area Code Games this summer as an underclassmen. If you want to get even a little more ahead of ourselves, Hagen Danner is a really early name to know for the 2017 draft.

I saw Danner throw three innings and take two plate appearances (he had a hard hit out and walk) on Sunday night in San Diego, but it was on the mound where he wowed scouts. The UCLA commit comes over the top with a lively fastball that sat 91 mph and hit 93 mph, but with effort. The curveball is presently a soft hammer with projection, breaking late vertically at 79-80 mph with shape and depth. Danner even showed some feel throwing a pair of 81-82 mph changeups. The first one fell off the table while other featured hard darting action away from the left-handed batter. Danner’s stuff is incredibly impressive, especially given his age, so hopefully he can make improvements in his delivery to get the most out of his talent.

Quick Hits

• Another top 2017 arm to know is right-handed pitcher Hans Crouse of Dana Hills High School in southern California. He touched 94 mph on Saturday but wasn’t quite as polished as Danner. That said, he’s 6’4 and projectable, so he’s still one of the top 2017 follows in the country.

• Hans’ older brother, Marrick, is also a right-handed pitcher for the same high school, but is a 2015 draft eligible prospect. He showed noticeable rust on Saturday, mostly working 88-90 mph with inconsistent mechanics. He’s been better in the past, so this is likely the result of him beginning to ramp things back up as we head into the spring.