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Grading
The Draft, Team By Team
March 27, 2014 (Federal League Wire Service)
The two day pre-season draft meetings
ended at 9:00, Wednesday night, as team representatives filed out
of the meeting room at the Federal League Conference Annex. 35 players were drafted
and all are hoping to make an impact when play opens on April
22
Lance Escalera, a switch hitting outfielder with power, drafted by the
Commercial Aviation Mudcats, was the first
player selected in the Senior Circuit; while Kevin Druckman a hard
throwing left handed pitcher was claimed by the Margate Sentries with the first selection made in
the Junior Circuit.
The Parkland Mets made the most selections with six. The Original Division's
defending champions, the Fort Lauderdale Blazers,, declined to pick.
A complete list of the draft results can be found here.
Original
Division:
Commercial
Aviation Mudcats: Lance Escalera, OF; Frankie
Bernazard, SS/OF
The Mudcats were able to select both of the players that they
had targeted, and two of the most highly rated players in the
draft.
The Whiskered Fish improved their roster, but the grade is depressed until
they sign their players
Grade: A-
Broward Cubs:
Asari Mitsuharu, RHP/3B; Kory Ryan, C; Robert Goggin, LHP
Mitsuharu
has a live fastball, a hard curve, and a wipeout sidearm slider,
but must make the adjustment as he moves over from Japan.
Ryan and Goggin are both very young, but show a world of
potential
Grade: B+
South Florida Sun Devils: Matthew
Kean, RHP; Antoine Rutherford, OF; Eric Friedman, SS/2B
Kean has filthy stuff, and he throws from both overhand and
sidearm deliveries. Rutherford is an athlete that is
transitioning to baseball. The former Virginia Tech running back
has size, strength, and speed. All he lacks is experience.
Friedman is a solid and versatile addition.
New manager Michael Taylor turned in a great draft.
Grade: A
Parkland Angels: Joel
Berlanga, INF; Zachary Vlietstra, LHP/OF; Chris Rosario, OF;
Joseph Schiavo, 1B
The Halos like to gamble in the draft. Berlanga, Rosario, and
Schiavo are top flight players, and Vietstra may be the best
pitcher in the draft, but can the Seraphs sign any of them?
This would be a solid A, but with all four unsigned, it's hard
to grade this draft as very strong
Grade: B-
Expansion Division:
Hollywood Stars: Sol
Ehrlich, RHP; Brian Johnson, 1B/OF; Larry Leakey, C/3B;
Lee Gonzalez, OF
The Stars traded down and then picked a top pitching prospect in
Ehrlich and an emerging slugger in Johnson. The also added
character and depth with Gonzalez.
In addition to the young prospects, the Stars acquired former
MVP Ray Ubiera on draft day
Grade: B+
Davie Goliaths: Anthony De
Filippis, LHP/OF; Emmanuel Movil, OF; Jason Legunn, RHP/INF;
Anthony Howard, OF; Geoff Sabatino, RHP/OF; Gray Gedeon, OF
De Filippis is a sound choice as he provides depth, experience,
and versatility. Movil is a player with tremendous upside.
Legunn can help the pitching staff, as well as having a
legitimate shot at the starting shortstop job. Howard and
Sabatino will compete for playing time in the outfield, but
having both with upgrade the Philistines' defense.
The G-Men picked good players and addressed their needs.
Grade: B+
Tri-Cities Tritons: John
Hardardt, RHP/INF; Donny Gagliano, C/INF; James
Faulkner, OF; Lanny Cion, OF; Ken Fox, 1B/3B
The Tritons went for pitching and Hardardt, was a
solid choice. After that, the Water Dwellers went heavy on
veterans.
The Tritons made very safe choices, except with their first one.
If Hardardt produces as expected, this was a good draft.
Grade: B
Sunrise Sunsets: Jesse Gonzalez,
RHP; Alexies Encarnacion, INF/OF; Joel Tejada, INF/OF; Nick
Thompson, C; Matthew Cook, OF
The Twilighters traded up to in order to choose Gonzalez, a
tall, hard throwing righty.
Encarnacion, Tejeda, Thompson, and Cook are reasonable choices,
given the Sunsets' draft position.
Grade: B-
Margate Sentries: Kevin Druckman,
LHP; Gian-Pierre Lopez, OF; Ronald Rodriguez, SS/OF; Robert
Hilliard, INF/OF
The Gatekeepers gave away Ubiera, and the rights to Sandy
Cabrera, to improve the draft status. The results might add up
to the best draft in league history.
Druckman appears to be an ace in the making. Lopez and
Rodriguez, who are both expected to sign shortly, are future
all-stars, and Hilliard is the type of player found on winning
teams.
Grade: A+
Lighthouse Point Beacons-Kyle
Hauskins-Kaplan, RHP/INF
The Illuminators had their eye on Druckman, but were not willing
to trade up to get him. Hauskins-Kaplan may not be an ace of the
staff, but he looks like a valuable addition to the corps.
The Beacons did acquire mercurial fireballer Steven Hibbs in a
draft day deal
Grade: B
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