Atlanta Braves and a local prospect
McDaniel fielded a question about two-way (SS/P) prospect Bubba Chandler (ESPN 23, MLB 21, BA 20) out of Oconee High School in Bogart, Georgia, committed to Clemson as a quarterback.
KD: I get the impression in that first 30 picks, he’s probably signable (Something) like two-thirds to one-third teams preferring him as a pitcher. I’ve been told he’s open to both. I know (the Braves) scouted him and partly just because he’s close. Some of the heavy hitters have been in multiple times to see him. I think they prefer him as only a pitcher.
If he’s there at 24, there’s a real shot they take him. But by no means would I say it’s a slam dunk, either that he gets there or that they take him if he gets there. . . They’re talking about it this week. I would say maybe a 10 percent chance he ends up actually being the pick, but it’s not zero.
(In Fridays Mock, Kiley has Chandler going to the Reds at 17.)
One of the benefits of sitting in on these chats is listening to what writers for other teams are thinking.
I don’t want to pitch.
Carson Williams (ESPN 38, MLB 41, BA42) could turn into this year’s Austin Riley. Williams is a two-way player out of Torrey Pines High School in San Diego. As a pitcher, he throws a plus slider and a low-mid nineties fastball. However, like Riley, Williams made it perfectly clear to all scouts that he wants to play every day. Wiliams has light-tower power and has hit well with the game on the line.
Best-case the Braves draft him as a SS, have him pitch now and then, and he continues to hit using wooden bats against professional pitching. Worst case, his bat vanishes, and he becomes a backend starter or reliever. The Atlanta Braves did it for Riley; why not Williams?