Draft day in Canton has always mostly been a disappointment during the current front office regime’s tenure, or at least the precursor to disappointment.  Communication breakdowns (Jim Hayden), draftees with exorbitant bonus demands (King Bailey, Aurelio Pérez), and soon to be injured future stars (Dennis Ready, Antonio Murillo) have all graced the post-draft report for a talent-light Canton Longshoremen organization.  Notwithstanding that history, the 2019 draft dawned with a hopeful organization prepared to select 3 of the first 35 players taken.  The Longshoremen were buoyed by a change in draft philosophy for the 2018 draft that seems, at a preliminary glance, to have finally moved the needle on Canton’s organizational talent gauge.

In a draft that was widely expected to be heavy on college outfielders, the Longshoremen unexpectedly made the former college pitcher of the year the third player chosen.  Many observers expected the senior’s draft stock to fall with his senior season performance.  One year removed from a 8-2, 1.88 ERA junior season, Romero slipped to a 1-3, 3.88 ERA capper to an outstanding college career.  What was different?  A .383 BABIP (compared to .318 BABIP as a junior).  Despite a disappointing senior season, Romero finished his college career with a 2.21 career ERA, a 21-7 record, and 266 strikeouts in 252 innings.  A fastball/changeup ground ball specialist, Romero will likely skip short-A ball once he signs. One interesting note is that Romero was the second Cincinnati Unifier in a row to be selected, with teammate Bo Banks going #2 overall.

Reportedly under consideration at #3 overall, big Bill Carter’s bat proved to be too much of a temptation to pass up at the eighteenth spot in the draft.  The 6’2”, 225 senior had a breakout season in 2019, hitting 378/524/811 with 21 HR. The Longshoremen believe the power is projectible all the way to the majors.  Carter needs some defensive work, but is a good athlete, and the Longshoremen believe he could add 20 steals with an opportunity to run.

If you want proof that the Longshoremen changed things up this year, look no further than the player taken 35^th overall.  Having already snagged the first college pitcher taken, Canton picked the daily double by taking the guy they projected as the best high school pitcher in the draft.  The lefty was a two-time high school All-American, a high school All-Leather winner, and high school national champion.  Accomplished for a prep pitcher, the wiry lefty has a 4-pitch arsenal and a reputation as a big game pitcher; he had two commanding wins as a high school freshman to lead his Rapids to the Interscholastic Federation championship.   The Longshoremen project the wiry (6’4”, 200 lbs.) southpaw as a top of the rotation pitcher.

For a team that has recently been averse to picking high school players high, the Longshoremen invested the 59^th overall pick on an enigma, wrapped in mystery, shrouded in a riddle.  McGowan only had 3 at bats as a senior, and 183 as a junior – that’s it for his entire high school career.  What happened? Was it a coach conflict? Unreported injuries? The Longshoremen may know, but they aren’t saying anything, other than to express a love for the power potential of the 18 year old. “We believe that we can provide a safe, comfortable environment for Mr. McGowan to thrive,” said assistant General Manager Jay Wells.

A renowned tinkerer, the two-time All-American purports to have a six pitch arsenal, and can throw in the low to mid 90s.  Pitching in a renowned hitters’ park for his college career, the Longshoremen are not worried about his mediocre college stats, citing an unflappable manner on the mound and pitchability as his strongest traits.  Like Romero, the #89 overall could skip straight to Hi-A.

A pick that surprised many observers, Lopez was not on most team’s radars after an obscure career at Stanford that saw him sit the bench until a breakout senior season that saw him hit .399.  An excellent defensive 3B, the Longshoremen see the #113 overall pick being given a chance to move to SS, where his bat would play much better.  Despite only one college HR, the Longshoremen also believe that Lopez has some power potential.

An offense-first catcher, Mitchell, the 137^th overall pick, always hit (college career 310/434/567), and had a breakout senior season in his first year as a full time player, cracking 13 HR and hitting 311/404/561.  Given the lack of playing time, Mitchell is a more raw prospect than the typical college draftee.

Like Mitchell, the 161^st overall pick is a raw prospect thanks to a late-blooming amateur career.  The corner outfielder ripped up the Interscholastic Federation as a senior, hitting 448/545/644 in 41 games.  A bit of a tweener, Perez was selected at the insistence of the Longshoremen area scout for the southwest United States. “Sometimes you just have to trust the guys in the field,” said assistant GM Jay Wells.

Aguilar, who the Longshoremen made the 185^th overall selection, was almost certainly a roster spot play.  The 18 year old never played full time on his high school team.  He hit when he did, but the tool that will get him to the majors if anything does is his plus defense behind the plate.

It wouldn’t be a Longshoremen draft without a screw-up, now would it? In that spirit, with the 209^th overall pick, the Longshoremen called the name of a college outfielder who had only played in 20 games before succumbing to a career-ending injury.  At least it was the 9^th round, and not higher.

With the 233^rd pick, Canton selected a ‘make-up’ player.  A leader in the classroom and on the field for Horizon High, Walter rocketed to the attention of scouts after a break-out senior season that saw him hit 376/463/594.

In a pick that turned some heads, at number 257 overall, the Longshoremen called the name of a marginal high school outfielder, but announced his position as “closer.”   The Longshoremen area scout worked Jameson out as a pitcher despite his never having pitched in a high school game.

A late bloomer, Michigan 1B Matt George has a reputation as another clubhouse guy.  His late draft selection spot (#281 overall) is an indication of the how little the Longshoremen value low power, batting average heavy players in the corner infield.

With an inability to pass on draft picks, 13^th rounders are typically flawed at best and useless at worst. Chosen at #305, Juan Garza wasn’t even the first left fielder named Juan Garza selected in the draft – the Tempe Knights took Jack Walter’s teammate in the 7^th round. This Juan Garza is a tools and projectability pick who has yet to convert a supposed quick bat into success at any level.  He hit a pedestrian 258/343/400 as a member of the Pride.

At #329 in the draft, organizations that draft on tools and drool over 5-tool prospects are fortunate to find 1- or even 2-tools as the draft nears closing time.  Jed Williams is a 2-tool player, but it’s an odd 2-tool mix: he appears to have an almost preternatural batting eye, drawing a walk in 18% of his high school plate appearances.  He was also selected as the best defensive 2B in the entire Interscholastic Federation.

For the second time in the draft, with their last selection, the Longshoremen drafted another high school senior with a mysterious lack of playing time.  Unlike Richard McGowan twelve rounds earlier, #353 overall Rickey Wade never even saw the field as a senior at Moody High School.  The 18 year old boasts a fastball that touches 90, a three-pitch repertoire, a propensity to induce ground balls, a rubber arm. . . and a lot of rawness.  He’s a long shot to make a major league roster, but as a 15^th round pick, he has some qualities that the organization likes.