The Rays had a busy day yesterday, selecting 10 players within the first 60 picks of the MLB Draft. Not only that, but they had two picks coming up in the second round, allowing them to sneak yet one more player away from all the other teams.
With those two picks, the Rays selected outfielder Granden Goetzman and closer Lenny Linske.
Here’s DRaysBay’s analysis on Goetzman:
Projecting future power in high school prospects is hard even when they show it in games. Projecting it solely off of perceived athleticism and bat speed can get tricky. While generally less refined than their college counterparts, more toolsy high school draft prospects can end up with even higher upside. This group is the home of young players that look like they should excel at many facets of the game. The first two, Granden Goetzman (Palmetto, FL) and Matt Dean (TX) play short for their high school teams, though neither look like they’ll stick. Goetzman garners Jayson Werth comps because of his smooth right-handed stroke that looks like it will develop considerable power. His size, athleticism, arm, and future position bolster the Werth comps as he should be a plus defender in right that might be able to handle center.
And now Baseball America’s thoughts on Linsky:
Linsky was a decent prospect coming out of high school—though he wasn’t drafted—but he has blossomed at Hawaii. He has improved each year and was nearly unhittable this spring, helping the Rainbows finish first in the Western Athletic Conference for the first time since 1992. His fastball has incredible sink, even at 92-94 mph, and he can run it up to 96 from a low three-quarters arm slot. Hitters frequently swing over his fastball, and he has a dominating slider that can get as high as 89 mph. One scout joked that hitters need a shovel if they want to elevate the ball against Linsky. He allowed just three extra-base hits during the regular season—all doubles.
Both players sound like excellent selections by the Rays, and add to their already deep and diversified draft selections. It’s certainly an exciting time to be a Rays fan.