SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
It’s no secret who the first two picks are likely to be when Major League Baseball’s first-year college draft is held tonight. It’s obviously already wrapped up as far as Louisiana State head coach Jay Johnson is concerned, but the Pittsburgh Pirates aren’t taking the same road.
As it stands, the Bucs will chose first, and while it’s apparent they look to LSU centerfielder Dylan Crews and Bayou Tigers’ righthanded pitcher Paul Skenes, the consensus won’t matter to Pittsburgh when it is on the clock in Seattle Sunday.
While Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has a healthy respect for Crews and Skenes, he doesn’t exactly sound like someone in the hurry to send MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to the lectern to change the arc of a player’s life, and his team’s hopes, the trajectory of the franchise.
Perhaps it’s Cherington’s gamesmanship, maybe it’s his sincerity. Whatever it is, he has made it a point in recent weeks to stress who is going at the very top end of the draft, and it just isn’t a given, at least not in Pittsburgh.
Said Cherington: “We think it’s a strong group, and by group I really do mean that it goes much deeper than two players.”
Closely behind Crews and Skenes is Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford. He has put together a campaign nearly as impressive as Crews, both at bat, in the field, and on the bases, as well as providing the leadership for the NCAA Division I runner-up Gators.
The winner and national champion is LSU. They have the goods, the everyday player in Crews, the stellar starting pitcher in Skenes. There’s also premier high schoolers like Mike Clark and Walker Jenkins, both short on experience but long on potential.
The Pirates were a little off-script in 2021 when they chose catcher Henry Davis as their No. 1 pick. Davis, who made his Major League debut last month, signed for under slot value, giving Cherington more money to spend later in the draft.
Not that Cherington, who took over his role in 2019, thinking the same way currently. Whereas Crews and Skanes are overwhelming scheduled to be the top two choices, Davis came as the top five choice.
Now Pitt is in a slightly different position with the window to contention far closer than two years ago. It’s not anywhere near the top of its National League Central Division, but is playing much better ball.
So who the Bucs figure to announce as their No. 1 selection, Crews, Skenes or even Langford? Crews was named Player of the Year, Langford was second, Skenes third. Tough situation, but either choice would be a positive one.
While Crews was outstanding at the top of the Tigers’ lineup, Skenes spent the last two months lightning radar guns with impressive fastballs, making a compiling case for being the most-league-ready college pitcher since Stephen Strasburg in more than a decade ago.
As for Johnson, who coached both, it would be a done deal for a truly quality player.
For Crews, he sounds out power, speed, defense, smarts. There is little that Johnson believes Crews can’t do. As for Skenes, he brings out a variety of pitches he can be counted on delivering — fastball, change-up, curve, and outstanding control and fielding ability.
To Skenes, it’s just the idea of going at the top.
“Wherever I get drafted,” he said, “I’m going to go there and be playing with these kids I’m going to see for years. I’m excited about all of this, both for myself and Dylan.”
As for Crews, he said he’s in the same position, happy to be going that high, and it doesn’t matter by whom, just to be playing a major role for that team.
Minnesota picks second, the Texas Rangers go third, Oakland fourth. It should be interesting choosing, even after the leading three are named.
As for the Pirates, it’s in the hands of Cherington, he’s just not revealing his announcement yet. On the tubes, it can be seen on ESPN and MLBN at 7 o’clock.
