Draft Tidbits

Here is what is making news in the draft:

• Boras client and high school prospect Eric Hosmer might be leaning towards heading to college. He will likely be a late first rounder because of signability issues.
  
• The White Sox are very interested in Gordon Beckham and Brett Wallace. Coincidentally, I had the White Sox taking Brett Wallace last week and Gordon Beckham this week.
• The Brewers are interested in Anthony Hewitt, but will look to see if he is around in later rounds. His struggles with a wood bat will drop his back a couple of rounds.
  
• Look for the Phillies to select Jason Knapp with their sandwich or second round pick. He is a pitcher with poor command, but has some upside.
• One of the biggest sleepers in the draft in is Ryan Westmoreland, who has set his signing bonus demands very high, but has a lot of upside. His above average fielding and good bat make him a candidate to rise fast in any system. The Red Sox are known to be interested.
  
• I talked with one scout who said the Cubs and Rockies are pondering taking Jake Odorizzi with their first round pick. For what it is worth, Odorizzi is a native of Illinois.
• The Cubs are also interested in Zach Collier, but he is drawing serious interest from the Nationals, who invited him to their tryout in Washington.
• The Mets are interested in catcher Adrian Nieto, but I talked with one scout who said he is not as high on the Mets draft board is people may think.
  
• As for first pick speculation: It is all up in the air. From what I am hearing, though, it is down to four players: Tim Beckham, Pedro Alvarez, Aaron Crow, and Buster Posey.