I mean it’s always a possibility a coach could leave. But from all accounts this is bolts dream job and a lifer in the position. Childress was the guy who should have replaced DVH though. Mike Anderson sucks.
Good to see. HS is a crap shoot and now with the bats in college being Dulles down it’s easier to project I think at the college level.
Going to be a lot of kids on the move this year. Just not enough roster space for everyone with the COVID exemption year.
We’re probably going to have to tell Goodheart to move on and Welch to sign, and tell a top 100 recruit (Bishop) he doesn’t have a spot and to go JUCO since he priced himself out of getting drafted higher than he should have. We are insanely loaded
"As for an update on Kentucky transfer Coltyn Kessler: sounds like it's down to Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee. Real battle there but I like Tennessee's chances. Also a potential he could sign an undrafted deal."
#Arkansas Razorbacks RHP Kevin Kopps has won the 2021 Golden Spikes Award happy for him, he had an all time great season
Yeah, pretty excited about this hire. IMO we needed some more outside blood in our coaching ranks. Gabe Gross and Tim Hudson being former great players makes things awkward. Hopefully he can balance things out for us.
Yep. He was a stud in his one year at Auburn. This past year was quite a letdown, and a lot of people are questioning his hire. The pitching staff was pretty bad last year, but a lot of things impacted that. Plus, Huddy is a volunteer coach that isn’t costing us a single dime.
i remember waking up as a kid and seeing huddy was traded to the braves and was convinced we were gonna win it all the oakland big 3 kicked so much ass
MLB Draft Review: College Baseball’s Winners, Potential Losers ANALYSIS Shooter Hunt - July 19, 2021 Now that all the names have been called and the dust has settled on the MLB Draft, college recruiting classes and roster formation can begin to be finalized. A chaotic, sometimes heart-breaking journey for coaching staffs, this year’s MLB Draft might have been the most difficult ever thanks to a late, mid-July date. With the start of the fall semester only weeks away, a quick glimpse at some “winners” from the draft along with a collection of programs that lost a significant (potentially in some instances) number of impact recruits. It should be noted that for the “Troublesome” programs, that moniker is strictly due to the talent that was/may be lost to the draft from a recruiting standpoint. Each of those classes/programs still have plenty of talent. WINNERS Arkansas It is rare that a recruiting class can withstand losses of elite SS Max Muncy (Athletics-1st round), electric-potential LHP Drew Gray (Cubs-3rd round), and left-handed power-hitting OF Jordan Viars (Phillies-3rd round), but this class of future Hogs is so good that it might quickly deem those three inconsequential. Yes, OF Braylon Bishop (Pirates-14th round) and SS Drake Varnado (DBacks-17th round) were drafted, but both appear headed to Fayetteville with the talent and athleticism to become breakout stars as early as year one. Holding onto LHP Hagen Smith and RHP Brady Tygart gives pitching coach Matt Hobbs two potential future aces to work with, and you can expect both to push for starting roles in 2022. But, perhaps the most impactful commit to make it to campus is INF Peyton Stovall. One of the top pure bats in the country, Stovall has the talent to push his way into an already deep lineup, and with the protection that the upperclassmen will provide early, he should see plenty of good pitches to hit. But this group is more than just a handful of players, and the depth is immense with talent. Util. Kendall Diggs has one of the sweetest left-handed strokes in the class and is a pure-hitter whose athleticism can keep him on the dirt defensively or help fill some vacancies in the Razorbacks’ outfield. A consummate performer with a blue-collar edge, C Max Soliz might challenge for a starting role from day one, especially with departing catchers, Casey Opitz and Charlie Welch. A host of other upside prospects are also in this class, and with at least one impact transfer, Jace Bohrofen, currently tearing up the Cape Cod League, the Hogs are looking at a likely number one recruiting class come the fall. UCLA Much of what turned out to be a relatively “modest” number of California-prepsters taken in the MLB Draft can be attributed to this UCLA recruiting class. All but RHP Eric Silva (Giants-4th round) and LHP Gage Jump (Padres-18th round) went undrafted, opting instead to take their talents to Westwood as a unified group. And while Silva is almost assured to sign (which was assumed prior to the draft), Jump’s late selection gives strong hope that he will be delivering swings-and-misses with a mid 90s fastball and vicious breaking ball for the Bruins. Opting out of the draft, RHP Thatcher Hurd has the upside to blossom into the next big starting pitcher with a complete arsenal. His decision to head to school, alone, helps carry this class into the upper echelon. SS Cody Schrier and OF Nick McLain are polished and ready to make an immediate impact in the Pac-12 which will be ultra valuable after 10 current Bruins were drafted including McLain’s older brother, Matt. CF Malakhi Knight’s decision to head to campus might end up being the most impactful, and while he will need repetitions as a multi-sport Washington product, his upside is the highest in this group. Even beyond the aforementioned group, the depth of this class is filled with potential impact players with the likes of RHP/1B Alonzo Treadwell, 3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, and RHP Joshua Alger. Keep an eye on RHP Luke Jewett, as well. Jewett was once a top 25 national rank before being injured but came back late in the spring to show the type of stuff that will have him challenging for immediate innings. In all, the Bruins are looking at SEVEN top 200 recruits heading to campus with a strong potential of adding an eighth in Jump. TCU It was a big year for former recruiting coordinator and now, new head coach, Kirk Saarloos, as his top 10 (likely) recruiting class remained relatively intact through the draft. Built with plenty of depth and upside, there is star power at the top with Nevada prepster, OF Thomas Dilandri, who boasts some of the biggest right-handed power in the country and was strongly in consideration for the top three rounds. When uber-projectable RHP Caedmon Parker pulled his name from the draft, the Horned Frogs received a gift in the form of a potential future Friday Night starter equipped with an effortless low 90s fastball and feel for three. RHP Gray Thomas and his mid 90s fastball from a tough low slot, and the potential for a wipeout slider should also develop well in a program that has routinely rolled out elite arms under the tutelage of Saarloos. SS/RHP Hunter Teplansky should have a chance to challenge for a role on the infield early on and bring lots of athleticism and big arm strength. Sneakily, the prospect that TCU fans might end up being most excited about is Ohio product, CF Logan Maxwell. Maxwell had a stellar spring putting up video game numbers, and his compact frame holds impressive athleticism. He saw his power numbers rise and could push his way into a starting role early. The sole casualty of the draft, C Creed Willems, was one of my favorite players in the class thanks to advanced receiving ability with a cannon for an arm and pull side pop from the left side. He was a key piece to this group, but the potential star-power of Dilandri/Parker & company is still enough to make this a big win for the Horned Frogs. Duke As the picks went by on day one, and early on day two, and SS Alex Mooney’s name was not called, the Blue Devils’ staff was likely excited. Mooney, a first round talent, will now head to campus as the third highest rated prospect in the class. A blue-collar shortstop with crisp, athletic action and power from the right side, Mooney should step in to start from day one, and will be a cornerstone of a talented Duke recruiting class. Outfielders Devin Obee and Jonathan Santucci each present upside as middle-of-the-order bats. Obee has the type of raw ability that can grow into a top 50 pick, and Santucci may have a chance to be a two-way player thanks to a strong left arm and heavy barrel from the left side. Beyond those three at the top, there are quality pieces that have upside to develop in Durham. Keep an eye out for C Andrew Yu, one of the best defenders in the class, and RHP/INF Jimmy Romano who has twitchy actions in everything that he does. But above all else, the fact that Alex Mooney will be on campus for three years is a win for the Duke program and college baseball. Nebraska The Huskers “protected state lines” on the recruiting trail, and then made it through the draft with the entire class ready to roll. A bevy of in-state products chose to remain at home in what was a big year for talent in the class. RHP Drew Christo, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound frontline-type starter is easy to dream on as the catalyst for the Huskers staff in the future and carries a low-to-mid 90s fastball with solid feel for both a changeup and breaking ball. The fact that he makes it to campus is a huge victory for the program. Athlete/RHP CJ Hood has some of the biggest raw arm-talent with a mid 90s fastball and the makings of a swing-and-miss breaking ball, and should it all come together while on campus, he has the tools to be a shutdown power-arm. RHP Jaxon Jelkin, a projectable 6-foot-4, 160-pound starter, was a late addition to the group, but appears to be just hitting his stride after a dominant senior spring. OF Luke Jessen swings a heavy barrel and takes aggressive hacks from the left side that could allow him to see time as a freshman. But perhaps the biggest upside in the class comes in the form of OF Chase Mason of South Dakota. Mason, a physical specimen at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds, had the scouting community buzzing a year ago thanks to his five-tool potential, but an injury eliminated his spring season, and he will now be heading to Lincoln. He has superstar upside. All in all, this group is likely to have Huskers’ fans buzzing, and should they continue to develop in the program, a return to Omaha might ultimately be in the cards. TROUBLESOME LSU The fact that LSU is at the top of the list should be taken with a grain of salt by Tiger fans. A full regime change was already likely to disrupt things, but new head coach, Jay Johnson, has already had an impact in recruiting bringing over All-American 3B Jacob Berry along with some stellar west coast recruits in the 2022 class. But, in looking specifically at the 2021 MLB Draft, the purple & gold lost a lot. Four top 100 prospects (RHP Ben Kudrna, C Carter Jensen, C Ian Moller, LHP Brock Selvidge) were drafted in the top six rounds. Kudrna is the biggest immediate loss, as he would have bolstered the pitching staff with a polished arsenal and mid 90s fastball. There will be no shortage of run support in Baton Rouge the next two years, but bats like Jensen or Moller would have challenged for a starting role behind the dish, and each might have blossomed into a first round selection in three years. Selvidge, though he would have needed some time to develop, had the makings of a future ace, and will be missed as a power-armed southpaw. But prospects like OF/CIF Luke Leto, who shares some swing similarities to former Tigers first baseman and current UNO head coach, Blake Dean, and OF Josh Pearson can pack a punch from the left side, and RHPs Cale Lansville and Grant Taylor have power arms to work with. North Carolina The Tar Heels pieced together much of 2021 with the now departed RHP Austin Love (Cardinals-3rd Round) the only pitcher that threw more than 50 innings on the staff. While this allowed many young arms to gain valuable experience and build upon in 2022 (I think they will make jumps), the addition of LHP Anthony Solometo was to be vital in bolstering the staff. However, Solometo came off the board with the first pick of the second round (Pirates) and the talks of a Bumgarner/Gore hybrid starting on the weekends in Chapel Hill was not meant to be. The second round was unkind to the program, as SS/RHP James Triantos (Cubs-2nd Round) was plucked after reclassifying from 2022 and hitting close to .800 (!!!) in a shortened spring season. SS Vance Honeycutt (Giants-20th Round) gives the class three drafted prospects as his projectable 6-foot-3 frame and strong wrists are intriguing. At the top, the Solometo-Triantos duo is very difficult to replace, especially Solometo, as the program will return the entire lineup outside of CF Justice Thompson. Upside Floridean arms, RHP Alden Segui and RHP Owen Flynn should have a chance to develop, and as always, athletic left-handed bats in INFs, Casey Cook and Joe Jaconski will team up with OF Reece Holbrook on campus. Oklahoma State Though only SS Alex Ulloa (Astros-4th Round) and OF Tyler Collins (Braves-8th Round) were taken in the top 10 rounds and are all but assured to sign, the Cowboys will also have to sweat out the likes of OF/2B Roc Riggio (Brewers-11th Round), SS Zach Ehrhrard (Red Sox-13th Round), and LHP Ryan Ure (Rangers-16th Round) for sure. Riggio, the top ranked prospect in the OSU class, is an advanced lefthanded hitter who would be an immediate impact to the lineup thanks to the ability to change planes and drive the ball, and Ehrhard continued to climb all spring. Ure, a 6-foot-7 southpaw, creates a steep plane from a high slot on a low 90s fastball and holds obvious upside as a future starter. The fact that RIggio and Ure got drafted later on gives some hope that they will make it to campus, but that situation should be monitored closely up to the deadline. It should be noted that Coach Holliday & Co. have already pulled in one of the biggest Transfer Portal additions in RHP Victor Mederos (Miami) who likely slides into the weekend with a four-pitch mix that includes an upper 90s fastball. He, alone, makes this recruiting class a stronger one, and Cowboys fans can also get excited about a 2022 group that is shaping up to be one of the best in the country. Texas Tech The Red Raiders lost SS Cam Cauley (Rangers-3rd Round), who would have been a star in Lubbock, and was the backbone of this 2021 recruiting class. An exciting shortstop with plus-speed, his bounce would have terrorized Big 12 pitchers. RHP/QB1 AJ Smith-Shawver (Braves-7th Round) came off the board later on day two thanks to elite athleticism and arm strength and would have had a chance to grow into an important starters role. LHP Jose Valdez Acuna (Phillies-14th Round), another top 200 recruit per Prep Baseball Report, could still get to campus although his selection is concerning. However, perhaps nobody in the country has shown the ability to reload like the Red Raiders, and there are a host of other recruits ready to step up. Power Majors The impact that Power Major programs have had on the recruiting trail hit its highest point in this year’s draft with UConn recruit, LHP Frank Mozzicato, going 7th overall to the Royals. The Huskies have been the Northeast’s major power thanks to strong recruiting over the past decade but were hit hard with mid 90s RHP Owen Kellington (Pirates-4th Round) also going early on. Still more, South Florida saw physical, left-handed slugger, 3B Gavin Conticello (DBacks-8th Round) and RHP Sean Hermann (Yankees-14th Round) get drafted, and fellow American Athletic Conference member, Tulane, had OF/RHP Teo Banks (Cubs-14th Round) and OF/RHP Jackson Linn (Astros-20th Round) come off the board. Outside of Conticello, who appears destined to sign based on stats from previous drafts, the other three could certainly make it to campus including Banks who has already announced his intent to enroll Uptown via Twitter. Not usually one to have to dodge the draft, the Fordham Rams saw recruit, RHP Jacob Steinmetz (DBacks-3rd Round), come off the board early on day two. Steinmetz caught helium this spring as a 6-foot-5, 220-pounder with a mid 90s fastball and sharp curveball. The ACC Second to the SEC in total number of recruits lost, the impact of the ACC players might have been more to the programs. There is clearly plenty of depth in each of these classes, and the talent that DOES arrive on campus will still have star-power. However, key recruiting class losses for Clemson: C Joe Mack (Marlins-1S) and RHP Bubba Chandler (Pirates-3rd Round), Miami: RHP Irv Carter (Blue Jays-5th Round) and RHP Gage Ziehl (Cubs-11th Round), Virginia: RHP Shane Panzini (Royals-4th Round), and Wake Forest: Peter Heubeck (Dodgers-3rd Round) and SS Daniel Corona (Pirates-16th Round) will be difficult to replace should they all sign.
Proof that it’s not what you know but who you know. Career numbers: 6.92 ERA in 39 IP, 43 hits, 30 earned runs, 27 K, 9 BB, .276 BAA.
ton of power. strikes out in clutch situations. had a brutal season. Went from someone who was touted as a first round pick going into the season to undrafted.
Also terrible defensively, one of the worst 1b I have seen in a while, so hopefully will be made a DH wherever he winds up
His FB command and velo seemed to tell that story as the season progressed. There was a game a few weeks in where he was sitting like 89-92 on his FB, which I thought was really odd. It ticked back up some later in the year but wasn’t ever consistent. I still think the Mets should sign him and rehab him. He’s still a helluva talent.
They want to sign him but for less money. The numbers game with draft picks always fascinates me every year.
Oh, I get that. I just think they should sign him for full value and be done with it. That way they can control the rehab and surgery and everything. Ten or fifteen years ago, I think this would've been a big deal, but now, TJ surgeries don't seem to be a significant thing anymore.
I agree they should sign him. What I meant by my post was the clubs playing the financial game with all the signees is what fascinates me. I’m right there with you. Give him what he wants bc he can be dominate. Get him in your rehab program. Clubs look to save $500K instead of possibly loading up on their talent for a title run in the future.