Prospect Stock Watch: Checking in on 2015 Draft Picks

I thought today would be a fun time to check in on the draft class of 2015 but it comes with the usual caveat: Stats produced in the first half season usually mean very little in the long run, in part because of the small sample size also also because a lot of college players are already coming off of long seasons, and prep players are dealing with the shock of shifting from student to professional. However, it is always encouraging to see players start off their careers with a bang and, below, we have five players who are tearing it up early in their careers and deserve to be monitored due to their lofty draft status (All five were selected within the first four rounds).

Ian Happ, OF, Cubs: Chicago doled out some serious coin in the first four rounds of the draft with more than a $1.1 million given to each of the first four players selected. Happ received the largest payout at $3 for the ninth overall slot. I wasn’t a huge fan of the pick but, after seeing what Kyle Schwarber has done, who am I to argue with an organization full of skilled talent evaluators? Happ, 20, has gotten off to a quick start with a .408 on-base average in 29 games. He’s also displaying both pop (13 extra base hits out of his 30 base-knocks) and base-running acumen (9 steals in as many tries). The last thing the Cubs need is more big league talent but Happ looks like he might be a fast mover if his pro debut is any indication of future success.

Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pirates: Hayes, 18, was one of my favorite prep hitters available in the June draft, along with Cornelius Randolph who was selected by the Phillies. This third base prospect is the son of former big leaguer Charlie Hayes and was known as an advanced high school bat. One of the benefits of taking a player who’s father was a professional ball player is that they’re used to the clubhouse culture and everything that comes with it. In Hayes’ case, it’s allowed him to get off to a very fast start for a prep hitter. His triple-slash line is .417/507/.517 in 17 games. He has some power but he has yet to go deep as a pro. Even so, he’s showing an advanced feel for the strike zone (7-9 BB-K) which bodes well for his future as he moves up the ladder. The organization was a little light on infield prospects and the organization addressed that by using the first three picks to take players from the left side of the infield. Don’t be shocked if Hayes moves quickly for a high school player.

Demi Orimoloye, OF, Brewers: A good ol’ Canadian boy, Orimoloye is from an Ontario city near Ottawa and not far from Montreal or the Vermont border. Considered raw but with a high ceiling, he’s enjoyed his first taste of pro ball. With a 6-for-4, 225 lbs frame, Orimoloye looks like a power hitter and he’s shown serious pop in his first 17 pro games by slugging five home runs in six doubles, good for a slugging percentage of .653. Other stats, though, suggest bumpier roads are ahead: He has a 1-22 BB-K rate). Due to his development in a cold weather area, expect a slower-than-normal development time frame, but you have to love what the Brewers have been doing ever the last two years by drafting high-risk, high-reward players with some safer picks mixed in.

Taylor Ward, C, Angels: Considered a massive over draft, We don’t truly know the reason for the pick: Either the Angels saw something in Ward that few others did or maybe they just wanted to save some cash (They saved about $400,000 with this pick, but didn’t spend it elsewhere in the draft). With all this said, Ward was still considered a Top 100 talent… just not a first rounder. Regardless of the reason for the selection, Ward is trying to silence the critics. He’s produced an OPS of 1.009 in his first 25 pro games and has an eye-catching 23-7 BB-K rate suggesting a bump up to Low-A ball might be reasonable for this 21-year-old catching prospect. With a system lacking in depth behind the plate, Ward gives Los Angeles some hope, if he can continue to shine with the bat.

Mikey White, IF, Athletics: Like the Pirates, the A’s went heavy on infielders early in the draft, taking college shortstop Richie Martin with their first selection and then White, another college shortstop, in the second round. The latter has moved around the diamond in pro ball, playing shortstop, third base and second base. All that movement hasn’t slowed down his offensive, though. He has a .900 OPS through 27 games, including a .419 on-base percentage. He’s also showing gap power with 10 of his 34 hits going for two-baggers. With Martin and White now in the system, it provides Oakland with some insurance if the development staff decides it’s time to move top hitting prospect Franklin Barreto from the infield to the outfield.