31
2012
MLB Mock Draft 2.0 – Is Gavin Cecchini The Future Mets SS?
An article by 
Last week I put out Version 1.0 of my MLB Mock Drafts. I had the Mets selecting highs chool outfielder Courtney Hawkins with their first pick, 12th overall. Now, I have Hawkins already gone by the time the Mets pick and instead have the Mets drafting High School SS Gavin Cecchini.
Cecchini is considered by many to be one of the top 5 HS bats in the 2012 Draft. Also i’ve read many articles by draft experts who all expect him to able to remain at SS long term given his above average range.
Below is the second version of my 2012 MLB Mock Draft:
1. Houston Astros – RHP Mark Appel – Stanford
2. Minnesota Twins – OF Byron Buxton – Appling County HS (GA)
3. Seattle Mariners – C Mike Zunino – Florida
4. Baltimore Orioles – RHP Kevin Gausman – LSU
5. Kansas City Royals – RHP Kyle Zimmer – San Francisco
6. Chicago Cubs – SS Carlos Correa – Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
7. San Diego Padres – OF Albert Almora – Mater Academy (FL)
8. Pittsburgh Pirates – SS Deven Marrero – Arizona State)
9. Miami Marlins – LHP Max Fried – Harvard Westlake HS (CA)
10. Colorado Rockies – 3B Richie Shaffer – Clemson
11. Oakland Athletics – OF Courtney Hawkins – Carroll HS (TX)
12. New York Mets – SS Gavin Cecchini – Barbe HS (LA)
13. Chicago White Sox – RHP Michael Wacha – Texas A+M
14. Cincinnati Reds – LHP Andrew Heaney – Oklahoma State
15. Cleveland Indians – RHP Chris Stratton – Mississippi State
16. Washington Nationals – RHP Marcus Stroman – Duke
17. Toronto Blue Jays – RHP Lance McCullers Jr – Jesuit HS (FL)
18. Los Angeles Dodgers – 3B Stephen Piscotty – Stanford
19. St. Louis Cardinals – RHP Lucas Giolito – Harvard Westlake HS (CA)
20. San Francisco Giants – OF David Dahl – Oak Mountain HS (AL)
21. Atlanta Braves – OF Victor Roach – Georgia Southern
22. Toronto Blue Jays – (FL) OF D.J. Davis – Stone County HS (Miss)
23. St. Louis Cardinals – LHP Matt Smoral – Solon HS (OH)
24. Boston Red Sox – LHP Hunter Virant – Camarillo HS (CA)
25. Tampa Bay Rays – RHP Zach Eflin – Hagerty HS (FL)
26. Arizona Diamondbacks – OF Tyler Naquin – Texas A&M
27. Milwaukee Brewers – SS Addison Russell – Pace HS (FL)
28. Milwaukee Brewers – C Stryker Trahan – Acadiana HS (LA)
29. Texas Rangers – RHP Nick Travieso – Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL)
30. New York Yankees – 3B/1B Corey Seager – Northwest Cabarrus (NC)
31. Boston Red Sox – OF Travis Jankowski – Stony Brook
MLB.com’s Draft expert, Jonathan Mayo, had this to say about Cecchini:
Will the Mets go with two straight high school hitters in the first round? The buzz is that they really like Cecchini’s tools and makeup, and he is more advanced than last year’s pick, outfielder Brandon Nimmo. If they go with a more advanced type, any of the above pitchers would come into play, as could Marrero and Shaffer from the college-hitter ranks.
Mayo also has the Mets picking Cecchini with the 12th overall pick in next Monday’s draft.
About the Author: Benjamin Yoel
Graduate of St. John's University. Majored in Sports Management. Torn on where career will take me next. Considering Baseball Operations, Scouting, and Journalism. Writer for Metsmerized Online & StLucieToFlushing.com. Devout #Mets fan.
31 Comments + Add Comment
NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 24 | 18 | .571 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 20 | .535 | 1.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 23 | .465 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 24 | .400 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 32 | .256 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
Recent Comments
- DrDooby: on Juan Lagares Belts First MLB Homer In Mets 4-3 Comeback Win: If Gee keeps running out of gas...
- DrDooby: on Our Savior Has Arrived!: But wasn´t Izzy exactly one of those...
- Djmurphy: on Rafael Montero To Make Spot Start For Las Vegas: Flores in the OF now thats funny....
- TexasGusCC: on With Ike Davis Struggling, What Are The Mets’ Options?: Metsie, everything you said is cool, but...
- TexasGusCC: on Juan Lagares Belts First MLB Homer In Mets 4-3 Comeback Win: Because Collins has a thing for Baxter....
MMO Mets Chat
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5361 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
While I’m not quibbling over your evaluation of the player….(I’m sure he could be a fine pick)
I will be very upset if they take another IFer considering how many they have currently and don’t get something that we might actually be able to use in 4 years.
I can’t say Tejada will ever be an All Star (could though if he keeps hitting) but I don’t see him going anywhere in the next 5 or 6 years.
And while we are probably tool far down to select a good SP, We still could use a Catcher and OF help where we are very thin and very likely to need help in the next 5 or 6 years it will take for this pick to see the MLB if all goes well.
Remember you draft for Best Player Available in the draft not for need. If the Mets feel he is the best talent on the board when they select he will be there pick. Also sign-ability plays a big factor in all of this. Especially with the new CBA.
Yup and not only do you look for the best player available you can pay special attention to the ones that can hit and field at positions like SS, CF and Catcher.
I would have zero issues taking a C or CF…But we have way too many IFs in our system at the moment and we are busy trying to play them out of position due to deficiencies in those areas.
SO uless they plan of trading that glut I think it quite dumb to take what your so strong and overloaded in.
There is no log jam for a high school SS.
Will there be an opening at 2B or SS 6 years from now?
Who you sending away Murphy or Tejada?
And don’t say maybe take a stand for once and stop with all your wishy washy fence sitting.
Ever heard of the term “trade bait”? If Cecchini is ready in 3 years or 5 years or whenever and Tejada has entrenched himself as the team’s long term shortstop, that’s a really good problem to have. Then you can trade one of them to fill a need at that time with a major league ready player. You never EVER draft for need. You draft the guy who you think will be a quality big leaguer and if that’s Cecchini, then you go with him.
Ahhhh the return of another one of the many posters who hang out at the same machine at the internet Cafe!
Sure it’s a good problem to have if you don’t have problems anywhere else….
WE DO!
Having an extra shortstop is not as good as having at least ONE CF or catcher!
As I said you DON’T draft for need in the first round of the draft. You draft the player you feel is the best player available on your board.
We don’t have an overload of SS prospects in the system. We have some such as Philip Evans & Danny Muno. But it’s never bad to have an abundance of talent at a position like SS.
Well since i clicked on your name, which is a link to your twitter page and lo and behold who’s mug is plastered all over your twitter page as your wall paper – do you have any original ideas? Or is everything whatever Sandy says? Would you DARE ever disagree with anything he does?
Man, we never did crap like that growing up it was always about being a fan of the team, not a fan of a philosophy or a person associated with a philosophy. What has Sandy done for you to worship him? Is he a proven winner? No. Was he a GM of a team way back in 1989 that won a WS before he became obsessed with saber and regressed? Yes
It’s all about saber and moneyball with people like you. It’s that ahead of baseball.
Since when you don’t draft for need in the 1st round? What if your organization is lean on catching and starting pitching and the 4th or 6th best players play those positions? You mean to tell me you’re going to draft an outfielder ahead of those positions simply because this outfielder is the best player in the draft? And how much better? that comes into play too. And also using your (or the book you read) theory what if you do draft the best player when you need catching and starting pitching…and those 2 positions are immediately taken right after you took the best player who is an outfielder? And what if there is nothing really good in starting pitching and catching after those 2 are taken?
I know, in saber everything is brushed with one broad stroke – makes it nice and easy to make decisions, huh?
Well Ben all I can say is that the normal convention but also why so many 1st round Busts are taken because the bottomline is whatever you think is the BEST PLAYER doesn’t always translate to the guy who is going to make your team, and the guys you DO take based on need almost ALWAYS wind up filling the role you took them for!
Look at how many kids we have up here now…
Look at what we have taken in the last 8 years and what our needs were the years we took them….
You will see that in almost every case the player picked at a position of Need made it and the others have not.
6 years from now? I would not assume that any player on the roster currently is still on the team 6 years from now. And that goes double for Murphy, well past when he hit FA. Trjada, slightly more likely but still no lock.
SS is also a premium position. Always good to have those guys, since they are in high demand.
Well Ben the dfference between the best player and the second best player left on the board is so infantessimal that having the best guy who you can’t use gives less return than the next best guy you can!
Unless they have plans to trade away the infield glut we have I see no reason to draft more IF that has no position to play that can ever make our team better!
And I think it’s dumb to just draft in the first round for trade fodder.
Metsie, what prospects do we currently have in the middle infield? Flores is a 3B at best. Evans is a 2B not a SS. Tovar is more of a utility MI than anything and he might not hit enough to make it to the majors. Tejada is the only decent SS in the system and he could easily be gone in few years (injury, trade, FA). SS is a priority position. If there was a C who has the talent to be picked at 12 I would be all for it but there isn’t. Also we have a glut of CF righty now (Nimmo, Kirk, Puello, Dekker, Ceciliani)
Sounds like a good question to submit to Pete Schapiro!
I notice no one seems to remember this guy named Valdespin…
Flores is projected to be a 3B and WHY? Because we HAVE a SS (his regular position) and Wright while looking more and more like he will be staying is up for renewal!
You still have Havens Emaus and all those other 2Bs so we are just filled to the brim with MIF.
Wow!
You are delusional the mets obviously dont want Valdespin at SS which is why they moved him to 2nd base and gave him a trial run in the OF. Flores was moved off of SS to 3B because he doesnt have the range for SS and like Valdespin he commits to many errors at that position.
As far as Havens is concerned he is far from a sure thing at 2B dude cant even complete a full season in the minors.
But your biggest transgression was your mention of “BRAD EAMUS”…how dare you mention him, he is terrible….and was signed to a minor league deal purely for depth he’s lucky if he’s back next year.
You obviously dont know the farm system….
Ben is right, you draft the player you and YOUR STAFF deem as the Best player available. The only exception would be if your system is badly in need of a certain position and that position player you need is not rated too far off from the BPA on your board.
You draft this way because you can not predict what will happen 4 years from the time of the draft(avg time it takes for a prospect to make the majors).
FYI Tejada has done nothing to show that he will be a good/great SS everyone is replaceable.
Well said BadBLB.
Sorry to break this to you Leroy but the only reason they moved him to 2B is becauase he was option #2 if Murphy failed and couldn’t field the position!
Valdespin could play SS and/or 2B before they decided to turn him into an OF and why did they do that?
Because there was no place to play him at 2B or SS!
Actually Metsie, Leroy is right on the money. Valdespin was terrible at SS which is why they tried him at 2B and he hasn’t faired much better which is why they then gave him a shot to see if he could handle the OF cause the plan for him is to be the teams super utility guy for the foreseable future. The kid has a quick back and is an excellent athlete but they doubt he can be an everyday middle infielder. I don’t know where you get that the franchise has a glut of infielders that’s clearly not the case. They don’t have one top infield prospect. The closest thing to one was Reese Havens but he can’t stay healthy can he? I won’t even get into Brad Emaus, he’s a classic AAAA player. Just ask a person you trust, Petey, I’m sure he’ll agree with everything I just said.
Not sure how we have a “glut” at middle infield positions. You got Evans, still in short season play, years away, and Muno, who is suspended and not considered a top prospect anyway. We can still hold out hope for Havens or Valdespin, but let’s not kid ourselves where either of these guys is concerned. There is a very good chance neither pans out: Havens is constantly injured and is now not hitting and he is at the age where you want him to already be in the big leagues. I also think that the Mets brass don’t think Valdespin is a starter at SS or 2B – their actions in moving him to CF and bringing him up and down makes me think they don’t consider him a real prospect. Compare that to Harvey, who they have steadfastly refused to move until he is good and ready, despite a real need for a SP at the next level. At the big league level, we have an unproven starting SS and a guy in Murphy who probably does not stay at 2B long term. I like Tejada and I think he might stick long term as a good starting SS, but there are no guarantees.
I would say catcher would be the top positional need for the system, and we need good hitters no matter the position, but if you are looking at a specific position, middle infield is a real need.
From a prospect tracking website:
Cecchini has a quick swing and makes hard contact. He hits to all fields and has gap power now, but he could add some home run power down the line. The big question with any high school shortstop is whether they can remain at the position. Gavin has a good shot at sticking at the position, with good range, good hands, and a strong arm. He has the speed to be a threat on the bases, and that speed also helps him defensively.
Shortstop is the hardest position to fill for any team, and finding a good all around player is the ultimate goal. Cecchini rates as one of the best all around shortstops in the 2012 draft class, and has a good chance of sticking at the position. He ranks in the 10-20 range, but wouldn’t be a bad top ten pick, depending on who is still on the board, as he’s a rare guy out of high school who has a strong chance of sticking at shortstop.
My personal observation after looking at several videos of Cecchini at the plate:
The 6 ft, 175 lbs. Cecchini bats from the right side of the plate with feet a couple of feet apart. He has good balance and drives the ball to left and center field. Will we get him and will he eventually help us? Stay tuned — no easy answer is out there for a precocious high school kid.
Good write, Ben.
Every draft has a “run: on a position… teams start drafting left guards and everybody is afraid to wait until the second round to pick their LG…
my guess is that there will be a run on SS and Correa, Merrero, and Cecchini will all be gone by #12
I also thing the Mets will go small… someone like C Tom Murphy.
It will set up a money situtation where the next 14 picks can be offerred a 100K bonus each…
just my thoughts…
Mack
Thanks Mack!
I feel the Mets could go small with the 35th overall pick but with the 12th overall pick i’d take BPA. I agree all 3 SS could be gone by 12 that is possible. But if the Mets have there eye on someone with the 12th pick they probably snag him.
But that is definitely an interesting scenario. I’m glad you brought it to my attention because i’m still unaware of a lot of the new CBA rules. That could very well happen.
BayonneMetsFan – Thank you for reminding me. I’ve been meaning to change that background for awhile. It’s not very professional. Funny, but not professional.
But i’m very confused as to why you think what you said. I’m not some Sandy Alderson worshipper. I do think he’s a great GM and he and the rest of his staff have done a great job so far since taking over the team. If you don’t agree with that our delusional…
I don’t see the Mets taking Cecchini ahead of a David Dahl or Lucas Giolito.
Giolito is a major gamble. Some people say he will fall out of the first round altogether. Which is crazy given he was one of the favorites to go #1 in this years draft this time last year.
He is a major injury concern. But the upside is HUGE.
To be honest if they took him i’d probably cheer in jubilation. But at the same time in the back of my mind i’ll be worried because of his past UCL tear and need for Tommy John surgery.
Ben, I’ve read conflicting reports about Giolito. Some say his injury concern is overblown and some reports are similar to what you’re saying. It’s a big risk but his upside is so huge it might be worth it.
I’ve read about him being compared to Justin Verlander if he reaches his ceiling. Giolito’s worth the risk.
I watched a lot of video of Giolito and his arm is off the charts. If he’s there at 12 and we don’t pick him I’ll be really ticked off unless they know something we don’t about his injury.
BPA regardless of position…
Id be happy with a SS