Mr. eXpert talks MLB Draft

One of the lesser known events in the sporting world these days is the Major League Baseball Draft. For the most part, few actually know who gets drafted where, their upsides, downsides and the intangibles that the players have. Comparing the MLB Draft to the NFL Draft is like comparing apples to elephants, that's how underexposed it truly is. I recently sat down with Mr. eXpert to go over some basic facts about the 2009 MLB Draft.

Trib- Why do you think the MLB Draft is so underexposed in today's world where seemingly everything in sports is overexposed?

Mr. eX- "I believe the MLB Draft is grossly underexposed because of the lack of instant gratification from a team's picks. Combine with that the fact that most people probably don't know anything about college baseball (the players, the teams and more importantly who the prospects are!), and it's obvious the result is little to no exposure."

Trib- Obviously the first pick of the draft will be Stephen Strasburg, the fireballer from San Diego State, but who do you see the Mariners taking with the 2nd overall pick?

Mr. eX- "I have had the pleasure of seeing this young man play in the last two College World Series, his name is Dustin Ackley from the University of North Carolina. While there are questions about his position in the pros (he currently plays 1st base), there are absolutely none about his bat. This kid will rake no matter where he plays. He's never batted under .400 in his three years at UNC."


Trib- Who would you consider your 'sleeper' pick for this upcoming draft class?

Mr. eX- "The player I have in mind is projected as a late first round or early second round pick, but I see him outperforming most players that will be drafted ahead of him. A.J. Pollock from Notre Dame is my favorite type of prospect, a speedy athlete who hits for contact. He will consistently get on base and routinely stretch out extra base hits. Also, his prowess on the basepath will help him steal bases almost at will. He accomplished the impressive feat of being All Big East as a third baseman and an outfielder in consecutive seasons. He's somewhat of a throwback-type player. Keep your eyes on him."

Trib- For those out there that don't understand the rules of the MLB Draft, why do some teams fail to sign their draft picks?

Mr. eX- "This is a situation we rarely see in other sports nowadays. The MLB has set guidelines for signing bonuses and guaranteed contracts for players drafted at a specific spot in the draft. While these rules aren't extremely strict, it's generally frowned upon for teams to exceed these contracts, because it affects every franchise involved. When there is a stalemate between a prospect and a franchise over money, some teams are content with letting the prospect play in the Independent League for a year, and still maintain a similar selection slot the following year. However, the teams do not retain the player's rights. J.D Drew (1997) is one of the better known players who refused to sign his original contract(Phillies) and ended up being drafted by another team(Cardinals)."

Trib- So when and where is the draft located? Will you offer analysis once the dust has cleared?

Mr. eX- "This year the draft takes place from June 9-11 at the MLB Network Studios in New York City. I hope to be back to evaluate the 2009 draft!"

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