The 2022 Season is set to kick-off on Thursday but a look back at an exciting 9th Roger Dorn Baseball League Draft is certainly needed as we take a Division by Division look at the Auction and Reserve portions of Draft Day and assess a grade for every club.
We will kick things off with the East Bay Division which was won by the Asti Grape Stompers last season who will face some substantial competition for the pennant in 2022. The Division was part of a league realignment in 2021 with the Alamo Short Stacks and Grapes moving over from the Masters Division.
Alamo Short Stacks
2022 Alamo Short Stacks Auction Additions
3B Manny Machado ($43), C Will Smith ($30), OF Seiya Suzuki ($22), OF Marcell Ozuna ($17), RP Liam Hendriks ($15), RHP Pablo Lopez ($13), IF Jeff McNeil ($7), OF Mark Canha ($6), RHP Dustin May ($1)
Overview
The Stacks took an interesting approach to the 2022 Draft with the league's second highest spending power, seeing depth in the middle of the offensive Free Agent Class and committing $45 to the best catcher (Will Smith) and second best reliever (Liam Hendriks) available. Their largest salary commitment was to Manny Machado ($43), who took a $5 cut from his 2021 contract and will join a strong offensive core led by 2021 RDBL Hitter and Activation of the Year Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.
Pick We Loved
The Stacks had targeted Patrick Sandoval, allocating substantial cap space to secure the left-hander to round out their rotation. With pitcher openings closing, the club thought they could sneak Sandoval through to the Reserve Draft and were able to do so after selecting Dustin May as their final pitcher for $1. Sandoval then became the 21st overall pick to the Stacks, giving the club their rotation target while May could serve as an extremely valuable trade chip in July.
Pick They Might Want Back
The Stacks Front Office had allocated $35 to their final two rotation spots, but ended up spending just $14. The club used those savings on wild card Seiya Suzuki (1/$22), a contract that could have likely been used on a safer bet for a club with Title hopes.
Reserve Draft
After selecting May, the club used each of their first two selections on big league reserves with Sandoval and Spring Training standout Mitch Keller. The club finally turned to the Minor Leagues in the 4th Round when they were pleasantly surprised to land backstop Luis Campusano. Some prospect fatigue might have played into his drop in perceived value, but a 23 year old catcher that posted a .900+ OPS in Triple-A last year could provide substantial value to the Stacks as soon as the 2022 Playoffs.
The Stacks felt confident in their upper Minor Leagues, using the many of their selections on high upside bats with longer ETAs like Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss), Roderick Arias (Yankees) and Max Clark (High School).
Draft Grade: B-
Only time will tell if GM Greg Shelley's allocation of cap space to catcher and reliever will be money well spent. All six hitters the club did land are strong bets (with health) to hit the 500 at-bat mark, giving the club a strong chance to finish among the league leaders in at-bats which has proven to be a key metric in reaching the RDBL Playoffs. Their faith in Sandoval and $13 purchase Pablo Lopez could be the difference in fighting for a Playoff spot or a Regular Season Title for Shelley and the Stacks and might have Shelley kicking himself for not investing more into their two open rotation spots.
Asti Grape Stompers
2022 Asti Grape Stompers Auction Additions
OF Christian Yelich ($31), 3B Anthony Rendon ($24), OF Franmil Reyes ($23), OF Jorge Soler ($13), 1B Miguel Sano ($3), RHP Matt Brash ($2), RP Robert Suarez ($2), RP Art Warren ($2), Rowan Wick ($1), Tony Kemp ($1)
Overview
The Grapes were quiet observers for the early portion of the Draft before an aggressive round of bids filled up their vacant outfield with the likes of Christian Yelich ($31), Franmil Reyes ($23) and Jorge Soler ($13) while completing their infield with bounceback candidate Anthony Rendon ($24). The club came into the Draft with five rotation spots set, electing to spend just $7 total on their remaining four pitching staff spots including just $5 on the bullpen, the second lowest mark to the Mission Viejo Maulers in the RDBL.
Pick We Loved:
Entering the Draft with the most complete rotation in the RDBL, the Grapes rounded out their rotation with significant upside by landing Matt Brash for $2. The club selected Elieser Hernandez and J.T. Brubaker as insurance and has Hunter Greene waiting in the wings in Period 9 if needed, but the risk was certainly worth the reward on Brash based on what we have seen from the hard-throwing Mariners starter in Spring Training.
Pick They Might Want Back:
The allocation of dollars might be the piece GM Terry Shelley wants back when looking at the final contracts handed out in 2022. With $55 handed out to Rendon and Yelich for example, you wonder if the club might have been better off at the top of the market for a Jose Ramirez-type ($47) while then finding a $5-8 option like Mark Canha to round out the offense.
The bullpen will be another area to watch with $5 total allocated to Suarez, Wick and Warren, names that might be confused for a law office rather than a group of big league relievers.
Reserve Draft
Shelley's late deal of Eduardo Rodriguez netted them a second 1st Round selection which they used on Kahlil Watson, a player they didn't expect to be available at that point in the Draft. According to club sources, Shelley entered the Draft focused on Daniel Espino and Jacob Berry, but instead went away from that plan by using their 14th overall pick on outfielder Colton Cowser.
Curtis Mead and James Triantos were a pair of late round draft selections that should pay off in a big way in future seasons for the Grapes while Bobby Dalbec and Andres Gimenez are likely to play big roles in 2022 on the Active Roster.
Draft Grade: B
The Grapes landed big names on offense but many carry substantial risk either with injury (Rendon, Yelich) or recent underperformance (Soler). The rotation GM Terry Shelley brought back is certainly championship-level and the Grapes will hope that veteran group can reach that 500 at-bat level and match their performance.
Cloverdale Clovers
2022 Cloverdale Clovers Auction Additions
SS Xander Bogaerts ($44), RHP Chris Bassitt ($27), LHP Blake Snell ($10), RP Joe Barlow ($7), RP David Bedner ($6), RP Cole Sluser ($3), C Tucker Barnhart ($2), OF Harrison Bader ($1)
Overview
The Clovers were a flip of the Grapes situation, largely set on offense with arguably the top group of bats while their pitching staff needed a serious boost following a league-worst 4.30 ERA in 2021. The club feels like they patched up the leaky boat with Chris Bassitt ($27) and bounceback candidate Blake Snell ($10) while Tyler Glasnow ($2) was too good to pass up for future seasons.
Pick We Loved
The Clovers got into a heated back and forth with the Mission Viejo Maulers on right-hander Frankie Montas, ultimately dropping out when the bid reached $42. They might have ended up with the better pitcher at $27 when they landed Chris Bassitt who is primed for a big season in his first year with the Mets.
Pick They Might Want Back
The Clovers are high on Blake Snell and believe a bounceback is coming but given their offensive firepower and landing a missing Glasnow to round out the rotation, was the risk worth it? A Zac Gallen ($15) or Sean Manaea ($17) might have been a safer bet while pulling out some of the $16 they spent into the bullpen.
Reserve Draft
Outside of the weeks Shane Baz looked like a possibility at the top of the Reserve Draft, the Clovers Front Office was fixated on Anthony Volpe, and for good reason. The club aggressively landed Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz atop the second round, fearing he would not reach them again at the 46th overall pick. De La Cruz flashed his gaudy tools with a monster grand slam early in Spring Training.
Nick Pratto looks the part of a 2023 Activation candidate as does Pirates shortstop Liover Peguero, two welcome additions to a class that could include Volpe, Adley Rutschman and Edward Cabrera.
The additions of Taj Bradley and Reginald Preciado will also be ones to watch given the Clovers gaudy performances in past Reserve Drafts.
Draft Grade: B
The addition of Xander Bogaerts could clinch the Clovers as the league's top offense for 2022 but will the pitching follow suit or will we see more of what we saw in 2021? Bassitt should be a strong addition but all eyes will be on Blake Snell and Reserve selections Carlos Hernandez and Miles Mikolas to keep pace and get the Clovers to July when they can make an impactful move in the trade market.
Mt. Diablo Devils
2022 Mt. Diablo Devils Auction Additions
OF Bryce Harper ($62), 3B Jose Ramirez ($47), OF Eddie Rosario ($18), LHP John Means ($12), IF/OF Josh Rojas ($11), C Christian Vazquez ($10), RP Ryan Pressly ($6), RP Aroldis Chapman ($4)
Overview
The Devils entered Draft Day needing just eight players with a league-high $170 to spend with Wander Franco and Bo Bichette leading the way as young stars seeking true impact talent to move GM Jason Watson's club into championship contention. The additions of Bryce Harper ($62) and Jose Ramirez ($47), among others, did just that as they exited the night as CBS' projected top scoring club by a substantial margin.
Pick We Loved
The $109 combined spent on Bryce Harper and Jose Ramirez was as well executed as Watson could have dreamed of entering Draft Day. The duo could have been viewed as the top two available hitters in Free Agency with rumors of Harper's bid reaching $70+. The 2021 National League MVP won the RDBL Hitter of the Year in 2015 when the Devils won their only League Championship and a reunion has both anxious to try and repeat history.
Pick They Might Want Back
CBS' projection of Eddie Rosario was certainly a high mark, earning him $18 in Auction. It might be nitpicking, but combining Rosario and Josh Rojas' $11 could have had Watson in the mix for Brandon Lowe ($28) while rounding out the utility spot with a $1 flyer.
Reserve Draft
The Devils upper Minors is loaded with talent and got even deeper in the 1st Round as right-hander Cade Cavalli had the best combination of upside and ETA available on the mound among prospects. The club followed it up in prospect selections with shortstop Brady House, a projected 1st Rounder, that they landed in the 3rd Round. Their final selection of Gunnar Henderson is another projectable infielder with a strong ceiling, further strengthening the Devils Farm System.
The club landed Merrill Kelly who will serve as the first line of defense for the pitching staff while Mike Moustakas will immediately be called into action following an injury to Josh Rojas.
Draft Grade: A
The Devils were determined to not leave any money on the table and their early Draft aggression landed them two of the surest bets available. Netting a pair of strong closers in Pressly and Chapman for a combined $10 put the final exclamation point on a dominant performance by Watson.
Meinert Hops
2022 Meinert Hops Auction Additions
SP/OF Shohei Ohtani ($88), RHP Zac Gallen ($15), RP Drew Steckenrider ($5), RP Anthony Bender ($2), IF/OF Garrett Hampson ($1), 1B Ji-Man Choi ($1), RHP Lance McCullers ($1), LHP Cole Irvin ($1)
Overview
The Hops late addition of JP Crawford and Eric Lauer left GM Garrett Shelley with $126 for eight players and immediately ate up the majority of that with a record-breaking $88 contract to Shohei Ohtani. The result might look a bit like Ohtani's Angels of the past few seasons with elite top-line talent but a lack of depth to make a run at the Playoffs.
Pick We Loved
While Ohtani will grab the attention, the Hops further stabilized a potentially strong rotation with the addition of Zac Gallen for $15. Working around multiple injuries in 2021, Gallen looks ready to continue his rise that we saw in 2020 as a potential frontline starter in the National League.
Pick They Might Want Back
When you spend $88 on one player, it's hard to not be gun-shy for the remainder of the Draft. Shelley struggled to find additional offensive depth, ultimately leaving $11 on the table that they would certainly love to have back with Garrett Hampson potentially turning into Andrew Benintendi ($10), Ian Happ ($13) or the upside of Jeremy Pena ($9).
Reserve Draft
The Hops have developed a reputation for dipping into the college ranks early in the Reserve Draft and Shelley did it again this season. The club used three of their first four selections on Josh Jung, Jacob Berry and Chase DeLauter, three well regarded prospects who should all be names off the MLB Draft board very early in July.
It wasn't all college draftees for the Hops though as Brett Baty was selected with the club's second 1st Round Pick, 13th overall while Michael Harris (24th) gives Shelley two upper-minors prospects with quick ETAs.
Grade: C+
The addition of Ohtani certainly added to the top line of the Hops who also have pieced together a potentially strong rotation. The club will likely need to be active on the Waiver Wire as concerns over offensive depth could be an issue again in 2022 after finishing last in plate appearances a season ago. The future does look up for the Hops though after a very strong Reserve Draft, infusing substantial upside into an already talented Farm System.