Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis’ latest for MLB.com contains plenty of new details on next week’s amateur draft. Here’s the latest.
- The Twins now seem increasingly likely to take two-way Louisville player Brendan McKay and develop him as a left-handed pitcher rather than a first baseman, Callis writes. The Twins had previously been connected to Vanderbilt righty Kyle Wright, although they had California high school pitcher Hunter Greene in for a workout yesterday. The Reds will take Greene, unless the Twins pick him, in which case they’ll take McKay as a pitcher.
- Heliot Ramos, a high school outfielder from Puerto Rico, could go somewhere in the middle of the first round, perhaps to the Astros, Giants or Orioles.
- UCLA righty Griffin Canning’s stock appears to be falling over issues with his MRI, Mayo writes. Canning had been projected to go in the middle of the first round, but his MRI has some teams already deciding to pass on him. It’s not clear right now what those issues are. It’s perhaps worth noting that Canning’s potential arm troubles don’t seem to have hurt him this year — he has a 2.34 ERA and 140 whiffs over 119 innings this season.
- A report late this week from Danny Moran and Brad Schmidt of the Oregonian should be disturbing news, to say the least, for teams interested in selecting Oregon State lefty Luke Heimlich. As a teenager, Heimlich reportedly pleaded guilty to molesting a 6-year-old family member. He reportedly is thus a registered sex offender. He was previously seen as a possible second- or third-rounder, but that seems unlikely after the emergence of this news. “You absolutely can’t draft him,” a scouting official with an NL team told Callis.
So if McKay goes MIN, Greene CIN, would SD go Wright? Wright wouldn’t get by TB.
SD would take McKenzie Gore
SD is taking Gore if Greene isn’t there. I really think the Rays will take Royce Lewis if Gore is gone so I suppose that would mean ATL would be stuck with Wright or maybe they go Beck. It’s going to be an interesting draft!
Stuck with Wright? He is the consensus best college arm. Pitcher and Player of the Year. It’s more likely Wright goes #1.
If it was my pick, I would say go with Gore if Greene is gone. Mostly for the upside. Not many LHP in high school hitting 96 with 3 plus pitches.
I would take Wright, I believe he has the best combo of ceiling and floor, but will not be upset with Gore (which sounds to be likely the pick). My guess at this point (just a guess no inside info with some internet help of course)
1. Min: McKay (btw I believe this to be a poor choice, he is a safe prospect but unlikely to be much in the way of difference maker with his stuff, he is not top 5 in my very uninformed draft board
2. Cincy: Greene
3. SDP: Gore
4. TB: Wright
5. ATL: Lewis
6. A’s: Beck
Luke Hiemlich is disgusting and shouldn’t be able to ever play major league baseball.
What he did to that little will forever follow her and MLB shouldn’t allow a man who destroyed a little girls childhood the opportunity to come make millions of dollars. I understand if he says he isn’t the same man now that he was a few years back, good job for changing and maybe you should be an advocate to stop child molestation before more and more children’s lives are ruined by the acts of cowards.
Just curious, what exactly should he be allowed to do with his life? Actually playing baseball he’s picked a job where he’s surrounded by nothing but grown men for the most part. You’d actually think this is exactly the type of position you’d want a previous offender to be in. Is it that he’s successful that you have a problem with? So can he be successful in other fields, just not baseball? Doesn’t make sense. If you want him in jail then work on the laws. If not what’s wrong with someone drafting him? Seems like you’re just angry he’s successful more than anything and baseball has nothing to do with it.
I consider most baseball players to be told models which he isn’t nor should he be I believe he should be successful if life I wouldn’t want to take that away from him and yes the laws need to be worked. My stance is never going to change MLB teams shouldn’t want to put talent above what’s right and a ton of children glorifying and looking up too a MLB athlete with his past isn’t right. The fact that your sticking up for him is a tad bit disturbing as well, I’m assuming you don’t have children.
You considering them role models doesn’t make it true. I’m not advocating for him, but he was young and made a horrible decision. Hopefully he’s a changed individual. Regardless, he never asked you to view him as a role model, nor should he, obviously.
atlbraves2010Less than a minute ago
I do have children and I do feel that he should have the opportunity to be drafted. If there is one industry that allows an individual a voice for change, its the entertainment industry. IF, and only IF, there is legitimate remorse and change in who he is as an individual then I would have no problem with him being drafted. The platform that he would have the potential to reach would do much good for the advancement of human rights.
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I’m not “sticking up for him”. But are you a judge? If an organization doesn’t want him it’s their right to avoid him for business purposes as well. His position as a player is one where publicity matters. If they think it’s significant enough to take a hit business wise they should pass on him. What they shouldn’t do is sit up in some moral high chair like you’re doing and pass on him for that reason. I’d rather each organization makes a decision on him logically, not emotionally, and does what they believe is best for their team.
Not true.
MLB players are encouraged to associate with children off the field in various interactions.
The nature of Hiemlich’s offense clearly make him unfit to ever be around children. He is only fit to be a father as a sperm supplier. He cannot be allowed around children he fathered.
This is based upon all the evidence that exists. This was not a “mistake”. It’s a pathology that no one has a cure for.
Casey I agree with you 100% I would never allow my son and daughter to even go too a game if he was on the team the man is a monster and he destroyed that little girls child hood. at the age of 15 we know what is right and wrong and he knew what he was doing was wrong.
They’re encouraged to have off the field activities but hardly required that those activities involve children.
That’s one aspect of many outreach organizations that they try to associate with and is not at all the role of his position as a baseball player.
With nearly any major organization you can find some outreach efforts that involve children. Should he not be allowed to work as an accountant for Coca-Cola next? Lol at this response.
Heimlich should be confined to living at an apartment complex that does not allow children.
He also should be monitored for which no such institution exists in this country.
You have an issue with the law then. Let’s not pretend any different. Worry about the source instead is my suggestion. You’re wasting your time on what happens with this kid cause there’s just gonna be another one out there somewhere else with how the law works.
Are you an MLB owner looking for a bargain signing?
I hate to burst your bubble here but baseball is a business first and foremost. You seem to think it’s some non profit org out for the greater good. Newsflash bro, it’s not. Sure they like to help out in areas where they can…. after a profit has been made. Thus the question for them isn’t the moral dilemma you’re turning it in to. It’s publicity dilemma. Will it turn to a redemptiom story that people enjoy or will the initial backlash be too much to sustain? That’s their only question. And that’s how it should be. A couple of you noted you don’t think I have kids, well I’m guessing most of you trying to ban him on a moral ground don’t run a business. The only question you should ask right now is do you think MLB is a business or a non profit org? If you can answer this then you know what the priority for MLB is and the perspective they should take. Is a business and the decision should be made with that lens, deal with it.
He should be allowed to live in a prison
I agree that what he did is unforgivable and horrible but in the world and government we live in, people get second chances. So if MLB is going to let murderers, drug addicts, thugs, etc. a chance to play again then they can’t deny him even if it’s not the right thing to do
You may feel that he was a man but our legal system has determined that he was not. He was 15 at the time. Oh my you want it so badly to be something it is not. As a child, this kid did something terrible. Where should he be allowed to work if we ban him from baseball?
Heimlich should absolutely get drafted.
Boston? One of their bat boys was molested by a Red Sox employee about 15 years ago. Big coverup succeeded.
Stop advocating for child molestation. You’re a sicko.
Casey I agree with you 100% I would never allow my son and daughter to even go too a game if he was on the team the man is a monster and he destroyed that little girls child hood. at the age of 15 we know what is right and wrong and he knew what he was doing was wrong.
Yes he should. He made a mistake (horrible one) and paid the price society has determined was appropriate. Anybody arguing another resolution has no common sense.
Don’t call it a mistake. That’s disgusting to even say that.
This isn’t about remorse.
This is the darkest area of a human psyche. Recidivism is highly likely as well as progression to eliminating the witness.
Most everything you’re spewing here is false. The statistics actually show that repeat offending is low, much lower than the general public believes, and that offenders who receive treatment re-offend at a lower rate than those who don’t.
His actions are by no means excusable and if he committed this crime as an adult, I would be advocating for him to go undrafted. However, if teams do background work on him and they conclude that he’s a changed person who is extremely unlikely to re-offend, I say draft him.
He was 15. The girl was six.
There is no ambiguity about the offense or the nature of it.
You’re advocacy of ignorance about this issue is disturbing. It is very much like arguing for a commutation of Ted Bundy’s death sentence and arguing that with treatment he could be a productive member of society.
That’s where this offense is, the land of serial killers.
Literally everything I pulled is from Scientific American, so go argue my ignorance of the issue with them.
These posts make the Addison Russell article posts look almost reasonable!
Addison Russell’s offense – if true – is also reasonable compared with Heimlich’s.
Sorry..what I meant was the villagers with torches mentality is so much stronger here!
It’s the innocent until proven guilty thing. Also, there is apparently no way to take child sex abuse and make believe it’s secretly a pattern of assault on adult men.
So if he committed the crime at 18 instead of 15, you would advocate for him to go undrafted?
Yep. The cognitive differences between the brain of a 15 and 18 year old are vast.
Again, I’m not excusing his actions; he wasn’t unaware of the damage he would do and I’m near certain he knew of the reprecussions, but the law is situated this way and for a reason. 15 years old is obviously toeing the line of accountability (if he murdered someone I’m sure there would be no one defending him) and people that age make mistakes, albeit usually not ones as disturbing and sickening as this. However, I don’t feel his actions as a 15 year old should preclude his ability to receive a second chance and do so at a job in which he doesn’t have daily interaction with children, if and only if teams’ background work checks out. I’m not actively rooting for the guy and if nobody takes a chance on him I’m not gonna be in an uproar about it, I just don’t see the benefit of saying “he should absolutely not be drafted.” I’ll leave that up to 30 organizations to decide.
He didn’t make a mistake.
The recidivism rate is 80%.
Three different teams gave Josh Lueke major league contracts. I’m assuming some team will do the same with Heimlich.
This thread is all moot gentlemen. At some point the Yankees will draft Heimlich. They have a history of players with domestic abuse and inappropriate behavior with minors. Cashman will say Heimlich has paid his debt and deserves a second chance and the draft position cost was an acceptable risk.
I’m not normally one to comment on issues like this, but I read the entire article from the Oregonian (it’s well-written and explains the legal process really well), and I couldn’t help but be disturbed by the last sentence of the second to last paragraph…Heimlich’s victim is ostracized at family events now because most of the family has sided with Luke, even though there is literally legal proof stating what he did to that girl. Please tell me that I’m not the only one bothered by that. I really hope he doesn’t get drafted.
I read it after you posted this, and it is quite disturbing; the family is using him as a meal ticket, and the victim is just being treated as someone who should have kept her mouth shut.
Agree 1,000,000%. Tells me all I need to know about the family. Disgusting.