MLB Draft 2014: Final Grades Review for Each Franchises Overall Results: The 40-round, three-day spectacle is in the books, so its time to measure how every team fared in the 2014 MLB draft. A vast majority of the important picks occurred Thursday and Friday, but Saturday wrapped up the final 30 rounds. Teams are judged much more based on their top few selections, because by the time Day 3 rolls around, many of the picks dont even end up signing. With that said, here are grades for every team in the draft, with an emphasis on early-round selections. Complete Draft Results For complete draft results, visit MLB Best Drafts Minnesota Twins: A- The Minnesota Twins had one of the best drafts among all 30 teams, but much of it starts and ends with what they did with the No. 5 overall pick. The Twins grabbed Olympia High School shortstop Nick Gordon, an explosive, do-it-all player who will make his impact in the field, at the plate and on the basepaths. Gordon also comes from a family lineage of MLB success. Father Tom Flash Gordon was a regular All-Star in his playing days, and brother Dee Gordon currently plays second base with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The younger Gordon might not have the wheels of his brother, but hes still fast enough to make an impact, as Twins scouting director Deron Johnson told MLBs Rhett Bollinger: Gordon was far from the only standout the Twins nabbed early on. With their second selection of the draft and pick No. 46 overall, they added Nick Burdi, a right-hander out of Louisville with a cannon for an arm. As the Twins Twitter account reported, his fastball can get up there: The team rounded out Day 1 with Michael Cederoth, a right-hander from San Diego State, and added a handful of relevant college pitchers in Day 2 that it is likely to sign. From top to bottom, the Twins made moves over the weekend to ensure hope for the future. Houston Astros: A- It shouldnt come as a surprise to those who have followed the MLB draft over the last few years, but the Astros picked early and often, adding elite young talent to the system. For the third straight season, somewhat spectacularly, the Astros picked No. 1 overall to start the draft. This time, they went for the young gun and selected Brady Aiken. The left-hander is just 17 years old, making him the first amateur to be selected with the top pick since 1991, according to Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today. Despite his young age, though, Aikens fastball can touch 97 mph, and he already has dangerous second and third pitches, unlike most his age The Astros werent done there. With the 37th selection, they got Virginias Derek Fisher—one of the top hitters in the class without a doubt. Just five picks later, they drafted Kentuckys A.J. Reed, who is listed as a first baseman but can also pitch at a high level. With all the selections, Perfect Games Kendall Rogers was left impressed: Drafting a prep pitcher at No. 1 overall indicates the Astros arent in any rush to win, but just a few games under .500 thus far in the season, theres plenty of hope ahead for Houston. Thats only solidified by the team adding players with its second and third picks that are able to contribute right away at crucial positions. Once Aiken comes around, the Astros could get to the next level and start contending if he fulfills his potential as a top-flight starter. Read more MLB news on BleacherReport #MLB #MLBDraft #GameRecap
Posted on: Sun, 08 Jun 2014 13:41:57 +0000