Tampa Bay Rays Select Luke Bailey in Round Four

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 10, 2009 12:24 PM EDT

For those who wanted a HS catcher...

Yay!

Luke Bailey is a 2009 C/3B with a 6'0'', 195 lb. frame from LaGrange, GA who attends Troup HS. Bailey can flat out play. He is outstanding behind the plate with a big arm(84) and a 1.73 pop time. He is not just an excellent catch and throw guy but he has big power at the plate. He is very strong and can drive the ball to all fields. He is short to the ball with good bat speed and excellent power. To top of his total package he also ran 6.89 sixty. He has legitimate 5 tool potential and is a top 2009 follow and will create strong 2009 draft interest. He is also a good student. Aflac All American

Bailey had Tommy John Surgery in April, otherwise he would've been off the board long ago.

PG CC:

Bailey has a good, strong swing. I grade his present bat-speed at 45 and his raw power at 40/55. But he was chasing and not making any adjustments. The tools are there to become a solid-average big league hitter (ie. 275-15HR) but his approach was far from that today.

He has the athleticism to play all over the diamond. I can see him at third base, second base, and the outfield, but his abilities as a receiver give him a niche behind the plate. (He also shows the personality and aggressiveness of a catcher, incurring and creating contact on two controversial plays at the plate.) Though I didn't get a running time on Saturday, Bailey is a present 40 runner who ran a 7.21 60 yard-dash in Lakeland last August.

I guess we know what the Rays type is in this draft.

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Comments

His arm was an 84!!!!

Wow. I bet this will be the toughest pick out of the top 10 to sign. If he develops like he should he could be a first rounder in three years.

M.V.Z. Most Valuable Zorilla!

by SeanDubbs on Jun 10, 2009 12:28 PM EDT reply actions

No it won't.

He wants to sign because who knows what may happen while he’s at Auburn.

by rglass44 on Jun 10, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Sodomy?

Isn’t that how they roll up in ’Bama?

M.V.Z. Most Valuable Zorilla!

by SeanDubbs on Jun 10, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I think it meant 84 mph throw

not that his arm was an 84 on the 20-80 scale.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 10, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Sarcasm.

I should have specified. I’m just happy he has a chance to stick at catcher with a 1.74 pop time.

M.V.Z. Most Valuable Zorilla!

by SeanDubbs on Jun 10, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m a big fan of this pick at the end of the 5th round. I had hoped my Rockies would take him in the 4th, I really like the upside of this kid and had seen him projected as a potential late 1st rounder. Here is what I read on him from PGCrossChecker:

“As dominating a year as Malm had in 2008, both in spring and summer competition, he may have outdone himself as a senior. He hit a resounding .564-17-69 with 68 runs scored, 14 doubles and 16 stolen bases as Bishop Gorman rolled to a 40-4 record and its fourth straight Nevada 4-A title. He tied a national record for hits in a career, when he collected No. 277 in his final game. He also finished second in prep annals with 74 doubles and fourth with 255 RBIs. Malm’s contributions extended well beyond the plate, though, as he went 11-1. 1.50 with 21 walks and 87 strikeouts in a staff-high 65 innings. He won game one of the state championship series against Cimarron Memorial High as a starter, then closed out the clincher. The upshot of his mammoth season was a significant spike in the attention he received from scouts. A consensus third- to fourth-rounder entering the 2009 season, he now is projected to be a sandwich pick-at worst.”

Talk about value…wow. Here is the link btw: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=1495

by tgold1 on Jun 10, 2009 12:37 PM EDT reply actions

Ooh

Me like

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 10, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Me too.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Jun 10, 2009 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I am really loving the Rays' draft so far...

From Baseball America:

LUKE BAILEY, C, TROUP HS, LaGRANGE

Bailey entered the season at the front of the national group of high school catchers, one of the strongest positions in the draft. He had shown a rare combination of hitting ability, raw power and arm strength, all of which graded above-average, as well as solid athleticism and surprising speed. Bailey’s offense had slipped this spring, as he hit just three home runs. Scouts said he was tinkering too much searching for power, trying different strides and different timing mechanisms. Scouts had no questions about him defensively, where he ranks among the best athletes in the prep catcher group, and he showed toughness as a junior by playing through a broken rib. He has plenty of arm strength and was doing some ill-advised pitching for his high school team before going down with Tommy John surgery in April. Bailey has an Auburn commitment, having grown up a fan, but still was expected to be signable, much as the late Nick Adenhart signed after having had the surgery back in 2004.

by ZBW on Jun 10, 2009 12:37 PM EDT reply actions

If we can actually sign these guys

I’m a fan of this draft so far; however, there seems to be a lot of signability questions….

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 10, 2009 12:52 PM EDT reply actions

Assuming their budget is similar to last years, it really shouldn't be a huge issue.

Beckham got a 6 million dollar signing bonus. Slot for our first round pick is just over a million. So assuming we sign our first round pick for slot, we’ve still got a lot of money to play with.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Jun 10, 2009 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't assume the budget is the same

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 10, 2009 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

That's fair enough.

But even if it’s lower by even a million dollars that’s still a lot of money that they have to play with to go over-slot on our later round guys.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Jun 10, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

It's probably lower by the difference in slot

That’s how most teams budget it anyway.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 10, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Jinkies does this guy sound good.

So long, Sweet Lime!

by PlayOnWords on Jun 10, 2009 12:54 PM EDT reply actions

This is a sexy pick

please sign him

Rotation: 1. James Shields 2. Matt Garza 3. David Price 4. Jeff Niemann 5. Andy Sonnanstine...... Coming Soon: Wade Davis......Scott Kazmir?

by joeybw on Jun 10, 2009 3:30 PM EDT reply actions

He says he plans to sign

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jun 10, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

nice i love our draft so far!

i was waiting for this kid to be drafted in the 1st round

NFL- Vikings,Lions,Texans,Bills Adrian Peterson!
MLB-Rays,Marlins,Reds,Twins Evan Longoria
NBA-T-Wolves,Cavliiers,Warriors,Bobcats Lebron James!
NHL-Wild,Penguins Sidney Crosby!
NCAA-Gophers,Gators,Longh orns,ND Tim Tebow!
all in the order in which i root for 1st

by RaysOfHope on Jun 11, 2009 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions