mtcal wrote:

BigEd76 wrote:So looking at our OF situation moving forward:

Majors = Herrera, Altherr, Goeddel
AAA = Williams, Sweeney
AA = Quinn, Cozens, Brown
High-A = Tocci, Sandberg
A = Randolph, Pujols
Rookie = Ortiz, Moniak

odubble back to 2b?

With his combination of projectability and pitchability, Gowdy appeared to be the top high school pitching option in California this Draft season. Some lackluster performances, along with some others breaking out, have made that more of a race, though he is still well regarded. The Santa Barbara native has the chance to have three at least above-average pitches in his arsenal. When he's firing on all cylinders, Gowdy's fastball will sit in the 90-93 mph range, and with his frame, it's easy to dream about increased velocity. His breaking ball can be an out pitch with good bite, one that should develop into a true slider in time. Gowdy has a better feel for a changeup than many high school pitchers, and he has shown advanced command for his age. He typically has a free and easy delivery that he repeats well. If Gowdy's stock falters, signability -- and his commitment to UCLA -- could come into play. But there's still a good chance a team early on will roll the dice on his upside and current feel for pitching.

JJ Cooper ‏@jjcoop36 39s39 seconds ago Plano, TX
Gowdy fits in that high priced hs group. Like what the Reds got in Trammell more, but both get significant talents.

Christopher Crawford ‏@CVCrawfordBP 31s31 seconds ago Coronado, CA
Really like the Gowdy pick. Rare combination of advanced stuff and projection.

Nathan Rode ‏@NathanRode 57s57 seconds ago
Sat with Gowdy last summer. Very young face. I love his upside. #mlbdraft #Phillies

CJ Wittmann ‏@CJWittJr 41s41 seconds ago
Have to love #Phillies adding the best prep bat in Moniak and one of the best prep RHP in Gowdy. Huge potential upside between the two.

BigEd76 wrote:

Kevin Gowdy
Honored to have been drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies. Can't wait to see what's next! @Phillies

“The main thing he taught me that Ted taught him was mostly about approach, what you're looking to do at the plate,” Moniak said. “(If) it’s 0-0, the pitcher makes a good pitch on the outside corner, let them have it. (If it’s) 0-1, makes another good pitch outside corner or inside corner, let him have it. But once you get to 0-2, you have to get up on the plate and look to put the ball in play. The pitcher is never going to beat you. That's the main mentality. It's just you vs. him. That's definitely what he's passed down to me.”

• Phillies: Moniak and righthander Kevin Gowdy aren’t overly physical, but the two Southern California prep products have a chance to join the Phillies’ rebuild fairly quickly for prep players. Moniak has a special bat and motor, according to most scouts who have seen him, while Gowdy has one of the cleanest arms in the draft in terms of ease of operation and a feel for his craft. If his velocity becomes more consistently average to above-average, look out.

Gimpy wrote:

BigEd76 wrote:

Matt Breen ‏@matt_breen
Philadelphia teams have drafted five players No. 1 overall that ended up playing for the team. All five played for a championship in Philly.

Doll Is Mine wrote:

Doll Is Mine wrote:

Matt Breen ‏@matt_breen
Philadelphia teams have drafted five players No. 1 overall that ended up playing for the team. All five played for a championship in Philly.

We're doing it!

Gowdy's calling card is his mature feel for an average, low-80s slider, which he's able to throw for strikes almost at will. Scouts project it somewhere between above average and plus and think it'll be an issue for both left- and right-handed hitters, as Gowdy is already able to locate it down and inside to lefties.
Though he has experienced some fluctuation in fastball velocity during the past year, Gowdy generally sits in the upper 80s and will climb into the low 90s for a few starts at a time. On paper, that fastball is projectable because of Gowdy's measureable, but the frame is a tad slight and there's a chance he never adds mass.
The delivery is a bit odd. Gowdy shares some mechanical similarities with Brewers righty Jorge Lopez as both drop and drive and then rotate over their front leg once it has landed in such a way that they maintain a straight line from their shoulders and back down through their back leg. Normally, vertically-oriented arm slots are associated with this kind of delivery (as with Lopez), but Gowdy opens his hips hard during his delivery and ends up delivering the ball on more of an axis. He struggles to find a release point this way.
The out pitch here is the slider and it's going to be good, but the rest of what Gowdy has to offer is much more difficult to pin down. The fastball is only projectable if you think Gowdy's body is and there's no consensus there, nor is there a consensus in projecting a changeup or starter's command. If a single team thinks everything will come together for Gowdy -- or thinks the upside of such an outcome, however remote, is worth the risk -- he's a first-rounder.