Travieso is Reds Top Pick

As the Reds were preparing to make their selection in the MLB draft, 14th overall, for the first time that I can ever recall, there was a sense of excitement. In the past, we either heard of the selection through the news or reading it in the newspapers. With the interwebs, we now have social media, live steaming and the MLB Network which can aid our knowledge.

A brief look at the three young men selected by the Reds last night.

1st round, 14th overall: Nick Travieso, RHP
(BA’s Jim Callis: 30th overall; MLB’s Johnathan Mayo: 32nd overall)
Those outside of the Reds scouting department will look at Travieso as a reach. That may show you what hitting 99 on a gun can do for your stock. Doesn’t hurt that you’re 6-2, 215 and just completed high school. Mayo states that Travieso has three pitches (fastball, slider, change) and the only “slight” is the change. Keeping the change down in the zone appears to be the only hindrance.

BA’s John Manuel tells us that prior to this season, Travieso was used mostly as a reliever. The added use of a slider helped Travieso zoom up draft boards.

In their last mocks, Callis has Travieso going 20th to the Giants. Mayo had Travieso slated at 30th to the Yankees.

In the end, it was the addition of that insider knowledge that led the Reds to take Travieso with its first round selection. As Mark Sheldon points out, the Reds had a little more info on Travieso than other MLB teams. Travieso plays on the same high school team as Nicholas Arias, son of Reds director of Latin Scouting Tony Arias.

Add this…

"“Sometimes, you feel you have a little advantage. When you have that information, we were hoping we had some information the other scouts didn’t.”“[Travieso] is a very impressive young guy.”— Chris Buckley, Reds senior director of amateur scouting"

Travieso has signed with Miami.

Comp Round A, #49 overall: Jesse Winker, OF
(BA’s Callis: 105th overall; MLB’s Mayo: 59th overall)
I believe Mayo says it best whenever Winkler is the subject…

"Winker has an advanced idea at the plate, with a terrific approach from the left side. He can hit the ball hard to all fields, with power to the pull side now with more to come. He is the type of left-handed hitter easy to project as a run-producer in the future.–Johnathan Mayo"

I don’t think having a 6-3 frame hurts. He’s at 200 lbs, but you got the feeling he’s got room to grow.

Winker has signed with Florida.

Comp Round A, #57 overall: Jeff Gelalich, OF
(BA’s Callis: 94th overall; MLB’s Mayo: 80th overall)
The first college kid for the Reds…and he’s done much better this year. Mayo says Gelalich has done “nothing but hit in his junior season”. Recently being named as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award can send your name up boards, too.

And so will this: .367/.458/.540 with 9 HR and 39 RBI. Gelalich has more total bases this season (116) than he had the previous two combined (113).

Gelalich is still playing as UCLA continues its pursuit of Omaha and the College World Series. That could look to some as “padding stats”, but if you view his stats over the past two seasons, you’ll see he’s only played in one more game this year compared to last.

The Bruins will host TCU in the LA Super Regional.