re: The ATL Thread 6/8: Draft Day Edition (and the return of the Uptons and Kimbrel)

It's always an arm

Scouting report on Allard

Tool Velocity Current Future
Fastball 92 - 94 (96 max) 50 65
Curveball 80 45 60
Changeup 84 40 60
Mechanics 50 60
Command 45 60

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The fastball is, or at least prior to the injury was, already a plus pitch. That's impressive enough for a 17-year old. It's easy to see him adding another tick in velocity as he gets older and matures. The curveball is sometimes designated as a slider, but after watching video it looks like a curve to me. One scout rated it as a 50 already but Law, who gave the pitch a current-future grade of 45-60, says "it wouldn't shock me if this became a plus-plus pitch in time." The pitch breaks 1-to-6, and I read the word "devastating" multiple times in terms of its effect on high school hitters.

While the changeup is the least refined of Allard's three offerings, nobody gave it a future value lower than 55. As his mechanics improve the speed differential between it and the fastball will become more pronounced and he'll get a better feel for the pitch overall.

Allard is a lefty with a pitch arsenal that scouts believe will have two if not three plus pitches.

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I like it as well. Huge upside. I'd rather have a position player but whatevs.

Wow. Like what Roy Clark has to say about the kid. That was a good interview.

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Allard it is. Fine with me.

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Yeah, given that all the potential top 10 type impact bats were taken before us, pretty solid move to go for Allard. He was a likely top 5-6 pick before the back issues.

Need to grab a bat with the second pick, hopefully Hayes drops to us there.

I would guess Allard would slide in somewhere around Sims and Fried in the Braves prospect rankings. I would probably have him 5th behind Peraza, Wisler, Albies and Sims.

That's awesome.

I like the pick. We did the best with the options we had

And? Sour grapes?