bandera posted:If they only have 5 rounds, will they focus heavily on Pitchers? Then go after position players in free agency?
Not a bad conjecture, though a number of players at the top of the draft- Torkelson, Martin & Gonzales are hitters. I think what you can anticipate in a 5 round draft is fewer HIGH SCHOOL pitchers. I am interested to see how teams handle the "slot" values with so few rounds. Will a club overslot sign a player (as the Mets did with Matthew Allan last year) and undersign several others?At some point after talent, teams will address NEED, albeit a short draft.
Also another new wrinkle this year will be with the remaining talent players after he draft that teams will seek. Probably involve some seniors, grad students, juniors not wanting to add another calendar year. Usually you get drafted that's where you go. With the signings after the final round of draft, a player may have options. Teams can sign players for UP to $20,000. So if you get a call from a team for $12,000-$15000 do you wait? If a team shows interest, but you see that team has an influx of players at your position (say C or 1B) do you take it?