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Reply to "What is the latest scouts will be looking for the 2020 draft?"

Every player with a potential MLB tool - at every level, in every division, in every state - will be found and scouted.

While scouts  - to make conversation - will ask a pitcher when he will pitch, the scout doesnt rely on that conversation to base the scout's schedule. The scout - every week - will have communication with every program in his area (might be phone, might be text, might be by a mass emailing from the program to all area scouts) which will cover the players who may have the potential MLB tool and the schedule for pitchers (gets a bit tricky if the pitcher is a closer, however).

For a kid who is recovering from an injury, that player may not be in mid-season form during most of the season. For these guys, the scout has to scramble and evaluate the player on a different schedule. That may take the form of showing up at bullpens and/or inviting the player to a club workout shortly before the draft (club workouts can be anywhere and have large numbers of players present or just a few). 

There are no set "rules" on scouting and drafting injured/recovered players; there was a HS kid in our area who needed TJ and was drafted in the last round. Club gave him the max non-slot bonus, paid for the TJ, and after recovery the kid rocketed up for an MLB cup of coffee - before his career ended. Now, this kid was a LHP who was 90 before the injury and reached 95 on his way up after recovery.

As for taking to the bank anything a scout says to a player, remember this: it is only conversation, it is what the scout does and nothing can be gleaned from most of the pitter-patter. There are some signs of seriousness - like a questionnaire, or cross-checkers watching, or even the sheer number of scouts repeatedly showing up - but it's all tea leaves (except for slot players which have unique issues) until an announcement.

Imo, too many players begin (understandably) focusing on the draft and it adversely affects their play.

 

Last edited by Goosegg
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