| Mock Draft 
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| (CBL Newswire) - by Lehcim Reinreb of the Calgary Sun |
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Usually, at this time of the year, Calgary's fans are looking at standings to figure out who will play their beloved team in the playoffs. This time is a little different since their team was transformed in a batch of babies from a kindergarten and has dropped 16 of the last 19 games. And everybody knows this is just the beginning of the process! At least, Calgary will be picking 22 (!) prospects in the upcoming draft.
Let's have a look at the first 22 picks where Calgary will be picking 6 top prospects. Before that, one has to wonder how the CCBL is developing their players. How come so many pitchers (young baseball studs) have so few pitches in the arm? How can a young pitcher, 19 years old high on Red Bull and hormones, just have 94 pitches in the arm? They really should take care of the endurance factor in the CCBL! The same could be said about fielding abilities. How can a guy like 2B Derek Near have so much fielding abilities (scout are seeing him as a top notch second baseman) while being unable at all to catch a ball at shortstop? Of course those aspects of the game are important as far as drafting is concerned since they bring limitation to what a team can do with their young players.
Anyway, here's how I look at the top 22 picks.
1) Guelph - LHP Anderson Gear. Best possible starter in the draft.
2) Yellowknife - CF Armani Kelley. May also prefer 1B Kit Karlovacko. Will depend what team thinks about 1B Mariano Stant. This pick may have a major impact on the draft if he goes with Karlovacko.
3) Port Hope - C Mike Serven. May also goes with a pitcher like Fulton or Craigmill
4) St-Paul - RHP Brian Craigmill. May also goes with Nub Fulton. Craigmill has lower EN but is better in every other aspects
5) Calgary (From Fredricton) - 1B Kit Karlovacko. Some sources say Bernier might steal a page or two from Kelowna's book and go with low EN pitchers (Craigmill) if Karlovacko is not available.
6) Toronto - RHP Nub Fulton. Polar Bears need help on the mound. Fulton will help them as he is the number two real starter in the draft.
7) Lethbridge - LHP Jason Halvey. This guy would have been a top three picks with higher EN.
8) Cold Lake - C Mike Lintz. May also go with Foster or Astley.
9) Calgary (From Moose Jaw) - LF Orestes Astley. Will take Foster if Astley isn't available.
10) Ottawa - LHP Thomas Foster. Ottawa has two picks and should go with a pitcher and a batter
11) Ottawa (From Grand Rapids) - 3B Peter Mount. Ottawa may also consider Jonathan Prevette.
12) Vancouver - 2B Derek Near. Vancouver may also consider 2B Jeff Thwaites and Jonathan Prevette.
13) Calgary (From Cobourg) - CF Jonathan Prevette. Calgary will also consider LHP Luke Brewster.
14) St-Paul (From Sask) - 2B Jeff Thwaites. St-Paul will hesitate between Thwaites and 3B Lucas Duncan. They will opt for Thwaites since all prospects bats from the right side of the plate.
15) Calgary (From Val D'Or) - 3B Lucas Duncan. Even if Duncan does not fit well in Calgary stadium, they know they need help from the right side of the plate.
16) PEI (From Regina) - LHP Luke Brewster. A long shot of a pitcher! PEI is the first "rich" team to speak in the 2024. They will get a very good pitcher with a relatively high pick.
17) Calgary (From Charlottetown) - RHP Andrew Tichenor. Another long shot but after four position players drafted, Bernier will be reminded that the name of the game is pitching!
18) London (From PEI) - RF Eamon Collins. Best possible position player available.
19) Victoria - 3B Furoido Nishizaki. Best position player available.
20) London - RHP Julian Cluster. A long shot pitcher!
21) Vancouver (From Quebec) - RHP Danjai Runyan. A long shot pitcher!
22) Calgary (From West Bay) - CF Cameroun Tichenor. First ever CBL team to draft twins in back to back picks. They really are twins. Thanks to our commish!
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