The more I look at this draft, the better I like it. Great blend of low-risk guys and high-risk, very-high-upside guys. If even a small fraction of the latter work out, this could be a whomping good farm system for the next few years. Long live Luhzeliak!

Fornataro barely registered among area scouts a year ago at Pensacola (Fla.) JC, where he went 1-2, 5.89 in just 18 innings of work. But he became one of the hottest junior college arms in the country this spring after his transfer to Miami-Dade. Though he suffered his team’s only loss as Miami-Dade raced out to a 25-1 record, Fornataro clearly was the pitcher scouts targeted on a deep and talented staff and he continued to move up draft boards through the spring. He was 7-2, 2.87 with 26 walks and 77 strikeouts in 78 innings as Miami-Dade, the second-ranked team in Florida, entered state tournament play. Fornataro has smooth mechanics with a clean arm action and throws everything with ease. His stuff includes a heavy fastball in the 90-93 mph range, touching 94, along with a solid changeup and a developing slider. He maintains his arm speed well and gets good deception on his changeup, which has late, tumbling action. Though he is around the plate with all his pitches, he lacks consistent command of his slider. He also has a tendency of pitching backwards, leading with his changeup in fastball counts.

I can’t remember which branch this applies to, but when drafted by a sports team, one (or more) of the branches will allow the draftee to spend 2 years on active duty followed by some time (3 years? 5 years?) in the Reserves.

“Blake Murphy, C, Western Carolina University: 42nd round to the Cardinals in real life. Put up strong numbers in college, with power and speed, but scouts doubt he’ll hit with wood. Another guy to fill a roster.”