Catcher Elih Marrero, news

[MsStateBaseball]

Miami Herald article said he will reject pro and go to college. He was called in 3rd round and offered money but they couldn't agree on price. Reds probably drafted him out of courtesy to his father like they like to do.

Huge if true. He will be starter in 2017. We lose both catchers next year. Hunter Stovall of course will be in mix too and he can play 2B and OF.

Marrero is a switch hitter.

[Dawg61]

MLB draft is about 20 rounds too many. Teams are constantly drafting players they have no intentions of signing. Make the team's value their picks more. Eliminate half the draft imo.

[Todd4State]

MLB draft is about 20 rounds too many. Teams are constantly drafting players they have no intentions of signing. Make the team's value their picks more. Eliminate half the draft imo.

I totally agree. They just need to make it a world wide draft too. And they need to make it where American born players have to go to college for at least three years.

[smootness]

Awesome. I think he's going to be a great college player.

[smootness]

I totally agree. They just need to make it a world wide draft too. And they need to make it where American born players have to go to college for at least three years.

No way they should force kids to go to school. The current setup is perfect with regard to that, IMO.

[maroonmania]

Great news, think everyone had assumed he had told clubs he was going to college to fall that low but its good to get confirmation from the horse's mouth. Sounds like everyone in this class really wanted to come to college except for Pickett.

[messageboardsuperhero]

Already kind of knew this but good to hear nonetheless.

[messageboardsuperhero]

No way they should force kids to go to school. The current setup is perfect with regard to that, IMO.

I agree. It would be great from a college baseball standpoint- hell, it might would even force the NCAA to finally increase baseball scholarships to meet the increase in college players which would help us tremendously. But you shouldn't make kids come to school when they have no interest in it and there is a minor league system in place for the players to develop.

There are changes needed to the draft though... Particularly to help the college seniors.

[Todd4State]

No way they should force kids to go to school. The current setup is perfect with regard to that, IMO.

The NFL and NBA seem to be OK with it. The problem is you have a lot of baseball players that sign out of high school that really shouldn't and they don't make it- and then what happens is they can't get a job because they have no education. Does MLB pay for the education? Sure. But try telling your 26 year old wife with a kid or two that you are going to MSU for four years and you won't have any income except whatever she makes in the meantime.

Also, studies show that the majority of American born MLB players played college baseball- 58% compared to 30% for high school and 10% for JUCO baseball.

[Todd4State]

Great news, think everyone had assumed he had told clubs he was going to college to fall that low but its good to get confirmation from the horse's mouth. Sounds like everyone in this class really wanted to come to college except for Pickett.

You're right- and it took something bizarre for Riley to not come. We were pretty damn close to getting our entire class in.

[Homedawg]

MLB draft is about 20 rounds too many. Teams are constantly drafting players they have no intentions of signing. Make the team's value their picks more. Eliminate half the draft imo.

It use to be unlimited. Pick until you feel like stopping. Crazy.

[CadaverDawg]

Miami Herald article said he will reject pro and go to college. He was called in 3rd round and offered money but they couldn't agree on price. Reds probably drafted him out of courtesy to his father like they like to do.

Huge if true. He will be starter in 2017. We lose both catchers next year. Hunter Stovall of course will be in mix too and he can play 2B and OF.

Marrero is a switch hitter.

Switch hitting catcher with a Dad that played in the Big Leagues....dude has got it going on. He will be a good one, and it's great to get a famous name's son that wasn't a legacy. That isn't too common for us.

[Todd4State]

Switch hitting catcher with a Dad that played in the Big Leagues....dude has got it going on. He will be a good one, and it's great to get a famous name's son that wasn't a legacy. That isn't too common for us.

And ironically we lost the legacy and the guy with MSU ties to the pros.

[CadaverDawg]

And ironically we lost the legacy and the guy with MSU ties to the pros.

Ouch, forgot about that.

[messageboardsuperhero]

The NFL and NBA seem to be OK with it. The problem is you have a lot of baseball players that sign out of high school that really shouldn't and they don't make it- and then what happens is they can't get a job because they have no education. Does MLB pay for the education? Sure. But try telling your 26 year old wife with a kid or two that you are going to MSU for four years and you won't have any income except whatever she makes in the meantime.

Also, studies show that the majority of American born MLB players played college baseball- 58% compared to 30% for high school and 10% for JUCO baseball.

The NFL and NBA don't have minor league systems they put players in to develop for several years- if those leagues drafted high school players, they'd have to go straight to the highest level. Could you imagine an 18 year old in the NFL? He'd get snapped in half.

The comparison between MLB and the NFL/NBA is apples to oranges because of the minor leagues in baseball.

ETA: And I agree with you that college is a better option for 98% of the kids, but you can't take the minors off the table.

[smootness]

The NFL and NBA seem to be OK with it. The problem is you have a lot of baseball players that sign out of high school that really shouldn't and they don't make it- and then what happens is they can't get a job because they have no education. Does MLB pay for the education? Sure. But try telling your 26 year old wife with a kid or two that you are going to MSU for four years and you won't have any income except whatever she makes in the meantime.

Also, studies show that the majority of American born MLB players played college baseball- 58% compared to 30% for high school and 10% for JUCO baseball.

And a majority of the players drafted are out of college as well, so the percentages aren't really off.

The NFL has no developmental system, and the NBA barely has one. Apples and oranges.

The kids don't have to go pro. It's up to them, and for far more of them than basketball or football players, it's the right decision.

Don't waste your money, and your $1.5 million bonus is plenty enough to last you until you're done with school.

[Todd4State]

The NFL and NBA don't have minor league systems they put players in to develop for several years- if those leagues drafted high school players, they'd have to go straight to the highest level. Could you imagine an 18 year old in the NFL? He'd get snapped in half.

The comparison between MLB and the NFL/NBA is apples to oranges because of the minor leagues in baseball.

ETA: And I agree with you that college is a better option for 98% of the kids, but you can't take the minors off the table.

I don't think having a minor league means that you should have to draft high school players to stock it.

[HSVDawg]

[QUOTE=MsStateBaseball;378284]We lose both catchers next year./QUOTE]

Thats not necessarily a sure thing. Collins has proven nothing to show he can be an MLB level catcher and also has not proven he can play another position. His hitting, if it returns to freshmen level form, is an asset but right now he has no position at the next level unless he significantly improves his defense behind the dish. I don't see him getting drafted high enough to leave unless he just has a huge year.

[thf24]

I may be in the minority, but I think basketball has it right. One year college requirement. It would help some kids avoid making bad decisions, and only lock others in for one season if it becomes immediately evident they should be making money in the pros.

[ScrotieMcBoogerBalls]

The NFL and NBA don't have minor league systems they put players in to develop for several years- if those leagues drafted high school players, they'd have to go straight to the highest level. Could you imagine an 18 year old in the NFL? He'd get snapped in half.

The comparison between MLB and the NFL/NBA is apples to oranges because of the minor leagues in baseball.

ETA: And I agree with you that college is a better option for 98% of the kids, but you can't take the minors off the table.

Well why not use college as the farming system. Drop the minor leagues, or at least a level or 2, and draft players out of college. While they're at it, maybe it would be a good idea for them to provide wooden bats to schools so they can better evaluate how players hit with the equipment they'll use when they get to the pros