Happy Dustin Ackley Day!

At sometime after 3pm PST, the M's will begin to rebuild their minor league system. Considered in the bottom third of baseball, Bill Bavasi traded away most of the talent that would've been MLB ready in 2009-2010. Jack Z will attempt to draft players today that will restock that system and bring it back to respectability. If the M's play their cards right, their farm system might be considered in the middle of the pack at the same time next year.

Whether Dustin Ackley (CF) or Aaron Crow (starting Pitcher) are taken, either will instantly become the M's #1 prospect. In fact, the first 4-5 players taken will probably land on the M's top 10 prospect list -- that's how bad their minor league talent has fallen.

Most intriguing is what the M's are attempting to do with their 2nd 1st round pick at #27. The MLB draft is the opposite the NBA or NFL drafts where the top talent gets taken first. In the MLB draft, often top 5 or top 10 stud talents will fall later or out of the first round due to financial concerns or signability. Poorer teams will sign a 2nd round talent in the first round if that player agrees to take less money than similar players in that slot. The M's are said to be negotiating with Steve Baron (a catcher), a projected 3rd rounder, and will take him with the 33rd pick, if he'll take 3rd round money. That way, the M's will overpay for a stud talent who falls to them at #27.

The M's, who possess deeper financial pockets than most of their baseball brethren, are strategically hoping that several stud pitchers will fall to them. The draft will be considered a wild success today if the M's draft one of the following pitchers at #27:

1. Tanner Scheppers
2. Matt Purke
3. James Paxton
4. Kyle Gibson

Any of these players are considered top 5-10 talents. Scheppers is said to have arm issues but throws a high 90's fastball.

Go get 'em, Jack Z!