Marlins hit home run with Watson in first round
Opportunity presented itself and the Marlins seized it by selecting Kahlil Watson with the 16th overall pick in the MLB Draft.
By Joe Frisaro ManOn2nd
MLB Draft insiders are calling it a “steal.” For the Marlins, it was being at the right place at the right time.
With the 16th overall pick in the MLB Draft on Monday night, the Marlins selected shortstop Kahlil Watson from Wake Forest (N.C.) High School.
The pick immediately was the buzz of the Draft.
Just about every TV analyst was incredulous that such a talented player could still be on the board. Some projections had him in the top five. The Marlins were as surprised as anybody, because when they put their board together, they never dreamed Watson would be available.
If Watson hadn’t fallen into their lap, the Marlins were prepared to go in any number of directions. They really liked outfielder Will Taylor, who plans to play football and baseball at Clemson. Would the Marlins have taken Taylor with the 16th pick? Maybe, or perhaps even with their next two picks: 31 or 52. It never came to that. Once Watson was taken, Taylor was out of their budget.
The Marlins take an old school approach to their drafting process. They go with best available player on the board. Each club is different. Some manipulate their player pool money to maximize picks depending on the round.
In Miami’s case, Watson was the clear choice.
A left-handed hitter with speed, power and athleticism, Watson draws comparisons to former MVP Jimmy Rollins.
If you can get a All-Star and MVP-caliber player at 16 overall, you jump at it. To the Marlins’ credit, they recognized the projected value of Watson. He will be worth the cost to pay over slot.
Yes, money matters in the MLB Draft. That’s why you see clubs spending under slot value on some players and over on others. They’re manipulating the draft.
The Marlins understand that to sign Watson, who has a commitment to North Carolina State University, it will require going over the recommended slot value of $3.75 million. Miami’s entire bonus pool is $9,949,800.
I anticipate the Marlins will sign Watson. As in any negotiation, there likely will be some leveraging and posturing before a deal is announced. But if Watson is the real deal, and insiders I talk to say he is, then getting him done will be a top priority.
The Marlins will cut corners elsewhere to get Watson signed and into the farm system to begin his introduction to pro ball.
Here’s what you need to know about Watson.
According to MO2 insiders, the 18-year-old has an excellent chance to stick at shortstop, and he has a feel to hit. Combine that with plus athleticism, and there is plenty to be excited about. By being as athletic as he is, he could easily shift to other positions — second base, third and outfield.
Watson possesses something else that should bring smiles to Marlins’ fans. He plays with plenty of flare. He’s fun to watch. Already, Marlins fans on social media anticipate the days when Watson is a teammate of Jazz Chisholm Jr., the rookie who brings plenty of energy and excitement to the park.
Evaluators pay attention to such things as energy and confidence. Players with those attributes tend to be able to handle the daily grind of the sport.
The Marlins are through two days and 10 rounds of the 2021 Draft, with 10 more picks to go.
By all accounts, the Marlins are enjoying a strong draft. It might even grade out the best of all 30 MLB clubs.
For our purposes, we are focusing on Watson, because ultimately your first rounder helps define your Draft Class.
All teams find players who eventually perform at the big league level in later rounds, and they are great stories. But the bottom line is, the highest-end players are typically taken in the first few rounds.
In the eyes of many, the Marlins had a top five talent fall into their arms.