2010 Yankees first round draft pick: Cito Culver HS SS

[THEBOSS84]

Agreed. I refuse to bash them, but I am not springing cartwheels either. In my mind, they get the benefit of the doubt; we'll see if he's Austin Jackson or Carmen Angelini in time. They took a big risk, and none of us know whether it will pay off.

Last year we picked Slade Heathcott who was the 72nd rated prospect and, according to BA:



Now he's a rock star. I am going to give him some time.

Not to mention, I also have an issue with anyone pointing to Slade Heathcott as a recent "successful" first round pick of ours. The guy has played what, 8 games?

Law's draft day losers list:

The New York Yankees also drew some surprised reactions by taking prep shortstop Cito Culver in the first round -- I was doubly confused when he was listed on MLB.com as a right-handed pitcher -- when the Northeast area scouts were telling me all spring he was a third-or fourth-rounder. The Yankees see Culver as a shortstop with a chance to hit for average and some power, and he has a plus arm, but there are mixed opinions on whether or not he's going to stay at short. On the flip side, the Yankees had Culver on their Area Code Games team last summer and probably knew him as a player and as a person better than any other team could have.

[Gusto]

Sorry, if that disappoints you. But I found it impossible to read and I actually question whether is legit, because it actually does sound like it was written by a pre-teen and not someone who has been umpiring games Culver played in for the past 7 years.

I've umpired a lot of HS games and what he said sounded very familiar. Over time, you get to know coaches and some players fairly well and remember certain kids that stand out to you.

I also work at a college and faculty members have complained about their students using text shorthand in their school work. Their comments sounded much like yours.

I still appreciate the author's insight to a kid I know so little about.

[NY_GOLDENARMS]

Serious point - the guys who are praising the Yankees for this pick are no better than the guys bashing the Yankees for this pick.

BINGO, I stopped getting too happy or disappointed years ago but find these threads on draft day to be very entertaining.

I personally wait until the play enough to get a read on the quality of the pick.

[Veovis]

A Rochester boy? Not sure that I like the apparent reach, but I am bound to be a booster now.

[Yankees1962]

Not to mention, I also have an issue with anyone pointing to Slade Heathcott as a recent "successful" first round pick of ours. The guy has played what, 8 games?

Law's draft day losers list:

Yet, Law has never seen Culver play which kind of make his opinion on Culver useless.

[Gusto]

Yet, Law has never seen Culver play which kind of make his opinion on Culver useless.

He even noted such with the last part of that quote

"On the flip side, the Yankees had Culver on their Area Code Games team last summer and probably knew him as a player and as a person better than any other team could have."

The Yankees mined a vein that few other teams bothered (or were able) to consider. gold or pyrite is the question.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

He even noted such with the last part of that quote

"On the flip side, the Yankees had Culver on their Area Code Games team last summer and probably knew him as a player and as a person better than any other team could have."

The Yankees mined a vein that few other teams bothered (or were able) to consider. gold or pyrite is the question.

Yeah, I liked that they had him on the team. Just hope it isn't a case of liking the guy too much because they were so famiilar with him. I suspect, though, that they are at least comfortable with his makeup.

[montyque]

Forgive my naivete here, but... (addressing the slot issue) isn't it safe to assume the Yankees scouts took into account the possibility that they could have gotten Culver in a later round, but deduced from their research that he either would likely have been taken before we could get him? Or do we on nyyfans.com know more than said scouts?

[Buzah!]

The Yanks had him well above Lipka on their board and knew at least 5 other teams were in on him. One of those teams told Damon Oppenheimer that Culver would not have made it to 82.

[THEBOSS84]

The Yanks had him well above Lipka on their board and knew at least 5 other teams were in on him. One of those teams told Damon Oppenheimer that Culver would not have made it to 82.

No offense, but it's so easy for the Yankees to make up this inside info in order to justify their over-drafted pick.

[kan_t]

No offense, but it's so easy for the Yankees to make up this inside info in order to justify their over-drafted pick.

The Yankees don't need to make up anything if they think that it's a good pick. No one force them to pick Culver, why should they make up those inside info? To make the Yankees fans feel better?

[THEBOSS84]

The Yankees don't need to make up anything if they think that it's a good pick. No one force them to pick Culver, why should they make up those inside info? To make the Yankees fans feel better?

Yeah.

[kan_t]

The Yanks had him well above Lipka on their board and knew at least 5 other teams were in on him. One of those teams told Damon Oppenheimer that Culver would not have made it to 82.

Thanks for the information.

[Posada_20]

No offense, but it's so easy for the Yankees to make up this inside info in order to justify their over-drafted pick.

No offense but tts just as easy for fans to bash the pick when they have never seen the guy play or scouted him like the team that dafted him has.

[Buzah!]

No offense, but it's so easy for the Yankees to make up this inside info in order to justify their over-drafted pick.

It would also be easy for them to take a different player. But they took the one they wanted, and they didn't do it just to screw with morons.

[kan_t]

Yeah.

I don't know that the team made up info just for making fans happy before. Good to know.

[THEBOSS84]

No offense but tts just as easy for fans to bash the pick when they have never seen the guy play or scouted him like the team that dafted him has.

And like I said earlier - those who are praising the pick (or giving excess benefit of the doubt) are no better than those who are bashing the pick.

[Yogi]

Ugh ... the guy has been on the field with our #1 pick multiple times (you know, the guy we are all scrambling to find out more about). He knows his coach well and has seen him play. He takes the time to post for our benefit, despite not being a Yankee fan ... and you bash him for using text shorthand in his post?

"Thank you for sharing your unique insight" would have been more appropriate.

I appreciated the input coming from a guy who is in a unique postion to know. I also live in the area and keep up with highschool baseball.


I have seen this kid play against our local highschool and have followed him in the papers. He is a switch hitter with good plate discipline and a good eye. He hits with power to all fields. In his senior year he had 24 extra base hits in just 22 games. The ball jumps off his bat. He is a slick fielder with good range and soft hands and he has good speed. He has an excellent arm. As a pitcher, his fastball tops out at about 94 mph and he has good control.

He is only 17 and with a lot of growing left to do so he has a good upside. No one has mentioned so far that he seems to be a natural team leader who leads by example. All of that is why the University of Maryland was very high on him.

BTW – The quality of play and competition in the big highschools in NYS Section V is very good and this kid clearly stands out. I know he has been a Yankee fan since he was a kid and I was happy to see them draft him. I think the Yankees are going to be pleased with what they got. Suffice to say a lot of highschools around Section V are happy to see him graduate year!

[YESSIR!]

The Yanks had him well above Lipka on their board and knew at least 5 other teams were in on him. One of those teams told Damon Oppenheimer that Culver would not have made it to 82.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but where is this information coming from? Link?

[THEBOSS84]

It would also be easy for them to take a different player. But they took the one they wanted, and they didn't do it just to screw with morons.

If the reason he's the one they wanted has something to do with his price-tag, it wouldn't bother you?

[Buzah!]

I'm not saying you're wrong, but where is this information coming from? Link?

What Damon said is on the net. The other thing is from my e-mail.

[Vazquez]

Easy to bash the pick - but the more I read about Culver the more I am warming up to the pick. He is 17 and has a chance to stick at short. I prefer this pick waaaay more than if we had drafted someone like Gary Brown.

[Yankees1962]

I'm not saying you're wrong, but where is this information coming from? Link?

Phil,

Has a direct line to somebody in the know. You don't have to believe it, but I do.

[MTYankee23]

It would also be easy for them to take a different player. But they took the one they wanted, and they didn't do it just to screw with morons.

But that different (higher rated) player could potentially be more expensive, this is a way for them to go cheap on the draft, and make it seem like they took the best player available.

[Posada_20]

And like I said earlier - those who are praising the pick (or giving excess benefit of the doubt) are no better than those who are bashing the pick.

I am neither praising nor bashing the pick. I'm simply saying that Oppenheimer and his scouts have followed this kid for quite a while and obviously loved what they saw from him or else they wouldn't have taken him. I'll trust the scouts on this more than some angry fans who think they are GMs and scouts

[THEBOSS84]

But that different (higher rated) player could potentially be more expensive, this is a way for them to go cheap on the draft, and make it seem like they took the best player available.

You said it better than I did in my previous post.

[Yankees1962]

But that different (higher rated) player could potentially be more expensive, this is a way for them to go cheap on the draft, and make it seem like they took the best player available.

Yet, according to Oppenheimer the draft budget is about what it was last year and they spent 7.6M which was in the top ten in draft spending.

[THEBOSS84]

I am neither praising nor bashing the pick. I'm simply saying that Oppenheimer and his scouts have followed this kid for quite a while and obviously loved what they saw from him or else they wouldn't have taken him. I'll trust the scouts on this more than some angry fans who think they are GMs and scouts

I wasn't saying you were doing either. There will always be fans that go with the company line "I'll trust the scouts" and there will always be the angry fans. Neither of those groups will agree with each other, especially in this case.

[Yankees1962]

You said it better than I did in my previous post.

Until you see the rest of their picks and what all of them sign for, you can't really say that right now.

[teknetic]

Sorry, if that disappoints you. But I found it impossible to read and I actually question whether is legit, because it actually does sound like it was written by a pre-teen and not someone who has been umpiring games Culver played in for the past 7 years.

I'd much rather read more of these terribly written scouting reports than posts bashing the pick because he wasn't what anyone was expecting.

[THEBOSS84]

Until you see the rest of their picks and what all of them sign for, you can't really say that right now.

I can't disagree with this.

[Buzah!]

They have more wiggle room this year. Most scouts consider this a flat, red chip draft. If you believe that then both the "expensive picks" and slot picks are probably interchangeable over a broad area of the draft. The Yanks are gonna go for some over slot guys over the rest of the draft, but this idea tht they are suddenly cheap, instead of wise, is really stupid.

[THEBOSS84]

YankeesDraft

Yankee fans hoping for Cecchini should temper it. Several teams on him in the 2nd, # is only holdup, but it is under 2 mil. Stay tuned...

[dpbddd99]

This may have already been posted - article about Culver's father being in jail.

http://rochester.ynn.com/content/spo...sity/?ap=1&MP4

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

YankeesDraft

Yankee fans hoping for Cecchini should temper it. Several teams on him in the 2nd, # is only holdup, but it is under 2 mil. Stay tuned...

I hate getting too wrapped up anyone with our pick so far away. After that Porcello thing, I tend to just pay attention when we get near our pick

[jeter62375]

YankeesDraft

Yankee fans hoping for Cecchini should temper it. Several teams on him in the 2nd, # is only holdup, but it is under 2 mil. Stay tuned...

absolutely no way he makes it to #82.

[YESSIR!]

What Damon said is on the net. The other thing is from my e-mail.

I guess I'll take your word for it. I can't find anything on the net about Oppenheimer saying teams were on him and he would have been gone before the end of the second round.

[gold23]

They have more wiggle room this year. Most scouts consider this a flat, red chip draft. If you believe that then both the "expensive picks" and slot picks are probably interchangeable over a broad area of the draft. The Yanks are gonna go for some over slot guys over the rest of the draft, but this idea tht they are suddenly cheap, instead of wise, is really stupid.

This right here.... 100% agree. In a draft generally regarded as somewhat weak on real high-end talent, the difference between mid/late first round and third or fourth round is likely paper thin. When you are talking raw HS players, it's probably even thinner.

If the Yanks didn't see an impact bat (and outside of Harper there seems to be major questions and weaknesses with every single other bat in this draft), and didn't see a projectable one or two starter, I have NO issue with them taking a kid they are very high on. If there is a consensus in the room on a "higher rated" players' eventual ceiling, as well as a consensus that this Culver kid is a major athletic talent and projectable as an impact player on both sides of the ball.....then by all means, draft him now.

I'm not pro the pick or anti the pick. I simply have no idea about the player, and just about none of us do. I do, however, like the philosophy behind the pick if this draft indeed does not have the easy "star" power that most drafts do. That's not to say star players won't come out of it- of course they will. But the tools and polish don't seem to be on the players as much this year at draft day than in many years past...as well as what seems to be the case for next year.

[MTYankee23]

They have more wiggle room this year. Most scouts consider this a flat, red chip draft. If you believe that then both the "expensive picks" and slot picks are probably interchangeable over a broad area of the draft. The Yanks are gonna go for some over slot guys over the rest of the draft, but this idea tht they are suddenly cheap, instead of wise, is really stupid.

Cheap is a relative term and in some cases doesn't reflect on Oppenheimer and his staff at all.

[Buzah!]

Law tweets that the Red Sox are interested in Sean Coyle and may have the parameters of a deal with him.

[yankeebot]

I guess I'll take your word for it. I can't find anything on the net about Oppenheimer saying teams were on him and he would have been gone before the end of the second round.

It's in the draft blog at pinstripesplus.

[rajah]

This thread, like most, is filled with a lot of insults and uninformed assertions of opinion. But it also has a lot of high quality informative posts that help me understand the draft better.

So, I want to thank posters like Buzah!, gold23, Hughes 2.50, and mbn007 for sharing your knowledge and analysis.

[Brick Tamland]

They took Renaudo already...his name was Brackman. I don't think you can keep taking talented and hard throwing guys with injury issues if you only have one pick near the top. Great pick by the Sox, because they can afford to do so. Injury issues and horrible performance- combined with a huge payday request- is as high a risk as you can find. I have no issue with them passing on him.

I've seen people writing CJ Henry and stuff....but what about guys like Austin Jackson? Very athletic, projectable guys ARE of risk. But wouldn't you prefer that risk to taking guys who are most likely to be relief pitchers or marginal players? You have star ability at the top of most drafts, and then it's a crapshoot. The Yanks can always fill...they don't need to take guys who project in their minds as fourth starters or capable players. They should take guys with very high upside....shoot for the moon...if you fail on 95% but end up with a few star players every few years, the money at the ML club can offset not getting the mid-level guys.

I see your point but I don't agree with picking against a profile just because you've been burned in the past.

Also, with the 32nd pick, and after 16 positional players have come off the board in a thin draft, I'd rather have seen them take a high upside pitcher.

Like I said, I trust the Yankees and Oppenhiemer, so good luck to him, and I hope they know something no one else does.

[THEBOSS84]

This thread, like most, is filled with a lot of insults and uninformed assertions of opinion. But it also has a lot of high quality informative posts that help me understand the draft better.

So, I want to thank posters like Buzah!, gold23, Hughes 2.50, and mbn007 for sharing your knowledge and analysis.

So you want to thank the 4 people who like the pick. Seems fair.

[Yankees1962]

It looks like much of the Yankee scouting staff watched this kid played including Billy Eppler. Maybe, one of the lessons learned from Henry and Poterson, have as many scouts as possible take a look at a prospect you really like as a top draft choice.

[mbn007]

So you want to thank the 4 people who like the pick. Seems fair.

Actually, I beleieve i posted that I can't make a very informed opinion until I see him play. Let me add to that. I have long been a proponent that a real opinion can't be made on a player until after he plays full-season ball; short season isn't enough, IMO. To many guys flame out after a solid spurt in short season ball. I need to see the player after he handles theh rigors of travel and a long 5+ month season.

That said, I reserve full judgement on "Cito" until a couple of years out. In fact, I am not all that clear if he wil even play in the GCL this season, assuming he signs soon. They may keep him in EST to work on some things.

[Gusto]

I appreciated the input coming from a guy who is in a unique postion to know. I also live in the area and keep up with highschool baseball.


I have seen this kid play against our local highschool and have followed him in the papers. He is a switch hitter with good plate discipline and a good eye. He hits with power to all fields. In his senior year he had 24 extra base hits in just 22 games. The ball jumps off his bat. He is a slick fielder with good range and soft hands and he has good speed. He has an excellent arm. As a pitcher, his fastball tops out at about 94 mph and he has good control.

He is only 17 and with a lot of growing left to do so he has a good upside. No one has mentioned so far that he seems to be a natural team leader who leads by example. All of that is why the University of Maryland was very high on him.

BTW – The quality of play and competition in the big highschools in NYS Section V is very good and this kid clearly stands out. I know he has been a Yankee fan since he was a kid and I was happy to see them draft him. I think the Yankees are going to be pleased with what they got. Suffice to say a lot of highschools around Section V are happy to see him graduate year!

Thanks for the post. Its comforting to some degree that people, who have actually seen him play, aren't as surprised by the pick as the rest of us.

[Buzah!]

It looks like much of the Yankee scouting staff watched this kid played including Billy Eppler. Maybe, one of the lessons learned from Henry and Poterson, have as many scouts as possible take a look at a prospect you really like as a top draft choice.

They have crosscheckers now, and everything. They didn't have them back when Henry was picked.

[gold23]

I see your point but I don't agree with picking against a profile just because you've been burned in the past.

Also, with the 32nd pick, and after 16 positional players have come off the board in a thin draft, I'd rather have seen them take a high upside pitcher.

Like I said, I trust the Yankees and Oppenhiemer, so good luck to him, and I hope they know something no one else does.

I don't think they picked against profile. I just think that they have seen that added risk to an already risky profile, plus adding a lot of $, creates several things...

First, several bad things can happen to high picks. They can never develop (overwhelming percentage), they can get hurt, an organization can mishandle their development, etc. If one of those has already happened, then you are adding risk to an already very risky pick.

There is an opportunity cost to every pick as well. If you choose a player, you can't choose anyone else in that spot. This is mitigated by teams that have multiple picks in a short frame of picks. If you don't have that luxury, by nature you should narrow your frame of what you are willing to take.

Most agree Renaudo has a high upside, but he also possesses two major sirens- an injury that nobody is certain about right now, and a very high reported price tag. Another is this.....

John Lackey type pitchers are on the FA market most years. Hanley Ramirez almost never is..... Not saying that Culver is Hanley Ramirez, but I do think the Yankees can fill middle of the rotation and down with their cash most years if need be.

Which is why I think they can live with the risk of letting high risk pitchers pass at times. Yes, the occasional one will make it and they'll look bad in hindsight. But the overwhelming majority will not be a top of the rotation starter.

[Yankees1962]

The following BA writeup was written back on March 15th, probably before they even started playing baseball in Rochester this past spring. They even have him batting right-handed when he's a switch-hitter, who's a natural left-handed hitter. He is very young and doesn't turn 18 until late September. I hope they sign him quickly so he can get some good instruction right away and play in the GCL later this summer.

Cito Culver, ss, Irondequoit HS, Rochester, N.Y.	90
Born: Sept. 26, 1992. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 175. Commitment: Uncommitted.

Culver has a lean, athletic body, but isn't as explosive as he appears. At the East Coast Professional Showcase over the summer, Culver ran a 7.08-second 60-yard dash, which would make him a below-average runner.

At the plate, Culver starts with a very narrow stance, which leads to a lot of lower-half movement during his swing. He takes a big stride, which sometimes puts too much balance on his front foot and he also sometimes loses his front side. However, Culver has good barrel awareness and still puts good swings on the ball, regularly centering balls up.

Culver has a good arm, but some evaluators like him better as an outfielder rather than a middle infielder. As one of the younger players in this year's draft combined with the fact that he's from New York, Culver doesn't have as much experience as some of the other players available, but he plays with a lot of energy and got better throughout the summer circuit.