Angels Draft 2020, Round 4: High School SS Werner Blakely

True to form, the Angels use their round 3/4 picks on toolsy and young projects up the middle. Werner Blakely Jr is a boom-or-bust kid from Michigan, that Baseball America describes as “a prototypical high-risk, high-reward prospect with plenty of athleticism and tools, but a rawness to his game that raises some concerns”.

First baseball All-American from Detroit:

As with the Angels’ previous selection David Calabrese, who was rated as a first-round talent at #19 on Keith Law’s Big Board, Law was also impressed with Blakely:

89. Werner Blakely, SS, Detroit Edison Public School Academy, Age: 18

Blakely, an Auburn commit, is a very strong defender at shortstop with a projectable, loose body, showing very quick hands at the plate but limited experience facing good pitching and questions about the long-term hit tool. He’s a solid projection high school pick given the high probability he stays at shortstop and the potential for him to get stronger in a few years.

While MLB Pipeline and Baseball America were less bullish, BA also says: “Teams are excited about his potential and the power he could pack on to his athletic frame, but he’ll need plenty of at-bats to refine his offensive game. Blakely is a good runner who glides around the field and could turn into a dangerous basestealing threat.

At this point in the draft, past the top 100 picks, there’s not much in the way of over/under slot deliberation (especially in this strange five-round experience), as the slot values are down to $500k, and teams are going with kids they’ve scouted for awhile, and many selections are outside the top ranked lists. Blakely Jr is clearly a kid with a projectable body whose makeup that Angels like, and a developmental project in the mold of younger players like Kyren Paris they’ve selected in prior drafts.

Prospect Live affords us a deeper cut:

WERNER BLAKELY, SS, DETROIT EDISON, AUBURN COMMIT
Blakely is the top-ranked player in the Michigan 2020 class. He is, without a doubt, one of the most electric athletes in the entire state of Michigan. A 6.50 60-yard dash runner, the left-handed hitting Blakely is an impressive prospect.

Blakely has great feel for himself at the plate with strong bat-to-ball skills. He swings a quick bat that takes a level path through the zone and consistently makes contact with the baseball from the left-side of the plate. There is clear projection to Blakely’s frame, he’s only 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, so there’s reason to believe he could add some power as he grows into his build. Defensively, the athleticism and natural defensive actions that Blakely has lock him into shortstop in the long-term. He has an above-average arm and has thrown 90 mph across the infield before. A left-handed hitting, highly athletic prospect with projection and the defensive actions to stick at shortstop, Blakely could easily get scooped up by a professional team.

As destiny would have it, that team would be the Los Angeles Angels.

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2002heaven
Trusted Member
3 years ago

I like this pick……..a future Marcus Semien, who also wasn’t a polished skilled and diamond inda ruff guy with the CWS.
Do we as a organization have what it takes to coach up and nurture a guy like that however? This is how Alabama, Clemson and Ohio St mop the floor with 3 star athletes in CFB.

steelgolf
Super Member
3 years ago

6′ – 3″ and 170 lbs. He could add both height and weight as he matures, and if he keeps the athletic ability, he could be a SS, 2nd or even 3rd baseman. Certainly a possible trade asset.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
3 years ago

Better than Jeter!

I wonder what will be in his gift baskets!

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 years ago

First ever. Pretty crazy.

Hopefully he fulfills his potential.

RexFregosi
Super Member
3 years ago

i wonder what’s next for Calabrese and Blakely assuming they sign.

Normally they’d be arriving in Tempe to play for the Tempe AZL Angels for the rest of the summer. I still expect they’ll be coming here, but we’ll see if there are any games

h27kim
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

I wonder how signable these guys are. Both college and professional paths seem highly uncertain atm, given the circumstances, but Blakely, esp, doesn’t seem too likely to sign, as I see it…

h27kim
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  h27kim

MLBTR says that Blakely is near signing, but at significantly higher dollar any than the slot value. The other likely signings did not have numbers and it doesn’t seem like Detmers would sign for much, if any, below slot. We didn’t have 2nd Rd pick, so I guess that’s all the allocated money. Any sense of how the money might be divvied up among the draft picks?

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  h27kim

Looks like Calabrese took slot value. 5th rounder took way under. Blakley is getting about $400K over.

Too GA to do the actual math but from headlines, seemed like they may need Detmers to take a tiny tiny haircut off slot to make it all fit.