The toosly outfielder makes a good a case for a top-5 pick."Spring training is drawing to its close Paul O'Neill Jersey , and if various statistical projection systems are accurate, the Tigers will be far from competitive during regular season action. That means we have to set our sights a little further out as the losses pile up during the year. Luckily, baseball on the amateur front is coming alive, offering plenty of potential for what Brandon might call “a scintillating exercise in speculation and supposition” — mock drafts.An early mock draft written up by Taylor Blake Ward for his site, Who’s On First: Scouting Baseball, projects the Tigers to grab Missouri outfielder Kameron Misner with the No. 5 overall pick.Although he is an all-around talent, Misner shines more at the plate than in the field. FanGraphs’ prospect team cites 70-grade, or plus-plus, raw power for the 21-year-old. In mathematical terms, that’s two standard deviations above the mean. This huge raw power a valuable skill, obviously, one that is rarely found anywhere in the Tigers’ pipeline (or anyone else’s, for that matter).What’s more, Misner should be able to tap into his power enough to bring legitimate double-digit home run potential to the diamond. Generally considered to have a good approach at the plate, he doesn’t do too much. His simple bat path leads directly to the ball and it pays off well. At the time of a foot injury in 2018, he was leading Division I ball in walks. Between his ability to get on base and raw athleticism, he could provide significant offensive output at the major league level.Unlike a lot of sluggers, Misner is also a good runner; he is nimble on the base paths and rangy in the outfield. He roves center for now http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , and while he will likely be deployed in right field as a professional, he should be more than capable in that role. He uses his speed well on the bases, too. Capable of stealing bags when the opportunity presents itself, you may read the words “20-20 threat” in his scouting reports for years to come.Ward argues that Misner fits the Tigers’ modus operandi better than any player on the board at the moment. It’s easy to see why — since 2003, Detroit has only selected pitchers and outfielders in the first round* of the draft. We have no reason to believe that that trend is going to come to an end any time soon. Outside of Carter Stewart, there aren’t many pitchers who could make a very strong case for a top-five selection. Even Stewart has looked less than outstanding in his limited junior college action so far. Of the batters left, the only one who fits this mold and should still be on the board at fifth is Misner.*Nicholas Castellanos, a compensation round pick in 2010, is the lone exception.Last season, the Tigers had the opportunity to make the first selection of the draft and in every following round. They capitalized on that opportunity, opting for a group of high-ceiling players. Pulling off a repeat performance will be a bit trickier. They are not perched atop the draft order this time around. It is doable, though, and Misner would be a good way to kick it off.It’s important to remember that mock drafts at this time of the year are little more than an excuse to write about amateur prospects. We don’t know who the Tigers are interested in. We don’t even really know who will be at the top of the class by the time draft day rolls around. Don’t forget, Brady Singer was considered the prohibitive favorite for the top pick at this time last year. By June, taking anyone other than Casey Mize was barely a thought. Point being, it’s impossible to tell what will happen by the time June is here. As it stands now, though, Detroit could do a whole lot worse than Misner.Check out the full mock draft here and follow Taylor Blake Ward on Twitter! NEW YORK (AP) — The timetable for Yoenis Cespedes‘ return to the New York Mets will remain an unanswered question until after opening day.The 33-year-old outfielder was limited to 38 games last year. Dr. Robert Anderson operated to remove bone calcification from Cespedes’ right heel on Aug. 2 and from the left on Oct. 26.New Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , Cespedes’ former agent, has said it is too early to prognosticate when the All-Star slugger will be back in the lineup.“I don’t think we’ll have an idea during spring training,” Van Wagenen said on a sun-splashed, spring-like Monday while watching the team’s equipment truck leave for spring training. “I think that our expectation is that he can make progress every day, that we build him up in a smart fashion, that we’re not taxing him too soon, and we want to make sure that he’s 100 percent healthy when he comes back, whenever that day is.”Originally acquired from Detroit at the 2015 trade deadline, Cespedes hit .287 with 17 homers and 44 RBIs, helped the Mets reach the World Series for the first time since 2000. He became a free agent, agreed to a $75 million, three-year contract, then keyed the Mets’ offense by hitting .280 with 31 homers and 86 RBIs in 132 games.Cespedes opted out of the deal after $27.5 million and became a free agent again, only to stay with the Mets for $110 million over four years. Injuries limited him to 81 games in 2017, when he hit .292 with 17 homers and 42 RBIs.He batted .262 with nine homers and 29 RBIs last year, when he missed two months after a May 13 game at Philadelphia with what the Mets said was a strained right hip flexor. He homered at the New York Yankees in his return July 20, then surprised the Mets after that game by revealing the foot issues.Cespedes is owed $29 million in 2019 and $29.5 million in 2020.“We’re counting on him to make a contribution in ’19. We’re counting on him to make a contribution in ’20, and hopefully he continues to make progress http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey ,” Van Wagenen said.New York’s major moves were to acquire 36-year-old All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano and All-Star closer Edwin Diaz from Seattle, obtain outfielder Keon Broxton from Milwaukee and sign catcher Wilson Ramos, infielder Jed Lowrie, outfielder Rajai Davis and relievers Jeurys Familia and Justin Wilson as free agents.Van Wagenen has not pursued high-priced free agents, such as outfielder Bryce Harper and infielder Manny Machado. With the start of spring training a week away, dozens of free agents remain available during a second straight slow market.“There’s always been players available in February or March,” Van Wagenen said. “I think there’s been a higher volume of more-recognizable names than in the past. But I think for us, we set out to target a number of recognizable names, and we’ve been really excited that those players have chosen to come with us, and we’re excited that we can go into camp knowing that we’ve accomplished most of what we set out to do.”At this time last year, when he was co-head of CAA Baseball, Van Wagenen said behavior of owners in the free-agent market “feels coordinated, rightly or wrongly.” He claimed many team presidents and general managers “are frustrated with the lack of funds to sign the plethora of good players still available, raising further suspicion of institutional influence over the spending.”He has a new job with new perspective.“You’ve got to have your own vision, have your own plan and go do it. And hopefully as a sport we can be a compelling entertainment product in all the cities in which we work in,” he said. “I think sports in general should be about putting the best product on the field and trying to compete every day, and we’ll certainly do that here.”