The Marlins' 2005 draft received some pretty heady praise:
It's tough to know what that really means though. Not to discredit Mr. Wolever, but a highly touted player doesn't necessarily turn into a major leaguer. There's a lot that happens for these youngsters between draft day and when they (if they) reach the majors.
Wolever's statement is a little bit like a buddy of yours telling you how lucky you are to have a first date with so-and-so. His opinion might not be (or become in this case) your reality.
Hopefully Wolever is right about the Marlins draft.
What I've found most encouraging is that a number of the draftees are already signed. Yesterday, I mentioned that Chris Volstad had signed and that he'll be playing in the GCL in Jupiter soon. It also seems that the other two first rounders are supposed to be officially signed today.
I don't particularly care if the Marlins got good deals on these players or not. Volstad, Thompson, and Marceaux were all highly regarded. What's more important is to get them signed early and into the routine of pro ball. Protracted hold outs (like Jered Weaver and Stephen Drew's from last year) usually aren't productive for anyone. They cost players developmental time (and sometimes even money) and holdouts keep teams from getting a handle on what exactly they have.