NC State's Historic 2026 MLB Draft — 7 Players Drafted — Tuffy Talk Live

Seven NC State players drafted in the 2026 MLB Draft, Ty Head, Jacob Dudan, Ryan Marohn, Luke Nixon, Sherman Johnson, Cooper Consiglio, and Chris McHugh. Layton, Greg, and Ethan break down every pick, debate whether Ty Head or Jacob Dudan will reach the majors first, and Ethan's Stat Pack reveals how this draft class stacks up historically in total signing bonus money.

Plus: the crew debates whether NC State was the highest bidder for CJ Bailey's return, reacts to ACC head referee Gary Patterson quitting mid-season, and discusses whether NC State basketball belongs higher than 21st all time. Heath Andrews signs with the Cleveland Guardians as an undrafted free agent to round out the full Pack pipeline story.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:57

And we're going to be reacting to a lot here today. Obviously, mostly talking about a lot of baseball here. There's a lot of historic moments that have been achieved over the last few days here. Having seven NC State players drafted this weekend, which is the second most in program history. And it's the first time that we've had four picks in the top 150, the first time that's ever happened in program history. And you know, I I do gotta say, you know, I it it's it's it's a little bit of a Jackal and Hyde moment here for me, thinking, man, you had four guys going to the top 150. Like, you know, you know, it's kind of one of those things where it's like, like, man, like I guess, you know, we really had it good there this past season over the last two years in particular here. So, but with that being said, we'll have plenty of time to get into that here. But if you haven't already, make sure you hit that subscribe button if you haven't already. Really helps support the channel. It's free to do, and you're notified whenever we release any new NC State content. And also, too, as well, make sure to hit that like button if you're enjoying this conversation. And also, too, as well, make sure to leave us a comment down below in terms of uh which which player were you really, you know, surprised when as early as they did, or which player were you surprised dropped a little bit further than you expected. But Greg, give us your your first initial thoughts here on this historic uh couple of days here or uh that we just had.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

I enjoyed watching it. Uh, I will say that it was a different vantage point than I've had in previous years, uh, having had the honor and privilege to be invited to Jacob Duden's watch party. And uh that was a lot of fun, and I'm sure we'll maybe talk about that here in a little bit when we start breaking down some of the players. But uh yeah, excited to see uh where those guys landed. Uh a little disappointed in a couple where they ended up being drafted in their spot, and I'm sure we'll talk about it as well. But yeah, hard to argue. Uh, second most draft picks of all the ACC. What if tied for first had someone stayed around the program this year? But we won't talk about that unless you guys want to. But uh overall, a good number of draftees, like you uh like you mentioned.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

Yeah. Uh so yeah, let's jump into it. Well, first of all, actually, here here too, uh, I'm doing another plug here as well. Is that uh I'll kind of mention this after we talk about this MLB draft too as well. But our man Ethan Berry has already released some of his thoughts, actually. So if you want his full thoughts, uh uh, you know, without mine and Greg's kind of washing his down, uh make sure to go to our Patreon. Only $5 a month. Get three awesome members only videos per week, plus also uh some uh some rumors only, some rumors in chat too as well. And yeah, we actually just uh uh dropped a hint in our rumors chat as well here today. So if you want to get access to that, only five dollars a month, link down in the description below. Go sign up here today. A ton ton of content for only five dollars a month here. But Ethan, let's start start off with the top here, shall we? Mr. Ty Head coming number 46 overall in the second round, gold glove winner to the Baltimore Orioles. Uh, what do you, you know, I guess what was your initial reaction to seeing Ty's head name pop up? And what is, you know, what do you think the the true fit is here for for Ty Head?

SPEAKER_03 4:15

Well, my my initial reaction is kind of looking back to his high school days because um, you know, this was a guy who was uh highly regarded out of high school. Um, and look, I'm really gonna get into the weeds here for a second, but he and Devin Fitzgerald were similarly ranked um in the same uh class. Obviously, Ty Head makes it to campus. Devin Fitzgerald does not. Um Devin Fitzgerald signed for 900,000 out of high school, obviously a very, very strong number. I would guess Ty Head probably had offers in that same range. I don't know that for sure. Um, but I think you know the the high schoolers that go, like once you get up into that 900 to a million range, you know, I think that's kind of where you look at it. And so I'm sitting here looking, okay, how did Ty Head, if Ty Head got offered in that range, how did he do? And he made you know his slot anyway. We'll see if he gets his slot. I would guess as a draft eligible sophomore, he will. Uh maybe even a little more. Um, you know, he probably made about a million bucks, maybe maybe a little more, maybe a little less. Obviously, like it's not an exact science. Um the slot value is two million, right? But I'm saying we don't know what he was offered right uh you know out of high school. So if I'm comparing it to Devin Fitzgerald, I apologize, got you. Yeah, yeah. Like if we're comparing it to Devin Fitzgerald, we've got 900, right? If Ty Head had gotten that exact same number, which unlikely, but you know, same range. You know, you're looking at a little over a million. So I think Ty Head did very, very well for himself coming at State. Now, on the flip side, Devin Fitzgerald has really blown up this year, and he's you know on the fast track to the big leagues, which also impacts your earnings, obviously. Um, so it's not just well, you know, Ty Head's getting more money now, Devin Fischerald got more money later. You know, Devin Fitzgerald is now ahead of where Ty Head will be as a prospect. So anyway, um Ty Head did very well for himself coming to NC State. Um, and obviously if you're NC State, that's that's the pitch that you want to be making to Gunnarall and to guys that turned down the draft for you. And so I think Ty Head is is a is a great example of that and uh and a success story for NC State.

SPEAKER_01 6:21

Yeah, and Greg, do you know for Ty, I think you know, this there's there's a couple, and that's the thing about Ty is there's a really a couple storylines when you think about Ty. I mean, obviously his his fielding ability, which is incredible, gold glove winner, definitely, you know, puts the stamp on that. But even too, as well as his strikeout rate, which was extremely low, which was is a phenomenal thing for sure. So I mean, I think you know, with him as a prospect, he's a guy. You know, I I think about the movie uh Moneyball, where it's the first time I've ever heard the the talk for, but how uh you know, how it gets a was a well he was a five, well no, he was a five five piece player, you know, he was able to hit hit with power, field, speed, and whatever it was, whatever. Well, I think with with Ty Head, you're you're getting a couple of pieces with him, you know, in terms of ability to hit the long ball, ability to get on base, ability to not strike out, and ability to play the outfield extremely well. Uh, so you know, do you see Ty Head potentially being the next player that is uh getting the call up to the major leagues?

SPEAKER_02 7:35

No, I still think it's Jacob Duden that gets caught up first, even with his injury. Um, I just think that Duden can have an impact really, really fast, especially if he comes in as a reliever. Now starting pitching is a little different. But uh yeah, I definitely think there's a few things that Ty needs to work on, and that you know they will get him even more, you know, one-on-one instruction, more so than he would have gotten at NC State. But uh no, he's definitely gonna have an impact. Uh, I would I would say probably I would say within three years. Um, kind of kind of the same, you know. You know, the thing in Ethan, you know, I have talked about it is like with Groover, right? His whole thing is where do you play him in the field? And and I think that's not a problem with Ty. Uh the thing, the thing that you're looking for tie is can his arm get a little bit better in the outfield, right? He's he's at he's an average thrower right now. Can can you get him better? Um they're gonna pitch him way different than they did in college. Um he's gonna he's gonna see things much differently. Uh if I'm you know, if I'm throwing you know fastballs at him, you know, I think that's could be a problem. But he's going to be good. There's no doubt. And um, and then the biggest other thing is is will his power carry? Like, I don't think I project him at this point hitting 15 home runs in the majors, but you know, that's something that they could work on. Um, you know.

SPEAKER_01 9:02

Yeah, well, and and Ethan, uh, you know, to make to maybe Greg's point here, do you agree with his his uh hot take that uh Duden will be uh the first to make it to the major leagues over tie head?

SPEAKER_03 9:20

Um I don't I don't think it's a guarantee that either makes it. Sure. You know, I mean I think that's kind of the that's kind of the thing we overlook is like, yeah, it's I feel good and and great, but it's hard, man. It's really hard. Like, think about it this way. Carlos, obviously you have Rodon and Turner who have you know been. Right. Um State has like pretty much every player here. So here's the big leader state has had since then. You have Gino Groover, you have Evan Justice, you have Patrick Bailey, you have Will Wilson, um, you have Joe Danand, you have Andrew Kisner. That's it. And Justice got drafted twice. So most of those were small cups of tea or cups of coffee, excuse me. Six, yeah, exactly. So you're talking about six guys over the last 12 years, and again, it's too early to count really either this year or last year's guys. So, you know, four and ten years, it's really hard. And as you said, Greg, those guys have only been cups of coffee. Like Patrick Bailey is has established himself, but you know, even he's really struggled at the plate, and like it's kind of reached a point as good as he is defensively, he's kind of reached a point where you know he may not be long as a established big leaguer. And so to me, just any of those guys getting there would be a big success. You know, which is more likely. I'm with you, I'm with you, Greg. Like Tyhead jumps off the page, like his his numbers jump off the page, but I just I kind of wonder about his approach at the plate and if that's gonna play. Um agreed. And I think with Duden, like you feel good about the slider, like the the slider's a big league pitch right now. Now, obviously, the Tommy, yeah, the Tommy John is certainly a wrench of things. Like, he's probably not gonna pitch in a pro game until 2028.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

When you say pro game, pro game, you mean like in the miners at a like including in the minor leagues, I think. No, I have to give me that next year.

SPEAKER_03 11:23

You think he'll be back? He he had Tommy John surgery in was it April, early May?

SPEAKER_02 11:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:30

April, so late April. So you know he's like obviously he's not gonna pitch this year, next year. He's not gonna be ready in April. No. Are you looking at like June best case scenario? July? Like the big league, the minor league season ends in August.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

Yeah, you get him some innings, but I know I just don't think you can go two years without throwing.

SPEAKER_03 11:51

No. No, no, no. I agree. And so to me, that's kind of where the where the question is. So look, I think Ty Head's ability to stick in center field, you know, will help him. Um, and his approach is great. I just kind of I don't I just kind of wonder if it's gonna get exposed as he kind of moves up the big league ladder. Um, and the other the other thing with Duden is you know, I talked about this on the Patreon, he got drafted as a starter, right? Where for him to go in the third round with Tommy John, he went ahead of where like if you're projecting somebody as a reliever, you're not going as high as where Duden went. And so, you know, this is a guy who's going to develop as a starter, which takes longer. Now, if they were to say, you know what, screw it, let's make him a reliever, then yeah, he's gonna get to the big leagues sooner. Um so I don't know, like both of those both of those guys have shots for sure.

SPEAKER_02 12:42

You mentioned, like, I again, I love Ty, like, and this is not a knock-on Ty, but you know, he he had the second most walks in NC State program history in a single season this year. He he might be too patient to a fault, right? And if if that's you know, you can't let good pitches go by because you're only gonna get so many in a bat, especially when when the competition is, you know, ratcheted up, you know, another notch or two. Um, but again, I think that's something that you know he'll have good instruction, they'll work on him with that kind of stuff, identifying pitches, location. Um, sometimes your talent just, you know, again, I kind of was making fun of Vance Honeycutt earlier. Like sometimes you're you're you're so good that it doesn't matter what your what your faults are, you can overcome them at certain levels. But at some at some point, that's gonna even out, right? And the advantage is gonna go to the more established guy. And that's my concern.

SPEAKER_03 13:38

Yeah well, so with Honeycutt, Honeycutt's an interesting example because the way he was talked about when he was at UNC. And his you know, his strikeout rate was just like you knew it was going to get exposed exposed, and it did. Um, and that's the problem he's run into now. With Ty, you know, I I I like what you said about walks. It really felt like as a freshman, he was almost trying to walk. And I think that was something that they fixed, that he fixed over the offseason. I didn't really get that sense this year that he was trying to walk, he was trying to do damage. I just wonder about his high-end exit velocities are like how do they like compare him to Chris McHugh, compare him to an Andrew Wiggins, compare to a Sherman Johnson where they can hit the ball 110 miles an hour. I don't think you've necessarily seen that from Tide Head. And so, you know, how is that power gonna play? And the other thing that's like once you get uh once you get into the minor leagues, it's like, okay, well, if you're not going to punish me from a power perspective, what's my reason for walking you? Exactly. What's my reason for walking? Like, there's no reason if you hit a single, you hit a single. Okay, yeah, same thing as a walk. And so I think that's sort of the thing that you've got to figure out with a head. It's like, okay, can the 15-14, I guess, home runs that he hit this year translate? And to me, that's the big question. I like his approach. Obviously, his eye is excellent, he pulls the ball in the air. That's how you get the most out of your power.

SPEAKER_02 14:59

But but a lot of his home runs felt like just launch angle, high pop-up, fly balls, you know, and Adobe. Right.

SPEAKER_01 15:08

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I do want to ask though about Duden. You know, I think it says a lot about him for sure, even as a prospect, being that he's coming off of Tommy John surgery and still, like we were saying, went number three, eighty, number eighty-three overall here. Um, you know, and I think even Ryan Marone kind of maybe has fallen into this bubble a little bit here, going at pick number 140 in the fifth round uh to the Pittsburgh Pirates here. Uh, you know, do you feel like because I mean both of them, you know, suffered you know injuries during the season, one earlier in the season with Tommy John surgery. You know, I don't know. I gotta I I'm just I'm just kind of thinking at here, Greg, being like, like, where could they have gone if they had pitched another full healthy season here? Just imagining, you know, could could either one of them slip into the second round, you feel like if they were fully healthy?

SPEAKER_02 16:04

I definitely feel that Dutton had the better opportunity, um, just because he's always projected higher for whatever reason than than Marone. Marone's kind of just been doubted um, you know, since you know, before he got to state, he didn't have a ton of ton of big offers. But um Marone is just a pitcher, he's gotta figure things out. I I think they both have an opportunity to to make it to the to their big league uh team that that drafted them. Um I thought I did think that I I had in my mind I I had Duden going in the third, which is what he did, but um having learned some things before the draft that there was there was an opportunity at a couple places in the second for him to have landed, and it just didn't work out that way. Um and the draft is a weird thing. Like there was a ton of guys that were ranked below Duden that went ahead of Duden. Um, you're gonna see that every year. Um, so you know, just depending on team's needs and you know who really fell in love with you, um, just kind of ends up where you getting, you know, get selected. But I thought I really thought Marone should have been a day one guy, um, but it just didn't quite happen. And you know, he just missed out by like what eight, ten spots for being a day one guy.

SPEAKER_01 17:19

Yeah. Ethan, anything that anything you would add to that?

SPEAKER_03 17:24

I still kind of wonder if we have the full story about Ryan Morone's injury. Yeah, I agree. It just doesn't uh it doesn't pass the smell test for me. It really doesn't. And I said it at the time. I said, hey, NC State needs to come out and say that Ryan Morone is fully healthy. And they did credit to them. They did. You know, again, they weren't they weren't one of the last four in, so would that have would that make the difference in them get again? Probably not. Um but I I just it it doesn't, you know, with his track record, I I think, you know, Greg, you you mentioned it like the perception is kind of feels like it's lower than it should be, but I also kind of wonder if the perception from pro teams is also higher than public perception. Um you know, like again, as a top 150 guy, like that's that's pretty good. Like it's good, it's still good, you know. The fifth just feels so low for me. Like, like compare him to like Wes Mendez, you know, who I think went second round.

SPEAKER_02 18:23

Like some of the things that went just right before um dude, and Decaro, like I think I have the name right.

SPEAKER_03 18:31

I think Decaro's a great example, like just a guy who performed for three years.

SPEAKER_02 18:35

Yeah, that's what Marone is.

SPEAKER_03 18:37

And and you know, the difference is Decaro pitched in Omaha and Marone finished the season hurt. Um and I, you know, I think that that makes a difference. And so I just kind of wonder if there's something else going on there. Maybe, maybe not. I have no idea.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

There could be questions. I mean, some of these teams may have questions, and then some you know, if there's questions, they're off the board. And you know, how many of those do you get struck out off of people's boards? And that lowers your pool.

SPEAKER_03 19:02

Yeah, yeah. I I just think like I don't know, like I think Duden was could have ended up as a first-round pick if he had been healthy, yeah. Uh and finished out the season. I think he was tracking with that sort of year.

SPEAKER_02 19:13

If he here's my other thing, too, real quick, and uh, I apologize. I'm I'm lagging, like I told you guys, and I apologize. I look if Duden starts last year and this year, he's a first rounder, period. I I think we did him an injustice with the only throwing him 40 innings last year.

SPEAKER_03 19:28

Um who's we? I I was complaining about that all year.

SPEAKER_02 19:33

I know you. I'm talking about state state baseball did him an injustice. So you're right, I shouldn't say we because I'm not part of the team. But I think I think if he's if he starts last year and this year, I I I would almost be willing to bet he's a first rounder. If not, no worse than second round. And again, I think there's enough tape for sure.

SPEAKER_03 19:54

I I I think that kind of speaks to the type of talent he is, where he made six, seven starts in his college career, is having Tommy John, and still went in the I think 83rd overall, is that right? 83rd. Like to me, that kind of tells you there's a lot of talent here, a lot of talent.

SPEAKER_02 20:11

And they thought very highly of him.

SPEAKER_03 20:14

No doubt. And so you know, again, back to Marone, like to me, it would have made more sense for him to be kind of in that dude and range, right? If he is fully healthy, which again, Avan told us he was. I could have been posturing for sure. Uh to me, he always struck me as that second, third type of you know, round. So I'm really interested, excited to see um what Marone's career look like. I think he's kind of an undervalued and agreed. I I think one of the underrated great NC State pitchers sends Carlos Rodon. Both of these guys, really.

SPEAKER_02 20:47

Yeah, I did I definitely think there's gonna be some teams wishing that they hadn't passed on Marone and obviously Duden as well. Like I just think I I I mean, I mean, he he was rated, uh Duden was ranked, I think, 74, 78, and he goes 83. So that's pretty close to what they valued him as as his rank. But again, I I still think that that was even low. And and we're gonna be homers, obviously, but I I I think that I think Duden has a chance, you know, if he's if he's able to get back to his full form. I mean, because there's always gonna be a question, you know, coming off of a major major injury. Um, you know, though it's it's a much more successful thing these days than it was 30 years ago. But um, yeah, you know, only time will tell for these two and then uh everyone else that we're gonna talk about tonight.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

Yeah. Well, and and one guy in particular, uh too as well, Ethan, that uh uh you had talked about on Twitter, which I do want to ask about is Chris McHugh uh going in the 11th round, pick 335 to the San Diego Padres. Um you had pointed out to uh uh an idea around basically how basically signing somebody, I believe you said in the 10th, 11th round or later, is basically there's no there's no really down. Side, there's no really risk to it from an MLB team perspective. You can just throw it out there, and if they sign, great. If they don't, then oh well. So, you know, maybe this was pointing towards potentially him falling that far because uh and and I'm kind of reading between the lights here, falling that far because there was some possibility of him returning to Missy State, being also two that you had also mentioned that uh they had state baseball had not signed a first baseman yet here. Uh, but yet there was reports that came out today saying that he was going to sign with the podge race. Uh, I mean, it seems like basically a whirlwind of 24 hours here in terms of especially probably for you, uh, being that like you were saying, you were puzzling the pieces together, but then all of a sudden, bam, you know, signed with the podge race here. You know, did that come as much of a shock to you?

SPEAKER_03 22:52

Um, oh I I wouldn't say a shock. No, I I still expected Chris McHugh to go. I just thought there was a like again, I've always been like, hey, if these guys get drafted, they're going to go. There's just very few examples of them not signing. But I thought Chris McHugh sort of fit into the category of maybe he does return, right? And again, there's very few examples. I don't think it's happened since Josh McClain and Brock Deterge, where you turn down the signing bonus as a junior and come back as a senior. You know, Evan Justice did it as a draft eligible sophomore. Um and now things have it wasn't gonna move. Now things have changed. Um although he's he still only signed for 150,000. Um anyway, now things have changed with the five for five. So you technically would have an extra year of eligibility, and just kind of reading between the lines, like okay, NC State doesn't have a first baseman on the roster. Like I can get my glove ready, but you know, that's technically they do, but you know you they do. They have no, but you still need a DH.

SPEAKER_02 23:56

No, no, no, you have Quinn Bentley. You have Quinn Bentley.

SPEAKER_03 24:00

You still need a DH.

SPEAKER_02 24:01

I I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just correcting you. We do have a first baseman on the roster.

SPEAKER_03 24:07

Yeah, and and again, now you know, now we have the whole Andrew Wiggins thing too. So no early. I wasn't surprised. It's too early. I I I was uh I was not surprised that that it was you know Chris McHugh will sign. Um I just kind of thought, you know, like there was some reading between the lines where it was like, okay. And I know we had heard stuff, you know, potentially during the season that it was like maybe something to keep an eye on, but obviously just didn't play out that way. And again, with these draft eligible guys, you always expect them to go and you have to plan as such. And if they come back, you know, it's a bonus.

SPEAKER_04 24:39

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:40

I what I will say, and and I would like your your thoughts on this too, Ethan. Was I was surprised from the perspective that Cooper Consiglio went before Chris McHugh.

SPEAKER_01 24:54

Uh you don't want my thoughts on this, Greg?

SPEAKER_02 24:56

I I mean, yes, but not first.

SPEAKER_03 24:58

Leighton, you go first.

SPEAKER_01 24:59

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:00

I ain't got much. I ain't got much. Go ahead, Ethan. Let's see, Greg, let's see who signs for more money. That would be my because Cooper Consiglio kind of went in the the the the money-saving portion of the draft.

SPEAKER_02 25:14

Right on the edge, yes. Yes, yeah, so agreed. Agreed. And that wasn't a knock on either one of these guys, too. Like, like Coop was a Coop was was a I don't know how the right way to say it, but a product of bad managing, if you will. I you know, we've had this conversation.

SPEAKER_03 25:32

I I don't think that impacted the way MLV teams viewed him. I I really don't think it did. No, I you know, I think it made his numbers look worse, but I don't think that I I thought he did better in this draft than than I was expecting. And again, let's see how much he signed for because again, if his signing, I don't remember what his slot was, probably around.

SPEAKER_02 25:49

It's like 175,000, I think it was, something like that.

SPEAKER_03 25:52

Okay, so if he says you know, yeah, okay. So if he says, hey, I'll sign for 125 or 150, then you're gonna save a few bucks there. Not a meaningful amount there. Um, so I I wouldn't be surprised if Chris McHugh does end up signing earlier, but I thought Consiglio he did better than I expected. I expect him to be uh rounds 11 through 20 guy. Um agreed.

SPEAKER_02 26:13

That was that was exactly where and that's why I was saying, like, I didn't expect McHugh to be a round 11 or later guy. I I thought McHugh would be around 7-8, uh, somewhere around there. Um, I I know you were talking about it earlier today as well, and I know we'll talk about Sherman Johnson. So if you want to go there next, Late and that way we can have that part of the conversation. Unless you're going in order. Unless you're going in order of draft.

SPEAKER_01 26:38

Well, no, because I script skipped the Chris McHugh, but obviously, I mean that's that's a big storyline, uh, for sure. Uh, you know, because especially like Ethan had pointed out, you know, well, could he return kind of deal here as well? So um, but yeah, no, Sherman Johnson, uh, you know, I think for me, this is really like the of all of them, for me was the biggest. All right. Like, like, like you go, Sherm. Like, you know, uh, you know, for me, like I didn't really have a lot of like, you know, I I guess high confidence of that, you know, he would get drafted this this early. But you know, going to to a program Cincinnati Reds, I think it's you know, I think it's a good fit for him. And I think you know, he's a guy that that showed a lot of promise and some really big moments for NC State this season. So uh kind of gives, in my opinion, really kind of Geno Groover vibes here a little bit, uh, you know, in terms of a guy that you know has the ability to launch the ball if needed, and and and also too in big situations, you know, has a lot of clutch moments to his name, especially just this last season here. So um, you know, obviously Dell, I believe as well, with a little bit of probably some nagging injury stuff here late in the season, um, especially during the regional. Uh, but again, just a guy that you know came to NC State's uh, you know, and performed, I think, in some big moments. And, you know, hats off to him. And and and hey, love where he ended up. Love that he got drafted in a spot where he's gonna, you know, make some good chunk change here for it here.

SPEAKER_03 28:16

Yeah. Yeah, I thought Sherman Johnson was the biggest stock-up guy this season. Um coming in. I I didn't think he would play if I'm being honest. I thought Wyatt Piper would play over him. I thought it was a battle between him and Mikey Ryan at short. Obviously, they both ended up playing, you know, credit to NC State for getting that decision right. Um they moved him around previous years. They moved him around a little bit. Um I'm still not saying I'm still not saying Wyatt Piper shouldn't have played at all, by the way. Or other other solutions, but agreed. Like Sherman John was for me, like just was not a guy really on the radar. And so he ended up actually, he went lower than I expect like lower than I expected going into the draft. You know, I've seen him on some lists, like he was borderline top 100 on some lists that I saw. And so I I thought he was a guy who was really, really stock up, um, especially the back half of the season. I think his under-the-hood stuff, which again, that's what they're drafting based off of, um, was impressive. Uh I think his exit velocities, his strike zone discipline, um, I think he did a lot of those things. I think athletically he grades out really well. He's got some versatility defensively. Um, so again, actually. It could.

SPEAKER_02 29:35

Just from a developmental standpoint, that's all. That's all I'm getting at. Not that he can't play.

SPEAKER_03 29:39

Maybe, yeah, maybe, but I also think like as a first round pick, I would agree with you. Like, as a big time prospect, I do think that hurts you. But yeah, as a guy who's a seventh round pick, like you got to find a way to stick around. You know, so now if he now, if he develops into a big-time prospect, yeah, I would agree. But obviously, we'll see where it goes. I I would not be surprised at all if this is the guy who you know kind of gets himself on the radar, almost like a Brandon Butterworth type of situation. I need to check on Butterworth and see where he is. I I believe he has yeah, he's in the world. Yeah, because he got traded, right? He got traded for somebody, but um, you know, I I I would not be at all surprised to see him outperform where he is. Butterworth is currently in double A, and he's he's performing like he is. Um so again, like as a 13th round pick for Butterworth, like pretty solid, you know, and so uh I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen with Sherman Johnson either. And again, what a success story, you know, a late ad. Yep. And um, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:51

Yeah, I agree with you, Ethan. Like he's a guy that we had, we just didn't have any any really good tape on him, good information on him. There wasn't really a lot out there, you know, uh that you know, to your point, Piffer had a little bit more clout prestige, whatever you want to call it, coming from the program that he came from, just you know, had a little bit more experience and you know, started off a little rough for Sherman, but you know, he was just adapting to the level of play that he was playing against. It's not Juco ball anymore. And uh, I thought he he he would to you to everyone's point, he was probably State's second best player on the roster the last month and a half of the season. Um, you know, uh I think Mikey Ryan was the best player. Again, another player that struggled earlier on the season that we just didn't we had high expectations, but it took him a while to get going. And and look, there's mocks out there right now that are showing Mikey Ryan as a first round draft pick that I've seen. Um we'll we'll talk about that, you know, at some other point. But you know, Sherman Johnson, I thought to your point as well, Ethan, I thought he had a chance to be late five, early six round kind of guy. Um, and I think he's just gonna, I think he's just gonna weigh one of those guys. Next thing you know, he's playing in triple A, uh, knocking on the door of the majors. I I do think he has that ability. Um, you know, he's just a he's just you know just someone that just goes out and plays ball wherever you ask him to play, do whatever you ask him to do. Um, you know, very coachable kind of kid and does all the right things. So I definitely root for all of them, but there's a few that I root for a little bit harder than others.

SPEAKER_01 32:25

Yeah. Now, Greg, do you I guess were you surprised seeing Luke Nixon go before Sherman Johnson?

SPEAKER_02 32:33

Yes. Oh only only because I I just thought Sherman had a little bit more. Um, and I was surprised that Luke went as high as he did. I had him pegging, I I had him going like just after Sherman, probably like sixth or seventh round. Uh but maybe Ethan thinks of it a little differently. But he showed a lot. I mean, he was State's probably second or third best hitter, especially when it came to ACC play. Um, you know, very good, I would say slightly plus uh defender, uh, has pedigree. You know, those are things that that scouts fall in love with. And, you know, they value defense, pedigree, like I said, doesn't hurt. And then the fact that he's gotten better offensively each season at NC State, so you still think there's might be some more to be tapped into, and that's what that's what scouts are hoping. Maybe there's one more notch that he can get to.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

Yeah, yeah.

unknown 33:30

Go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 33:31

I thought I thought for Nixon, you know, he really checks the intangibles box between his dad. I I think he I don't want to say he plays the game the right way because that sort of implies he plays like a dirtbag, and that's what you want for a baseball player. Yeah, I also think he has the right approach that teams are looking like what do we talk about with Andrew Wiggins, pulling the ball in the air. You know what Luke Nixon does really well? He pulls the ball in the air. So you don't have you don't have to teach him how to do that, you don't have to teach him how to how to you know work on the fundamental. Like he's already he's started from eight four boxes. Right, right. Yeah, and so he's he's checked a lot of boxes that like he's ahead developmentally of where other guys are now as he moves up the ladder, right? That becomes harder and harder to you know separate yourself. And so uh I I had actually I I had heard that and I I put something in the Patreon, I comped him to Tyler McDonough and thought that that was a possibility where he could McDonough went third round. Um and so I thought he could end up there. Obviously, that quite didn't happen, goes goes a little later. McDonough went 75th overall. So and Nixon went 150th, so a little lower there. Um, so I I thought come draft time, you know, I I did expect him to go a little higher than he did, but yeah, I mean this is a guy who again, all like the intangibles box is is what he checks. Um and again, like he's gonna do things the right way, he's gonna do things the right way, and the political part of it, like does somebody in the Giants organization know him? Is he gonna get a little bit longer of a look because his dad is a big leaguer? Yeah, I I definitely think that's possible.

SPEAKER_02 35:19

So nothing wrong with that. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:22

Well, and and to to kind of finish off here, our MLB conversation piece here, I did want to bring it back to where we really started this live stream, talking about the historic piece to it, specifically tied to Coach Avon here. You know, obviously, with Coach Avent now after this draft, uh coached 143 draft picks over his 30-year tenure, uh, including 64 alone since 2015. Uh, and now he's had four picks in the top 150 for the first time in program history, and as well back-to-back years with at least six draft picks, which is the first time in program history here. Uh, you know, Greg here, just you know, what is this? You know, just I you know, they they always like to say, you know, go out, go out on top here. And with Coach Avant and you know how he truly is the definition of a player's coach, you know, would do anything for his players here for sure. The fact that he can go out saying, hey, listen, I like I was able for at least six of y'all for the last two years to get y'all signed, you know, to an MLB franchise, that's that's a pretty cool, I mean, uh, you know, I would say accomplishment. I would say that's probably at the top of that list, thinking about how Coach Avon is is leaving his legacy here.

SPEAKER_02 36:42

Absolutely. You know, now with Chris Hart taking the reins, um, one of the things that he can he can use as a recruiting tool is like, hey, we had the second most eight draft picks in the ACC in the major league drafts last year. Over the last 10 years, we've had this amount. Like the numbers just speak for themselves. And and as a recruit, I I think you you you want to be in the best position to get drafted and make it to your goal, whatever that goal is, right? Whether it's to get drafted, to make it to the majors, whatever that looks like. State gives you that opportunity. And you know, we've had first round draft picks and we've had you know people that go on and have long careers, not only on the field but in the broadcast booth uh for baseball. So again, whatever your goal is, state gives you that opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 37:29

Yeah, yeah. Ethan, anything you would add in terms of you know what this means really for Coach Haven's legacy here, and you know, would you say that that you know this is up there in terms of his maybe crowning achievement on the way out?

SPEAKER_02 37:47

Don't ask me.

SPEAKER_03 37:48

I don't want to spoil the stat pack. And I also don't want uh I also don't want to be a Debbie Downer. If I was being a Debbie Downer, which I'm not, let's just make that clear. I'm a little disappointed with the postseason with this many draft picks over the last two years. I again not being a Debbie Downer is saying if I was that's why I would be a Debbie Downer.

SPEAKER_02 38:09

Hey, I had 40 minutes, the 40-minute mark you would make the negative comment, and I was just missing by 12 seconds. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 38:16

Again, I'll give him a pass for this year. Absolutely, but 13 draft picks this the last two years, and all but one of them were on that team last year.

SPEAKER_01 38:26

Yeah, it's good point.

SPEAKER_03 38:28

Yeah. Outside outside of Sherman Johnson, right? The rest of them were correct, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:33

Yep, yep. Well, then let's then since since we've teased it here, let's just go ahead here and jump into it. But before we do that, I do want to uh put put uh I guess uh plug once again as well that if you want Ethan's full MLB draft thoughts specifically, and also too as well, a ton of insider members only content. Make sure to go to our Patreon, link down the description below, only five dollars a month, three members only videos a week, plus access to our members only rumor chat where we already dropped a rumor today regarding men's basketball. So make sure to go sign up, link down description below, sign up here today. Uh but with that being said, let's jump on over to Ethan's stat. Well, I want to say first of all, a huge thanks uh to our amazing sponsor here, Alpha CPR certified training. Uh, you know, just amazing, amazing what they what they are doing with uh the CPR certified training, which are the versatility behind it offering for pediatric, but also two adult courses as well. That meets OSHA standards, valid for two years. And also, two, they can bring the training directly to you. So no travel is required from your end. Sounds like an absolute deal of a setup here to me. So make sure to go check out our amazing sponsor, AlphaWolf CPR training at alpha wolfcpr.square dot site today. So Ethan, let's not hold it back anymore in here, my man. Let's jump into what's your stat pack of the week just to bring the Debbie down on on the show here today, man.

SPEAKER_03 40:14

No, no, this is not a Debbie down. This is not I again I wasn't doing that. I was just saying hypothetically. I see so uh two numbers here for you guys. First is 13. That is the number of draft picks over the last two years. That is the most over a two-year stretch. Uh I know.

SPEAKER_01 40:31

Did you get that, Greg? 13 drafts picks over the last two years. Did you get that?

SPEAKER_02 40:34

Yeah, and you got a couple others that didn't get drafted that are still signed, but we'll get to that later.

SPEAKER_03 40:38

Yeah, yeah. I didn't count those. Those guys, sure. I didn't count them because not like not as like a knock on them or anything, just it's hard to keep up with them. They don't show up on the baseball reference page, so I don't want to count the undrafted guys this year and not in previous years. So 13. Obviously, they've had some big numbers in the past. I believe the highest prior to this was 11 in 17 and 18. Um, the other thing, too, is this is the most who have signed. So they've had a few in the past that have got up to the 12-13 number, but not everybody has signed, right? We talked about Evan Justice, did not sign as a sophomore. Josh McClain, Brock Detridge did not sign when they were drafted as juniors. Um, and when again, when the draft was 40 rounds, you know, that was a more common thing. Now it's a 20-round draft. We talked about Chris McHugh. Chris McHugh is gonna sign. All these guys are gonna sign. Uh, so it's gonna be seven, uh, excuse me, 13 total over the last two years. The other number that I'm gonna be watching here, Greg, over the next two weeks, from the financial perspective, the number to beat, which this pro let me ask you guys this 10 million between Carlos Rodon and Trey Turner. Will that number ever be beaten by an NC State group of? And actually, let me rephrase it's 10, it's approximately 10 million. I don't have it down to the dollar, but it also includes Brett Austin. So uh Rodon was 6.5 million, Turner was 2.9, and then Brett Austin was uh a shade under 500,000. Do you think NC State will ever have a draft class that cumulatively tops those three guys? And that was a small draft, that was only three guys, right? We're used to state having a number of guys. That would that was one of their smaller classes, but with those big guys at the top, obviously they've got them to million.

SPEAKER_02 42:34

For a little bit of context that are people that are listening, um, like $10 million was going to the number one draft pick this year as the slot value. The slot value for Jacob Duden at 83 was just under a million dollars. So if you look at it in those numbers, and it drops drastically from like 10 to 5, is like it cuts in half. And so you really you're really gonna have to get some heavy hitters up in the top part of your draft class. And so I say it may only take one. It may only take one, right? But you need a guy in the top five. Um, I don't know if states recruiting of that level right now. Um not to say that can happen. Yeah, I'm I'm gonna I'm I'm one of those guys that I believe in records being broken, and so I'm gonna say yes, it will be at some point.

SPEAKER_03 43:21

Yeah, this decade.

SPEAKER_02 43:23

Well, well, as salaries are going up, it makes it easier. So I will say that much, right?

SPEAKER_03 43:27

I would keep an eye on Mikey Ryan.

SPEAKER_02 43:29

I really like Mikey, Mikey has a chance to be really special next year, 100%.

SPEAKER_03 43:33

Not that Mikey, like, not that Mikey Ryan is again, you compare him to like Rock Jalowski, Von Lackey. Like, I don't think he's in that category. He could be tough. If he could get up into the top half of the first round, that's where Trey Turner went. That's where Will Wilson went. You talked about it, like that's gonna be I think that's three, four, five million dollar range. And then do you have Anderson Nance in the you know in the back half of the first round, right? That feels aggressive, but again, that's kind of the point. It only takes

SPEAKER_01 44:00

one guy yeah so i don't know layton what do you think yeah no i mean listen it it's the obviously the word ever is is is the key word there i think for for you ethan on on that is is who knows really where things are going to go with baseball i i i mean it's it can go a myriad of different ways here but i mean as well too though i mean i'm i i think also too i mean with carlos rodon and and tray turner the careers they've had in the in the major leagues have been absolutely phenomenal uh you know tray turner at one point being considered probably the the best shortstop and but shortstop in baseball uh you know at a period of time so like you know there's that that's that's quite a feather to put in your cap here regardless of the money that's made now i know that the money being made is a huge pull especially from a recruiting standpoint uh you know to be able to say you know like our guys right now are being are able to pull in X amount of millions of dollars in in MLB contracts that's that could be quite a statement if you have you know some some solid numbers there so but just like you were saying it's it's kind of a you know a number like what I'm thinking through in my head Greg by you talking about how the first overall pick is slot worth is about $10 million. You know can Carlos and Trey kind of you know Brett Austin kind of you know could they have equaled up to that $10 million point thinking about okay like you know the first overall pick versus Trey Turner Carlos Rodon and you know it's just like a a trade step point where would I stand with it? You know again it's a tough question there.

SPEAKER_03 45:35

But yeah no I mean like yeah I think it just uh like like Greg was saying with how the fact that numbers have gone up just with how sports is going with inflation you name it you never know hey listen you know there there it could be 10 15 years from now that that you know fifth round draft pick is getting paid five million dollars you know out out out the gate you never know yeah I I you mentioned the career earnings which is interesting do you have guys have a guess I'm really delaying my burying the lead here with my last number for the stat pack but Rodon and Turner's career earnings do you guys have a guess I would probably go like 350 375 million oh combined yeah oh sorry I I thought that's what you were asking for no no that that is that is a good um that is a good uh guess what was it Greg 300 I said 350 yeah yeah 350 I would say it's a little bit high I would say 280 that's lower oh you said my number was too high correct I think a 280 so Turner is currently at 154 million um and he's uh he's got a very long contract Turner is going to eclipse 300 million um by the end of his contract uh rodon so I believe Greg you were correct um Rodon is at 148 so they're pretty much identical uh and Rodon's contract obviously he's got two years left with the Yankees um he is at 148 and he one nearly 149 he so he's not gonna pass he's never gonna catch up to Trey obviously um but he is set to eclipse uh where did that go I lost it he is set to eclipse 200 million I believe by the end of his contract that's crazy um which is pretty good yeah um anyway and the beauty about that is is baseball is fully guaranteed so they're gonna see every single one of those dollars it's not like football that's right all right excuse me yeah football sorry um all right so my second number um is related to turner and road on um that again I keep burying the lead here uh is your is the total signing bonus for these seven players so Turner and Rodon set the bar at 10 million the state had another year at 5 million do you guys have a I don't know if you guys are gonna get this one five million do you guys have a guess at the year that happened man it's relatively recent it's not yeah yeah I was gonna say like twenty ten eleven no no more recent not that far okay I'm thinking like like maybe like the Patrick Bailey year that was it's more yeah Bailey and Sweeney it was only two guys it was the covet draft but uh Bailey signed for 3.8 and Sweeney signed for 1.2 so they're right at about 5 million yeah the numbers this year good very very close very tie should be about two and a half million I think is what I saw um yeah he's at 2.18 Duden is a shade under a million yeah uh morone is a shade over 500 Nixon is a shade under 500 yeah so that would get you to about four million and then you have Sherman Johnson at 283 Consiglio at 202 and then whatever Chris McHugh signs for it's gonna be tight.

SPEAKER_02 49:17

I do wonder if Tyhead being a draft eligible sophomore and having the an extra year of leverage he might a little bit more he might squeeze a little bit more could he get up to 2.5 um but otherwise this is going to be the top this is going to be the number the third best year I should say uh actually let me check volume though yeah well yeah you know this is the volume year for sure um and those other years have all been it's been one or two guys well two guys carrying the the the the the water pail to so to speak well and again like I said like you said is the depth yeah and again if you have another year like this in a year or two as the numbers keep going up and you know you have guys maybe slotted just a little bit higher it's definitely doable it you know it just depends on the strategy how you get there.

SPEAKER_03 50:09

Right. So tie head went 46th overall Jacob Kozart went 48th two years ago.

SPEAKER_02 50:15

Yeah and so and Kozart signed for 2.05 which I believe was higher than his slot if I'm not mistaken I remember being like wow he did very very well for himself what about Gino they had the same number uh so Gino a year earlier a year earlier yeah he also went 48th he was 1.78 so but look at that in one year in one year it jumped yeah so that'll be something to keep an eye on here can they get past the 5 million number it's gonna be very tight Gino was a senior right guess no no Gino was a junior was he a junior okay yeah it was one year Charlotte and two at stuff yeah I couldn't remember if he had two at Charlotte yeah I it's gonna be very tight um I would guess they probably come up just short uh of the five million number but no it's it's gonna be close they've got a shot to yeah because I think like again I talk about baseball and my buddy who I work with is like so how does the MLB draft work I said it is the most complicated sport there is when it comes to draft value and overslotting underslotting rounds 12 plus rollover money from previous years pool money for three years like it's so confusing.

SPEAKER_01 51:27

Right well but also too is but see but see the other two issue too with it though Greg is the fact that you know like with the NFL the guys going number one overall you're 99% going to see them on the field playing it for that team next year.

SPEAKER_02 51:44

You know number one overall even you know even first round draft picks you know it's they still have to go through the process you know to it's very rare it's very rare to jump from I mean you saw it back in the day a little bit more often but it's still even for like a number one draft pick especially a high school kid like this year the kid from UCLA goes number one he'll probably make the majors in like probably two to three years ideally ideally that's what they would like but the kid from Tampa Bay it's probably gonna take him five or six years. Yeah you know these are long term investments in some of the some cases.

SPEAKER_01 52:20

Well it's so to my point is that you know basically in my opinion that's what kind of takes off a little bit of the the sparkle to the MLB draft is the fact that these guys that you're seeing you're not going to see them on your TV you know in like you said probably at least two or three years uh from now by then you're gonna be like oh yeah you know I remember that guy kind of deal like and so it's you know it it's it's uh it's a little bit different than NFL draft where you know again if you're gonna draft in top 10 you're gonna see them playing on your TV here in a couple months.

SPEAKER_02 52:52

Yeah when Ethan is done with this tap pack I'm gonna need a uh uh on the fly what grinds my gears well I mean Ethan do you have anything else to add here before we jump over to it that's all I got 13 draft picks over the last two years five million dollar signing bonus collectively for these guys to surpass there you go all right let's jump on over grind my gears you know what really grinds my gears Greg the floor is all yours my friend the MLB draft grinds my gears I hate that I had to change the channel three freaking times to go find like where the draft goes from MBC to Peacock to MLB network. Oh and then we got to take a 30 minute break between rounds three and four like what the hell is that like who takes a break? Like is there a union break like do they have this in the contract where they get 30 minutes to take a break like most absurd thing ever.

SPEAKER_01 53:46

All right I'm done only need 30 seconds well you guys can digest that if you want yeah well and hey listen you know I I think you know you at this point you're so close to football season I think it's almost on NC State of us if we don't mention football at least in some in some point you know again I I think it's just a reminder of today's day and age CJ Bailey talk you know in his quote talking about how he heard uh during the offseason before he made the decision to come back to NC State from many different programs and heard them out things like that. Again like you know I get it like technically you know technically it's not illegal but it's no it is illegal. Well but well okay I mean it's not illegal if it was correct then then why no no Ethan said it right go ahead Ethan say it again it's not illegal to talk to the agent yeah well because again that's my thing Greg it's like like it's it's been publicly said if it was truly illegal you would not be publicly saying it without any kind of backlash at all about it. Now I think that the problem is also too okay well who are these programs that are talking well you're gonna have a hard time finding that you know without spending some time tracking down with the agent and etc whatever but at the end of the day he phrased it wrong he should have said my agent has heard from blah blah blah blah instead of I've heard from blah blah blah blah blah yeah again nothing pro it's probably just you know slip of the tongue for eating slip whatever sure but semantics it's semantics exactly right like did he probably hear from them probably so officially my agent heard from so and so that's probably how that shit goes down part of my language sorry where what time are we at?

SPEAKER_03 55:35

What time is it?

SPEAKER_02 55:38

There's kids yeah yeah anyway I apologize I normally yeah but no yeah you're 100% right Ethan like again it's you guys so for me and and and Ethan I'll let you finish it out and we can move on tweets of the week here.

SPEAKER_01 55:52

So so so my grinds my gears is just more of that it's just uh unfortunately another reminder of we're in a new era we truly are in a new era and it is what it is.

SPEAKER_03 56:03

So go ahead Ethan do you guys think that NC State was the highest bidder for CJ Bailey no I do really I do too yeah really I don't buy the ecliptic I don't buy the oh CJ Bailey turned down Miami and Alabama whoever else I don't buy it I think NC State was the highest bidder and I I think I don't think I don't want to sit here and be like oh CJ Bailey's not loyal like I'm not saying that I'm just saying like there's a reason he's coming back. And so I I'm with you Greg I think CJ Bailey I think NC State was the highest bidder for CJ Bailey and that's why he came back.

SPEAKER_01 56:53

Well and and and Greg I'll let you add in but like for me it's just I immediately no because I'm just never going to envision NC State being the school that is the top bidder for a very high draft prospect in C quarterback of all of all positions in CJ Bailey. I just I just can't wrap my head around that uh they did it for Darion Williams but yeah well I also don't think that look no offense I love CJ Bailey by the way I've had several conversations with him absolutely love him so I don't want people to take this the wrong way I don't think that he's as high a draft prospect as people are saying at this moment but he a thousand percent has his uh ability his opportunity to play himself into that conversation this year yeah 100% 100 yeah it's what could he become not what is he right now correct 100% agree and he's a great player i mean he's a really good player like would he be drafted today if the draft were to be tomorrow yes i i do i don't think he would be in the first three rounds but he he definitely is drafted yeah completely agree well with that being said let's jump on over tweets of the week y'all and uh highlight a couple more things before we wrap this episode up heath andrews signing as an undrafted free agent here uh having 117 strikeouts over the last three seasons here uh you know Greg I know when you were putting this together here you know this is probably one given the flowers here for sure a guy that's you know spent you know a good amount of time here at NC State uh again having a solid career uh you know again 117 strikeouts over three seasons is you know not elite but it's it's nothing it's solid you know production here for sure over three seasons here but you know what what would you say you know in terms of you know when talking about Heath Andrews and him ending up as an undrafted free agent to the Cleveland Guardians yeah it's one of those instances where he he went he tried to go the Dom Fritton route uh if you want to put a comp on this I would think this is kind of one of those situations where I think had his number been whatever his number was last year um been a number where MLB teams were interested I think that he would have gone last year.

SPEAKER_02 59:11

But he played the he played the he played the uh the stock market and kind of you know didn't didn't quite hit for what he wanted. I also think that he's a he's a product of again maybe some mismanagement we've had the conversation here on this channel multiple times and I actually talked with some some uh some players that would agree that like there were times that Heath was left out there to left out to to to dry. I also think that he I don't think because of who he he you know the Denny Green he is who he thought we he was type deal um I don't think his stock is going to get any higher. And so at this point I think it's best for him to get his pro career going and see what he can do um and and and you know kind of go the the uh sam haiffel route at this point.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:04

Yeah uh Ethan I want to uh uh jump here to our second we hear pretty quickly but anything you'd add here about Heath Andrews and your thoughts of him going as an undrafted free agent here no Cleveland's a great spot um and I sort of wonder if he passed on other opportunities even though it meant going undrafted to end up with Cleveland I think that would be a good move highly highly regarded for their their pitching uh development um really good point so yeah I I don't know like you mentioned last year like I don't know if he I maybe I I don't know that he lost out on money again he can still sign for up to 125000 here right and so you know how much how much was he getting offered last year I doubt it was much you yeah I like the Dom Fritton comparison Greg so um you know this one made sense um and obviously we still have Andrew Wiggins to keep an eye on here but yeah I I can't let it go can you this one no this one made sense this one made sense um but at the same time if you're NC State you know you saw him go undrafted I'm sure they still at that point had a good read on the situation. You never turn arms away even though as as much as we've debated Heath Andrews like you you want you need as many arms as you can get as we saw this year.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:18

And he's not a bad pitcher like honestly I think he would be a good reliever. I really do I I think he'd be good once through a you know through a lineup you give him a couple innings I I think there's potential there. I just don't know if we used him in his best um light.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:34

Yeah yeah so uh moving on to here to our second tweet though now talking about something to get really excited about here and that is uh uh NC State baseball signee outfielder Gunnar Alm NC State's highest ranked signee uh reaffirmed his commitment after the MLB draft the number 79 recruit in the nation and top ranked player in North Carolina will be coming to campus next season here Ethan your initial reaction big get for NC State um you know I had I had yeah I had talked about it ahead of time um I didn't think all was I mean last few years state has lost guys to the draft last year was Aiden West and CJ Gray the year before that it was Devin Fitzgerald um year before that was Landon Maraudis state has lost guys every year I did not think good ones I did not think that Alm was quite in that category but you know some of the reporting that's come out I think he was higher this he was closer to going than I thought he would be I guess is is the way I would frame it and so um you know to get him in is a is a big deal obviously very very highly regarded player um for me instant impact I I think he's a starter from day one um and a big deal for instance right or left field field yeah yeah I'm just curious if you had a preference yeah I mean I I I still think like I think uh Rhett will be in center um so I would guess all will be in one of the corners but yeah agreed you know I I do think there's some flexibility there I don't think red is a lock for center I do think he will be there but I I consider it a little bit more of an open competition than like tie head so um you know maybe something to see there but yeah like like state is recruited on this the with this roster as if they're expecting Gunnar all him to come in and play from day one and be an impact bat so I think that's kind of what you're expecting here.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:36

Yeah yeah yeah uh Greg anything you add to that no it sounds like he like definitely spurred some offers don't know what his number was so either you know obviously it didn't get get met whatever that number was like was he a guy that just had a really high number because he really wanted to go to state or what the case is but I will tell you one thing NC State will probably have the fastest outfield next year in the ACC um and look when we talk about team identities if this team doesn't steal 100 bases next year I don't know what we're doing but that's for another day.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:09

Ethan easy my friend easy hold it hold it deep inside I know hey there's a new there's a new sheriff in town we might be running there's a new sheriff in town oh man Ethan's ever like yep let me go let me go Leighton I know let me cook let me cook I know let me and I haven't I haven't seen these tweets is there a Landon Church tweet in here too or no there's no I didn't do I didn't do I was trying to go not super baseball heavy I know shocking okay well apologies we're passing no but it's a good point go ahead bring it up because there's there's truth to that as well yeah landon church is you know another name in this recruiting class that had some interest in this draft and and obviously turned it down didn't get drafted so they'll be making it to campus again a guy I think we threw his name out there on the Patreon as well a guy I I think there was probably a little more interest than than you would have thought um and you just never know in those situations so at least for me Greg I I've got Landon Church in the lineup right now I do and I I expect him to yeah to get a chance to play and and we'll see I I think he is a under the radar name that I expect again to have a big impact next year.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:23

Yeah we'll we'll be breaking this down as we get ready for a fall bowl I'm sure Ethan you and I but uh yeah there's no one on the roster that's not um that can't be challenged for a spot at this point in my mind the there you know other than Mikey Ryan yeah that that's I don't think I don't think red either no I I agree with that statement but I mean all right seven out of the ten you know starting fielding positions you know there there's no one that I'm handing the job to or seven out of ten positions including DH Hunter Warren probably so those three probably yeah probably I mean but who knows maybe yeah maybe

SPEAKER_03 1:06:00

All right, you know what? They're all locked. So uh I don't even know what I'm talking about. I'm Layton's like, can we please be done with basically?

SPEAKER_02 1:06:07

And that's why I only gave two tweets.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:09

Well, and hey, but speaking of though, too, I want to switch here to one of my favorite conversation pieces here. And get and Greg, I'll let you kind of give a little bit of the background here. But uh we had some interesting announcements here going on here with from the ACC uh commissioner Jim Phillips here.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:25

Yeah, Al Riveron, who'd been the uh lead ACC official uh for I think the last three years, if my memory serves me, uh former NFL guy, uh former rules analyst, and all that stuff had been with the ACC. Just up and retired on a Tuesday. Um no real explanation given other than he wants to spend time with family, which of course, you know, when you get, you know, there's a lot of gree in that hair. So he's probably in his 60s. Uh when you get up in that age group, you know, maybe maybe it's time to slow down a little bit and enjoy the enjoy the leaves and smelling the roses. But uh yeah, so we read to we had to replace him. So unless you have anything to say about this hey, yeah, we have a new hire.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:10

Gary Patterson, which uh definitely rung rung some bells, I think uh no.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:17

Yeah, yeah, because of what happened, like what was it last year, the year before last?

SPEAKER_01 1:07:21

Right.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:22

Basically quit at halftime, like took his whistle and went home.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:28

Huh? Okay, I don't remember for that. So give give give the background here.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:32

What for you quit mid-season after Syracuse and Yukon game and didn't like the way that game was heading as far as officiating? Y'all don't remember this story? No. Wow. All right, hold on. All right, all right, talk amongst yourselves and I'll I'll get the uh is this like is this something that happened? Did you dream this?

SPEAKER_03 1:07:51

No, it 100% happened. You said it was Syracuse versus Yukon?

SPEAKER_02 1:07:56

Yeah, it was after the game. He didn't quit hat halftime. That was that was a little sarcasm, so sorry if anyone took that seriously. Um veteran.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:04

Well, here's what go for it. You got a quick one. Head referee Gary Patterson quit his position following a highly controversial replay sequence. This command center forced a delayed review on an incomplete pass after the next play had already been snapped.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:21

Um that's a classic. That is a classic situation for that's a classic situation for video review if I've ever heard one. I mean, how many how many times, you know, have have we seen you know plays get reviewed when the I mean shoot, like uh what was it? The most famous one, uh, you know, Cleveland Browns, uh, you know, the the bottlegate, you know. I mean that's that's a classic one right there, a classic situation.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:50

So so yeah, so I mean, you know, I guess I guess hashtag ACC refs isn't isn't going without. It's staying right here with Gary, it sounds like.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:00

Yeah, I mean he was done. This was after week two uh of the 2025 season. So just you know, uh a year ago. Um so yeah, I that that's the reason why I actually included this because it was like, huh, you literally quit because you didn't like how ACC officiating was in the replay, which by the way, under Al Riveron, he's the one that brought forth you know the transparency of you know showing those during a game, which by the way, I believe the Big 12 or Big Ten is adopting that as well. I can't remember which big it was, but one of one of those conferences is now doing that. So the ACC was very innovative in that regard. But then to bring this guy on in charge of, which is wild, right? If you think about it. So it's like, well, if I can't fix it, I'm gonna quit until I can fix it and they hire me. Just found it interesting, and you know, yeah. So hashtag ACC ref suck. That should be the uh the lead here.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:00

100%. Uh last tweet of the week here, uh college basketball review. Uh, but and before I before I talk about this tweet here, Greg, I don't know much about college basketball review. I mean, I know it has a blue not much. It's not much.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:15

I look, it's it's uh July 13th, and I didn't know how much we were going to be talking about baseball, so I just threw this in there. If you'd notice, I put it at the very last one. We can talk about it, we don't have to talk about it. Um well, yeah, let's save this for another week.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:32

No, hey, I mean we got it up. Let's talk about it for here for two minutes. So and so college basketball review came out uh with all-time rankings and has NC State number 21 uh from a basketball program. Am I reading this correctly?

SPEAKER_02 1:10:48

Basically, basketball.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:50

So the all-time college basketball programs has NC State number 21. I would take that. I I think that's again. I'm trying to do it like shoot, I can't even put 15 minutes.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:03

I think what we should do is not to tell Ethan what to do, but he should definitely break this down in his stat pack for next week and tell us if this is a good uh a fair ranking.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:14

Yeah. Well, for start, isn't it 13 teams that have all that have won multiple national titles? That sounds about right. So okay, well, there you go. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I get like, are you worried about others? Like, I guess the case against NC State is recency bias, which makes sense. I mean, it's been 40 years since they won a title, but they've got a recent final four, they've got a recent ACC title, they've been in the tournament on a regular basis. So uh it feels low, but again, what are the other teams? And again, recency bias, I get it. Like, I get it.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:49

Yeah, this guy's probably under 30, right? Like, let's be real that a lot of these people that create these little pages here fairly.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:56

Like, would you take yeah? I'm trying to think of like a team that's been better recently. I would say Florida. Apparently, 20 other teams. Apparently 20 other teams, yeah. Like Villanova? Like, what like do you have this list in front of you or no? Villanova to me would be. I'm pretty sure Villanova only has two. I guess they might have more. But their two are three.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:20

They have three. They won, they won one in the 80s. They beat Georgetown in the 80s.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:25

Yeah. So I don't know. Like, it's just tough. Like recent C bias is gonna work against NC State in this situation, and they'll probably end up being a little ranked a little lower than they probably deserve, which I you know, I can't necessarily blame somebody for that.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:37

Yeah, I honestly I I'm with you, Ethan. Um, you know, uh, there's 13 teams at multiple national championships. Um, you know, before the last 40 years, to your point, state had won a good amount of ACC titles. Um you know, I I would think 21's a little low. I would probably put it around 15, if I'm if I'm being honest, without looking at the rest of the lists. Um, because state is a very storied program, but in the last 40 years, to your point, it's it's been a little topsy terzy. Topsy turby. I think that's right. Anyway, I'm tired.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:12

Yeah. Well, with that being said, Wolfpack Nation, you want to say they're joining us here live or watching us back uh later on, too, as well. Here, so I want to wrap it up here by just saying if you haven't already, make sure to smash that subscribe button if you haven't already. It's free to do, it really helps support the channel a ton, too, as well. And uh also too as well, hit that like button. If you haven't done that, make sure to hit that like button. It did uh just helps the YouTube algorithm pick up this live show, get in front of more NC State fans, as well as make sure to give us a follow Tough Talk now on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. And lastly, go check out our amazing Patreon. Only $5 a month, get three members only videos a week, plus our members only rumor chat. Amazing value that you do not want to miss out on. So make sure to go check that out in the description below. Go sign up here today. But with that being said, y'all, we will talk to you all soon. And as always, go pack it.