PGCROSSCHECKER COLLEGE TEAM SCOUTING REPORT

42. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (35-23, did not qualify for NCAA post-season play).

Conference/Projected Finish: Mid-American/1^st (17-9/2^nd in 2006).

Coach: Steve Jaksa (135-93, 4 years).

First Game: Feb. 16 at Alabama-Birmingham.

OVERVIEW: Scouts will be more intrigued with the high-quality arms on the pitching staff, but a high-powered offense built around senior 1B Chris Humphrey (.338-13-72), junior 2B Noah Lankford (.347-5-34) and senior OF Bryan Mitzel (.305-15-57) makes the team go. Junior RHP Josh Collmenter (8-5, 3.41) is the one solid, dependable arm on the pitching staff.

X-Factor: Led by the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Collmenter, 6-foot-6, 230-pound sophomore RHP Chris Kupillas (0-0, 6.75), 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior RHP Eric Lawrence and 6-foot-5, 240-pound sophomore RHP Jeff Richard (2-1, 7.20), the Chippewas may have one of the most physical pitching staffs in the country. Richard’s fastball tops out at 95 mph, Kupillas’ a tick slower. Lawrence led the nation’s junior college in strikeouts per 9 innings in 2006.

TOP FRESHMAN: Dale Cornstubble, c. Michigan ’s Mr. Baseball in 2006, he was a mainstay on the Homer High team that set a national record with 70 straight wins, a streak that ended a year earlier. He’ll step in as the starting catcher for the Chippewas.

TOP SOPHOMORE: Jeff Richard, rhp. With the best fastball on the staff, a plus breaking ball and a plus splitter, Richard has the stuff (and size) to be an early-round pick in this year’s draft. He just needs to develop command of his pitches.

TOP JUNIOR: Josh Collmenter, rhp. Despite his size, Collmenter relies more on command and finesse to get hitters out. He led the Chippewas in wins, ERA and strikeouts (94 in 95 innings) a year ago.

TOP SENIOR: Ben Humphrey, 1b. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Humphrey is another impressive physical specimen on the Chippewas roster. He has big-time bat speed and is a force in the middle of the CMU lineup.