ARKANSAS 

2007 FOLLOW LIST  

OVERVIEW: The amount of talent in the state ofArkansas is largely dependent on the ability of the University of Arkansas to recruit from out of state. This happens to be an above-average year as the Razorbacks’ three-man starting rotation looks to be drafted in the top three rounds, with lefthander Nick Schmidt and righthander Jess Todd possible late first-round/compensation picks.

Schmidt is from Missouri, Todd from Texas and No. 3 starter Luke Welker from Washington . In fact, virtually every draftable college player in Arkansas played high school and junior college ball out of state. That isn’t likely to change as the Razorbacks have a huge junior college-heavy recruiting class committed almost exclusively from out of state.

It’s unlikely that any Arkansas high school player will be picked in the top 10 rounds, although multi-sport star Delta Cleary received heavy scouting attention early. Ironically, he plans to go to an out-of-state college in Louisiana if he doesn’t sign.

STRENGTH: University of Arkansas pitching staff.
WEAKNESS: High-school talent.
OVERALL RATING (1-to-5 scale): 4.

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Arkansas Connection: Chad Dawson, rhp, Indiana State U. (Attended high school in Benton ).
Top 2008 Prospect: Logan Forsythe, 3b, U. of Arkansas.

Highest Pick, Draft History: Jeff King, 3b, U. of Arkansas (1986, Pirates/1^st round, 1^st pick).
Highest Pick, 2006 Draft: Dan Stegall, of, Greenwood HS (Mets/7^th round).

Best College Team: Arkansas .
Best Junior College Team: Arkansas-Fort Smith JC.

TOP 15 PROSPECTS / By David Rawnsley

GROUPS (College, Junior College, High School)
      1   High-round draft (Rounds 1-3)
      2   Mid-round draft (Rounds 4-10)
      3   Late-round draft (Rounds 11-25)
      4   Chance draft / Player to follow

*Draft-and-follow; eligible to sign before 2007 draft

GROUP ONE
Rank  Player                                  Pos.       Yr     B-T      HT     WT     School                              Hometown                 Drafted/(Commit)       B’date
     1.   Nick Schmidt                       LHP      Jr.     L-L     6-5     220      U. of Arkansas           High Ridge, Mo.               Never drafted           10-10-85
SCOUTING REPORT: Schmidt has been Arkansas ’ Friday starter since he was a freshman and has been durable and highly successful. He hit his peak in the first half of 2006, when he was pitching in the 92-93 mph range consistently and dominating hitters with stuff, but for the most part Schmidt is a fierce competitor with average stuff and plus pitchability. He pitches in the 88-91 mph range with his fastball, has a hard slurve-type breaking ball at 79-80 mph and a solid changeup. Schmidt doesn’t back down to hitters and the Arkansas coaches tell the story of their collective dread about going out to the mound to even potentially remove Schmidt from a game lest they feel his competitiveness. His lack of a plus pitch will likely keep him out of the first half of the first round, but he could easily be a 15-30 type of pick, especially considering the lack of high-level college righthanders. He went 10-3, 2.85 this season with 107 strikeouts in 117 innings.