KANSAS

2007 FOLLOW LIST  
OVERVIEW: ScoutingKansas this spring has basically meant one of two things: either watching Wichita State play or visiting one of many talented junior college programs and looking for power arms. After their surprise 2006 Big 12 Conference title, the University of Kansas was rebuilding this year while emerging Kansas State ’s top talent isn’t draft-eligible for another year.

 

The most appealing aspect about the JC talent is that many of the top prospects were not under control from the 2006 draft, a situation that rarely occurs in states such as Florida or Texas . Johnson County righthander Justin Miller is the top JC prospect in the state. Not only was he not drafted in 2006, he was hardly recruited at all before blossoming this spring.

 

As the depth of home-grown talent at the junior college and four-year schools indicates, there is plenty of talent coming out of the high schools in the state. But 2007 wasn’t one of those years. Scouts were unanimous in saying that only one prep player in the whole state caught their eye, Goddard High catcher-third baseman Derek Norris, although scouts have also been known to try to hide out a player in such an environment.

 

STRENGTH: Junior-college arms.

WEAKNESS: High-school talent of all types.

OVERALL RATING (1-to-5 scale): 2.

 

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Kansas Connection:  Matt Foust, rhp, U. of Nebraska (Overland Park native).

Top 2008 Prospect: Aaron Shafer, rhp, Wichita State U.

 

Highest Pick, Draft History: Joe Carter, of, Wichita State U. (1981, Cubs/1^st round, 2^nd pick); Darren Dreifort, rhp, Wichita State U. (1993, Dodgers/1^st round, 2^nd pick).

Highest Pick, 2006 Draft: Kris Johnson, lhp, Wichita State U. (Red Sox/1^st round; 40^th pick).

 

Best College Team: Wichita State .
Best Junior College Team: Cowley County CC.
Best High School Team: Bishop Ward HS, Kansas City .

 

TOP 20 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.   Travis Banwart                   RHP      Jr.     R-R     6-4     205     Wichita State U.               Wichita                         Never drafted             2-14-86

SCOUTING REPORT: Banwart has been a starter at Wichita State since the beginning of his freshman year and owned a 26-9 collegiate record as of late May. He was 9-5, 2.66 with 97 strikeouts in 101 innings this season. He’s been a polished pitcher since before he arrived on campus but has gradually gotten stronger and added more power to his stuff. He surprised some people by topping out at 94 mph early in the year but is more of an 88-91 mph pitcher who will move the ball around and keep it off the middle of plate while working ahead in counts. Banwart throws a curveball and slider and both are good pitches for him, a rarity in a young pitcher, and his changeup probably grades out as his top pitch. Banwart projects more as a back-of-the-rotation type of starter at the big league level, but his consistency, command of four solid pitches and a clean health record in a down year for college righthanders combine to move him up the draft lists further than he might otherwise go.