DRAFT 2008
Top 10 Rounds

Round 1 (Picks 1-30)

TAMPA BAY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
1 Tim Beckham SS Sr. R-R 6-2 191 Griffin Griffin, Ga. Southern California 1/27/1990  
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Beckham has been a well-known prospect at World Wood Bat Association events playing for the Atlanta Blue Jays, but his stock soared last summer as scouts saw his high-level athletic ability in showcases. Specifically, they saw (a.) that Beckham’s a 6.33 runner, (b.) he can play shortstop at the upper levels, and (c.) he’s as good a hitting prospect as he is an athlete. Beckham starred in football (quarterback/wide receiver) and basketball (point guard) as a freshman and sophomore at Griffin High but gave up both sports to concentrate on his baseball future. He hit .512-6-39 with 20 stolen bases as a junior and .498-6-22 with 18 stolen bases as a sophomore. Beckham will likely be compared to B.J. Upton, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 draft, as an athlete/shortstop but his bat is farther along than Upton’s at the same point of development, which is why Beckham is mentioned in some discussions as a potential No.1/No. 1 pick in June. He has quick hands with strength in a short stroke. He also has smooth actions with quick feet at shortstop and his throws have carry and are routinely on target. Beckham is no relation to University of Georgia shortstop Gordon Beckham, another potential first-round pick in 2008. He was a 2007 Aflac All-American.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/1): Beckham’s elevated draft stock has survived all challenges this spring and he remains on the short list for any team at the top of the draft. There is increasing speculation two weeks before the draft that he could be the No.1 overall pick to the Tampa Bay Rays, and almost certainly won’t get past the fifth overall pick. Beckham’s athleticism, while not quite measuring up to Justin Upton levels, is still supremely good and he has received recognition for his makeup and approach to the game all spring, even under all the intense pressure. Beckham’s stats through 24 games are what you’d expect from a top player, .500-5-31 with 22 walks and 16 stolen bases.—DR
 
PITTSBURGH
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
2 Pedro Alvarez 3B Jr. L-R 6-2 225 Vanderbilt New York, N.Y. Red Sox ’05 (14) 2/6/1987  
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Vandy lefthander David Price was the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft and Alvarez is the early favorite to go first overall in 2008, which would mark the first time in draft history that a player from the same school went No. 1 in consecutive drafts. Alvarez positioned himself as a premium future draft as a freshman, when he stroked a school-record 22 home runs. He followed by hitting 18 as a sophomore while leading the Commodores in batting (.386) and RBIs (68). He also was the dominant hitter for Team USA the last two summers, leading the team in batting both seasons. Alvarez is a complete player, but he is a hitter first and foremost. He has exceptional hands at the plate with impressive bat speed, natural lift in his swing and power to all fields. He has an excellent feel for hitting with a sound, confident, aggressive approach and is capable of making adjustments from at-bat to at-bat. His lone shortcoming at the plate is a tendency to chase pitches out of the zone, resulting in 129 strikeouts over his first two seasons at Vanderbilt. While Alvarez has a defined, durable upper body, soft midsection and strong, muscular legs, his hands and actions at third base are acceptable and he’s a steady, reliable fielder. He moves well at the position with surprisingly fast-twitch actions and flexibility for his size. Though he gets caught on his heels occasionally, he moves his feet well to both sides and excels at coming in on slow rollers. His arm is accurate and has on-line carry. There are some teams, however, who view him as a future first baseman. He won’t be a base stealer, but he’s not a clogger and has sound base-running instincts. Alvarez has all the physical ability to be a big league all-star, and he also gets high marks for his makeup. His 2008 season got off on the wrong foot when he was sidelined for several weeks with a broken hamate bone in his hand. He suffered the injury in his first at-bat of the season against College World Series champion Oregon State.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Alvarez missed 22 games with his hand injury, but showed a full range of motion almost immediately upon his return. Though he hit only seven homers in 33 games—far off his pace as a freshman and sophomore—his easy raw power was unmistakable in batting-practice sessions. He was hitting .336 overall with 25 RBIs as Vanderbilt entered Southeastern Conference tournament action. By contrast, he also struck out only 19 times, a much better rate than in the past. Alvarez’ most significant improvement, though, came on defense as he displayed better hands and range at third. The bottom line is teams will be buying a bat—possibly an expensive one as Scott Boras is his advisor—and those picking early in the draft will have a tough time passing on a player that should not only reach the big leagues quickly, but should make a considerable impact when he gets there.—AS
 
KANSAS CITY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown College Commit B’date
3 Eric Hosmer 1B Sr. L-L 6-4 210 American Heritage Cooper City, Fla. Arizona State 10/24/1989  
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Hosmer stands out as the top power hitter and probably the top pure hitter in the 2008 draft class. He is extremely polished with plate discipline, power to all fields and an advanced ability to make adjustments to his swing. He’s also an underrated athlete who has thrown 94 mph off the mound from the left side and is a smooth-fielding first baseman. He plays the game hard, knows how to play it and can make things happen with the bat. Championship teams seem to have followed Hosmer around closely since before he was a teenager. He played on three national championship teams with the South Florida Diamond Kings in the 12-15 age group. He also was a key member of the 2006 and 2007 World Wood Bat Association fall championship Reds and Braves Scout Teams, the 2006 WWBA 18-and-under champion Florida Bombers (as a 16-year-old) and the 2007 Connie Mack national champion Midland Redskins. Most recently, Hosmer was the Most Valuable Player at the 2007 WWBA fall championship in Jupiter, Fla., for the Braves Scout Team. He also played for Team USA’s junior national team last summer that secured a berth in this year’s World Junior Championship. He has started at first base for the nationally-ranked American Heritage High team since his freshman year, batting .380-10-25 as a junior after slugging .548-10-42 as a sophomore and hitting nine home runs as a freshman. He also played in last year’s Aflac All-American game.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/1): Hosmer has been outstanding all spring before a constant hoard of scouts at every American Heritage game. His power and overall hitting skills have been consistently on display (.451-11-26, 28 BB) and he’s even thrown up to 98 mph on the mound in short relief stints (0.42, 5 SV, 29 K’s in 16 IP). There will be some signability concerns before the draft with Scott Boras as his advisor, but Hosmer’s talent ranks him firmly among the top 10 players in the country.—DR
 
BALTIMORE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
4 Brian Matusz LHP Jr. L-L 6-4 200 San Diego Cave Creek, Ariz. Angels ’05 (4) 2/11/1987  
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The Angels saw something special in Matusz (pronounced MATT-iss) as an Arizona high school senior, but never came close to meeting his seven-figure bonus demands—a reported $1.35 million. Now the big lefthander could strike it even richer as one of the handful of candidates to go first overall in this year’s draft. Matusz had a dominant sophomore season at USD, where he went 10-3, 2.85 with 163 strikeouts in 123 innings. He was equally impressive in an abbreviated summer stint with Team USA, going 3-1, 1.33 while pitching his team into the gold-medal game at the Pan American Games in Brazil. But his velocity was down considerably and he was finally shut down after making four starts because of fatigue. His workload was also curtailed last fall. At his best, Matusz has a quick, live, fluid arm. His fastball, a customary 94-95 mph last spring, didn’t top 91 during the summer and was mostly in the 86-89 mph range. The pitch is sneaky quick and generates natural lefthanded sink, enabling him to miss the barrel of the bat routinely. Matusz has an ability to throw three pitches for strikes to both sides of the plate, including a power curve and changeup that are above-average pitches at times. His curve is a true 12-6 hammer and he gets late diving action in the strike zone with his changeup. He keeps hitters off balance because he is able to mix his pitches so well and gets good deception from a three-quarters arm slot. He has an advanced feel for pitching and excellent mound presence. Matusz has a strong lower half, but needs to develop strength in his upper body. He was the ace of one of the nation’s strongest pitching staffs this spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (3/1): As successful as Matusz was as a sophomore in 2007, he was even more dominant this spring, posting a 10-2, 2.05 record with 20 walks and 122 strikeouts in 88 innings in regular-season play. His fastball continued to top out at 94, and he added a fourth pitch to his repertoire this spring, a hard 84-86 mph slider. His changeup developed to a point where he is comfortable throwing it on 3-0 counts. His secondary stuff was so impressive at times that hitters often keyed on his fastball, so he didn’t throw that pitch as much as scouts wanted to see. Matusz worked his first game in 2007 in late January, and was pitching on fumes late in the season. With new NCAA Division I scheduling guidelines in place this year, which prohibited teams from opening their season until late February, Matusz threw considerably fewer innings—and his stamina has held up considerably better. He’s still somewhat frail, and should only get better as he fills out his frame. The Tampa Bay Rays have the No. 1 pick again this year after taking a college lefthander in that spot a year ago, and have had a scout at every one of Matusz’ games.—AS
 
SAN FRANCISCO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
5 Buster Posey C Jr. R-R 6-2 200 Florida State Leesburg, Ga. Angels ’05 (50) 3/27/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Originally recruited to Florida State as a pitcher, Posey spent his freshman year with the Seminoles as a shortstop only to move behind the plate as a sophomore. He added closer responsibilities to his repertoire this spring as a junior. His ability to adapt easily to such diverse positions speaks volumes about his athletic ability, makeup and feel for the game, though he still is working on some of the finer points of catching. Scouts said Posey was easily the best in the Cape Cod League last summer at catching, blocking and throwing, and the one catcher with above-average arm strength. He has on-line carry on his throws and unloads the ball quickly. His throws are a consistent 1.85 to 1.87 to second base. The most significant area he needed to improve from last summer was his footwork and he largely accomplished that in the fall at Florida State. He also became more accomplished receiving balls better down in the zone. Though he has limited raw power, Posey has a contact-oriented approach and hits to all fields with wood. He made significant strides at the plate in the second half of the Cape Cod League season as he used his hands more efficiently while eliminating his shoulders from his swing. He batted .281-3-19 last summer after hitting .382-3-65 with 21 doubles in the spring at Florida State.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Posey enjoyed a breakout season, ranking among NCAA Division I leaders in many hitting categories while batting .469-16-66 with 43 walks and only 17 strikeouts (through May 15). He has also continued to polish his defensive skills behind the plate. There has been plenty of discussion about the home-state Tampa Bay Rays selecting Posey with the first pick in the draft. If you want a solid comparison for Posey, think of North Carolina’s B.J. Surhoff, a catcher/shortstop who was the first pick in the 1985 draft.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
FLORIDA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
6 Kyle Skipworth C Sr. L-R 6-3 195 Patriot Riverside, Calif. Arizona State 3/1/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Skipworth stands out as the top catcher in the 2008 class and perhaps the top overall high school-age catching package since Joe Mauer was the first overall pick in the 2001 draft. The similarities between the two go beyond that. Both have exceptional athletic ability, tall/lanky frames, are lefthanded hitters and were quarterback recruits (Skipworth dropped football last fall). One area that Skipworth does exceed Mauer is present and projected power, although his defense is not as polished as the Twins all-star. Skipworth has all the defensive tools but his athletic ability has enabled him to play other positions extensively. He played third base as a high school sophomore and hit .471 with a team-leading 16 RBIs as USA Baseball’s national youth team’s left fielder at the 2006 Pan Am Youth games. Skipworth hit .422-8-45 last spring in high school and hit some bombs during the summer circuit that made scouts take notice, including one at the Aflac All-American game in San Diego. He broke his little finger while playing for the eventual champion Atlanta Braves Scout Team at the 2007 World Wood Bat Association Fall Championship in Jupiter, Fla., when he came out of his crouch a little early and was clipped by the bat on the hitter’s follow through. He was 100 percent again by the start of the 2008 season.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/1): Skipworth’s spring was nothing short of incredible. He put together a string of 18 straight base hits, a new California state high school record, at one point and was hitting .580-13-47 as of mid-May for his 24-2 Patriot High team. The Mauer comparisons have been coming fast and furious, and Skipworth has even been mentioned as a potential No. 1 overall pick, although that seems like a reach. What doesn’t seem like a reach is his selection in the first 10 rounds.—DR
 
CINCINNATI
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
7 Yonder Alonso 1B Jr. L-R 6-2 215 Miami Miami Twins ’05 (16) 4/8/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The best pure hitter in the Cape Cod League last summer, Alonso followed up a strong .376-18-74 sophomore season at Miami with a solid .338-4-25 campaign on the Cape. Those who saw him play every day said he had only one or two cheap hits all season. He has a quick bat and makes consistent hard contact. Alonso not only has a beautiful, compact, balanced swing and can center balls as a matter of routine, he has a patient, disciplined approach to hitting. Overall, he walked 100 times in 2007 (64 at Miami, a league-high 36 at Brewster), while striking out on a combined 56 occasions. He has yet to tap fully into his power potential, but he hits bombs in BP and drives balls hard to the gaps during games. He should develop into more of a legit home run threat as he turns on balls and lifts them more consistently. At this point in his development, he ranks behind only current big leaguers Pat Burrell and Ryan Braun as the best all-around hitters Miami has produced in the last two decades. Though he has solid arm strength with carry and has worked out at third base in pre-game drills and caught in the bullpen on occasion, Alonso doesn’t take his defense as seriously as his offense. He is pretty much limited to first base as he’s just an average athlete who needs to get himself in better shape. But he has good glove actions around the first-base bag, soft hands and good footwork.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Alonso has been a rock all spring, hitting close to .400 with power (.382-16-53, 57 BB) despite being constantly pitched around in the powerful Hurricanes lineup. He projects as a solid mid-first round pick with a fast path to the big leagues.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
CHICAGO-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
8 Gordon Beckham SS Jr. B-R 6-0 180 Georgia Atlanta Never drafted 9/16/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Though not as big or physical as Evan Longoria, Beckham’s performance last summer in the Cape Cod League reminded managers and scouts of the 2005 Cape League MVP and rising star in Tampa Bay. Like Longoria, Beckham topped the Cape League in home runs (nine) and RBIs (35), and had a knack for stepping up his play defensively in the middle infield with a game on the line. He may have taken advantage of a short porch in center field at his home park, but Beckham has legitimate power. He has strong wrists and attacks the ball with excellent leverage in his swing—particularly as his bat crosses over the plate. He hit 12 homers as a freshman and 13 as a sophomore at Georgia, so his power production last summer came as little surprise. But he can be pitched to and is susceptible to balls slow and away. Though he has athletic, often-acrobatic actions at shortstop, soft hands and can make the long throw from the hole, there are concerns whether Beckham will remain at that position in the long term. He needs to tighten up his play overall as he tends to get casual on routine plays. A likely destination at the next level, if it’s not shortstop, is second base. He spent the bulk of his games last summer at short, but played eight games at second and three in the outfield—and there is even talk that he could end up behind the plate.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Beckham is a front runner for 2008 college player of the year by virtue of the .401-23-57, 76 runs, 17 stolen-base season that he assembled in leading Georgia to a surprise regular-season championship in the Southeastern Conference. Beckham’s defense, which can be spectacular at times, was much more consistent on routine plays, something very important with the Bulldogs staff of control-oriented sinker-ballers. Two weeks out from the draft, it remains difficult to link Beckham’s name with a single team at the top of the draft, but it’s safe to say that he is every team’s short list in the top 10 picks. –DR
 
WASHINGTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
9 Aaron Crow RHP Jr. R-R 6-1 195 Missouri Wakarusa, Kan. Never drafted 11/11/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Crow’s emergence as a hard-throwing and polished pitcher has been sudden and dramatic. Undrafted in 2005 out of a Kansas high school because his fastball was only in the mid-80s, Crow sat consistently in the 93-96 mph range last summer in the Cape Cod League and topped at 98 with life through the zone that resulted in a lot of ground-ball outs. In addition to leading the league with a 0.67 ERA, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound righthander limited hitters to a .140 average. In 40 innings, he allowed just 19 hits and gave up a mere nine walks while striking out 36. His scoreless inning as the starting pitcher for the West in the league all-star game, when he retired all three hitters he faced with ease, was representative of his entire season. Not only did Crow impress scouts with his fastball velocity, but he held it deep into games, got good movement on the pitch and worked efficiently with it to both sides of the plate low in the strike zone. He complemented his fastball with an excellent slider at 83-85 mph and a quality changeup. He has a quick, long, loose arm action with good downhill plane and good front extension. Crow, who went 9-4, 3.59 with 33 walks and 90 strikeouts in 118 innings as a sophomore at Missouri, competes well and rarely gives in to a hitter. He’s athletic and works quickly. With continued improvement this spring, Crow will be on the short list of candidates to be drafted No. 1 overall.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Crow came out of the gates as hot as any pitcher in the country this spring, and was virtually unhittable before Texas laid nine runs on him in five innings April 11 in Missouri’s wild, wind-blown 31-12 win. Crow was solid since then, but not nearly as dominating in running his season record to 13-0, 2.34 with 127 strikeouts in 107 innings, although his final outing was a three-hit, 10-strikeout, 7-0 shutout of Mississippi in the NCAA regionals. Before that dominating outing, one scout had remarked that Crow was one player for whom the draft couldn’t come soon enough, that he was losing a slot or two every week leading up to the end of the season. But that opinion quickly changed with dominating win. Crow was healthy and his raw stuff was as good as ever, with consistent mid-90s velocity on his fastball and good sharpness to his slider. Any issues with Crow seem to be with his arm action and his big wrap in back, and how durable he will be in the future as a starter—raising the specter of his eventually landing in the bullpen. Regardless, Crow still figures to be a top 10 pick on draft day and have a short path to the big leagues.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
HOUSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
10 Jason Castro C Jr. L-R 6-3 215 Stanford Castro Valley, Calif. Red Sox ’05 (43) 6/18/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Castro was one of the big surprises in the Cape Cod League last summer. After hitting a meagre .167-1-14 in a disappointing, injury-plagued sophomore season at Stanford, he rebounded for Yarmouth-Dennis to hit .341, second in the league, along with four homers and 24 RBIs. He has a sound, stylish, balanced overall approach to hitting and makes solid contact. He showed good leverage in an easy swing and can turn on a pitch. He has lift in his swing and added strength will boost his power. With top prospects Buster Posey (Florida State) and Sean Ochinko (Louisiana State) also available to catch for Y-D last summer, Castro worked in only eight games behind the plate. He also saw service at first base, in the outfield and at DH. He caught infrequently, in part because of a troublesome arm that prevented him from fulfilling his obligation as the starting catcher for the East in the all-star game. Castro is a fundamentally-sound catcher with good receiving skills, plenty of arm strength and a quick release. He is mobile behind the plate and also handles a pitching staff exceptionally well. His breakout summer has significantly impacted his draft stock and paved the way for a big season at Stanford this spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Healthy again, Castro was a completely different hitter this year in college than a year ago. He hit for both average (.373) and power (11 home runs), showing a sound approach at the plate from the left side, good bat speed through the zone and plus raw power to all fields. Coupled with his improvement behind the plate, he became one of the two or three elite catchers in the college game. A projected third-rounder at the start of the 2008 season, he quickly surged into the first-round mix by midseason. Castro’s improvement on defense has been more subtle, but he frames and blocks well, and has average arm strength with proper throwing mechanics. He is an intelligent, take-charge receiver and a team leader.—AS
 
TEXAS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
11 Justin Smoak 1B Jr. B-L 6-4 215 South Carolina Goose Creek, S.C. Athletics ’05 (16) 12/5/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Smoak cemented his status as a top prospect for the 2008 draft when he was just a freshman at South Carolina. He hit 22 home runs that year and was arguably one of the top hitting prospects to play in the Cape Cod League in years that summer, drawing regular comparisons to Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. He won league MVP honors after a huge year at the plate that included a league-high 11 home runs. He was a mirror-image from both sides of the plate, showing smooth, fluid swings with outstanding bat speed and an easy lift. He has the ability to hit balls high and far and takes a very healthy cut. Smoak hit 17 homers as a sophomore as he was pitched more carefully, but was humbled last summer with Team USA. He hit just .223-3-19 overall and failed to homer in his final 102 at-bats. It was the first time in his career that he had ever really dealt with failure and he appeared to lose his confidence. More than anything, he got eaten up by changeups; he found himself getting overly anxious and continually off balance at the plate as he tried to reach for pitches. At his peak form, Smoak has exceptional power from both sides, especially from left center to right center, and stays inside the ball well but may need to pull balls more often as a number of his deep drives to center field are caught on the warning track. Scouts say he needs to stay through the ball longer to maximize his pull power. Defensively, Smoak is a top-notch first baseman, but he could improve his footwork around the bag and ability to come in on balls. He has a playable arm for the position. But scouts say he doesn’t spend enough time working on his defense as he concentrates most of his time with swinging the bat. First base is a premium position at the college level in the 2008 draft, yet it would be a surprise if Smoak is not the first first baseman drafted—his struggles last summer aside.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Smoak became a more complete hitter this year than in his first two college seasons. He topped South Carolina with a .389 average (entering the Southeastern Conference tournament), up significantly from the .303 and .315 figures he posted as a freshman and sophomore. He took what pitchers gave him more willingly and used the whole field as his hitting domain—as evidenced by a team-best 18 doubles. He also was more adept at staying balanced and patient on off-speed pitches, and generally showed outstanding plate discipline in the process. His 51-26 walk-to-strikeout differential was one of the best ratios in the country. It didn’t hurt that he had James Darnell and Phil Disher, who combined for 34 home runs, hitting behind him in the Gamecocks order, but Smoak became a legitimate candidate to be one of the first 5-6 players drafted when he became one of the hottest hitters in the country over the second half of the season—both for power and average. In addition to his near-.400 average, he led the Gamecocks with 20 homers.—AS
 
OAKLAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
12 Jemile Weeks 2B Jr. R-R 5-9 165 Miami Altamonte Springs, Fla. Brewers ’05 (8) 1/26/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Weeks gave every indication of following in his brother Rickie’s footsteps and becoming a future first-rounder after a strong freshman season at Miami. He hit .352-6-40, scored 69 runs and led the Atlantic Coast Conference with nine triples. He also excelled for Team USA that summer, hitting .343-4-21 with a team-high 14 stolen bases. But 2007 was somewhat of a lost year for Weeks, who was bothered all season by a groin injury, which caused him to miss a number of games and impaired his ability to run. He slumped to .298-5-27 with just seven stolen bases and was forced to cancel a return engagement with Team USA in order to get healthy. Jemile has solid tools across the board but he is a different player than his brother, the second overall pick in 2003 and now the second baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers. Whereas Rickie was stronger, faster and more compact at the same stage of development, Jemile is leaner and a more skilled defender. He more similarly resembles a younger version of Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Weeks lacks the arm strength for shortstop, but his hands, range, instincts, positioning and ability to turn the double play make him a polished defender at second. He also has upside at the plate. He has a short, quick swing and his bat speed is the equal of any player on Miami’s power-laden roster, but he’s not viewed as a power-type hitter. If anything, his swing is a little long and not conducive to wood, meaning he’ll need to become a more all-around, contact-oriented offensive player to make things happen.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE: Weeks has been healthy alls spring and at the top of his game. He actually out-hit his teammate Yonder Alonso most of the spring, before being passed in May, and has more extra-base hits (29, while batting .375-10-48 overall with 16 SB through mid-May), although pitchers clearly don’t fear him nearly as much. Because Weeks is so much like his brother Rickie, it might ironically work against Jemile that his brother has struggled to hit in the major leagues.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
OAKLAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
13 Brett Wallace 1B/3B Jr. L-R 6-2 245 Arizona State Sonoma, Calif. Blue Jays ’05 (42) 8/26/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Wallace was expected to be a major offensive contributor for Team USA last summer after leading the Pacific-10 Conference with a .404 average, 16 homers and 78 RBIs during the spring of 2007, but he hit a soft .312-2-26. He homered in his first at-bat of the season but contributed only one more long ball along with four doubles in his next 108 at-bats. When he’s on his game, Wallace has an aggressive, fundamentally-sound approach to hitting and the size and strength to put up big power numbers. He also has good pitch recognition and plate discipline, and puts the barrel on the ball consistently. He has natural lift in his stroke, shows good power in BP and occasional big power to all fields. But his flaws in his swing were exposed somewhat with wood. He doesn’t always incorporate his lower half and he gets too much top spin on his swing—negating his power. The development of his power this spring will establish his draft worth. He has the track record and makeup to be a solid first-rounder, but Wallace is a below-average runner and marginal defender. Though he spent much of the summer in left field for Team USA to accommodate Justin Smoak at first base and accorded himself adequately there, he is expected to see considerable action at third base (his high school position) for Arizona State this spring. He will be pretty much limited to first base at the next level, however. Though he needs to tone up his body a bit, he runs better and handles himself around first base better than expected. He has soft hands and average arm strength.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Wallace put up almost identical numbers at the plate this spring (.409-19-77 entering the final weekend of the regular season) to what he did a year ago, and solidified himself as one of the best natural hitters and power hitters in this year’s draft. He’s a physically strong hitter with an aggressive approach who made consistent contact. Scouts were curious how he might take to third base after spending the two previous seasons at ASU at first, and he handled the move as well as could be expected. He committed just 10 errors in 53 games. If nothing else, his play there will help him with his range and footwork when he returns to first base at the pro level.—AS
 
MINNESOTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
14 Aaron Hicks OF/RHP Sr. B-R 6-2 170 Woodrow Wilson Long Beach, Calif. Southern California 10/2/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Hicks has the entire tool box for the scouts, with 6.4 speed in the 60, a 95-mph fastball off the mound, switch-hitting ability with bat speed from both sides of the plate and a lean, projectable, greyhound-type body. He plays for one of the top high school programs in the country and even has the right baseball genes as his father, Joe, was a 12th-round pick of the Padres in 1975 and played minor league baseball. Hicks’ skills are still raw on both sides of the ball, although that doesn’t affect his performance—he hit .370 with 39 stolen bases as a junior, and went 3-0, 1.12 with two saves on the mound. But scouts are guaranteed to be wowed by his physical tools every time they see him play before the draft. Hicks performance on the mound at the 2007 World Wood Bat Association fall championship in Jupiter, Fla., will be much discussed. He threw five excellent innings with a consistent 93-94 mph fastball and a nasty mid-80s slider. Background trivia: Hicks was an age-group champion golfer as a child who was shooting in the mid-70s as a 12-year-old before giving up the sport to concentrate on baseball. He was a 2007 Aflac All-American.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/1): The debate over Hicks, the center fielder vs. Hicks, the pitcher continues unabated, although scouts who like Hicks better as a pitcher seem to be in the majority. Although Hicks performed well this spring at the plate (.487-4-21, 32 BB, 35 SB), many scouts feel he is too far away with the bat to be considered anything but a defensive-type center field specialist. On the mound, Hicks was in the mid-90s with a potential plus slider, although he unwittingly helped launch outfield prospect Zach Collier’s meteoric climb on the prospect lists by allowing a monstrous home run in front of a huge crowd of scouts. Hicks pitched more than ever this spring (50 IP, 6-1, 1.11, 89 SO), and was consistent and healthy, leading to comparisons to a young Dwight Gooden. What Hicks says to scouts about the position he ultimately wants to play will go a long way in determining where he’s eventually drafted.—DR
 
LOS ANGELES
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
15 Ethan Martin 3B/RHP Sr. R-R 6-3 205 Stephens County Toccoa, Ga. Clemson 6/6/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Prior to the 2008 season, Martin was scouted as a third baseman first and a pitcher second. But all that may have changed early this spring when Martin dazzled scouts with a dominating pitching performance against Florida’s American Heritage High, the nation’s No. 1-ranked high school team. He struck out 11 in a complete-game win with a fastball up to 96 mph and a plus curveball. Suddenly, he went from a fringe first-rounder to the rage of the scouting community. Martin has a lean, 6-foot-3, 205-pound build but his game is all about power. His power arm may be the best in the country for an infielder and it now ranks among the best among pitchers; he also has a power bat that produces easy home-run power to all fields. Martin throws 95 mph across the infield in showcase drills and regularly threw 92-94 mph off the mound as well until recently elevating the bar to a new level. As a junior, Martin hit .500-10-34 for Stephens County High and was 7-1, 1.41 on the mound with 81 strikeouts in 44 innings. Between his sophomore and junior years, Martin played for the East Cobb Astros and hit .411 with 139 RBIs in 85 games, breaking the RBI record for that program previously held by major leaguer Kyle Davies. Martin is also a highly-recruited quarterback on the football field and opened eyes last fall when he took advantage of a football bye week to spend two days in Jupiter, Fla., for the Astros at the World Wood Bat Association fall championship, hitting a grand slam to win one game. Martin has a younger brother, Cody, who is a 2009 third-base prospect. He was a 2007 Aflac All-American.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/1): Martin’s draft profile has completely changed since the beginning of the spring. He is now considered one of the top high school pitching prospects in the country and was consistently in the mid-90s with his fastball. As a pitcher this spring, he went 9-1, 1.36 with 22 walks and 112 strikeouts in 60 innings. He also hit .528-12-27. The word out of Georgia is that Martin has accepted that he is now considered a better pitching prospect than position player, and is willing to go out primarily as a pitcher.—DR
 
MILWAUKEE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
16 Brett Lawrie C/2B Sr. R-R 6-0 200 Brookswood Langley, B.C. Arizona State 1/18/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Lawrie is considered Canada’s top prospect in the 2008 class. His bat really stands out as Lawrie has excellent bat speed that produces plus power from a controlled and balanced approach. The big question is what position Lawrie will end up at as he plays just about everywhere now. He appears most comfortable at third base but he’s caught in the past and the thought of his bat behind the plate has to get scouts excited. Lawrie has also played corner outfield and was named to the all-tournament team at the 2006 World Junior Championship as a left fielder when he hit .415-2-9 with four doubles in eight games. Lawrie plays for the highly-successful Langley Blaze club program in British Columbia.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/1): No player may have done more this spring to enhance his draft status than Lawrie, who impressed scouts at every turn he took. Projected as a potential third- to-fifth round pick, Lawrie began his climb up draft boards in March when he played exceptionally well with Team Canada’s junior national team on its annual trek to Florida. He put himself over the top in late April at a Major League Scouting Bureau workout for top B.C. prospects in his hometown of Langley. With 50-60 scouts in attendance at that event, he put on a tremendous batting display, showing excellent bat speed and raw power—and generally a more polished, electric swing than scouts saw in almost any high school hitter in this year’s draft. That workout elevated Lawrie into the first round and he did nothing after to slow his climb to a point where he could be selected in the top half of the first round. Few scouts followed Team Canada’s junior national team from May 21-30, on its annual trip to the Dominican Republic where it played a series of games against teams in the Dominican Summer League, but word got back state-side quickly on his offensive onslaught. He went 17-for-34 with eight homers and 24 RBIs—in eight games. For Lawrie to be drafted in the first round, teams will be buying mostly a bat, but Lawrie has made huge strides over the past year in his development as a catcher. His receiving skills are still below average and he has just fringe arm strength for a catcher, but he has significant bounce in his step behind the plate, blocks balls well and has a quick release. Most clubs believe he’ll continue to progress behind the plate to evolve into an acceptable defender, but he is athletic and versatile enough that he could play almost any position, and second base is considered a possible destination. Appropriately, he has been compared to Craig Biggio, who made the same catcher-to-second base progression, but Lawrie has more projectable power. Lawrie also has been linked to Russell Martin, a fellow Canadian with a similar frame, approach and athletic ability who made the switch from third base to all-star catcher. Lawrie has significantly above-average speed for a catcher, and that tool may diminish in the daily grind of catching. No matter where he ends up defensively, scouts have little doubt that Lawrie will make the most of his opportunity as he has an excellent makeup and work ethic.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
TORONTO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
17 David Cooper 1B Jr. L-L 6-1 190 California Stockton, Calif. Never drafted 2/12/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The crop of college first base prospects for this year’s draft may be the deepest and most talented ever, with Cooper fitting squarely in a mix that includes Miami’s Yonder Alonso, Wake Forest’s Allan Dykstra, South Carolina’s Justin Smoak and Arizona State’s combo of Ike David and Brett Wallace—all potential first-rounders. With Alonso getting a bulk of the playing time at first base last summer at Brewster in the Cape Cod League and Cooper relegated primarily to a DH role, Cooper left the team midway through the season. In 69 at-bats, he hit .284-2-15. Cooper is an elite hitter with a smooth, easy, advanced lefthanded swing. His raw power is unmistakable, but wasn’t always evident until this year. He’s gotten much stronger and now projects power to all fields. After hitting .382-12-55 as a sophomore at Cal, a .400 season with 20 homers is in his grasp in 2008—and that kind of performance could push him into the first round. Cooper is pretty much limited to first base defensively because of his lack of speed and quickness, but he clearly has the bat to play the position. He’s a reliable defender there, but an above-average arm is pretty much wasted. He was a pitcher of some note in high school, but has concentrated on hitting only in college. As a freshman at Cal State Fullerton, he hit .305-2-37 and was selected to the 2006 all-College World Series team after stroking seven consecutive hits, one short of the series record, and leading the tournament with a .533 average.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Cooper left little doubt this spring that he belongs in the elite class of college hitters and, as a result, has moved squarely into the back half of the first round of this year’s draft. His bat should play in the heart of any order one day. He was hitting .370 with 19 homers with a week remaining in the regular season, and his home runs were hit to all parts of the field. He has an excellent feel for hitting; he walked more (35) and struck out (26) less often this spring than in the past.—AS
 
NEW YORK-NL (Selection from Braves/Tom Glavine)
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
18 Ike Davis 1B/OF Jr. L-L 6-5 215 Arizona State Scottsdale, Ariz. Devil Rays ’05 (19) 3/22/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Davis hit .349-8-61 as an Arizona State sophomore, despite a sore wrist that began bothering him midway through the 2007 season and impacted his exceptional power potential. He appeared to be just hitting his stride offensively in the summer for Wareham in the Cape Cod League after a sluggish .246-0-6 start, when the wrist began bothering him again. It was discovered he had bone chips, was shut down for the balance of the summer and had wrist surgery in late August that sidelined him for 3-4 weeks. Davis has some of the best raw power potential in the 2008 draft class, but it was apparent that his wrist injury strained his ability to turn on balls consistently. He has a balanced approach at the plate with a natural, easy uppercut stroke and good extension and follow-through. His bat stays through the hitting zone a long time. His swing is geared towards hitting fastballs and he is often fooled by off-speed pitches. He’s a below-average runner but has smooth defensive actions and above-average right field arm strength. He spent 13 of his 16 games at Wareham in a DH role, however, in order to utilize him in a lefthanded set-up role. Clocked at 91-93 mph, he went 1-0, 0.00 with a save in three appearances. He was scheduled to be used in a dual role for the Sun Devils this spring, and was also scheduled to play a lot more first base than right field. His future is clearly with a bat in his hands. Davis, son of ex-big leaguer Ron Davis, exudes confidence, knows he can play and does everything easily.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Davis was on pace to be a legitimate candidate for college player of the year this spring, when a pulled hamstring slowed him up and a pulled ribcage muscle sent him to the sidelines for 10 games. His offensive numbers (.400-15-62) entering the final weekend of the regular season were still more than respectable, and his performance as a lefthanded closer (4-1, 2.66, 4 SV, 20 IP/4 BB/26 SO) did nothing but enhance his player-of-the-year credentials. He made adjustments at the plate and showed greater power to all fields this season, along with an ability to drive balls hard to the gaps. He adapted well to playing first base, though still needs to develop softer hands and learn to pick balls out of the dirt more consistently, if he’s to remain there in the long term. His arm can play anywhere. Davis isn’t blessed with exceptional tools and isn’t even an average athlete by high-round standards as his speed is below average, but scouts have come to appreciate that he’s a skilled hitter and pitcher, and more baseball player than athlete.—AS
 
CHICAGO-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
19 Andrew Cashner RHP Jr. R-R 6-5 195 Texas Christian Conroe, Texas Cubs ’07 (29) 9/11/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Cashner has the type of long, lean projectable body that scouts love. But he proved elusive in the last two drafts when he was at Angelina JC, turning down the Rockies in the 18th round in 2006 and again as a draft-and-follow prior to the 2007 draft; the Cubs were also left holding the bag last June. By not signing, Cashner showed he was serious about attending TCU. He was scheduled to step in as the team’s Friday night starter this spring after an impressive fall season, but was instead used in a variety of relief roles as he seeks to master his secondary pitches. Cashner’s fastball has often touched 94 mph in the past, and was a steady 89-92 mph in scrimmage games last fall. He started throwing a curveball last spring that was inconsistent, at best, and switched to a slider late in the year that was a much better pitch for him. But it still needs tightening up, and his command has a tendency to come and go as well. He has limited feel for a changeup. He’ll challenge hitters with all his pitches.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Cashner had an incredible spring and has thrown himself into consideration for the top 15 picks in the draft. His fastball was in the 95-97 mph range frequently and his slider was a much-improved second pitch. The ball comes out of Cashner’s hand effortlessly and velocity comes easily to him. Pitching in a relief role has meant that the 6-foot-5 righthander can come in and blow hitters away instead of having to pitch, something he has not shown a feel for in the past. Cashner was 8-3, 1.94 with eight saves (entering the Mountain West Conference tournament) and had allowed only 18 hits in 46 innings while walking 25 and striking out 71.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
SEATTLE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
20 Josh Fields RHP Sr. R-R 6-0 183 Georgia Hull, Ga. Braves ’07 (2) 8/19/1985
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Fields projected squarely in the handful of top prospects for the 2007 draft entering his junior season at Georgia. But his season fell far short of expectations, both for himself and for his Georgia teammates who deteriorated from a College World Series team in 2006 to the poorest record in the Southeastern Conference in 2007. Fields’ decline was just as steep: from 3-2, 1.85 with 15 saves in 2006 to 1-6, 4.75 with six saves in 2007. While he didn’t have quite the velocity he did a year earlier, when his fastball would touch 98-99 mph and his slider 86, arm strength and health weren’t the problem as he regularly worked in the 93-95 mph range. Some scouts said that Fields appeared a bit stiffer, especially at the beginning of the season, after taking the previous fall off from throwing. Another reason for Fields’ struggles was the curious decision by Georgia coaches to switch him from his nearly-unhittable, upper-80s slider to a more conventional mid-70s curveball at the start of the spring—a decision that backfired and was reversed at mid-season. In addition, Fields went from a high three-quarters angle to an over-the-top release point and struggled all spring getting his pitches down in the strike zone. The result was that Fields slipped appreciably in the draft, all the way to the second round (69th overall). He was drafted by the hometown Atlanta Braves but negotiations stalled and Fields went unsigned. He qualifies as the top college senior in this year’s draft and could well resurface in the first round if he can regain his 2006 form. His fastball peaked at 97 mph in early-season outings. An excellent athlete, Fields briefly saw duty as a DH and in right field in 2008—in addition to being the closer for the Bulldogs. The opportunity to hit in the fall had a positive effect on him, as he seemed more relaxed on the mound. Not only was his stuff better, but it took some of the effort out of his delivery and his stuff was sharper.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): As mediocre as Fields was in 2007 as a junior, he’s been every bit as brilliant this spring. Until an uncharacteristic three-run inning in mid-May, Fields had been virtually perfect throughout the entire season and was still sporting a 2-2, 1.52 record with 16 saves as Georgia entered the SEC tournament. His true dominance can be seen by his hits-to-strikeout ratio: 29 innings, nine hits, 53 strikeouts. Two things stood out with Fields this year. First, he regained his command and ability to throw his 94-98 mph fastball over the plate early in counts and get ahead of hitters. Second, the power and bite on his curveball returned. When Fields is ahead in the count and throws his 81-84 mph hammer where he wants it, he’s virtually unhittable. He seems a shoe-in to be the first senior to hear his named called this year, possibly in the middle of the first round.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
DETROIT
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
21 Ryan Perry RHP Jr. R-R 6-4 200 Arizona Marana, Ariz. Never drafted 2/13/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Perry can count his blessings after being hurt in a motorcycle accident in January 2007. He was traveling at a reported 80 mph without a helmet, and came out of the mishap with a broken non-pitching arm, a sore back and scraped-up body. Though he missed much of that spring season at Arizona recuperating and compiled a 6.35 ERA, he became the buzz of the Cape Cod League last summer with a fastball that was a steady 93-97 mph and peaked at 99. He had the fastest arm in the league, yet threw with an easy motion. Though he went just 1-2, 4.15 with four saves in 18 appearances for Orleans and struck out 30 in 21 innings, he picked up his pace considerably after a slow start. He got hit hard early as he was working out a few kinks but was nearly unhittable by the time the league all-star game rolled around in late July. Not only was his fastball the equal or better of anyone’s in the league, his 86-88 mph slider was the league’s top breaking ball. His power stuff reminded scouts of Josh Fields, the 2006 No. 1 closer prospect in the Cape—but Perry has a better, more projectable body. Perry has the makings of a changeup but had a more pressing need to develop a two-seamer to get more movement on his fastball as hitters had a tendency to straighten it out—no matter how hard it was thrown—and he appeared to master that pitch last fall. His two-seamer, which yielded good sinking action, was clocked at 94-95 mph. Perry projects as a closer in a best-case scenario and a set-up man in a worst, but he was used as a starter initially this spring on a deep and talented pitching staff at Arizona. The Wildcats return an excellent closer in sophomore righthander Jason Stoffel. Regardless of how he’s used, Perry has come farther than any pitching prospect in the 2008 draft as he was clocked at just 78 mph in the summer before his freshman year and worked in only 11 innings in high school.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Viewed as a near ‘can’t miss’ prospect off his performance last summer in the Cape Cod League, Perry proved mortal in his role as a starter for Arizona to open the 2008 season. Though he showed scouts a loose, lightning-quick arm with good downhill plane and extension, and electric stuff, he pitched poorly as he showed little deception in his delivery and hitters got an easy look at his mid-90s, but flat fastball. They teed off on it, no matter how hard he threw it. Sent to the bullpen when he lost his job as a starter, Perry responded in that role. His fastball sat at 96 mph, topping at 98. He had better command of it, especially to the inner half of the plate, but will need adjustments to his delivery as he progresses to the big leagues. With a week remaining in the 2008 regular season, Perry was 4-3, 3.56 with 13 walks and 60 strikeouts in 61 innings. Those are hardly the kind of numbers to justify Perry being a first-round pick in June, but his kind of arm strength will be difficult for a team to walk away from.—AS
 
NEW YORK-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
22 Reese Havens SS Jr. L-R 6-1 195 South Carolina Sullivan’s Island, S.C. Rockies ’05 (29) 10/20/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Havens was not just the most improved player in the Cape Cod League from 2006 to 2007, but he may have been the most improved from the start of the 2007 season to the end. He struggled at the plate in his first couple of weeks, much as he had done at Cotuit in 2006 and in the spring at South Carolina when he batted a soft .275-5-43, but the light suddenly went on. He made adjustments at the plate by incorporating his lower half into his swing much better and also by hitting balls where they were pitched more consistently. He had always shown solid BP power in the past, but suddenly he began driving the ball hard to all parts of the park in games, especially against some of the league’s better arms. The result was an all-star season in which he hit .315-5-25. Though Havens made all the routine plays and committed just six errors in 41 games at shortstop over the summer, questions persisted whether Havens had the speed and range to remain at shortstop in the long term—but his new-found power and hitting prowess makes a potential move to third base more palatable. Still, Havens appeared lighter on his feet last summer, though he may not have been any faster. He better understands the need to keep his feet moving, both on the bases and in the field. He also made strides in getting more strength behind his throws, rather than just flipping balls to first base. He missed the last two weeks of fall practice with a sprained thumb, but the injury should not have any long-term implications. With Justin Smoak at first base and James Darnell at third, Havens could be part of a trio of South Carolina infielders drafted in the first round in 2008.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Havens incorporated everything he learned last summer on the Cape, both at the plate and in the field, into his game this spring and he became a much superior talent than what he was in his first two college seasons. The mechanical adjustments he made in his swing enabled him to square up tough pitches more easily and consistently, and the transformation resulted in a .360 average and 16 home runs (entering the SEC tournament). His whole approach to hitting improved as he led the Gamecocks with 53 walks. Havens’ range at shortstop was noticeably better, too, leading doubting scouts to believe he can remain at shortstop in the long term. In 56 games, he committed just 11 errors. Havens plays the game with a lot of energy, another endearing quality. Some of the scouts who thought he might be no better than a third-round pick entering the 2008 season now believe he is a solid sandwich pick, at worst.—AS
 
SAN DIEGO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
23 Allan Dykstra 1B Jr. L-R 6-5 225 Wake Forest Poway, Calif. Red Sox ’05 (34) 5/21/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The 6-foot-5 Dykstra is a considerable presence in the batter’s box. He continued to show his big-time raw power last summer but learned to become a better all-around hitter in his second season in the Cape Cod League, improving his average from .232 to .308. He hit with more authority to the opposite field and became less passive at the plate. He didn’t take as many pitches that he could drive as he did a year earlier, but still displayed a very discerning eye and excellent overall approach to hitting. He continued to struggle hitting a fastball on the inner third of the plate, however, particularly from a lefthander. His power numbers were comparable (seven in 2006, five this year). Dykstra runs well for his size. He is an adequate defender at first base, but excels at picking balls out of the dirt. He actually spent part of the fall at third base to improve his range and footwork, but was scheduled to play first base exclusively this spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Even as his team played poorly this spring and provided him little protection in the batting order, Dykstra displayed an advanced, disciplined approach to hitting. He batted .320-15-47 overall and was among the national leaders in walks, with 61 in 53 games as Wake Forest entered the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. He also displayed a greater ability to use the whole field as his hitting territory. One of the nation’s premier power-hitting prospects, Dykstra stays back on balls as well as, if not better than any of the elite sluggers in the 2008 class.—AS
 
PHILADELPHIA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
24 Anthony Hewitt 3B/SS Sr. R-R 6-1 190 Salisbury School Brooklyn, N.Y. Vanderbilt 4/27/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Many scouts believe that Hewitt is not only the top player in the Northeast this year, but his national ranking for the draft is significantly undervalued. He just hasn’t been seen extensively enough for scouts to be firm on an opinion, though indications are he was impressive on an early-season trip to Florida this spring. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Hewitt has shown two plus tools—6.62-second speed in the 60 and excellent power potential. He’s a three-sport athlete whose family lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., while he attends a private school in Connecticut. Hewitt’s teammate at the Salisbury School, lefthander Chris Dwyer, is a 90-mph southpaw who will also get extensive scouting attention, something that should benefit both of them.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/1): Hewitt may not have been seen extensively by scouts prior to this season, but he got huge exposure this spring. In the process, he elevated himself up draft boards by leaps and bounds to a point where most scouts became convinced a month out from the draft that he was a legit first-round talent. Between his outstanding speed, arm strength and massive raw power, he flashed some of the best raw tools in the entire 2008 high school ranks. Not all scouts are convinced, however, that Hewitt is the real deal. He remains very raw in his approach to the game and did much of his damage at the plate against inferior private-school pitching, often facing pitchers who couldn’t crack 75 mph. He hit fastballs a long way, both in games and BP, but had a long swing and proved vulnerable, on occasion, to even average high school breaking balls. The team that signs him will need to be extremely patient with him initially as there is little doubt he will struggle at the lower levels of pro ball—or as a freshman in college in the increasing unlikelihood he will fulfill his scholarship obligation to Vanderbilt. Hewitt is equally raw in the field, showing little aptitude, or the hands and actions, to play shortstop.. But scouts have long accepted that he’ll end up at third base or in the outfield at the next level. His raw speed and arm strength would be most suited in the outfield. —ALLAN SIMPSON.
 
COLORADO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
25 Christian Friedrich LHP Jr. R-L 6-3 210 Eastern Kentucky Evanston, Ill. Never drafted 7/8/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): After starting strong and faltering slightly in the second half of the 2007 Cape Cod League season, Friedrich saved his best for last. With runners on first and third and none out in the fifth inning of a scoreless tie against Yarmouth-Dennis in the deciding game of the Cape League’s championship series, he struck out Buster Posey, Jason Castro and Gordon Beckham, the heart of the Y-D order, three of the toughest outs in the league and all projected first-round picks in this year’s draft. Friedrich left the game at that point having reached a 90-pitch limit, only to see his team lose 2-0 on two eighth-inning runs. During the regular season, Friedrich went 4-1, 2.68 with 52 strikeouts in 37 innings for Falmouth—a solid follow-up to a 5-4, 2.09 sophomore season at Eastern Kentucky, where he fanned 101 in 82 innings. As a freshman, he went 10-2, 1.98 with 118 strikeouts in 82 innings. Friedrich, who was lightly recruited out of an Illinois high school, has a lean, lanky, projectable pitcher’s body with command of three plus pitches. When he’s at his best, Friedrich attacks hitters smartly and dominates with an 89-92 mph fastball and a nasty 12-to-6, old-fashioned curveball—though scouts say he may rely on his breaking ball a little too much. He also has a solid changeup, but uses the pitch infrequently. The key for Friedrich is maintaining consistent command of his stuff. He has control lapses occasionally, and walked a combined 68 in 119 innings the spring and summer of his sophomore season.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Friedrich established himself as a solid mid-first-round pick off his dominant summer in the Cape Cod League, and his elite status didn’t waver all spring. He only put icing on the cake by going 5-1, 1.78 with 24 walks and 86 strikeouts in 66 innings. The most impressive indicator of his dominance, though, was a skimpy .142 opponent batting average. Friedrich commanded an arsenal of four pitches, particularly his two best—a steady 89-91 mph fastball that frequently reached 93-94, and his signature pitch, a hard, 12-to-6 curveball that he can throw at two speeds. He refined a slider that he only toyed with in the past but quickly become an average big-league pitch, and he threw a lot more changeups, still a developing pitch. His feel for pitching, clean mechanics and competitive approach make him a complete pitcher.—AS
 
ARIZONA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
26 Daniel Schlereth LHP Jr. L-L 6-1 210 Arizona Lone Tree, Colo. Athletics ’07 (8) 5/9/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Schlereth was in line to be the first college player from Arizona drafted last June, possibly as early as the second round, before he missed several weeks at mid-season with an oblique muscle pull on his non-throwing side. The original diagnosis indicated he might be lost for the season, but Schlereth returned sooner than expected and resumed his closer role. He struggled initially to regain his old form, but his velocity was soon back up to 91 mph—just shy of his pre-injury speed of 92-94—although it fluctuated amidst concerns that Schlereth was still not 100 percent healthy. Scouts indicated they wanted to see Schlereth in peak form before they were prepared to risk an early-round selection. He went 3-1, 2.68 with eight saves in 24 appearances with 47 strikeouts in 37 innings and ultimately went in the eighth round to Oakland but never really came close to signing with the A’s. Schlereth has a history of injuries as he missed his freshman year at Nevada-Las Vegas with Tommy John surgery. Ironically, he capitalized on an injury to the Wildcats 2006 closer, Mark Melancon, to make a name for himself at Arizona and he went into 2007 with heightened expectations. He was used as a setup man this spring on an extremely deep and talented Arizona pitching staff. There’s a lot to like about Schlereth. His fastball has topped at 95 in the past, his changeup is a solid-average pitch and he flashes an above-average slider. But he also struggles to throw his slider for strikes consistently. Scouts are also skeptical of his size, the consistency of his stuff and his ability to repeat his delivery. Schlereth is the son of former NFL lineman and current ESPN football analyst Mark Schlereth, who packed 280 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame in his playing days—a stark contrast to his son’s 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame. Schlereth gets his quick, live arm—and his football mentality and closer mindset—from his father; his size from his mother.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): The time has finally come for Schlereth to make his push to professional baseball, and he couldn’t pick a better time. He was dominant this spring with a fastball at 92-93 mph, touching 96. He combined it with a power breaking ball and an above-average change, along with a significantly greater ability to repeat his delivery, to produce a 1-0, 1.97 record in 28 appearances. More telling was his 65 strikeouts in 46 innings and a .166 opponent batting average. Along with Ryan Perry (No. 3 above) and sophomore closer Jason Stoffel, he gave Arizona a third dominant arm at the end of its bullpen that should pitch in the big leagues one day. Schlereth projects as a situational lefthander at that level, capable of being used in one- to two-inning bursts.—AS
 
MINNESOTA (Selection from Angels/Carlos Gutuerrez)
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
27 Carlos Gutierrez RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 205 Miami Miami Never drafted  
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Gutierrez went 9-7, 4.40 in 2006 for the Hurricanes, spending the first half of that season as the team’s ace before a sore elbow curtailed his activity in the second half. He subsequently underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of the 2007 season. He returned this year in a closer role. Gutierrez has limited experience as a pitcher as he was primarily a basketball player until his senior year of high school and worked in only 10 innings as a freshman. But he has good command of three pitches, including a low-90s, sinking fastball. He has an average breaking ball and an above-average change. He has a loose arm, is quick to the plate and fields his position well.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Gutierrez was outstanding as the Miami closer this spring, going 3-2, 3.21 with 10 saves through mid-May. He also struck out 47 hitters in 34 innings. Gutierrez will throw his fastball up to 94 mph but is most effective throwing a 90-mph sinker that has some of the latest and hardest movement of any fastball in college baseball. His durability in recovering from TJ surgery was not an issue as Gutierrez appeared in 27 of the Hurricanes first 48 games and was getting stronger as the season progressed.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
NEW YORK-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
28 Gerrit Cole RHP Sr. R-R 6-3 190 Orange Lutheran Santa Ana, Calif. UCLA 9/8/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): For pure electric stuff, Cole might stand on top of the list of pitching prospects in the 2008 class. His fastball was up to 97 mph with tons of late life and movement at the World Wood Bat Association fall championship in Jupiter, Fla., and his changeup, low-80s curveball and upper-80s slider showed the same kind of quality and life. His fastball velocity was the highest recorded at the 80-team event. Cole has some pitchability and command, and plenty of projectability in his young 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame. His extended mid three-quarters release point is a bit lower than standard and helps add to his fastball life. The question for scouts this spring is going to be seeing him extend himself. Few scouts have seen him pitch deep into games, as he competed on the showcase circuit during the summer—he worked only four innings in Jupiter—and has thrown less than 40 innings at the high school level (3-0, 1.21 with two saves in 29 innings as a junior) due to a deep pitching staff at Orange Lutheran High, where he also plays right field. He was a 2007 Aflac All-American.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/1): Cole is one of the enigmas of the 2008 draft. He answered some questions very well this spring, throwing 61 innings while going 7-1, 0.57 with 98 K’s and only 16 walks, and pitching deep into pitch counts. His fastball was dominant, touching 97 mph at times with very good life. Questions arose about his curveball consistency, his exaggerated long and extended arm action and his approach to the game. Throw in a Scott Boras-signability scenario and it’s very difficult to tell how June 5 will play out for Cole.—DR
 
CLEVELAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
29 Lonnie Chisenhall 3B/RHP So. L-R 6-2 190 Pitt Morehead City, N.C. Pirates ’06 (12) 10/4/1988
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Chisenhall was one of the nation’s top freshmen recruits last spring at South Carolina, but made headlines for all the wrong reasons when he was dismissed from the team after being charged along with teammate Nick Fuller for burglary and grand larceny. He was hitting .313-1-13 through 20 games at the time of his dismissal. Chisenhall was placed on six months probation for his misdeed and charges could be dismissed by as early as mid-August. In the meantime, he has re-surfaced at North Carolina’s Pitt CC, near his home in Morehead City, and will be eligible for the 2008 draft. He has lost little of the talent that made him one of the nation’s most coveted players out of high school. He spent his summer playing American Legion baseball in his hometown to keep his game in check, and was used as both a hitter and pitcher. He has continued to go both ways in junior college, but his bat is his most prized tool. He has an excellent approach to hitting, uses the whole field and hits for both average and power. He is not overly athletic and doesn’t run that well, however, and that will force him to play third base or right field, but he has plenty of arm strength for those positions.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/1): Chisenhall did just what he needed to do this season at the junior-college level. He re-established himself on-the-field as one of the premier batsmen in the draft, and off-the-field as a model citizen. Most teams came to the conclusion that his indiscretion was a youthful mistake and seemed prepared to grant him a pass. His talent, especially his superior hitting ability, has landed him on the cusp of the first round. He displays excellent hitting mechanics and an excellent approach to hitting, and proved to be an extremely tough out this spring. He got the bat head through the hitting zone in a hurry and hit a steady diet of screaming line drives. He rarely swung and missed, chased pitches or gave away at-bats. His raw power potential wasn’t always in evidence but scouts are convinced it will come as he learns to lift balls more consistently. Not only did Chisenhall hit .401-8-61 and play a steady shortstop, but he was also effective in a closer role. His combined efforts led Pitt to within a game of its first Junior College World Series appearance.—AS
 
BOSTON