DRAFT 2008
Top 10 Rounds

Round 10 (Picks 293-322)

TAMPA BAY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
293 Matt Hall SS Jr. R-R 6-3 180 Auburn Scottsdale, Ariz. Angels ’05 (8) 3/10/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Hall was an eighth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels in 2005 out of an Arizona high school, but was unable to supplant Andrew Romine at shortstop in two seasons at Arizona State and spent the majority of his time there as a part-time third baseman. Installed at shortstop again last summer in the Cape Cod League, Hall solidified Bourne’s infield with his stellar play defensively as the surprising Braves surged to the Cape Cod League’s Western Division regular-season title. Hall has no above-average tool, but shows sound middle-infield actions and makes all the routine plays. All his tools are acceptable, but Hall’s best attributes might be his intangibles and leadership skills. He takes charge of a game at shortstop. He still needs considerable work at the plate after hitting .277-1-14 with three walks and 20 strikeouts for Bourne, but he batted .313-4-24 as an Arizona State sophomore and will get the chance to develop that part of his game on an everyday basis after electing to transfer to Auburn for his junior year. He is expected to be a stabilizier in the middle infield for a young Tigers team.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Hall got a chance to play everyday as Auburn’s shortstop and caught everything hit his way while showing exemplary leadership skills. But he hit a soft .283-4-27, often batting in the No. 9 hole, and did little to impress scouts that he’ll hit enough with wood at the next level.—AS
 
PITTSBURGH
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
294 Drew Gagnon RHP Sr. R-R 6-3 185 Liberty Brentwood, Calif. Long Beach State 6/26/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Gagnon is a very loose, live-bodied righthander from the East Bay area in Northern California whose stock has been on the rise all spring. Entering the 2008 season, Gagnon’s fastball was mostly 87-88 mph. He had a good, sharp 73-mph curveball and a feel for a changeup. But he bumped his velocity into the low 90s this spring and looked easy doing it with plenty of projection still in the tank. Gagnon went 8-3, 1.58 with 82 K’s and 20 walks in 79 innings. —DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
KANSAS CITY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
295 Mauricio Matos C Sr. R-R 6-0 185 DeWitt Clinton Bronx, N.Y.   9/10/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Though George Washington’s Jean Carlos Rodriguez and Cooperstown Central’s Phil Pohl were the two most heavily-scouted catching prospects in the New York high school ranks this spring, Matos made a late rush to join them. He squared off against Rodriguez in Game Two of the Public School Athletic League city championship semi-final series—reportedly after Matos missed Game One because he was in Kansas City attending a pre-draft workout with the Royals—and scouts got a close-up look at the two catchers in action head-to-head. Matos measured up favorably with a live body, average arm strength and receiving skills, and a good aptitude for the game. He needs to add weight to his slight frame as he lacks the strength to drive balls, but has solid swing mechanics and projects power. Under the old draft-and-follow rule, Matos would have been an ideal selection.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
BALTIMORE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
296 Chris Herrmann 3B So. L-R 6-0 180 Alvin (Texas) Tomball, Texas Never drafted 11/24/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: An unpretentious .286-4-21 hitter as a freshman in 2007 at McLennan (Texas) JC, Herrmann was significantly behind three Division I-bound Alvin sophomore righthanders—Guillermo Cienfuegos (Lamar), Jeremy Toole (Brigham Young) and Taylor Wulf (Miami)—at the start of the 2008 season. But the lefthanded-hitting Herrmann became the key player and significantly improved his prospect worth this spring as Alvin gained its first-ever trip to the Junior College World Series, beating Texas power San Jacinto to reach the tournament, and knocking off No. 1 Walters State (Tenn.) and No. 2 Chipola (Fla.) once they got there. Herrmann contributed a .439 average with 17 doubles, 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases, earning both All-America honors and all-tournament honors. His bat and power potential became legitimate tools this season, and he settled in defensively at third base after spending most of the early season behind the plate.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
SAN FRANCISCO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
297 Ryan O’Sullivan RHP/SS Sr. R-R 6-1 180 Valhalla El Cajon, Calif. San Diego State 9/5/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: O’Sullivan and his brother Sean, now a highly-successful pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization, are the first brother combination ever to be named Aflac All-Americans (Sean was a 2004 selection). The younger O’Sullivan, much like his brother before him, has been a fixture in SoCal baseball circles since he was the MVP of the San Diego Stars’ national AAU championship team as a 9-year-old. O’Sullivan has always excelled as a two-way player at shortstop and on the mound, although (like his multi-talented brother) his upper-level baseball future is likely on the mound. Despite his part-time status on the hill, O’Sullivan throws 89-91 mph with hard, heavy sinking action on his fastball. His breaking ball is a 77-mph slurve that can be tightened into a slider. O’Sullivan is a polished pitcher and a ground-ball machine, and should continue to improve when he gets on the mound full-time. If he goes the college route, O’Sullivan could excel as one of the country’s top two-way players, just as he has done his entire baseball career thus far.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
FLORIDA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
298 Trevor Holder RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 198 Georgia Birmingham, Ala. Never drafted 1/8/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Holder had a solid regular season for Yarmouth-Dennis of the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2007, going 4-1, 0.89 with eight walks and 28 strikeouts in 30 innings while used as both a starter and in relief. He saved his best for last, though, pitching the first eight innings of a 2-0 win over Falmouth in the deciding game of the Cape League’s championship series. He allowed one hit, walked two and struck out 10. With a number of scouts watching his every step, he thoroughly dominated the Commodores with a fastball that had tailing action and slight sink and got increasingly stronger as the game moved along and peaked at 93 mph. He also worked in an 80-84 mph slider that he learned during the summer and a filthy changeup—his best pitch. He showed excellent command of all his pitches, along with an aggressive, attacking style and an ability to mix all his pitches—and did so with little effort. He can throw strikes consistently to both sides of the plate with Greg Maddux-like precision, and works at a fast tempo. He returned to Georgia, intent on hanging on to a starting job in 2008 after going 2-3, 4.50 in 20 appearances (10 starts) for the Bulldogs as a sophomore. He projects as a back-end of the rotation starter.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Holder was the Bulldogs’ Friday starter all spring and while he didn’t quite repeat his Cape Cod League championship game performance, he solidified his draft status as a third- to fifth-rounder. He added and subtracted to a fastball between 86 and 92 mph, with sneaky-quick velocity at the higher level. He also showed a big-league slider and changeup at times this spring. Holder’s record was 7-4, 4.48 with 54 strikeouts in 74 innings as No. 1-seeded Georgia entered the SEC tournament.—DR
 
CINCINNATI
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
299 Sean Conner OF So. L-R 6-2 198 Palm Beach Lake Worth, Fla. Never drafted 7/28/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: In terms of tools and body type, Conner reminds scouts of Boston Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew. He swings from the left side, has raw power to all fields and an above-average right field arm. He’s always had the raw tools to play at the pro level but became a legitimate prospect this season as he made huge strides at the plate. He generated good bat speed while shortening his swing and driving the ball the other way with more authority. He topped Palm Beach JC, a nationally-ranked program much of the 2008 season, in homers (9) and RBIs (43), while batting .326. He has committed to play at NAIA power Lubbock Christian as a junior, but has expressed a greater desire to sign.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
CHICAGO-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
300 Stephen Sauer RHP Jr. R-R 6-2 185 Arizona State Las Vegas, Nev. Devil Rays ’07 (31) 8/13/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Sauer went 11-5, 3.15 with eight saves in two years at the College of Western Nevada, but largely flew under the radar with his higher profile teammate Cole Rohrbough getting most of the attention. However, his chance to pitch in the 2007 Junior College World Series, on one of the biggest stages for junior college players, and this season on a powerhouse Arizona State team could change that perspective. Sauer is a talented young pitcher with an athletic build and quality stuff that continues to improve and can be dominant on some days. He normally pitches with an 88-92 mph fastball and a good 72-75 mph curveball, and locates both pitches well.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Sauer stepped right in at Arizona State this spring, pitching impressively in the early going as the Sun Devils won their first 19 games and 28 of 29. He showed a good sinking fastball at 90-92 mph, touching 93, and effectively blended in a slider. He was used in a variety of roles—and maybe overused as he came down with tendonitis in his shoulder and was sidelined for three weeks. He didn’t pitch as well down the stretch, though he still went a respectable 4-1, 3.74 with 49 strikeouts in 46 innings and had a .216 opponent average as the Sun Devils entered the final week of regular-season play.—AS
 
WASHINGTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
301 Tommy Milone LHP Jr. L-L 6-1 215 Southern California Saugus, Calif. Never drafted 2/16/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Milone won’t overpower anyone with his fastball, typically in the 84-87 mph range, but few pitchers in the college game possess his command or feel for pitching. He topped the Cape Cod League in wins last summer while walking seven and striking out 46 in 52 innings, and assembled a solid 6-5, 3.02 senior year at USC, walking 19 and striking out 92 in 89 innings (through mid-May). Milone’s strength is that he can spot his pitches at will, particularly an above-average changeup. He is what he is, however, as he has little or no upside. But he should get a shot because he’s a lefthander who can pitch.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
HOUSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
302 Jarred Holloway LHP Fr. R-L 6-3 218 St. Petersburg Russellville, Ark. Nationals ’06 (49) 8/28/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: Holloway had little or no success in his first collegiate season—either at Mississippi State, where he didn’t pitch at all as a freshman, or during the summer with the Alaska Goldpanners, where he worked just 15 innings and walked 22 while posting a 12.89 ERA. Though he is generally around the plate with his pitches, throwing consistent strikes is obviously an issue with the hard-throwing lefthander, whose heavy fastball has been clocked from 89-92 mph. The pitch shows excellent tilt and can be an effective weapon against lefthanded hitters. He also shows flashes of a plus slider and can be dominant at times with that pitch, too. Knowing he had little chance to pitch regularly at Mississippi State unless he threw strikes, Holloway opted to transfer to St. Petersburg JC, where he worked primarily in relief this spring but got a better fair chance to work through his control issues, though with mixed results. He had trouble repeating his delivery. He continues to intrigue scouts because he is lefthanded and has the making of two average big league pitches.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
TEXAS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
303 Kevin Castner RHP So. R-R 6-4 230 Cal Poly Lafayette, Calif. Never drafted 8/3/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Castner has an easy, effortless delivery and an extremely live arm with good extension from a high three-quarters slot. His fastball is steadily in the 93-96 mph range and will touch 97. Unfortunately, hitters often can sit dead-red on the pitch as he has little or no command of his power slider, or anything off-speed. With proper development, his slider could become an out pitch as it has late, tight bite. Castner has a lot of catching up to do as he was primarily a position player in high school, missed his freshman year at Cal Poly because of a shoulder injury and worked only seven innings in 2007 due to inconsistent performance. He went 0-0, 15.43 with 23 base runners (15 hits, eight walks). He made significant strides during the summer pitching in the West Coast Collegiate League, but still has work to do in repeating his delivery and cleaning up his mechanics. He has an erratic release point. He also needs to learn how to pitch, to not fall in love with the radar gun and instead use a two-seam fastball to induce ground-ball outs. He could emerge as a significant power closer if it all comes together for him.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): The art of pitching remains relatively foreign to Cashner, but he made significant strides this season in developing fastball command and refining his slider. He still lacks a third pitch, but has begun working on a changeup. With his inability to repeat his delivery and throw consistent strikes, Castner made few meaningful appearances this spring at Cal Poly and went just 1-2, 5.46 with 25 walks and 40 strikeouts in 30 innings. At this juncture of his development, he’d be better suited in a pro environment as he would have an opportunity to pitch on a more regular basis and fine tune his stuff and command. But he may represent too much of a risk for a team to take a chance on him in the early rounds.—AS
 
OAKLAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
304 Rashun Dixon C Sr. R-R 6-2 210 Terry Jackson, Miss. Miss. State (FB) 8/27/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Lefthander T.J. House (No. 4 above) is acknowledged as the top high school prospect in Mississippi, but Dixon could easily be the first player drafted of the two—particularly if a club is willing to buy him away from a football scholarship to Mississippi State. House’s high price tag may scare teams off, but Dixon has made a significant surge as a prospect this spring to make a case for himself as a legitimate prospect in the top three or four rounds, possibly even in the top two as his name was flying around scouting circles in the weeks leading up to the draft. Some scouts saw him as a better athlete with better speed than Alabama prep shortstop Destin Hood, an Alabama football recruit who has been mentioned prominently in the sandwich round. Dixon has three solid tools—speed, power to all fields and arm strength—in a powerful, athletic frame. He still remains relatively raw, but has made huge strides in all phases of his game. He can put a charge in a fastball, though lacks plate discipline. He has a tendency to be overly aggressive, is prone to chasing pitches out of the strike zone and often has great difficulty recognizing breaking balls. He put up big offensive numbers this spring for Terry High, hitting a state-best 13 home runs (along with 23 stolen bases), but there are questions whether he’ll ever hit high-level pitching, especially with wood. Dixon made significant progress as a catcher, but needs work in refining his shifting and blocking skills. He is so athletic, though, that he could probably make a seamless transition to the outfield—a likely scenario if a team wants to take full advantage of his speed. Dixon committed to play wide receiver at Mississippi State, where his older brother Anthony rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 2007 as a sophomore running back. But he’s the kind of high-risk, high-reward talent that a team might decide to take a run at buying him away from college.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
ST. LOUIS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
305 Alex Castellanos 2B So. R-R 5-11 180 Belmont Abbey (N.C.) Miami Never drafted 8/4/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: It was an unusually strong year for North Carolina at the NCAA Division II level—from Mt. Olive winning its first D-II World Series title and yielding potentially 5-6 players for this year’s draft, to Catawba College producing two significant mid-round talents in outfielders Jerry Sands and David Thomas, to Wingate College scooping the state’s large number of Division I players on St. Stephens righthander Jason McEachern, who emerged overnight this spring to become potentially the top high school selection in the state for this year’s draft. Add Castellanos to that list. A draft-eligible sophomore from Miami, Castellanos had a big season at the plate for Belmont Abbey, hitting .390-12-54 while hitting a national-best 31 doubles. He also led the Crusaders to a school-record 41 wins while positioning himself to become the school’s first draft pick in 35 years. A good athlete with acceptable speed and arm strength for the pro game, Castellanos may have played out of position defensively this season. His actions appear better suited in the outfield, and scouts say his offensive skills will play there.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
MINNESOTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
306 Evan Bigley 3B/OF Jr. R-R 6-1 180 Dallas Baptist Lancaster, Calif. Never drafted 3/9/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Bigley was a draftable shortstop/righthander out of high school who threw 90-91 mph from the mound, but switched to center field as a collegian. His physical tools grade out solid-average across the board and scouts really appreciate his hard-nosed, intense approach to the game. Bigley has some pop in his bat (.340-13-58, 20 doubles through the regular season) and hits the ball hard to the gaps, although he is a bit of a free swinger with his aggressive approach to the game.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
LOS ANGELES-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
307 Chris Joyce LHP Sr. L-L 6-0 190 Dos Pueblos Goleta, Calif. UC Santa Barbara 12/25/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Joyce didn’t just hold his own as a rising high school senior in the California Collegiate League last summer, but he actually dominated at times while assembling a 5-1, 1.34 record for the league champion Santa Barbara Foresters. He struck out 50 in 40 innings and allowed just 16 hits. In one game against San Luis Obispo, he fanned 16. Joyce isn’t overpowering with a fastball at 87-90 mph that he can run away from or jam inside to a righthanded hitter, but he’s expected to throw harder as he fills out his small, but strong frame. He has four quality pitches, including a 78-79 mph slider with good bite, a good curveball and a developing changeup. More than anything, he just needs to gain experience and shore up some command issues.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Joyce was absolutely dominant at times this spring, striking out 65 hitters in 30 innings en route to a 3-1, 1.37 record. He touched 93 mph early but a back problem caused him to miss time, and also cost scouts a chance to see him as often as they might have otherwise. He still projects as a solid Group Two type draft.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
MILWAUKEE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
308 Greg Miller RHP Jr. R-R 6-4 225 Seton Hall Hammonton, N.J. Never drafted 2/8/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The powerfully-built and coordinated Miller was used in a two-way role by the Pirates as a sophomore, finishing second on the team in both wins (4) and home runs (5). His upside from a pro standpoint is on the mound and he went 4-1, 1.35 overall with five walks and 30 strikeouts in 33 innings in 2007 while being used primarily as a midweek starter. He has taken over as a weekend starter in 2008, giving the Pirates the potential for an impressive staff as righthander Sean Black, an unsigned second-round pick out of a New Jersey high school in 2006, and lefthander Corey Young, a possible third- to fifth-rounder in June, will work ahead of him in the rotation. Miller has a solid three-pitch mix with a riding fastball that has been clocked up to 94-95 mph, an occasional nasty slider with 11-5 tilt that is difficult for hitters to pick up and a sinking circle changeup. His overall mechanics are fine, he doesn’t waste pitches and his command continues to improve. His arm is also relatively fresh as he has spent significant time as a position player and continues to play first base for the Pirates when he’s not pitching.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Miller was impressive on the mound early in the 2008 season for Seton Hall, especially on the team’s trip to Florida. He worked out of the bullpen the first few games and was solidly 92-94 mph, touching 95 with a sharp slider, but his stuff gradually wore down as the season progressed and he finished 3-4, 3.63 in 44 innings. Scouts who saw him early in the year consider Miller a 4th/6th-round draft who has a future in the bullpen as a two-pitch power guy. But many cross-checkers saw him late when his fastball was more 88-90 and he was struggling with his command. One thing Miller gets consistent good marks for is his late, heavy fastball movement that hitters find very difficult to lift; he didn’t allow a home run all spring. Miller doubled as Seton Hall’s DH and occasional first baseman, and led the team in hitting at .340-2-25.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
TORONTO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
309 Danny Farquhar RHP Jr. R-R 5-11 170 Louisiana-Lafayette Pembroke Pines, Fla. Never drafted 2/17/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): At 5-foot-11, his size is a deterrent, but Farquhar is one of the top strikeout artists in the college game. He fanned 115 and walked only 22 in 88 innings in 2007 and was on a similar strikeout pace to start this season. He piles up strikeouts at a rapid rate because he can throw from every arm angle imaginable and pounds the strike zone with a fastball up to 93-94 mph and a sidearm slider that is nearly unhittable. Farquhar spent his freshman season in relief and returned to that role last summer in the Cape Cod League, striking out 49 in 37 innings. He may be better suited for a short role in the long run as he occasionally has trouble going deep into games and also tends to lose his focus too easily.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Farquhar’s stuff and performance declined throughout the spring and he didn’t dominate hitters at anything close to the frequency he did in the past. There was talk among area scouts that Farquhar’s arm might have been bothering him, although he took the ball every time and threw 70 innings, going 3-7, 4.67 with 75 strikeouts. As a sub-6-foot righthander who projects to the bullpen, Farquhar needs his top stuff to keep scouts interested.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
ATLANTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
310 J.J. Hoover RHP So. R-R 6-4 215 John C. Calhoun Pittsburgh, Pa. Never drafted 8/13/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: The physically-mature Hoover has always been able to throw hard, but he learned to become a pitcher this season with the improvement in his slider, curve and changeup. The result was dramatic. Hoover led the nation with 176 strikeouts in 101 innings—a nine-inning average of 15.74—while going 6.4 with an Alabama-best 1.88 ERA. He made a major statement in late March when he fanned 23 and 19 in consecutive starts. His fastball, mostly 92-93 mph a year ago, was 94-95 this year on the Stalker radar gun—and 97-98 on the more liberal JUGS gun. A Pittsburgh high school product, Hoover has committed to West Virginia but has indicated he wants to begin his pro career.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
CHICAGO-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
311 Alex Wilson RHP Jr. R-R 6-1 195 Texas A&M Hurricane, W.Va. Never drafted 11/3/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Wilson was primed to become an early-round pick in this year’s draft after going 13-3, 3.78 with 143 strikeouts in 138 innings as a freshman at Winthrop, and following up with a solid 6-4, 2.51 record with 97 strikeouts in 111 innings as a sophomore—accomplished mainly on the strength of a fastball in the 92-95 mph range. But those hopes were pretty much dashed when he felt discomfort in his pitching elbow in two brief appearances last summer in the Cape Cod League and subsequently underwent Tommy John surgery. He would have been lost for the entire 2008 season anyway, but he elected to transfer from Winthrop to Texas A&M. He could still be drafted in a prominent round by a team prepared to monitor his progress during the summer, but his immediate future is uncertain. In all probability, he will pitch for Texas A&M in 2009. His loss was the second critical blow for Winthrop as righthander Jason Franzblau, who went 8-4, 3.13 last year as a co-ace with Wilson, chose to transfer to Arizona State rather than return to Winthrop for his junior year—though Franzblau is nowhere near the prospect Wilson is. Wilson’s secondary stuff, a 70-73 mph curve and 79-81 mph slider, is a marginal complement to his fastball. That pitch and his aggressive approach are his strengths.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Wilson has made a quick and strong comeback from TJ surgery and threw a bullpen for scouts in early May where he touched 94 mph. More such bullpens will certainly be thrown leading up to the draft. Wilson has plans to pitch at Falmouth in the Cape this summer and any team drafting him is sure to follow him there to further gauge his health and progress. But the early velocity that Wilson showed is sure to spike interest among scouts who saw him dominate in 2006 and 2007.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
SEATTLE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
312 Nate Newman RHP Jr. R-R 6-5 215 Pepperdine Brookehaven, Miss. Never drafted 12/17/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Newman is an intriguing athletic specimen who considered becoming a Division I quarterback out of high school before choosing to attend Tulane as a two-way baseball prospect. He spent a year at Tulane before transferring to Grayson County (Texas) CC to concentrate solely on pitching; he moved on to Pepperdine in that role last fall. Even though the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Newman did not swing a bat in game competition last summer in the Clark Griffith League, he entered the league’s Home Run Derby at the all-star game and won the event by drilling 15 home runs, including eight in the final round. Newman’s sole focus at this point is on pitching, however, and his athletic ability is in evidence on the mound. His sinking, boring fastball sits at 89-91 mph and he touched 93 last summer on his way to compiling a 6-0, 1.80 record with a league-best 66 strikeouts in 65 innings. He also has an above-average 12-to-6 curve.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Newman stepped into a starting role at Pepperdine this spring and became a staff savior for the Waves when ace Brett Hunter went to the sidelines after two starts with an elbow injury. Newman led Pepperdine starters in wins (7), ERA (3.24) and strikeouts (58, in 81 innings) as the Waves entered the West Coast Conference championship series. Newman was solid with a four-pitch mix that included an average fastball (88-90 mph), a curve (his best pitch), a useable slider and a developing changeup.—AS
 
DETROIT
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
313 Robbie Weinhardt RHP Sr. R-R 6-2 198 Oklahoma State Pearland, Texas Astros ’07 (38) 12/8/1985
SCOUTING REPORT: Weinhardt’s success this season as Oklahoma State’s primary set-up man and occasional closer was often overlooked among the vast number of elite college relievers in the country. The senior righthander went 5-0, 3.76 with four saves and 61 strikeouts in 38 innings. Scouts did not overlook his performance, however, as Weinhardt threw a consistent average fastball that peaked at 94-96 mph, although it was fairly straight. He also had to take a little off occasionally to throw strikes more consistently. His strikeout pitch was a mid-80s slider that was sharp and late. Weinhardt commands both pitches pretty well, repeats his delivery and showed excellent bounce-back ability. Like so many of his other reliever brethren, Weinhardt was a starter at a Texas junior college (Hill JC) for two years before moving to OSU, and to the bullpen.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
NEW YORK-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
314 Brian Valenzuela LHP Sr. L-L 5-9 155 Vista Murrieta Murrieta, Calif. Azusa Pacific 10/21/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Valenzuela doesn’t profile as a professional draft but his combination of signability, pitchability and present skills could vault him into the top 10 rounds. The little lefthander pitches in the upper-80s, touching 90, from a very smooth and easy delivery. His curveball is in the mid-70s with good tight spin and his fading changeup also is a potential plus pitch. Valanzuela dominated his competition at a high-profile program this spring, going 9-0, 0.99 with 101 K’s and only 17 walks in 70 innings.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
SAN DIEGO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
315 Andrew Albers LHP Sr. R-L 6-0 195 Kentucky No. Battleford, Sask. Brewers ’04 (12) 10/6/1985
SCOUTING REPORT: Albers had never quite lived up to expectations after being drafted in the 12th round in 2004 out of a Saskatchewan high school. He went undrafted as a junior, mainly because his stuff was below average. But even with an 85-87 mph fastball that peaks at 88, Albers has an extremely good feel for pitching with excellent command of three pitches. His fastball plays up because he gets good movement on the pitch and mixes it effectively with his curve and cut fastball. Used primarily as a closer this year, he led the Wildcats in wins (7) and saves (4) while posting a 2.63 ERA (entering NCAA tournament play). He also walked 16 while striking out 61 in 51 innings. Albers reminds scouts, appropriately enough, of Scott Downs, the former Kentucky lefthander now pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays in Albers’ native Canada.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
PHILADELPHIA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
316 Jean Carlos Rodriguez C Sr. R-R 5-10 210 George Washington Bronx, N.Y. Chipola JC 3/27/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez has impressive raw tools in his short, stocky frame. He’s a surprisingly polished receiver with above-average arm strength, and intriguing power potential. The ball jumps off his bat and he slammed 11 home runs this spring (all with wood) for a 45-2 high school team, but his overall approach to hitting is unrefined. He plays aggressively in all phases of his game, but has been prone to letting his conditioning lag and packing on unwanted weight. His signability is not an issue, meaning he might be an attractive option for a team looking for a high school catcher before the 10th round.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
COLORADO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
317 Stephen Dodson RHP Jr. R-R 6-5 205 Georgia Norcross, Ga. Royals ’07 (18) 8/29/1985
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Dodson was one of the only highs in a season of lows for the 2007 Bulldogs, who went from 47 wins in 2006 to 23 a year later. He didn’t join the Georgia starting rotation until after the Southeastern Conference schedule began, but he became the staff ace and Friday starter by default. He ran with the role, going 4-6, 3.56 on the season while allowing only 71 hits and 20 walks in 81 innings. Along with Trevor Holder and Nathan Moreau, he is a key part of an all-prospect rotation this year. Dodson has an advanced ability to pitch with his fastball for a college pitcher, something that endears him to scouts. He throws a four-seamer in the 90-92 mph range and is able to maintain his velocity late into games. His two-seam sinker comes in at 86-89 mph, gets consistent, late action and is a difficult pitch for hitters to square up. Dodson’s slider and changeup are both workable pitches he can throw for strikes. Dodson is an above-average athlete in a wiry, strong frame, has good pitching mechanics and the ability to repeat his delivery. He was eligible for last year’s draft as a sophomore because he red-shirted as a freshman, so his signabilty should not be compromised even as he turned down an 18th-round offer from the Kansas City Royals. He still has two seasons of eligibility.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Dodson had a strong and very consistent spring season, going 5-2, 3.69 in 13 starts as Georgia entered the SEC tournament. He’s a severe ground ball/control type of pitcher who relies on his two-seam fastball early in counts to get ground balls. Dodson walked only nine hitters in 78 innings, but struck out only 27 as well. In fact, Dodson allowed more home runs (12) than walks. His slider and split-finger changeup are both good pitches but are ground-ball inducing, not swing-and-miss offerings.—DR
 
ARIZONA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
318 Danny Hultzen LHP Sr. L-L 6-2 185 St. Albans Bethesda, Md. Virginia 11/28/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Hultzen was unknown to area scouts—let alone national scouts—when he hooked up in an early-season game against St. Anne’s Belfield’s highly-publicized lefthander Kyle Long, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long and the top high school prospect in northern Virginia. With a large gathering of scouts there to see Long—and only Long—Hultzen stole the show and immediately became a hot topic in scouting circles. No player in this year’s draft, in fact, may have come from nowhere quite like Hultzen did. A year ago, he was primarily a soft-tossing lefthander with good pitchability. When he committed to Virginia in the November early-signing period, he seemed like as safe a best to attend school as anyone—particularly since he is a top student. But Hultzen added 10 mph to his fastball between his junior and senior seasons, and blossomed overnight into not only a legitimate prospect but potentially one of the best lefthanders in the country. His fastball was consistently in the 90-92 range, touching 93, over the course of the spring. His curve was also an above-average second pitch. Hultzen’s new-found stuff and his ability to command it enabled him to post an 11-0, 0.82 record this spring with 13 walks and 127 strikeouts in 66 innings. He capped his season by throwing a 12-strikeout shutout, leading St. Albans to the Independent Athletic Conference championship, culminating a 30-2 season for the school. All the attention Hultzen received this spring was so new and so unnerving for his family that they became determined not to get caught up in all the hype and adulation, and remained steadfast in their determination that Hultzen will attend school at Virginia. It will be interesting to see if a significant signing bonus will tempt the family to have a change of heart.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
LOS ANGELES-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
319 Gabe Jacobo 1B/OF Jr. R-R 6-2 185 Sacramento State Tulare, Calif. Never drafted 4/14/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Jacobo hit .363-14-44 last year as a first baseman at Sacramento State, leading the team in all categories. He went to Alaska last summer with the intent of furthering his skills at first base for the Anchorage Bucs, but spent the summer playing a variety of roles defensively to accommodate power-hitting Clay Calfee (Angelo State, Texas). Jacobo saw considerable time at third base, shortstop and the outfield in addition to first base, and projects as a utility player at the next level. He’s a reliable fielder almost anywhere he plays but his arm only profiles for left field or first base. His best tool is his bat. He demonstrated an ability to hit with wood by leading the Alaska League with 38 RBIs and finishing second with five homers. He followed up this spring with a solid .379-14-65 season, again leading Sac State in all three categories while dividing his time between the outfield and first base. Jacobo has a solid approach at the plate and is a strong, athletic hitter with good bat speed and emerging loft power to all fields. He makes consistent hard contact. He’s also a smart, aggressive base runner.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
NEW YORK-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
320 D.J. Mitchell RHP Jr. R-R 6-1 170 Clemson Rural Hall, N.C. Never drafted 5/13/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): When the Cape Cod League’s Bourne Braves recruited Mitchell in the fall of 2006 as a two-way player, it was expected he would have more impact as a center fielder than as a pitcher—both during the spring at Clemson and the following summer with the Braves. But Mitchell hit only .208-2-12 in 108 at-bats for Clemson in 2007 while emerging as the team’s No. 3 starter, going 5-0, 3.27 with 49 strikeouts in 52 innings. His emergence as a legitimate pitcher was even more pronounced last summer as he quickly took over as Bourne’s No. 1 starter on his way to leading the Cape Cod League with 58 strikeouts in 49 innings. Overall, he went 1-2, 1.47 while limiting opponents to a .192 average. He became just an afterthought as a position player in the process, getting only 15 at-bats. Mitchell isn’t overly physical at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds and doesn’t have overwhelming stuff with a fastball at 88-91 mph, topping at 92, but he gets the equivalent of 5-6 mph more in velocity with the exceptional movement he generates on his fastball. His two-seamer drops and darts in and out of the strike zone with such electricity that Cape Cod League umpires had a difficult time calling it for strikes early in the season—resulting in a number of his 23 walks. He also gets excellent deception on his pitches because his arm speed is so fast. Still, Mitchell is relatively new to pitching and he needs to refine his slider and changeup, develop better command and get stronger.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Just as Clemson was a disappointment this season, Mitchell didn’t perform like area scouts thought he would—especially after they had heard so many positive things about his breakthrough summer on the Cape. He took a while to get started, primarily because his fastball was mired in the mid- to high 80s. The pitch picked up speed later in the spring and was a more characteristic 89-92 at times with good running action, and his slider and changeup were solid. But he never really rallied from his slow start, was in and out of the Clemson rotation, and went 6-5, 3.47 with 40 walks and 106 strikeouts in 99 innings (entering the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament).—AS
 
CLEVELAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
321 Donnie Webb OF Jr. B-R 5-11 190 Oklahoma State Stillwater, Okla. Never drafted 4/30/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: Webb attended Stillwater High, in the shadows of Oklahoma State University, but was cut from the team as a sophomore and junior, and played sparingly there as a senior. The Cowboys, understandably, showed no interest in him initially and Webb spent his freshman season at Division II Northeastern State. He enjoyed surprising success there, prompting him to walk-on as a sophomore at Oklahoma State, but he red-shirted in 2006 and played sparingly as a draft-eligible sophomore for the Cowboys in 2007. Given a chance to play on a more regular basis this season, Webb blossomed. He hit a solid .361-6-43 with 18 stolen bases in 18 attempts, and led the Cowboys with 61 runs scored as a catalyst atop the batting order. His speed on the bases, quickness in center speed, ability on both sides of the plate to drive balls, sound two-strike approach and intangibles soon caught the attention of large numbers of scouts who had focused most of their attention on shortstop Jordy Mercer and several other potential Cowboys draft picks. Some scouts still see him as a senior sign, but others were impressed enough with his entire package, short of below-average arm strength in center field, to turn him in as a solid mid-round draft.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
BOSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
322 Pete Ruiz RHP So. R-R 6-3 195 Santa Barbara Rough & Ready, Ca. Never drafted 8/21/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Ruiz is part of a talented Oregon recruiting crop that tapped heavily into the California junior college ranks. A converted position player who spent his first full year pitching, Ruiz went 6-6, 3.97 this spring with 59 strikeouts in 66 innings. He began the year as a starter but had limited success in that role and was moved to the bullpen, where his 88-93 mph fastball and power curveball flourished.—ALLAN SIMPSON