| BALTIMORE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 356 |
Jason Rook |
OF |
Jr. |
L-R |
1-Jun |
200 |
Appalachian State |
Greensboro, N.C. |
Never drafted |
8/28/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Not only will Rook, along with
teammates David Rubinstein and Garrett Sherrill, give Appalachian State the
first drafted threesome in school history, but the Mountaineers haven’t even
had a single draft pick in 12 years. Rook actually had greater expectations of
being drafted as a pitcher a year ago as he topped Appalachian State in starts,
wins (6), innings (81) and strikeouts (81), while batting .321-7-31 in his
secondary role as an outfielder. His upside is considered greater at the plate,
however, and he concentrated more of his efforts on swinging the bat this
season, and he hit .358-6-44. His swing is suited to wood bats and he flashes
power potential. Predictably, his performance on the mound slipped this season,
and he went 2-5, 8.01 though struck out 58 in 39 innings.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| SAN FRANCISCO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 357 |
Ari Ronick |
LHP |
Sr. |
L-L |
4-Jun |
205 |
Portland |
Boulder, Colo. |
Reds ’07 (38) |
3/25/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Ronick was drafted by the Reds a
year ago, despite going 2-4, 3.05 with 22 strikeouts in 41 innings, missing
several starts with a sore arm and subsequently undergoing surgery to address a
stress fracture in his elbow. His first outing this season was his first in 10
months. He had no ill effects from his surgery at all in 2008 and showed scouts
a short, quick, smooth arm action with a good feel for pitching. His fastball
was consistently in the 87-91 mph range—solid for a tall, athletic lefthander.
He has three other pitches—a slider with short, late tilt, a big-breaking
three-quarters curve and a circle change—that are generally effective. His
changeup is his best pitch. Ronick pitches to contact and went 4-7, 5.03 with
17 walks and 46 strikeouts in 63 innings this season—representative of the way
he pitched as a four-year starter at Portland. Northwest scouts see him as a
solid senior lefty with decent stuff.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| FLORIDA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 358 |
Brandon Turner |
2B |
So. |
L-R |
Jun-00 |
188 |
Mississippi State |
Cleveland, Tenn. |
Never drafted |
2/15/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Turner red-shirted as a
Mississippi State freshman, only to make a huge statement last spring when he
topped the Bulldogs with a .399 average—the second-best mark in the
Southeastern Conference. He also added three homers and 48 RBIs. He’s primarily
a line-drive hitter who does a good job of using all parts of the field with
gap power. His bat is his best tool as he lacks the range and arm strength to
play shortstop. Turner started the 2007 season at that position for the
Bulldogs, but eventually found his way to second base—his more natural
position. His hands and range are acceptable there, and he is fluid in turning
the double play.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): A major contributing factor in
Mississippi State’s first losing campaign in more than three decades was the
loss of Turner, who hurt his hamstring in the opening weekend of the 2008
season. The injury lingered all spring, even though Turner tried unsuccessfully
a couple of times to play through it. He ended up playing in just eight games,
hitting .217-1-4. There’s a strong sentiment that a team will take a run at
Turner as a draft-eligible sophomore anytime after the 10th round and let him
play this summer in the Cape Cod League, before making a decision whether he is
healthy enough to sign him.—AS |
| |
| CINCINNATI |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 359 |
Kyle Day |
C/OF |
Jr. |
L-R |
Jun-00 |
200 |
Michigan State |
Fort Wayne, Ind. |
Cubs ’07 (19) |
7/13/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Day’s career path seems to have
two possibilities, either as a lefthanded-hitting catcher whose offensive
potential will overshadow his defensive shortcomings, or as a corner outfielder
whose bat will continue to blossom when he doesn’t have to worry about
catching. Scouts compare Day’s build and tools package to the Cleveland
Indians’ Ryan Garko, except that Day hits lefthanded. He’s a polished hitter
with excellent command of the strike zone and the ability to hit the ball hard
to all fields. He hit .320-9-48, with 39 walks in 2008. Day has also excelled
in wood-bat summer leagues, earning MVP honors in the Jayhawk League after his
freshman year and being selected to play n the Cape Cod League all-star game
last summer. Day gets plus points from scouts for his leadership skills and
overall approach to the game. He was drafted by the Cubs in the 19th round last
year as an age-eligible sophomore.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| CHICAGO-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 360 |
Steven Upchurch |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
5-Jun |
190 |
Faith Academy |
Mobile, Ala. |
Auburn |
9/14/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Upchurch has barely
started to fill out his lanky, 6-foot-5, 190-pound frame. He throws from an
effortless, over-the-top release point with outstanding downhill angle to the
plate. Upchurch throws mostly in the 90-92 mph range and gets good running
action on his fastball when he heeps it down in the zone. He’ll add velocity as
he fills out his body. His curveball and changeup are both potential plus
pitches that he shows very good present feel for, though he needs to quicken
his arm speed when throwing his curve. His arm action is pretty ideal for a
slider as well. One of the things that Upchurch does best, aside from project
through the roof, is attack hitters. He’s a very aggressive pitcher with a plan
on the mound and the ability to throw strikes with all his pitches. As a high
school junior, he went 5-4, 2.21 with 83 strikeouts in 59 innings. More innings
and more strength could make him something special in the future.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Upchurch went 13-0 as a high
school senior and pitched Faith Academy to the Alabama Independent Schools
Association state title. He was selected MVP of the final series, but more his
bat as he went 7-for-8 with six RBIs and launched a 400-foot home run. He was
touched up for 13 hits in a series-opening 7-6 win. That outing was somewhat
indicative of the way he pitched this spring as he didn’t dominate better
competition, even with a lively fastball that was clocked at 90-91 mph and
topped at 93. He secondary stuff was adequate, but overall he did not show
scouts the dominating stuff and command they expected to see after ranking
behind only Destin Hood among Alabama high school prospects entering 2008. His
loss in stature may pave the way for him to move on to Auburn.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| WASHINGTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 361 |
Will Atwood |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
3-Jun |
185 |
South Carolina |
Piedmont, S.C. |
Never drafted |
1/13/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Atwood went just 6-4, 5.16
in his first two seasons as a set-up man at South Carolina, yet pitched in the
Cape Cod League all-star game in each of the last two summers. He went 2-0,
1.29 in the summer after his freshman year and 4-0, 2.25 as an encore. In a
combined 67 innings, he limited the nation’s top college hitters to just 45
hits and 26 walks while striking out 56. While acknowledging he’s still raw at
this point in his development, scouts believe his Cape Cod performance is a
truer indication of his ability. Atwood can produce a fastball in the 88-92 mph
range and he does it easy from an overhand slot with a good downward plane, but
it’s effective only down in the strike zone. His changeup is a solid second
pitch, but he’s still trying to figure out whether his breaking ball should be
a curve or slider. He needs to master a third pitch to neutralize lefthanded
hitters. His 70-72 mph curve lacks ideal spin and velocity.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Atwood produced more of the same
results this spring as he did in his first two years in college, but he was
used as a starter and his stuff and command were noticeably better. He never
had a consistent breaking ball in the past, but he was able to throw his curve
effectively to both left- and righthanded batters. His fastball was
consistently 90-91 mph, and he held his velocity deeper into games. Entering
SEC tournament play, Atwood was 5-3, 4.98 with 29 walks and 59 strikeouts in 72
innings.—AS |
| |
| HOUSTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 362 |
Jeff Hulett |
SS |
So. |
R-R |
Jun-00 |
180 |
Okaloosa-Walton |
Shreveport, La. |
Never drafted |
11/16/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Hulett comes from significant
baseball lineage. His dad Tim played 12 years in the big leagues with the
Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals. His older brother
Tug plays in the Texas Rangers farm system, while another brother Joe played
baseball at McNeese State. Jeff surfaced this season as a top player in the
junior college ranks by hitting .397-9-56. Hulett spent his freshman season at
Texas A&M, but elected to transfer to Okaloosa-Walton after going hitless
in 11 at-bats for the Aggies. Hulett is a pure hitter, without a
clearly-defined position. He spent most of the spring playing shortstop in
junior college, but has the capacity to play almost any position on the field—a
blessing for a college coach, but a curse for scouts. Scouts say he lacks the
natural tools and actions to play shortstop at the next level, and probably
will end up at first base or on an outfield corner. Though he is considered a
step slow, he stole 20 bases in 21 attempts. Hulett played for his father in
high school at famed Evangel Christian High in Shreveport, where he earned
all-state honors in baseball and as a wide receiver on the school’s
nationally-prominent football team.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| TEXAS |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 363 |
Corey Young |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
1-Jun |
180 |
Seton Hall |
Shrewsbury, N.J. |
Never drafted |
12/30/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Young went just 2-6, 3.86
with 51 strikeouts in 72 innings as a sophomore at Seton Hall, but made a
strong impression during the summer in the Cape Cod League. He was Harwich’s
most consistent arm all season, even though he went just 2-2, 4.05 with 39
strikeouts and 15 walks in 47 innings. Young has always had the raw stuff but
began throwing three pitches for strikes more consistently and became more
economical with his pitch counts. His fastball was consistently 88-92 mph with
good movement, and he complemented it with an excellent 72-74 mph curve, for a
lefthander, and command of his changeup. Scouts say he has better pitchability
than Dan Merklinger, a lefthander from Seton Hall who was drafted in the sixth
round last year by Milwaukee.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Young learned to pitch more with
less fastball this spring, and was a much better pitcher and prospect because
of it. His fastball ranged from 84-89 mph some games, 87-91 in others but he
was masterful at times in his use of movement and location while going 8-4,
3.52 with 78 K’s in 79 innings. He walked only 25 walks. Young’s curveball and
changeup are quality off-speed pitches that Young commands well and complement
his fastball. Radar-gun scouts aren’t going to like Young as much as his
power-armed teammate Greg Miller, but many will have the lefthander higher on
their draft lists.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| OAKLAND |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 364 |
Zac Elgie |
1B/OF |
Sr. |
R-R |
2-Jun |
195 |
Minot |
Minot, N.D. |
Kansas |
10/28/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Elgie has created more buzz this
spring than any player to come out of the Dakotas in recent memory. As
top-level athletes tend to do in that part of the country, Elgie is a
three-sport star who was the Western Region player of the year as a football
quarterback and is also an all-state basketball player. He’s made his biggest
impact on the baseball field during the summers, where he hit 34 home runs for
the Minot Vistas American Legion team last year and has 61 for his career. In
the Upper Midwest (Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota), high school baseball
takes second place to summer Legion ball. Elgie hit .472-5-25 this spring for
Minot High, with the discrepancy in power numbers due to high schools in the
state using wood bats. Elgie’s big tool is his power. He has very good bat
speed and natural lift in his swing. He signed to attend Kansas and Kansas
coach Ritch Price has publicly said that he expects Elgie to step right in and
make an impact in the middle of the Kansas lineup as a freshman. Scouts have
had their enthusiasm tempered by Elgie’s signability, as the family stated
early that it was going to take top-round money to keep Elgie from going to
college, something that was perceived as unrealistic for a corner hitter with
no exposure to top-level competition.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| ST. LOUIS |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 365 |
Michael Swinson |
OF |
Sr. |
L-R |
2-Jun |
185 |
Coffee County |
Coffee, Ga. |
Florida CC |
9/24/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Swinson is lean and athletic,
and has the potential to develop into a five-tool talent. But he is relatively
new to baseball still, and is extremely raw in his approach at the plate. He
swings and misses at a high rate. But there is upside in his bat as he has good
bat speed and surprising power. He hit .440-6-36 this spring. His other tools
are much farther along the development curve. He’s an above-average runner with
6.5 second speed in the 60, and his arm from the outfield has been clocked in
the 88-92 mph range.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| MINNESOTA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 366 |
Kyle Carr |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
5-Jun |
200 |
Minnesota |
Linton, N.D. |
Twins ’05 (31) |
11/11/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Carr pitched exclusively in
relief for the Golden Gophers in 2007 while compiling a 5-2, 3.95 record with
eight saves. In 43 innings, he walked 23 while striking out 34. He moved into
the rotation this season, but the early returns have been mixed. Carr gets good
downhill leverage from his 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame but has struggled
throughout his college career to command his stuff. His primary pitches are an
88-91 mph fastball and an average breaking ball. He should continue to add
velocity as he fills out his skinny frame. His changeup is an acceptable third
pitch, which has enabled him to step into a starting role. Carr, who was a
three-sport star at a North Dakota high school, has barely scratched the
surface of his ability and scouts believe he could take off as a starter
despite his slow start.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE: Carr, along with the entire Minnesota
team, had a disappointing 2008 season. He finished with a 2-7, 6.13 record,
walking 38 in 69 innings in his first attempt at a full-time starting job. His
stuff, at least early in games, held up very well as he would frequently hit
91-92 mph with his fastball and his 80-mph slider showed late, hard biting
action and accounted for many of his 67 strikeouts. But Carr’s mechanics were
inconsistent all year and would fall apart the deeper he got into pitch counts.
He landed hard on his front side on release, and his arm slot and release point
wandered across the spectrum from high- to mid-three quarters. Scouts are still
intrigued with Carr’s big league build, projectability and arm strength, but
they will still have to put a little dreaming into his draft slot.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| |
| LOS ANGELES-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 367 |
Austin Yount |
3B/RHP |
Jr. |
L-R |
Jun-00 |
185 |
Stanford |
Scottsdale, Ariz. |
Never drafted |
10/9/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Yount has intriguing bloodlines
as his uncle Robin is a Hall of Famer, while his father Larry is credited with
playing in one big league game with the Houston Astros—though, technically, he
never threw a pitch in a game as he hurt his arm warming up before his
scheduled debut and never got another shot. Yount has been both a pitcher and
position player in his three years at Stanford. He never made much of an impact
until this year, when he was used as both a starter and long reliever, and
emerged as the Cardinal’s Friday starter at one point late in the season.
Overall, he went 6-3, 3.38 with 17 walks and 34 strikeouts in 61 innings. An
extremely smart pitcher, he succeeds mainly on craft and feel, and an ability
to throw consistent strikes. Though he started only the first two games this
season at third base, and has been just a part-time performer in the field
throughout his career at Stanford, Yount is valued by scouts more as a position
player than pitcher. He showed better contact this season than in the past
while hitting .338 (.231 in 2007, .138 in 2006), and actually drove balls more
consistently even though he didn’t homer in 65 at-bats and has only one homer
to his credit in 140 career at-bats at Stanford. Scouts, however, say he has an
excellent lefthanded swing and could evolve into a good line-drive,
contact-type hitter. Yount doesn’t project power, but his bat, acceptable
infield actions and advanced game awareness could position him as a utility
player, or even as a second baseman down the road.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| MILWAUKEE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 368 |
Garrett Sherrill |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
5-Jun |
210 |
Appalachian State |
Kannapolis, N.C. |
Never drafted |
9/4/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Though he went from 10 wins in
2007 to just one this season, while posting near-identical ERA (5.09 in 2007,
5.05 in 2008) and save totals (five in 2007, six in 2008) both years, Sherrill
made significant strides as a closer this season after making the conversion to
the role midway through his sophomore year. His 90-92 mph fastball is an
average pitch, but he gets a lot of swing-and-misses off his slider and fanned
eight straight College of Charleston hitters in one game this season. In 36
innings overall, he struck out 45—though 30 walks point to occasional command
lapses. Sherrill’s competitive makeup is ideally suited to closing.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| TORONTO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 369 |
Matt Wright |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
11-May |
165 |
Shippensburg |
McClure, Pa. |
Never drafted |
5/7/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Wright has a lean build on
a small frame and has been compared at various times in the last year to a
crafty lefty like the Philadelphia Phillies Jamie Moyer—and also to power-armed
New York Mets southpaw Billy Wagner. He pitches with a fastball mostly in the
87-90 mph range, enough velocity to challenge hitters; but he has also been
clocked up to 94 on occasion, enough to overpower hitters. He also has a feel
for a three-quarters breaking curve with good strike-zone bite and an
acceptable changeup with good deception. He can spot all his pitches. Though he
was not overpowering in the Cape Cod League last summer, he has mastered
hitters at the Division II level the last two seasons. He struck out 99 in 78
innings as a sophomore while going 5-3, 2.08 and got off to an equally
impressive start this season, fanning 46 in his first 29 innings while limiting
hitters to a sub-.180 average.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Wright led NCAA Division III
pitchers in strikeouts per nine innings this season, as Shippensburg entered
Division III World Series play, striking out 134 in 88 innings—a nine-inning
average of 13.70. He also gave up just 54 hits. Wright put away hitters
primarily with an 88-92 mph fastball and a curve with good downward action and
strike-zone bite. He struggled to command his fastball, at times, as it tended
to ride up in the strike zone. His changeup, normally an essential pitch for an
undersized lefthander, was below-average. Wright’s stuff, self-confidence and
aggressive pitching style are all in his favor for being drafted in the first
10 rounds, but a team will have to buy into his size for him to be taken that
early.—AS |
| |
| ATLANTA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 370 |
David Francis |
RHP |
So. |
R-R |
1-Jun |
185 |
Walters State |
Mississauga, Ontario |
Cubs ’06 (37) |
2/8/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Francis and freshman lefthander
Chad Bell (No. 8 above) both produced 12-1 records for Walters State as the
nation’s No. 1 junior college team entered the Junior College World Series. The
pair received nearly equal attention from scouts this spring, as well. Francis,
a Canadian, throws a little harder than Bell with a fastball in the low 90s
that will touch 94 mph, but his secondary stuff was not as consistent and he
was prone to walking a few more hitters than Bell (35 in 73 innings).—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| CHICAGO-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 371 |
Jake Opitz |
2B |
Sr. |
L-R |
Jun-00 |
195 |
Nebraska |
Lincoln, Neb. |
Mariners ’04 (39) |
7/28/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Opitz has been a four-year
starter for the Cornhuskers at second base, with more than 200 career starts to
his credit. He’s a lefthanded hitter who has gradually developed some gap power
(.335-8-45, 15 2B) with the bat. Opitz is limited to second base by his arm
strength but has good quickness and range, and is especially quick getting rid
of the ball on the double play. He’s developed a reputation as a gamer and
leader while at Nebraska, and should be a good senior-sign type of pick.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| |
| SEATTLE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 372 |
Kenn Kasparek |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
10-Jun |
245 |
Texas |
Weimar, Texas |
Nationals ’07 (34) |
9/23/1985 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Kasparek gave every
indication of becoming a dominant college pitcher, when he went 8-0, 2.10 as a
freshman. But he slipped to 5-2, 3.80 as a sophomore and missed all of the 2007
season while recovering from Tommy John surgery after injuring his arm in July
2006. He worked in three simulated games last fall with a fastball at 89-92 mph
and an above-average breaking ball. He has been 100 percent physically since
the start of the 2008 season but his performance as a Longhorns starter has
been up and down. His stuff has been fine but he’s been up in the zone and it’s
clear he needs more innings to refine his approach. At 6-foot-10, Kasparek gets
excellent downhill plane on his pitches but he has always pitched more to
contact. In 137 innings as a freshman and sophomore, he struck out just 83.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Kasparek’s season turned around on
April 29, when he threw a no-hitter against Texas State, striking out nine
while facing the minimum 27 hitters. He allowed only one base runner on a hit
by pitch. Up to that point, Kasparek pitched tentatively—and mostly
unsuccessfully. He followed up that masterful performance five days later with
eight innings of three-hit, shutout baseball against Baylor. Kasparek’s stuff
(fastball at 88-92 mph) largely returned to his pre-surgery level, and his
size, sound downhill delivery and strike-throwing ability were huge plusses for
him. Kasparek’s record stood at 6-4, 3.76 with 68 strikeouts in 64 innings
enter Big 12 tournament play.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| DETROIT |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
College Commit |
B’date |
| 373 |
Brett Anderson |
SS |
Sr. |
R-R |
3-Jun |
185 |
Bristol Eastern |
Bristol, Conn. |
Franklin Pierce |
9/3/1990 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Though not physically developed
yet, Anderson has the lean, athletic build to evolve into a legitimate third
baseman or shortstop down the road. In the short term, he’ll probably remain at
shortstop as he has good actions and soft hands, and his arm, his best present
tool, has been clocked at 91 mph across the diamond. His high-energy approach
is also well-suited for the middle of the diamond. His lack of raw speed, his
weakest tool, will probably push him to a corner. But Anderson’s ability to
ultimately move to third largely depends on how his power emerges; he projects
power as he has the quick hands and good bat speed to drive balls. Having
committed to Division-II power Franklin Pierce (N.H.), Anderson is expected to
be the next in line of top shortstops that school has produced—following Shawn
Hayes, a fifth-round pick in 2005; Garrett Olson, a fourth-rounder in 2006 and
Scott Savastano this season.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| NEW YORK-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 374 |
Mark Cohoon |
LHP |
So. |
L-L |
2-Jun |
195 |
North Central Texas |
Mansfield, Texas |
Never drafted |
9/15/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Cohoon was a high school
teammate of righthander Jordan Walden, one of the nation’s top prep pitchers in
2006 who signed a $1 million bonus contract with the Angels a year ago as a
draft-and-follow out of a Texas junior college. Though most of Cohoon’s success
in two years at the junior college has come at the plate and in the outfield—he
hit .382 as an all-conference freshman, and .354 this season—scouts like
Cohoon’s upside more on the mound. He worked in only 18 innings in 2007 and
posted a 4.65 ERA in limited use this spring, but his fastball was occasionally
clocked at 92-93 mph and his curveball was an acceptable second offering. His
lack of consistency, however, was a stumbling block in his not pitching on a
regular basis in junior college.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| SAN DIEGO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 375 |
Matt Clark |
1B |
Jr. |
L-R |
5-Jun |
230 |
Louisiana State |
Fontana, Calif. |
Pirates ’07 (28) |
12/10/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The 6-foot-5, 230-pound
Clark has excellent power potential in a short, compact lefthanded swing, but
he homered only twice last summer in the Cape Cod League as his season ended
after only 11 games when he broke his foot running the bases. His power was
more on display in 2007 last spring at Riverside CC, where he hit 15 homers,
including a number of tape-measure shots. He not only topped California junior
college hitters in home runs but led Riverside to a state championship. He was
expected to be one of a handful of the top junior college players drafted last
June, but fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 28th round because of a strong
commitment to play at Louisiana State as a junior. He has an aggressive,
fastball-hitter’s approach at the plate with a powerful, quick bat and never
gets cheated. The ball jumps off his bat when he squares it up. Clark played
sparingly as a freshman at UC Santa Barbara before transferring to Riverside.
Not only does he have a big league body but he has big league bloodlines. His
father Terry pitched in the major leagues and returns this season as the
pitching coach at Double-A Frisco in the Texas Rangers system. Clark missed the
first two weeks of fall practice at LSU while on the mend from his ankle injury
and was still only 90 percent by the end of the fall. But he was all set to go
to start the 2008 season and make a quick adjustment to the Division I ranks,
hitting a number of early-season homers. He has slotted in at first base at LSU
and profiles at that position in pro ball. He is, at best, an average defender
at third, but has good arm strength. With Clark, it’s all about the bat as he
is slow and heavy-footed on the bases and a potential base clogger.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Clark was the big stick in the
middle of the LSU lineup this spring, hitting .325 with a team-leading 20 home
runs and 50 RBIs. He also struck out 52 times and did most of his damage
against lesser pitching and off-speed pitches. Scouts feel that Clark’s long
swing and relatively slow hands at the plate will give him problems with even
fringy-average velocity fastballs in pro ball. But there is no question about
what Clark can do on pitches he can handle.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| PHILADELPHIA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
College Commit |
B’date |
| 376 |
Ryan Weber |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
Jun-00 |
170 |
Clearwater Central |
St. Petersburg, Fla. |
Florida |
8/12/1990 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): It will be interesting to
follow how scouts evaluate Weber this spring, as he embodies much of what is
successful at the major league level but lacks either the physical build (he’s
generously listed at 6-0, 170) or the plus fastball that gets one drafted in
the upper rounds. Weber has been a mainstay on Team USA national junior
(18-and-under) and youth teams (16-and-under) the past few years and has a
no-hitter against Cuba to his credit. He’s also stood out for All-American
Prospects during summer play and went 11-0, 0.58 as a junior at Clearwater
Central Catholic High. Weber pitches with an upper-80s fastball that will touch
91 and runs hard into righthanded hitters. His upper 70s slider from a low
three-quarters release point is nasty and big, and his changeup equally
efficient. Weber spots all three pitches with maturity and overmatches hitters.
He has committed to Florida, where he could be an immediate-impact pitcher
should he take that route.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Weber was the same pitcher all
spring that he’s always been, prompting one scout to say that Weber might be
pound-for-pound the best pitcher in the country. While a team might take a
chance on Weber in the first five rounds based on his extreme pitchability and
track record, it seems more likely that he’ll follow a similar path as former
Sarasota High and current University of Miami ace lefthander Eric Erickson, who
had a similar profile from the left side coming out of high school.—DR |
| |
| COLORADO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 377 |
Ryan Peisel |
1B/3B |
Sr. |
R-R |
3-Jun |
204 |
Georgia |
Marietta, Ga. |
Never drafted |
6/14/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Peisel had a solid senior season
for Georgia, hitting .332-7-43 with a team-leading 20 doubles as the Bulldogs
entered SEC tournament play. He’s been a four-year starter in college, the last
three at Georgia after playing at East Carolina as a freshman, and has pretty
much performed at the same level each year. Peisel has the strength and raw bat
speed to increase his home run numbers, something scouts look for in a corner
player, but has more of a line-drive swing plane right now. He is a good
athlete for his size with some first-step quickness and running speed, and
could play any of the corner positions at the next level.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| ARIZONA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 378 |
Daniel Webb |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
3-Jun |
205 |
Heath |
Paducah, Ky. |
Kentucky |
8/18/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Webb was held out most of
last summer with a broken ankle sustained in the Kentucky state high school
playoffs. He still pitched five innings after being injured to finish the year
with an 8-2, 2.00 record with 116 strikeouts in 73 innings. He came back strong
with four-plus innings at the 2007 World Wood Bat Association fall championship
in Jupiter, Fla., in October, throwing 94-96 mph. Only Gerrit Cole, the
top-ranked prep righthander in the 2008 class, threw harder. Webb is strong and
mature at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, and depends on strength rather than finesse
in his pitching. His command and delivery are still rough but there is no
mistaking the velocity. Webb is also a good enough hitter to have hit a home
run as a sophomore at the 2006 East Coast Pro Showcase while playing first
base. He hit a resounding .433-11-46 for his high school team as a junior.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Webb is not as refined a pitcher
as Robbie Ross or Nick Maronde, two of his fellow Kentucky high school pitching
phenoms, but he throws harder, up to 96 mph, and may be the most signable of
the trio—two factors that elevate him to the No. 1 ranking among prep
prospects. Webb is a power pitcher all the way, with a power fastball and power
curve, but he may not throw any harder down the road as he is physically mature
and tends to muscle his fastball up to the plate. His delivery is not as
refined as the other elite pitchers in the class, and it may lead to control
issues down the road. In 35 innings this spring, he walked 18 while striking
out 49. His inability to throw consistent strikes was a contributing factor in
his being just a .500 pitcher this spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| LOS ANGELES-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 379 |
Braulio Pardo |
C |
Jr. |
B-R |
Jun-00 |
185 |
St. Leo (Fla.) |
Tampa |
Never drafted |
10/10/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Pardo comes by his skills as a
switch-hitting catcher naturally. His uncle Al Pardo was a switch-hitting
catcher who was drafted in the second round by the Baltimore Orioles in 1980
and went on to play parts of four seasons in the big leagues from 1985-89.
Pardo’s father also caught and hit from both sides in his playing days. Pardo
spent his first two years in college at Division I South Florida, playing for
different coaches both seasons, and chose to move on to D-II St. Leo as a
junior. He hit .356-3-21 but got only 118 at-bats this season because he was
sidelined part of the spring with a chipped bone in his foot. He has some power
from the left side, but is a contact hitter only from the right side, and
struggles with off-speed pitches from that side. It will be interesting to see
how he hits with a wood bat as he never played summer ball so this summer would
be his first competition with wood bats. Pardo excels defensively and has an
above-average arm. He also runs well for a catcher.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| NEW YORK-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 380 |
Luke Greinke |
RHP/1B |
Jr. |
R-R |
1-Jun |
195 |
Auburn |
Orlando, Fla. |
Never drafted |
6/14/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): At .417, Greinke posted
the highest average among all players in the nation’s recognized summer college
leagues in 2007. He also topped the Valley League with a .517 on-base average
and a .642 slugging average while playing for the Winchester Royals (Luke’s
brother Zach pitches for the Kansas City Royals). He battled at the plate,
showed good plate discipline, hit the ball hard consistently and drove the ball
with surprising power to all fields. A good student of the game, he made
positive adjustments at the plate through the course of the summer. Ironically,
Greinke went to the Valley League last summer to concentrate more on pitching
than hitting after going 0-0, 2.61 and working in just six games on the mound
in an injury-plagued season at Auburn in 2007. He still worked in 51 innings at
Winchester, going 3-1, 2.66 with 48 strikeouts with a fastball at 88-92 mph,
topping at 93, but Greinke’s performance on the mound overall paled compared to
his performance as an everyday player. Though his pro future appears to be on
the mound, he showed four solid tools. He’s considered just a marginal
defender, yet proved versatile enough to move interchangably between the
outfield and first base, showing enough speed and arm strength to play
comfortably on an outfield corner. He would generally DH on days after he
pitched. A true dual performer, he was scheduled to serve in a DH role this
season for Auburn while taking a regular turn in the rotation. In 25 innings
last fall, he may have given an indication of things to come as he allowed only
one earned run in 25 innings.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (3/1): Greinke did not capitalize on his
big summer of 2007, falling far short of expectations this spring as both a
pitcher and hitter. Predictably, his draft stock has dropped significantly.
With a pro future on the mound, he focused primarily on pitching but went just
4-4, 4.47 with 38 strikeouts in 50 innings. Though his fastball was 88-90 mph,
topping occasionally at 91, and his slider was effective against righthanded
hitters and his changeup a plus pitch against lefthanders, he suffered from
shoulder tendonitis, causing him to miss several starts. In the final analysis,
he proved to be just another college righthander though his superior athletic
ability may enable him to blossom in pro ball eventually. He was mainly an
afterthought as a position player this spring, getting just 35 at-bats.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| CLEVELAND |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 381 |
Guido Fonseca |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
1-Jun |
250 |
Northern Iowa |
West Covina, Calif. |
Never drafted |
9/15/1985 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Undrafted in 2007 as a
fourth-year junior with a rare eye disease that threatened his career, Fonseca
was 100 percent healthy this spring and responded with a breakthrough senior
year as Northern Iowa’s No. 1 starter. He went 9-2, 4.50 with 96 strikeouts in
88 innings. Though he has a less-than-ideal short, wide pitching frame,
Fonseca’s stuff plays and his arm works well. He can generate an 89-92 mph
fastball, albeit with a maximum-effort delivery, and complements it with a
fringy-average breaking ball. He has trouble commanding his stuff, however,as
he walked 49 batters this spring—more than one every two innings.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| BOSTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 382 |
Lance McClain |
LHP |
Jr. |
R-L |
1-Jun |
175 |
Cumberland |
Knoxville, Tenn. |
Rangers ’06 (24) |
3/26/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: McClain was a weekend starter at
Tennessee in 2007 (6-3, 4.64), but was an academic casualty and ended up at
Cumberland, the 2004 NAIA national champion, for his junior season. He has
fringy stuff with a below-average fastball at 86-88 mph, and relies mainly on
pitchability for his success. His changeup, which creates deception and
disappears at the plate, is his go-to pitch. He has a quick, loose arm with an
easy delivery. McClain went 7-2, 2.91 this spring at Cumberland and showed much
better command of his stuff (77 IP/28 BB, 86 SO) than he did a year ago at the
Division I level, when he walked 40 and struck out 39 in 83 innings.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |