DRAFT 2008
Top 15 Rounds

Round 15 (Picks 443-472)

TAMPA BAY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
443 Brandon Meredith 1B/OF Sr. R-R 6-2 225 Montgomery Chula Vista, Calif. San Diego State 12/19/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Meredith has a big, physically mature frame with a powerful upper body and reminds long-time San Diego area scouts of former big leaguer Kevin Mitchell, though is less athletic than the former National League MVP. A running back in high school. Meredith was heavily recruited to play football in college, despite his 7.2-second speed in the 60. But he has always preferred baseball and committed last fall to play baseball-only at San Diego State. Meredith has a quick, powerful bat and a very aggressive approach to hitting. He has above-average raw power and the ball jumps off his bat. He hit .516-3-28 this season. A catcher as a sophomore, Meredith moved to center field as a junior and split the 2008 season between first base and right field. His lack of raw speed and limited range will likely restrict him to first base down the road.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
PITTSBURGH
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
444 Chris Aure LHP Sr. L-L 6-0 180 North Pole North Pole, Alaska Cochise (Ariz.) CC 10/13/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Alaska rarely produces a home-grown player who is ready to play professional baseball right out of high school, but Aure may be an exception. Though scouts did not trek to Alaska this spring to see him pitch, he was seen extensively as a member of the same British Columbia-based Langley Blaze club team that included projected first-round pick Brett Lawrie and several other prominent B.C. high-school aged players for this year’s draft. Scouts got a good look at Aure on the Blaze’s annual spring trip to Arizona in March, and he showed them a loose, quick, fresh arm that produced an 85-87 mph fastball, but the promise for more velocity down the road as he touched 92 in the past. He complemented his fastball with a sharp, late curveball and a developing changeup. He has a surprisingly good feel for pitching, considering his Alaska upbringing and the fact he was cut from his high school JV team as a freshman. Aure returned to Alaska from Arizona later in the spring to rejoin his North Pole High team, which played an abbreviated schedule leading up to the Alaska state tournament in early June. He went 3-1 and hit .475 as his team, coached by his father Vic, finished fifth. The old draft-and-follow rule was ready-made for a player like Aure, who committed to pitch at Arizona’s Cochise Junior College in the fall.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
KANSAS CITY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
445 Tito Espinosa C/1B So. R-R 6-0 220 Broward (Fla.) Miami Twins ’06 (32) 9/15/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: Along with righthander Matt Latos (Padres, 11th-rounder) and outfielder Sergio Morales (White Sox, 12th-rounder), Espinosa was one of several prominent draft-and-follows on a talented Broward CC roster in 2007. But he was largely lost in the shuffle as he was used in a platoon role, and went both unsigned as a Twins draft-and-follow and undrafted. He asserted himself as the dominant player on the Broward roster this spring, however, hitting .345 while leading the team with five homers and 44 RBIs and splitting his time between catcher and first base. He needs a lot more at-bats to grow into his potential at the plate, but is very strong and has good bat speed. Scouts are more enthused with his present ability behind the plate as he is mobile—even in his strong, stocky body—blocks and frames well, and has solid arm strength.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
BALTIMORE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
446 Jason Gurka LHP So. L-L 6-0 175 Angelina (Texas) Chapel Hill, Texas Never drafted 1/10/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: A two-way player as a freshman for the Roadrunners, Gurka concentrated on pitching this season and made himself into a legitimate pitching prospect. He has a quick, live arm with command of four pitches: a fastball with tailing and sinking action that is a steady 88-91 mph and can touch 92; a late-breaking, swing-and-miss 12-to-6 curve, a developing slider and a fair change. On the season, he went 6-2, 2.40 with 81 strikeouts and 20 walks in 56 innings. He has a thin, wiry frame but projects as a major league reliever with normal development and physical maturity. He is very aggressive and competitive. Gurka is a Texas Tech recruit.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
SAN FRANCISCO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
447 Daniel Cook 3B/OF Sr. R-R 6-3 175 Florida Atlantic Miami Nationals ’07 (20) 6/15/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Cook intrigues scouts with his versatility, balance of skills and projectable frame, but the lack of a plus tool prevented clubs from pulling the trigger on him in last year’s draft before the 20th round. He has returned as a senior with high hopes of ascending into the top 10 rounds. Cook played shortstop and third base as a sophomore but was moved to the outfield last spring. He has returned to third base in 2008. He has very good arm strength from the left side, decent range for an infield corner and is a 6.8 runner in the 60. But he is not a burner with a quick first step. He has good bat speed, but has not developed the kind of consistent power that would profile at a corner position in the infield or outfield. He hit a career-high .349 as a junior and slugged six of his seven career homers. His best baseball may be ahead of him if he can fill out his thin frame.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Cook suffered a foot injury after a fast start (six home runs in the first three weeks of the season) and missed almost two months of the spring while recovering. He returned to the lineup on May 6, giving scouts a short window of opportunity to see him again. In just 68 at-bats through mid-May, he was hitting .265-6-16. The scouting community is familiar enough with him that he should be a solid senior sign type of draft regardless.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
FLORIDA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
448 Johnny Dorn RHP Sr. R-R 6-3 210 Nebraska Grand Island, Neb. Never drafted 8/4/1985
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): By going 2-0, 1.57 with 37 strikeouts and only 23 hits allowed in his first five starts this spring covering 34 innings, Dorn has come full circle in his college career at Nebraska. He went 12-2, 2.16 in 2005 to top all freshmen nationally in wins and though he won 19 games over the next two seasons, his ERA slipped to 3.89 as a sophomore and 5.23 as a junior. Not only was he not drafted last June, he was hardly in the mindset of area scouts as his raw stuff regressed each year and the velocity on his fastball had slipped to the mid-80s. He continued to win largely on his advanced pitching acumen and the command of his breaking ball and changeup. Last fall, Dorn was a different pitcher and became a factor again for scouts as his fastball was again touching the low 90s—much like it was when he was a freshman when he had a solid-average fastball and the makings of becoming a potential top-rounder. Dorn still has the same long, lean body with a smooth three-quarters arm action and good mechanics, and could resurface as a solid senior sign if he continues to hold his velocity through the spring. –ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Dorn was outstanding this spring pitching in the Friday-night slot, although seven no-decisions left his record at only 5-1 (entering NCAA regional play), to go with a 2.55 ERA and 93 K’s in 91 innings. His stuff was consistent all spring, pitching in the upper-80s, touching 90-91 mph, with quality secondary stuff and command. Dorn is an intense competitor on the mound as well and will be the type of senior sign who could probably go straight to low Class A ball and compete well this summer.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
CINCINNATI
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
449 Eric Pfisterer LHP Sr. L-L 6-3 205 Don Bosco Prep Saddle River, N.J. Duke 5/18/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Reading between the lines with scouts, you get the feeling that Pfisterer might end up being the best high school prospect from the New Jersey Class of 2008 when everything washes out in a couple of years. He made significant improvement over the last year and went from an 85-87-mph southpaw to one that pitches in the upper-80s consistently with plus life and feel to his fastball, and will occasionally bump 91-92. Pfisterer is very athletic and considered a two-way prospect as a hitter/first baseman as well. One scout compared him favorably to former University of Virginia standout and 2007 first-round pick Sean Doolittle at the same stage. However, Pfisterer is an excellent student from an education-oriented family (his father is a physician) and he has a scholarship to play at Duke.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
CHICAGO-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
450 Tyler Kuhn SS Sr. L-R 5-10 175 West Virginia Louisville, Ky. Indians ’07 (33) 9/9/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: Kuhn has been a highly-productive offensive player since leading the Valley League in the summer of 2006 in batting (.374), slugging percentage (.570), runs and hits, on his way to earning league MVP honors. He also made a successful conversion that summer from second base to shortstop, the position he has played since. He’s an adequate shortstop defensively, but his bat is what will finally earn him a shot at playing professional baseball. He hit .332-5-52 as a junior, but turned down an offer to sign with the Indians and returned to bat a loud .424 this season while hitting a team-high nine home runs and driving in 56 runs. His speed (6.5 seconds in the 60) and overall athletic ability are also strengths. His play at shortstop has gotten progressively better and he committed just 12 errors this season while displaying good range to his arm-side. He gets rid of balls quickly but has only average arm strength and may be better suited returning to second at the next level. His bat will play, however, anywhere in the middle infield. He can hit to all fields, but is mostly a singles and doubles hitter.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
WASHINGTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
451 J.P. Ramirez OF Sr. L-L 5-10 180 Canyon New Braunfels, Texas Tulane 9/29/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): If Ramirez was 6-foot-3 instead of being listed generously at 5-foot-10, he would be in the top 25 on the 2008 list. The lefthanded hitter has one of the fastest and best swings in the country and has consistently performed at a very high level against top-level pitching. Against high school pitching in Texas, it’s been no contest as Ramirez hit .629-8-38 as a sophomore and .500-10-39 as a junior. He consistently makes hard, barrel contact. He can show flashes of power, though he is more of a doubles-type hitter with the ability to hit for a high average. Ramirez’ athletic tools are solid. He’s a 6.85 runner in the 60 with good arm strength and likely will end up in left field at the upper levels. But his bat is going to carry him and open eyes at every level.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): The same debate about Ramirez’ hitting ability vs. his size and projection raged on this spring. He held up his end of the bargain, hitting .512-6-39 with 18 doubles, six triples and only three strikeouts. As usual with a high school prospect in this slot, it might all come down to signability as there seemed to be a number of scouts who fully recognize Ramirez’ superior hitting skills and tools.—DR
 
HOUSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
452 Phil Disher C/OF Sr. R-R 6-2 210 South Carolina Aiken, S.C. Giants ’07 (45) 6/17/1985
SCOUTING REPORT: Disher has two big tools: tape-measure power and raw arm strength. He has as much raw power as anyone who has played in recent years at South Carolina—Justin Smoak, and recent big leaguers Steve Pearce and Brian Buscher included. He launched 16 home runs this season while hitting .310 with 51 RBIs—comparable numbers to 2007, when he hit .328-15-63. He still has significant holes in his swing, however, as he struck out 63 times in 210 at-bats after succumbing 70 times in 2007. He was vulnerable to a steady diet of breaking pitches and prone to chasing pitches; flaws which may be exposed more acutely with wood that could compromise his power. His arm strength may be compromised as well because he is a below-average defender behind the plate and just ordinary on the outfield corners. He caught more late in the season but spent most of the 2008 season in a DH role, and first base may be a compromise destination down the road. Disher, a fifth-year senior, returned to school last fall still under control to the Giants, who drafted him in the 47th-round a year ago, but the fifth-year rule was abolished this offseason, meaning Disher will re-enter this year’s draft like any other college senior.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
TEXAS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
453 Joey Butler OF Sr. R-R 6-2 210 New Orleans Moss Point, Miss. Never drafted 3/12/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: Butler is an above-average athlete for a potential senior-sign outfielder, with solid big league-average speed, raw strength and bat speed. He hit .357-11-50 for UNO this spring and led the team with 20 doubles and six triples—a noticeable improvement after hitting five home runs a year ago. Butler is a bit of a free swinger and will chase pitches out of the zone, but the ball comes off his bat hard on contact. He has above-average speed, which played well in the outfield, though his arm is slightly below average.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
OAKLAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
454 Nino Leyja SS Sr. R-R 5-11 165 Houston Christian Houston Sam Houston State  
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The Houston area was full of quality shortstop prospects this spring that were right on the cusp between professional-prospect status and very promising college careers. Leyja is a deceptively-strong, 5-foot-11 athlete with solid tools across the board. He shows surprising bat speed and gap power potential for his size. Leyja is more quick than fast and has very good range at shortstop and solid arm strength.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Leyva led Houston Christian High to a 5-A private school state title this spring, hitting .440 while stealing 40 bases—comparable to the numbers he posted a year ago.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
ST. LOUIS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
455 Scott McGregor RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 193 Memphis Liberty Township, Ohio Never drafted 12/19/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: McGregor was Memphis’ Friday starter for a third straight season, but after winning a combined 12 games his first two years with the Tigers he sunk to a 1-8, 5.19 record with 115 hits in 78 innings (opponent batting average: .341) this season. He throws consistent strikes and has good pitchability with a 92 mph fastball that has good sinking action, but his downfall stemmed from his tendency to throw too many hittable strikes—particularly when his velocity dipped to the 88-89 mph range and he was forced to rely more on a below-average slider. McGregor didn’t issue a single walk in his first 22 innings this season, but ended up with 27 free passes while striking out 55. His changeup is a solid pitch.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
MINNESOTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
456 David Coulon LHP Sr. L-L 6-0 170 Arizona Hanford, Calif. Rockies ’07 (42) 2/22/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): There were high expectations that 2007 would be the year that Coulon put it all together and emerged as a dominant college lefthander. But he failed to throw strikes on a consistent basis and eventually lost his job as Arizona’s No. 3 starter. He showed flashes of being unhittable when he moved to the bullpen, but command issues continued to dog him there, too. He had 40 walks in 69 innings, leading to an uninspiring 4-3, 4.98 record. Coulon has flashed three plus pitches on occasion in the past, but he finally seemed to find his release point last fall and his stuff was consistently more explosive with a fastball at 88-92 mph, a dynamic curve and a plus changeup. Even on a pitching staff that is backed up in pro-style talent, Coulon played a prominent role at the start of the 2008 as Arizona’s No. 2 starter. He could be one of the nation’s top senior signs as scouts say his stuff is better than Brad Mills’, a Wildcat senior lefthander drafted in the fourth round last June.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Coulon had a solid 2008 season as a regular starter, leading the Wildcats with seven wins while going 7-3, 3.26 overall with 26 walks and 67 strikeouts in 66 innings. But his stuff, chiefly an 86-88 mph fastball and average breaking ball, did little to inspire scouts. Most saw him as a crafty senior lefty.—AS
 
LOS ANGELES-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
457 Albie Goulder 1B Sr. L-L 6-2 205 Louisiana Tech Scottsdale, Ariz. Never drafted 5/3/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: On a Louisiana Tech team that was expected to contend for first place in the Western Athletic Conference standings but ended up being the odd team out in the WAC’s six-team post-season tournament, Goulder was the one contstant. He slugged 14 homers in 2007, and duplicated that number with a team-leading total this season. He also topped the Bulldogs with 37 walks and 49 strikeouts, while batting .303 with 39 RBIs. Goulder’s bat is his strength and the remainder of his tools are limited. He’s expected to be a possible senior sign in the late-rounds.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
MILWAUKEE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
458 Mark Willinsky RHP So. R-R 6-4 235 Santa Clara Las Vegas, Nev. Never drafted 3/14/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Willinsky sat out the 2007 season while academically ineligible and went just 2-4, 5.49 while walking 25 and allowing 50 hits in 39 innings a year earlier, despite saving nine games. He also started slowly this season, but significantly picked up his pace in the second half, humping his fastball up to 95 mph and supporting it with good secondary stuff. As Santa Clara’s closer, he was 4-2, 4.56 with six saves this season, and struck out 36 in 24 innings. He also walked 17. Though he has a checkered history and his stuff can be erratic from outing to outing, Willinsky is also capable of commanding three pitches. His fastball has good riding life, even in the mid-90s. His slider also is capable of good three-quarters rotation and his curve has good depth. It’s all about establishing consistency, however, and Willinsky finally may achieved a breakthrough just at the right time—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
TORONTO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
459 Scott Gracey RHP/SS So. R-R 6-2 170 New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. Never drafted 10/15/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Gracey red-shirted at New Mexico as a freshman, then spent most of the 2007 season as a light-hitting shortstop (.271-1-20 in 129 at-bats) for the Lobos. In 10 relief appearances, he went 1-1, 10.45 with a .404 opponent batting average. There was little on his resume prior to last fall to suggest Gracey might emerge almost overnight into a legitimate prospect for the 2008 draft but scouts paid close attention to him when he became predominantly a pitcher in the fall under new Lobos coach Ray Birmingham. Not only did his fastball reach 94 mph, but his slider became a dominant mid-80s weapon. With a relatively fresh and untested arm, it’s possible Gracey could take another significant leap forward in the spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Scouts eagerly hoped to see Gracey on the mound in a regular role this spring, but he made only five appearances in inconsequential use, working just six innings. He went 0-1, 6.35 with five strikeouts. It was determined that Gracey was too valuable in his role as an everyday shortstop (.332-0-43) to warrant auditioning him on the mound—especially when the Lobos had a number of impressive arms in the bullpen. He was still able to show-off his arm at shortstop with regular 93-94 lasers across the infield. Though his mound appearances were few and he would come in to pitch directly from shortstop without proper warm-up, his superior raw arm strength was readily evident. Scouts were left to wonder what they might see if he was fully rested and didn’t have to play a position. But even in brief glimpses, his fastball and slider/cut fastball, thrown with minimal effort, showed the potential be dominant pitches in a future closer role. Where he will be drafted is unclear as most clubs will have difficulty justifying investing significant money in a player with a limited pitching history.—AS
 
ATLANTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
460 Layton Hiller OF So. R-R 6-3 220 Blinn (Texas) Victoria, Texas Never drafted 5/18/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: Hiller’s strength is his bat. He has a short, compact swing in his big, powerful frame and topped Blinn CC in average (.393), homers (14) and RBIs (44) this season after topping the Buccaneers with 11 homers as a freshman. The remainder of his tools are considered below-average, particularly his speed, but his arm is playable from right field. He has committed to Louisville.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
CHICAGO-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
461 Casey Coleman RHP/SS Jr. L-R 6-2 180 Florida Gulf Coast Cape Coral, Fla. Devil Rays ’05 (49) 7/3/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Coleman was the key recruit for the new Florida Gulf Coast baseball program three years ago and has not disappointed, leading the team since the start of his freshman year both on the mound and in the field. FGC upgraded to provisional NCAA Division I status this spring and topped the Atlantic Sun Conference most of the spring, though will not be eligible for post-season play. The son of former Detroit Tigers 20-game winner Joe Coleman, the third overall pick in the 1965 draft, and grandson of former Philadelphia Phillies righthander Joe Coleman, Casey has an opportunity to make baseball history as there are only a handful of three-generation families that have played Major League Baseball—the Boones and Bells being the most famous. Like his father and grandfather, Coleman’s future is on the mound despite his ability to play shortstop and third base. Coleman’s fastball was up to 94 mph this spring as the FGC Friday starter. He understandably has an advanced idea how to pitch, given his background, and uses his curveball and changeup well. Giving up full-time infield duty should add some consistency to his command and stuff at the next level as Colemen tends to be more erratic with his command than he should be at this point. Coleman went 6-3, 4.57 with 52 strikeouts in 63 innings this spring (through mid-May) and hit .312-5-32.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
SEATTLE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
462 Jake Shaffer OF Jr. L-L 6-2 195 Northern Kentucky Athol, Mass. Never drafted 8/16/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Northern Kentucky has been a regular contributor in recent drafts from the Division II ranks, and Shaffer is the school’s most draftable player this year. The former Winthrop player, who underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in 2006, hit .331-5-39 with 15 stolen bases in 16 attempts, even as he was hampered most of the season with a hamstring injury that largely negated his speed, his best tool. Shaffer has run the 60, when healthy, in 6.5 seconds, and is a force at the top of the lineup, in either the 1 or 2 holes. He also excels at chasing down fly balls in center field. His arm strength is slightly below average. Shaffer has a contact-oriented, line-drive approach to hitting, but is strong enough to turn around an average fastball. His overall game bears a striking resemblance to New York Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
DETROIT
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
463 Alden Carrithers 2B Sr. L-R 5-10 165 UCLA Portland, Ore. Never drafted 11/14/1984
SCOUTING REPORT: While UCLA had a very disappointing spring after beginning the year No. 1 in one national poll, Carrithers was the one constant, hitting a team-best .378 through mid-May. He also ranked among team leaders in runs (40), RBIs (42), stolen bases (17) and on-base percentage, while playing solid defense at second base. That performance is pretty consistent with what Carrithers, a native of Oregon who played at UC Santa Barbara for two years before transferring to UCLA, has done throughout his college career. He can hit, runs well enough and generally puts the ball in play. Senior lefthanded-hitting middle infielders from the West Coast who can play the game have a history of getting drafted better than expected and Carrithers could be the next in that line—particularly for a team like Oakland or Boston, which values his strengths.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
NEW YORK-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
464 Jamie Bruno 1B Sr. L-L 6-2 216 Mandeville Covington, La. Tulane 1/6/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Bruno received plenty of attention this spring and is probably the one high school player in the state that scouts have all seen and can generally agree on. He is an extra-strong athlete who has a very aggressive swing that creates plus bat speed. Bruno’s swing doesn’t have the classic power extension that Tyler Yockey’s does, and he more typically overpowers balls with his raw strength. Bruno is limited to first base but is a solid defender who moves pretty quickly and has good arm strength. He has pitched extensively in high school and in summer ball, and throws in the 85-88 mph range with a nice slider.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
SAN DIEGO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
465 Brett Mooneyham LHP Sr. L-L 6-4 215 Buhach Colony Merced, Calif. Stanford 1/24/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Mooneyham is a big southpaw who hadn’t pitched much outside California until he participated in the World Wood Bat Association fall championship in Jupiter, Fla., in late October. His performance with the champion Atlanta Braves Scout Team was his coming-out party as he was consistently 91-93 mph with a power curveball and showed a power pitcher’s approach to pitching. His raw stuff compares to any lefthander’s in the 2008 class. But he’ll struggle with his command and control at times as he lacks rhythm and tempo, and doesn’t always repeat his delivery and arm angle. He has the body type to be a workhorse and has good mound presence. Mooneyham, whose father Bill pitched in 46 games for the Oakland A’s in 1986, has a long-haired, carefree look to him that had scouts talking about Barry Zito, but he’s a top student who has committed to Stanford. He’ll be one of the most followed pitchers on the West Coast this spring.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Mooneyham’s stuff ranks with any high school lefthander, with a strong-leveraged delivery that consistently produces plus fastball velocities and a power downer curveball. His delivery and command are not especially polished at this point, as his 43 walks in 46 innings this spring will attest. Overall, he 8-1, 0.60 with only 17 hits allowed vs. 81 strikeouts. Mooneyham’s commitment to Stanford and his status as a Scott Boras-advisee are often the first things that scouts note on him, however.—DR
 
PHILADELPHIA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
466 Demarii Saunderson OF Sr. L-L 6-3 195 Northville Northville, Mich. Iowa Western CC 11/27/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Saunderson is a very athletic outfielder with a very projectable, loose body. He’s a 6.9 runner in the 60 who also throws 87 mph from the mound from the left side. Saunderson has flashed his power and bat speed with wood at showcase events, although his swing mechanics and approach are very raw. He hit .418-3-33 this year and has signed with junior college power Iowa Western for next year. Under the old draft-and-ollow rules, Saunderson would be an ideal player to draft and watch develop for a year. He has one of the more unique family backgrounds in the draft. His father, Kevin Saunderson, is widely-acknowledged to be one of the originators of the Techno Pop-style of music and is a very successful musician and producer with his own music label, KMS.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
COLORADO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
467 Juan Rodriguez RHP Fr. R-R 6-2 186 Univ. del Turabo San Juan, P.R. Never drafted 9/15/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: A rare Puerto Rican college player, Rodriguez went undrafted a year ago out of high school but grew into his projectable frame this year and was clocked as high as 93 mph, though was more consistently 87-92. He has long arms and a quick arm action. As with most pitchers from Puerto Rico, his secondary stuff is a work in progress but his breaking ball shows flashes of being an out pitch. He projects as a reliever.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
ARIZONA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
468 Bobby Stone 1B Sr. L-L 6-2 215 Montgomery Montgomery, Texas Sam Houston State 11/14/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Stone has received plenty of late attention from Houston-area scouts for his power potential and overall athletic ability. He has excellent strength and a well-leveraged, whippy swing that can drive the ball hard to all parts of the ball park. Stone has a mature approach at the plate that combines patience with the ability to hit the ball hard the opposite way if that’s what the pitcher gives him. He’s an agile first baseman who should be a plus at that position on defense. Stone also throws 87 mph off the mound from the left side and could be a two-way player in college if he makes it to Sam Houston State. He hit .408-7-20 this spring entering post-season play and was 6-3, 2.06 with 78 strikeouts in 46 innings on the mound.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
LOS ANGELES-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
469 Marcel Champagnie SS Jr. R-R 6-0 190 Arizona State Bolton, Ontario Twins ’06 (34) 10/18/1985
SCOUTING REPORT: A Canadian-born and raised player with Jamaican parents, Champagnie burst out of the gates this season as Arizona State’s starting shortstop. Though he squared up balls consistently early and went on to hit .371-3-37 on the season for the Sun Devils, Champagnie hit a rut with the glove at mid-season and was in and out of the ASU lineup the balance of the season. Overall, he fielded at just an .888 clip, committing 17 errors. He has a rough edge in his defensive actions and an unconventional slot on his release leads to a below-average arm from the left side of the infield. Scouts anticipate a position change at the next level, though he has enough speed, offensive ability and athleticism to move to the outfield. Champagnie grew up in Ontario and then spent two years at Kaskaskia (Ill.) JC, hitting a combined .428 with four homers and 39 stolen bases, before moving on to ASU as a fourth-year junior.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
NEW YORK-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
470 Matt Richardson SS/RHP Sr. R-R 6-1 177 Lake Mary Lake Mary, Fla. Central Florida 5/28/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Richardson climbed into the Perfect Game top 100 prospects list for the 2008 class initially as a shortstop, but is getting more attention now as a righthanded pitcher.As a shortstop, he is a defensive standout with plus arm strength and range. He’s a contact hitter with hand quickness who sprays the ball around the field but lacks a lot of strength in his 6-foot-1, 177-pound frame. Richardson threw only six innings as a high school junior, but pitched more and more during the summer and then pitched exclusively at the World Wood Bat Association fall championship in Jupiter, Fla., in late October. Richardson’s fastball reaches 92 mph from a loose, easy arm action, and his 77 mph curveball is a potential plus pitch. He has signed with Central Florida and the Golden Knights coaching staff has already compared him to 2004 Minnesota Twins supplemental first-round pick, Matt Fox, who entered UCF as a shortstop and left as a righthanded power pitcher.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Richardson took well to pitchng this spring and was up to 92-93 mph at times while pitching around major league average. His curveball showed good rotation and bite, although he’s understandably inconsistent with both his command and breaking ball given his lack of pitching experience.--DR
 
CLEVELAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
471 Jason Rodriguez 3B Sr. L-R 6-0 175 Nevada Rancho Cuca., Calif. Never drafted 12/6/1985
SCOUTING REPORT: Rodriguez projects as a good senior sign in this year’s draft after hitting .384-8-58, and topping Nevada in batting, doubles (21), walks (40) and on-base percentage (.475). He also played steadily at third base, committing just 13 errors and showing more mobility around the bag this season. He has impressive hitting skills from the left and should add power as he continues to get stronger.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
BOSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
472 John Lally LHP Sr. L-L 6-1 185 Santa Margarita Ran. Santa Margarita, Ca. Loyola Marymount 4/19/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Lally has steadily been adding strength and velocity to his pitches since the winter of 2006-07, when he was just 80-83 mph at a Perfect Game Showcase in California. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound lefthander is now throwing in the low-90s with a power curveball and a quality changeup. He has a short, quick arm action. Lally was a well-known prospect back when he was a soft-tossing, finesse southpaw because he always projected well and was able to throw three quality pitches for strikes. Now he has the same pitchability, but power stuff to go with it. Lally had a 3.02 ERA as a junior with 62 K’s and 20 walks in 57 innings.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Lally missed most of the spring with an arm injury, throwing only eight innings.—DR