DRAFT 2008
Top 10 Rounds

Round 4 (Picks 113-142)

TAMPA BAY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
113 Ty Morrison OF Sr. L-R 6-2 170 Tigard Tigard, Ore. Oregon 7/22/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: As the new kid on the block this spring, Morrison stuck out like a sore thumb—particularly with Oregon’s high school crop being one of the weakest in years. His combination of a lefthanded bat, speed (6.6 seconds in the 60) and center-field skills drew comparisons at a similar stage of development to Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, an Oregon high school product drafted in the first round three years ago out of Oregon State. The difference, though, according to scouts is that Morrison has a better arm than Ellsbury. There were concerns with Morrison’s bat early in the season, especially after he failed to hit even .300 as a high school junior, but he showed significant improvement over the course of the spring and his interest from scouts kept pace—to a point that he became the clear-cut top prospect in Oregon this season. Scouts are still not sold on his true hitting ability as he batted just .382-1-12 (along with 17 stolen bases) for Tigard High against below-average Oregon high school pitching. But he has good hitting mechanics and should take off as he gets stronger—though there is a lot of projection involved with his bat. Morrison arrived on the Oregon baseball scene in a round-about way after spending his junior season at a Chesapeake, Va., high school, only to move with his family to Hawaii during the summer and on to Oregon in time for the 2008 season. He was a key piece of the University of Oregon’s first recruiting class.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
PITTSBURGH
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
114 Chase d’Arnaud SS/3B Jr. R-R 6-2 200 Pepperdine Long Beach, Calif. Dodgers ’05 (44) 1/21/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): D’Arnaud, whose younger brother Travis was a supplemental first-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in last year’s draft, struggled to hit last summer in the Cape Cod League, batting just .185-3-16. He was prone to pulling too many balls and also struggled with off-speed stuff. In the process, he struck out 42 times, while walking on only four occasions. For all his apparent failings at the plate last summer, D’Arnaud has all the tools to hit and batted .331-3-28 as a sophomore at Pepperdine. He has a quick, compact bat with good extension. Scouts believe that most of his faults in his approach at the plate are correctable; he just needs to go with the pitch better and not chase pitches. He handles the bat well and has easy, projectable power with a slight uppercut stroke. He has good overall athletic ability in a big, agile, athletic frame. He runs well for his size (6.5 in the 60) and is a heads-up base runner. He has a strong, accurate arm, but he’ll need to polish his defensive play, whether he’s at third base or shortstop. He makes plays instinctively at third, has sure, soft hands, charges balls well, has a strong, accurate arm with good on-line carry and moves well to either side. But he also has a tendency to misplay routine balls and was moved to shortstop for the Waves in 2008, only adding to the challenge.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): D’Arnaud took over as the everyday shortstop for Pepperdine this spring and handled the transition from third, where he played his first two years, with remarkable ease. He showed good range, sure, soft hands and solid arm strength, and now shows every indication of being able to handle shortstop at the next level. He also batted .310-8-45 (through mid-May), and largely put his struggles at the plate of last summer behind him.—AS
 
KANSAS CITY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
115 Tim Melville RHP Sr. R-R 6-4 180 Wentzville Holt Wentzville, Mo. North Carolina 10/9/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Melville made a successful return from a sore shoulder that limited him in 2006, and re-established himself as one of the top pitching prospects in the country that summer. Not only did he excel in the showcase environment, he was named MVP of the World Wood Bat Association 17-and-under national championship, as much for his 16-for-27 performance as a power-hitting third baseman as for his pitching. Melville is a draftable talent as a position prospect, but his smooth delivery and 95-mph arm strength is an obvious fit on the mound. He is a polished pitcher who commands his curveball and changeup well. There are many similarities athletically and in pitching style/stuff between Melville and 2001 first-rounder Mark Prior. A native of Virginia, Melville moved to Missouri as a freshman in high school, although he still plays his summer ball for the Richmond Braves. He went 10-1, 0.89 with 117 strikeouts in 63 innings as a junior at Wentzville Holt High, while hitting .443-1-30. Melville also pitched for the USA junior national team at the Pan Am Junior Championship in Mexico in late August, going 1-0, 1.12 in eight innings. Like most of the top high school prospects, he was a 2007 Aflac All-American.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Melville wishes he could have replayed the first month of his spring season, or just canceled it altogether. He had one start postponed when he was hit in the eye by a hockey puck in a P.E. class, pitched one game after attending his grandmother’s funeral and endured wet, 40-degree weather in a couple of other outings. He didn’t start showing his customary 91-95 mph fastball and sharp curveball until the last month, but scouts kept coming out to watch him. Depending on whether you call California two-way prospect Aaron Hicks a pitcher or an outfielder, Melville could be the first high school hurler selected. He went 8-1, 2.56 this spring and hit .386-8-27.—DR
 
BALTIMORE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
116 Kyle Hudson OF Jr. L-L 5-11 165 Illinois (FB) Mattoon, Ill. Never drafted 1/7/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Hudson has gained more acclaim to this point in his athletic career in sports other than baseball. He has excelled as a wide receiver on the Illinois football team for three years, leading the team in receptions and yards as a sophomore. He also won the high jump, with a leap of 6-feet-10, at the state high school track and field meet as a senior. He’s still more athlete than baseball player, but he has intriguing tools and his baseball ability has grown on scouts. He runs the 60 in 6.5 seconds and is an exceptional defensive center fielder. He finished second on the Illini in batting (.351), stolen bases (16) and on-base percentage (.428) as a sophomore, and got off to a fast start to the 2008 campaign with a team-best .456 average and nine stolen bases in his initial 15 games. Though his bat continues to improve, some scouts say he’ll never hit enough to be anything better than a fifth outfielder in the big leagues.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Hudson had an outstanding spring season, almost hitting .400 (.398-1-26, 61 runs scored, 39 walks) and finishing among NCAA leaders in stolen bases with 40. He doesn’t get out of the box exceptionally well with his current swing mechanics, but on the bases and in the outfield scouts are pretty unanimous that he’s an 80 runner on the 20-80 scale. Hudson was timed by one scout at 3.50 to first base on a drag bunt this spring. Scouts who don’t like Hudson as much question his bat and whether he will ever be strong enough to do anything but slap the ball and run. Former big league center fielder Brett Butler is a very sound physical comparison for Hudson, if he can develop Butler’s feel for the speed game, especially on offense.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
SAN FRANCISCO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
117 Brandon Crawford SS Jr. L-R 6-2 200 UCLA Pleasanton, Calif. Never drafted 1/21/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Crawford had a poor 2007 summer season in the Cape Cod League for Orleans, hitting just .189-4-14 with 45 strikeouts while committing 13 errors—high among league shortstops. He showed flashes of his considerable ability, particularly with his speed, range and above-average arm strength, but his raw lefthanded power and overall hitting ability didn’t translate well from BP into game situations. All could be forgotten by this spring, however, if he plays to his potential—or even returns to his sophomore form at UCLA, when he batted .335-7-55. With the possible exception of his bat, Crawford has legitimate five-tool ability and could be the first college shortstop drafted in 2008. He is normally a sound defender with excellent hands and footwork. He needs to be more consistent in the field, however, as he is capable of making the spectacular play but often botches the routine ones. His arm is both strong and accurate, and is a significant weapon but he tends to rely on it too much. He is prone to sitting back on balls hit to him and letting his arm do most of the work. He needs to be more aggressive coming in on balls and getting rid of them quicker. Crawford has good poise for his age, but just needs to figure it out with the bat.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Crawford continued to tease scouts with his first-round tools, but didn’t perform like a first-rounder most of the 2008 season. He hit a modest .288-5-39 for an underachieving UCLA team and struck out at a high rate (54 times in 198 at-bats). His bat remains his biggest question mark. He swings and misses too often, particularly when he chases off-speed pitches. He has poor pitch recognition and is prone to being too pull-conscious. His greatest strength continues to be his defense. He’s a sure-handed shortstop with range and arm strength. He has playable speed.—AS
 
FLORIDA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
118 Curtis Peterson RHP Sr. R-R 6-3 180 Denton Ryan Aubrey, Texas Nebraska 8/28/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Peterson is a loose and very projectable righthander who came on strong as the spring progressed. He has an easy, low-effort delivery and arm action, and projects plus command in the future. Peterson has three solid pitches right now and uses them well. His fastball is mostly in the upper-80s and will touch 91-92 mph at times. He also throws a mid-70s curveball and a very nice changeup for a high school pitcher. Peterson gets plus points for being an intense competitor, and went 11-2, 1.07 through the first round of the Texas 4-A playoffs this spring.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
CINCINNATI
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
119 Tyler Cline RHP Sr. R-R 6-3 225 Cass Cartersville, Ga. Middle Georgia JC 6/24/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Cline is a big, barrel-chested, country-strong type of athlete. He’ll throw up to 92 mph from a free-wheeling delivery with some effort at release, and the most notable thing about his fastball isn’t its velocity but the hard, late running life it gets into righthanded hitters. Cline has struggled to control his fastball at times because of all the movement. He tends to lower his release point on his curveball but will get sharp spin and good velocity on the pitch at times. Cline is a non-qualifier who has signed with Middle Georgia JC, which should help his draft status in this area.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
CHICAGO-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
120 Drew O’Neil RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 200 Penn State Roswell, Ga. Reds ’07 (8) 11/8/1985
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): As a draft-eligible sophomore attending his third college in three years, O’Neil was slow to emerge as the top college prospect in Pennsylvania in 2007 but came on strong down the stretch and soon moved to the head of the pack. Interest in O’Neil reached a peak with a strong showing in the Big Ten Conference tournament, leading to his selection in the eighth round by the Cincinnati Reds. He caught scouts off guard when he changed his arm slot from over-the-top to low three-quarters and began pumping 90-92 mph sinking fastballs. O’Neil spent the 2007 season as Penn State’s closer, going 4-2, 1.34 with 11 saves. He struck out only 21 in 34 innings but held hitters to a .188 average as his movement and deception induced a steady stream of ground balls. He also showed the makings of a plus slider and has an effortless delivery with both pitches. O’Neil wasn’t on the radar at the start of the 2007 season as he was a transfer from Young Harris (Ga.) JC. Prior to that, he attended Wake Forest but missed the 2005 season there while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He pitched briefly in the Northwoods League last summer, but left early because he got little opportunity to work on his breaking stuff. He spent the bulk of the summer refining his stuff by throwing bullpens at Penn State. O’Neil gets excellent sink on his fastball, which peaked at 94 mph last fall. He also made strides with his slider, which ranged from 78-82 mph and was effective because it goes a different direction from his fastball. It runs from righthanded hitters and gets in on the hands of lefthanders. He has a decent changeup, but seldom uses it. He has resumed his closer’s role for the Nittany Lions this season and projects a bullpen role in pro ball.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Another year in college helped O’Neil to refine his repertoire of pitches and develop more consistency with his deceptive side-arm slot. Not only did he bump his fastball up to 95 on occasion—though he was more consistently 89-92 mph with excellent sink—but he was much more consistent with his slider, a difficult pitch to master from his tricky arm angle. He used his change more often to neutralize lefthanderd hitters. In 26 appearances, he went 0-2, 1.88 with 11 saves. He worked in only 29 innings, walking six and striking out 24, as Penn State coaches saved him only for save situations, and his opportunities to close were limited as Penn State went just 27-31. Because he wasn’t overworked, O’Neil’s arm was fresh on a regular basis, enabling him to reach back for a little more velocity when he needed it.—AS
 
WASHINGTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
121 Graham Hicks LHP Sr. L-L 6-5 170 George Jenkins Lakeland, Fla. Central Florida 2/9/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Hicks is long and lanky at 6-foot-5 and 170 pounds, and hasn’t come close to getting physically mature or strong yet. He consistently touched the upper-80s this spring with his fastball, and has a very good curveball and developing changeup. Hicks throws from a three-quarters release point and stays over his curveball well, giving it hard downward bite. He’s shown the ability to throw strikes with all his pitches and has an idea how to work hitters. A year ago, Hicks was topping out at 83-84 mph so the improvement over the course of the 2008 season gives scouts reason to think he’ll keep adding to his present stuff. He’s went 8-1 this year and threw a two-hitter with 12 strikeouts in a district semi-final win in the Florida state playoffs.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
HOUSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
122 T.J. Steele OF Jr. R-R 6-3 215 Arizona Tucson, Ariz. Astros ’05 (22) 9/21/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Steele, a 22nd-round draft pick of the Houston Astros in 2005, lacked the strength to hit out of high school but now has the size and strength in his impressive 6-foot-3 frame to hit for power. He could blossom into a 20-20 player in his junior year at Arizona after hitting .323-7-47 with 21 stolen bases as a sophomore. The ball carries well off his bat, but he need to demonstrate he can go to the opposite field better, especially with wood, to maximize his overall skills as a hitter. His talent carries over to defense, too, as he has the ability to chase down balls in center field. His arm is considered an average tool. In a lot of ways, his game profiles like fellow Canyon del Oro High and Arizona alum Brian Anderson, a first-round pick of the White Sox in 2003. Both have the same arm and power potential at a similar stage of development but Steele gets better reads on balls and is a better runner. Steele’s 2007 summer season was curtailed as he turned his ankle three times at Bourne in the Cape Cod League and finally went home after hitting .311-0-4 in 45 at-bats. His early departure hardly gave scouts a chance to see the full scope of his tools and athletic ability, particularly his above-average speed. Steele could emerge in the top two rounds in June, but it will all depend on how he hits and his ability to curb his strikeouts. He fanned a team-high 58 times last spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Steele is a superior athlete with first-round tools, but still has a crudeness to his game after three college seasons. He simply is not polished enough yet to warrant being a first-round pick, and maybe even one of the first 100 players picked. But some scouts believe he could be a steal in the fourth round as he is a superior center fielder, has above-average arm strength, gets down the line in 3.9 seconds and can turn on a fastball. Consistent contact continues to be the elusive part of Steele’s game. He struck out 48 times this spring (through mid-May), and struggled especially to hit breaking stuff. He routinely chased pitches out of the strike zone. Overall, he hit .320-9-29 with 19 stolen bases in 21 attempts. Steele’s upside is significant and he could be an all-star talent if it all clicks.—AS
 
TEXAS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
123 Joe Wieland RHP/SS Sr. R-R 6-3 170 Bishop Manogue Reno, Nev. San Diego State 1/21/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: By far the best high school prospect in northern Nevada, Wieland has always had an advanced sense of pitching and how to attack and set up hitters. When his velocity jumped to the 91-92 mph range this year, giving him a third solid pitch, his prospect status was solidified. His more-established curveball has sharp, three-quarters break and his changeup creates good deception off his fastball. He has an acute ability to throw strikes with each, and walked just nine in 61 innings this spring while striking out 113. He also gave up just 27 hits and went 7-2, 1.26 overall. Wieland has also garnered interest from scouts as a shortstop with solid hitting skills, and he would probably be used as a two-way player if he should up in school at San Diego State.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
OAKLAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
124 Anthony Capra LHP Jr. L-L 6-1 195 Wichita State Arvada, Colo. Tigers ’05 (49) 4/3/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Capra had a solid sophomore season for Wichita State, going 7-1, 1.76 with 77 strikeouts in 77 innings in primarily a long relief role. He then felt right at home during the summer at the Wichita-based National Baseball Congress World Series, earning all-tournament honors for the California Collegiate League’s Santa Barbara Foresters. On the summer, Capra went 4-1, 1.60 with 60 strikeouts in 39 innings for the Foresters, mainly as a starter. Capra’s fastball normally ranges from 88-92 mph and he used that pitch more extensively in relief, but he was able to emphasize a hard curve and changeup more as a starter and learned to change speeds more effectively by refining his changeup. His curveball is an effective pitch, but he needs to do a better job of commanding it. Capra was scheduled to be used as a starter by the Shockers in 2008 but he underwent an emergency appendectomy a day before he was slated to make his first start and was sidelined for the first several weeks. His ability to develop his secondary pitches when he returns will be critical to his chances of his being drafted in the top five rounds in June.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): The early-season appendectomy didn’t seem to effect Capra at all as he cruised to a 9-0, 2.47 record in 12 starts and struck out 80 in 69 innings. He may have even passed teammate Aaron Shafer as the potential top pick on the Wichita State staff. Ironically, Capra threw fewer innings this year than he did last year (76) when he was primarily a reliever. Two positive things came out of Capra starting. First, he showed that he could maintain a solid-average fastball (89-91 mph, touching 94) through his entire pitch count. Second, starting also enabled Capra to throw his changeup more and it became a weapon and strikeout pitch for him.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
ST. LOUIS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
125 Scott Gorgen RHP Jr. R-R 5-10 190 UC Irvine Concord, Calif. Never drafted 1/21/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Gorgen led upstart UC Irvine to its first College World Series berth last June by going 13-3, 2.83. His plan to join his twin brother Matt, a righthander at California, in the Cape Cod League for the summer was squelched, however, when he pitched deep into June and worked 137 innings for the Anteaters. He planned to shut it down for the summer but when Team USA lost the services of three premier starting pitchers in late July, Gorgen jumped at the chance to join the national team for a season-concluding trip to Holland. Despite being idle for five weeks, Gorgen was in mid-season form for Team USA as he went 1-1, 0.84 in two starts, walking one and striking out 18 in 11 innings. Gorgen lacks the size and stuff to be considered a top prospect, but he is ultra competitive and has an excellent feel for pitching. He was the most intense pitcher on the Team USA staff. His fastball is just an average pitch from the standpoint of velocity, but he gets surprisingly good angle on it and it is unusually effective because his curveball and changeup are so good. He can throw both those pitches in any count and can bury his breaking ball on hitters with two strikes although most of his strikeouts in Holland came on his changeup.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): If teams can overlook the industry bias against short righthanders, Gorgen could inch close to the first round in this year’s draft. Few college pitchers were as consistently dominant this spring or more of a craftsman. Through 97 innings, Gorgen was 10-2, 1.76 with 31 walks and 103 strikeouts. Most impressive of all was his stingy .159 opponent batting average. Gorgen’s fastball was consistently in the 89-91 mph range but he commanded it extremely well and held his velocity deep into games. It’s his devastating changeup, though, that sets him apart from most other arms.—AS
 
MINNESOTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
126 Daniel Ortiz OF Sr. L-L 5-11 165 Benjamin Harrison Cayey, P.R. Bethune-Cookman 1/5/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Ortiz is regarded as one of the top hitters in Puerto Rico and his stock has been on the rise since he worked out for a number of major league teams in Florida earlier this year. He has natural hitting skills. Though a slender 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, the lefthanded-hitting Ortiz has lightning-quick hands through the ball with a slight uppercut swing. He makes frequent sharp contact with a compact stroke and generates occasional pull power. Ortiz loves to hit and has a power-type mentality at the plate. The remainder of his tools also play. Though he’s a little slow out of the box, he accelerates well underway and is 6.7-type runner. He plays center field with solid overall athletic skills and has good arm strength, with good actions and on-line carry.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Ortiz has been solid for scouts this spring and consistently shown his hitting tools. Although he isn’t big and doesn’t project much physically, Ortiz has present power and bat speed, and uses his hands exceptionally well as a hitter. He compares with outfielder J.P. Ramirez, a top high school prospect from Texas, as a hitter and overall prospect.--DR
 
LOS ANGELES-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
127 Dee Strange-Gordon SS Fr. L-R 5-11 150 Seminole (Fla.) Avon Park Never drafted 4/22/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: Gordon, the son of Philadelphia Phillies righthander Tom Gordon, was academically ineligible this season as a sophomore at Seminole CC. He has limited playing experience, both in high school and junior college, but has learned the game well from his father. He worked out extensively for clubs this spring. He is an acrobatic shortstop with average arm strength, and in all probability will end up at second base. His speed (6.6 seconds in the 60) is his best tool, but his bat lags behind. He has a live, electric, projectable body but just needs to fill it out to begin driving balls more consistently.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
MILWAUKEE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
128 Josh Romanski LHP/OF Jr. L-L 6-1 185 San Diego Corona, Calif. Padres ’05 (15) 10/18/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Romanski has more upside on the mound but actually performed far better as a position player last summer with Team USA, leading the team with a .333 average as a part-time outfielder. By contrast, he brought up the rear with a 7.71 ERA in eight mound appearances. Like his more celebrated college teammate Brian Matusz and several other Team USA pitchers, Romanski was fatigued after working 112 innings during the spring (and also seeing regular duty in center field) and his velocity was only 86-88 mph—less than his customary 90-91. He walked only three and struck out 20 in 16 innings but got hit around to the tune of a .348 average as the location of his pitches was poor. Like Matusz, Romanski also took the fall off to rebuild his arm strength. Normally, Romanski is effective with a combination of a fastball, slider and changeup to neutralize righthanded hitters, and he went 9-1, 3.05 with 24 walks and 92 strikeouts as a sophomore at USD. He draws high praise for his competitive spirit on the mound. As a position player, Romanski is a scrappy hitter and regularly squares up average pitching but struggles against better arms. He hit .335-3-30 last year at USD. He is a sound defender in center field and capable of playing all three outfield positions. Teams continued to scout him both ways this spring, but he ranks at least a couple of rounds higher on the mound.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Originally projected to be a possible second- or third-round pick in this year’s draft, Romanski’s stock slipped to where he’s now seen as a fourth- to sixth-rounder, and possibly later. He may get underdrafted because he was USD’s No. 2 starter (9-0, 3.47 with 15 walks and 69 strikeouts in 86 innings) and everyday center fielder (.317-6-45), and his dual responsibilities took a toll on his pitching. His fastball often peaked at 88 mph and his curveball wasn’t as sharp as a year ago—or even what it was in high school. The scouts who tracked him closest believe his fastball will jump 2-3 mph once he stops playing a regular position. His changeup remains a dominant pitch. Though he is listed as 6-foot-1, Romanski may actually be closer to 5-foot-10 and his upside may be somewhat limited. He is extremely competitive, however, and scouts have little doubt he’ll get the most out of his ability.—AS
 
TORONTO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
129 Mark Sobolewski 3B So. R-R 6-1 195 Miami Sarasota, Fla. Astros ’06 (20) 12/24/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): It might be easy for Sobolewski to get lost in the shuffle in a power-packed Miami lineup that includes potential first-rounders Yonder Alonso and Dennis Raben—especially after he hit just .189-0-10 and struck out 49 times in 132 at-bats last summer in the Cape Cod League. But few Hurricanes players struck the ball with more authority during the fall than the draft-eligible sophomore, Alonso and Raben included. Sobolewski’s strength is hitting the ball the other way but he must show he can pull it to left and left-center more frequently. At this point, he doesn’t have legitimate power for a third baseman or corner player but he has gotten much stronger. Though he hit a respectable .348-8-54 as a freshman, he struggled at times—especially at making contact as he fanned 57 times. He also struggled in the field, both catching and throwing the ball. Sobolewski was a highly-regarded shortstop in high school, but no longer throws well enough or has the range to play there. He was fielding at a sub-.900 clip after making the transition to third base and soon spent the latter part of his freshman season in left field. He still seems best suited for third as he has excellent feet around the bag and his arm works best there. Along with his hitting, his defensive work showed a marked upgrade in the fall. If he can put it altogether this spring, there’s a chance he can move into the top five rounds.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Like Cole Figueroa of Florida (No. 25 above), Sobolewski is a draft-eligible sophomore although his role at Miami has been far different this year with a lineup of potential high-round draft choices surrounding him. For the most part, he has hit cleanup this season for a team that spent most of 2008 ranked No. 1 nationally. Should Sobolewski choose to return for his junior year, he would join shortstop Ryan Jackson as the leaders of the 2009 Hurricanes. Sobolewski, like Figueroa, has had a carbon-copy sophomore season, hitting .344-6-45 through mid-May. His defense at third base is still less than idea and questions about his future defensive position may contribute as much to his returning to Miami as his sophomore status.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
ATLANTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
130 Braeden Schlehuber C So. R-R 6-2 185 Southern Nevada Pleasant Grove, Utah Never drafted 1/7/1988
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The presence of potential early-round picks Taylor Cole and Colby Shreve on the Southern Nevada pitching staff will be a boon to Schlehuber’s draft hopes in June as scouts will get an opportunity to bear down on him while checking out the two righthanders. Schlehuber is an alert, agile and active catcher, works well with his pitchers and has above-average arm strength and accuracy. Off a mound, he’s been clocked at 93 mph. He also has the speed and versatility to play center field in a pinch. Schlehuber hit just .244-3-14 as a freshman for the Coyotes, lowest average on the team in 2007, but got bigger and stronger over the summer and made huge strides in his overall development as a hitter in the fall, hitting .450 with significantly more power. He has continued his transformation at the plate into his sophomore season, leading the Coyotes, the nation’s pre-season No. 1 junior college team, in average and RBIs approaching the midway point of the 2008 season. He has strength in his hands and wrists to generate bat speed through the hitting zone, and consistently squares up balls. Like Shreve, he has committed to Arkansas.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): With all the adversity and issues that have impacted the draft status of teammates Taylor Cole, Devin Shepherd and Colby Shreve this spring, Schlehuber became the one constant among all the CSN players projected to go in the first 10 rounds at the season’s outset. He hit .332-5-41 (with wood), tying for the team lead in both home runs and RBIs. Though he made solid contact, striking out only 20 times in 208 at-bats, scouts say he often lacked plate discipline. He slumped late in the season as he got tired from catching everyday, and he began to see more time in the outfield. Schlebuber’s strength, however, continued to be his superior catching ability.—AS
 
CHICAGO-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
131 Matt Cerda 2B Sr. L-R 5-9 165 Oceanside Oceanside, Calif. San Diego 6/20/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Cerda was one of the surprise players in Southern California this spring as he was on few prospect lists at the beginning of the 2008 season. Scouts say he falls into the category of ultimate gamer, an intense player who has tremendous skills as a player and enough tools to play at a high level. Cerda’s best tool is his lefthanded bat. He has a short, quick swing and squares up everything while showing a willingness to hit to all fields. He hit .537-14-40 and struck out only six times, compared to 23 walks. Cerda’s arm strength won’t be a negative at second base, although it is stressed at shortstop, and he’s very quick turning double plays. He’s a fringy average runner but makes up for his lack of raw speed in the middle infield with his intensity and instincts. Cerda seems like a great college-type player on the surface but there seems to be plenty of teams who like him in the top five rounds. When scouts like a 5-foot-9 high school second baseman that well, you know he can play.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
SEATTLE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
132 Steven Hensley RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 190 Elon Asheville, N.C. Nationals ’05 (44) 12/27/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Hensley had a tired arm at the start of the 2007 Cape Cod League season after working in more than 100 innings for Elon in the spring. He was brought along slowly initially and picked up steam towards the end of the season to finish at 4-2, 3.89 with 35 strikeouts in 37 innings—comparable numbers to his sophomore season at Elon, where he went 8-5, 3.93 with 107 strikeouts in 101 innings. Hensley’s fastball reached the 90-92 mph range—a tick or two less than it flashed in the spring—and generally has some late arm-side run when he doesn’t overthrow it. His fastball is easily his best pitch and has the potential to be a mid-90s offering if Hensley is used in short bursts in the future. It is still a plus pitch if he continues to be employed as a starter. All his secondary pitches—a slider, curve and changeup—are below-average, though he has the arm speed and slot to have an effective slider or cutter.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Hensley’s fastball velocity gained the immediate attention of scouts this spring—particularly when it topped out at 95-96 mph. It was more commonly in the 91-93 range, but was more consistent this year as it would often dip into the high 80s a year ago. He also developed better movement as he used a two-seamer as his primary pitch. In the past, Hensley’s fastball was straight—and hittable. In 85 innings this season, he limited opposing hitters to a .222 average while striking out 96. He still struggled to develop consistent command of all his pitches, particularly his slider and changeup, as he walked 36 but competed better when he didn’t have his best stuff. His 10-1, 3.38 record was a major contributing factor as Elon earned the top seed in the Southern Conference tournament.—AS
 
DETROIT
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
133 Brett Jacobson RHP Jr. R-R 6-6 205 Vanderbilt Carefree, Ariz. D’backs ’05 (11) 11/8/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Scouts waited almost all last summer for the tall, lean, powerful Jacobson to bust loose and show his true ability in the Cape Cod League, and he finally did on a foggy night in Orleans on July 31 when he struck out 15 in six innings in a game that was delayed twice and finally called after seven innings. Jacobson’s breakthrough was all about not trying to overpower hitters with his customary 95-96 mph fastball, which generally rode up in the strike zone from a high three-quarters arm angle and was largely responsible for his allowing 49 hits in 43 innings on the season. Instead, he became more of an artist that night. All his pitches worked in sync, particularly a fastball that was a more normal 90-93 mph. He got better cutting and tailing action at the lower velocity, kept his fastball consistently down in the strike zone and mixed it well with his 77-79 mph slurvy slider and 79-82 mph sinking changeup. Though Jacobson went just 2-3, 4.15 overall with 52 strikeouts in 43 innings on the summer and has a spotty record in two years at Vanderbilt, he has an extremely projectable frame and could emerge as a first-round pick in June if he can continue to harness his stuff.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Jacobson began the 2008 season in the Vanderbilt rotation but it was apparent almost immediately that he was miscast in the role. He lacked the temperament to pace himself as a starter, and he was banished to the bullpen after just four starts—his prospects for becoming a high-round pick in this year’s draft seriously in doubt. But Jacobson got a new lease on life with a change in roles and soon began making up some of the ground he lost by performing so poorly as a starter. Able to throw at an all-out, 100-percent effort in short bursts as a closer, Jacobson’s fastball peaked at 96 mph, though was more commonly 2-3 mph slower. He thrived from the adrenaline rush of pitching with a game on the line. Not only was his fastball a more effective weapon, but his slider, which often lacked depth as a starter, had bite and was more consistent. His command was also significantly better. Overall, Jacobson’s record was only 1-4, 5.82 with four saves and 16 walks and 37 strikeouts in 39 innings—but that rather unremarkable ledger was more an indictment of how poorly he performed as a starter.—AS
 
NEW YORK-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
134 Sean Ratliff LHP/OF Jr. L-L 6-4 225 Stanford Longmont, Colo. Never drafted 2/14/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: The verdict was still out whether Ratliff projected higher as a hitter or pitcher prior to the 2008 season, but he appeared to resolve that debate this spring by playing everyday in center field for Stanford while making just two brief pitching appearances. Ratliff batted .339-12-45 as a sophomore and followed up by hitting .285-17-54 this season (through games of mid-May). He has well above-average raw power to all fields, but has an unorthodox approach to hitting with a late trigger and is prone to striking out at an alarming rate. He succumbed 67 times in 233 at-bats a year ago and was on an even more accelerated clip this season with 68 strikeouts in his initial 200 at-bats. He’s a very streaky hitter and is often fooled easily by off-speed pitches. He has a below-average knowledge of the strike zone and would be well-served to cut down on his swing with two strikes. He’s an average runner with good base-running instincts. Ratliff has above-average arm strength and has been clocked as high as 93-94 mph in the past, though he has pitched with increasingly less regularity over his college career. His arm plays in the outfield and he is a reliable fielder with good range, but he profiles more as a right fielder than center fielder.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
SAN DIEGO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
135 Jason Kipnis OF So. L-R 5-11 175 Arizona State Northbrook, Ill. Never drafted 4/3/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Kipnis is not overly physical at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, but has exceptionally strong wrists and can put a charge in a ball. He topped the Valley League last summer with nine home runs and easily walked away with the league’s Home Run Derby, hitting seven balls in a row out of the yard at one point. He has a knack for finding the sweet spot and balls jump off his bat to all fields. Kipnis didn’t get a lot to hit, but showed a discerning eye at the plate which led to a league-best 49 walks. He also topped the Valley League with 46 runs. Power is Kipnis’ best tool, but he is also a significant threat to steal and swiped 24 bases last summer, even though his speed is just average. His arm strength is his weakest tool and will probably limit him to left field as he progresses, though he played mostly center field for Arizona State early in the 2008 season. Kipnis hit .337-6-27 with 11 steals in a half season as a red-shirt freshman at Kentucky in 2007, but was dismissed from the team for rules violations. He is a draft-eligible sophomore at ASU. Kipnis plays exceptionally hard but as the new kid on the block, he’ll need to put up big numbers for scouts in the western half of the country to notice him.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Kipnis caught on quickly as the new player at ASU, and ranked right with power hitters Brett Wallace and Ike Davis as key contributors as the Sun Devils raced out to a fast start to 2008. A smooth, lefthanded swinger, he was hitting .350-12-61 with 21 stolen bases as the team entered the final week of regular season play. His aggressive style of play, speed and occasional pop made an impression on Arizona-based scouts, but he didn’t show enough raw speed to profile as a fixture in center field or raw power to play regularly on a corner. His arm is best suited for left field. Kipnis is a draft-eligible sophomore who is not physically developed, and another year in school could significantly improve his standing in the draft. There is a prevailing thought among scouts that he could even re-invent himself as an offensive-oriented second baseman with another year in school. He initially enrolled at Kentucky as a shortstop.—AS
 
PHILADELPHIA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
136 Trevor May RHP Sr. R-R 6-4 200 Kelso Kelso, Wash. Washington 9/23/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: There was little or no consensus on the best high school prospect in Washington as the 2008 season began, but May soon worked his way to the top of the list and cemented his position by throwing a dominating three-hitter with 12 strikeouts, with a fastball at 94 mph, in a semi-final win at the 3-A state tournament. His team (25-1 entering the final) failed to win the state title a day later, however, as it was throttled 24-12 in the championship game. May worked consistently in the 88-91 mph range during the season, occasionally approaching the mid-90s, but he has obvious upside in his extra-large frame though his exaggerated, high-pump delivery lacks rhythm and he struggle with his command on occasion. But he is generally in the strike zone with three solid-average pitches, including a projectable 71-76 mph breaking ball with three-quarters break. His change was not as consistently good this season as it was a year ago, but has promise. Though May ranks No. 1 among Washington players for the draft on talent, he’s not a slam dunk to be the first pick—or even sign—as he is a 4.0 student and heavily committed to attending college at Washington.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
COLORADO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
137 Ethan Hollingsworth RHP Jr. R-R 6-2 200 Western Michigan Joliet, Ill. Never drafted 5/4/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Hollingsworth has steadily improved his stuff since enrolling at Western Michigan, pitching at 86-87 mph as a freshman (when he went 9-3, 3.21), 89-90 as a sophomore and 90-92, touching 94 mph this spring. He has always been a polished pitcher, with command of four pitches, and his increased velocity, while not necessarily improving his college performance (5-5, 3.84 this spring) has certainly improved his stock with the scouts. Hollingsworth’s best secondary pitch is a low- to mid-80s slider that has good, late sharpness to it. His changeup is effective against lefthanded hitters and he’ll occasionally mix in a curveball as another look. Hollingsworth works quickly, is a good athlete off the mound and has all the intangibles that scouts look for in a professional pitcher.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
ARIZONA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
138 Ryne White 1B/OF Jr. L-L 5-11 200 Purdue Chicago, Ill. Never drafted 10/17/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: White was one of the leading hitters in the country as a sophomore, hitting .452-8-47, but dropped down to .333-12-48 this spring. Scouts noticed a very pronounced effort on White’s part to put more lift in his swing and hit with more power, undoubtedly in response to concerns about his position/approach profile. White has very good hitting tools either way. His hand quickness is outstanding, and he has the ability to wait back on pitches and drive them to all fields. His walk-to-strikeout ratios have been excellent at all levels, and it was a tidy 35:21 this spring. In addition, White is a well-above average first baseman defensively despite being undersized, with good quickness and very soft hands.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
LOS ANGELES-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
139 Buddy Boshers LHP So. L-L 6-3 205 John C. Calhoun Huntsville, Ala. Never drafted 5/9/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: A tall, raw-boned lefthander who physically reminds scouts of Chicago White Sox lefthander Mark Buehrle, Boshers (pronounced BO-sheers) teamed with righthander J.J. Hoover this spring to give Calhoun one of the most dominant lefty-righty pitching punches in the country. Between them, they struck out 308 batters. Boshers had 132 punchouts with 55 walks in 90 innings while going 9-4, 2.90 overall. He allowed just 55 hits. He has a loose, easy arm action and gets good deception on his pitches. His 88-91 mph fastball and curve, his out pitch, were major-league quality. But his changeup, which he rarely used, needs refining for him to remain a starter in pro ball. Scouts have been torn whether Boshers or Hoover will be the first to be drafted, but Boshers generally gets the nod because he’s lefthanded.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
NEW YORK-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
140 Corban Joseph SS Sr. L-R 6-0 170 Franklin Franklin, Tenn. Kentucky 10/28/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: Joseph is the younger brother of Caleb Joseph (No. 10 above). Corban is much farther ahead of Caleb as a hitter at a comparable stage of development and generally is acknowledged as the best high school hitter in the state. He has a short, fluid stroke with easy bat speed and lift in his swing, especially to the pull side. He drilled 16 home runs in 30 games this spring. The remainder of Joseph’s tools are barely average, if that. He is capable of making the routine plays at shortstop and his hands are adequate, but his actions are slow and deliberate. He profiles as a second baseman or third baseman—or even a first baseman—at the college or pro level. His speed is also below average, but he is not a base clogger. His bat will play, no matter where he ends up defensively.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
CLEVELAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
141 David Roberts RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 210 Long Beach State Renton, Wash. Never drafted  
SCOUTING REPORT: Roberts was overshadowed on the Long Beach State pitching staff this spring by Andrew Liebel, Bryan Shaw and Vance Worley, all of whom should be drafted in the top five rounds. He worked mainly in a set-up role, going 3-1, 3.71 with five walks and 24 strikeouts in 27 innings. He worked in the same role a year ago, with similar results. Scouts, however, saw Roberts in a different light this spring. With a lively fastball in the 91-93 mph range, touching 94-95, and a hard breaking ball at 83-84, Roberts ranks as a sleeper candidate to go in the top 10 rounds, possibly even by the fifth. A Washington state product, Roberts pitched only two innings as a freshman at Washington State before transferring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
BOSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
142 Peter Hissey OF Sr. L-L 6-0 165 Unionville West Chester, Pa. Virginia 1/17/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Virginia signed Hissey in the NCAA early-signing period last fall, content that a player with a 4.0 GPA and solid but unspectacular tools on the baseball field would safely move on to school next fall. But Hissey surged out of the blocks this spring and quickly became the best high school prospect in Pennsylvania. With the exception of raw power, he showed scouts solid to plus tools across the board. A lefthanded hitter, he mainly sprays balls now but has an aggressive approach at the plate with sound hitting instincts and strike-zone discipline. With 6.50-second speed in the 60, he has a speed-oriented approach to the remainder of his game, and his center-field and base-running skills are at an advanced stage. His arm is considered just average. Hissey batted .509 this season, with a .672 on-base average and 26 stolen bases. Though he has little present power, he projects to get bigger and stronger, and he could be a legitimate five-tool player once he adds a power component to his game. His current profile reminds scouts of New York Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon. Hissey’s signability could be a significant matter, even with his new-found prospect status. He has remained firm in his desire to attend school at Virginia. If teams are unable to get a strong indication that he is at least contemplating signing, he could slide to at least the middle rounds, with a chance that a club will take a spited run at him at the Aug. 16 signing deadline.—ALLAN SIMPSON