DRAFT 2008
Top 10 Rounds

Round 5 (Picks 143-172)

TAMPA BAY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
143 Mike Sheridan 1B Jr. L-L 6-2 215 William & Mary Washington, D.C. Never drafted 8/8/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Sheridan gained notice as a sophomore in 2007 for his exceptional plate discipline as he ranked No. 1 among the toughest players in NCAA Division I to strike out. He fanned just five times in 229 at-bats—once every 41.8 times up—while hitting .340-4-39 overall. His strikeouts more than doubled to 11 this season, but that was an acceptable tradeoff as Sheridan became a vastly superior all-around hitter. He batted .423 on the season with team highs of 15 home runs and 72 RBIs. He’s more of gap/line-drive hitter than a true home run hitter, and doesn’t project a lot of power with wood, but he made more strides as a prospect this season than any Virginia college player. He is considered adequate around the first-base bag.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
PITTSBURGH
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
144 Justin Wilson LHP Jr. L-L 6-2 200 Fresno State Clovis, Calif. Dodgers ’05 (37) 8/18/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Wilson might have been a fourth- to sixth-round draft pick out of a local high school in 2005 had he been more agreeable to signing at the time; he still projected in that range entering his junior year at Fresno State. After throwing just 25 innings primarily as a matchup lefthander as a freshman, Wilson moved in as the Bulldogs No. 1 starter as a sophomore and went 8-5, 3.19 with 105 strikeouts in 102 innings. His fastball was a steady 89-91 mph and would occasionally reach 92 or 93. He also had a better feel for a curve and the splitter he uses for a changeup. Between a deceptive delivery and the movement he gets on his fastball, he is a tough pitcher to get good swings against. The biggest knocks on Wilson have been his control and conditioning. He struggled with inconsistent location out of high school and walked 58 a year ago—more than five per nine innings. But he competes well and has a knack for pitching his way out of trouble. He has a big, strong, durable body but needs to continue to make conditioning a priority. He did not play summer ball because of his heavy workload in the spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Unlike his higher-profile teammate Tanner Scheppers, a projected first-rounder until he suffered a stress fracture in his shoulder in May, Wilson did not elevate his draft worth this spring. In fact, he may have gone backwards as his command and stuff were not consistent. He went just 5-4, 4.43 with 46 walks and 69 strikeouts in 83 innings during the regular season. His fastball was still in the 87-92 mph range, very acceptable for a lefthander, but he walked too many batters. He did, however, add a slider to his repertoire.—AS
 
KANSAS CITY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
145 John Lamb LHP Sr. L-L 6-4 185 Laguna Hills Laguna Hills, Calif.   7/10/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Lamb is a lanky, loose southpaw who won’t turn 18 until after this year’s draft. Despite a fastball that will touch 88-89 mph, Lamb has more of a finesse-style of pitching. He has a smooth, effortless delivery with a loose, easy arm action. He changes speeds well, hits his spots and has a good idea how to pitch. His best pitch is a very deceptive changeup that he has plenty of confidence in. Lamb doesn’t throw anything straight and will move his arm angle all the way from a standard three-quarters down to side arm as the situation dictates. He didn’t throw a breaking ball until he was 15 years old and is still working on getting a feel for his curveball. But he has developed a better rotation, better speed and a better bite on the pitch over the last year. As a junior, Lamb went 9-2, 1.47 with only 17 walks in 80 innings and also went .396-7-33 at the plate.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Lamb was out all spring with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow and was not expected to be cleared to play again until just before the draft.—DR
 
BALTIMORE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
146 Greg Miclat SS Jr. B-R 5-9 180 Virginia Concord, N.C. Never drafted 7/23/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Miclat’s strong suit is his defense. He’s an above-average shortstop with athletic actions and above-average arm strength. Though he was unable to play shortstop much of the 2007 season because of a sore shoulder that resulted in rotator-cuff surgery in May, he was still a valuable asset for Virginia, leading the team with a .376 average and 32 stolen bases. He spent most of his sophomore year atop the batting order in a DH capacity after hurting his arm on a throw the previous summer. He began a rigorous throwing program in early November and was ready to resume his career as an everyday shortstop by the start of the 2008 season. He was the Cavaliers regular at that position as a freshman. Miclat’s overall game is similar to Baltimore Orioles leadoff man Brian Roberts, though Miclat runs a little faster at 6.59 seconds in the 60. The only tool Miclat lacks at this point in his development is power. He is still looking for his first collegiate home run. But all the rest of his tools play and he should emerge as one of the nation’s premier shortstops in 2008.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Miclat’s shoulder was never fully healed at any point in the 2008 season, and it was apparent as he never took a full pre-game infield at shortstop and did little more than what was necessary in games to get by. He never showed his true raw arm strength, but his arm should return to full strength in time. The remainder of Miclat’s shortstop actions were solid. He also continued to be an offensive catalyst atop the Virginia lineup, hitting .322 with team highs of 48 runs scored and 30 stole bases. He still was looking for his first collegiate home run as Virginia entered NCAA tournament play. He hit more fly balls this year than normal as his lead hand, compromised from the left side by his weak right shjoulder, caused his barrel to drag through the hitting zone and prevented him from stinging line drives to all fields. Some clubs wrote off Miclat because of his shoulder issues or downgraded him to utility status, but other teams appreciate all the little things he brings to the field and are prepared to ride with him until he is 100 percent again.—AS
 
SAN FRANCISCO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
147 Edwin Quirarte RHP Jr. R-R 6-2 205 Cal State Northridge Oxnard, Calif. Reds ’05 (39) 12/20/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: Quirarte hasn’t received the exposure that a number of other college closers have in this year’s draft, but he has quietly improved his stock to where he may be picked as early as the fifth round. He was used as a starter in his first two seasons with the Matadors, with unimpressive results, but found his niche in a role where his competitive nature worked best and he could unleash his fastball in short bursts. It was clocked at a steady 90-93 mph and enabled him to post a 3-3, 1.86 record with eight saves. He continued to use his slider and split-finger as secondary pitches, but his command of those pitches is just average.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
FLORIDA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
148 Pete Andrelczyk RHP So. R-R 6-1 185 Coastal Carolina Lancaster, Pa. Orioles ’07 (32) 11/10/1985
SCOUTING REPORT: Nine South Carolina college players were drafted a year ago who ended up back in school, and none improved his stock this season quite like Andrelczyk, who originally enrolled at Coastal Carolina as a shortstop and was red-shirted as a freshman. Andrelczyk was an afterthought 32nd-rounder of the Orioles after going 2-1, 4.33 in 27 appearances as a draft-eligible sophomore. He was a vastly improved pitcher this season as Coastal Carolina’s closer and now projects as a fourth- or fifth-rounder. He was 5-1, 3.54 with seven saves and gave up only nine walks while striking out 49 in 41 innings. Andrelczyk always had good raw stuff, but all his pitches picked up velocity in 2008 and he significantly improved his command in the process. His fastball sat at 92-93 mph, touching 94, his power slider ranged from 82-86 and a hard curve was at 78-79. The greatest difference in his game came from adjusting the grip on his slider, giving the pitch significantly more movement. He should continue to pitch in relief, in a closer or set-up role, as he progresses into pro ball.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
CINCINNATI
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
149 Clayton Shunick RHP Jr. R-R 6-1 176 North Carolina State Alpharetta, Ga. Never drafted 9/10/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: N.C. State had such an arsenal of draftable arms entering the 2008 season that the possibility existed that 8-10 could be drafted. Shunick was mentioned near the bottom of that group after going 6-3, 6.15 in mainly a relief role a year ago, but no one did more to improve his stock this spring. Used in a starting role, he responded with a 7-5, 2.12 record with 100 strikeouts in 89 innings as the Wolfpack entered post-season play. He also walked just 21 and limited hitters to a .207 average. Shunick threw strikes more consistently this year, but the biggest difference was in the development of a nasty split-finger fastball thrown in the 89-92 range that wobbled, swerved and darted almost at will as it reached the plate, and routinely missed the barrel of bats. His curve and changeup are acceptable secondary pitches, but his ability to mix them with his fastball was a contributing factor in his overnight success. –ALLAN SIMPSON
 
CHICAGO-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
150 Dan Hudson RHP Jr. R-R 6-4 215 Old Dominion Virginia Beach, Va. Never drafted 3/8/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Hudson averaged better than a strikeout an inning as a sophomore at Old Dominion, fanning 109 in 107 innings while going 8-5, 3.46, then duplicated the feat during the summer in the Cape Cod League, striking out 55 (second in the league) in 46 innings while going 3-4, 3.33. Hudson can throw his fastball up to 92-93 mph from two different arm angles, and gets excellent movement from both slots. The key for Hudson is hitting his spots. He struggles with his command but can be extremely effective when he throws his fastball for strikes—and that is more likely to happen when he dials his velocity back to 88-91 mph. His fastball has boring action on righthanded hitters, but lacks consistent movement. He mixes it well, however, with a 71-73 mph curve, 78-81 mph slider and a 79-81 mph changeup. His curve is his best secondary pitch as he gets good bite and shows depth in the strike zone, but he has trouble throwing the pitch consistently for strikes. Hudson has gotten stronger and more mature every year at ODU and is mechanically sound. He repeats his delivery with a loose, whip-like arm action.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Hudson had mixed success this season, going just 5-6, 4.70, which was consistent with the overall performance of an underachieving ODU team that had high expectations but went only 25-27. Hudson did little to hurt his draft status, however, with a 33-107 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 92 innings that were good indicators of his stuff and command. His command tended to float in and out, but his fastball velocity was a steady 92-93 pretty much every time out and his curve was average, and a dependable second pitch. He has limited physical projection in his big frame and profiles as a middle reliever in pro ball.—AS
 
WASHINGTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown College Commit B’date
151 Adrian Nieto C Sr. R-R 6-0 195 American Heritage Key West, Fla. South Florida 11/12/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Nieto was limited as a junior and much of last summer by a shoulder injury, causing him to be used primarily in a DH role. But scouts have seen him catch on the national stage for years. Hard-working and aggressive, he has soft hands, frames well and does a good job of keeping balls in front of him. He also has solid arm strength with carry on his throws. Plus, the switch-hitting Nieto is known as much for his offensive ability and his hard-nosed approach to the games as for his defensive skills. He’s a strong kid who puts a charge into balls and has run-producing ability. Reports out of South Florida, where Nieto plays for powerful American Heritage High along with top first base prospect Eric Hosmer, said that Nieto was 100 percent healthy last fall and hitting better than ever. As a junior, he hit .370-5-20. Nieto is a native of Cuba and came to the United States with his family by raft when he was 4 years old, which may contribute to the intensity that he brings to the field. One of the nation’s top catching prospects, he was a 2007 Aflac All-American.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Nieto has had a solid spring, hitting .372-5-38 with 16 doubles (through games of mid-May) in front of the hoards of scouts who watched American Heritage, the nation’s top high school team, play this spring. He still projects as a good pick in the top 3-5 rounds.—DR
 
HOUSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
152 David Duncan LHP Jr. L-L 6-8 201 Georgia Tech New Richmond, Ohio Nationals ’07 (23) 6/1/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Duncan was a draft-eligible sophomore last spring and made his intentions known before the draft that he would not sign unless he was an early-round pick or given early-round money. Teams seriously considered him in the first two or three rounds, but in the end they deemed he was unsignable and he slid all the way to the 23rd round. He has returned as a junior, with his leverage pretty much intact. Duncan’s slow start to the 2007 season almost consigned him to the “wait-until-next-year” category. But changes to his pitching approach and type of pitches in April brought out a new Duncan, and he quickly re-established himself as an elite prospect. Duncan’s size at 6-foot-8 is a plus, and he repeats his delivery well and has never had real command issues. He’s not a power pitcher though, pitching in the 88-90 mph range and touching 92, but scouts will always look at a pitcher with Duncan’s build and project his velocity a bit. He struck out 86 in 104 innings while going 7-4, 3.72 in 2007 for Georgia Tech. The two big changes in Duncan were becoming more aggressive, especially early in the count, and challenging hitters; and adding a slider and split-finger while de-emphasizing his curveball and straight change. Duncan’s split-finger, which he threw in high school but had been abandoned at Georgia Tech, quickly became his most effective pitch and the 81-83 mph slider is a better pitch that his curveball, which he’ll still throw on occasion. When he’s on, Duncan is a four-pitch southpaw with good command and average velocity. Duncan elected not to pitch last summer after initially agreeing to make a return engagement to the Cape Cod League.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Duncan finally developed the consistency this spring that eluded him in the past, and put together a steady 7-3, 3.71 season for the Yellow Jackets with a staff-leading 85 innings. He walked 27 and struck out 70. Scouts said that Duncan was 89-91 mph just about every time out and threw all four of his pitches for strikes. He could be a pitcher that moves up an organization’s pitching ladder quickly after he signs.—DR
 
TEXAS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
154 Clark Murphy 1B/OF Sr. L-L 6-3 200 Fallbrook Union Fallbrook, Calif. UCLA 12/18/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Murphy was one of the biggest enigmas of the 2007 summer scouting season. He established himself as one of the top young power hitters in Southern California as a sophomore, hitting .352 with seven home runs for one of the top high school teams in the state. A strong junior season (.347, 7 HR) led to his selection as an Aflac All-American, but he made some changes to his swing during the summer that didn’t work and he struggled to make the kind of contact he showed before. His showing at Perfect Game’s National Showcase in Cincinnati in June exposed Murphy at his worst. To his credit, he kept plugging away, made some adjustments and was hitting better at the end of the summer. At his best, Murphy has a loose, powerful swing with lots of lift and power, and the ball explodes off his bat. He’s an aggressive hitter and rarely gets cheated at the plate. His struggles had more to do with timing issues. His speed, 4.45 seconds down the line, is his weakest tool and may limit him to first base in the future. Murphy is a solid defender at first and in the outfield, with alert, fluid actions around the first-base bag. But his games revolves around his bat.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Murphy has been compared to a young Ryan Klesko, and there is a similar all-or-nothing approach in their games. Murphy can hit the ball as far as anyone when he gets his pitch and his timing is down, and that happened frequently enough this spring to keep scouts interested.—DR
 
OAKLAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
155 Jason Christian SS Jr. L-R 6-3 170 Michigan Loveland, Ohio Never drafted 6/16/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Christian was a key figure on a Michigan team that lost out to eventual national champion Oregon State in NCAA super-regional play last June. He topped the Wolverines with 64 runs while hitting .328-7-44, and played a steady shortstop. His improvement from his freshman year, when he played sparingly, was pronounced and scouts are hoping for similar improvement in all areas in 2008. Christian has a long, lean, projectable body and may be one of the few players who increase his power without losing speed as he fills out his athletic frame and gets stronger. He has excellent bat speed with a short, sweet swing and the ball jumps off his bat. He runs the 60 in the 6.7-6.8 second range. He has soft hands in the field with good first-step quickness and moves well to either side. He also has an above-average arm for shortstop, a 60 on the standard 20-80 scouting scale, with on-target accuracy. In a pinch, he could play any infield position. He lost valuable time strengthening his body last fall however, as he incurred a small tear in the labrum of his non-throwing shoulder diving for a ball late in the summer while playing in the Northwoods League, and wasn’t 100 percent again until early February.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Despite a back injury that cost him 10 games early in the 2008 season and limited his defensive mobility immediately afterwards, Christian had a strong spring and not only solidified his prospect status but could go even higher than projected. All five of Christian’s tools play, there aren’t any concerns about his ability to stay at shortstop at the upper levels of his game and he brings more offense to the position than many young shortstops. Christian hit .330-7-48 this spring, despite the back injury, and added 39 walks and 16 steals.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
ST. LOUIS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
156 Jermaine Curtis 3B Jr. R-R 6-1 190 UCLA Fontana, Calif. Never drafted 7/10/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Curtis won’t blow you away with his raw tools, but he plays hard, has excellent makeup and finds a way to get the most out of his ability. He has a good line-drive swing that produced a .329 average with four homers as a sophomore at UCLA and a .295 average and three home runs last summer in an all-star season in the Cape Cod League. He has a strong, lean, wiry physique and a short, quick, compact stroke and should add power as he continues to get stronger. He’s a solid defender at third base with good hands and excels at coming in on balls, though his arm strength—his weakest tool—is considered just marginal. He compensates by getting excellent reads on balls at the hot corner. In all probability, his lack of raw arm strength will push him to second base in pro ball. He runs OK, but is not a blazer.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Though he had a big weekend at the plate at Arizona State late in the season with a lot of scouts on hand, Curtis had just an average junior year. He hit a pedestrian .303-2-22 (through mid-May) and did little to improve his draft worth since his strong summer season on the Cape. He has good playability, but scouts saw a player whose power, speed and arm are marginal, if not below average. He gave little indication his power will play on an infield corner and his overall tools profile better for second base at the pro level.—AS
 
MINNESOTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
157 Nick Romero 3B Jr. B-R 6-1 200 San Diego State Chula Vista, Calif. Royals ’05 (40) 7/15/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Third base was a position of strength last summer in the Cape Cod League and no one may have played it better defensively than Romero. He made it look easy as he has good instincts and reactions around the bag, and is able to make all plays in any direction with grace and quick, agile feet. He is especially adept at fielding slow rollers, handling in-between hops and making the difficult throw from the side on the run. He couples that ability with well above-average arm strength with on-line carry from all angles. Offensively, Romero has good bat speed with a short, quick, compact stroke and makes consistent hard contact to all fields. He has power from both sides of the plate—though may be a better overall hitter from the left side. If anything, he can be a little too selective at the plate and often allows himself to get too deep into counts. He struck out 41 times last summer while hitting .259-1-17. As a sophomore at San Diego State, he batted .319-6-47. He hit .341-12-61 this season (through the regular season), expanding on his power production. Romero runs well underway but is slow to accelerate out of the batter’s box. He is a gamer, plays the game with intensity and makes this happen.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
LOS ANGELES-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
157 JonMichael Redding RHP So. R-R 6-2 200 Florida Valdosta, Ga. Never drafted 11/16/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Hurt as a high school senior and essentially unrecruited, Redding made significant strides in two years at Florida CC. Not only did he recently commit to Louisiana State but he has also positioned himself as a potential fifth- to 10th-rounder for this year’s draft. He went 8-5, 2.03 as a sophomore, while walking only 29 and striking out a state-high 123 in 124 innings. He hit an unusually high number of batters this season as he has a bulldog approach to pitching and likes to work the inside part of the plate with his slider, but he generally has excellent command of his two primary pitches: an 89-91 mph fastball and an 80-81 mph slider. Redding’s junior college teammate, lefthander Fred Lewis, was expected to get equal billing this spring from scouts after he produced a 92 mph fastball and 82 mph slider at the state junior college all-star game last fall, but he injured his elbow in his first outing of the spring and underwent Tommy John surgery.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
MILWAUKEE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
158 Maverick Lasker RHP/3B Sr. R-R 6-3 190 Sandra D. O’Connor Glendale, Ariz. San Diego State 2/18/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Lasker is a two-way prospect who has the tools to play professionally both as a pitcher and infielder. Where he ends up is still a mystery. Lasker throws up to 91-92 mph on the mound with good downhill angle and run, and has good feel for a downer curveball, a biting slider and a lively, running changeup—all quality pitches he can challenge hitters with. San Diego State recruited Lasker primarily as a righthanded pitcher, but he threw only once this spring in the first month of the season. Many scouts believe that Lasker’s overall athletic ability and power potential trump his future on the mound, especially those who saw him hit a long home run at last summer’s Area Code Games.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Lasker was scouted principally as a pitcher for this year’s draft after his sinking fastball was clocked at 93 mph in his first outing. His curveball also showed depth and bite. He continued to draw more attention for his work on the mound, even though he missed several weeks early in the season with biceps tendonitis. He returned to go 3-0, 0.96 with 27 strikeouts in 29 innings, though his fastball was straighter than normal after his injury and he didn’t dominate as expected. He still led his team, as both a pitcher and hitter, to a runner-up finish to perennial champion Chaparral High in the state 4-A tournament.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
TORONTO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
159 Tyler Pastornicky SS Sr. R-R 5-11 165 Pendleton Bradenton, Fla. Florida State 12/13/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The most interesting thing about Pastornicky as a prospect is that he’s probably perceived as a high-energy, high-performance type of player with a lot of polish to his game. That would be very true, but he’s also probably, and very unfairly, not seen as a tools type of player, being that he’s a slender 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds and doesn’t have a flashy game. But Pastornicky’s tools do stand out when you look at them; he’s a 6.58 to 6.70 runner every time out, throws 91 across the infield (arm strength that ranks him among the top 10 or so in the country among shortstops) and even throws 90-plus from the mound. His only tool that doesn’t rank as major league average or plus is his power. Pastornicky projects as a leadoff-hitting middle infielder with his instincts and feel for the game, and he has the tools to do that at the major league level. How he figures out in the draft will be interesting; his father Cliff played 10 games in the big leagues with the Kansas City Royals in 1984 and has been a Florida-based scout for that organization since 1990.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Pastornicky had an outstanding spring, hitting more than .500 with seven home runs. He even saved seven games while touching 93 mph as the Pendleton School closer. Despite a commitment to Florida State, Pastornicky has stated a strong desire to go out and play right away if he gets a chance.—DR
 
ATLANTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
160 Jacob Thompson RHP Jr. R-R 6-6 200 Virginia Danville, Va. Never drafted 11/19/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): After assembling an 11-0, 1.50 sophomore season at Virginia, Thompson was expected to be Team USA’s ace last summer. But it was apparent from the start that the 6-foot-6 righthander was tired after working 114 innings during the spring for the Cavaliers, and it was most noticeable in his loss of velocity and lack of command. He walked eight in 21 innings for Team USA, while striking out only 13, and routinely worked deep into counts. His velocity often dipped to 86-87 mph. He did start the gold-medal game against Cuba at the Pan American Games in Brazil, the keynote game on the national team’s schedule, but he was roughed up by the Cubans in four innings and absorbed the loss. That was his last appearance of the summer as he was shut down at that point. On the summer, he went just 1-2, 1.27 in five starts. His lack of stamina is an issue to address and he’ll need to add strength to his thin, gangly but extremely projectable build. He has always been a polished pitcher despite his size, and his success in school has primarily been a result of his exceptional touch and feel, and ability to command four pitches—a 90-93 mph fastball with late sink, a hard, running slider, a tight-breaking 11-to-5 curveball and a developing changeup. He gets plenty of downward angle on his pitches because of his size, but his fastball typically has below average life because he throws from a high three-quarters slot. He should continue to add velocity as he fills out his frame. He threw only 86-88 mph, touching 90 as a freshman and has added 2-3 mph every year since. Thompson’s younger brother Justin, a high school senior at Tunstall High in Danville, is a Virginia recruit.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Thompson rarely performed this spring to his 2007 standard, going a mediocre 6-4, 4.40 with 30 walks and 68 strikeouts in 76 innings entering NCAA tournament play. Predictably, his command and stuff were not as sharp or consistent as a year ago. He never has had electric stuff, but his fastball was more commonly in the 86-88 mph range, occasionally creeping to 90-91 with his four-seamer, and his breaking ball lost its edge. In the past, Thompson relied more on command than raw stuff for his success, but his command was not what it’s been as he had difficulty hitting his spots as a matter of routine. He walked a lot more this year—one every 2.5 innings this year vs. one every 3.5 a year ago. Scouts have been at a loss to pinpoint the source of his difficulty and are understandably perplexed whether to invest an early-round pick in a pitcher with stuff and command that are just average—at best. If a comfort level isn’t reached, Thompson could easily end up back at Virginia for his senior year.—AS
 
CHICAGO-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
161 Justin Bristow RHP/SS Jr. R-R 6-4 213 East Carolina Richmond, Va. Royals ’05 (22) 3/6/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Bristow was a legitimate first-round candidate in the 2005 draft as both a pitcher and shortstop coming out of a Virginia high school, but he never came close to fulfilling expectations in two seasons at Auburn. As a freshman, he played only third base and hit just .255-0-13. As a sophomore, he struggled even more playing both roles. He hit just .217 and went 1-6, 9.30 on the mound. The 6-foot-4, 213-pound Bristow has gone a long way towards resurrecting his career this spring after transferring to East Carolina. He was immediately installed as a starting pitcher and was dominant, at times, in the early going. He still possesses a 93 mph fastball with hard, late sinking action and a 77-78 mph slider which has good depth when he stays on top of the pitch. He still needs to develop a third pitch to remain in a starting role, but he goes after hitters aggressively and is around the plate with all his pitches. Bristow has also seen limited time at third base, but it’s clear his immediate future is on the mound.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Bristow restored a lot of his lost draft value with a solid, occasionally-dominating season as a pitcher at East Carolina. Never comfortable in a two-way role, he was able to focus all his attention on being a starting pitcher this spring and his confidence soared as he went 8-2, 3.22 with 25 walks and 78 strikeouts in 87 innings. With a big, strong frame, he was able to sustain the velocity on his fastball deep into games. The pitch was normally in the 89-91 mph range, but occasionally crept to 92 and even 93, though it had a tendency to be straight. He also had command of a 73-74 mph curve and a hard cutter, while showing feel for a changeup.—AS
 
SEATTLE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
162 Brett Lorin RHP So. L-R 6-7 245 Long Beach State Laguna Niguel, Calif. Never drafted 3/3/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: A fifth Long Beach State pitcher who could be selected in the top 10 rounds, the 6-foot-7 Lorin shook off the rust of almost two years of inactivity at Arizona to post an acceptable 4-3, 2.54 record (through mid-May), with 12 walks and 24 strikeouts in 39 innings. He was used as Long Beach State’s primary midweek starter. Lorin red-shirted at Arizona as a freshman and worked in only 10 innings there a year ago, but got an opportunity in a new environment to show off his 88-92 mph fastball on a more regular basis. He stretched it out to 94-95 on occasion. He also mixed in two average secondary pitches, a sweeping curve and changeup. With Lorin, it’s mostly about projection. He has a very tall, lanky, rangy physique with a long, loose arm action.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
DETROIT
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
163 Alex Avila C/3B Jr. B-R 6-0 210 Alabama Hialeah, Fla. Tigers ’05 (34) 1/29/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Avila hit .296-14-61 as a sophomore at Alabama, splitting his time between a corner infield and DH role. He was converted to catcher last fall and that move could exponentially improve his worth in the draft as he transitioned well to the role, working under the tutelage of new Crimson Tide volunteer assistant coach Dax Norris, a former Alabama catcher who recently completed an 11-year minor league stint behind the plate. Avila has excellent arm strength and he was moved to catcher to take best advantage of the asset. He still needs to refine his footwork and the finer points of catching but has the aptitude to do so. He has good, balanced swing mechanics with excellent hands to hit, goes with the pitch and makes consistent hard contact. He hit only .241 last summer in the Cape Cod League but part of his problem at the plate was that he’s got such a finely-tuned hitting zone that he would often let a pitch just off the plate go by that he knew was a ball, only to get behind in the count or be rung up by the variety of strike zones that existed in the Cape. He began to adapt as the season wore on, but he struck out 34 times. Avila, whose father Al is the assistant GM for the Detroit Tigers, divided his summer between first base and third, but was limited defensively at both positions. He’s athletic enough and has the thick, durable body desired in a catcher.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Avila swung the bat this season at a similar clip to 2007, hitting .320-13-49 in the regular season, but his work behind the plate received mixed reviews. His arm was erratic though he generally showed good arm strength (1.85-1.90 pop times) and accuracy, and he called his own game. He had difficulty, however, in handling pitchers with above-average stuff. The experiment remains a work-in-progress but he showed enough skills and aptitude to continue in that role. He just needs more experience.—AS
 
NEW YORK-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
164 Dock Doyle C Jr. L-R 6-0 200 Coastal Carolina Conway, S.C. Braves ’07 (44) 3/24/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: Doyle, a product of a local high school, played in just 13 games his first two years at Coastal Carolina, taking a red-shirt his second year. He then hit just .318-2-18 as a part-time catcher a year ago. Still, the Braves saw something in his athletic build and lefthanded bat, and took a late-round flier on him in 2007 as a draft-eligible sophomore. Though he didn’t sign, the confidence Doyle gained by just being drafted propelled him into 2008 and he was a different player this season. By playing everyday for the first time, he got comfortable at the plate, took quality at-bats and hit .370-16-63 as the Chanticleers No. 3 hitter, earning Big South Conference player of the year honors. His defensive skills, notably his arm strength and receiving ability, also showed a marked upgrade. There’s concern that Doyle comes from too much of a low slot on his throws, causing his balls to sail, but he has a fast release and is quick and agile behind the plate.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
SAN DIEGO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
165 Anthony Bass RHP Jr. R-R 6-1 180 Wayne State Trenton, Mich. Never drafted 11/1/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Bass reminds scouts of a Division II-version of San Francisco Giants pitching sensation Tim Lincecum, with a full back-arched delivery, overhand release point and head-jerk on release. While Bass’ raw stuff isn’t quite in Lincecum’s class, few other pitchers are either. Bass does maintain a 90-94 mph fastball, though, and there are reports he’s been as high as 96 mph this spring. He threw only 85-87 mph when he entered college. He also throws a slider that shows flashes of being a solid pitch and has lots of confidence in an 80-mph changeup. Bass tends to pitch up in the strike zone, which he can get away with against D-II competition, but will have to learn to work down in the zone more against advanced hitters. He went 10-3, 2.10 this spring with 100 K’s in 86 innings.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
PHILADELPHIA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
166 Jeremy Hamilton 1B Jr. L-L 6-0 180 Wright State Cincinnati Never drafted 11/13/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Hamilton made huge strides as a sophomore at Wright State, hitting .374-9-62. That performance led to his selection as a backup first baseman for Team USA’s college national team over the summer but he saw limited service and hit only .209-0-5 in 43 at-bats. He was slow to get out of the starting blocks this spring, too, as he didn’t deliver his first RBI of the 2008 season until his team’s 13th game. Hamilton lacks a physical presence at first base and will need to add weight and get stronger in order to drive balls consistently at the next level. Though he stays inside the ball well, his swing is geared more towards contact. He has good strike-zone awareness but will need to incorporate more of his lower body in his swing to add power. Despite his lack of size, Hamilton is an outstanding defender at first base. He has the smooth hands and feet to play the position like he’s a middle infielder. He’s played the outfield on occasion but his speed (7.20 in the 60) and a marginal arm are not assets at that position. He has good leadership skills and loves to play the game.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Hamilton recovered from a slow start this season to hit .413-9-48, while leading his team in slugging average (.738) and on-base percentage (.516). His stock climbed steadily through the course of the season as his bat warmed up, but a split camp remains among scouts on where he’ll be drafted. While he showed pure hitting skills, rarely took a bad swing and displayed Gold Glove-ability at first base, Hamilton still did not show the raw strength to hit with power, though he demonstrated greater ability to drive balls to the opposite field than in the past. More and more scouts expect he’ll end up in the outfield if his power doesn’t evolve, but he spent all of 2008 at first base.—AS
 
COLORADO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
167 Chris Dominguez 3B So. R-R 6-5 235 Louisville Miami Rangers ’05 (17) 11/22/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Few players possess a tools package quite like Dominguez, but his ability to use them is another matter. Dominguez has a fluid stroke and easy raw power in his 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame, but swings and misses at an alarming rate. He struck out a national-high 86 times as a red-shirt freshman at Louisville while hitting .266-15-61. He then fanned 38 more times in just 97 at-bats, along with drawing only three walks, while hitting .216-3-8 last summer in the Cape Cod League. He has a long, wild swing and is especially prone to chasing first-pitch breaking balls and becoming an easy strikeout victim as he has a poor two-strike approach. He’ll need to recognize pitches a lot better as he progresses through a faster level of competition in order to utilize his power. He worked overtime last fall on his pitch selection with an eye toward curbing his strikeout rate but remains vulnerable to being fooled on off-speed pitches as he gets out on his front foot, lets his hands drift and won’t stay back and trust his ability. Dominguez also has exceptional arm strength and has been clocked at 95 mph off a mound. His range at third base is somewhat limited because he lacks first-step quickness, and he may end up at first base or the outfield, where he spent part of the summer—or he may end up as a pitcher in the long run if he doesn’t make contact at the plate on a more consistent basis. A 17th-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers in 2005, Dominguez was expected to dominate the college ranks as a freshman in 2006, but he missed all but three games that 2006 season with an elbow injury and was granted a red-shirt season—making him eligible for the draft as a sophomore. He has the tools to be a first-round pick, but could easily slide to the 10th round, or beyond, if his performance doesn’t measure up to his potential this spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Though he still showed glimpses of his feast-or-famine approach this season, Dominguez cut down significantly on his strikeouts (45 in 241 at-bats) and the payoff was significant as he topped Louisville, the Big East Conference tournament champion, with a .369 average, 20 homers and 74 RBIs (entering NCAA tournament play). He also played a stellar third base, committing just six errors and displaying fluid actions around the bag. Dominguez’ combination of exceptional raw power and arm strength in a big league body would normally command bona-fide interest in the first round of this or any draft, but his inconsistent past is expected to work against him. He could begin entering the picture by the second or third round, however, for teams that emphasize tools.—AS
 
ARIZONA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
168 Collin Cowgill OF Jr. R-L 5-9 190 Kentucky Lexington, Ky. Athletics ’07 (29) 5/22/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): After hitting .308-16-60 on Kentucky’s Southeastern Conference championship team in 2006, Cowgill missed the 2007 college season because of surgery in February on a broken hamate bone. He was ready to play again before the end of the SEC season, but Kentucky coaches decided not to burn a red-shirt season for the sake of a handful of games. So he was itching to play last summer in the Cape Cod League and responded with an impressive .290-2-20 season. Though he was drafted in June by the Oakland A’s in the 29th round, he elected to return to Kentucky to repeat his junior season. Cowgill packs a lot of power in a smaller body but is very strong and plays much bigger than his size. He has a quick, short stroke with enough strength and bat speed to drive balls to all fields. He made adjustments last summer to eliminate a loop from his swing. He played an excellent center field defensively for league champion Yarmouth-Dennis. His speed and arm strength are also solid tools.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): A power/speed combination in a small package, Cowgill topped Kentucky in home runs (18) and stolen bases (23) this season while hitting .359 (entering NCAA tournament play). He also led the Wildcats with 48 walks and he stood out defensively in center field with his arm, speed and instincts. Though he had juice in his bat, ran the bases well, played solid defense and was the heart and soul of this year’s Wildcats team, scouts aren’t convinced Cowgill will be anything more than a fourth or fifth outfielder in pro ball. There’s concern that his power will translate effectively to wood, and his other tools will be playable at a faster level of competition.—AS
 
LOS ANGELES-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
169 Khiry Cooper OF Sr. R-R 6-3 180 Cavalry Academy Shreveport, La.   1/18/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Cooper is much better-known for his exploits on the football field, and much farther along the development curve as a wide receiver than a center fielder, but his athleticism and exceptional speed drew the attention of scouts this spring. As a baseball player, he can hold his own defensively and on the bases, where his speed is an equalizer, but a long swing and crude approach to hitting makes him a project at the plate. As the primary deep threat for Louisiana 2-A player of the year Jake Booty, the last in line of the famed Booty quarterback brothers, Cooper caught 60 passes for 1,038 yards and 16 touchdowns last fall, giving him a two-year total of 31 TD receptions. The oldest of the Booty brothers, Josh, was a standout high school QB before he signed with the Florida Marlins in 1994 for what was then the largest bonus in draft history ($1.6 million), only to return to football several years later and make a brief appearance in the NFL. The second Booty, John David, quarterbacked USC to a national title. Cooper, himself, has committed to Nebraska for football, but may elect to sign a deal with a big league club that would enable to play minor league baseball in the summer while playing college football in the fall.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
NEW YORK-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
170 Chris Smith OF/1B Sr. L-L 6-1 190 Centennial Los Angeles Southern California 1/11/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Veteran Centennial coach Gerald Pickens was instrumental in the development of two prominent inner-city Los Angeles players, Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis, and says Smith compares favorably to the future long-time big leaguers at a similar stage of development. Above all else, Smith can hit. He was one of the nation’s leading hitters this spring with a .708 average, to go with 12 homers, 43 RBIs and 24 stolen bases—in a 20-game schedule. Though he spent most of his high school career at first base, his speed and athletic ability will enable him to settle into the outfield. Smith gained acclaim a year ago as the RBI (Reviving Baseball in The Inner-Cities) Player of the Year. He also earned his share of attention at Centennial High as a point guard on the basketball team and a quarterback who passed for more than 2,700 yards last fall, but he has always professed that baseball is his favorite sport.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
CLEVELAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
171 Zach Putnam RHP/3B Jr. R-R 6-2 215 Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. Tigers ’05 (38) 7/3/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): One the best two-way talents in college baseball, Putnam has first-round potential as a pitcher—and maybe even as a hitter. He made only four appearances on the mound last summer in the Cape Cod League, going 2-0, 0.75 with 16 strikeouts in 12 innings, curtailing his workload after a busy spring at Michigan. His fastball was an impressive 94-95 mph with tailing action when up in the zone, occasional arm-side sink and boring action when down in the zone. He complemented it with an excellent split-finger/forkball along with a good curveball and occasional hard slider. He showed an advanced feel for pitching and command of all his pitches, but scouts are curious just how much better he can become as a pitcher as he is near physical maturity. He has a solid, square frame with broad shoulders and thick legs. Putnam went 8-5, 3.87 with 87 strikeouts in 102 innings as a sophomore at Michigan, ending his season on an impressive but heartbreaking note when he had a no-hitter for 8-2/3 innings in NCAA super-regional play against eventual champion Oregon State, only to lose the game 1-0 on the only hit he allowed. He also hit .330-8-59 for the Wolverines and concentrated more on hitting than pitching last summer—though he was reluctant to play a position. He hit .256-4-13 almost exclusively as a DH, and showed raw power to all fields. Putnam worked out at third base in the fall and showed promise there, especially with an arm that was clocked at 94 mph across the infield, but his workload in the spring will likely prevent him from developing his talent at that position. He is being used as the Wolverines DH and Friday-night starter.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Putnam solidified his status as a probable top 2-round pick this year, going 9-0, 2.58 with 78 K’s in 76 innings, despite missing two weeks with strep throat late in the season. His fastball was regularly 92-95 mph and his hard split-finger continued to be one of the best secondary pitches in college baseball. Putnam’s slider and curveball will have to improve at the professional level, but a contributing reason is that he doesn’t use them frequently enough now to have consistent feel for them. There are still perhaps a half-dozen teams that like Putnam better as a third-base prospect, where his strength and build seem to profile better. He has a strong swing with very good bat speed, and hit .307-11-51 as a DH with Michigan this year.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
BOSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
172 Ryan Westmoreland OF Sr. L-R 6-2 180 Portsmouth Portsmouth, R.I. Vanderbilt 4/27/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Westmoreland has been the dominant high school player in Rhode Island almost since the beginning of his freshman year and stands out as one of the top all-around, two-way talents in the country. He has a career batting average of .519 and is 28-0, 0.72 on the mound entering his senior year. Westmoreland can fly on the baseball field. He goes down the line in around 4.0 seconds, sometimes a little faster, and has a front-foot, slashing, contact approach that produces gap-to-gap power and will enable him to reach base with high frequency. He has very sound strike zone awareness, making him a prototype leadoff-type hitter in the mould of a player like Scott Podsednik, though with more power potential. He also throws in the upper-80s from the mound, although scouts see him as a top-of-the-order type outfielder in the future. Westmoreland has joined the New England pipeline to Vanderbilt, but performed very well in national showcase events during the summer and will get a long look from scouts this spring.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Westmoreland solidified his status as one of the nation’s elite high school players, and possibly one of the best 100 prospects overall for this year’s draft, with another strong season—both on the mound and as a position player. He became Rhode Island’s first two-time Gatorade player of the year by hitting .486-4-31 with 17 stolen bases, while going 6-0, 0.35 with only nine walks and 89 strikeouts in 40 innings. Included in his pitching accomplishments were a 19-strikeout perfect game, and a 20-strikeout one-hitter. Even though he was more dominant on the mound this spring, Westmoreland was scouted only as a center fielder. He got extremely high grades for his speed, defense and arm strength, and his athletic ability generally. Bigger and stronger this year, he drove the ball better than he did in the past, but his bat is the one tool that scouts aren’t totally sold on. He needs a lot of repetitions and at-bats, whether in pro ball or at Vanderbilt. He has already been penciled in as the starting center fielder at Vanderbilt a year from now, and could end up in school if teams are not prepared to meet his high price tag. As with any high-profile New England prospect, the Boston Red Sox have a keen interest and could overdraft Westmoreland as early as the sandwich or second round—to both secure his rights and justify the bonus it will take to sign him away from Vanderbilt. Westmoreland has appropriately been described as a cross between Jacoby Ellsbury and David Murphy, outfielders the Red Sox drafted with first-round picks in 2005 and 2003.—ALLAN SIMPSON