| TAMPA BAY |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 203 |
Corder, Jason |
OF |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-2 |
210 |
Long Beach State |
Mission Viejo, Calif. |
Never drafted |
8/6/1985 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Corder was one of the nation’s
most heavily-pursued high school players when he pitched Capistrano Valley High
to a CIF sectional championship-game victory at Dodger Stadium as a freshman,
then combined to hit 37 home runs and win 29 games on the mound in his next
three years in high school. His lack of upside in a big, unathletic frame was
even apparent then, however, and caused big league teams to pass on him in the
2004 draft. Their lack of interest appeared justified as Corder struggled at
the plate, and played sparingly as a freshman (.200) and sophomore (.094) at
Cal-Berkeley before transferring to Long Beach State for his junior year. He
began to re-establish his game by hitting a team-best seven homers for the
Dirtbags in 2007, while also making nine pitching appearances, then had his
best college season this spring as a senior, hitting .301-13-54, topping the
49ers in homers and RBIs. Corder got plenty of exposure in the process, playing
on one of the most heavily-scouted college teams in the country. While scouts
were impressed with his raw power playing in one of the toughest hitters’ parks
in the country, they also saw a feast-or famine approach at the plate and an
unconventional swing that is not geared to hitting for average. Though his
speed is below average, even for an outfield corner, and he doesn’t profile at
a position, his arm strength remains a considerable tool and plays well from
right field. Most clubs view him, at best, as a roster filler.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| PITTSBURGH |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 204 |
Benji Gonzalez |
SS |
Sr. |
R-R |
5-11 |
160 |
P.R. Baseball Academy |
Caguas, P.R. |
Oklahoma State |
1/16/1990 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Gonzalez made his first
appearance before U.S.-based scouts at the World Wood Bat Association fall
championship in Jupiter, Fla., in late October and made an excellent initial
impression. He’s lightning-quick at 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, and has
professional-ready defensive actions at shortstop. He has excellent actions,
range and arm strength. Gonzalez has the explosive high-hipped build that
projects so well, though his lack of offensive pop with wood bats is a concern.
He can square up balls, but lacks the raw strength to put a charge in them.
Gonzalez is a very good student at the Puerto Rican Baseball Academy and signed
with Oklahoma State during the NCAA early-signing period last fall.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Gonzalez has the prototypical
Latin shortstop defensive flair at shortstop and has shown outstanding game
ability. He’ll be able to play shortstop at a high level. He isn’t physically
strong, though, and his lack of offensive projection will mute scouts’
excitement about his defense.--DR |
| |
| KANSAS CITY |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 205 |
Jason Esposito |
3B |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-2 |
185 |
Amity Regional |
Bethany, Conn. |
Vanderbilt |
7/19/1990 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Scouts went into the
spring with Esposito right at or near the top of their follow lists as the top
high school prospect in New England. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound third baseman has
a very well balanced set of tools and skills, and the type of body and approach
that translates well to pro ball. Esposito has the athletic ability and sure
hands to play shortstop at a high level but projects at the hot corner. He has
exceptional arm strength, throwing 90-plus from both the mound and from third
base in drills and could be an excellent two-way player at the college level.
He has an advanced ability to make solid contact and his swing is fluid, level
and fast. The power should keep coming as he gets more repetitions.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): With commitments from Esposito and
Anthony Hewitt, along with Rhode Island outfielder Ryan Westmoreland,
Vanderbilt has understandably paid close attention this spring to the top three
high school prospects in New England—all of whom are potential Top 100 picks.
Esposito doesn’t have the high ceiling of the more athletic, tools-oriented
Hewitt, but he looks the part of a ball player in his 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame
and is much farther along in his development. He reminds scouts of New York
Mets third baseman David Wright, and hit .441-9-29 this spring. Esposito’s best
tools are his raw power and arm strength. He is confined to third base by heavy
feet and a lack of raw speed (4.3 down the line), but has solid actions in the
field, with soft hands and sound fielding technique. His arm strength also
enabled him to be an effective closer for his high school team. Esposito’s
limitations, notably a long swing at the plate and lack of speed on the bases,
may keep him out of the early rounds of the draft, but there are New England
scouts who remain steadfast in their belief that he’ll be picked as early as
the sandwich round. He may have to be picked there to justify the significant
asking price that might be needed to keep him away from Vanderbilt.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| BALTIMORE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 206 |
Caleb Joseph |
C/3B |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
180 |
Lipscomb |
Franklin, Tenn. |
Never drafted |
6/18/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Joseph topped Lipscomb in
average (.335), homers (8) and RBIs (48) a year ago while leading the Atlantic
Sun Conference with 25 doubles. Though he went to the league as a temporary
player, hit just .256-1-14 overall, and split his time between two teams and
the outfield and behind the plate, Joseph was selected to play in the Cape Cod
League all-star game last summer. Joseph is one of the most athletic catchers
in the college ranks with sound hands and feet, though he may need to shorten
his arm swing to remain a catcher. He has excellent hands to hit, which could
lead to a breakout year from a power standpoint this season and above-average
power in the future. Joseph was more of a speed player than a power hitter
coming out of high school, but catching has taken a toll on his speed (he’s
gone from a 6.8 runner in the 60, to 7.3).—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Just like he did in 2007, Joseph
led Lipscomb in batting (.345), homers (14) and RBIs (53) as the Bisons entered
the Atlantic Sun tournament as the conference’s No. 1 seed. He hit with more
power this season, as predicted, and took a special liking to low, inside
fastballs. His ability to hit a breaking ball, though, was more problematic.
Joseph spent most of the spring behind the plate, but scouts are split whether
he’ll be able to handle that position in pro ball. He has soft hands, but his
arm strength and receiving skills are just marginal. His superior athletic
ability will enable him to play a number of positions and there is a chance he
will end up in the infield—possibly at third base, but more likely second. His
bat would also play in left field.—AS |
| |
| SAN FRANCISCO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 207 |
Aaron King |
LHP |
Fr. |
L-L |
6-4 |
205 |
Surry |
Newton, N.C. |
Never drafted |
4/27/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Pitt CC sophomore third
baseman Lonnie Chisenhall has garnered most of the attention from scouts this
spring among top prospects in the North Carolina junior college ranks, but King
has also garnered his share of intrigue. Though he wasn’t unknown to scouts as
a high school senior at North Carolina’s Fred T. Foard High, where he pitched
on the same staff as Clemson-recruit Trent Rothlin, Ford’s fastball was mostly
88-89 mph and he didn’t have a breaking ball. His command was below average.
He’s obviously made enormous strides over the last year. The big lefthander has
a live arm with a fastball in the 90-93 mph range. A downhill plane provides
good life on the pitch low in the zone, with sink at the knees and arm-side
tailing action. His secondary pitches—a long, sweeping slurve at 70-74 mph that
lacks crispness and an adequate 81-84 mph changeup—also rely on location to be
effective. King is very aggressive and holds nothing back on each pitch. But he
is more thrower than pitcher at this stage of his development. His size and arm
strength, though, are significant attributes that will keep scouts coming back.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): King was everything he promised to
be this spring with a fastball up to 94 mph, though it was more commonly in the
90-92 range. Physically, he fits the profile of the big, powerful, loose
lefthander. He still has a way to go in streamlining his delivery, but he has
made significant strides in adding movement to his fastball and developing a
curveball that now grades as average. He has a changeup, but rarely uses it.
The command of all his pitches is significantly better. King was dominant as a
junior college freshman, posting a 5-4, 1.91 record with 98 strikeouts in 66
innings. He walked 34, but was touched up for only 38 hits. He has the whole
package for a team that might willing to take a run at him in the first couple
of rounds, but most clubs don’t feel comfortable enough taking a junior college
pitcher with a limited history that early.—AS |
| |
| FLORIDA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 208 |
Paul Gran |
3B |
Sr. |
R-R |
5-11 |
185 |
Washington State |
Bothell, Wash. |
Dodgers ’04 (30) |
4/7/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Gran wasn’t drafted as a
shortstop in 2007, in large measure because his asking price was reportedly
significantly out of line from his modest production over the previous two
seasons at WSU—.299-0-27 in 2006 and .314-6-34 in 2007. He had a total of 24
stolen bases over the two seasons. But Gran’s tools, especially his power-speed
package, continue to intrigue scouts and his production took a pronounced leap
forward in the latter part of the 2007 spring season, during the summer in the
New England Collegiate League and especially last fall in scrimmage games and
early this season as Washington State bolted out of the gate quickly. If the
2008 draft were held today, Gran probably would be the first Washington player
selected.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): There is no consensus among scouts
on the most-draftable college player in Washington, but Gran earned genuine
interest all spring by increasing his power production and playing a
nearly-flawless third base. He homered 11 times, while batting .313, and also
committed just one error in 163 chances at the hot corner for a .994 fielding
average—an unheard of average for a third baseman, at any level. None of his
tools truly stand out, but they are all solid and Gran profiles as a utility
player in the future, somewhat in the mould of the Seattle Mariners’ Willie
Bloomquist. In a best-case scenario, he could evolve into an offensive second
baseman.—AS |
| |
| CINCINNATI |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 209 |
Pedro Villarreal |
RHP |
So. |
R-R |
6-1 |
205 |
Howard (Texas) |
Dallas |
Never drafted |
12/9/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: With shortstop Tyler Ladendorf
as the primary attraction, remote Howard College was heavily-scouted this
season. But Villarreal got limited looks in his role as a closer on a dominant
team that won 24 games by 10 or more runs, before he was eventually was moved
to a starting job late in the season to bail out an injury-riddled starting
staff. Though he lacked polish, he thrived in his new role, pumping a fastball
in the 93-95 mph range, while also showing the makings of a plus slider and
changeup. His 3-1, 6.67 record with four saves, along 25 walks and 24
strikeouts in 27 innings did not come close to measuring up to the seasons
assembled by Howard’s two primary starters, lefthanders Colt Simon (11-2) and
Anthony Collazo (10-2), but Villarreal’s impressive velocity gave him a shot of
being drafted earlier than those two arms. Villarreal has a scholarship to
Texas-Pan American awaiting him if the draft does not pan out.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| CHICAGO-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
YR |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 210 |
Jordan Danks |
OF |
Jr. |
L-R |
6-5 |
210 |
Texas |
Round Rock, Texas |
White Sox ’05 (19) |
8/7/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Danks projected as a
first-round pick in the 2005 draft, two years after the homestate Texas Rangers
took his brother John (now a big league pitcher with the Chicago White Sox)
with the ninth overall pick. But Danks’ family made it clear to big league
clubs that their younger son would attend college and not to bother wasting an
early-round pick. Three years later, Danks ranks as a longshot to be drafted in
the first round. He is an excellent athlete who needs to add strength to his
6-foot-5, 210-pound frame in order to become a more imposing force at the
plate. He has occasional pull-side power but needs to shorten a long, loopy
swing, though he showed an ability to handle inside pitches better last fall.
He hit .332-4-38 as a sophomore at Texas and followed by batting .287-2-12 for
Team USA, hardly numbers that suggest he’s a ‘can’t miss’ talent. His best tool
at this stage of development is his center-field defense. He has excellent
range but a below-average arm. He runs well underway, both on the bases and in
the outfield, but is slow to accelerate. In 26 stolen-base attempts in two
years at Texas, he has yet to be thrown out.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Danks faced much the same scrutiny
this spring as his teammate Kyle Russell (No. 21 below). He has excellent
tools, including great speed for his size and above-average defensive ability.
And while Danks was a solid college performer (.317-6-39, 41 walks as Texas
entered Big 12 post-season play), he never showed the type of power and raw bat
speed you’d expect from a player with his size and athletic ability. Danks
doesn’t compare with former Texas first-rounder Drew Stubbs across the board;
he’s not as physically talented as an outfielder and lacks Stubbs’ raw power,
but there are similarities and Stubbs was another prospect who frequently
confused scouts.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| WASHINGTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 211 |
Danny Killian |
C |
Fr. |
L-R |
6-4 |
195 |
Kellogg CC |
Stanwood, Mich. |
Nationals ’07 (32) |
1/14/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Killian started the school year
at Kentucky, but transferred back home to Michigan and Kellogg CC over the
Christmas break. Killian’s big tool is his arm strength, which measures up with
any amateur level catcher in the country and regularly produces pop times in
the 1.85-area despite Killian’s size and length. The rest of his defensive
package is solid, although still a bit raw. Killian’s prospect status has
always been held back by his bat, even as he hit .412-7-41 this spring. He has
a long, stiff swing that generates some raw power on mediocre stuff but he
lacks natural hitting instincts and ability at this point. There has always
been speculation that Killian will eventually end up on the mound to take
advantage of his plus/plus tool but that hasn’t happened yet. Killian comes
from a baseball family. His father is a long-time scout and his brother, Billy,
is a catcher in the White Sox minor league system.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| HOUSTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 212 |
Jon Gaston |
OF |
Jr. |
L-R |
6-0 |
206 |
Arizona |
Boise, Idaho |
Giants ’05 (20) |
10/13/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Gaston, an Idaho high
school product, could be a significant draft selection in June but may be
almost an afterthought on his own team as Arizona has a deep, talented roster.
He has all the tools scouts look for in a corner outfielder with speed, arm
strength and the ability to hit with wood from the left side—both for power and
average. As a sophomore, he hit .319-6-33. He’s played regularly in right field
for the Wildcats the last two years but wouldn’t feel out of place in center.
The knock on Gaston is his size. He’s listed at 6-feet, but may actually be
closer to 5-11. He overcomes his lack of size with a strong, powerful frame. He
showed a lot of power with wood in the fall, though his power didn’t evolve
last summer in the Cape Cod League before he was sent home for disciplinary
reasons. Scouts say if Gaston can produce big power and stolen base numbers
this spring, he could be a third-to fifth-rounder; otherwise, he probably falls
in the sixth- to 10th-round range.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Gaston did little to improve his
draft position this season until a late-season surge at the plate lifted his
average to .307 (through mid-May). He also had 11 homers and 12 stolen bases,
but his 42 strikeouts and general inability to make frequent contact remain an
obstacle in his overall development as a hitter. Gaston is not as graceful or
athletic as Arizona center fielder T.J. Steele, but he runs and throws average,
and his lefthanded bat has the potential to be an effective weapon.—AS |
| |
| TEXAS |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 213 |
Matt Thompson |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-2 |
180 |
Grace Prep Academy |
Burleson, Texas |
Texas Christian |
2/10/1990 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Thompson’s fastball was already
consistently in the low 90s by the start of his senior year. He has the type of
loose, easy arm action and projectability that justifiedd him getting a lot of
extra looks from scouts this spring. Thompson, who was the quarterback on his
high school football team in the fall, has an advanced feel for pitching for a
young power pitcher and can work his upper-70s curveball around the plate with
different breaks. His ability to throw in the low 90s consistently with the
type of potential plus curveball he’s shown could make Thompson a surprise high
draft.--DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| OAKLAND |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 214. |
Brett Hunter |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-4 |
215 |
Pepperdine |
Moorpark, Calif. |
Never drafted |
6-27-87 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): After going just 6-5, 3.94
with 47 walks and 76 strikeouts in 82 innings as a starter for Pepperdine in
2007, Hunter was used as a closer for Team USA last summer and appeared to find
his niche in that role. He led the team with a 0.66 ERA while going 3-0 and
striking out 31 in 27 innings. He limited hitters to a meager .110 average. His
stuff and command got better and better as the summer wore on, and he was soon
pumping heavy 93-97 mph fastballs for strikes almost every time out as Team
USA’s go-to reliever. His secondary stuff generally needs improvement, but his
short, tight slider was a dominant pitch when he threw it for strikes. Highly
competitive by nature, he relished pitching with a game on the line and was
much more effective at Pepperdine as a freshman (5-3, 2.83, 11 SV) when used in
that role. He was used as a starter to begin the 2008 season and the jury may
be still be out but he pitched well in that role initially, holding his
velocity deep into games. He also threw more strikes than expected. Hunter’s
delivery and arm action remain suspect. He has always had a tendency to rush
his pitches, but he learned to slow down his delivery over the course of the
summer. He also backed off on his velocity at times and the result was more
tailing, sinking action on his fastball, especially to the arm-side. It also
enhanced his ability to move the pitch around the strike zone more effectively,
but he still needs to be more consistent in the strike zone.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Hunter made two starts this spring
(2-0, 2,77, 13 IP/13 SO) and earned rave reviews from scouts as his fastball
reached 97-99 mph, his slider was a dominant pitch and he generally showed
better mechanics and better command than a year ago. Suddenly there was a buzz
that Hunter would be one of the first 10 picks in this year’s draft, possibly
even top five. But Hunter didn’t make another start until May 20—little more
than two weeks before the draft. What reportedly started out as a blister on
his finger led to pain in his elbow and he was promptly shut down. Hunter had
his elbow checked out by some of the nation’s leading experts on elbow issues
and he was advised there was nothing structurally wrong, that he would just
need to rest for 6-8 weeks, and rehab. Hunter was initially expected back in
early May, but had still yet to make an appearance although he was playing
catch and throwing bullpens. His draft stock remained up in the and may not be
fully resolved unless Hunter not only comes back to pitch, but shows he’s 100
percent healthy.—AS |
| |
| ST. LOUIS |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 215. |
Anthony Ferrara |
LHP |
Sr. |
R-L |
6-1 |
170 |
Riverview |
Riverview, Fla. |
South Florida |
9-2-89 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Ferrara was one of the
wild cards in the 2008 high school class entering the spring. He was sidelined
since late last spring with labrum problems in his shoulder but prior to that
was one of the top lefthanded pitchers in the class. Before being shut down,
Ferrara had gone 5-0, 0.69 and struck out 56 in 33 innings for Riverview High,
including a 2-0 shutout over eventual Florida state 6-A champion Sarasota High.
Ferrara has an electric arm that produces a 90-93 mph live fastball and has
bat-breaking life at times. His fastball has especially good tail and sink when
thrown middle-in to lefthanded hitters. His mid- to upper-70s curveball is hard
and sharp, but he pitches very well with his fastball for a young power
lefthander. He has an excellent feel for the mound and has no glaring
mechanical issues. He was a 2007 Aflac All-American.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Ferrara bounced back from his 2007
arm woes and enjoyed a solid and healthy spring. His fastball was consistently
in the low 90s and his command and delivery improved. Scouts consistently
talked about him as a solid third-round type of pick.—DR |
| |
| MINNESOTA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 216. |
Dan Osterbrock |
LHP |
Jr. |
R-L |
6-3 |
186 |
Cincinnati |
Cincinnati |
Never drafted |
1-27-87 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Osterbrock and Xavier’s Charlie
Leesman have jockeyed all spring in their own personal battle to be the first
college lefthander drafted from the Cincinnati college ranks. Osterbrock isn’t
as athletic or physical and generally doesn’t throw as hard as Leesman, but he
throws a lot more strikes and has been much more successful over the last two
years. After going 9-1, 2.67 as an all-Big East pitcher in 2007, Osterbrock
followed up by going 9-2, 3.55 this season. In 99 innings, he struck out 74
while walking just 10. While he’s not overpowering with an 87-91 mph fastball,
he has excellent command of the pitch and keeps hitters off balance with his
changeup. Hitters rarely get good cuts off him.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| LOS ANGELES-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
YR |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 217. |
Cole St. Clair |
LHP |
Sr. |
L-L |
6-5 |
225 |
Rice |
Santa Ana, Calif. |
Indians ’07 (7) |
7-30-86 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): St. Clair missed the first
two months of the 2007 season after injuring his shoulder lifting weights in
the off-season. He came back strong, quickly regaining his dominance and the
Rice closer role while apparently alleviating the scouting community’s concerns
over his health. He went 0-0, 1.91 with nine saves in 16 appearances, but teams
got cold feet with the draft lurking and his hopes of going in the first round
were dashed and he slid all the way to the seventh round. He elected to return
to school with the intent of repeating his dominant sophomore season—when he
went 7-2, 1.82 with 11 saves and 100 strikeouts in 74 innings and was equally
dominant that summer as the closer for Team USA—and in the process restoring
his foothold in the draft as a college senior. But he didn’t pitch during the
summer or fall as he continued to experience minor discomfort in his shoulder.
St. Clair defies many scouting stereotypes. He has a complicated, multi-part
delivery that usually leads to command problems but actually has plus command
and pounds the strike zone, while creating awkward swings with his deception. A
two-pitch pitcher with a 91-94 mph fastball and big slider in the 81-84 mph
range, St. Clair doesn’t seem like a candidate for a starter’s role but scouts
see his record of durability on the mound and command and think he may be
suited for it. He was used as a starter to begin the 2008 season. St. Clair is
a California native; he was a teammate of top Yankees prospect Phillip Hughes
in high school and won pitcher-of-the-year honors in his district over Hughes
as an undrafted senior while going 11-1.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): St.Clair enjoyed a successful
spring at Rice, going 8-2, 2/98 with five saves while striking out 55 in 48
innings. His stuff was consistently a grade below what scouts saw during his
dominating sophomore year and most suspect that his shoulder, injured in
January 2007 while weight lifting, still isn’t sound. St. Clair’s curveball and
changeup were solid pitches, but his velocity was mostly in the upper 80s and
just touched 90 occasionally.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| MILWAUKEE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 218. |
Trey Watten |
RHP/3B |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
195 |
Abilene Christian |
Coppell, Texas |
Never drafted |
12-16-86 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Watten was one of the more
unrecognized two-way standouts in the country playing for NAIA Abilene
Christian. He came to the school as a lean, lanky third baseman with a strong
arm and limited pitching experience, but has developed into a better pitching
prospect at this point, although he remains draftable as a third baseman as
well. Watten throws up to 92-93 mph right now with a pretty good idea how to
pitch for someone with limited experience. There is still plenty of projection
on his stuff, and it will depend on his ability to get stronger and concentrate
only on the mound. Watten went 10-0, 3.00 as a sophomore and 10-3, 2.56 this
year with 113 K’s in 98 innings. Interestingly, Watten doesn’t hit for Abilene
Christian when he’s pitching, but he hit .377-5-45. He’s an excellent defensive
third baseman with plus arm strength and good agility. His swing can get
over-extended and long at times, but he has prospect-level bat speed and
projects power.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| TORONTO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 219. |
Eric Thames |
OF |
Jr. |
L-L |
6-1 |
197 |
Pepperdine |
San Jose, Calif. |
Yankees ’07 (39) |
11-10-86 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Thames is an
impressive-looking athlete and led Pepperdine in RBIs a year ago—oddly, while
failing to launch a single home run. His lack of raw power played a hand in
last year’s draft as he wasn’t selected until the 39th round by the New York
Yankees as a draft-eligible sophomore. But he enjoyed a big summer in the
Northwoods League, finishing second in RBIs while being selected that league’s
top prospect by PG Crosschecker. He hit only three home runs, but the Yankees
were impressed enough with his bat speed and other areas of his game that they
offered fifth-round money in an effort to sign him just before he returned to
Pepperdine. Scouts believed a surge in power was in the offing for Thames this
season. He also gets a lot of support for his foot speed (6.5 seconds in the
60). Thames spent most of last season in a DH role for Pepperdine as his play
in the outfield was improving, but just adequate. His arm is his one tool that
rates below average, which may relegate him to left field but there is a
question whether his lack of raw power will play at that position.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Few position players in the entire
draft helped themselves more this season than Thames, and his decision to
reject a last-minute offer from the Yankees last summer now appears to be
extremely prudent as some clubs have elevated him to potential first-round
status. As predicted, Thames had a power surge and was batting a resounding
.408-13-57 as Pepperdine completed regular-season play. Not only has Thames
gotten stronger and matured, but he had a better approach at the plate this
spring and adjusted well to all kinds of pitching. He showed a quick, compact
swing with good extension, enabling him to generate excellent bat speed. He
made hard, consistent contact, but occasionally chased pitches when he got
overly aggressive. His arm strength, below average even by left field
standards, is his only negative tool but it showed marginal improvement from
the fall.—AS |
| UPDATE (6/1): Thames hurt his chances for the
draft by tearing a quad muscle late in the season and undergoing surgery. He
was expected to be out of action for 3-4 months.—AS |
| |
| ATLANTA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 220. |
Paul Clemens |
RHP |
So. |
R-R |
6-3 |
170 |
Louisburg (N.C.) |
|
Giants ’07 (36) |
2-14-88 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Clemens has a power arm capable
of reaching 94-96 mph, but he lost his place in the Louisburg rotation this
spring as he struggled with his command and hitters teed off on his straight
fastball with regularity. After going 7-1, 2.38 as a freshman, he was just 4-3,
5.01 this year with 46 strikeouts in 41 innings, while yielding 40 hits and 16
walks. He is in need of developing a better, more consistent breaking ball to
complement his fastball but his changeup is a serviceable third pitch.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| CHICAGO-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 221. |
Luis Flores |
C/RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
5-10 |
190 |
Oklahoma State |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
Never drafted |
11-2-86 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: The three major college programs
in the state, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Oral Roberts, all had high-profile
transfer catchers join their programs this spring and Flores was the best of
the three. He played at Houston for two seasons, splitting time between the
mound (1-1, 6.10) and behind the plate (.263-9-24), with mixed success. Though
he was 6-0 at Houston as a freshman with a lively 90-mph fastball, Flores gave
up pitching this spring to concentrate on his catching duties, although he did
throw a couple of mop-up innings. As a catcher, Flores is an intense competitor
with great baseball savvy. His arm strength was among the best in the country,
and he is a quick, agile receiver despite his strong, blocky build.
Offensively, Flores flashed raw power occasionally, but is best when he’s
working counts and using what the pitcher gives him. He hit .299-5-31 with 39
walks this year (entering NCAA regional play), consistent with his previous
output. He’ll be drafted because of his defensive and leadership skills.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| |
| SEATTLE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 222. |
Nate Tenbrink |
3B |
Jr. |
L-R |
6-2 |
200 |
Kansas State |
Olathe, Kan. |
Never drafted |
12-21-86 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Not a lot was expected of
Tenbrink after he hit a modest .280-3-32 as a sophomore at Kansas State, but he
showed the makings of all five tools in a breakthrough summer for San Luis
Obispo of the California Collegiate League, even as he battled minor injuries.
He hit an eye-opening .367-3-30—with wood. Tenbrink has not yet tapped into his
power potential but he has added 25 pounds since enrolling at Kansas State and
has demonstrated an ability to drive balls to the gaps from the left side that
could evolve into legitimate home run power as early as this spring. On scout
day last fall, he impressed the assembled scouts by hitting missiles to the
gaps in all three plate appearances. Tenbrink also has above-average speed for
a third baseman, running a 6.7 in the 60 on scout day. Defensively, he also
excels with a solid glove, good arm strength and exceptionally quick feet
around the bag. Along with lefthander Ben Hornbeck, righthanders Daniel
Edwards, Trevor Hurley and Justin Murray, and outfielder Byron Wiley, Tenbrink
should be a significant part of the best draft class in Kansas State history.
–ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Scouts continued to be impressed
with Tenbrink’s physical tools, but confounded by his lack of ability to
consistently use them. A strong performance during K-State’s improbable run to
the Big 12 tournament championship game just added to the confusion. Tenbrink
flashed his power (9 HR, 16 2B) this spring but didn’t hit for average
(270-9-41) and struck out 56 times in 200 at-bats. He has the speed, range and
arm strength to potentially play in the middle of the field, but made 16 errors
and fielded .880 at third this spring.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| DETROIT |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 223. |
Jade Todd |
LHP |
Sr. |
L-L |
6-2 |
185 |
Shades Valley |
Shades Valley, Ala. |
Alabama |
3-22-90 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: There is little consensus among
area scouts who cover Alabama who the top high school prospects are beyond
Destin Hood and Tyler Stovall, but Todd ranks high enough with a few teams that
he is a draft consideration after the 10th round. He’s a tall, rangy lefthander
who made a good impression early in the 2008 season when his fastball was
customarily in the 90-91 range. That gave him a third quality pitch as his
curve, a 12-to-6 downer when he stays on top of it, is a potential out pitch,
and his changeup is a solid offering. The weight of playing on a weak high
school team may have taken a toll on Todd later in the season, however, as his
velocity dipped to 85-87 mph.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| NEW YORK-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 224. |
Michael Hebert |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
180 |
Saugus |
Saugus, Calif. |
|
8-11-90 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Saugus High’s ace pitcher this
spring was expected to be lefthander Shawn Smith, but he worked in only 15
innings, winning just once, as he was academically ineligible much of the
season. In Smith’s absence, Hebert emerged as the team’s top arm, although he
spent much of the season pitching in relief and went just 5-5. He posted a 2.06
ERA with 54 strikeouts in 37 innings, however, with a clean arm action and a
fastball in the 87-91 mph range along with an effective low-70s curve. Though
Smith was academically ineligible, Hebert is considered the easier sign of the
two and that may push him up draft boards ahead of Smith.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| SAN DIEGO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 225. |
Adam Zornes |
C |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-0 |
210 |
Rice |
Houston |
Indians ’07 (24) |
4-2-86 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Along with Danny Lehmann
(Twins, 8th round) and Travis Reagan (Nationals, 45th round), Zornes was one of
three Rice catchers drafted a year ago. Despite being selected in the 24th
round by the Indians, he elected to return to school as a red-shirt junior and
has assumed the No. 1 job this season after hitting just .204-4-9 in 59 at-bats
a year ago. Zornes is an offensive-oriented catcher with fringe defensive
skills. He has a chance to hit with significant power as he has raw strength
and lift in his swing, and the ball jumps off his bat. His arm is also a solid
tool as he has easy velocity with on-line carry. Overall as a hitter, he has a
long stroke, tends to overswing and is a dead fastball hitter. He is vulnerable
to breaking stuff. His catching and blocking skills are marginal, but
improving. He has adequate hands, at best, with limited flexibility and lateral
movement. But his game-calling skills have shown a marked improvement, and he
has an excellent makeup and work ethic.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Zornes’ decision to return to Rice
for his red-shirt junior year has been well-rewarded. He regained his power
stroke and consistency with regular work at the plate, and was hitting
.305-10-47 as Rice entered post-season. He also solidified his defensive
skills. He’ll be on the primary list for college catchers when teams when make
their annual run on those players, starting in the fourth- to sixth-round area.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| |
| PHILADELPHIA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 226. |
Johnny Coy |
3B/OF |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-7 |
195 |
Benton |
St. Joseph, Mo. |
Arizona State (BB) |
7-5-89 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Coy is one of the more unlikely
potential top 10-round draft choices, but there seems to be more and more
reason to believe that might happen as Coy attended numerous workouts prior to
the draft. Coy is better known as a basketball player and was a Missouri 6-A
first-team all-state forward. He has signed a basketball scholarship with
Arizona State. But Coy has huge power with the bat and surprising hitting
skills for his size and length. He hit .650 with 11 home runs this spring, many
of them tape-measure shots, and .479-10-52 as a junior. He plays third base now
but worked out with teams as a left fielder. Coy’s interest in baseball seems
sincere as he missed large stretches of the AAU summer basketball circuit the
past two years while playing summer baseball. Numerous published articles in
local newspapers quote Coy and his family as saying they are very serious about
baseball and would consider signing “for anything in the 8th round or better.”—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| |
| COLORADO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 227. |
Dan Houston |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
200 |
Boston College |
P.B. Gardens, Fla. |
Never drafted |
10-24-86 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Houston has the raw stuff to
profile as a starting pitcher at the professional level. He has a durable,
athletic build with good looseness to his arm and sound pitching mechanics.
Houston has four pitches that grade out as big-league average, including a
fastball that is consistently 91-92 mph and will touch 94 on occasion, a
slider, a hard curveball and a changeup that he developed this spring. Houston
commands his fastball better than his secondary stuff at this point. What may
keep him from being drafted where his stuff warrants is Houston’s results have
never quite measured up to his ability. He has posted ERAs of 4.78, 5.24 and
5.03 (along with a 3-4 record this season, with 72 K’s in 73 innings) in
college since joining BC’s weekend rotation as a freshman. He has never strung
together a serious of dominant performances for scouts. Predictably, there is a
wide range of opinion on Houston, with anywhere from the third- to the
eighth-round being mentioned as a possibility.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| ARIZONA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 228. |
Miles Reagan |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-1 |
160 |
El Capitan |
Lakeside, Calif. |
|
11-16-90 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Reagan missed much of his
junior season with a sore arm but came back late in the summer to put his name
on the top prospect lists for 2008. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound righthander is
slender and loose but has a lightning-quick arm action. He may have had the
fastest arm of any pitcher at the Area Code Games. Reagan has some funk in the
back of his arm stroke that will get scouts’ attention, but Reagan has topped
out at 94 mph with an upper 70s slurve-type breaking ball, giving him two plus
pitches.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Reagan jammed his right shoulder
sliding head-first during a running drill early in the season. His pitching
suffered, and he was throwing only in the mid-80s when scouts came through for
the first time to see him. He bumped his velocity back up to around 90 later in
the spring but it remains to be seen how scouts will judge him.—DR |
| |
| LOS ANGELES-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 229. |
Will Smith |
LHP |
Fr. |
L-L |
6-5 |
235 |
Gulf Coast |
Newnan, Ga. |
Devil Rays ’07 (40) |
7-10-89 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: The old draft-and-follow rule
was made to order for a pitcher like Smith, who was a low-round draft pick in
2007 out of a rural Georgia high school but made huge strides in one year at
the junior college level. His fastball was only in the 84-88 mph range last
fall, but it blossomed to 88-91 mph, touching 92 this spring. Moreover, he
showed excellent command of the pitch, walking only 19 while striking out 105
in 87 innings. His breaking pitch, just a floater in the fall, showed more
velocity and bite. He dominated at times, but also was prone to being
inconsistent. With a big, powerful, durable, projectable frame, Smith should
get even better down the line and could eventually throw in the 92-94 mph range
with natural development and maturity.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| NEW YORK-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 230. |
Kyle Higashioka |
C |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-1 |
190 |
Edison |
Huntington Beach, Ca. |
California |
11-16-90 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: It may play into Higashioka’s
hand that high school catching in California this season is in short
supply—with the notable exception of Patriot High’s Kyle Skipworth, almost a
cinch first-rounder. Higashioka could be selected in the top 10-15 rounds on
the scarcity of catching alone, but his tools may not profile being drafted
that early and he may be a signability risk if not selected in the top 3-4
rounds as he is a top student academically and heavily committed to college at
California. A high-energy player, his only above-average present tool is his
arm, and he generates sub-2.0 pop times more with a quick release than with
pure arm strength. Area scouts compared him to former Cal State Fullerton
catcher Kurt Suzuki, now with the Oakland A’s, but he lacks Suzuki’s quickness
and athleticism behind the plate. Higashioka has an aggressive approach at the
plate with modest power potential, but his swing tends to get a little long at
times. He struggled to catch up to even average fastballs.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| CLEVELAND |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 231. |
Tim Fedroff |
OF |
So. |
L-R |
5-11 |
182 |
North Carolina |
Flagtown, N.J. |
Never drafted |
2-4-87 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Fedroff isn’t quite in the
same prospect class as fellow UNC sophomores Alex White and Dustin Ackley,
potential first-rounders in 2009, but is eligible for the 2008 draft as he
turned 21 in February. The New Jersey high school product took over the
right-field job for the College World Series-bound Tar Heels early in his
freshman season and finished second on the team (to Ackley) with a .344
average. He also hit five homers and drove in 41 runs while displaying solid
plate discipline (19 walks, 20 strikeouts). He got off to a similar fast start
this spring. Fedroff is an offensive-oriented player with one of the best pure
swings around. He is also the most athletic of the Tar Heel players eligible
for this year’s draft, with above-average speed (6.7 in the 60), an average arm
and an ability to handle center field. But his tools all come in a small
package, which limits his appeal as an early-round pick. His status as a
draft-eligible sophomore may further compromise his chances of being even a
mid-round selection in June.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Fedroff took a back seat to none
of his fellow sophomores at UNC this spring, hitting .381-11-57 as the Tar
Heels entered Atlantic Coast Conference tournament play as the nation’s No.
2-ranked team. His improved work with the bat only caused a greater draft
dilemma for teams, who know they’ll probably have to draft him in the first
couple of rounds—or at least pay him money commensurate with that area—if he’s
to leave school as a sophomore. It’s touch-and-go if his overall talent belongs
in that class. His bat and raw speed play there, but he’s still relatively raw
on the bases, his arm is better suited to left field and his approach to
defense has been described by scouts as unorthodox. The chance to play another
year with Ackley and White—and also fast-rising sophomore second baseman Kyle
Seager—while possibly moving to center field, may be too attractive for him to
pass up.—AS |
| |
| BOSTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 232. |
Tim Federowicz |
C/RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
5-10 |
198 |
North Carolina |
Apex, N.C. |
Never drafted |
8-5-87 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): As a catcher and part-time
closer, Federowicz was an instrumental part of back-to-back College World
Series runner-up teams at North Carolina in 2006-07. He hit .333-4-65 for the
Tar Heels during the 2007 season. He was a late arrival in the Cape Cod League
last summer because of his most recent CWS commitment but he immediately lit a
fire under the Chatham team as soon as he was added to the lineup. He hit
.297-1-14 with the ability to hit with power to the opposite field. His
presence was felt just as much on defense as he controlled the running game
with a strong arm and excellent release. He wasn’t afraid to throw behind
runners and picked off several, including three in one game while throwing out
a fourth on a straight steal. His overall receiving skills are considered shaky
as he has a ways to go in both receiving and blocking balls, and managing a
game. Federowicz has often taken the mound at UNC to close out games, but made
only one brief pitching appearance at Chatham. His arm strength is his best
tool. He touched 95 mph and throws strikes with a short arm action, but wasn’t
used again last summer because it takes him an unusually long time to recover.
His fastball was a more common 91-93 mph for the Tar Heels, but he augmented it
with a quality changeup. If he hits and throws like he’s capable of, Federowicz
could surface as a high pick in the 2008 draft because of an expected shortfall
of front-line catchers.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Federowicz could inch up into the
top two or three rounds if he closes fast, but he really did little this season
to improve his position in the draft. He was not the force at the plate he was
in his first two years, hitting just .312-3-37, and his throwing mechanics
behind the plate were called into question. He still possesses above-average
arm strength, though, and a number of clubs see his future on the mound—though
Federowicz worked in only seven innings during the regular season (0-1, 1.23, 4
BB/13 SO) and has expressed a desire that he doesn’t want to become a full-time
pitcher.—AS |
| |