DRAFT 2008
Top 10 Rounds

Round 7 (Picks 203-232)

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