PGCrosschecker - Draft 2008, Round by Round Selections with Scouting Reports

DRAFT 2008
Top 10 Rounds

Round 9 (Picks 263-292)

TAMPA BAY
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	High School	Hometown	Commitment	B’date
263	Shawn Smith	LHP	Sr.	R-L	6-2	180	Saugus	Saugus, Calif.	CS Northridge	9/9/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Smith is seen more as a loose, projectable prospect now, although he’ll show three present-average pitches on occasion. He pitches mostly at 88-89 mph, but can reach back a bit when he needs it and touch 91. Smith also throws a 76-80 mph slider that is short and tight at the higher velocities, and bigger and deeper in the mid-70s. His changeup is a quality pitch with good tail and deception. Smith has a very low-effort delivery and his arm comes through very clean and easy. It seems inevitable that Smith’s best stuff is still to come as he gets stronger.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Smith was ineligible to pitch all spring for academic reasons, although he still retains his scholarship to Cal-State Northridge. He threw regular bullpens for scouts.—DR

PITTSBURGH
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
264	Matt Hague	3B/OF	Sr.	R-R	6-3	225	Oklahoma State	Kent, Wash.	Indians ’07 (11)	8/20/1985
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): One of the top hitters in Washington’s baseball history, Hague was drafted in the 11th round by the Cleveland Indians last June. Not only did he not sign with the Indians, but he chose not to return to Washington for his senior year after hitting .353-13-49 for the Huskies as a junior. He planned to attend Clemson initially, but an eligibility snag forced him to change directions and he ended up at Oklahoma State. Hague’s bat is his best tool. He has strength in his swing with power to all fields. At his best, Hague drives balls the other way well because he extends his arm and covers the outer half of the plate. He can play a variety of positions in the field, but will be limited to a corner because he’s a fringy runner and lacks first-step quickness. He has pitched on occasion in college and his 92 mph velocity is a sign that his arm would play well at either third base or in right field. He began this season playing third base for Oklahoma State this season, supplanting another stop-gap transfer of note, Matt Mangini, the 2006 Cape Cod League batting champion who transferred to OSU for his junior year from North Carolina State and became a supplemental first-round pick of the Seattle Mariners.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Hague duplicated his junior season by hitting .356-10-53 with 32 walks this spring. He was a polished hitter who grinded out quality at-bats, hit the ball to all fields and worked a count. Hague started the season at third base, but played mostly right field—a better fit on the OSU roster. He had plenty of arm strength at both right field and third base, but his range was short at both positions. Scouts are concerned about Hague’s body type, which is thick and he tends to add and subtract weight. He made some relief appearances (1-0, 4.66 in 9 innings) and showed his arm strength transfers well to the mound with a low-90s fastball.—DR

KANSAS CITY
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	Junior College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
265	J.D. Alfaro	3B/OF	So.	R-R	5-9	170	Grayson County (Tx)	Fort Worth, Texas	Never drafted	4/28/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: As a freshman, Alfaro was known primarily as a solid defender in the field with above-average arm strength, but he made significant headway at the plate this season—primarily after his more-acclaimed double-play partner, Miami-bound second baseman Scott Lawson, broke his wrist midway through the year, opening the door for Alfaro to move into the No. 3 spot in the batting order. Alfaro responded by hitting .366-17-76 to lead Grayson County to a berth in the Junior College World Series, and capped his season by earning tournament MVP honors by batting .476 with 14 RBIs while playing flawlessly at shortstop as Grayson County won its third national juco title in the last 10 years. Prior to his second-half surge, scouts said Alfaro was primarily a free swinger with a poor overall approach at the plate. But he showed marked improvement after sitting out his senior year in high school because of a transfer snafu, and hitting .323-9-45 as a freshman. With a fastball between 89-92 mph, Alfaro also closed on occasion this year. Alfaro’s brother Jason, 10 years his senior, is a third baseman at the Triple-A level in the New York Mets system and indirectly led to Alfaro playing at Grayson County as Jason played in college against current Grayson County coach Dusty Hart. Alfaro committed recently to play at NAIA Lubbock Christian in 2009, but his late surge may push him immediately to pro ball.—ALLAN SIMPSON

BALTIMORE
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
266	Nick Haughian	LHP	Jr.	L-L	6-0	205	Washington	Marysville, Wash.	Never drafted	1/1/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Haughian’s signature performance of the 2008 season was his headline-grabbing, 15-strikeout, two-hit, 1-0 shutout of nationally-ranked Arizona at Seattle’s Safeco Field in April. He never pitched quite to that level again, although he did strike out 107 in 96 innings as Washington’s No. 1 starter. Overall, he went 6-5, 3.76. He also walked 46—nearly a batter every two innings, an indicator of his inconsistent command. When everything works for Haughian (pronounced HOY-an), as it did against Arizona, he can throw four pitches for strikes, including an average fastball that peaks at 92. His best pitch most often is his slider, although his changeup is also effective. Haughian expends a lot of effort in his delivery and his arm action is a little funky, along the lines of Arizona Diamondbacks lefty Doug Davis. He profiles in a set-up role.—ALLAN SIMPSON

SAN FRANCISCO
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
267	Ryan Verdugo	LHP	Jr.	L-L	6-0	195	Louisiana State	Lake Stevens, Wash.	Giants ’07 (47)	4/10/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Verdugo was one of the key recruits LSU’s second-year coaching staff pinned its hopes on to jumpstart the once-mighty Tigers program, which has been a Southeastern Conference also-ran the last two years. The Skagit Valley (Wash.) JC transfer was installed as the No. 2 starter in the rotation this spring after impressing in the fall with a fastball in the 88-91 mph range, topping at 92. His changeup and 12-to-6 curveball were also effective pitches. Verdugo, a fourth-year junior, has traveled a varied path since being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies out of a Washington high school in 2004. He attended Oregon’s Division III George Fox College as a freshman but almost immediately blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgery. Shortly thereafter, he transferred to Skagit Valley and spent the 2006 season there exclusively as a DH. He was finally healthy enough to resume pitching in 2007 and impressed Northwest scouts with his strong, athletic body, quick left arm and compact arm action from an abbreviated windup. He has difficulty throwing all his pitches consistently for strikes as he struggles with his delivery, but he is still able to compete with fringe stuff and command. Verdugo might have gone much sooner in the 2007 draft than the 47th round but his high price tag and near-binding commitment to LSU scared teams off.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Verdugo thrived this spring in his first chance at Division I baseball and helped carry the resurgent LSU team with him, going 8-2, 3.61 with 75 K’s in 82 innings. He throws a variety of different fastballs between the low 80s and low 90’s, some with cut, some with sink and some straight and hard. He is very effective pitching off his fastball. His other offerings, a curveball and a changeup, are solid but not out-pitches. Verdugo is very young for a fourth-year junior, having just turned 21, so it won’t be a given for him to go out this year as it might be for many players in that situation.—DAVID RAWNSLEY

FLORIDA
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
268	Dan Jennings	LHP	Jr.	L-L	6-3	183	Nebraska	West Des Moines, Ia.	Never drafted	4/17/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Jennings emerged this spring to become an effective pitcher after two years deep in the Nebraska bullpen. He swung between starting mid-week contests for the Cornhuskers and coming out of the bullpen on weekends, often closing, and posted a 6-3, 2.95 record with four saves as Nebraska entered NCAA regional play. Jennings’ fastball can touch 90-91 mph but he pitches more in the 86-88 range. He throws a curveball, slider and changeup, but his slider is his out-pitch, especially to lefthanded hitters, who he dominates. Jennings had some episodes late in the season where his control left him for stretches and that might just be a matter of fatigue. Jennings’ four-pitch arsenal, his easy delivery and his success as a full-time starter last summer in the Northwoods League paints that role as his best in the future.—DAVID RAWNSLEY

CINCINNATI
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
269	David Sappelt	OF	Jr.	R-R	5-9	185	Coastal Carolina	Saxaphaw, N.C.	Never drafted	1/2/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Sappelt was named the Big South Conference player of the year in 2007 after hitting .359-10-50 and setting a school record with 99 hits. Still, his talent has been slow to grow on scouts. They viewed him as an undersized righthanded hitter with questionable strike-zone knowledge and a below-average arm for the better part of the 2008 season, but Sappelt got hot at the plate late in the year and assembled another impressive season with a .336 average, 20 doubles, 15 homers and 57 RBIs (entering the Big South Conference tournament). He also showed better plate discipline (28 BB, 21 SO) and made significant strides as a defensive player while settling into center field. He still had his detractors, but he appeared to do enough this season to warrant a shot. More than anything, scouts will have to buy into his bat.—ALLAN SIMPSON

CHICAGO-AL
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
270	Ryan Strauss	RHP	Sr.	R-R	6-2	200	Florida State	Tampa	Twins ’07 (35)	10/21/1985
SCOUTING REPORT: Strauss has filled an entire roster of roles during his four years at Florida State, pitching out of the bullpen as a freshman, starting in right field as a sophomore, going 10-3, 3.40 as a junior starting pitcher, then swinging between the bullpen and starting rotation this spring. His raw stuff from the mound has been better than ever this spring after a slow start and Strauss was 7-0, 4.37 through mid-May. He has pitched in the solid-average area with his fastball, touching 93 mph, although the pitch has been pretty straight. Strauss also throws a sharp downer curveball in the mid-70s and a pretty respectable changeup that he uses against lefthanded hitters. Strauss’ athletic ability and clean track record will likely make him a very good senior draft.—DAVID RAWNSLEY

WASHINGTON
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	Junior College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
271	J.R. Higley	1B	Fr.	R-R	6-1	170	Sacramento	Carmichael, Calif.	Never drafted	6/21/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: Sacramento City College has historically been one of the best talent producers in the junior college ranks, but offers only one prospect of note this season. Higley might have made his mark on the draft a year ago had he not blown out his knee just prior to the 2007 season, causing him to sit out the year. Though he has the speed (6.7 seconds in the 60) to play center field and the arm strength for right, Higley returned to the lineup this season as a first baseman because his power is suited to that position and Sac City was flush in outfield talent. He had a solid freshman season, hitting .324-9-41 and showing impressive plate discipline with 42 walks and only 18 strikeouts. Should he return to Sac City in 2009, he will move to the outfield.—ALLAN SIMPSON

HOUSTON
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	High School	Hometown	Commitment	B’date
272	Luis Cruz	LHP	Sr.	L-L	5-9	170	Acad. Santa Monica	Carolina, P.R.	Bethune-Cookman	9/10/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: If Cruz was 6-foot-3, scouts would be talking about him as a potential top 3 round selection. He has the best pure arm strength on the Island and has been consistently 91-92 mph this spring with plus late sinking life on his fastball. His arm is fast and fluid, and he doesn’t throw with much effort. Cruz also throws a curveball in the low 70s, which flashes good spin, and a pretty decent changeup. He’s a very young high school senior who won’t turn 18 until September, so although he doesn’t project to get much taller, he has plenty of time to get stronger. He often goes by his middle name, Leroy.--DAVID RAWNSLEY

TEXAS
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
273	Jared Bolden	1B/LHP	Jr.	L-L	6-2	200	Va. Commonwealth	Lynchburg, Va.	Never drafted	3/17/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Bolden hit .385 and .383 in his first two seasons at VCU, but struggled mightily to get anything going with the bat last summer in the Cape Cod League, hitting just .189-0-8 with 29 strikeouts in 106 at-bats. Scouts say he was too aggressive at the plate, and needs to learn to relax to take full advantage of a quality swing with bat speed and his power potential. Bolden was the most athletic player on the Harwich roster and has every tool scouts look for, but he doesn’t know how to use them all in game situations yet. He has above-average speed and has stolen 29 bases in two seasons. He also has shown an ability to run down balls in the outfield, but has spent the bulk of his first two college seasons at first base as he has excellent footwork around the bag. Bolden has also pitched on occasion at VCU—he went 3-5, 5.50 in 34 innings as a freshman—but backed off to two innings in 2007 and will focus all his energy on being a position player in 2008.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Bolden hit .355-12-44 this season, leading an underachieving 15-30 VCU team in all categories by considerable margins. Scouts didn’t learn much new about Bolden this spring as he continued to play first base when most scouts believe he is well-suited for the outfield, and his true power potential was difficult to read as VCU plays its home game at The Diamond, which is not conducive to home runs. But they did take notice when he went on a home-run binge late in the spring. Bolden’s approach to hitting, and his approach to the game in general, are solid attributes.—AS

OAKLAND
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	Junior College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
274	Mitchell Levier	OF	So.	L-L	6-0	190	Fullerton (Calif.)	Whittier, Calif.	White Sox ’07 (33)	1/12/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: The traditionally-strong Southern California junior college ranks were unusually void of top prospects this spring. Levier attracted attention by dominating the Orange Empire Conference, the most competitive conference in the state, earning co-player of the year honors for hitting .406-11-50. He finished in the top four in the conference in all three triple-crown categories. Of more relevance to the draft, Levier’s bat is a legitimate weapon. He has above-average hitting skills, both for both and average, has an aggressive approach early in the count and makes consistent hard contact. He had little trouble handling the hardest-throwing pitchers he faced. A center fielder in junior college, he has acceptable arm strength but below-average speed will probably push him to left field in pro ball.—ALLAN SIMPSON

ST. LOUIS
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
275	Aaron Luna	OF/2B	Jr.	R-R	5-11	200	Rice	Southlake, Texas	Never drafted	3/28/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Luna began his career at Rice at second base and scouts still hold out hope that he can return to that position in the future, even though he has spent most of his college career in left field and will play there as a junior. He is more versatile than Jess Buenger, who will play second this season for the Owls. Luna has developed more of a comfort level in left field as he wrestles too much fielding balls in the infield and he labors throwing the ball. Nothing comes easy for him defensively. His big tool is his bat. Luna has excellent power (16 home runs as a freshman, 13 as a sophomore) and strong enough all-around hitting ability to play on a corner. He is an aggressive fastball hitter with good bat speed and a swing that is geared for pull power. He goes up to the plate swinging and doesn’t get cheated. He is not a base-stealing threat.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): It was more of the same for Luna this year, although he was pitched around more as the veteran power presence in the middle of the Rice lineup. He saw a small drop in his power numbers (.328-9-52, 39 BB, 16 HBP during the regular season). It will be interesting to see if there are teams which still believe he might be able to play second base at the professional level, although he hasn’t played there in two years. That would significantly enhance his overall value.—DAVID RAWNSLEY

MINNESOTA
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	Junior College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
276	Mike Gonzales	1B	So.	L-R	6-6	235	Diablo Valley	Brentwood, Calif.	Never drafted	6/16/1988
SCOUTING REPORT: Gonzales played sparingly as a freshman first baseman at St. Mary’s College in 2007, hitting .250-3-13 in 33 games. He also saw brief action on the mound. His lack of playing time prompted him to transfer to Diablo Valley for his sophomore year and he blossomed overnight into the top junior college slugger in the state. He topped the California juco ranks with 18 homers this spring while batting .377 with 50 RBIs. A massive presence at the plate, he launched a number of tape-measure blasts, though scouts say he struggled with fastballs on the inner half of the plate and did most of his damage against inferior pitching. Recruited by Miami and several Pac-10 schools to play football out of high school, Gonzales is unusually athletic in his big frame and mobile around the first-base bag. His hands are a little hard, however, and he lacks instincts in the field, but he has plenty of arm strength as he was clocked at 90 mph off the mound.—ALLAN SIMPSON

LOS ANGELES-NL
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
277	Steven Caseres	1B	So.	L-R	6-3	225	James Madison	New City, N.Y.	Never drafted	3/26/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: In keeping with a national trend, Virginia was unusually deep this spring in college first basemen who could swing the bat. Of five such players on this list, Caseres has the best raw power and launched 21 home runs while hitting .349 and driving in 68 runs. Not only did he homer at a fast clip, but he went deep against a number of the elite college arms in the area, including Old Dominion’s Dan Hudson and Anthony Shawler (twice), and UNC Wilmington’s Brad Holt—all projected early-round selections. He showed little or no difficulty in turning around low- to mid-90s fastballs, and hitting them a long way. Scouts took close notice of his potential impact power bat. Caseres’ lack of mobility in the field limits him to first base, but he’s adequate there with the glove.—ALLAN SIMPSON

MILWAUKEE
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
278	Michael Bowman	RHP	Jr.	R-R	6-3	195	Virginia Military	Richmond, Va.	Never drafted	5/2/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Bowman had an excellent sophomore season at VMI, going 6-3, 2.73 with 26 walks and a school-record 110 strikeouts in a school-record 99 innings. He didn’t pitch consistently to that level during the summer in the Coastal Plain League, going 4-1, 3.23 with 12 walks and 55 strikeouts in 56 innings. But his fastball was a steady 90-93 mph and topped out at 94. It had occasional late run. His slider was inconsistent as he would alternately flash a good one with depth and cutting action at 82-84 mph and then hang the next one. He has shown limited use of a changeup but holds his arm speed well. He has no glaring mechanical flaws. Bowman’s bulldog approach to pitching has been interpreted by some as a max-effort delivery, but he gets good deception on his pitches in the process.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Bowman did not perform to his record-setting 2007 pace, going 4-6, 3.44 with 25 walks and 82 strikeouts in 92 innings. A potential draft in the top five rounds entering 2008, he may have backed up 3-4 rounds as his fastball, 90-94 mph in 2007, was a more ordinary 88-92. His power slider, 84-86 a year ago, also regressed as it dropped 2-3 mph in velocity and often was flat. His changeup, however, developed into a solid third pitch, but overall he had more trouble throwing strikes this year.—AS

TORONTO
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	High School	Hometown	Commitment	B’date
279	Antonio Jimenez	C	Sr.	R-R	6-1	170	Acad. Dicipulo de Cristo	Bayamon, P.R.		5/1/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Jimenez is the top prospect from Puerto Rico this year and with a shortage of pro-style catchers in the 2008 high school class, he could be a quick mover up draft lists this spring. Jimenez has an unusual athletic background for a catching prospect; he was one of the top youth volleyball players in Puerto Rico before giving up the sport last year to concentrate on baseball. That type of athletic ability gives him unusual quickness and looseness for a catcher. Jimenez is still a bit raw in his skills but has a very high ceiling.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Jimenez has suffered from an elbow injury this spring, which has affected his status somewhat, especially since his arm strength is his best present tool. Jimenez’s arm, when healthy, grades out as a 70 on the 80-point scouts’ scale but at the Excellence Games in Puerto Rico in early May, it was barely average according to scouts. The rest of Jimenez’ package plays well. He has a crisp, strong swing and is still very projectable.--DR

ATLANTA
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	Junior College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
280	Kyle Farrell	RHP	Fr.	R-R	6-4	203	Western Nevada	Salem, Ore.	Never drafted	5/6/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Two relatively-unknown College of Western Nevada freshman pitchers with Oregon roots—James Nygren and Kyle Farrell—were the talk of area scouts in the fall. But where Nygren, the more acclaimed of the two, capitalized on his new-found fame and transferred at the semester break to College World Series champion Oregon State, which had not offered him a scholarship out of high school, Farrell stayed put. His decision paid more immediate results as he raced out to a 5-0, 1.88 record as a starter this spring for Western Nevada while Nygren, whose fastball was clocked at 95 mph, pitched sparingly for Oregon State. Farrell has been extremely impressive with a sinking fastball steadily between 88-92 mph with natural sink that has resulted in a lot of ground-ball outs, and a hammer curveball. His circle change has the tumbling action of a knucklecurve but he uses the pitch infrequently. Farrell has added velocity/arm strength as he has filled in his strong, sturdy, well-proportioned frame over the last year and devoted all his attention to pitching after spending much of his time in high school playing a second sport (football) and a second position (outfield).—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): With the uncertain draft status of Southern Nevada’s highly-touted trio of Taylor Cole, Devin Shepherd and Taylor Cole, Farrell could very well become the first Nevada junior college player drafted this year. He continued to perform at a high level the balance of the 2008 season, finishing his first year at the junior college level with a 10-2, 1.59 record, along with 36 walks and 81 strikeouts in 85 innings. Opponents batted just .208 off him. Farrell continued to learn on the fly and made solid strides with his stuff and command. All three of his pitches showed improvement, particularly his breaking ball. With an extremely clean arm action, he should continue to add velocity to his fastball, consistently 88-91 mpg this spring, topping at 93.—AS

CHICAGO-NL
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
281	Jay Jackson	RHP/OF	Jr.	R-R	6-1	190	Furman	Taylors, S.C	Never drafted	10/27/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Regarded as the best overall athlete in the Great Lakes League last summer, Jackson began the GLL season primarily as a center fielder but soon made more of an impact on the mound. His fastball routinely hit 91-92 mph and showed excellent movement. Jackson also threw a solid slider with bite and a two-plane curveball, and began developing a changeup. In 37 innings in the GLL, he went 5-0, 1.96 with just six walks and 38 strikeouts, earning a place on the league all-star team as a pitcher. Jackson also has intriguing potential as a position player, though he hit just .196-2-15 with 28 strikeouts in 102 at-bats last summer (a falloff from the .289-6-31 numbers he posted at Furman in the spring). At the Great Lakes League all-star game, he ran the 60 in 6.5 seconds—the third fastest time posted. He also showed flashes of above-average power.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Jackson was used both ways again this spring for Furman, but his performance on the mound left little doubt about the role he’ll pursue at the professional level. In 90 regular-season innings, he went 9-2, 2.81 with 35 walks and 87 strikeouts. His stuff was similar to what he showed last summer. His delivery was also free and easy, though he is in needs of developing strength in his lower half. Jackson played center field when he didn’t pitch and hit .325-8-30. His athleticism was apparent on both the mound and in the field, and his velocity could climb down the road, possibly to the mid-90s, as he adds strength and concentrates only on pitching.—AS

SEATTLE
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
282	Billy Morrison	RHP	So.	R-R	6-5	205	Western Michigan	Novi, Mich.	Never drafted	4/23/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Morrison is a third-year sophomore with prospect-level size and arm strength. He tends to collapse his back-side during his delivery, which negates his height and angle to the plate, but he makes up for that somewhat with very good sinking action on a fastball that is regularly 89-92 mph. Morrison’s secondary pitches will need improvement for him to have success at the professional level. He throws a sweeping slider that he drops his release point on and gets under, plus a change that shows promise but isn’t thrown often. Morrison struck out only 43 hitters in 81 innings this year, while going 6-2, 4.76, and had only 34 K’s in 74 innings in 2007 (3-6, 4.01), so it’s clear he doesn’t have a pitch that hitters are worried about making contact with. He is very young for a pitcher who has been in college for three years who scouts generally feel he would benefit from another year at Western Michigan.—DAVID RAWNSLEY

DETROIT
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
283	Anthony Shawler	RHP/OF	Jr.	R-R	6-3	185	Old Dominion	Chesapeake, Va.	Nationals ’05 (45)	5/16/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Shawler and fellow junior righthander Daniel Hudson should be a dominating twosome at the front of the ODU rotation in 2008 after Shawler went 11-2, 2.20 with 130 strikeouts in 115 innings last spring. There is little to distinguish the two pitchers from each other except that the slightly-taller Hudson relies more on a curveball for his breaking pitch while Shawler prefers a slider or cutter that is especially tough on righthanded hitters as his put-away pitch. Both have a four-pitch mix, including fastballs that are generally in the 89-92 mph range, touching 93. Shawler also has a split-finger and changeup, but uses them infrequently. He pitches quickly and goes after hitters aggressively. He profiles as a long reliever at the major league level; Hudson projects more as a fifth starter. The biggest difference between the two, though, is that Shawler is also an accomplished position player and middle-of-the-order hitter, and could be a draft pick in that role. He batted .305-5-35 as a sophomore. A high school catcher, he has spent most of his time in college at first base or in a DH role to protect his arm. Shawler spent last summer in the Coastal Plain League, but didn’t pitch until the second half of the season after a heavy workload in the spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Shawler continued to rank a round or two lower than teammate Dan Hudson (No. 4 above) on most draft boards through the spring as he did not perform to his lofty standard of a year ago. He went 5-3, 5.35, though continued to strike out hitters at an accelerated rate with 95 punchouts in 76 innings. He also walked 38 as his command fluctuated. His fastball was mostly in the 88-92 mph range, touching 93, but it had a tendency to ride up in the strike zone too often. A nasty 86-88 cutter was his primary strikeout pitch. Shawler wasn’t just scouted as a pitcher as he hit .314-7-40 as his team’s everyday right fielder on days he didn’t pitch. There are a handful of teams that like his athletic ability and versatility, and see him more as an everyday player capable of swinging the bat and playing any position on the field.—AS

NEW YORK-NL
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
284	Eric Beaulac	RHP	Jr.	R-R	6-6	210	LeMoyne	Troy, N.Y.	Never drafted	11/13/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Beaulac was LeMoyne’s No. 2 starter last year (8-1, 2.94, 81 strikeouts in 83 innings) behind righthander Bobby Blevins, a 13th-round pick of the Dodgers. His fastball touched 94 mph in the MAAC tournament and was consistently 90-93 all summer in the New York Collegiate League, where he was selected the league’s top prospect. He has a pro slider which he can throw at 82-85 mph and command better than his fastball. He worked on a changeup last summer and it has the makings of becoming a solid third pitch as he maintains arm speed. The big knock on Beaulac is command of his fastball. He walks a lot more hitters than desired and struggles hitting spots consistently because he overthrows the pitch. He walked 50 batters last spring, and walked 16 more in 27 innings during the summer while going 2-1, 5.00. The 6-foot-6 righthander has a very loose, live and quick arm with good downward plane. He also has room to add 10-15 pounds of muscle to his long, slender body. Scouts will need to be patient as he develops his command and grows into his body.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Beaulac had a fair shot at becoming the first New York player picked in this year’s draft entering the season, but he was a disappointment to scouts even as he went 9-2, 2.83 with 43 walks and 113 strikeouts in 92 innings—comparable to the numbers he posted a year ago. Even though he picked up his pace considerably later in the year and was back up to 91-93 mph when he threw a no-hitter in early May, a lot of scouts saw his fastball when it was at only 84-88 mph, touching 91 with little movement, early in the season. His slider was also inconsistent at the time, and he struggled to throw both for strikes. His awkward, funky delivery also raised issues. By the end, he was more the pitcher scouts had expected to see all along, with two solid pitches and better control than he had shown at any point in his college career, but his chances in the draft will all hinge on which team saw him when this spring. With only two workable pitches, he projects as a reliever in pro ball.—AS

SAN DIEGO
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
285	Kyle Thebeau	RHP	Jr.	R-R	6-0	190	Texas A&M	Corpus Christi, Texas	Never drafted	8/11/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Though only a 6-foot righthander, Thebeau has a strong, durable, athletic frame and a power arm capable of generating 94-95 mph heat with a heavy fastball. His changeup is also a plus pitch with good velocity and sink at 81-84 mph. Those two pitches enabled Thebeau to strike out 92 in 79 innings as a sophomore at Texas A&M and 29 more in 19 innings during the summer in the Cape Cod League. Thebeau was used in a swing role for the Aggies last spring, starting 10 games in 29 appearances, and in a set-up role on a powerful Falmouth pitching staff in the summer. He went 3-6, 4.67 with six saves at Texas A&M and 1-1, 3.79 on the Cape. He still has not established a defined role for the Aggies this spring. His inability to command his 83-86 mph slider and 74-76 curveball have hampered him, and his fastball tends to straighten out when he gets it up in the zone. Thebeau has a good working knowledge of pitching and can be dominant when he’s on his game. He was at his best late last spring when he shortened his arm stroke and was overpowering in a start against Louisiana-Lafayette in the championship game of the NCAA regionals, striking out 13. He had a promising fall, striking out 22 while walking only six in 20 innings and got off to a strong start in 2008.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Thebeau is one of the host of dominant college righthanded relievers who has enjoyed excellent springs. He went 5-4, 1.87 with three saves and 68 strikeouts in 62 innings in a long relief role for the Aggies this spring as they entered post-season play. Notably, he allowed only one home run and seven extra-base hits. His fastball was a dominant pitch, reportedly reaching 97 mph occasionally. Thebeau still has effort in his delivery and his secondary pitches are still secondary to his fastball, but there is no mistaking his velocity or aggressiveness.—DAVID RAWNSLEY

PHILADELPHIA
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
286	Cody Overbeck	3B	Jr.	R-R	6-1	195	Mississippi	Atoka, Tenn.	Never drafted	6/5/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Overbeck was mysteriously passed over in the 2007 draft as a 21-year-old sophomore, despite leading Ole Miss in homers (14) and RBIs (58). He did, however, commit 17 errors at third base and strike out 52 times, both team-leading totals by wide margins. Nonetheless the Florida Marlins did offer to try and sign him for $123,300 (the largest bonus recommended by the commissioner’s office in the 10th round, or later) as a free agent—a year after the Marlins signed Overbeck’s predecessor at third, Chris Coghlan, as a supplemental first-rounder. Overbeck rejected Florida’s offer and has since surfaced as a potential fourth- to sixth-round selection in this year’s draft. He made huge strides in addressing the shortcomings in his game in the fall, particularly in the field. He played third base flawlessly and confidently with average defensive tools and above-average arm strength. He burst out of the gates this spring with the bat for the Rebels, hitting in the 3-hole and showing above-average power to all fields. He’s a marginal runner with 6.9 second speed in the 60.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Overbeck was locked in at the plate early in the season, but was slowed by a stress fracture in his right tibia that required him to wear a boot for a couple of weeks. He was back to full speed by May and topped the Rebels in the regular season in batting (.362), doubles (16) home runs (14) and RBIs (47). He handled all pitches well and drove balls hard to all fields. His greatest strides this season, though, came in the field as he cut his errors in half, displayed soft, sure hands, learned to play hops more smoothly and came in on balls better. He turned a potential liability into an asset.—AS

COLORADO
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
287	Craig Bennigson	LHP	Jr.	R-L	6-2	215	California	Benicia, Calif.	Never drafted	3/21/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Bennigson finally had a chance to emerge from the considerable shadow cast the last two years by Cal ace Tyson Ross, a potential first-rounder who missed the early portion of this season with an arm injury. The 6-foot-2 lefthander pitched well initially as a weekend starter in Ross’ absence after going 5-3, 3.34 with 50 strikeouts in 70 innings in predominantly a swing role as a sophomore. But he scuffled with his command as the 2008 wore on and he soon lost his place in the rotation. His draft stock also took a pronounced dip after it looked like Bennigson might be drafted as early as the third or fourth round. In mid-May, his record had slipped to 4-3, 6.28 record with 57 strikeouts in 62 innings, and he had given up 38 walks. A powerfully-built southpaw, Bennigson has the look of an early-round draft along with the stuff to match. His fastball has traditionally been in the 87-89 mph range, but crept up to 91-92 mph this spring, topping at 93. He complements that pitch with a curve, slider and changeup with his slider considered his best off-speed pitch.—ALLAN SIMPSON

ARIZONA
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	Junior College	Hometown	Prev. Drafted	B’date
288	Brett Moorhouse	RHP	So.	R-R	6-2	190	Indian River	Fort Pierce, Fla.	Never drafted	6/28/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: After sitting out the 2006 season, Moorhouse gained little notoriety as a freshman reliever at Indian River JC, going just 4-1, 7.33 with 27 strikeouts in 27 innings. But when he added 10-15 pounds to his frame, tightened his mechanics, began pumping his fastball in the 88-93 mph range, touching 94, and was thrust into a starting role last fall, South Florida scouts knew they were on to something. They began attending his games in large numbers to start the 2008 season. They were impressed with his rangy body, arm action and improved arm strength. He’s always had a live arm and got more running action on his fastball this spring. His command also improved, and he developed a better feel for his straight changeup though he still has a tendency to tip his breaking pitch (a slider). In time, his changeup could become his best pitch. Moorhouse went a deceiving 3-7, 3.86 as he played in front of an often-porous defense, but his ratio of 22 walks and 86 strikeouts in 65 innings is more indicative of his ability.—ALLAN SIMPSON

LOS ANGELES-AL
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	High School	Hometown	Commitment	B’date
289	Nick Farnsworth	1B	Sr.	L-L	6-2	210	Tulsa Union	Tulsa, Okla.		6/17/1989
SCOUTING REPORT: Physically strong at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Farnsworth’s strength plays at the plate. He can drive balls with power to all fields. He also hits for average and batted .375-8-35 this spring at Tulsa Union High, but is a below-average defender and limited to first base. He is the stepson of former Phillips University coach Allan Barker. While Farnsworth was not expected to be one of the top high school players from Oklahoma in this year’s draft, he impressed a large gathering of scouts in a workout during the Big 12 Conference tournament in Oklahoma City. That performance, and his relatively easy signability, could push him ahead of a number of the state’s top prep prospects.—ALLAN SIMPSON

NEW YORK-AL
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	High School	Hometown	Commitment	B’date
290	Mikey O’Brien	RHP	Sr.	R-R	5-11	170	Hidden Valley	Roanoke, Va.	Winthrop	3/3/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): O’Brien is undersized at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, but has a powerful arm and an advanced ability to pitch. His fastball was 88-92 mph for seven innings at the World Wood Bat Association fall championship in Jupiter, Fla., in October and he was still pitching at 90 mph in the seventh inning. He showed plus command of a curveball and changeup. Reports have O’Brien up to 94 mph in the past. He’s an excellent athlete and his easy delivery and effortless velocity may cause scouts to overlook his size and look at his stuff.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): O’Brien performed consistently better this spring than either Daniel Marrs (No. 3 above) or Kyle Long (No. 5), going 10-0, but he still ranks behind those pitchers as his size continues to be his biggest deterrent. But he has a good arm with average velocity, and he made strides in refining his curveball this spring.—ALLAN SIMPSON

CLEVELAND
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	High School	Hometown	Commitment	B’date
291	Clayton Cook	RHP	Sr.	L-L	6-3	165	Amarillo	Amarillo, Texas	Oklahoma	7/23/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Cook had a dominating season against high school competition in west Texas, striking out 170 in 98 innings while going 12-3, 1.93. He piled up most of his strikeouts with his curveball, while his fastball touched 90 mph. Cook is not very physical in his long, loose frame, but has a good arm action and projects well. He should have both an average fastball and breaking ball once he matures physically. Cook has committed to Oklahoma, but his signability shouldn’t be a stumbling block to his signing out of high school.—DAVID RAWNSLEY

BOSTON
Rank	Player	Pos.	Class	B-T	HT	WT	High School	Hometown	Commitment	B’date
292	Christian Vazquez	C	Sr.	R-R	5-9	195	P.R. Baseball Academy	Caguas, P.R.	Bethune-Cookman	8/21/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Though Vazquez clearly ranks behind Jimenez on the Puerto Rican catching chart, there has been some speculation that Vazquez could be a fairly high pick for a couple of teams. He has a strong, wide-hipped build similar to the Molina brothers of Puerto Rican catching fame, but retains very good quickness behind the plate. Vazquez has advanced defensive skills behind the plate and a plus arm that can produce sub-2.0 game pop times. His offensive game isn’t as advanced but he can flash power and bat speed at times.—DAVIDRAWNSLEY

Perfect Game Partner Links:	Perfect Game USA	World Wood Bat Association	Baseball Web Tv	PG National Academy	California Baseball Zone	Skill Show	Rawlings

Copyright © 2006 - 2008 by PGCrossChecker.com. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced in any way without the written consent of Perfect Game USA.