I will be working on longer write ups with more information on these players for my draft prospect book that will be available, hopefully, just bbefore the draft, but here is a little information on about 50 of the best high school players available this season. They aren't in any specific order. The season is still young and I don't have a lot of updated information on many of these guys. It is mostly where they were last season but some have been updated this spring.
Daniel Norris, P , Science Hill HS, Johnson City, Tenn.: Norris has a 92-96 MPH FB with a plus CB and a good change for a HS pitcher, especially a lefty. He has room to get better and he needs polish.
Travis Harrison, OF/3B , Tustin (Calif.) HS:(draft prospect book write up) Harrison is right handed swinging power hitter and that is becoming more valuable all the time. There are fewer and fewer right handed power hitters all the time and that is his calling card. He is physically mature for a high school hitter and he has power to all fields. He has above average bat speed although his swing looks a little stiff sometimes. He lets the ball get deep into the zone before unleashing his swing and driving the ball. Though his swing is a little stiff and he can get his weight out front, he still has the power to drive the ball. At the Power Showcase in early 2010, Harrison hit a ball 504’, breaking Bryce Harper’s record by 2’. His record fell this year to fellow prep prospect Dan Vogelbach. He is a very good athlete and could play 3B in pro ball but I think he will likely be a corner outfielder down the line. He has the arm to play RF and would be an above average defensive LF. He isn’t a quick player but he can run well once he gets moving. He won’t steal many bases but he won’t clog them either. He is a good athlete and uses his athletic ability well. His biggest knock is the fact that he is inconsistent. He has all the tools to be a superstar offensively, but he needs refinement. He is more advanced than most high school hitters, but he still needs a lot of work. Once he works out his mechanical issues, watch out. As it stands, Harrison is my favorite prep bat and should be a mid to late 1st round pick.
Archie Bradley, P , Broken Arrow (Okla.) HS: Bradley is a great athlete who has a plus mid 90's fastball and a plus breaking ball. He's a two sport star committed to Oklahoma.
Bubba Starling, OF/P , Gardner Edgerton HS, Gardner, Kan.: Starling is a great athlete who can pitch, but will be an Outfielder if he doesn't end up a QB. He reminds me of a more athletic David McCarty, the former top Twins Prospect.
Joshua Tobias, 2B , Southeast Guilford Greensboro NC: Tobias is a 3B now, but I think his arm will relegate him to 2B. He is short and stocky and has a really quick bat. He is really fast and has a lot of raw power. He could be a 20-20 guy at 2B.
Dylan Bundy, P , Owasso (Okla.) HS: Stocky righty with great velocity. I don't love the arm wrap behind his body but he has held up well so far. Stuff is top of the draft.
Michael Kelly, P , West Boca Raton (Boca Raton Fla.): Very good delivery with no mechanical flaws and top velocity. Big breaking curve with good command. Top of the draft talent. Could even add to the 96 he currently throws.
Henry Owens, P , Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif.: Big lefty sits low 90's but could add a few MPH's when he adds strength. He knows what he's doing on the mound. He has a big, slow breaking ball as well.
Dillon Howard, P , Searcy (Ark.) HS: Howard is a tall righty who can run it up to the mid 90's but sits more 92-93. Has a powerful low 80's slider as well as a solid changeup from a high schooler.
Dillon Maples, P , Pinecrest HS, Southern Pines, N.C.: Maples has a low 90's fastball and a sharp slider. He needs some polish but he has a lot of potential.
Nick Burdi, P , Downers Grove South Downers Grove IL: His upper 90's velocity will take him a ways in pro ball. Low 3/4 delivery gives him a solid slider. Top of the draft talent
Blake Swihart, C , Rio Rancho, N.M.: Swihart has a line drive swing with potential for home run power. He is a solild defensively and is one of the best catching prospects in the 2011 draft.
Derek Fisher, OF , Cedar Crest, Rexmont, PA: Fisher has a beautiful swing. He's already 6'3, 205 and could end up outgrowing the OF. He should hit enough for any position though. Huge raw power.
Francisco Lindor, SS , Montverde (Fla.) Academy: Lindor has a lot of value defensively but doesn't have much of a bat at this point. He's mostly a slap and run guy. Some scouts project 20+ HR's though.
Joshua Bell, OF , Jesuit HS, Dallas TX: Really athletic player. Nice swing with huge potential. Great arm in the OF. Top of the draft talent. Reminds me of Preston Wilson early in his career.
Austin Hedges, C , JSerra Catholic, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.: Hedges is loose and athletic for a catcher. He may not be built like a rock, but he can catch and he's a good hitter. He reminds me a little of Buster Posey.
Tyler Beede, P , Lawrence Academy, Groton, Mass.: Beede has a projectable body and already has a 4 pitch mix that he has command of. He is polished and has the upside of a #2 starter.
Austin Slater, 3B , The Bolles HS, Jacksonville, Fla.: Slater has a really nice swing with some power. I like his strong two handed finish. His range may make him more suited for 3B and he definitely has the arm for the hot corner.
Brandon Nimmo, OF , East HS,Cheyenne, Wyo.: Nimmo doesn't have high school ball where he is from, so he is raw since he only plays summer ball. He has a great feel for hitting though.
Bryan Brickhouse, P , The Woodlands (The Woodlands, Texas): Brickhouse is a loose lean righty with potential. His command is lacking and doesn't have the stuff of his former teammate Jameson Taillon. He needs to gain polish but has a good ceiling.
Christian Montgomery, P , Lawrence Central HS, Indianapolis: Montgomery has a 92-95 MPH fastball with a really good breaking ball and a nice changeup. His biggest flaw is his weight but it doesn't bother me as long it doesn't hurt his endurance.
Greg Bird, C , Grandview HS: Bird is a big catcher that is a decent defender but may outgrow the position. His biggest asset is his bat. He has a short left handed swing and is a really good hitter.
Hawtin Buchanan, P , Biloxi HS: Hawtin is all projection. He's 6'8" and throws low 90's. He's athletic for his size and is definitely a project worth taking a shot on.
Dwight Smith, OF , McIntosh HS, Peachtree City, Ga.: Sweet swing. Good power potential. Very good runner with a very good OF arm. One to watch.
Tanner English, OF , St James, Murrels Inlet, SC: Great speed, plus arm and very quick bat.
Jose Fernandez, P , Alonso HS, Tampa, FLA: Fernandez is a big physical righty from Cuba. He has power on the mound and at the plate but has more on the mound. Could be a big durable righty and a front of the rotation type.
Billy Flamion, OF , Central Catholic (Modesto, Calif.): Flamion is a stellar athlete and could pitch, but I think his future is in the OF. He has some moving parts in his swing that need tweaking but he could have huge potential with the bat.
Carson Baranik, P , Bossier HS, LA: Strong frame. Plus breaking ball and good fastball. Easy delivery, built to eat innings.
Charlie Tilson, OF , New Trier, Wilmette, IL: Tilson is a sweet swinging lefty with pop. He has plus speed and can cover ground in centerfield. He is the high school version of Jackie Bradley and his stock will soar come spring, I guarantee it.
Jake Cave, OF/P , Kecoughtoan Hampton VA: Cave can run it up to 94 on the mound and has a decent BB and a really good change. At the plate he has a shot quick swing with power potential. Classic two way player is commited to LSU.
Javier Baez, C , Arlington Country Day HS, FLA: wrist wrap, gets out front on some pitches but has huge power. Very strong arm and good actions as SS. May be a fit at catcher. All around solid player. Top of the draft talent.
Christian Lopes, SS , Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif.: Really nice bat speed with gap to gap power and good speed. May be a 2B in the future though.
Rookie Davis, P-IF , Dixon HS, Holly Ridge N.C.: Davis is a massive kid who can hit for enormous power with good bat speed. He is also a pitcher. He throws in the low 90's with a nice curve.
Adrian Houser, P , Locust Grove, Locust Grove, OK: Long loose arm and projectable frame. He can run it up to 94 and has two solid secondary pitches. Uses a lot of shoulder in his delivery. That could be an issue in the long run.
Connor Castellano, INF , Evangel Christian (Shreveport, La.): Castellano is a good contact hitter but he lunges forward when he swings. That will be corrected or exploited as he advances in his career. Even though he gets his weight forward, he still hits the ball with power. Defensively, he can play all the infield positions but is best suited long term at 2B.
Dylan Davis, P , Redmond HS, WA: Great delivery. Sits in the mid 90's and can run it to the upper 90's. Has a sharp breaking slider. Top of the draft talent.
Julius Gaines, SS , Luella, Locust Grove, GA: Good actions at SS. Rocket arm and great speed. Could raise havoc on the bases. Nice swing with some potential to be an above average hitter.
Phillip Evans, SS/P , LaCosta Canyon Carlsbad CA: Evans has a nice short swing and produces good pop for his size. He has good enough skills to stay at SS in the short term but he may outgrow it in the long run though.
Tyler Greene, SS , West Boca Raton (Fla.) HS/Roswell Ga. HS: Greene is a potential 5 tool talent that could stick at SS. He has a ton of power potential. He has trouble with anything that isn’t a fastball. Defensively he has a solid arm and a good first step. He is also an above average runner.
Aaron Nola, P , Catholic, Baton Rouge, LA: Nice movement on fastball that is between 88-91. Very good polished change and solid breaking ball.
Adam McCreery, P , Bonita (La Verne, Calif.): McCreery is a tall, thin lefty who is very projectable. He has a solid breaking ball but the velocity is a little short for a high first rounder. If he gains a couple MPH's he could fly up draft boards.
Cody Kukuk, P , Free State HS, Lawrence, Kan: Kukuk has a solid fastball and a decent slider. His CB and chance need more work. He is a 2-way guy with a pretty good swing from the left side as well.
Kyle Smith, P , Lake Worth, Fla.: Smith can't compete with many of the other prep arms with stuff, but he has advanced pitchability. He has a good 3 pitch mix. His fastball is a 88-91 mph offering with some late movement. He has good movement on his changeup as well. His breaking ball gives him a third potential average pitch. He is an athletic guy who should succeed quickly in pro ball if he doesn't head to Florida.
Taylor Guerrieri, P , North Augusta, N. Augusta, SC: Guerrieri has a strong fastball that has some movement. His breaking ball has potential and he is athletic, so he could improve with repetition. His velocity has jumped up to the mid to upper 90's this spring compared to low 90's last summer. He could be moving up draft boards.
Adam Griffin, P , Forsyth Country Day, Clemmons, NC: Has good life on his fastball from a 3/4 delivery. Breaking ball has good movement but it may be better as a slider due to his arm angle. His change has similar movement to his fastball and he has good feel for it. Finishes tall, almost awkwardly.
Dante Bichette, 3B , Orangewood Christian, FL: Just as his father, he is a physical power hitter. He has a lot of movement before he swings but it has worked for him so far. I don't see that it needs to be corrected unless it gets in the way of success. I don't like it though. He has a very good arm and could get looked at on the mound, but I see him as a 3B and potentially a RF if he keeps getting bigger.
Dominic Jose, OF , Boca Raton, Lake Worth, FL: The son of former MLB player Felix Jose, Dominic is a tall athletic OF. He has the arm for RF and he has a solid bat from the left side. He isn't as good from the right side but he has a ton of potential.
Hudson Boyd, P , South Fort Myers HS, FL: Boyd is a thickly built pitcher. He is 6'2, 230 but sits in the 91-94 range and has a bit more when he needs it. He has a solid breaking ball as well.
Johnny Eierman, SS , Warsaw (Warsaw, Mo.): Long strong swing. Good potential at the plate. Above average speed that plays up. His actions at SS needs some work but he has the arm to stay there.
Ricardo Jacquez, P/SS , Franklin El Paso TX: Jacquez is a very small guy. His arm is huge though, running it up to 94. He also has a hammer curve. If he gains strength, he could gain velo. Kinda reminds me of Julio Teheran.
Shawon Dunston, OF , Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.): Dunston is a great athlete and has great bloodlines. He is a plus runner and has a rocket for an arm just as his dad did, only Jr. will be using it from the OF. His bat needs work but it isn't anything time and refinement can't work out. He is a high upside player that may be hard to sign condsidering he's a Vanderbilt guy.
Tyler Marlette, C , Oviedo, FL: great swing really fast bat. The ball flies off his bat. Really good defensively. Fast pops, good arm. Big fan. Should have bat and arm if he needs to move to 3B
Joe Ross, P , Bishop O'Dowd HS, CA: Ross is the younger brother of A's prospect Tyson Ross, and is a comparable prospect. He has a big arm and can run it up to 94 but his command is below average and needs work.
Dan Vogelbach, 1B , Bishop Verot: Huge 1B. Good swing and good actions at 1B. Very fast for his size and a good athlete. Could be better with conditioning. Huge raw power and good hitting mechanics.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Washington State vs California Game Notes
Top 2011 Guys
Erik Johnson, RHP, California
Johnson has a bulldog mentality and challenges hitters. His fastball is hittable when it is straight, though Washington had a hard time in this game. He got better as the game went on throwing 112 pitches over 8 shutout, one-hit innings. He threw a 2 seamer that had arm side run and it looked good but wasn't consistent. I didn't have radar available but I would bet sitting at 90-92 maxing out at 94. He had a no-no thru 4 1/3. His changeup had some armside run and his curveball lacked movement early in the game. It looked like a below average offering but threw a few in the later innings that flashed potential. He is not a dominant guy but he could eat innings and be a back of the rotation guy at his best. He is 6'2, 240 so he has a durable frame. He's a sure fire top 10 round guy and could go as high as the 3rd if someone saw more there.
Taylor Ard, 1B, Washington State
Ard is a strongly built right handed hitting 1B. He hit the ball hard in the 4th inning into the wind. It probably would have been out of the park last season but with the new bats and the wind blowing in, he didn't get enough of it. He did swing and miss and looked bad at the pitch before. He may have a hard time with good off speed pitches. He made a good defensive play in the 3rd and showed some agility but looked stiff and unathletic at other times. He's a 6'2", 225 LB player and he looks like a potential power hitter but he will have to guess right on the pitch to hit it well. He's a 6th to 10th round kind of guy in the 2011 draft
Adam Conley, LHP, Washington State
Conley didn't look great in this game and didn't get any help from anyone behind him. He persevered throwing about 40 pitches in one inning, but he didn't give up. I appreciate that. He was better in my earlier viewing of him. He is a 6'3, 170 LB skinny guy but doesn't look frail. His fastball has some life and he looks like his slider has a little potential and could potentially be an average pitch. Looks like a future reliever but could be a back of the rotation guy if everything breaks right. Someone should pluck him in the 5th - 7th round.
Others of note
Tony Renda, IF, California
He has an unusual swing. He doesn't have a leg kick and just swings the bat. He swings hard and can really put the bat on the ball. He is a 2012 guy, but I like his hitting ability and his hustle. He's a good runner as well. Should be worth a look again next year to see if he's still doing it, I think he will be.
Trace Tam Sing, SS, Washington State
Came in to the game in the 7th inning defensively. He had two aggresive swings to start the AB but missed at both. K'd looking on the 4th offering. Big swing from athletic 6', 180 LB shortstop. Just looking at him, I doubt he will stick at SS, but could be an offensive 2B. He took a tough hop in the 8th and made him look bad. I can't count that against him. He needs to cut down on the swing, but he may have been amped up since he's a freshman facing a pitcher who was rolling. Definately want to see more of him over the next few years. Scouts will be coming back to check him, for sure.
Jason Monda, OF, Washington State
Freshman and 2013 draft guy is really tall and thin but he has a nice easy left handed swing. One to watch over the next couple of years. He needs to hit the weight room and gain some bulk but I like the swing a lot.
Derek Campbell, IF, California
Put the bat on the ball consistently. Looked like another worth watching at the plate over the next couple years. He's a freshman.
Erik Johnson, RHP, California
Johnson has a bulldog mentality and challenges hitters. His fastball is hittable when it is straight, though Washington had a hard time in this game. He got better as the game went on throwing 112 pitches over 8 shutout, one-hit innings. He threw a 2 seamer that had arm side run and it looked good but wasn't consistent. I didn't have radar available but I would bet sitting at 90-92 maxing out at 94. He had a no-no thru 4 1/3. His changeup had some armside run and his curveball lacked movement early in the game. It looked like a below average offering but threw a few in the later innings that flashed potential. He is not a dominant guy but he could eat innings and be a back of the rotation guy at his best. He is 6'2, 240 so he has a durable frame. He's a sure fire top 10 round guy and could go as high as the 3rd if someone saw more there.
Taylor Ard, 1B, Washington State
Ard is a strongly built right handed hitting 1B. He hit the ball hard in the 4th inning into the wind. It probably would have been out of the park last season but with the new bats and the wind blowing in, he didn't get enough of it. He did swing and miss and looked bad at the pitch before. He may have a hard time with good off speed pitches. He made a good defensive play in the 3rd and showed some agility but looked stiff and unathletic at other times. He's a 6'2", 225 LB player and he looks like a potential power hitter but he will have to guess right on the pitch to hit it well. He's a 6th to 10th round kind of guy in the 2011 draft
Adam Conley, LHP, Washington State
Conley didn't look great in this game and didn't get any help from anyone behind him. He persevered throwing about 40 pitches in one inning, but he didn't give up. I appreciate that. He was better in my earlier viewing of him. He is a 6'3, 170 LB skinny guy but doesn't look frail. His fastball has some life and he looks like his slider has a little potential and could potentially be an average pitch. Looks like a future reliever but could be a back of the rotation guy if everything breaks right. Someone should pluck him in the 5th - 7th round.
Others of note
Tony Renda, IF, California
He has an unusual swing. He doesn't have a leg kick and just swings the bat. He swings hard and can really put the bat on the ball. He is a 2012 guy, but I like his hitting ability and his hustle. He's a good runner as well. Should be worth a look again next year to see if he's still doing it, I think he will be.
Trace Tam Sing, SS, Washington State
Came in to the game in the 7th inning defensively. He had two aggresive swings to start the AB but missed at both. K'd looking on the 4th offering. Big swing from athletic 6', 180 LB shortstop. Just looking at him, I doubt he will stick at SS, but could be an offensive 2B. He took a tough hop in the 8th and made him look bad. I can't count that against him. He needs to cut down on the swing, but he may have been amped up since he's a freshman facing a pitcher who was rolling. Definately want to see more of him over the next few years. Scouts will be coming back to check him, for sure.
Jason Monda, OF, Washington State
Freshman and 2013 draft guy is really tall and thin but he has a nice easy left handed swing. One to watch over the next couple of years. He needs to hit the weight room and gain some bulk but I like the swing a lot.
Derek Campbell, IF, California
Put the bat on the ball consistently. Looked like another worth watching at the plate over the next couple years. He's a freshman.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Updates for some 2011 Draft Picks
It's early in the season but it's time to update how some of the high end talent is doing.
Anthony Rendon, who most believe will be the 1st overall pick, is hitting .343/.495/.600 with 3 HR's in 70 AB's. It has been a bit of a slow start for Rendon, but nothing has changed in him and it still looks like he will be the top pick in the draft.
Gerritt Cole is also in the conversation for the 1.1 pick. Cole has K'd 37 in 30 1/3 IP while walking only 5. I think his draft stock is as high right now as it will get. The question is if he can keep it up. His stuff is unquestioned. He sits in the mid 90's and has run it up to triple digits in the past. He has 3 above average MLB pitches right now. The Pirates are fortunate to be in the position they are.
George Springer has the tools to be a 30-30 player in the majors in a perfect world, but he can't get going this spring. Considering he plays for UConn, he should get a free month, or at least a couple weeks, compared to his southern counterparts due to the cold weather. His .265/.400/.531 with 5 steals and just 2 home runs is definitely less than most would expect out of a top 5 overall talent, but give him time. The strike outs will always be a concern, and he has 12 so far in just 49 AB's.
Matt Purke has started just 3 games and only thrown 13 2/3 innings but he has K'd 13 and walked 5 and allowed just 5 hits. His stuff has been down a little but they are easing him in and he has had some blister issues. It's too early in the season to worry about his durability but considering he will likely sign very late in the season due to his leverage and agent, the innings he throws for TCU this season will likely be the only innings he throws this season. That could affect his 2012 season because you don't want his innings to jump more than 50-60 innings.
Danny Hultzen his improved his stock as much as anyone this spring. He has thrown 34 1/3 IP and struck out 62 and only walked 4. He has allowed just 19 hits and is dominating early on in the season. He may be the best pitcher so far in this young season.
Jed Bradley is also pitching well with 38 K's and 10 walks in 24 1/3 innings. He has allowed just 12 hits in his 4 starts.
Trevor Bauer has raised eyebrows with pitch counts well above 100, even as high as 129 in one 10 inning shutout recently. This doesn't concern me with Bauer as it would with others because of his training regimen. He is all about long toss and it builds stamina and arm strength. My concern with high pitch counts only extends to pitchers who have velocity drops or mechanical issues as they get tired, Bauer doesn't have either.
Mikie Mahtook started off on a tear but has eased off some. He has 6 HR's and is hitting .328/.466/.759 in 58 AB's. He has also added 9 SB's showing the tools are translating to game situations.
While Jackie Bradley doesn't have the tools that George Springer or Mikie Mahtook have, but man, can he play baseball. He is hitting .345/.433/.709 with 9 walks and just 7 k's in 55 at bats. Bradley is just a baseball player and a very good one at that. Any team that gets him should have an above average MLB center fielder by mid 2013.
John Stilson is keeping his draft stock up. John Sickels just saw him today. Here are his impressions.
Taylor Jungmann is pitching well. He has K'd 31 and walked only 3 in 34 2/3 IP. This years draft is looking really deep in college pitching. This is even more exaggerated with the new bats this spring, but the talent is exceptional.
Sonny Gray is also keeping his stock up with 36 K's in 26 1/3 innings. He has walked 9 and allowed 12 hits. He needs to keep dominating because he is a short righty, but he is one of the safest picks out of all of these pitchers in my opinion.
This is a draft in which the top 10 players picked could be college pitchers and very few people would question it. The bats are another story. Once you get passed Rendon and Bradley, I'm not sold on anyone.
Jason Esposito is back to 3B. This puts his stock to mid to late 1st round instead of a possible top 10 talent if he could stay at SS. Alex Dickerson is hitting .350 but has just 2 HR's in 60 AB's. He will need to do better than that to stay high in the 1st round but it's still cold in the midwest so he has time to get going.
Brian Goodwin is playing well at Miami-Dade but scouts still don't like his swing any more than they have in the past. I think he's a 2nd round or later talent, but I am the exception rather than the rule.
C.J. Cron for Utah may be moving into 1st round consideration even though he has moved from behind the dish to 1st base due to a shoulder injury. He is hitting .477/.547/.864 and may be the best hitter in the draft after Rendon.
Andrew Susac has moved to the front of the catching class ahead of a slow start by Peter O'Brien. Susac is hitting .449/.561/.776 for Oregon State. To go along with 13 walks and 11 k's in 49 AB's. The K's are on the high side but he has decent plate discipline.
Henry Owens is already 3-0 on the season and struck out 11 in his last outing. He is a very projectable lefty who is 6’5 and sits 88-91 with his fastball and has a slow 68-72 mph curve. He is a near lock for the 1st round and could go in the top half.
Archie Bradley struck out 12 in his last win but the rumor is that he got booted from the game for arguing balls and strikes. Bradley’s gridiron mentality must have carried over to the baseball field. That’s not a bad sign to me. It just shows he is intense. A 90-94 MPH fastball and a plus breaking ball and a ton of athleticism will help people overlook this little incident.
Within the same conference in Oklahoma, Dylan Bundy has had a great start to the season. He has thrown a no-hitter already and has been in the mid 90’s and has as good of a breaking ball as Bradley or even better.
Phillip Pfeifer from Farragut HS in Tennessee threw a two hit shutout striking out 11. He has a low 90’s fastball from the left side. His stuff isn’t eye popping but he has a solid breaking ball. Teammate Nick Delmonico has started the season off hot as well and is a top 10 round pick. He is a better prospect than his older brother Tony Delmonico who is in the Dodgers system.
Daniel Norris threw 6 2/3 IP and struck out 15 while not giving up a hit. He is the best left handed high school pitcher available in this years’ draft. He throws in the mid 90’s with a great breaking ball though his mechanics need some polishing.
Javier Baez has been getting a lot of buzz this spring because he’s looking like he can stick at SS. I don’t see it long term, but I haven’t seen him a lot. I see him as more of an offensive 2B down the line, but if a team thinks he can stick at SS, he could be a late 1st round pick. He has a very good bat, can run and has a good arm. He could even be able to handle 3B.
Taylor Guerrieri has been jumping up draft boards with the 97 mph radar gun readings this spring. He was in the 87-90 mph range last season, so his stock is really rising. He has struck out 27 in 17 innings and could be making his way into the middle of the 1st round as one of the first high school pitchers taken.
Jose Fernandez threw in front of about a dozen scouts at his last game. He was showing a 90+ fastball. K’d 7 in 6+ innings. He had a pitch count of 100 so he was pulled in 7th. Gave up a run in the 1st but that was all.
For more draft info head over to my draft blog on SB Nation: MLB Bonus Baby
Anthony Rendon, who most believe will be the 1st overall pick, is hitting .343/.495/.600 with 3 HR's in 70 AB's. It has been a bit of a slow start for Rendon, but nothing has changed in him and it still looks like he will be the top pick in the draft.
Gerritt Cole is also in the conversation for the 1.1 pick. Cole has K'd 37 in 30 1/3 IP while walking only 5. I think his draft stock is as high right now as it will get. The question is if he can keep it up. His stuff is unquestioned. He sits in the mid 90's and has run it up to triple digits in the past. He has 3 above average MLB pitches right now. The Pirates are fortunate to be in the position they are.
George Springer has the tools to be a 30-30 player in the majors in a perfect world, but he can't get going this spring. Considering he plays for UConn, he should get a free month, or at least a couple weeks, compared to his southern counterparts due to the cold weather. His .265/.400/.531 with 5 steals and just 2 home runs is definitely less than most would expect out of a top 5 overall talent, but give him time. The strike outs will always be a concern, and he has 12 so far in just 49 AB's.
Matt Purke has started just 3 games and only thrown 13 2/3 innings but he has K'd 13 and walked 5 and allowed just 5 hits. His stuff has been down a little but they are easing him in and he has had some blister issues. It's too early in the season to worry about his durability but considering he will likely sign very late in the season due to his leverage and agent, the innings he throws for TCU this season will likely be the only innings he throws this season. That could affect his 2012 season because you don't want his innings to jump more than 50-60 innings.
Danny Hultzen his improved his stock as much as anyone this spring. He has thrown 34 1/3 IP and struck out 62 and only walked 4. He has allowed just 19 hits and is dominating early on in the season. He may be the best pitcher so far in this young season.
Jed Bradley is also pitching well with 38 K's and 10 walks in 24 1/3 innings. He has allowed just 12 hits in his 4 starts.
Trevor Bauer has raised eyebrows with pitch counts well above 100, even as high as 129 in one 10 inning shutout recently. This doesn't concern me with Bauer as it would with others because of his training regimen. He is all about long toss and it builds stamina and arm strength. My concern with high pitch counts only extends to pitchers who have velocity drops or mechanical issues as they get tired, Bauer doesn't have either.
Mikie Mahtook started off on a tear but has eased off some. He has 6 HR's and is hitting .328/.466/.759 in 58 AB's. He has also added 9 SB's showing the tools are translating to game situations.
While Jackie Bradley doesn't have the tools that George Springer or Mikie Mahtook have, but man, can he play baseball. He is hitting .345/.433/.709 with 9 walks and just 7 k's in 55 at bats. Bradley is just a baseball player and a very good one at that. Any team that gets him should have an above average MLB center fielder by mid 2013.
John Stilson is keeping his draft stock up. John Sickels just saw him today. Here are his impressions.
Taylor Jungmann is pitching well. He has K'd 31 and walked only 3 in 34 2/3 IP. This years draft is looking really deep in college pitching. This is even more exaggerated with the new bats this spring, but the talent is exceptional.
Sonny Gray is also keeping his stock up with 36 K's in 26 1/3 innings. He has walked 9 and allowed 12 hits. He needs to keep dominating because he is a short righty, but he is one of the safest picks out of all of these pitchers in my opinion.
This is a draft in which the top 10 players picked could be college pitchers and very few people would question it. The bats are another story. Once you get passed Rendon and Bradley, I'm not sold on anyone.
Jason Esposito is back to 3B. This puts his stock to mid to late 1st round instead of a possible top 10 talent if he could stay at SS. Alex Dickerson is hitting .350 but has just 2 HR's in 60 AB's. He will need to do better than that to stay high in the 1st round but it's still cold in the midwest so he has time to get going.
Brian Goodwin is playing well at Miami-Dade but scouts still don't like his swing any more than they have in the past. I think he's a 2nd round or later talent, but I am the exception rather than the rule.
C.J. Cron for Utah may be moving into 1st round consideration even though he has moved from behind the dish to 1st base due to a shoulder injury. He is hitting .477/.547/.864 and may be the best hitter in the draft after Rendon.
Andrew Susac has moved to the front of the catching class ahead of a slow start by Peter O'Brien. Susac is hitting .449/.561/.776 for Oregon State. To go along with 13 walks and 11 k's in 49 AB's. The K's are on the high side but he has decent plate discipline.
Henry Owens is already 3-0 on the season and struck out 11 in his last outing. He is a very projectable lefty who is 6’5 and sits 88-91 with his fastball and has a slow 68-72 mph curve. He is a near lock for the 1st round and could go in the top half.
Archie Bradley struck out 12 in his last win but the rumor is that he got booted from the game for arguing balls and strikes. Bradley’s gridiron mentality must have carried over to the baseball field. That’s not a bad sign to me. It just shows he is intense. A 90-94 MPH fastball and a plus breaking ball and a ton of athleticism will help people overlook this little incident.
Within the same conference in Oklahoma, Dylan Bundy has had a great start to the season. He has thrown a no-hitter already and has been in the mid 90’s and has as good of a breaking ball as Bradley or even better.
Phillip Pfeifer from Farragut HS in Tennessee threw a two hit shutout striking out 11. He has a low 90’s fastball from the left side. His stuff isn’t eye popping but he has a solid breaking ball. Teammate Nick Delmonico has started the season off hot as well and is a top 10 round pick. He is a better prospect than his older brother Tony Delmonico who is in the Dodgers system.
Daniel Norris threw 6 2/3 IP and struck out 15 while not giving up a hit. He is the best left handed high school pitcher available in this years’ draft. He throws in the mid 90’s with a great breaking ball though his mechanics need some polishing.
Javier Baez has been getting a lot of buzz this spring because he’s looking like he can stick at SS. I don’t see it long term, but I haven’t seen him a lot. I see him as more of an offensive 2B down the line, but if a team thinks he can stick at SS, he could be a late 1st round pick. He has a very good bat, can run and has a good arm. He could even be able to handle 3B.
Taylor Guerrieri has been jumping up draft boards with the 97 mph radar gun readings this spring. He was in the 87-90 mph range last season, so his stock is really rising. He has struck out 27 in 17 innings and could be making his way into the middle of the 1st round as one of the first high school pitchers taken.
Jose Fernandez threw in front of about a dozen scouts at his last game. He was showing a 90+ fastball. K’d 7 in 6+ innings. He had a pitch count of 100 so he was pulled in 7th. Gave up a run in the 1st but that was all.
For more draft info head over to my draft blog on SB Nation: MLB Bonus Baby
Friday, March 18, 2011
Community Scouting Database
There are too many players in the minors to compile scouting information on every player in pro and amateur ball by myself, so I'm reaching out to you. Anyone can edit this document, download it or do whatever you want with it. Just help me add to the collection of information. My goal is to get as much info on as many players as possible. I set up a google document here.
Any defensive ratings for hitters and pitcher velocity in MPH's, control and movement ratings from 1-100 would be much appreciated.
I think this could be a great tool for all of us. Thanks to everyone who helps out.
Any defensive ratings for hitters and pitcher velocity in MPH's, control and movement ratings from 1-100 would be much appreciated.
I think this could be a great tool for all of us. Thanks to everyone who helps out.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
International Top Prospects
The MLB draft is the most crucial way for a team to build a farm system. If you look at the Baseball America Prospect book, about 150 players that were drafted in the 1st 10 rounds this season are now top 30 prospects. Another 15 or so were drafted after the 10th round. Another 16 were signed this season from across the globe.
I'm speaking in generalities here because I don't have the exact count, I'm just using the information I have but it is within a few players. These numbers would be on the low end of the actual number.
Looking at the players signed in 2009, 129 were top 10 round picks, 18 were latter round players and 18 were international players.
Another jump in international players happens with players signed in 2008 where 109 were top 10 round picks, 22 were after the 10th round and 25 were international players.
The peak of the international players making their way into the book is the 2007 season where only 71 players drafted in the top 10 rounds remain in the book, 17 from the latter rounds and 39 are international signings.
More and more players signed internationally pop up on the prospect radar each season as they get older and prove themselves more in the minors. I hope that I can help identify the best of these players early on so you know where the talent is coming from and make your smartest friend feel behind when prospecting.
Today, Baseball America posted their top 20 prospects for the Foreign Summer Leagues today. I always like to compare my results with the guys who are the experts to see how I'm doing.
I don't have contacts in the Dominican or Venezuela like the pro's at BA do but of their top 20 prospects they posted today, 13 of them showed up on my VSL and DSL lists. Two others played in the Arizona League and the Gulf Coast leaguer and were eliminated from placement on these lists due to that. I only place each player on one league list and it is typically the highest level they played.
3 others had poor statistical season and missed but have good enough stuff or tools that their performance is overlooked. There is one player I am dissappointed I missed on: Jordaneli Carvajal. He is a SS in the Pirates system and had a good enough season to place, but I did not rank him. He just missed my list.
All in all, I am pretty happy the way it turned out. Not fantastic considering I named 80 players and 7 of the top 20 according to BA weren't on it, but it gives a list of players to look at, and in 5 years it may look a lot different.
Here is the link to all my top prospects by league. The DSL and VSL are at the bottom where 80 players I named may begin their climb onto top 100 lists and making their own imprint on Major League Baseball, just be patient, it may take 5 or 6 years.
I'm speaking in generalities here because I don't have the exact count, I'm just using the information I have but it is within a few players. These numbers would be on the low end of the actual number.
Looking at the players signed in 2009, 129 were top 10 round picks, 18 were latter round players and 18 were international players.
Another jump in international players happens with players signed in 2008 where 109 were top 10 round picks, 22 were after the 10th round and 25 were international players.
The peak of the international players making their way into the book is the 2007 season where only 71 players drafted in the top 10 rounds remain in the book, 17 from the latter rounds and 39 are international signings.
More and more players signed internationally pop up on the prospect radar each season as they get older and prove themselves more in the minors. I hope that I can help identify the best of these players early on so you know where the talent is coming from and make your smartest friend feel behind when prospecting.
Today, Baseball America posted their top 20 prospects for the Foreign Summer Leagues today. I always like to compare my results with the guys who are the experts to see how I'm doing.
I don't have contacts in the Dominican or Venezuela like the pro's at BA do but of their top 20 prospects they posted today, 13 of them showed up on my VSL and DSL lists. Two others played in the Arizona League and the Gulf Coast leaguer and were eliminated from placement on these lists due to that. I only place each player on one league list and it is typically the highest level they played.
3 others had poor statistical season and missed but have good enough stuff or tools that their performance is overlooked. There is one player I am dissappointed I missed on: Jordaneli Carvajal. He is a SS in the Pirates system and had a good enough season to place, but I did not rank him. He just missed my list.
All in all, I am pretty happy the way it turned out. Not fantastic considering I named 80 players and 7 of the top 20 according to BA weren't on it, but it gives a list of players to look at, and in 5 years it may look a lot different.
Here is the link to all my top prospects by league. The DSL and VSL are at the bottom where 80 players I named may begin their climb onto top 100 lists and making their own imprint on Major League Baseball, just be patient, it may take 5 or 6 years.
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