ALLAN SIMPSON
6/20/2007

Perfect Game National Showcase Top 60 Prospects    Posted: 6/21/07

PG National Sets Impressive Tone For 2008

By ALLAN SIMPSON

The sun had barely set on the 2007 draft, but the Atlanta Braves scouting staff was there in full force a week later at the University of Cincinnati for Perfect Game’s National Showcase—unofficially the first event of the 2008 scouting season. More than any other big league club, the Braves believe it’s never too early to get a handle on the high school talent in the next year’s draft.

“Believe me,” Braves scouting director Roy Clark said, “the last thing I wanted to do was put our guys through 16-hour days in 95 degree heat so soon after the draft, especially with Father’s Day to factor in, but this event is invaluable to how we approach the draft as an organization.

“It brings all the best kids together and gives us a chance to identify who we want to bear down on the rest of the summer. We do the screening process here. Next week, I’ll have five or six of our guys go to the Tournament of Stars (currently going on in Cary, N.C.) and they’ll know exactly who to bear down on.”

More than 200 of the nation’s top rising high school seniors were on hand for the three-day event, staged June 15-17 at the University of Cincinnati’s Marge Schott Stadium. Also on hand were more than 300 scouts and college recruiters, including 11 Braves scouts.

“This showcase is the best of all the summer showcases because almost all the top kids are here,” Clark said. “You don’t get that at the East Coast Pro Showcase or the Area Code Games later in the summer. A lot of the top kids don’t go to those events. Besides, this time of year is good because most of these kids are fresh. You get to see them at their best.”

Often the best measuring stick of the talent in attendance at showcase events is the number of pitchers who throw at 90 mph, or better. Among the 127 pitchers who worked at the PG National, 101 (or 79.5 percent) were clocked at that velocity. That compares favorably to the 2006 PG National, which went on to produce six first-round pitchers in this year’s draft.

“It’s hard to tell yet whether this high school class compares to last year’s,” Clark said. “The arms were good, and there were some interesting position players. But it’s hard to tell yet how many impact players this year’s crop might produce. You have to remember that (Josh) Vitters and (Mike) Moustakas (the first two high school hitters drafted) weren’t here a year ago. (Kevin) Ahrens was just another guy, and (Pete) Kozma did not have a very good showcase. Yet both Ahrens and Kozma went on to become first-round picks.”

Long On Talent
At 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Virginia ’s Kyle Long stood out among all players at PG’s National Showcase. He had the talent to match his impressive physique—both at the plate and on the mound.

Long put on one of the most impressive power displays in batting practice, launching one ball that not only cleared the scoreboard in right field but hit three quarters of the way up the University of Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Bank Arena, home of the Bearcats basketball team. The drive was estimated at 450 feet—an impressive feat for an 18-year-old swinging a wood bat. Long was also one of two pitchers at the event to touch 96 mph.

Long is no ordinary athlete. He comes by his size and his talent naturally as he is the son of NFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman Howie Long, who played 13 seasons with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders. His brother Chris Long, a top defensive lineman at the University of Virginia, is a potential first-round pick in the 2008 NFL draft.

Kyle is a top football prospect, too, as both an offensive and defensive lineman, and has been actively recruited by almost all of the nation’s top college football powers. But he says he wants to pursue a career in baseball and has made a verbal commitment to play baseball at Florida State .

Long, who plays baseball and football at St. Anne’s Belfield, a small private school near the University of Virginia, is an excellent natural athlete for his size but has barely scratched the surface of his baseball ability. He hit .583-5-20 with 19 stolen bases this spring for his high school team, while going 1-2, 1.61 with 67 strikeouts in 32 innings.

“He’s got impressive power and is so athletic,” a scout said, “but he has no rhythm in his swing yet. He’s also got impressive arm strength, but it’s apparent no one has taught him how to pitch yet. He’s far from being polished, but what a talent.”

Long ran the 60 in 6.95 seconds—an impressive time for his size—and showed good hands and coordination around the first bag. With his ability to run and throw, along with his superior athletic ability, he projects as a power-hitting right fielder.

Last, But Not Late

If Long put on the most impressive power display in batting practice from the left side of the plate, then Alabama’s Destin Hood had the most impressive showing from the right side. In 10 swings Hood knocked seven balls over the left field wall—the most by any hitter—including a couple of tape-measure blasts.

Hood, an outfielder from St. Paul’s High in Mobile, Ala., was the last player invited to PG’s National Showcase. He was extended an invitation only the day before the event started after a very impressive performance at an Alabama tryout camp the weekend before the showcase. Upon accepting his invitation, Hood hopped in a car with his father and made the drive from Alabama to Cincinnati .

Like Long, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Hood is a top-notch football talent who has been recruited as a wide receiver by numerous elite college football programs in the South. But he also has indicated a preference to play baseball.

“He’s got a short, quick, fast swing,” a scout said. “But he’s still very raw at the plate. He needs to learn how to handle the outer half of the plate and breaking balls.”

NATIONAL NOTEBOOK

--Righthander Michael Palazzone, ranked by Perfect Game as the nation’s top high school player in the 2008 class after his sophomore year at Lassiter High in Marietta, Ga., re-established himself as one of the nation’s top pitching prospects at PG’s National Showcase after his prospect status faltered a year ago amid concerns he had arm problems. He alleviated all those concerns as his fastball was clocked at 94 mph and his curveball was one of the best breaking balls of any pitcher in attendance.

--With 101 pitchers throwing 90 mph or better, the fastest velocities were turned in by Long and California righthander Gerrit Cole, who both touched 96. Among those who bumped 95 were Tennessee righthander Sonny Gray, Texas righthander Trey Haley, California righthander Aaron Hicks, Indiana righthander Alex Meyer, Georgia righthander Ethan Martin and Missouri righthander Tim Melville. Those at 94 were Palazzone, Oklahoma righthander Bobby Bundy, and California righthanders Tyler Chatwood and Ricky Oropesa. Hicks (outfielder), Martin (third baseman) and Oropesa (third baseman) are considered primarily position players.

--Speed was very much in evidence at the National Showcase as 21 players were clocked in the 60-yard dash in less than 6.6 seconds. The three fastest times were turned in by Georgia players: Cedar Grove High outfielder Xavier Avery (6.17 seconds), North Atlanta High outfielder Joseph Austin (6.20) and Griffin High shortstop Tim Beckham (6.33). Outfielder Kelvin Duran, one of six players from the Dominican Republic , also was clocked in 6.33 seconds.

--The National Showcase was the final opportunity for Perfect Game, which has the responsibility of selecting players for the annual Aflac High School Classic, to see the nation’s premier high school talent before the 38-player team was selected. The makeup of the team will be announced by Aflac and Sports America, the tournament organizer, in the next few days. The fifth annual Aflac Game will be played at San Diego State ’s Tony Gwynn Stadium on Aug. 11.

--Among players at the National Showcase with major league bloodlines were Florida righthander Jack Armstrong (son of Jack), Georgia first baseman/lefthander Jake Davies (brother of Kyle), Washington shortstop Beau Didier (son of Bob, grandson of former big league executive Mel), and California shortstops Cutter Dykstra (son of Lenny) and Kevin Eichhorn (son of Mark). Also in attendance was Tennessee catcher Jacob Stallings, son of Vanderbilt basketball coach Kevin Stallings, and Illinois outfielder John Ruettiger, the nephew of Rudy Ruettiger, who inspired the Notre Dame hit movie “Rudy”.