PERFECT GAME CROSSCHECKER'S TOP TEN LIST
WEEK 1: 1/7/08 - 1/13/08
 
HARVEY, DAVIS TOP FRESHMEN LIST
Friday January 11, 2008
North Carolina righthander Matt Harvey and Tennessee outfielder Kentrail Davis were targeted as first-round picks in the 2007 draft before they were passed over for signability reasons (both players were advised by agent Scott Boras), so it’s not surprising that the two unsigned players rank 1-2 among this year’s college freshman crop entering the 2008 season.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Harvey, a third-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels, is projected to be a starter in North Carolina’s pitching rotation this spring, while the 5-foot-9, 195-pound Davis has been handed the center field job by the Volunteers after rejecting a 14th-round offer from the Colorado Rockies.

Led by Harvey and Davis, here’s how PG Crosschecker sees the top 10 prospects in this year’s college freshman class. None of the 10 will be eligible for the draft again until 2010. An expanded list of the top 100 college freshmen is available elsewhere on the PG-X site for Insider level subscribers. In a couple of weeks, we’ll unveil a comprehensive state-by-state list of the top prospects in the Draft Class of 2010.
 
Ranking. Player, Pos., SchoolPreviously Drafted
1. Matt Harvey, rhp, North Carolina Angels ’07 (3)
2. Kentrail Davis, of, Tennessee Rockies ’07 (14)
3. Hunter Morris, 1b-of, Auburn Red Sox ’07 (2)
4. Yasmani Grandal, c, Miami Red Sox ’07 (27)
5. Derek Dietrich, ss, Georgia Tech Astros ’07 (3)
6. Kevin Keyes, of, Texas Rangers ’07 (26)
7. Tommy Toledo, rhp, Florida Padres ’07 (3)
8. Kyle Blair, rhp, San Diego Dodgers ’07 (5)
9. Brandon Workman, rhp, Texas Phillies ’07 (3)
10. Brett Eibner, rhp-of, Arkansas Astros ’07 (4)
-- Allan Simpson
 
MISSOURI RIGHTHANDER GETS TOP BILLING
Thursday January 10, 2008
With a pitching staff led by righthanders Aaron Crow and Kyle Gibson, Missouri is primed for the best season in its checkered baseball history. Not only has Crow been ranked by PG Crosschecker as the best righthanded pitching prospect in the college ranks for this year’s draft, but Gibson is ranked as the best righthander in the sophomore class. Moreover, Gibson rates as the best prospect overall in next year’s draft crop.

Gibson went 8-3, 4.12 with 77 strikeouts in 68 innings, mainly in long relief, as a freshman for the Tigers, finishing second on the team in wins and strikeouts to Crow. He’ll join Crow atop the Missouri rotation this spring. With a fastball in the low 90s, Gibson can’t touch Crow’s velocity, which peaks at 98 mph, but Gibson’s fastball should pick up speed as he fills out his slender 6-foot-5, 180-pound frame. He already has excellent command of his secondary pitches, a slider and changeup, a polished delivery and excellent mound demeanor.

Led by Gibson, here’s how PG Crosschecker sees the top 10 prospects in this year’s college sophomore class. An expanded list of the top 100 college sophomores is available elsewhere on the PG-X site for Insider level subscribers. Next week, we’ll unveil a comprehensive state-by-state list of the top prospects in the Draft Class of 2009.
 
Ranking. Player, Pos., SchoolPreviously Drafted
1. Kyle Gibson, rhp, Missouri Phillies ’06 (36)
2. Steve Strasburg, rhp, San Diego State Never drafted
3. Gavin Brooks, rhp, UCLA Never drafted
4. Robert Stock, c-rhp, Southern California Never drafted
5. Grant Green, ss, Southern California Padres ’06 (14)
6. Jorge Reyes, rhp, Oregon State Never drafted
7. Alex White, rhp, North Carolina Dodgers ’06 (14)
8. Andy Oliver, lhp, Oklahoma State Twins ’06 (17)
9. Mike Minor, lhp, Vanderbilt Devil Rays ’06 (13)
10. *Tanner Scheppers, rhp, Fresno State Orioles ’05 (29)
* Eligible for 2008 draft
-- Allan Simpson
 
FIELDS RANKS AS TOP SENIOR
Wednesday January 9, 2008
Georgia righthander Josh Fields has the distinction of being the highest unsigned pick in the 2007 draft. He was a second-round selection of the home-state Atlanta Braves, but elected not to sign and has returned to the Bulldogs for his senior year.

He’s not only scheduled to return to his role as the team’s closer, but will see considerable time as Georgia’s DH this spring. With a fastball that was clocked at 95-96 mph in the fall, Fields hopes to return to his sophomore form when he saved 15 games while going 3-2, 1.80. As a junior, he slumped to a 1-6, 4.46 record with only seven saves and his status as a potential early first-round pick took a hit in the process.

Fields ranks as the nation’s top college senior entering the 2008 season, according to PG Crosschecker. There are a number of other prominent seniors in this year’s draft class and we’ve ranked the top 100 college seniors elsewhere on the PG Crosschecker site. Here’s how we see the top 10:
 
Ranking. Player, Pos., SchoolPreviously Drafted
1. Josh Fields, rhp, Georgia Braves ’07 (2)
2. Cole St. Clair, lhp, Rice Indians ’07 (7)
3. Mitch Harris, rhp, Navy Braves ’07 (24)
4. Rob Musgrave, lhp, Wichita State Never drafted
5. Dominic de la Osa, of, Vanderbilt Tigers ’07 (10)
6. Chad Dawson, rhp, Indiana State Yankees ’07 (31)
7. Blake Stouffer, 2b, Texas A&M Reds ’07 (4)
8. Paul Gran, ss, Washington State Dodgers ’04 (30)
9. Zach Pitts, rhp, Louisville Nationals ’07 (30)
10. Eryk McConnell, rhp, North Carolina State Orioles ’07 (10)
-- Allan Simpson
 
VANDY’S ALVAREZ HEADLINES COLLEGE CLASS
Monday January 7, 2008
Perfect Game’s Top 10 returns today with a renewed emphasis—and in a new location on the PG Crosschecker website. You can expect to see more Top 10’s on baseball topics ranging from conventional to random in this space on a regular basis in the coming days and weeks.

Today we unveil the top 10 college prospects for the 2008 draft, led by Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez. The list coincides with our unveiling of the top 250 college prospects in the Class of 2008 elsewhere on the PG Crosschecker website. That list is available only to PG-X subscribers (Insider level).

The 2008 college season has a universal starting date this year of Feb. 22, so it’s still several weeks away. But here’s how we see the top 10 prospects in this year’s class. All are targeted to be first-round picks in a draft that is expected to be top-heavy in college players in the first round.
 
RankingPlayer, Pos., School
1. Pedro Alvarez, 3b, Vanderbilt
2. Brian Matusz, lhp, San Diego
3. Aaron Crow, rhp, Missouri
4. Justin Smoak, 1b, South Carolina
5. Ryan Perry, rhp, Arizona
6. Brett Hunter, rhp, Pepperdine
7. Tyson Ross, rhp, California
8. Dennis Raben, of, Miami
9. Jacob Thompson, rhp, Virginia
10. Christian Friedrich, lhp, Eastern Kentucky
-- Allan Simpson