PERFECT GAME CROSSCHECKER'S TOP TEN LIST
WEEK 22: 6/9/08 - 6/15/08
 
SNEAK PREVIEW: Prep ’09 Class
Friday June 13, 2008
The paint is barely dry on the 2008 draft, but scouts and college recruiters will be right back at it this weekend. They’ll get their first extended look at the top high school talent in the Class of 2009 when Perfect Game stages its annual National Showcase at the Metrodome, home of the Minnesota Twins.

Nearly 250 elite high school players will participate in the three-day event, including every player in the top 10 on PG Crosschecker’s 2009 Top 500, along with about 85 in the top 100.

Last year’s National Showcase provided a sneak preview for the 2008 draft as it attracted the first five high school players selected—shortstop Tim Beckham, first baseman Eric Hosmer, catcher Kyle Skipworth, outfielder/righthander Aaron Hicks and righthander/third baseman Ethan Martin.

Six-foot-3, 180-pound lefthander Matthew Purke from Klein High in Spring, Texas, enters this year’s National Showcase as the top-ranked 2009 high school prospect after producing a 9-1, 0.23 record this spring as a junior with a fastball in the mid-90s. But Purke will be challenged for the No. 1 spot by the likes of Tampa shortstop/righthander Mychal Givens, New Jersey righthander Chris Jenkins, Missouri righthander Jacob Turner and Texas righthander Matthew Graham.

On the attached top 10 list, we’ve run PG Crosschecker’s ranking of the nation’s Top 10 high school players entering this weekend’s showcase. We’ll provide a revised ranking next week once we’ve had a chance to see the players compete against an elite field. Many of these same players will also participate in USA Baseball’s Tournament of Stars (the qualifying event for this year’s World Junior Championship in Edmonton, Alberta, from July 25-Aug. 3) next week in Cary, N.C., and we’ll get another extended look at them then.

In the next few days, we’ll also take an early look at the top 30 prospects, college and high school, for the 2009 draft. In the meantime, here’s how PG Crosschecker ranks the top 10 high school prospects entering this weekend’s National Showcase:
Rank Player Pos. High Schoole Hometown
1 Matthew Purke LHP Klein Spring, Texas
2 Mychal Givens SS/RHP H.B. Plant Tampa
3 Michael Zunino C Mariner Cape Coral, Fla.
4 Chris Jenkins RHP Westfield Westfield, N.J.
5 Jacob Turner RHP Westminster Christian St. Charles, Mo.
6 Jacob Morris OF/3B Coppell Coppell
7 Matthew Graham RHP Oak Ridge Spring, Texas
8 Austin Maddox C/RHP Eagle’s View Jacksonville, Fla.
9 Donovan Tate OF Cartersville Cartersville, Ga.
10 Max Stassi C Yuba City Yuba City, Calif.
--ALLAN SIMPSON Top Ten List Archives
 
DOUBLE WHAMMY FOR ASU
Wednesday June 11, 2008
Arizona State set a record in this year’s draft by having 15 players selected, topping the previous mark of 14 (See Daily Top 10, June 9). But the news wasn’t so positive for the Sun Devils after achieving that record.

Once the draft’s 50 rounds were over and done, the Sun Devils determined that 17 of their incoming recruits had been drafted—far more than any other college (Vanderbilt was next with 10). Three days later, their 2008 season went up in smoke when they lost the third and deciding game of their NCAA super-regional to heavy underdog Fresno State, costing the Sun Devils a return trip to this year’s College World Series and a shot at a sixth national title—and first since 1981.

Their chance of returning to Omaha in the next year or two may have been damaged, too, with the draft potentially extracting a significant toll on the makings of an otherwise outstanding recruiting class. Three of the first six high school players drafted—first baseman Eric Hosmer (third overall), and catchers Kyle Skipworth (sixth) and Brett Lawrie (16th)—are ASU recruits. First baseman Jaff Decker (42nd) and lefthander Brad Hand (52nd) were also significant drafts.

The list of 17 ASU recruits includes two junior-college transfers, along with high school players from diverse locations like California, Canada, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas and Washington, in addition to Arizona. One of their recruits, California outfielder Brandon Magee (29th round), was recruited to ASU to play football. Another, Missouri third baseman Johnny Coy (7th round), committed to play basketball for the Sun Devils.

Outside of the first five, there’s a strong chance the Sun Devils will hang on to most, if not all of their later-round recruits—though the bottom could fall out if several elect to jump to the pro ranks.

Arizona State isn’t the only college whose recruiting class could be significantly impacted by the draft. Like ASU, San Diego State had six recruits drafted in the top 10 rounds—though its first pick didn’t come until the fourth round. Southern Cal has commitments from No. 1 overall pick Tim Beckham and Aaron Hicks, the 14th selection, and two more in the top three rounds. Georgia has five recruits who were all drafted before the fourth round.

In the end, the recruiting classes of North Carolina and Vanderbilt could end up being the most fruitful of all as it appears those schools have a fair chance of keeping almost all their recruits. Vanderbilt is expected to lose Connecticut shortstop Anthony Hewitt, the first-round pick of the Phillies (24th overall), but had nine other recruits whose draft positions were all compromised by varying degrees by signability concerns—notably Tennessee righthander Sonny Gray, who slid to the 27th round after being projected as a possible first-rounder midway through the 2008 high school season.

Carolina has a prime-time recruit of its own, Missouri righthander Tim Melville, who was expected to be a first-round pick almost right up to draft day. When word was spread to all 30 clubs that he was intent on honoring his college scholarship, Melville tumbled to the fourth round, where he was selected by the Royals. In all probability, his situation will dangle right to the Aug. 15 signing deadline—as undoubtedly will many others in this draft.

Here are the first 10 high school players selected in this year’s draft and their college commitment. Interestingly, only two of the 10 have committed to home-state colleges:
Rank Player Pos. City, State Club (Order) Commitment
1 Tim Beckham SS Griffin, Ga. Rays (1) Southern California
2 Eric Hosmer 1B Plantation, Fla. Royals (3) Arizona State
3 Kyle Skipworth C Riverside, Calif. Marlins (6) Arizona State
4 Aaron Hicks OF-RHP Long Beach, Calif. Twins (14) Southern California
5 Ethan Martin RHP-3B Toccoa, Ga. Dodgers (15) Clemson
6 Brett Lawrie C Langley, B.C. Brewers (16) Arizona State
7 Anthony Hewitt SS Salisbury, Conn. Phillies (24) Vanderbilt
8 Gerrit Cole RHP Orange, Calif. Yankees (28) UCLA
9 Casey Kelly SS-RHP Sarasota, Fla. Red Sox (30) Tennessee
10 Jake Odorizzi RHP-SS Highland, Ill. Brewers (32) Louisville
--ALLAN SIMPSON Top Ten List Archives
 
HISTORIC ’08 FIRST-BASE CLASS
Tuesday June 10, 2008
With seven selections in the first round of last week’s draft, the 2008 first-base crop took on historic proportions. Only in 1978 had as many as four first basemen ever been drafted in the first round.

Led by Florida high schooler Eric Hosmer, drafted third overall by the Royals, all seven were scooped up in the first 23 picks. Arizona State’s Brett Wallace, selected 13th overall by the Cardinals, spent the 2008 season at third base but is generally considered a first baseman because he spent his first two years at ASU at that position and most clubs scouted him this season with the intent that he would return to first.

The college first-base crop, in particular, was one for the ages. Not only were six of the seven first-rounders from the college ranks, but there were 10 selected in the top five rounds—all juniors. A year ago, the college first-base crop was so weak that only two were taken in the first five rounds. One, Matt LaPorta, was a senior who was immediately moved to the outfield in pro ball. The other, Sean Doolittle, was a two-way player that a number of clubs liked better on the mound.

It was apparent that this year’s college first-base crop would be special from the time the players enrolled in college as freshmen, though none had been drafted in the top 15 rounds in 2005 out of high school. Yonder Alonso, drafted seventh overall this year by the Reds, was an immediate hit at Miami, topping the Hurricanes in home runs and RBIs as a freshman—only the second player in Hurricanes history to achieve that feat. Ryan Braun was the other. Justin Smoak, taken 11th overall this year by the Rangers, smashed 17 homers as a South Carolina freshman and then went on to lead the Cape Cod League in homers that summer, cementing himself as a future first-rounder.

Beyond Alonso and Smoak, every other college first baseman drafted in the top five rounds this year enjoyed varying levels of success early in his college career (see accompanying list), and the list could conceivably have been expanded to include several other early-round picks from this year’s draft who were first basemen at some point in their careers.

Shortstop Ryan Flaherty (.324-14-63), a Cubs’ supplemental first-rounder, spent most of his freshman year at Vanderbilt at first base. Miami outfielder Dennis Raben (.298-10-49), a Mariners’ second-rounder, was drafted by Seattle out of high school as a first baseman, and would have probably played that position more extensively at in college were it not for Alonso. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) outfielder Kirk Niewenhuis (.400-15-68), a Mets’ third-rounder, saw extensive time at first base in college and summer ball. Kentucky outfielder Sawyer Carroll (.419-19-83), a Padres’ supplemental third-rounder, was exclusively a first baseman as a college junior a year ago. Alabama catcher Alex Avila (.342-17-62), a fifth-round pick of the Tigers, saw extensive time at first base a year ago for the Crimson Tide before moving behind the plate this season. Michigan’s Zach Putnam (.307-11-51), drafted in the fifth round by the Indians, saw service at first base in his role as the nation’s best two-way talent.

The college first-base connection in this year’s draft doesn’t stop there. Rockies’ sixth-rounder Kiel Roling (.340-8-51) was a third Arizona State draftee, besides Davis and Wallace, who has seen significant time at first. And the Virginia college ranks produced a trio of first basemen in the first 10 rounds—Virginia’s Jeremy Farrell (.316-11-54), chosen in the eighth round by the Pirates; Virginia Commonwealth’s Jared Bolden (.355-12-44), drafted in the ninth round by the Rangers; and James Madison’s Steve Caseres (.342-21-70), selected in the ninth round by the Dodgers.

Four of the nation’s top 10 home-run hitters this year were first baseman, including Louisiana State’s Matt Clark (25) and Michigan’s Nate Recknagel (23). Clark was drafted in the 12th round by the Padres, Recknagel in the 19th round by the Indians, though his season ended prematurely when he suffered a partially-dislocated elbow.

Four first basemen were also among the nation’s top 10 in walks, led by Alonso with 74 (entering the College World Series) and Dykstra with 62.

Following are the first 10 college first basemen drafted this year. We’ve noted their career progression, from where they were drafted out of high school vs. now, and their primary stats (AVG-HR-RBI) when they were college freshmen vs. 2008 as juniors.
Rank Player College Drafted '05 Drafted '08 Stats '06 Stats '08
1 Yonder Alonso Miami Twins (16) Reds (1/7th) .295-10-69 .367-23-71
2 Justin Smoak South Carolina Athletics (16) Rangers (1/11th) .303-17-63 .383-23-72
3 Brett Wallace Arizona State Blue Jays (42) Cardinals (1/13th) .371-7-32 .410-22-83
4 David Cooper California Not drafted Blue Jays (1/17th) .305-2-37 .359-19-55
5 Ike Davis Arizona State Rays (19) Mets (1/18th) .329-9-65 .385-16-76
6 Allan Dykstra Wake Forest Red Sox (34) Padres (1/23rd) .324-15-56 .323-16-50
7 Shane Peterson Long Beach State Not drafted Cardinals (2/59th) .328-2-19 .390-7-50
8 Ryne White Purdue Not drafted D’backs (4/138th) .352-6-45 .333-12-48
9 Mike Sheridan William & Mary Not drafted Rays (5/143rd) .333-3-33 .423-15-72
10 Jeremy Hamilton Wright State Not drafted Phillies (5/166th) .282-5-31 .410-9-49
# Round/overall draft slot noted
* Spent freshman year at Cal State Fullerton
--ALLAN SIMPSON Top Ten List Archives
 
SUN DEVILS SET DRAFT RECORD
Monday June 9, 2008
From having the very first pick in the first draft to a record 367 players drafted through the years, Arizona State’s impact on the baseball draft has been profound. But the Sun Devils have never impacted the draft before quite like they did this year.

ASU had 15 players drafted last week, breaking the draft record for most players drafted from one college. The Sun Devils previously set the old record of 14, in 1982, and that mark was subsequently tied by Cal State Fullerton in 2005 and Rice in 2007.

Every Sun Devil player that was drafted was selected in the first 34 rounds, including two in the first round—third baseman Brett Wallace (Cardinals, 13th overall) and first baseman Ike Davis (Mets, 18th overall).

Not only did ASU’s current roster play a significant role in the draft, but Sun Devils recruits did as well. Five high school players who have commitments to play at Arizona State were selected in the top 52 picks overall, including three first-rounders—Florida first baseman Eric Hosmer (Royals, 3rd overall), California catcher Kyle Skipworth (Marlins, 6th overall) and British Columbia catcher Brett Lawrie (Brewers, 16th overall).

While ASU’s impact throughout the draft was greater than any college team this year, No. 1-ranked Miami had the most immediate impact as three Hurricanes players were selected in the first round with first baseman Yonder Alonso going to Cincinnati with the 7th pick, second baseman Jemile Weeks to Oakland with the 12th selection and closer Carlos Gutierrez to Minnesota with the 27th pick.

The Hurricanes became the fourth college team in draft history to have three players drafted in the first round. Previously, that feat had been accomplished by Michigan in 1979, Fresno State in 1989 and Rice in 2004.

The Southeastern Conference had more players drafted this year, 64, than any Division I conference, but the Pacific-10, with three fewer teams, was close behind at 61. The Big 12 followed with 55 draft picks, the Atlantic Coast 53 and the Big West 50.

Led by Arizona State’s record total, here are the colleges with the most selections in this year’s draft, along with the first player picked from each school:
Rank School No. Drafted Highest Pick (Round)
1 Arizona State 15 Brett Wallace, 1b, Cardinals (1)
2 Arizona 11 Ryan Perry, rhp, Tigers (1)
  Long Beach State 11 Shane Peterson, 1b, Cardinals (2)
  Rice 11 Bryan Price, rhp, Red Sox (*1)
5 Wichita State 10 Conor Gillaspie, 3b, Giants (*1)
6 College of Charleston 9 Jeremie Tice, 3b, Indians (6)
  North Carolina State 9 Clayton Shunick, rhp, Reds (5)
8 Cal Poly 8 Brent Morel, 3b, White Sox (3)
  Oral Roberts 8 David Genao, c, Rays (18)
  Texas A&M 8 Jose Duran, ss, Brewers (6)
  Vanderbilt 8 Pedro Alvarez, 3b, Pirates (1)
*Supplemental phase
--ALLAN SIMPSON Top Ten List Archives