TEXAS COLLEGIATE LEAGUE
TOP 20 PROSPECTS, 2008

Compiled by Allan Simpson; Written by David Rawnsley
In Association with League Managers and Scouts

Official League Website: www.texascollegiateleague.com

The Texas Collegiate League completed a successful season in 2008, with the McKinney Marshalls defeating the Coppell Copperheads to win the league championship—a reverse of the previous season’s outcome. A number of the league’s players, notably righthander Luke Burnett, signed professional contracts during or after the season and players from numerous major college programs (Texas, Alabama, TCU, Rice, Texas A&M, Wichita State, Baylor, to name several) filled rosters and dominated the accompanying top 20 prospect list.

That there was a season and a champion was news somewhat in and of itself, as the league underwent a significant reorganization after the 2007 season, amid financial and legal problems that threatened to dissolve the league.

The TCL remains one of the newer summer college leagues and was started with much fanfare (and eight teams) in 2004. The talent has been top-level since the league’s inception, as the wealth of college talent in Texas and surrounding states made it relatively easy to stock rosters with top college players and potential professional prospects. The wealth of talent didn’t match the wealth of the league, however, leading to the disbanding of five of the original teams after the 2007 season.

The league was in survival-mode to start the 2008 season, but seemed to prosper under a four-team set-up as the talent pool remained impressive, interest in the league remained high among fans and the league’s new franchise, the Brazos Valley Bombers, led the loop in overall attendance. How and if the off-field turmoil will continue to impact the league remains in question, but the 2008 season gave league officials renewed confidence that a prominent summer league in Texas can work.

FAST FACTS
Year League Established: 2004.
States Represented in League: Texas.
Level of Competition (1-to-4 Scale): 2.
No. of Teams in League: 4.
Regular-Season Champion: McKinney Marshalls.
Post-Season Champion: McKinney Marshalls.
Teams, PG Crosschecker Summer 16/Final Ranking: No. 22 McKinney Marshalls.
No. 1 Prospect, 2007 (per PG Crosschecker): Roger Kieschnick, of, Coppell Copperheads (Texas Tech; Giants ’08, third round).
First 2007 Player Selected, 2008 Draft: Brian Price, rhp, Duncanville Deputies (Red Sox, supplemental first round).

Most Valuable Player: Myrio Richard, of, McKinney Marshalls.
Most Outstanding Pitcher: Mike Bolsinger, rhp, McKinney Marshalls.
Top Prospect (as selected by league): None selected.

BATTING LEADERS 
Batting Average: Todd Cunningham, of, Brazos Valley Bombers (.310).
Slugging Percentage: Myrio Richard, of, McKinney Marshalls (.507).
On-Base Average: Adam de la Garza, of, East Texas Pump Jacks (.440).
Home Runs: Justin Bloxom, 1b, McKinney Marshalls; Myrio Richard, of, McKinney Marshalls (6).
RBIs: Myrio Richard, of, McKinney Marshalls (36).
Stolen Bases: Adam de la Garza, of, East Texas Pump Jacks (22).

PITCHING LEADERS 
Wins: Jason Zylstra, rhp, Brazos Valley Bombers (5).
ERA: Sam Strickland, lhp, Brazos Valley Bombers (1.81).
Saves:Dustin Rasco, rhp, Brazos Valley Bombers (9).
Strikeouts: Jimmy Nelson, rhp, McKinney Marshalls (66). .

BEST TOOLS
 Best Hitter: Matt Curry, 1b, East Texas Pump Jacks.
 Best Power: Myrio Richard, of, McKinney Marshalls.
 Fastest Base Runner: Runey Davis, of, Coppell Copperheads.
 Best Defensive Player: Brock Holt, ss, Coppell Copperheads.
 Best Velocity: Luke Burnett, rhp, East Texas Pump Jacks.
Best Breaking Ball: Del Howell, lhp, McKinney Marshalls.

TOP 20 PROSPECTS

  PLAYER POS. TEAM B-T HT WT YR 2009 SCHOOL
1. Del Howell LHP/OF McKinney Marshalls L-L 6-4 190 Jr. Alabama
SCOUTING REPORT: Howell has bounced between the outfield and the pitcher’s mound in two largely unsuccessful years at Alabama, but a successful summer in the TCL (2-2, 2.41 with 47 strikeouts in 34 innings) may have determined once and for all that his future is on the mound. He has a profile pitcher’s build at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds and easy, loose actions and an extended three-quarters release point. Howell touches 92-93 mph with his two-seam fastball and gets excellent movement on a four-seamer at 86-89 mph. His primary strikeout pitch, though, is a hard-biting slider that he can get under the hands of a righthanded hitter. His changeup also showed marked improvement during the summer. Howell walked 19 in 24 innings during the spring and added 19 more walks in his 34 innings for McKinney during the summer, so his command is still developing. That’s not a surprise, given his limited mound time and lack of success the last two seasons at Alabama. In 23 innings overall, all as a sophomore, he has gone just 1-1, 6.65. Howell pitched almost exclusively in relief during the summer and scouts and league managers felt that with his makeup and two potential plus pitches, that this might be his best role in the future. Howell, an 18th-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2006 out of an Alabama high school, has played more as a corner outfielder in college but his inability to make consistent contact hinders his plus power potential. He hit just .186-2-10 with 23 strikeouts in 43 at-bats in the spring and essentially matched that performance in the summer by hitting .186-2-11 with 28 K’s in 70 at-bats.


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