Ok, this is it, my FINAL FINAL report from 2005 WWBA Championships. The holiday season went a bit longer than I had planned and the staff was in Florida for our National Underclass showcase, so I apologize for the delay in posting the last few reports. This final report, as I have stated previously, will cover my evaluations of the players on the Braves Scout Team. This team was in a word, loaded, but they didn't make it as far in the tournament as the names on the roster suggested they might. Of course, the team was run by the Atlanta Braves Scouting Department and winning was secondary to giving each player a good opportunity to shine in front of a huge crowd of national level scouts.
Going into the tournament, I had seen quite a bit of many of the players on that roster, players such as Hank Conger (C/3B - CA), Joe Hatasaki (LHP - CA), Ryan Jackson (SS - FL), Justin Jacobs (IF/OF - CA), Devin Shepherd (OF - CA), Robert Stock (RHP/C - CA), and Shawn Tolleson (RHP - TX). Some of the other players I had seen before, but only once; Bryan Morgado (LHP - FL) and Josh Ravin (RHP - CA), and Kyle Snyder (RHP - FL).
Some of the players on that roster I had never heard of, but there were others that I was very much looking forward to seeing based upon reports I had gotten on them this past summer. The players I had heard good things about but not seen included Ryan Adams (SS - LA), Jacob Brigham (RHP - FL), Zach Britton (LHP - TX), Ryan Butner (RHP - FL), and Tyree Hayes (RHP - TX). I did not get to see all the Braves Scout Team players I wanted to, but was able to really get a good look at many of them. Unfortunately, I did not see some of those I wanted to see most, Brigham, Britton, and Butner.
Let's start with the pitchers I liked the most from this team (not listed in any particular order).
LHP Joe Hatasaki - 5'11" 170, Mountain View HS, Mountain View CA
College commitment - Arizona State
Joe underwent Tommy John surgery in the spring of October of 2004 and showed in Jupiter that he is bouncing back quite nicely. His outing in Jupiter was his first competitive and public outing since the surgery and having seen Joe a number of times, he looked nearly as good as ever. In the past Joe has been up into the low 90s and he likely will return to that level. In Jupiter I saw him range from 84-88 mph and he looked comfortable doing so. More impressive than him touching up to 88 was his sharp command of both halves of the plate with the fastball. He went in and out and also added/subtracted very well.
He only threw a couple of curveballs (only noted one at 73 mph), but his use of and feel of the change-up (78-81 mph) was very good. Joe maintained excellent arm speed with the change and his feel was exceptional, considering coming of TJ surgery. Overall, his outing was as good as could have been expected. He really commanded his body well on the mound and showed the ability to pitch and compete, even without being at full strength.
Joe's composure and mound presence have always been good, and they were again in Jupiter. I don't see Joe forgoing college at this point, but with his feel for the ball and the history of some TJ recoveries throwing harder than before, don't be surprised if a club with multiple early round picks takes a shot at him early in the draft and tries to buy him out of that ASU scholarship. Joe and his family are very level headed people so I assume that when it comes time for the signability and all that, the MLB clubs will know exactly where he and his family sit. Having seen his former teammate RHP Erik Davis (now at Stanford) go through a very tough year in relation to draft stock or status and then the subsequent summer negotiations after the Angels took him near the very end of the draft, Joe and his family are in a pretty good position, in terms of awareness.
RHP Tyree Hayes - 6'1" 175, Tomball HS, Tomball TX
College commitment -
Hayes, the son of former MLB 3rd baseman Charlie Hayes, showed a very quick arm and though his body (right now wiry strong) is not right now what most MLB scouts would want it to be for the pro game, remember his dad is a big and strong man, so don't discount the possibility of late size gains for Tyree. He pitches from an over the top slot and has a loose arm. In Jupiter I saw him for only one inning and saw an 87-88 mph fastball with lively arm side run. He spun the curveball well, but his release point did not get to very good extension (due mostly to his cross body stride). That resulted in early breaking action on his curveball. In any case, his arm is live and he does have those MLB genes, which means Tyree is going to get many opportunities to turn on the scouts in Texas.
LHP Kevin Chapman - 6'3" 195, Westminster Academy, Margate FL
College commitment - Florida
Chapman was one of the players I had not seen nor heard of prior to WWBA in Jupiter. His profile on paper was as good as his body looked on the mound, a prototypical body for a pro type lefty. He pitched from high 3/4 slot with an easy arm action, though his cross body stride did not allow him to maximize his extension. His fastball was good, but not overpowering (84-89). Chapman was up in the zone a lot with the fastball, but he had a lot of run on it. I would like to see more down angle (tilt) with his fastball. That cross body stride does provide some of the movement, but it also locks up his hips a bit and as I said, hurts his extension, minimizing the angle of his fastball.
I saw a curveball at 68 mph, but it appeared as though his best secondary pitch was his 72-75 mph change-up. On the arm side against right handers he faded that pitch well. The concern I had with Chapman was not with his arm or his body, but with the quality of his secondary pitches and also his ability to get out left handed hitters. I saw him struggle versus lefties and just didn't an ability to get inside against them, due mostly to his slot and his stride. Maybe a different spot on the rubber would help him to be more effective against lefties. Then again, I have only seen him one time, and it is certainly possible that I did not see him at his best. I do like his arm action and projectability and certainly consider him a draftable left hander, but would have to see more out of his secondary pitches and command before I felt like he could be a top 10 round type guy.
RHP Shawn Tolleson - 6'2" 215, Allen HS, Fairview TX
College commitment - Baylor
After seeing him in numerous high profile events this past summer, Tolleson is one of my favorite high school right handers and I think he has a very good pro career ahead of him, whether that is right out of high school or after his time at Baylor. He was not as good in Jupiter as I had seen him all summer, especially in terms of fastball velocity (we reported that he touched up to 90, but I only saw him at 85-88 in the one time I saw him), but he remains one of the toughest right handers to hit due to the heaviness of his fastball and the way he keeps the ball down in the zone. Too complement his heavy sinker, he also has a nasty slider that at times is a plus pitch (was 76-77 when I saw him). The spin on his slider is tight and the action is late.
To me Tolleson has appeared to be a competitive kid and his stuff, particularly when on good rest and in the "regular" season, is plenty good enough to foresee success at the pro level out of high school. The pro scouts in Texas saw plenty of him as a junior last year when they were out scouting his former teammate and batterymate Preston Paramore, now at ASU. This year they will be back following Allen HS to see where Tolleson fits into the draft mix. At one point I felt (and I think publicly stated) that he was no less than a 4th round type talent and I certainly could foresee him going before that. When I saw him at his best, he was 89-92 and still had that heavy action and that good slider, to go with good command and a durable/strong body. We shall see.
RHP Chase Anderson - 6'4" 240, Mandarin HS, Jacksonville FL
College commitment - not sure
Anderson was another pitcher I had not seen nor heard of prior to Jupiter. He is obviously a big framed pitcher with a body that would suggest durability. He pitched from a high 3/4 slot with a quick arm action that had some jerkiness to it. There were times when his 86-89 mph (we had him touching 91) fastball came out with power sink, but it was not consistent. His 74-75 mph slider had decent late action and pretty good spin. I would assume that Anderson will get a lot of looks from the pro scouts in the spring and if his command improves while at the same time sitting 89-92 with power sink, he will move up the draft charts.
'07 RHP/C Robert Stock - 6'1" 180, Agoura HS, Westlake Village CA
College commitment - wherever he wants
The reigning Baseball America player of the year did not disappoint the scouts in Jupiter, at least not in terms of his arm strength. There is no doubt that Stock is a legit two-way prospect at this time (he can really swing the bat, and does so from the left side) and no one has ever questioned his arm. I first saw him as a 14 year old at an Area Code tryout in Sacramento and he was in the low 90s then. In Jupiter, in a game that finished in minimal light that you may have heard or read about somewhere else, Stock went up to 95 on the dozens of radar guns aimed at him during that game. That 95 mph was second to only the 97 shown by Cory Rasmus.
In that one inning outing that ended with Stock balking in the winning run after a very impressive rally by the Prime Time Prospects team out of Florida (started by two great at-bats, one by '06 OF Nicolas Avila - the best AB I saw all tourney as he shortened up and hit a scorching liner back up the middle on a 94 mph fastball in the dark - and one by '07 1B/3B Anthony Boza), Stock was primarily 92-94 with the fastball. He also features what at times could be characterized as a plus curveball because of its action, but because he is not consistent yet with his command, it really is only a potentially plus pitch. He is obviously not built in a way yet that suggests a whole lot of longevity throwing that hard, but for the last few summers, he has kept creeping up with the velocity.
At this time I am inclined to like him more as a prospect with the bat. Let me tell you, if you have not seen him swing the bat, Stock can flat out hit. He has a very quiet approach and drives the ball from gap to gap. He stays back on offspeed pitches and has a quick bat to the fastball. His ability to drive the ball to the opposite field and then also in the gap on the pull side was very impressive to me. With wood in his hands at this age he is a doubles hitting machine and in time as he continues to get stronger, he looks to be a 25-30 HR type hitter who also hits for average. On top of all that he can do on the field at such a young age and being so highly publicized, in the times I have come across him, he is a pleasant kid and seems quite grounded.
As I close the pitchers' reports talking about Stock's bat, let's move onto the position players I liked the best from this team. Oh, before I move on, remember that I did not see all the pitchers from the Braves team in Florida, so I missed guys like Morgado, Butner, Brigham, Britton, Ravin, and Snyder. I did see Stephen Strasburg (RHP, 6'4" 230, West Hills HS, Santee CA) and he was 86-89 in the stretch I saw him (we had him up to 91) with an 80 mph slider. Strasburg is yet another big, durable, power type arm with a slider.
SS Ryan Jackson - 6'2" 170, S/R, Florida Christian HS, Miami Springs FL
College commitment - Miami
With Jackson, certain things are known, but the questions about him are at this point more talked about by scouts. What is known is that he is an excellent defensive player, possibly the top fielding SS in the '06 class. His feel for defense and his energy for that side of the game are clear. He also has an overall feel for the game, evidenced by his anticipation and jumps on B.I.D.'s (balls in dirt). He does a nice job of executing a contact hitting approach and has a chance to do so from both sides of the plate. He makes plays on the run and has plus hands. Lastly, Jackson's body is a positive in the sense that he is still a long way from being as strong as he will be which lends to the thought that his best baseball is still considerably ahead of him.
Now, as for the questions about him, if you are aware of him, you are aware of the questions; footspeed (saw 4.55-4.62 down the line from right side), light bat, arm strength. Those are all legitimate questions. Is it a knock to say that Ryan Jackson's ceiling as a player brings to mind someone like Neifi Perez? Of course not because Neifi Perez is a former All-Star and still a very quality Big League player. On the flip side, to suggest that Ryan Jackson could ever be as good as Neifi Perez, a former All-Star, could also be considered a big stretch.
In Jupiter it looked to me like Jackson is starting to get stronger. The ball was leaving his bat better from the right side (did not see him hit left handed). His hitting approach was good as he was not trying to do too much with the ball and showed the ability to hit the other way. I like Jackson and like watching him play and just like you, am very intrigued to see how he continues to develop.
OF/MIF Justin Jacobs - 6'2" 180, R/R, Chino HS, Pomona CA
College commitment - San Diego State
Jacobs has been growing on me, at least his offensive abilities have. He has a quick bat and is a very good line drive hitter. He was good in the Area Codes and was good when I saw him in Jupiter, where I saw him hitting the ball very hard the other way. Young hitters who have the ability to drive the ball the other way with wood bats, I like those players. Now, as for his defensive abilities, the Braves had him listed as a primary OF and I agree with that. He has been playing SS/2B in high school in California, but I have yet to see his feet work well enough in the infield that suggests he can stay there. It is likely that in college he plays multiple positions for a couple of years with his bat getting him in the line-up on a day to day basis. His pro prospects will depend on where he settles in as a defensive player.
SS Ryan Adams - 6'0" 190, R/R, Jesuit HS, Mandeville LA
College commitment - Louisiana State
Adams is a baller and is the type of player you just get the feeling will play for a long time. If he does get to LSU, look for him to be a multiple time All-American and then a top round pick after his junior year. Jupiter was my first look at Adams and there were many things I saw him do that I liked, and some were not simply related to his tools, which are strong.
It is acknowledged that Adams is one of the most offensive middle infielders in the nation and I agree. He has a quick bat and is aggressive with some pop to all fields. On top of his ability with the bat, he is a smart hitter. I saw him get beat in one at-bat by a two-strike slider and then in his next at-bat, he looked slider in the same two-strike situation and drove a triple over the right fielders head when he got it.
That stuff is the sign of a player who understands the game, makes adjustments from at-bat to at-bat, and can execute a plan. Not only is Adams a talented and smart hitter, he also showed patience at the plate by working the pitcher for a big walk late in a very tight game. Too many young hitters let tight situations beat them by expanding the zone. Adams does not look the type of player that does that. Adams is a good runner (saw 4.39-4.42 home to first) so with the pop in his bat, he is going to hit a lot of doubles and triples, in both college and someday in pro ball.
He is also a quality defensive player, which enhances his offensive abilities that much more. Similar to another top middle infielder from last year (David Adams), Adams is getting a lot of attention for his all-around baseball ability and will be spoken of as a potential upper round pick. When it came down to it, David Adams was too tough to sign and honored his college commitment to Virginia. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Ryan Adams.
C/3B Hank Conger - 6'1" 220, S/R, Huntington Beach HS, Huntington Beach CA
College commitment - Southern Cal
For a few summer seasons now the scouting community has been aware of Conger and his power with the bat and his power arm. Those things are absolutes, though his power is not, in my opinion, as good as Henry Sanchez had coming out of high school. However, I must temper that sentiment a bit because in the past I have been very critical of how hard Conger swung, trying to access the power that he was already bringing to the plate each at-bat anyway. In Jupiter, I saw a different Hank Conger. He was much more in control of his swing and guess what, he was still showing big time power. The home run I saw him hit might have left the yard half way up the light towers in right field. He is strong and has plus bat speed.
Conger knows what he wants to hit and at times, I think he is too selective at the plate, considering that he can leave any part of the yard and doesn't have to get the perfect pitch to do it. I also was critical of how he tends to power hook offspeed stuff. He looks to be the type of hitter who will be a high on base percentage guy with big power numbers. However, that selectivity could result in a lot of hitting from behind in the count and a lot of strike outs (remember, even though he seems to have toned down his swing, he still swings very hard). In Jupiter he was not swinging and missing as much as I have seen in the past, so again, Conger is making important strides.
Defensively, there is no doubt that he has a big time arm. His ball tracks to second base on a line and he is pretty accurate. Conger has a developed lower body and agility is not his strong suit behind the plate, evidenced by how high he sets up in the crouch.
As for his ability at 3B, I only saw one chance, a backhand that he felt for and did not handle cleanly, but from his actions over there, 3B is clearly a secondary position for him. It is more likely that he would play 1B than 3B in college or pro ball. I understand that catchers like Mike Piazza and Michael Barrett are in the line-up for their bats and that Conger has more value behind the plate than anywhere else on the field.
Obviously I watch Conger closely and have a lot of critical things to say. That is how it is supposed to be when you are dealing with players that will be talked about and considered for the very top rounds of the draft, especially high school players. Do not get me wrong, I love his power and understand that the bat is the most important tool at the Big League level and that Conger brings something to the table that very few high school players do, legitimate middle of the order power.
If you don't agree with what I have to say about Conger, that is fine and I respect that. But please respect that I have watched him closely, not to tear him apart, but because I want to evaluate players like him as though I imagine scouting directors and general managers do. He is going to be considered for a very significant signing bonus and deservedly so.
C/1B Monk Kreder - 6'2" 215, R/R, Keller HS, Keller TX
College commitment - Texas Christian
This tournament was my first look at Kreder, and frankly, I had not heard of him prior. In Kreder I saw a very good receiver and a hard nosed catcher with some bat speed. He was getting around the ball a bit more than I like to see, but he has some pop and is going to hit some balls out of the yard. He is built to handle the rigors of the position and yet still has the lower body flexibility to crouch and provide a good target for his pitchers. Catchers are valued in the draft, but to be an upper round draft pick as a catcher (aside from signability), a high school catcher needs to have an advanced bat as his primary tool (such as Neil Walker) or a strong all-around skill set (such as 4th round pick Bryan Anderson in 2005, left hand hitter, good runner, pop in the bat, strong arm). Kreder is not that type of catcher yet, so he likely is headed to play for the Horned Frogs.
C Jace Whitmer - 6'3" 190, R/R, Harrison HS, Marietta GA
College commitment - not sure
I didn't see enough of Whitmer to really break him down. I do know that I loved his frame. At the plate I also like the leverage in his swing and he got through the ball well with extension. There was some length in his swing, but that can be overcome with timing and an executed approach to hitting middle away. As for his defensive abilities, was not bearing down on that part of his game. Really, it was his frame I was drawn to when he was at the plate and then some things I liked in his swing.
OF Devin Shepherd - 6'2" 225, R/R, Oxnard HS, Oxnard CA
College commitment - Oklahoma
First let me say that Devin Shepherd is one of the most pleasant, polite, and mature young players I have met. Everyone has different opinions of young players, but in my experience, Devin Shepherd is a quality kid. Ok, that being said, I recognize his raw power. I recognize that he has a legitimate RF arm. I recognize that he runs pretty well for a big young man (4.52 down the line is what I had in Jupiter). I recognize that he was named MVP of the AFLAC All-American game and he won the home run derby at another elite player event last summer.
He showed some good things at Area Codes, but after all that, I still feel like he would benefit from going to college and getting refined as a hitter. More than anything, I have questions about his trigger at the plate because I have seen him want to react to certain hittable pitches but not be able to get his swing started on time. That is a technical adjustment he can and I assume he will make. I do not question his bat speed or his power. I don't think he is a swing and miss hitter. Shepherd is strong and not real flexible, but if he is on time to the ball he is going to be a middle of the order run producer. I still think he will be a pretty high round pick this June and from my experience with him, he is a coachable and mature kid that can handle pro ball out of high school and handle the adjustments he will be asked to make.
Ok, that is it for my reports from the 2005 WWBA Championships. Thanks for reading my thoughts and remember, we are all entitled to disagree on players. The thing to remember is that if I take the time to write about a player, I like that player, plain and simple. I am looking forward to writing some different pieces for you in the spring time, leading up to the draft and the busy summer showcase and tournament schedule next summer.
I have yet to do this, but here goes... if you want to reach me, you can do so at bclemmens@perfectgame.org.