Crack of the Bat

by Patrick Ebert

SoCal Bats
When preparing this week’s column, I initially intended to write about the talented and deep crop of prep shortstops that are available for this year’s draft.  When compiling the names I reminded myself just how many of these talented middle infielders are from Southern California, and how many other talented Southern California bats I would be leaving off the list if I limited the discussion to just shortstops.

The depth at shortstop at the high school level has been extremely obvious since last fall’s WWBA World Championship in Jupiter.  It is significant to note since there wasn’t a single shortstop selected in the first round of the draft last June, the first time that had ever happened.  That trend will not continue to this year, as I doubt we will see that happen again for quite some time.

While the prep shortstop category is something I may re-visit later this spring, having scribed a column on this same subject the past two years, the number of special bats available from Southern California is truly unique, even for a part of the country that traditionally produces an incredible amount of future Major League talent.  Of last year’s Aflac All-American West roster, seven of the 19 players hailed from Southern California .  That doesn’t include two NorCal pitchers, Erik Goedell and Kyle Blair, and other than two-way standout Robert Stock, who started the game for the West, the rest of those SoCal natives were primarily positional players.  I should also point out that those seven SoCal players represent more players than all of Texas on the West squad (six) and two more than those selected from Florida for the East squad (five).

Listed below are the high school players from Southern California that have the best chance to be selected in the top five rounds of this June’s draft.

Christian Colon - SS (Canyon HS)
Colon was named the MVP of last summer’s Aflac All-American Classic by going two for three with three runs scored and stealing three bases hitting atop the West lineup, as that performance showcased his skills perfectly.  Defensively Colon is very sound, with good, natural footwork, soft hands and a strong arm.  While there isn’t much over the fence power to hit swing, he exhibits a patient eye at the plate and hits the ball to the gaps, using his speed to do the rest.  Colon has succeeded at the highest of levels including the Aflac game, the Area Codes Games, playing for Team USA and performing at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter.  His life has taken an equally interesting path, from being born in Puerto Rico to moving to Texas, then Utah and finally to California, while changing his surname from Rodriguez to Colon.

Bobby Coyle – OF (Chatsworth HS)
The first of three players from Chatsworth High School on this list, Coyle isn’t as well known to most fans that enjoy following the top prospects available for the draft as Matt Dominguez and Mike Moustakas are.  Coyle didn’t waste any time making an impression for the undefeated, national champion Chatsworth Chancellors in 2004, leading the team in batting average and slugging percentage as a freshman.  He is a sound defender that rarely makes mistakes, using sound instincts and solid speed to cover ground in the outfield.  None of his tools stand out, but he is more than solid across the board.

Travis d’Arnaud – C (Lakewood HS)
Outside of Aflac All-American Yasmani Grandal, d’Arnaud may be the best defensive catcher in the nation, displaying quick feet, good blocking ability and a very strong throwing arm.  A very good overall athlete, d’Arnaud scored very well in the SPARQ athletic tests, showcasing very good speed, especially for a catcher.  He also swings a promising bat, and his older brother Chase is the starting third baseman for the Pepperdine Waves.  Travis is also a Pepperdine recruit, as the Waves have had a knack in recent years drawing some of the more talented catchers in the area.

Ryan Dent – SS (Woodrow Wilson HS)
Few players in the nation are as exciting overall prospects as Dent is.  His overall skill-set is very similar to Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal in that he has game-changing speed, good defense, a strong throwing arm, a little bit of pop, and profiles the best at the top of a lineup.  Dent’s size has led some to believe that he may be better suited to playing second base, but at this point in time he has done nothing to be moved from the shortstop position, and continues to be at his best at the highest, most prolific national events that includes the Area Codes Games and the WWBA World Championship.

Matt Dominguez – 3B (Chatsworth HS)
Dominguez along with Victor Sanchez and Josh Vitters, as profiled below, could easily represent their own sub-category as talented SoCal third baseman.  Dominguez may be the most promising of the trio with a very good blend of size, athleticism and power potential.  His bat isn’t as polished as Vitters, but you could say that about every other prep hitter out there, on this list and across the nation.  Dominguez played a big role for Chatsworth High School’s impressive undefeated season during his freshman year leading to a number one national ranking, a team that also featured his brother Jason, who like Travis D’Arnaud’s older brother, is now playing for Pepperdine.

Freddie Freeman – 1B (El Modena HS)
At 6’4”, 200 pounds, Freeman looks like a prototypical, slugging first baseman.  Given his size, he has surprising athleticism, has played some third base in recent years and may be tried as a corner outfielder at the next level before he is permanently installed at first base.  Freeman is the type of batter that can hit the ball a long, long way given his frame and leverage, and despite his size he covers the strike zone very well.  He performed well playing for Team USA last summer while starting the Aflac game for the West squad.  Few in the nation can match his power potential.

Brett Krill – OF (Aliso Niguel HS)
Krill resembles former first-round pick and current Braves right fielder Jeff Francoeur given his tall, strong and athletic frame and five-tool abilities.  Krill has the perfect athletic frame with broad yet sloped shoulders, a narrow, high waist and strong limbs.  While he has enough speed and arm strength to easily handle centerfield at this stage in his career, his power/power profile may make him a better prototypical fit for right field down the road.  Krill has very good bat speed and exciting power potential, although his swing can get long and there are some holes to be found.  Given his overall talents, there is nothing he can’t overcome.

Andrew Lambo – 1B (Newbury Park HS)
Lambo was a member of the talented Reds Scout Team, otherwise known as the Midland Redskins, at last fall’s WWBA World Championship.  While teammates Jeff Schaus won the tournament MVP award, Lambo may have been the event’s best hitter, consistently driving the ball to all part’s of the field against the best pitchers in the nation.  Lambo’s approach is extremely sound, with a good eye and a very good swing from the left side of the plate.  Overall he is a very good athlete, and despite being able to play an outfield corner, he has Gold Glove potential at first base while also starring for his high school’s basketball and football team’s.  Lambo is definitely a name on the rise to keep an eye on.

Mike Moustakas – IF/C (Chatsworth HS)
Moustakas doesn’t seem to mind that his talented teammate, Matt Dominguez, gets most to all of the national attention when it comes to prospect discussions.  While Dominguez has an impact bat, Moustakas is a fine hitter in his own right, consistently showing the ability to make the necessary in-game adjustments that should allow him to hit for power and average at the next level.  He also has very good all-around athleticism that allows him to play anywhere on the infield, and many believe his best position as a professional will be as a catcher, where his lateral quickness and arm strength would serve him well.

Nick Noonan – SS (Francis Parker HS)
Many believe Noonan will eventually settle in at second base, where his left-handed bat may draw a few comparisons to former Southern California standout Chase Utley, and Noonan even resembles Utley at the plate with a quiet and square, somewhat open stance.  With a lightning quick bat and very intriguing power potential, Noonan has legitimate first-round potential.  While he is a solid overall athlete with good actions and a strong arm, he may lack the ideal range to stick at shortstop.  Few hitters in the nation are as polished as Noonan is.

Victor Sanchez – 3B (Gahr HS)
Sanchez joins Dominguez and Josh Vitters as Southern California ’s amazing trio of third base prospects.  Sanchez joined Dominguez on Team USA last summer, and he also participated at the Perfect Game National Showcase.  His sinewy muscle mass gives him the type of natural, and wiry-quick athleticism that Dominguez and Vitters do not possess, which leads many to believe that he could play second base or even handle a move to behind the plate.  With very good bat speed and a solid overall understanding for the game, Sanchez could emerge as the most dynamic third base prospect of the trio I have lumped him in with.

Mike Stanton – 1B (Notre Dame HS)
Stanton has the best pure power potential of any hitter on this list, and he may just be the most promising power hitter in the nation outside of Michael Burgess.  He generates his right-handed pull power from an intimidating and strong 6’5”, 200+ pound frame.  While Stanton is a solid overall athlete, his best position is first base, where his size makes him a natural and easy target on the infield.  His right-handed bat, as opposed to being a left-handed hitter, may be the only thing keeping him from being ranked higher, as scouts prefer to take left-handed mashers early in the draft.

Sequoyah Stonecipher – OF (Mission Bay HS)
Stonecipher started last summer’s Aflac All-American Classic as the West squad’s centerfielder.  His natural athleticism is evident just looking at him as he takes the field, as he’s the type of player that makes everything look easy with long, flowing actions.  Stonecipher has long, strong limbs that give him exciting power potential, even if that potential hasn’t turned into tangible production at this point in his career.  While he has good range in the outfield, that speed doesn’t translate into stolen base speed, although he does have a good throwing arm.  Stonecipher may profile better in right field than center down the road, but that isn’t something to worry about at this point in time.

Josh Vitters – 3B (Cypress HS)
No hitter in the prep class available for the 2007 draft, and possibly the college class as well, is as polished and well-rounded as Vitters.  He showcased his hitting skills at the highest of levels all last summer, at the Area Code Games and at the Aflac All-American Classic, where many believed he would have been the game’s MVP after going three for four with three doubles and a walk.  Vitters is a great, natural hitter that uses very quick and strong hands and wrists to whip his bat through the strike zone.  He can catch up with any fastball, and he has a keen enough eye to recognize even the most dastardly of breaking balls.  While Vitters isn’t the prototypical overall athlete, he displays good enough footwork and a strong arm at the hot corner, and his bat would play anywhere on the diamond.

The thoughts and opinions listed here do not necessarily reflect those of Perfect Game USA.  Patrick Ebert is affiliated with both Perfect Game USA and Brewerfan.net, and can be contacted via email at pebert@brewerfan.net.