College Breakout Players
A week after compiling my Perfect Game All-American college team, this week I’m going to talk about some college players that are poised for a big, breakout season.

Last year I profiled 12 players in a similar fashion while identifying them as potential sleepers, players that were ready to step up and make significant contributions for their college teams while improving their draft stocks in the eyes of scouts. Since there is almost no such thing as a true sleeper in the baseball scouting community, I chose to change how I labeled these players.

From injuries to opportunities, transfers and a variety of other reasons, most of these players have always had the talent but just haven’t showed what they can do on a consistent basis. Or, they have shown time and time again what they can do, but they aren’t as well known to people that enjoy following draft-eligible prospects, in which I’m predicting that to change this coming spring.

So, this year I have assembled an all-breakout team with a notable player at each position.

Catcher
Nick Stanley – NC State
Starting with catcher was no easy task, as there were a good half-dozen players that I considered for this spot. Stanley got the nod for his accomplishments with the bat during two seasons at South Florida Community College and his performance last summer in the Valley League. He hit .491 last spring with seven dingers and 12 doubles and followed that up by hitting .321 in the Valley League using a wood bat. He has since transferred to NC State, and will be asked to replace Caleb Mangum, the Wolfpack’s leader in home runs (eight) and RBI (48) a season ago. The Wolfpack have had a knack for developing pro caliber catchers with big bats in recent years, which includes Colt Morton, Jon Still and Aaron Bates, even if some of those players are now playing other positions.

First Base
Sam Honeck – Tulane
Honeck is a big, powerful left-handed hitter that profiles in a similar fashion to former Tulane slugger Mark Hamilton, now a member of the Cardinals organization. Honeck is transferring after a big season at Grayson County Community College, where he hit .372 with 12 home runs. He continued to mash in the Clark Griffith League by hitting .307 and belting another 10 bombs. With a patient approach and a good glove at first base, he could add another name in the first several rounds of the draft to an already impressive list of draft eligible college first basemen.

Second Base
Dan Brewer – Bradley
Brewer isn’t exactly looking to breakout, as he has enjoyed two very successful seasons with Bradley and made a bigger name for himself nationally last summer by hitting .297 on the Cape with seven home runs while appearing in the league’s all-star game. He plays shortstop at Bradley, but played all over the field on the Cape, and could settle in at second base at the professional level. The lack of ideal size and tools keeps him from ranking higher on top prospects lists, but another big spring could make him a name taken in the top two to three rounds, particularly by a team that places a greater emphasis on statistical production.

Third Base
Nate Hanson – Minnesota
Hanson received praise from each and every single coach and scout I talked to last summer in compiling the Northwoods League top prospect list for his character, hustle, intensity and on-field leadership. What he lacks in tools he makes up for, and then some, in hard work, and that hard work has translated into a career .328 batting average in two seasons with the Golden Gophers. He also led the Northwoods League in hitting (.363) and was third in slugging (.515), and many feel he could play second base at the professional level despite the lack of ideal foot speed due to his work ethic.

Shortstop
Jason Christian – Michigan
Christian is another example of a player that has put up big numbers consistently during his college career, but doesn’t garner a lot of national attention. One scout told me last summer that had Christian hadn’t left the Northwoods League early due to injury he probably would have received more consideration as one of the top prospects in the league. A left-handed hitter, he’s a four-tool prospect only missing power, and even then he hit 31 extra-base hits a year ago. With good speed, solid range and a strong throwing arm, he could play up the middle or at third base, and was a big part of the Wolverines success in 2007.

Outfield
Jason Kipnis – Arizona State
A draft-eligible sophomore, Kipnis transferred to Arizona State from Kentucky and stands to be one of the Sun Devils’ regulars in the outfield. A left-handed hitter, he profiles very similar to a trio of sweet-hitting corner outfielders that have preceded him in Travis Buck, Andre Ethier and Tim Smith. Kipnis has an exciting blend of speed and power which he showcased in limited opportunities last spring for the Wildcats (he hit .337 with 16 extra-base hits and 11 stolen bases) and last summer as one of the top prospects in the Valley League (.318 batting average, 22 extra-base hits, 24 stolen bases). His presence adds another potent bat to an already lethal Sun Devils lineup.

Nick Buss – USC
Buss isn’t going to sneak up on any scouts this spring after leading the Alaskan League in hitting last summer with a .369 average. He is a good all-around athlete with a tool package highlighted by a sweet left-handed swing, very good speed and power potential that hasn’t quite emerged yet. Many scouts believe that power will indeed come at some point in time, and if it starts to show itself during this spring of 2008, Buss is a candidate to soar up draft boards. Even if it doesn’t develop, many think the power will eventually come, and in the meantime plenty of teams will be willing to take his bat, speed and solid centerfield defense while considering any power he adds down the road to be pure gravy.

Jared Clark – Cal State Fullerton
Losing Clark to a torn ACL before the 2007 season started was a big blow for the Titans. A talented recruit coming out of high school, he originally came to Fullerton as a two-way star, and even entered his sophomore year penciled in as one of the team’s weekend starters before being named the team’s everyday right fielder by mid-season. With a tall, powerful build, it’s easy to see Clark’s power potential, and his equally strong throwing arm makes him a perfect fit in right field. He may be asked to play some first base as well this season while providing veteran leadership to a young and inexperienced team that lost a lot of talent after last year, not to mention head coach George Horton. Cal State Fullerton has been a mainstay among the best teams in the nation, and with a big year Clark could help the program’s transition to new head coach Dave Serrano go that much more smoothly.

Utility
Adam Abraham - Michigan
One Northwoods League coach called Abraham a freak for his ability to warm up after just a couple of pitches. That type of rubber arm makes him a valuable member of the Wolverines bullpen (he went 5-1 last spring with a 2.97 ERA), and he also is an integral member of the starting lineup (he hit .320 with 15 doubles and five home runs in 2007) while serving as the team’s everyday third baseman. He gives Michigan yet another talented two-way talent to complement the more nationally recognized Zach Putnam, and he is the second of two Wolverines on this list that has the potential to make an even bigger impression this spring.

Starting Pitcher
Bryce Stowell – UC Irvine
Stowell didn’t pitch last year after transferring from Pepperdine, and he threw well during the summer on the Cape in addition to throwing well the summer before as part of the Central Illinois Collegiate League. He will team with returning starter Scott Gorgen to help make up for loss of Wes Etheridge, who posted a 9-2 season a year ago with a 2.80 ERA. Stowell isn’t a true sleeper in that he has the potential to be drafted in the early rounds already, but with a big year and further development of an already strong body of work, Stowell could be considered for the top two rounds of the draft.

Nate Newman - Pepperdine
Newman transferred to Pepperdine after spending his freshman year at Tulane and his sophomore season at Grayson County Community College. An accomplished hitter with considerable power, Newman’s 6’5”, 210 pound frame gives him the perfect size for a starter, and he could give Pepperdine one of the better weekend rotations teaming with Brett Hunter while trying to fill the shoes of the departed Barry Enright. Newman’s fastball has been clocked in the 88-91 range with good sink, and he can reach a few digits higher than that on occasion, but it’s not hard to imagine him pitching harder, more consistently given his size. He also throws a good slider and a split-fingered fastball that acts as his changeup.

Andy Marks – Kansas
Marks isn’t going to get drafted for his raw, pure stuff, but if he continues to improve his command of an impressive three-pitch repertoire he could get drafted early and profile as a prototypical crafty lefty. He projects to serve as the Jayhawks Friday ace this spring, and his arsenal is highlighted by a knockout curveball and a upper-80s fastball that he’s able to sink and cut, of which he spots like a seasoned veteran. His pickoff move is also a deadly weapon to help neutralize the opposing running game. Marks is poised to carry the success from his summer performance in the Northwoods League to his junior year after two so-so seasons so far at Kansas.

Relief Pitcher
Aaron Weatherford – Mississippi State
I listed Weatherford a week ago as part of my Perfect Game All-American team as an honorable mention. While he has enjoyed success at the college level, his career has been slowed by a few injuries, which started with bicep tendinitis during the summer of 2006 and was followed by a nerve problem in his throwing shoulder last spring. Now healthy, Weatherford reportedly was pitching in the mid-to-upper 90s in the fall, and complements his fastball with a very nasty curveball. He throws effortlessly, despite being only six feet tall, and there is a good chance that a pro team will give him a chance as a starter a la former Bulldog closer Jonathan Papelbon given the foundation for a strong changeup. His teammate Ricky Bowen, a draft-eligible sophomore, is also a breakout candidate to keep an eye on.

Limiting this list to 13 players was no easy task. If you have a player in mind that you feel is going to explode during the 2008 college season I welcome you to email me and share. If I get enough players nominated I will assemble a second list based on the responses I receive, as I could add a few more of my own to even things out.

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.