Outfield Gap
Most of the time I focus on areas of strength as it pertains to the draft, whether it be regionally or in regards to a specific position.

This week I’m going to focus on an area of weakness for this year’s draft, the outfield crop, an area that has been somewhat weak the past few years, at least since the talent laden 2005 draft that included big names and prospects such as Cameron Maybin, Jay Bruce, Colby Rasmus, Andrew McCutchen, Jacoby Ellsbury and Travis Buck, as well as a pair of converted infielders, Justin Upton and Ryan Braun.

Infielders can and often are converted to the outfield, and often players, especially at the college level, play other positions to serve a team need. This is evident with Arizona State’s Brett Wallace and Ike Davis, currently playing third and first base respectively, although they could eventually end up in left and right field.

I’m going to focus on the players that are currently outfielders, and which ones may sneak into the early rounds not only based on talent, but also due to the demand based on the lack of supply.

Starting with the college players, most consider Miami’s Dennis Raben to be one of the class’ better pure hitters, and some think he’s best suited for first base, but is playing right field for the Hurricanes due to the presence of Yonder Alonso. Raben missed a few weeks early in the season due to injury, and has since returned. He started hot, but has since cooled, and so far he has hit better with a wood bat on the Cape than he has during three years at Miami.

A quartet of toolsy sluggers, Texas Tech’s Roger Kieschnick, Texas’ Kyle Russell, Stanford’s Sean Ratliff and Arizona’s T.J. Steele all have the size and power potential that is the beginning of the prototypical recipe for a corner outfielder. However all four struggle to make contact to a varying degree, with Kieschnick being the most refined of this group, and the most likely to sneak into the first or supplemental first-round.

Russell is having a tough year batting near .250 for the Longhorns, but his power production has increased in recent weeks after starting the spring slowly. Teammate Jordan Danks has an exciting blend of power and speed, but his power hasn’t blossomed as much as most hoped it would, with only four home runs this season and 10 total for his college career. Danks does play centerfield, and does so quite well, so his power isn’t as integral to his game.

Pepperdine’s Eric Thames is quietly having one of the biggest seasons in all of college baseball. In previous columns I have noted how scouts have been waiting for him to put his entire game together for a couple of years now, and he has done that and then some this spring. He can hit (.414 batting average), has patience (.525 on-base percentage), power (12 home runs, .829 slugging) and speed (six triples, 10 stolen bases) while making a legitimate case for the player of the year award.

Coastal Carolina’s David Sappelt is a smaller but high energy player that shows very good bat speed to go along with strong centerfield defense. He hits for contact and has some pop in his swing. Comparisons to Kirby Puckett are likely to emerge should he continue to enjoy success as a pro given his shorter stature and power/speed combo.

Kentucky has a pair of outfielders making a lot of noise this spring, centerfielder Collin Cowgill and right fielder Sawyer Carroll. Cowgill is an aggressive right-handed hitter with power and speed that plays the game fearlessly, while Carroll is a senior with a polished left-handed stroke. The two hit in the middle of the Wildcats lineup, and have been a big part of Kentucky’s success this spring.

Aaron Luna of Rice has put up big numbers ever since his impressive freshman season, although his power numbers are a little bit down this year (six home runs) after hitting 29 his first two years. While he’s somewhat limited with where he can play (left field), his value has always been in his bat and he has always come up big when the situation arises.

Auburn’s Mike Bianucci is similar to Luna in that he’s a proven run producer limited to left field, although he does have a strong arm. The power numbers are down a little this year, but he’s a proven right-handed slugger that reminds me quite a bit of Xavier Nady.

Vanderbilt’s Dominic de la Osa is having a tough season compared to the incredible one a year ago when he put up numbers that overall were better than teammate’s Pedro Alvarez’. He’s a smart and pesky player that has a nice blend of speed and power, but his upside may be somewhat limited at the next level.

After struggling at the plate his sophomore year, Luke Murton of Georgia Tech is having a huge year this spring batting .387 with 16 doubles and nine home runs. With a big, powerful body, Murton is probably limited to left field or possibly even first base.

Toolsy centerfielders Nick Buss (USC) and Jason Kipnis (Arizona State) round out the college outfielders that have the greatest chance of being selected in the early rounds. Buss is the most graceful athlete of the two, with long, wiry strong limbs and long, striding speed and intriguing power potential. Kipnis is a shorter, scrappy player that has good but not great tools across the board.

Switching over to the prep outfield talent, Aaron Hicks (Long Beach, CA) has tools unlike any of the college players listed above, and he may be drafted and developed as a pitcher. With game-changing speed and amazing arm strength, Hicks has two tools that you just can’t teach. He should be the first outfielder taken off the board, if he is indeed taken as an outfielder.

Most of the top outfield talent hails from California, an area of overall strength that I profiled a few weeks ago, so I’m not going to go to far in-depth of the talents of players such as Isaac Galloway, Anthony Gose, Tyler Chatwood and Zach Collier. I will say that I completely agree with David Rawnsley’s assessment from a week ago that I would initially attempt to groom Chatwood as a catcher given his overall skill-set, while few players in the nation are rising up draft boards as Collier is this spring.

Another player soaring up follow lists is Jay Austin from Atlanta, a player I profiled a week ago as I covered the talent from the state of Georgia. Austin is a true five-tool talent who could very well sneak into the early rounds of the draft, especially given the lack of talent in the outfield. He and Xavier Avery, also profiled a week ago, give the state two incredibly promising and athletically gifted players.

Robbie Grossman from Cypress, Texas might be the toughest, hardest nosed player on this list. He made a pair of highlight defensive plays in centerfield last summer as part of the Aflac All-American Classic, and has a nice collection of tools for him to succeed. While he has some pop in his bat to go along with a nice line drive swing as a switch-hitter, his speed, arm strength and defensive prowess are his best tools.

Fellow Aflac All-American Wesley Freeman of Lakeland, Florida is an impressive physical specimen at 6’4”, 210 pounds, and for as much power potential this young man has he will surprise you with just how fast he is. With a strong arm and solid D’ in the outfield, Freeman is another talented five-tool athlete from the high school class.

Brent Warren of Robins, Iowa is a similar sized and skilled athlete as Freeman, with the main difference being that Warren is a left-handed thrower and hitter. He also participated in the Aflac All-American Classic and is a great story having survived open heart surgery.

A pair of outfielders from the Atlantic Coast region close out this list, Matt Marquis of Annandale, New Jersey and L.J. Hoes of Mitchellville, Maryland. Both have similar size and are polished right-handed hitters with strong academic commitments to Vanderbilt and North Carolina respectively. Marquis has very good bat speed and promising offensive potential while Hoes is one of the better pure defensive centerfielders in the class who also possesses one of the better outfield arms.

In reading this column you may wonder why the 2008 draft class is considered to be weak in outfielders, and while there is plenty of talent to be had, there isn’t a solid grouping of true “can’t miss” talents which we haven’t seen since 2005.

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.