GEORGIA

2007 FOLLOW LIST  

OVERVIEW: There has been no lack of high-level cross-check players for scouts to come toGeorgia to evaluate this spring, despite a down year for 2006 College World Series participant Georgia and an unusual lack of talent in the Georgia junior-college ranks. With the exception of Georgia closer Josh Fields, each of the top performers—catcher Matt Wieters, outfielder Jason Heyward, and lefthanders Josh Smoker, Nathan Vineyard and David Duncan—has had a solid spring and will be a premium draft pick.

There have even been some compelling prospect stories as previously-unheralded players have risen to possible top-5 round picks. Mercer closer Cory Gearrin has gone from a marginal junior college middle infielder to a virtually-unhittable power side-arm reliever. Righthander Ryan Pope has gone from an unrecruited mid-80s high schooler to being the top NAIA pitcher in the country. First baseman Lyle Allen has taken his football athleticism to the baseball field and is an emerging power prospect.

There is some irony in finding unheralded prospects in Georgia . The East Cobb program and the series of heavily-scouted World Wood Bat Association events in Marietta through the month of July practically insure that Georgia high school players are among the most-frequently seen in the country before their senior years. A strong 2008 high school class will mean that Georgia will remain a popular destination again next year.

STRENGTH: Lefthanded pitching.
WEAKNESS: Middle infielders.
OVERALL RATING (1-to-5 scale): 3.

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Georgia Connection: Luke Putkonen, rhp, U. of North Carolina (Attended high school in Marietta ).
Top 2008 Prospect: Ethan Martin, 3b, Stephens County HS , Toccoa.

Highest Pick, Draft History: Ron Blomberg, 1b, Druid Hills HS, Atlanta (1967, Yankees/1^st round, 1^st pick); Mike Ivie, c, Walker HS, Decatur (1970, Padres/1^st round, 1^st pick).
Highest Pick, 2006 Draft: Brooks Brown, rhp, U. of Georgia (Diamondbacks/1^st round; 34^th pick).

Best College Team: Georgia Tech.
Best Junior College Team: Young Harris JC.
Best High School Team: Kennesaw Mountain HS.

TOP 50 PROSPECTS / By David Rawnsley

GROUPS (College, Junior College, High School)
      1   High-round draft (Rounds 1-3)
      2   Mid-round draft (Rounds 4-10)
      3   Late-round draft (Rounds 11-25)
      4   Chance draft / Player to follow

*Draft-and-follow; eligible to sign before 2007 draft

GROUP ONE
Rank  Player                                  Pos.       Yr     B-T      HT     WT     School                              Hometown                Drafted/(Commit)   B’date
     1.   Matt Wieters                   C/RHP      Jr.     B-R     6-4     225     Georgia Tech                  Goose Creek , S.C.    Never drafted       5-21-86
SCOUTING REPORT: Wieters entered the spring with almost unreachable expectations and scouts seemed disappointed early in the year when he wasn’t hitting home runs every game, batting .500 and leaping high buildings. That talk has calmed in the second half as Wieters has shown improvement in a couple of phases of the game. An appreciation has developed for just how easily Wieters plays the game and does otherwise difficult things, like catch and switch-hit with power. Two areas that Wieters has improved in are his hitting from the right side and his receiving skills. He’s more of a natural hitter than a power hitter, although he can put on a batting-practice power display with the best of them, especially from the left side. He was hitting .366-8-51 through the regular season—compared to .355-15-71 a year ago. Wieters’ defensive skills are increasingly smooth and polished, particularly for a tall and long-limbed catcher. One area Wieters has not excelled at this year is pitching (1-3, 7.43 with three saves in 13 innings); perhaps he wasn’t emotionally into it with the pressures of catching and the upcoming draft, but few scouts doubt that he could be a first-round type talent any longer if that was his sole concentration. Comparisons with Joe Mauer have become more commonplace; each plays the game with athletic ease and plus intangibles, and excel both offensively and defensively. Wieters is locked in as a top 5 pick, unless something should happen late with health or signability. He is being advised by agent Scott Boras.