NEBRASKA

2007 FOLLOW LIST  

OVERVIEW: Not only was theUniversity of Nebraska baseball team an enigma to its fans as they struggled to a 32-27 record, their often-talented prospects confused the scouting world as well.

Lefthander Tony Watson and shortstop Ryan Wehrle passed on opportunities to be high picks as draft-eligible sophomores in 2006, and have seen their draft stock edge down (Watson) or plummet (Wehrle) this spring. Strong-armed righthanders Charlie Shirek and Matt Foust have shown mid-90s fastballs but very limited performance resumes, while lefthander Drew Bowman is much the same from the left side. Ask four different scouts who the first pick off the Cornhuskers will be and you are likely to get four different answers.

 

Considering all that, Nebraska ’s other Division I school, Creighton, enjoyed a better season. The Bluejays defeated Nebraska 2-1 in the inner-state rivalry games and posted a 45-16 record. Creighton was built around solid, fundamental players and freakish switch-pitcher Pat Venditte, but boasted little in the way of pro-level talent.

 

The Nebraska prep ranks have seen only one player drafted and signed (lefthander Mickey Storey, 23^rd round, 2004, Cleveland ) since 1996. Granted, Royals third baseman Alex Gordon did play his high school baseball in Nebraska , at Lincoln Southeast High, but the long draught is unlikely to change until at least 2008.

 

STRENGTH: University of Nebraska’s high-velocity pitching staff.

WEAKNESS: High school talent.

OVERALL RATING (1-to-5 scale): 2.

 

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Nebraska Connection: Brad Hutt, rhp, Kansas State U. (Attended high school in Omaha ).

Top 2008 Prospect: Darin Ruf, 1b, Creighton U.

 

Highest Pick, Draft History: Darin Erstad, of, U. of Nebraska (1995, Angels/1^st round, 1^st pick).

Highest Pick, 2006 Draft: Joba Chamberlain, rhp, U. of Nebraska (Yankees, 1^st round, 41^st pick).

 

Best College Team: Creighton.
Best Junior College Team: Western Nebraska CC.
Best High School Team:  Elkhorn HS.

 

TOP 15 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 TWO

Rank  Player                                  Pos.       Yr     B-T      HT     WT     School                              Hometown                 Drafted/(Commit) B’date

     1.   Tony Watson                       LHP      Jr.     L-L     6-4     220     U. of Nebraska                Grimes, Iowa              Orioles ’06 (17) 5-30-85

SCOUTING REPORT: Watson passed on solid money out of an Iowa high school in 2004, and then again as a third-year sophomore last summer with the Orioles. His track record as a proven three-pitch southpaw will help him in 2007, but his stock has dropped from last year, consistent with his fastball velocity. In 2006, Watson regularly pitched in the 90-92 mph range and showed a very good changeup, workable curveball and plus command potential. He’s been more 85-88 mph this year; with his fastball always having been pretty straight, he has been much easier to hit. Watson is a hard-nosed competitor and an innings-eater, and has always been successful at the college level. He has pinpoint control and when he’s on his game, such as when he shut out Texas in mid-April, he can make quick work of quality hitters. Which scouts have seen him on what dates with what velocity, and what those scouts’ memories are of 2006, will be major factors in where Watson is drafted. Despite having another year of eligibility due to elbow surgery out of high school, it’s hard to imagine Watson not signing this time around.