TENNESSEE 

2007 FOLLOW LIST  

OVERVIEW: The focus will be onTennessee on Draft Day as Vanderbilt’s David Price will be the No. 1 overall selection—barring a significant change in direction by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who locked in on the talented lefthander as soon as they put the finishing touches on loss No. 101 last September. Price has had a bull’s-eye on his back all season and responded to every challenge. He will be the first No. 1/No. 1 in Tennessee draft history. He will also go down in draft annals as one of the most clear-cut No. 1 selections of all-time—certainly the most obvious top pick since former Louisiana State righthander Ben NcDonald went No. 1 in a cakewalk to the Orioles in 1989.

Led by Price, Tennessee is top-heavy in college talent this year. A second Vanderbilt player, closer Casey Weathers, is also a heavy favorite to go in the first round, and three Tennessee players—lefthander James Adkins, catcher J.P. Arencibia and outfielder Julio Borbon—should be gone no later than the sandwich round. The first high school player isn’t projected to go off the board until the third or fourth round.

Just as Tennessee and Vanderbilt attracted huge throngs of scouts all spring and dominate the talent supply at the college level, Walters State has a monopoly on the top talent in junior college and Knoxville ’s South Doyle High the same in high school. Walters State , the 2006 Junior College World Series champion, had six players under control from 2006, while South Doyle has five players committed to Tennessee Division I colleges—and all are prospects.

STRENGTH: High-end college talent.
WEAKNESS: High-end high school talent.
OVERALL RATING (1-to-5 scale): 4.

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Tennessee Connection: Zack Cozart, ss, U. of Mississippi (Attended high school in Collierville).
Top 2008 Prospect: Pedro Alvarez, 3b, Vanderbilt U.

Highest Pick, Draft History: Dewon Brazelton, rhp, Middle Tennessee State U. (2001, Devil Rays/first round, 3^rd pick).
Highest Pick, 2006 Draft: Bryan Morris, rhp, Motlow State JC (Dodgers/1^st round, 26^th pick).

Best College Team: Vanderbilt.
Best Junior College Team: Walters State CC.
Best High School Team: South Doyle HS, Knoxville .

TOP 35 PROSPECTS / By Allan Simpson

GROUPS (College, Junior College, High School)
      1   High-round draft (Rounds 1-3; projected first-round pick in boldface type)
      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.   David Price                          LHP      Jr.     L-L     6-6     215     Vanderbilt U.                   Murfreesboro            Dodgers '04 (19)    8-26-85
SCOUTING REPORT: Price has been a marked man almost from the day he set foot on the Vanderbilt campus three years ago. He gave a taste of what was in store when he struck out 92 in 69 innings as a freshman—even as he won only two games—and began to cement his standing as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft when he led the Southeastern Conference with 155 strikeouts in 110 innings as a sophomore. His performance with Team USA last summer (5-1, 0.20 with 61 strikeouts in 44 innings) sealed the deal. All he has done this spring is put the finishing touches on his game—and his 11-0, 2.71 record with a national-best 175 strikeouts and just 29 walks in 123 innings, to go with a .201 opponent average, reflects how it has all come together for him. Scouts say he is close to being major league ready. The biggest difference in Price this year has been in his self-confidence—he knows now that he’s the best—and in his ability to locate all his pitches. He has two dominant offerings: a 93-96 mph fastball (touched 99) that he can sustain deep in to games, and a hard mid- to upper-80s slider. His changeup was for show only and is considered a work in progress. For the first time, he was able to throw any pitch in any count—and control the pace of a game. Price has been unfazed by all the attention he has received, and gets as high marks for his competitive makeup, yet humble nature, as he does for his pitching ability. His combination of athleticism, overpowering stuff and makeup makes him an easy choice as the best talent in the draft—and a near-lock to be the No. 1 pick.