DRAFT 2008
Top 10 Rounds

Round 3 (Picks 78-108)

TAMPA BAY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
78 Jake Jefferies C Jr. L-R 6-3 200 UC Davis Merced, Calif. Never drafted 10/30/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Jefferies’ claim to fame might be that he is one of the hardest players in college baseball to strike out. After fanning only 13 times in 52 games as a sophomore, he had only nine K’s in 221 at-bats with a week remaining in the regular season. He has excellent plate coverage, unusually acute eyesight and rarely swings and misses. Jefferies isn’t just about making contact as he can put a charge in a ball and has solid doubles/gap power. He has a lot of room in his large, athletic frame to get bigger and stronger and eventually hit for more consistent power. He’s always been a good hitter and was batting .389-4-53 for an emerging UC Davis program. Jefferies is also a solid defensive catcher with pro-level arm strength and very sound blocking and receiving skills. With an improved transfer, he threw out runners at a much faster clip this season—and he climbed draft boards as he did. In fact, Jefferies’ stock rose as quickly as any college player in the country and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him picked in the first 2-4 rounds.—DAVID RAWNSLEY/ALLAN SIMPSON
 
PITTSBURGH
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
79 Jordy Mercer SS/RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 190 Oklahoma State Taloga, Okla. Dodgers ’05 (26) 8/27/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Mercer has professional ability as both a pitcher and shortstop—and has been used extensively in both roles in college and summer competition. He hit .250-1-6 as a part-time shortstop for Team USA during the summer, while also going 0-0, 1.12 in 10 relief appearances with a walk and 18 strikeouts in 16 innings. As a sophomore at Oklahoma State, he hit .299-5-24 while going 3-1, 3.81 with three saves. Mercer is more advanced as an everyday player as he has athletic actions in a tall, lanky frame. He has a contact-oriented approach at the plate with a slight uppercut swing, but lacks bat speed and will chase pitches out of the zone. He needs to fill out his fragile build to improve his power potential. He has quick feet with soft hands and average arm strength, but has a somewhat unconventional approach to fielding ground balls as he remains too upright. On the mound, Mercer pitches like an infielder—appropriate since he often enters a game directly from shortstop and almost never takes a bullpen, even in practice. He has good arm strength with command of a fastball in the 91-93 mph range, touching 95. His slider is erratic; on some days, it’s a solid second pitch; on others, it’s flat and hittable. He will continue to be used as OSU’s closer in 2008.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Mercer is a glass half-full/half-empty type of prospect, especially as a shortstop. He does everything well enough, especially throw the ball, but doesn’t do anything so well that you get excited about him. Most of scouts’ concerns are about his swing, which can be long and undisciplined, and results in a lot of empty at-bats though he had a better two-strike approach this spring. He hit .328-10-52 (entering the NCAA tournament), but was not one of the Cowboys main offensive threats. He also went 0-2, 4.86 with a team-high nine saves but made only 15 appearances. Still, he’s a tall, lanky 5-tool shortstop—even if all his tools grade out around average—and that will guarantee Mercer a high draft position. The mound will remain a fall-back option as Mercer is pretty much a raw thrower with plus fastball velocity and competitiveness.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
KANSAS CITY
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
80 Tyler Sample RHP Sr. L-R 6-7 220 Mullen Denver Arkansas 6/27/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Sample missed his sophomore year at Colorado’s Mullen High after undergoing Tommy John surgery and was just getting back to full speed last summer after going 1-0, 4.73 in limited action as a junior. He has an excellent pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, and has long loose arms and a high three-quarters release point that creates very good downhill angle to the plate. Sample throws 90-91 mph now and the ball comes out of his hand very easily. His curveball and changeup are good-looking secondary pitches. Considering his size, how easily he throws and the time that he’s missed with injury, Sample could be just starting on his talent curve and could be a high-ceiling prospect.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Sample’s size, coordinated body and effortless delivery made him a candidate to be an early- to mid-round pick entering the 2008 season, but few saw him not only zooming past shortstop Andy Burns (No. 2 below) as the state’s top prospect but becoming a legitimate candidate to be drafted in the first round. When his fastball touched 94 mph early this spring, he had the scouting world abuzz. Though Sample’s velocity put him at an elite level, it fluctuated wildly through the spring as he was also clocked as low as 85-86, but that generally occurred when he didn’t get proper rest between appearances. Not everyone was convinced that Sample was the real deal, though that assessment was generally a case of him being seen at his best vs. at his worst. His 4-3, 2.22 record, which included 25 walks and 36 hits allowed in 41 innings, pointed to his inconsistency, though his 85 strikeouts were also a sign of his ability to overmatch hitters. Much of the credit for Sample’s surge stems from his work with Darryl Milne, a Denver-based Boston Red Sox scout and pitching guru whose primarily responsibility this spring was to cross-check all the nation’s top pitching prospects for this year’s draft—Sample included. Under Milne’s tutelage, Sample refined his mechanics and developed a spike curve to complement his improving fastball. Sample’s family, which lives in Elizabeth, Colo., has always gone the extra mile for Tyler to get the best competition and instruction throughout his high school career—even renting an apartment in Denver, near the Mullen High campus, so Sample could pitch at the highest level of competition in Colorado. The sacrifices could soon yield a huge payoff.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
BALTIMORE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
81 L.J. Hoes OF Sr. R-R 6-0 180 St. John’s College Mitchellville, Md. North Carolina 3/5/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Scouts are usually a little hesitant to embrace a 6-foot, righthanded-hitting outfielder, especially one with “only” 6.77 speed in the 60, but Hoes might be one that overcomes that. He is one of the top defensive outfielders in the 2008 class with center field instincts and one of the best throwing arms around (95 mph during drills). The same type of aggressiveness and instincts are evident in other parts of Hoes’ game aside from defense, such as base running. Offensively, Hoes has very strong hands and a quick, short swing that is line-drive oriented now and is well-suited to develop quickly in pro ball with wood bats. Already tabbed as one of the top high school prospects for the 2008 draft, Hoes played as a boy among men last summer in the Cal Ripken Sr. League, and yet was not overmatched, hitting .333-0-9 in 63 at-bats. As a high school junior, he hit .488-7-40 with 23 stolen bases. Hoes was also selected to play with Team USA’s junior national team in Mexico at the COPABE junior championship and helped his team qualify for the 2008 World Junior Championship.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Hoes had a solid 2008 season, earning conference player of the year honors by hitting .524-8-29 with 32 stolen bases as a hitter/centerfielder, and going 2-0 with three saves as a pitcher. Though he was clocked at 93 mph off the mound, Hoes is viewed as an outfielder all the way, whether he attends North Carolina or moves directly to pro ball. Hoes has athleticism, and his arm and speed are plus tools, but he doesn’t possess the raw speed desired to play center field and his power may be a little short for right. That profile may hamper his ability to be drafted in the top 4-5 rounds, making college a realistic option.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
SAN FRANCISCO
Rank Player Pos. YR B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
82 Roger Kieschnick OF Jr. L-R 6-3 200 Texas Tech Rockwall, Texas Never drafted 1/21/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Kieschnick has the makings of becoming a five-tool talent, but hasn’t put everything together yet. He spent two summers with Team USA and his most obvious improvement from 2006 to 2007 came at the plate. The raw power he routinely displayed in batting practice in his first season manifested into in-game power last summer, enabling him to improve his home run total from one to a team-leading seven. He also improved his total at Texas Tech from nine as a freshman to 13 as a sophomore. He showed more pull power and stayed inside balls well, enabling him to drive pitches from right-center to left-center, but his swing is still a little stiff and he remains prone to striking out. He lacks looseness and rhythm at the plate, but he makes hard contact and the ball jumps off his bat. His speed, arm strength and defensive skills are all average to plus tools, though he still needs work on getting better angles on balls in the outfield. Kieschnick has the intangibles to succeed as well. He’s a mature, level-headed player who plays the game aggressively. He should continue to grow into his game.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Kieschnick’s 2008 season was a duplicate of his sophomore campaign as he hit with power, commanded the strike zone well, ran the bases well and played an excellent right field. He still didn’t show the ability to hit for average (.305-17-65, 35 walks) as much as scouts expected, given his tools. College outfielders with a strong, athletic tool package are rare in this draft and that should guarantee Kieschnick a slot in the top two rounds.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
FLORIDA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
83 Edgar Olmos LHP Sr. L-L 6-5 180 Birmingham Van Nuys, Calif. Arizona 4/12/1990
SCOUTING REPORT: Olmos is one of the numerous SoCal southpaws that is long, lean and projectable, and can throw close to average velocity. Olmos is looser than most, but he also has a more slender-boned build and might be challenged to gain strength in the future. He presently throws in the upper 80s, touching 90 mph with a typical lefthander’s tailing action. He shows promise with both his curveball and change up, especially when he throws his curveball in the mid-70s instead of aiming it.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
CINCINNATI
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
84 Zach Stewart RHP Jr. R-R 6-1 199 Texas Tech Wichita Falls, Texas Never drafted 9/28/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): After a year at Division II Angelo State (Texas) and another at North Central Texas JC, where he went 8-3, 2.29 as a starter in 2007, Stewart has taken over as the closer at Texas Tech this spring. It’s a role he’s cut out to perform as he has an aggressive demeanor and doesn’t give in to hitters. He was Texas Tech’s best arm filling that role in the early going. He displays good sinking action on an 89-93 mph fastball that tails away from lefthanded hitters and bores in or righthanders. The pitch produces a steady stream of ground-ball outs. He also gets slurve-like action on a 75-77 mph slider and gets occasional sink on his changeup, normally a 74-76 mph offering. He has no mechanical faults, but needs work on refining his slider and change.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Stewart’s unsightly 4.98 ERA (to go with a 3-2 record and three saves) was blown up during his first start of the season (of three total) on April 25 when he allowed a nine-run inning to Oklahoma. He was auditioned as a starter late in the season, in part to give scouts an extended look as he got few opportunities to work in a closer role on a struggling Texas Tech team. Stewart is clearly a reliever and his ability in that role cast him into the first two rounds of the draft. He was steadily 92-95 mph all spring with outstanding sinking life on his fastball.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
BOSTON (Choice for Hunter Morris, unsigned pick, 2007)
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
85 Stephen Fife RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 210 Utah Boise, Idaho Never drafted 10/4/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: Led by San Diego State sophomore righthander Stephen Strasburg, the early favorite to be the No. 1 selection in the 2009 draft, and Texas Christian righthander Andrew Cashner, who bolted from deep in the pack to become a probable first-rounder this year, the Mountain West Conference was blessed with some of the nation’s premier power arms this year. Fife’s rise to legitimate prospect status was nearly as meteoric as Cashner’s, but he was almost lost in the shadows of two pitchers pumping high-90s heat. Ironically, it was Strasburg’s dominant 1-0, 23-strikeout win over Utah on April 11 that helped to significantly raise Fife’s profile. Not only did he pitch effectively in his head-to-head shootout with Strasburg with a number of scouts on hand, but he continued to get better and better as the spring wore on, and he finished the year with a 7-5, 3.72 record, with 29 walks and 78 strikeouts in 92 innings. While his fastball was mainly in the 88-92 mph range, it frequently jumped up to 94, and even 95. It also produced consistent sink and run, generating a lot of ground-ball outs. His 82-84 mph slider and 76-78 mph curve also showed flashes of being above-average pitches. Moreover, his stuff was consistently around the plate, a by-product of his tall, balanced delivery and easy arm action. Fife has gotten much stronger and matured as a pitcher since he was a physically undeveloped Idaho high school product who attended Everett (Wash.) JC for a year before transferring to Utah, where he went 6-2, 4.43 with 53 strikeouts in 63 innings as a sophomore. He had a solid 2007 summer season in the West Coast Collegiate League, going 3-0, 1.59 with 30 strikeouts in 34 innings, and significantly built off that performance this season. Fife’s fastball was a consistent 89-90 mph last summer, peaking at 91. He tended to overstride a little when delivering it, but even then he showed enough promise that Northwest area scouts thought he might reach 94-95 mph one day if he could just tighten up his delivery. Few thought he would so do, though, in the course of less than a year.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
CHICAGO-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
86 Brent Morel 3B Jr. R-R 6-2 210 Cal Poly Bakersfield, Calif. Never drafted 4/21/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Morel’s quietly-aggressive, blue-collar approach to the game makes him a favorite of coaches, and scouts significantly warmed up to him this spring, as well, after he profiled as little more than a mid-round selection entering the 2008 season. He doesn’t do anything with flash and none of his tools really stick out, but Morel matured as a hitter this year. He had a knack for finding the sweet spot, added power as he learned to backspin balls better and hit the curveball more consistently. He developed into a sound clutch hitter. With a week remaining in the season, he was hitting .364-7-56—and his average and RBIs were team-leading figures. It was a significant step up from 2007, when he batted .333-5-31. His improvement on defense was just as subtle. He makes all the routine plays at third base, shows solid instincts for the position and displays above-average arm strength when he needs to. He also has average speed and is an alert base runner. Some teams believe Morel’s aggressive approach might make him well-suited to become a catcher down the road.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
WASHINGTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
87 Danny Espinosa SS Jr. B-R 6-0 185 Long Beach State Santa Ana, Calif. Never drafted 4/25/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Espinosa joins big leaguers Bobby Crosby, Troy Tulowitzki and Evan Longoria in a long line of top-level shortstops from Long Beach State. He doesn’t have the offensive upside of those three former first-round picks but Espinosa impresses scouts with his tremendous defensive tools. He has improved by leaps and bounds with the glove since he enrolled at Long Beach State and his range, actions, hands, positioning and instincts are all strengths. He also plays the position with a lot of energy. His arm is considered his best tool, though it is a tick short of Tulowitzki’s cannon. With a .319 average and team-high seven homers as a sophomore, the switch-hitting Espinosa is an acceptable offensive contributor and his ability to improve on those numbers in 2008 may be the difference maker in his joining Crosby, Tulowitzki and Longoria as first-rounders. He has good bat speed and hand-eye coordination, though not in Longoria’s class. He is more of a slap hitter capable of making consistent contact and going with the pitch, but he struggled at the plate early in the season as Team USA’s starting shortstop last summer before coming on at the end to finish at .215-0-8. He may need to revamp his approach at the plate as his setup and swing are totally different from both sides of the plate. He hits for better average from the left side, for more power from the right. He is adept at the short game and handling the bat.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Espinosa hit .319 with four homers for Long Beach State this spring (with a week remaining in the regular season), not the offensive output that will elevate him into the first round—or probably even the top three or four rounds. In fact, he was largely lost in the shuffle on his own team as there is a strong chance that four of his teammates will be drafted ahead of him.—AS
 
HOUSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
88 Chase Davidson 1B Sr. L-R 6-5 210 Milton Alpharetta, Ga. Georgia 1/14/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Davidson has performed on the national stage for the past three years with the East Cobb Astros, so he is well-known to scouts. Few hitters in the 2008 class have the raw power of the lefthanded-hitting Davidson and he’s shown it on many occasions. When Davidson is selective and stays inside the ball, he can hit it out to any part of the park. He gives up a lot of at-bats with wild swings and an inconsistent approach, however, and scouts question his hitting instincts. As a high school junior, he hit .397-7-20. Davidson is also a top-level football player whose best position, surprisingly, is punter. He signed with Georgia for baseball, but may also look to play football in college.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Davidson enjoyed a strong spring as he reworked his hitting approach and swing to give him much more consistency than he’s shown in the past. Most scouts are familiar with Davidson from seeing his enormous strength for the East Cobb Astros over the past three years and the difference has been notable. It didn’t hurt Davidson’s stock when he blasted a tape-measure home run off summer teammate Zeke Spruill with a full contingent of scouts watching earlier this spring, either. Davidson hit .429 with 11 home runs this spring.—DR
 
TEXAS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
89 Tim Murphy LHP Jr. L-L 6-2 200 UCLA Vista, Calif. Angels ’05 (11) 4/22/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Scouts weren’t sure whether Murphy was a pitcher or position player when he came out of high school as an 11th-round draft pick, or through his freshman year at UCLA when he didn’t pitch at all and had limited success as a center fielder. But the physical lefthander has left little doubt that he is a pitcher first and foremost now. In fact, he could be one of the sleepers of the draft if he shows as much improvement this spring as he did last year and can master his control problems. Despite a modest 5-4, 5.68 record, Murphy moved in as the No. 2 starter in the UCLA rotation in 2007 after starting the season in relief. Most impressive were his 96 strikeouts in 76 innings, including a 14-strikeout effort against Arizona State, arguably the nation’s best hitting team a year ago. Murphy has impressive stuff with a 90-92 mph fastball, good curve and a much-improved changeup, but needs to improve his control after walking 33 and command after being touched for 84 hits. He will continue to see spot duty in the outfield for the Bruins, but after hitting just .248 with one homer in his first 153 collegiate at-bats his emphasis will be on pitching.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Murphy was the No. 1 starter for UCLA this spring, though his 4-6, 3.89 record with 40 walks and 97 strikeouts in 86 innings was a contributing factor in a disappointing season for the Bruins. He did little to enhance his standing in the draft as his fastball was mostly in the 88-90 mph range—not an electric 90-92 mph offering as was hoped and which might have elevated him into the first round. His 74-76 mph curve flashed average, while his changeup, his third pitch, was merely serviceable at 78-80 mph. Murphy maintains a lot of draft appeal as he has a strong, well defined athletic frame, generally repeats his delivery, hides his pitches well and is a tough competitor.—AS
 
OAKLAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
90 Petey Paramore C Jr. B-R 6-2 210 Arizona State Allen, Texas Mets ’05 (22) 10/30/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Paramore’s status as the top college catcher in the 2008 draft crop took a hit last summer when he batted a weak .111-0-3 as Team USA’s primary receiver. He went hitless in his final 25 at-bats. That was a far cry from his sophomore season at Arizona State, where he hit .379-6-52, drove the ball well from both sides and topped the Sun Devils with a .500 on-base average. He has an excellent eye for the strike zone and did walk 20 times for Team USA in 23 games, but he often became too patient at the plate and fell behind in counts. More than anything, a combination of fatigue and an aluminum-bat swing combined to doom Paramore in the summer. While he has shown good bat speed and raw power in college, his balls had little or no carry last summer with wood—even when he squared them up. Scouts say he needs to add strength and develop a better load to generate greater bat speed in the future. He had just one extra-base hit in 63 at-bats. He spent much of the fall building up his strength and tightening up his swing. In contrast to his offensive struggles, Paramore excelled defensively with Team USA. He has excellent receiving and blocking skills because he possesses extremely soft hands and excellent footwork. He also has a strong, accurate arm. Moreover, he understands the game, how to handle a pitching staff and exploit opposing hitters. Paramore was scheduled to share the catching duties again this spring at ASU with powerful junior Kiel Roling, who hit 16 homers in 2007, and will need to re-establish his offensive worth.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Paramore enjoyed a solid spring in all phases of his game and scouts began likening his tools and approach to that of Boston Red Sox all-star catcher Jason Varitek. He has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the game, and the respect and trust of his pitching staff. He had a way of slowing down the game defensively. Paramore doesn’t have pure arm strength, but has a smooth, solid release and threw the ball exceptionally well. He had solid at-bats from both sides and was a patient, situational hitter capable of spraying the ball around the field. He walked a team-high 50 times while hitting .333-7-44 overall (through mid-May). Above all, he plays a tough position, and plays it well defensively.—AS
 
ST. LOUIS
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
91 Niko Vasquez SS Sr. R-R 6-0 175 Durango Las Vegas, Nev. Oregon State 2/26/1989
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Vasquez’ stock with scouts soared last summer as he put on a series of impressive performances at high-level events. Always a flashy fielder with pure shortstop actions, Vasquez showed much-improved bat speed and hit with extra-base power with wood all summer. He has a calm, mature hitting approach and a swing that stays on the plane of the ball a long time. Vasquez’s loudest tool is his arm strength; he threw 91 mph across the infield in drills at the Perfect Game National Showcase in Cincinnati in June and has been in the low-90s off the mound as well. His plus/plus arm strength compensates for his one average tool, his straight-away running speed. Vasquez hit .467-6-33 last year in high school and his added power could put a boost in those numbers next spring.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Scouts saw more of the same from Vasquez this spring—solid instincts, feel and actions for shortstop play, along with exceptional arm strength and accuracy from multiple slots. He made hard, consistent contact at the plate and continued to develop useable power, though he may never be strong enough to drive balls out of the park consistently. On the season, he hit .477-9-41 with 16 stolen bases. His speed remained his only drawback.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
MINNESOTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
92 Bobby Lanigan RHP Jr. R-R 6-4 215 Adelphi Staten Island, N.Y. Never drafted 5/5/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Lanigan went 7-2, 3.17 with 94 strikeouts in 82 innings as a sophomore for NCAA Division II Adelphi and was on an early-season pace to post similar, if not better numbers this season. He has made solid strides in all areas of pitching over the last year and is now capable of throwing four pitches for strikes with the potential for above-average command. His fastball is much improved, particularly with movement he has incorporated when thrown to the third-base side of the plate. The pitch typically is in the 88-91 mph range and he is able to keep it down in the strike zone and spot it to both sides of the plate. He has also added velocity to his slider and it is now an effective 84-87 offering with late, sharp break. His circle changeup fades away from lefthanded hitters. An 80-82 mph curve is his fourth pitch, but it lacks spin to be effective.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Lanigan came on strong this season, leaping past most of the better-known pitchers in the Northeast in his path to become a solid second- to third-round candidate. Though he went only 4-4 on a 25-25 team, his other numbers told the story of his ability to throw consistent strikes with three solid-average pitches: 1.94 ERA, .191 opponent batting average, 16 walks, 87 strikeouts in 79 innings. He recovered from a bit of a dead-arm period to finish strong, and his combination of a big frame, bulldog approach and strike-throwing ability should enable him to evolve into a strong, durable pitcher capable of working deep into games consistently.—AS
 
LOS ANGELES-NL
Rank Player Pos. YR B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
93 Kyle Russell OF Jr. L-L 6-5 190 Texas Tomball, Texas Cardinals ’07 (4) 6/7/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Russell was a fourth-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals and one of the most controversial selections in the 2007 draft. Not only did teams have a difficult time getting a read on his signability as a draft-eligible sophomore, but scouts were equally perplexed on establishing his true power potential. He struggled mightily hitting with wood in the summer of 2006 in the Cape Cod League, setting a league strikeout record, but had a monster spring at Texas, shattering the school home run record with 28 though he continued to strike out at an alarming rate. Though he hit a lot of long home runs for the Longhorns, many scouts saw little difference between the Russell that struggled in the past and the player-of-the-year-model, citing what they see as a long, grooved swing and aluminum-bat speed. Others appreciated Russell’s added strength, his leverage at contact and his ability to hit the ball out of any part of the ball park. The verdict is still out as Russell struggled with wood again last summer, hitting just .247-4-22 with 34 strikeouts in 97 at-bats for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League. He did launch one mammoth blast, a reported 480-foot shot, but struggled to both make consistent contact and produce sufficient bat speed with wood to project that he’ll hit with power in pro ball. He worked hard to cut down on his strikeouts last fall. Russell’s other tools are solid big league-level for a right fielder and while his frame doesn’t project to hold significantly more weight, he does project to get stronger. He spent the summer in center field for the Foresters, but profiles as a corner outfielder at the next level. In the end, Russell did not sign with the Cardinals as his $1.5 million asking price proved too steep. He returned to Texas and should again be one of the most intriguing selections in the 2008 draft—especially since, as a college junior, he’ll still have nearly the same leverage as he did last year.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Russell will be one of the big wild cards of the 2008 draft. While no one expected Russell to repeat his big 2007 season (.336-28-71), his .292-15-44 follow-up has raised all the questions that previously existed about his swing and ability to make contact. Russell has hit better over the second half of the season as he seemed to relaxed, but more than 40 percent of Russell’s at-bats this spring ended in a walk or strikeout, including 52 K’s in 50 games as Texas entered post-season play. Those questions and the lingering contract demands from 2007 will make scouts sweat over what to do with the Texas slugger.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
MILWAUKEE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
94 Logan Schafer OF Jr. L-L 6-1 170 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Ca. Rockies ’07 (47) 9/8/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Schafer was Cal Poly’s top returning hitter from 2007, when he hit .335-4-34. He was evaluated as a fifth- or sixth-round talent last year as a draft-eligible sophomore but became a 47th-round afterthought of the Colorado Rockies when clubs determined he had too much leverage to risk drafting him in an early round. Schafer was eligible for last year’s draft because he red-shirted as a true freshman in 2005 at Cuesta (Calif.) JC after injuring his left knee; he underwent arthroscopic surgery in June of that year. He transferred to Cal Poly after playing at the junior college level in 2006. Schafer is an outstanding defensive center fielder with above-average hitting ability, but those assets are compromised to a degree because he has a below-average arm and limited power. He’s mostly a contact hitter, but has quickness in his hands and will go the other way with gap power. He excels at tracking down fly balls in the gaps. He’s an above-average base runner with proper mechanics, but not a burner on the bases. He’s aggressive and likes to run.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Schafer’s decision to return to school for an extra year could pay off in a big way as he was being mentioned in the weeks leading up to the 2008 draft as a potential sandwich pick, possibly even a late first-rounder. He didn’t make any material adjustments to his game, but he drove balls much better this season than he did in the past. With a week left in the regular season, he was hitting .365-9-48. He continued to play center field in the mould of ex-big leaguer Steve Finley, aggressively charging balls, getting excellent reads on balls in the gaps and laying out as needed to make a spectacular play. All areas of his game were solid this spring.—AS
 
TORONTO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
95 Andrew Liebel RHP Sr. R-R 6-1 195 Long Beach State Pomona, Calif. Cubs ’04 (47) 3/22/1986
SCOUTING REPORT: Liebel was mysteriously passed over in last year’s draft, even as he went 9-3, 2.84 for Long Beach State and topped the 49ers in wins. In 101 innings, he walked only 19 while striking out 59. His best work came as a starter late in the season—too late, perhaps, for scouts to bear down on him. That oversight prompted Liebel to spend last summer working out and getting stronger. When he came out of the gates this spring throwing his fastball up to 93 mph, up 4-5 mph from 2007, and immediately grabbed the Friday job atop a talented Long Beach State rotation, Southern California area scouts immediately began second-guessing themselves how Liebel fell under their radar a year earlier. Not only did Liebel throw harder this spring, but he had excellent command of four pitches—his fastball, slider, curve and change. He went 8-2, 1.74 this season (through mid-May), while walking 16 and striking out 91 in 104 innings. Liebel worked in relief his first 2-1/2 years at Long Beach State and still isn’t overly physical despite his added strength, but he has a quick, loose arm action and works easily. He pounds the strike zone with his fastball, which is normally 90-91 mph but occasionally shows plus velocity. He gets good deception on his tailing, sinking change, his equalizer pitch. Poised and relaxed, he knows how to pitch and is not afraid to go after hitters. Outside of Georgia closer Josh Fields, he may be the best college senior in the draft.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
ATLANTA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
96 Craig Kimbrel RHP So. R-R 5-11 205 Wallace-Hanceville Huntsville, Ala. Braves ’07 (33) 5/28/1988
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Kimbrel wasn’t on the radar at the start of the 2007 season as his fastball was a below-average 87-88 mph offering the previous summer and he broke his foot in the fall. But he burst on the Alabama junior college scene last spring with a vastly-improved fastball that peaked at 95 mph, and was a steady 90-93. He went 8-0, 1.99 with three saves on the year for Wallace State-Hanceville, working his way up from a closer role to a starting job. He topped the state in strikeouts per nine innings at 12.92, with 78 strikeouts in 54 innings. Kimbrel lacks size but has a strong, durable body with a clean, loose arm action and an electric arm. He continues to develop feel for a breaking ball and changeup. The Braves took a stab at him in the 33rd round last June, knowing his ceiling is much higher, and he predictably returned to junior college for a second season. Kimbrel got off to another impressive start this year, allowing no hits in two of his first three starts while striking out 15 in another. Through his first 30 innings, he was 4-0, 0.90 with 47 strikeouts and just eight hits allowed.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Kimbrel didn’t maintain his torrid pace this spring and ended up losing to Shelton State in the state championship game, which determined Alabama’s representative in the Junior College World Series. He walked eight and allowed six runs in four-plus innings in his final outing. Prior to that, Kimbrel had posted a solid 9-2, 2.57 record with 43 walks and 116 strikeouts in 77 innings. Most impressive was his .136 opponent batting average as hitters had a hard time catching up to his 92-95 mph fastball, which topped at 97. No pitcher in the state had such an electric arm. Kimbrel developed a better feel for his power breaking ball this season, but made his greatest strides with command of his stuff. His size remains a drawback. If he were 4-5 inches taller, he might be a candidate for the first round.—AS
 
CHICAGO-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
97 Chris Carpenter RHP Jr. R-R 6-4 210 Kent State Bryan, Ohio Yankees ’07 (19) 12/26/1985
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Carpenter, an unsigned seventh-round pick of the Detroit Tigers out of high school, was expected to be one of the top prospects for the 2007 draft but he underwent Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2005, additional surgery early in 2006 to clean out the elbow and got off to a late start last spring due to a mild sprain in his elbow. He was understandably a little rusty as a draft-eligible sophomore at Kent State, going 4-0, 3.65 with 26 walks in 37 innings, but his stuff was electric at times, with his fastball topping out at 98 mph and staying consistently in the mid-90s for long stretches. His curveball and changeup showed some quality, as well, for someone who hadn’t pitched in two years. While injuries seriously impacted his career, Carpenter still was in line to be drafted late in the first round last June because his ceiling among college righthanders was unsurpassed. But he tumbled all the way to the 19th round as teams became wary of his medical record and considered his high price tag too rich for the risk involved. Those concerns appeared well founded as he made just two starts in the Cape Cod League during the summer and went home with a tender arm. The layoff may have been just what Carpenter needed, however, as he was outstanding last fall with a fastball between 92-96 mph and a vastly-improved breaking ball at 84-86. He is part of a talented starting trio at Kent State this spring, joining potential 2009 first-rounders Kyle Smith and Brad Stillings.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Though teams continue to be wary of his lengthy medical record, Carpenter took the ball every time out this spring and pitched better than ever. He threw more free and easy, and his stuff was crisper. His fastball was a steady 93-96 mph, approaching and even touching 100, and he also showed more aptitude to pitch with his secondary while being around the plate more consistently. He struggled in his first couple of outings, but was solid from there on out as he went 6-2, 3.81 with 33 walks and 88 strikeouts in 76 innings. Opponents batted just .204 off him. With all that he has encountered since undergoing his first surgery, he’s ready to take the next step to pro ball.—AS
 
SEATTLE
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
98 Aaron Pribanic RHP Jr. R-R 6-4 200 Nebraska Plano, Texas Never drafted 9/1/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Pribanic came on quickly this spring to become a potential top 3-round draft pick after going through four drafts without being selected. He spent three years at Hutchinson (Kan.) CC, the first as a red-shirt, before transferring to Nebraska. Pribanic’s body of work in junior college was solid but unspectacular. He went 2-1, 3.88 as a red-shirt freshman in 2006 and 6-1, 3.33 in 2007. His fastball has was up to 95 mph early this spring and stayed consistently at 93 deep into pitch counts. Scouts say that Pribanic’s breaking ball is still a work in progress but he controls his fastball very well and has a good idea how to pitch. Pribanic has major league bloodlines; his grandfather is former all-star righthander Jim Coates, who played in the big leagues from 1956-67.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Pribanic struggled some in the second half as the scouting report got around the Big 12 that he had one plus pitch, his fastball, and two below-average pitches in his curveball and changeup. He maintained his arm strength and fastball velocity, though, and scouts don’t seem to have become discouraged. Pribanic is a fourth-year junior, so this is his year to go out and he should be drafted plenty high enough. Pribanic posted a 3-4, 4.48 record in 70 innings (entering NCAA regional play), pitching in the Sunday slot for the Cornhuskers.—DR
 
DETROIT
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
99 Scott Green RHP Jr. R-R 6-8 240 Kentucky Louisville, Ky. Red Sox ’07 (15) 8/10/1985
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Green, a 15th-round pick last June as a draft-eligible sophomore, made a calculated gamble when he turned down a reported $800,000 offer from the Boston Red Sox at the signing deadline to return to Kentucky for his junior year. The 6-foot-8 righthander has always viewed himself as a potential first-rounder and wants to be paid accordingly—and there is a good likelihood that will happen in 2008. Injuries have been the biggest obstacle to that occurring before now. Green has had elbow issues since he was in high school and missed the 2006 season while recuperating from Tommy John surgery. He missed additional time last spring with an assortment of minor injuries, and worked only in stops and starts. In nine relief appearances covering 18 innings, he went 2-0, 3.06 with 20 strikeouts. Despite being on a pitch count last summer, he was healthy again and pitched at 89-91 mph, topping at 93, for league champion Yarmouth-Dennis of the Cape Cod League. He also mixed in a solid 79-83 mph slider and the makings of a good changeup. He went 3-1, 1.56 while walking just nine and striking out 35 in 40 innings. Green is very athletic in his big frame and gets good downward plane on his pitches. His three-quarters delivery needs a little cleaning up—though it also makes him effectively wild and provides good deception, making him that much more dominant. When healthy, Green has a loose, fluid, effortless delivery with a fastball that peaks at 94 mph with good boring action on righthanded hitters.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Green’s decision to pass up a lucrative offer from the Red Sox last summer may have backfired on him. He struggled to establish consistency, both as a starter and reliever, and went just 6-4, 4.97, though he gave up just 16 walks and had 64 strikeouts 54 innings. He was an enigma to scouts as he often had dominant stuff, yet was very hittable. There was little middle ground from game to game, even from inning to inning. His stuff, including a fastball up to 95 mph and a hard slider (his strikeout pitch), and control generally weren’t the problem, but his command was. He threw way too many pitches in the heart of the hitting zone. He also created little deception in his delivery, giving hitters an easy look. Green’s size and stuff will be tough for a team to walk away from, but his uneven performance may be the overriding issue in where he is drafted.—AS
 
NEW YORK-NL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
100 Kirk Niewenhuis 1B/OF Jr. L-R 6-2 195 Azusa Pacific Highlands Ranch, Co. Never drafted 8/7/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: The upstart Athletes In Action Fire won the Alaska League regular-season title last summer and no one contributed more than Niewenhuis, who was selected the league’s player of the year. He hit .333-4-30 (with wood) and led the league with 35 runs scored. He was even more prolific at the plate for NAIA Azusa Pacific the last two years, hitting .399-10-59 with 18 stolen bases as a sophomore and following up with a .411-14-65 campaign this spring as a junior. Niewenhuis is much stronger than a year ago and now has a powerful, quick, mature swing. He can put on a show in BP and drive balls to the gaps, though his in-game power has yet to fully materialize. He provides a big target at first base, his primary position, but he is athletic enough and runs well enough to play in the outfield. His arm definitely plays there as well, as he has pitched on occasion at Azusa Pacific and was clocked at 91-92 mph.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
SAN DIEGO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
101 Blake Tekotte OF Jr. L-R 6-0 175 Miami Columbia, Mo. Never drafted 5/24/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Tekotte isn’t blessed with instantly-identifiable tools, but he’s solid across the board and comes to play every day. His talent grows on scouts the more they see him play. He topped the Cape Cod League last summer with 22 stolen bases in 23 attempts, but that feat was more a factor of outstanding base-running instincts than his raw speed (6.7 in the 60). His speed is actually a better asset in center field, where he is a better-than-average defender. Normally the No. 2 hitter in Miami’s power-packed lineup in 2007, Tekotte moved into the leadoff spot for injured Jemile Weeks and excelled in that role, hitting nearly 400. Overall, he hit .333-3-25. He continued to lead off for Miami this year. Tekotte batted only .256-1-16 last summer on the Cape, but he demonstrated natural leadoff skills and a knack for centering balls. He has a good lefthanded approach to hitting and will occasionally turn on a ball.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): While scouts flocked to Miami to see Yonder Alonso, Jemile Weeks and Dennis Raben—all potential first-rounders—this spring, they often left almost impressed with Tekotte, the Hurricanes center fielder and table-setter atop the lineup. He was an on-base machine (32 BB. 11 HBP), and compiled a .377 batting average through May 15. He also showed some pop in his lefthanded bat, hitting nine homers, including three in one game against Virginia Tech on May 9. His instincts on the bases and in center field continued to be upper level.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
 
PHILADELPHIA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
102 Vance Worley RHP Jr. R-R 6-2 220 Long Beach State Sacramento, Calif. Phillies ’05 (20) 9/25/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: As one of the top high school arms in California, Worley was supposed to be the latest in a long line of high-profile pitchers to breeze through Long Beach State on their way to a big league career. But it hasn’t happened quite that way for Worley, who went a combined 5-9, 3.77 with just 75 strikeouts in 127 innings through his first two years for the 49ers. He was marginally better this season at 6-3, 4.55 with 60 strikeouts in 87 innings, with a week remaining in the regular season. Worley has a thick lower half in his strong, powerful frame and consciously changed his arm angle as a freshman as he got too big physically to be effective early on in his college career. He then was plagued by an elbow flexor problem as a sophomore and sat out last summer while rehabbing the injury. He had no such issues this season and showed scouts more of what they expected all along—though his results this season don’t necessarily reflect it. Worley has good arm strength with a fastball that is a steady 89-92 mph, and touched 94. He’s been up to 95 in the past, but often at the expense of elevating his fastball up in the zone and getting little movement on the pitch. He showed a greater ability to throw his fastball, 72-77 mph curve and 79-81 mph changeup for strikes and pitch ahead in counts, and walked only 11 (barely more than one per nine innings) this season. His curveball has good rotation and bite, but he has been prone to hang it. The key for Worley, besides staying healthy, was re-establishing his breaking ball, which was slow to respond from his elbow injury.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
COLORADO
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
103 Aaron Weatherford RHP Jr. R-R 6-1 190 Mississippi State Crystal Springs, Miss. Never drafted 12/19/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Weatherford started the 2007 season in the Mississippi State rotation but couldn’t sustain his velocity in that role and was soon moved to the bullpen to shorten games for the Bulldogs. He played a key role for the Bulldogs as they made an unexpected trip to the College World Series, going 3-2, 3.53 with five saves and 72 strikeouts in 66 innings. Weatherford has electric, closer-type stuff with a fastball that sits at 93-95 mph in short bursts and can top out at 97. The pitch also has excellent arm-side run and explodes in the strike zone. A hard slider gives him the second pitch he needs to dominate as a closer, but he also throws a splitter—an effective pitch as the bottom falls out as it reaches the plate. His control is inconsistent, a result of his tendency to rush his delivery, opening his front side early. He reminds scouts of fellow Alabama high school product Jake Peavy. He’s not overly big and there’s some effort in his upright delivery, but he’s very athletic. Like Peavy, he’s also an exceptional competitor and thrives in pressure situations.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Weatherford continued to thrive in his role at the back end of a bullpen, though his fastball didn’t climb to 97 as it did a year earlier. He still showed plenty of velocity, however, as his heater sat at 94-95 mph. Not only did it get on hitters quickly, but it had plenty of movement. He also worked in an effective power curve and splitter. Weatherford saved only seven games on the season, but his opportunities were limited and he missed five weeks of the season with tendonitis in his pitching arm. Ole Miss closer Scott Bittle got plenty of attention for leading the nation both in strikeouts per nine innings and hits per nine innings, but Weatherford actually topped him in both categories. He allowed just 10 hits in 32 innings, while striking out 62—but he didn’t work enough innings to qualify among the national leaders. Weatherford also went 3-1, 0.85.—AS
 
ARIZONA
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT High School Hometown Commitment B’date
104 Kevin Eichhorn RHP/SS Sr. B-R 6-1 170 Aptos Aptos, Calif. Santa Clara 2/6/1990
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Eichhorn is the son of former major league righthander Mark Eichhorn, but bears little resemblance in style to his side-arm throwing father, who pitched in 563 big league games and has two World Series rings from the Toronto Blue Jays. Kevin has a standard high three-quarters release point that produces a low-90s fastball and a 75-mph curveball that is very deep and sharp. As a junior, he went 7-2, 1.05 with 89 strikeouts in 67 innings. Eichhorn also hit .452-6-49, is an excellent athlete and could easily become a shortstop at the major college level as well. He is one of many top 2008 prospects who played in the 2002 Little League World Series as a member of the Aptos (Calif.) team.—DAVID RAWNSLEY
UPDATE (5/15): Eichhorn was very solid on the mound this spring and consistent with his past talent levels, and went 9-1 for a talented Aptos High team. His signature performance of the 2008 season was a 13-strikeout performance against Maryland’s Calvert Hall, ranked No. 1 in one national poll at the time, in the National Classic, the top in-season high school tournament in the country. Eichhorn also had two doubles and a home run in that game.—DR
 
LOS ANGELES-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT Junior College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
105 Ryan Chaffee RHP/1B So. R-R 6-2 200 Chipola JC Niceville, Fla. Braves ’07 (43) 5/18/1988
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Chaffee was selected the outstanding pitcher at the Junior College World Series last year after spinning a complete-game five-hitter with a walk and eight strikeouts against No. 1-ranked New Mexico JC in the championship game for his second win of the tournament. He had a handful of clubs calling him less than a week later on draft day, wanting to select him in the fifth or sixth rounds, but he resisted all overtures and became a 43rd-round afterthought. Long-time Chipola coach Jeff Johnson says Chaffee has more pitchability and the best secondary stuff of any pitcher he’s coached, including lefthander Adam Loewen, the fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft. Chaffey throws both his breaking ball and changeup consistently for strikes. His fastball is normally in the 88-92 mph range and peaked at 94 in the JUCO World Series, though he struggles to command the pitch—the only real knock on him. He throws all his pitches from different arm angles, ranging from over-the-top on a 12-to-6 breaking ball that is effective against lefthanded hitters, to three-quarters on his fastball and a slurve he uses against righthanders, to sidearm on his frisbee slider. In effect, it gives him six out pitchers from three different slots though it may impact his velocity. He has a good feeling for pitching and will go after hitters. Chaffee is a two-way starter for Chipola, playing first base when he’s not on the mound.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Chaffee’s command and velocity were a level below the form he displayed in 2007 throughout the early weeks of 2008, but he appeared to be rounding into shape when his season came to a screeching halt in early April. He broke his ankle and had surgery to have a screw placed in his foot. He was back throwing bullpens three weeks later, however, and returned to active pitching at the Florida junior college tournament. In the championship game, he may have pitched the game of his life as he shut out Manatee CC, striking out 18, to propel Chipola to a return trip to the Junior College World Series. Just when it looked like his draft stock may be compromised by his ankle injury, he did nothing but enhance his worth with his dominating performance. Projected to be the first Florida junior college player drafted at the start of the 2008 season, he had been passed by at least two other players on his own team (Ben Jeffers and Carlos Moncrief)—and possibly by several others in an unusually strong Florida junior college crop. At the time he was hurt, Chaffee had posted just 2-3, 5.20 numbers, though had struck out 57 in 45 innings. He was also hitting .317-7-19 as a part-time first baseman. Chaffee committed to Louisiana State in the April signing period.—AS
 
NEW YORK-AL
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
106 David Adams 2B Jr. R-R 6-2 205 Virginia Margate, Fla. Tigers ’05 (21) 5/15/1987
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Scouts who saw Adams in the second half of the 2007 Cape Cod League season thought he had the most polished bat in the league and were impressed with his ability to center balls consistently. Indeed, he was a much better hitter statistically in the second half and his surge at the plate coincided with a move from shortstop to second base. He hit just .213 and made five errors in 15 games at short to start the season, but he moved across the bag once Oregon State’s slick-fielding Joey Wong joined the team late from the College World Series and became the team’s everyday shortstop. From that point on, Adams hit .352 and led the league with 14 doubles. Overall, he hit .302 on the season. Though he did not homer all summer, the ball jumps off his bat and scouts believe it’s just a matter of time before his power develops. He primarily needs to add lift to his swing—and could become another Jeff Kent-type of player once he does. He hit .372 with five homers last spring at Virginia. Though he played much more relaxed at second base and turned the double play efficiently, he still made nine more errors at the position and topped the Cape with 14 errors overall. Scouts say he’s more than adequate in the field and mainly needs to improve his throwing mechanics as he has a higher slot on his release than most middle infielders. At Virginia, Adams committed just seven errors in 271 chances as a sophomore. Virginia has produced three big leaguer infielders in Brian O’Connor’s brief four-year tenure as head coach—Joe Koshansky, Mark Reynolds and Ryan Zimmerman—but the Cavalier coaching staff said Adams had a better fall season than any of those players ever did.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Adams appeared to have solidified himself as a solid second-rounder through the first half of the 2008 season, but hit a wall in the heart of the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule and his average nosedived. As Virginia entered NCAA play, he was hitting just .282—a significant drop from earlier in the season and a 90 percentage point decline from a year ago. Earlier, he had shown the smooth swing mechanics and selectively-aggressive approach that enabled him to make consistent, hard contact, making him one of the best hitting prospects in the college game. Without his bat to carry him, his lack of speed and range at second base suddenly became more of an issue. Like teammate Jacob Thompson, though, he has enough of a track record that his late-season slide shouldn’t impact his draft status significantly.—AS
 
CLEVELAND
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
107 Cord Phelps 2B Jr. B-R 6-2 200 Stanford Santa Barbara, Ca. Never drafted 1/23/1987
SCOUTING REPORT: Phelps wasn’t considered an early-round prospect—let alone a draft pick—out of high school or in his first two years at Stanford, when he failed to launch a single homer in 278 at-bats. But he got considerably stronger prior to his junior season with the Cardinal and became an offensive force this spring in the Stanford lineup, hitting 10 home runs while batting .343 (with a week remaining in the regular season). Though he’s still viewed primarily as an igniter at the top of a lineup—a No. 2 hitter with a leadoff mentality—he now has the size and strength to hit for power. He has a good feel for hitting from both sides of the plate with a short, compact stroke, but is a better overall hitter from the left side. He’s a reliable fielder at second base, gets good jumps, makes all the routine plays and is particularly adept at turning the double play. In 50 games this season, he committed just five errors and his throws are accurate and have carry. Befitting the typical Stanford player, he has sound baseball instincts.—ALLAN SIMPSON
 
BOSTON
Rank Player Pos. Class B-T HT WT College Hometown Prev. Drafted B’date
108 Kyle Weiland RHP Jr. L-R 6-4 195 Notre Dame Albuquerque, N.M. Never drafted 9/12/1986
SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): One of the nation’s premier closers as a freshman at Notre Dame with 16 saves, Weiland never really got his sophomore season off the ground after slipping on ice and breaking his collarbone prior to the 2007 season. He didn’t pitch until mid-season and never got untracked as he went 5-3, 5.66 with just two saves in 13 appearances. His fastball was only 87-90 mph. He returned to his freshman form in a middle relief role during the summer for Falmouth in the Cape Cod League, touching the mid-90s with movement on his fastball. His 80-81 mph slider was also a dominant pitch—when he had command of it. Overall, he went 1-2, 2.38 with 27 strikeouts in 23 innings and allowed just a single run in his final 18 innings. He has assumed his familiar closer’s role as a junior at Notre Dame and could surface as high as the second or third round in June if he performs like he did as a freshman and the velocity and explosiveness on his fastball carries over from the fall, when it was 90-93, touching 94.—ALLAN SIMPSON
UPDATE (5/15): Weiland had an up-and-down spring for Notre Dame, throwing very well in spurts but also getting hit occasionally, especially late in the year. He went 2-2, 5.04 with seven saves while allowing 33 hits in 30 innings. With his stuff, there isn’t really much excuse for Weiland being hittable, which confuses scouts. He’ll show three plus pitches in any given game, with a fastball that touches 95 mph, a hard-breaking slider and a nice changeup. That three-pitch mix has led to much talk about making Weiland a starter in professional ball, a role he hasn’t filled since he was in high school in New Mexico. Some scouts question Weiland’s ability to make that kind of an adjustment, citing his complicated Kevin Appier-type delivery that will need to be seriously toned down before he’s asked to repeat his delivery for 100-plus pitches per game.—DAVID RAWNSLEY