| BALTIMORE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 176 |
Rick Zagone |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
6-2 |
215 |
Missouri |
Crystal Lake, Ill. |
Never drafted |
9/30/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Zagone was counted on to be the
third piece of Missouri’s Big 3 starting rotation, pitching between
righthanders Aaron Crow and Kyle Gibson in the Saturday slot, but it didn’t
work out that way. The strong-bodied lefthander was very ineffective early in
the season as he struggled with his command and location, and didn’t pitch with
confidence. A trip to the bullpen seemed to do wonders for Zagone and he threw
much better over the second half of the season. He has a fringy-average
fastball that will touch 90 mph, and works consistently in the upper-80s. His
best pitch is a low-80s slider that is big and sharp, and can be a
swing-and-miss pitch for him. Zagone’s changeup is still in the developmental
stages. He won seven games and pitched 101 innings as a sophomore starter at
Missouri, but his two-pitch mix and power slider more than likely make him a
bullpen lefty in the future.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| SAN FRANCISCO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 177 |
Eric Surkamp |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
6-5 |
215 |
North Carolina State |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
Never drafted |
7/16/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Surkamp worked in tandem
with his former Moeller High pitching mate Andrew Brackman at the front of the
N.C. State rotation last season before Brackman, who was drafted in the first
round by the New York Yankees, was sidelined with a sore arm that led to Tommy
John surgery. Surkamp struggled to win games when Brackman went down and ended
up with a 4-5, 3.47 record with 84 strikeouts and 27 walks in 96 innings.
Despite his big, strong frame—and, in stark contrast to Brackman, who topped
out at 99 mph—Surkamp does not throw particularly hard and his stuff is
considered marginal by pro standards. His fastball is just in the 86-89 mph
range though will touch 90, but he has an advanced feel for pitching and can
keep hitters off balance with a three-pitch mix. He rarely throws consecutive
pitches at the same speed or to the same location. He went 2-0, 1.85 with 26
strikeouts in 24 innings for Orleans of the Cape Cod League last summer, before
being added to Team USA’s roster for the latter part of its international
schedule. If Surkamp can somehow increase the velocity on his fastball even 2-3
mph, it would help his stock considerably in the draft, but most scouts believe
he is what he is and project he’ll be a 5th-10th round pick in 2008. He has a
good changeup and an average breaking ball but needs to spot those pitches,
along with his fastball, consistently to be effective.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Surkamp was pretty much what he
was a year ago—a big lefthander with a good feel for pitching but ordinary
stuff. He went 5-2, 4.39 with 82 strikeouts in 70 innings as one of N.C.
State’s two primary starters. He pitched better late in the season, raising
hopes he’ll be drafted closer to the fifth round than the 10th.—AS |
| |
| FLORIDA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 178 |
Graham Johnson |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-6 |
215 |
Westlake |
Westlake, Calif. |
Fresno State |
10/13/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Scouts who came to see Cutter
Dykstra and Shane Kroker at Westlake High also were able to watch Johnson, a
big-bodied righthander, pitch on occasion. Johnson’s fastball was up to 91-93
mph at times, although his delivery and secondary stuff are still on the raw
side. He was used frequently out of the bullpen, routinely for an inning or two
in a set-up role, and he went 2-3, 3.35 with 39 K’s in 43 innings. He projects
a relief role at the next level.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| CINCINNATI |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 179 |
Alex Buchholz |
2B/3B |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-0 |
172 |
Delaware |
Millersville, Md. |
Never drafted |
9/30/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Buchholz has had two
high-profile seasons at Delaware, batting .378-18-64 as a freshman and
.387-11-63 as a sophomore. He didn’t hit quite to that level last summer in the
Cal Ripken Sr. League (.270-1-21), but he nonetheless led Youse’s Maryland
Orioles to its fifth straight All-American Amateur Baseball Association title.
He impressed scouts with his bat speed and power to all fields. While he spent
most of his first two college seasons at second base, Buchholz played third
base last summer and displayed the best infield arm in the Cal Ripken Sr.
League. He was expected to continue to play third base his junior year at
Delaware, but began the 2008 season on familiar ground at second base. He has
the power numbers to profile at the hot corner, though they may be enhanced
somewhat since Delaware plays in a bandbox.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Buchholz played the bulk of the
2008 season at shortstop for Delaware—more on team need than design, but he may
have enhanced his profile as a potential utility player in the process. He has
good hands and graceful actions in the middle, but his arm was a little short
from the hole though is very playable at second, his best position. He showed a
quick, aggressive, compact stroke but had an inclination to be too home-run
happy this spring as he pressed to hit the long ball more consistently like he
did his first two seasons. He hit just five long balls this year, while
batting.319. Despite a pronounced dip in offensive production, scouts have
little doubt Buchholz will hit.—AS |
| |
| CHICAGO-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 180 |
Kenny Williams, Jr |
OF |
Jr. |
B-R |
6-2 |
200 |
Wichita State |
Plainfield, Ill. |
Rockies ’07 (32) |
5/23/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Williams is the son of Chicago
White Sox GM Ken Williams, and was drafted by the White Sox in the 36th round
out of high school in 2004. The White Sox are somewhat infamous for drafting
the off-spring of their general managers as they drafted then-GM Ron Schueler’s
daughter Carey in the 43rd round in 1993 (they selected future big leaguers
Frank Menechino, Mario Valdez and Placido Polanco in later rounds that year).
Williams, however, is a legit prospect with legit tools. He’s a switch-hitter
with good bat speed, although he doesn’t have the power that his father had in
a six-year big league career. Williams’ best tool is his running speed, but he
also has arm strength and solid center-field skills. He played for two seasons
at Arizona out of high school before red-shirting in 2007, and later
transferring to Wichita State. He hit .320-2-25 with nine steals for the
Shockers this spring (enter NCAA regional play).—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| WASHINGTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 181 |
Paul Demny |
RHP |
So. |
R-R |
6-3 |
220 |
Blinn (Texas) |
East Bernard, Texas |
Braves ’07 (15) |
8/3/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Demny’s stock rose rapidly in
the summer of 2006, when he began throwing in the 92-94 mph range with plus
fastball life and a nasty slider, leading to his becoming an Aflac
All-American. He has always been plagued by command issues and they were
evident last year as a high school senior, causing him to slip to the 15th
round of the 2007 draft, and they were an issue again this spring as a freshman
at Blinn JC as he walked 24 in 51 innings, while going 2-4, 4.21 with 53
strikeouts. His 90-93 mph fastball and 78-82 mph slider still remained
prominent power pitches, while his changeup continued to develop.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| HOUSTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 182 |
J.B. Shuck |
LHP/OF |
Jr. |
L-L |
5-11 |
185 |
Ohio State |
Galion, Ohio |
Never drafted |
6/18/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: The jury remains out on whether
Shuck is a pitcher or position player. He did little to settle the debate this
spring as he hit .356, second on the Buckeyes, and led the team with 22 stolen
bases while playing a stellar center field. He missed several games early in
the season when he dislocated his right middle finger in the opening series of
the year, and struggled to grip the bat properly upon his return. As one of
four starting Ohio State pitchers, he went 5-3, 4.29 with 34 walks and 76
strikeouts in 65 innings. Coming off last summer, when he had just three hits
in 35 at-bats in the Cape Cod League as a part-time outfielder but went 3-2,
3.30 with 38 strikeouts in 44 innings on the mound, with a fastball in the
88-90 mph range, the prevailing sentiment then was that Shuck would be drafted
this year as a pitcher. His fastball touched 92 on occasion this spring, but
scouts pursued him more aggressively as a position player. Though he has
limited power and his overall hitting skills have a way to go, his speed and
center-field tools—both his range and arm—are above-average. Scouts say he runs
better than Nick Swisher, Ohio State’s last center fielder of note, and has a
better arm, but that he lacks Swisher’s power and game savvy. .—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| TEXAS |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 183 |
Richard Bleier |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
6-3 |
210 |
Florida Gulf Coast |
Davie, Fla. |
Never drafted |
|
| SCOUTING REPORT: Bleier was unknown to national
scouts prior to the 2008 season, but by adding 40 pounds in college to a
6-foot-3 frame he has gone from a low-80s, lanky high school lefthander to a
90-mph college ace. He went a commendable 8-2, 3.60 as a sophomore and topped
that this spring against much stiffer competition by going 7-1, 2.09 with 17
walks and 76 strikeouts in 90 innings as Florida Gulf Coast, a new member of
the Atlantic Sun Conference, played a full Division I schedule for the first
time. Bleier is a polished southpaw in the Mark Buehrle-mould, with a very good
slider/changeup combination and pinpoint command of all three of his pitches.
He moved steadily up draft boards over the second half of the 2008 season and
could be picked as high as the late-second or early-third round.—DAVID
RAWNSLEY |
| |
| OAKLAND |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 184 |
Tyreace House |
OF |
So. |
R-R |
5-10 |
175 |
JC of the Canyons |
Palmdale, Calif. |
Braves ’07 (49) |
3/1/1988 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: House didn’t hit the ball this
spring with anywhere near the authority of his teammate, UC Irvine-bound Brian
Hernandez, who hit .457-7-56 and set school records for hits and doubles. But
House has a tool that plays in pro ball—outstanding speed. He stole 31 bases
while batting .348-2-25. The remainder of his tools all play to varying
degrees.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| ST. LOUIS |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 185 |
Eric Fornataro |
RHP |
So. |
R-R |
6-1 |
195 |
Miami-Dade |
Richmond, Va. |
Never drafted |
1/2/1988 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Fornataro barely registered
among area scouts a year ago at Pensacola (Fla.) JC, where he went 1-2, 5.89 in
just 18 innings of work. But he became one of the hottest junior college arms
in the country this spring after his transfer to Miami-Dade. Though he suffered
his team’s only loss as Miami-Dade raced out to a 25-1 record, Fornataro
clearly was the pitcher scouts targeted on a deep and talented staff and he
continued to move up draft boards through the spring. He was 7-2, 2.87 with 26
walks and 77 strikeouts in 78 innings as Miami-Dade, the second-ranked team in
Florida, entered state tournament play. Fornataro has smooth mechanics with a
clean arm action and throws everything with ease. His stuff includes a heavy
fastball in the 90-93 mph range, touching 94, along with a solid changeup and a
developing slider. He maintains his arm speed well and gets good deception on
his changeup, which has late, tumbling action. Though he is around the plate
with all his pitches, he lacks consistent command of his slider. He also has a
tendency of pitching backwards, leading with his changeup in fastball counts.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| MINNESOTA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 186 |
B.J. Hermsen |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-5 |
225 |
West Delaware |
Masonville, Iowa |
Oregon State |
12/1/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Hermsen is one of the few
true three-sport athletes that seem to be left anymore. He finished third in
the Iowa prep basketball ranks in scoring at 25.7 ppg as a junior. He also led
West Delaware to consecutive state championship games as a quarterback while
being named all-state in that sport as a junior (a broken collarbone ended his
senior season last fall). He is understandably just as dominating on the
baseball field, if not even more so. He went 11-0, 1.16 with 108 strikeouts in
67 innings as a junior, while also hitting .504 with 18 homers. Hermsen has a
very smooth and polished delivery for a big-bodied pitcher with minimal
experience and is a strike machine. His velocity moved from the upper-80s to
the 92-94 mph range last summer as he moved firmly among the country’s elite
pitching prospects. His mid- to upper-70s curveball is a potential plus pitch,
too. If Hermsen can repeat his summer velocity coming off of basketball this
winter, he could easily become Iowa’s first high school pitcher selected in the
first round.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Hermsen broke his left collarbone
during the football season and that injury, although to his non-throwing arm,
appeared to affect Hermsen during the early spring. Most teams saw him throw in
the second week of April at Perfect Game’s Spring Top Showcase and came away
discouraged. Hermsen’s fastball was just 86-88 mph and he didn’t look
comfortable throwing it. Those teams that returned in mid-May saw a different
Hermsen as he was 90-92 mph with a power curveball and had much better overall
actions. How scouts weigh April vs. May and factor in signability will
determine Hermsen’s fate in the draft.—DR |
| |
| LOS ANGELES-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 187 |
Tony Delmonico |
SS |
Jr. |
B-R |
6-0 |
194 |
Florida State |
Knoxville, Tenn. |
Never drafted |
4/27/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Delmonico had an erratic
sophomore season at Tennessee, switching back and forth between second base and
shortstop in search of a comfort zone, and continued to struggle in the field
last summer at Cotuit in the Cape Cod League, alternating between second, short
and third base—and even the outfield. Though he has good range and a cannon
from any infield position, he often struggles with his hands and eventually
lost confidence last summer in his ability to field ground balls. He projects
as a second baseman in the long run. His missteps in the field also have
affected him at the plate from time to time, though he hit a satisfactory
.267-3-18 (with wood) on the summer. He normally has good timing and bat
control with a short, quick, line-drive stroke at the plate, and can
occasionally drive a ball with wood. But he stopped switch-hitting to bat only
righthanded—even though he struggles with breaking balls from that side. No one
was harder on himself throughout his troubles than Delmonico, but scouts
haven’t lost faith in his ability. They appreciate his athleticism, instincts
and tools package—though not one of his tools stands out. With the ouster of
his father Rod as the long-time baseball coach at Tennessee after the 2007
season, Delmonico transferred to Florida State for his junior year. His father
will be close at hand having taking a job as a volunteer assistant with the
Seminoles.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Delmonico enjoyed a strong season
at the plate this spring for the Seminoles, hitting .365-7-55 with 30 walks to
reaffirm scouts’ confidence in his bat speed and overall athletic ability. He
struggled at shortstop, with 20 errors in 49 games, and virtually every scout
now sees his future at second base or a corner position.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| MILWAUKEE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 188 |
Jose Duran |
SS |
Jr. |
R-R |
5-11 |
190 |
Texas A&M |
Fort Worth, Texas |
Never drafted |
11/27/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Duran came to A&M after two
years at North Central Texas JC and wasn’t accorded serious prospect status at
the beginning of the spring. It was hoped that he would add another veteran
presence to a veteran infield, and maybe hit a bit. The opposite was the case.
While Duran’s fielding wasinconsistent (20 errors in 57 games), he was an
offensive force in the middle of the Aggies lineup (.390-5-61 as Texas A&M
entered post-season play). He has a crisp line-drive swing and a mature
approach to hitting. Part of that approach probably comes from watching his
older brother, German, who made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers
earlier this year after hitting .300 with 22 home runs last year in Double-A in
2007. German, also a middle infielder, followed a slightly different but
unrecognized path through Texas Christian as a freshman and Weatherford (Texas)
JC a year later on his way to being drafted in the sixth round in 2005. Jose
appears to be a very similar talent. Duran capped his 2008 season by being
named the Big 12 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in a vote of
league coaches.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| TORONTO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 189 |
Marcus Brisker |
OF |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
195 |
Winter Haven |
Winter Haven, Fla. |
Daytona CC |
8/21/1990 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Brisker is an excellent athlete
who gave up basketball as a senior to concentrate on baseball. He is a plus
runner with a very good first step on the bases and in the outfield. Brisker
flashes plus bat speed at the plate, although he is inconsistent in his
approach. But he can drive the ball hard to the alleys and projects power in
the future as he learns to get his body into his swing. Brisker was a young
high school senior and won’t turn 18 until late in the summer and that, coupled
with his relative inexperience, makes scouts project him more than most high
school outfield prospects.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| ATLANTA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 190 |
Adam Milligan |
OF |
So. |
L-R |
6-3 |
225 |
Walters State (Tenn.) |
Savannah, Tenn. |
Braves ’07 (27) |
3/14/1988 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Milligan had a solid
freshman season in 2007 for the defending Junior College World Series
champions, hitting .395-13-58, and yet improved his draft worth only one round
from 2006 to last June. In both years, he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves.
Unlike most junior college players, Milligan has significant college options
and was one of three Walters State players to commit to Vanderbilt in the
NCAA’s early-signing period. Teams will need to continue to be wary of his
signability status when they make another run at him in the 2008 draft.
Milligan has a big, strong, athletic body but his actions are a little stiff.
He made big strides at the plate as a freshman, but made his greatest
improvement in the field, turning a liability into an asset. He has worked hard
to overcome a below-average arm, poor jumps and awkward outfield actions.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): The powerful Milligan may have as
much raw power as anyone in the junior college ranks, but he was almost lost in
the shuffle on his own team this spring. He homered 19 times while hitting .399
with 63 RBIs out of the cleanup hole for Walters State, but ranked only fourth
behind three freshmen sluggers. An extremely hard worker, Milligan continued to
get better in all phases of his game, with better speed (6.7 in the 60) and
improved arm strength and outfield play. His improvement may not be reflected
in the draft as his commitment to Vanderbilt is certain to scare off a number
of clubs in the early rounds.—AS |
| |
| CHICAGO-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 191 |
Josh Harrison |
2B/3B |
Jr. |
R-R |
5-8 |
177 |
Cincinnati |
Cincinnati |
Never drafted |
7/8/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): At his listed height of
5-foot-8 (some say he is actually closer to 5-6), Harrison would appear best
suited to play either second base or center field, positions where speed is
more of a premium. But Harrison has spent a significant part of his college and
summer league career to date at third base and in left field. As a sophomore,
he hit .321-9-56 with 21 stolen bases. He played the bulk of last summer in the
Cape Cod League at third base, a power position—and more than held his own
there. He showed surprising juice in his little frame and sufficient arm
strength from that side of the diamond to not look out of place. He has settled
in at shortstop this spring at Cincinnati. Harrison will be an above-average
base stealer, no matter where he plays, and stole 14 bags last summer on the
Cape while batting .264-2-13. He has the instincts to play center field and the
hands for second base—and it may just be a matter of which team drafts him next
June before it’s determined which position he’ll settle in at in the future.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Harrison started slowly this
season, both at the plate and in the field, and was eventually moved to second
base from shortstop. More comfortable at second and with tools that are better
suited for that position, he settled in there defensively and began swinging
the bat with more authority. He ended up leading the Bearcats with a .378
average and 66 runs, while hitting five homers and stealing 32 bases. Harrison
has fringy tools but has always been more about being a baseball player than an
athlete. He has an excellent feel for how to play the game in all phases, but
there are concerns about his overall hitting ability and raw speed, and where
he’ll wind up defensively.—AS |
| |
| SEATTLE |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 192 |
Jarrett Burgess |
OF |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-2 |
180 |
Florida Christian |
Miami |
|
8/10/1990 |
| |
| DETROIT |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 193 |
Tyler Stohr |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-2 |
205 |
North Florida |
Viera, Fla. |
Never drafted |
9/19/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Stohr started the 2007
season as North Florida’s No. 2 starter, but it was quickly determined he was
miscast in that role and became the team’s closer—but not before he posted an
unsightly 0-6, 7.46 record with six saves. He spent all of last summer as a
closer for Hyannis in the Cape Cod League, going 0-0, 2.08 with five saves in
10 appearances. He felt right at home being used at the end of games as he was
able to blow his 92-95 mph fastball in one or two-inning bursts, while mixing
in a slider with good bite that he could throw for strikes. He needs to be more
consistent with the release point of his breaking ball. His poise, pitching
instincts and aggressiveness are well suited for a closer role. He has a
powerful, durable body and throws strictly from the stretch. His father is
Chicago Cubs scout Keith Stohr.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Stohr continued to adapt well to
the closer’s role this spring, going 3-2, 2.05 with 10 saves and 43 K’s in 31
innings (through mid-May). His stuff has been excellent, with regular mid-90s
heat. Stohr is still not a polished pitcher as he walked 24, but his arm
strength stands out.—DR |
| |
| NEW YORK-NL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 194 |
Josh Satin |
2B/3B |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-2 |
190 |
California |
Hidden Hills, Calif. |
Never drafted |
12/23/1984 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Until this year, Satin had never
played consistently to his freshman form—outside of the last two summers in the
Cape Cod League, when he made the all-star team both years. He had a
breakthrough season as a fifth-year senior, hitting a team-high .388 with 17
homers and 51 RBIs. A year ago, he underachieved, hitting just .287 with four
homers. Satin didn’t do anything radically different in his approach to hitting
this season to elevate his game, other than get stronger. He now profiles as an
offensive second baseman, though his increased power would also play at third.
He’s a sure-handed defender in the field, but his bat is clearly his best tool.
Age will work against Satin in this year’s draft, but at least he’ll get a
chance to go out this year after he wanted to sign a year ago but wasn’t even
drafted.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| SAN DIEGO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 195 |
Cole Figueroa |
SS/2B |
So. |
L-R |
5-10 |
180 |
Florida |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
Blue Jays ’06 (9) |
6/30/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Cole and his twin brother
Corey, sons of ex-big leaguer Bien Figueroa, both played in the Cape Cod League
last summer, but Cole was clearly the player that scouts targeted. In all
phases of his game he is a superior talent to Corey, who played second base on
a part-time basis for Cotuit and is a sophomore at St. Petersburg JC. Figueroa
is well schooled in all phases of the game, is coachable, has excellent makeup,
instincts and leadership skills, and generally gets more out of his ability
than his tools suggest. He’s a better baseball player than he is a prospect,
and more than held his own in the Cape League as a freshman, hitting .281-1-13
as Harwich’s regular shortstop after batting .332-11-50 in the spring at
Florida. He displays good bat speed and hand strength to drive balls, but has
only modest power. He’s got the range and arm strength to play shortstop at the
next level, but does not fit the tall, lanky profile desired of an everyday
shortstop and will probably end up at second base. He also does not have
blazing speed to be a base stealer but is an excellent base runner. Figueroa, a
ninth-round selection of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006, is a draft-eligible
sophomore and projects as a third- to fifth-round talent.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Figueroa had a near-carbon copy of
his freshman season, hitting .333-7-49 through games of mid-May for a young,
up-and-coming Florida team. As a draft-eligible sophomore with two seasons of
eligibility remaining, there will be plenty of pressure on him to stay at
Florida another year as the centerpiece of that program.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| PHILADELPHIA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
Junior College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 196 |
Colby Shreve |
RHP |
So. |
R-R |
6-5 |
190 |
Southern Nevada |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
Braves ’07 (8) |
1/5/1988 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Undrafted as a high school
senior, Shreve added 10 mph to his fastball over the course of the next year
and was drafted in the eighth round after his freshman season at Southern
Nevada. He elected not to sign with the Atlanta Braves and return to school, in
the process becoming the highest unsigned pick from the 2007 draft to enroll in
a junior college. He made huge strides again this off-season in the development
of his two secondary pitches—a sharp-breaking slider and a plus changeup—giving
him three above-average pitches. Shreve pitches with an above-average, 90-92
mph fastball that has touched 95. In high school he was primarily in the
mid-80s, a speed that turned scouts away and sent him on to junior college.
Shreve is a long-bodied, athletic pitcher, who at one time was also considered
a prospect as a hitter. He went 5-2, 2.68 with 55 strikeouts in 54 innings as a
freshman at CCSN. His makeup is also a highly-touted attribute. With his
present-day stuff, projectability and intangibles, he is now entrenched as the
top junior college pitcher in the country. He committed in the early-signing
period to Arkansas.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Just as Shreve was establishing
himself as a first-round pick for this year’s draft, going 5-1, 2.30 with 43
strikeouts in 47 innings, he went to the sidelines with a sore elbow. Various
opinions were rendered on the severity of the injury, from an elbow strain to a
bone spur, but a visit to noted Tommy John specialist Dr. James Andrews
confirmed the worst and he succumbed to surgery in mid-May. The surgery was
successful but Shreve is expected to be out of action for at least a year. How
it impacts his draft status is unclear, but he no longer is in line to be an
early-round pick or receive anywhere near the signing bonus he might have
expected. Prior to the injury, Shreve showed scouts three plus pitches,
including his 92-95 mph fastball that he commanded well and sustained deep into
games. His biggest improvement, however, came in the development of his
secondary pitches, particularly his breaking ball –AS |
| |
| COLORADO |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 197 |
Kiel Roling |
C |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
240 |
Arizona State |
Grand Junction, Colo. |
D’backs ’06 (31) |
1/23/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): A mid-semester transfer
from Central Arizona JC a year ago, Roling made an immediate splash for the Sun
Devils in 2007 by hitting .356-15-63. He split the catching and DH duties with
Petey Paramore, a top prospect for the 2008 draft, and they were scheduled to
split time in the two roles again this season, keeping both players fresh.
Roling was also expected to see service at first base—particularly when Ike
Davis, the everyday first baseman, is called upon to pitch. Roling is
surprisingly athletic for his size but isn’t in Paramore’s league as a
defensive catcher. He needs to improve his receiving and blocking skills,
though his arm strength is one of his two above-average tools. The tool that
really separates him is his power. He can put a charge in balls, but is prone
to striking out and led the Sun Devils with 52 strikeouts last spring. Roling
is coming off minor knee surgery after he was hurt in his first day of summer
ball in the Central Illinois Collegiate League and missed the remainder of the
season, but he is 100 percent again.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Roling missed almost the entire
summer and fall seasons with his knee injury, which left him a step behind to
start the 2008. Even though he lost weight on his big frame while in rehab, he
never showed the flexibility this spring to be able to catch on a regular
basis, and scouts began to look at him more as a first baseman or DH down the
road. His power, particularly his ability to loft balls to right-center, would
play in those roles but his above-average arm strength would largely be wasted
if not used behind the plate. He spelled Paramore at catcher this spring, while
also serving as a DH. He batted .331-7-46 with a team-high 43 strikeouts as the
Sun Devils approached the final weekend of the regular season. Questions on his
ability to remain behind the plate in pro ball has eroded his chances of being
drafted in the top 10 rounds.—AS |
| |
| ARIZONA |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 198 |
Justin Parker |
SS |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-1 |
190 |
Wright State |
Fort Wayne, Ind. |
Twins ’05 (43) |
3/14/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: Parker hit .379-5-38 with a
school-record 26 doubles as an all-Horizon League shortstop in 2007, but he was
essentially unknown to national-level scouts entering this season because he
did not play summer ball. He injured his shoulder during his sophomore year at
Wright State and had minor shoulder surgery at the end of the season,
sidelining him for the summer. Along with first baseman Jeremy Hamilton, he was
part of a potent tandem in the heart of the Wright State lineup this season,
hitting .398-7-50. Though he’s not as pure a hitter as Hamilton, Parker may
have more power potential and a number of the record total of doubles he hit a
year ago turned into home runs this season. He may lack the speed, smooth
actions and arm strength to remain at shortstop in the long team, but he should
be an offensive second baseman in a worst-case scenario. He demonstrated the
ability to hit with wood in BP sessions this spring. Scouts praise his makeup
and willingness to play and work hard, and those attributes have enabled him to
close the gap on his more naturally-talented brother Jarrod, the first-round
pick (ninth overall) of the Arizona Diamondbacks in last year’s draft.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| |
| LOS ANGELES-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 199 |
Josh Blanco |
LHP |
Sr. |
L-L |
6-2 |
190 |
Franklin |
El Paso, Texas |
|
11/16/1989 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: It’s been 21 years since the
last two El Paso high school pitchers of note—Eastwood High righthander Frank
Castillo (Cubs, 6th round) and El Paso High lefthander Butch Henry (Reds, 15th
round), both future major leaguers—made an impact on the draft. But Blanco, a
three-year starter on the Franklin High pitching staff, has a chance to make
similar inroads with a fastball in the 89-92 mph range.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| NEW YORK-AL |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
High School |
Hometown |
Commitment |
B’date |
| 200 |
Brett Marshall |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-0 |
195 |
Sterling |
Baytown, Texas |
Rice |
3/22/1990 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): To this point in his high
school career, Marshall has been overshadowed by teammate Hunter Cervenka, a
two-way talent who committed to Texas. But the 6-foot, yet solidly-built
Marshall is the primary reason why a lot of national crosscheckers flocked to
Sterling High games early this season. His fastball steadily touched 94-95 mph
this spring, peaking at 96. His comfort zone is in the 89-94 mph range, but
even that is a sharp upgrade from last summer, when his fastball was a
customary 88-91. He gets arm-side run and occasional hard sink on the pitch.
Marshall’s 78-82 mph circle changeup is a workable pitch, but he is still
learning to master a slider, which tends to be flat and wide. The ball
generally comes out of his hand extremely easily, he works fast and he attacks
hitters. Marshall was a relative unknown prior to his senior year as he
fractured his right shoulder as a sophomore and rarely attended regional or
national showcases. He initially committed to San Jacinto JC but his overnight
improvement has four year schools getting in on the recruiting action. Marshall
has a strong, well-developed athletic build, but is near physical maturity. He
should develop better pitchability through experience.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): After he jumped on the prospect
charts at the beginning of the 2008 season with his high-velocity fastball,
Marshall didn’t let up all spring. He was reportedly up to 97 mph during Texas
playoff action and was still consistently in the 92-94 mph range. Marshall went
9-1, 2.33 this spring with 84 K’s in 67 innings, while also hitting .500-8-43.
He ended up making a commitment to Rice.—DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| CLEVELAND |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 201 |
Jeremie Tice |
3B |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-1 |
225 |
Charleston |
Dacula, Ga. |
Marlins ’06 (36) |
9/25/1986 |
| SCOUTING REPORT: The College of Charleston led
the nation’s Division I college ranks with 125 home runs during the regular
season. Several players who contributed that total will be drafted, probably
none higher than Tice, who led the team with a .414 average and 81 RBIs while
slamming 24 homers—second to Michael Harrington’s national-best 26. South
Carolina’s James Darnell is the college third baseman in the state who has
gotten most of the attention this spring from scouts, but Tice, a junior
college transfer, has similar raw power that should translate easy to wood. He
also has a good feel for the strike zone, drawing a team-best 38 walks. Tice
made a number of errors early in the season at the hot corner, but handles the
position adequately. His range and arm are both playable, and first base is
always an option.—ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| BOSTON |
| Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Class |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
College |
Hometown |
Prev. Drafted |
B’date |
| 202 |
Ryan Lavarnway |
C/OF |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
210 |
Yale |
Woodland Hills, Calif. |
Never drafted |
8/7/1987 |
| SCOUTING REPORT (3/1): Lavarnway assembled one of
the best seasons in the country as a sophomore at Yale, leading the nation with
a .467 batting average and .873 slugging percentage. In the process, he set
school records for average, home runs (14) and RBIs (55). His raw power wasn’t
as readily apparent during the summer in the New England Collegiate League, but
he routinely put on an impressive power display during batting practice and
showed a good short stroke during games, though was prone to pulling balls and
not using the whole field. He also showed excellent plate discipline, walking
32 times while hitting .313-3-22 overall. Not everyone is convinced Lavarnway’s
future is behind the plate though, because he is somewhat crude mechanically
and his feet and transfer are slow. But he receives balls easily and showed
above-average arm strength at the beginning of the summer before tiring down
the stretch. Lavarnway spent much of last spring in the outfield at Yale, but
lacks the speed to play the position on an everyday basis. Scouts believe he
just needs more time behind the plate to work out some of the wrinkles.—ALLAN
SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Lavarnway hit 13 home runs this
spring to lead Ivy League hitters and caught on an everyday basis before
breaking his wrist with two weeks remaining in the season. Though he did much
of what he set out to do this season, he may not have done enough for scouts to
elevate himself into elite draft status. Lavarnway may even have regressed
slightly as a prospect overall. He didn’t catch as well as expected, struggling
to block balls while showing a slow release. His hitting instincts and actions
at the plate were also not as fluid as what they had been in the past, even
though he batted a team-high .398 and had an impressive 29-19 walk-to-strikeout
ratio. With his injury, which should keep him sidelined for a couple of weeks
beyond the draft, his need to smooth out his rough edges, and his junior class
standing at an Ivy League school all contributing factors, Lavarnway may well
be drafted much lower than he anticipated and be tracked this summer in the
Cape Cod League.—AS |