JUNIOR COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
April 28, 2008

BY ALLAN SIMPSON

Draft Has A Different Look

The abolishment of the draft-and-follow rule, effective with the 2007 draft, predictably resulted in the drafting of significantly fewer junior college players a year ago. In 2006, there were 383 players drafted out of junior colleges. That number dropped to 176 in 2007—a 55 percent decrease.

 

Not only did major league teams stop drafting players that fit the draft-and-follow mould—raw talent with upside who might improve significantly enough over the course of a year in junior college to warrant signing—but 78 of the better players in the 2007 junior college crop were signed prior to the draft as draft-and-follows.

 

With all junior college players now subject to the current year’s draft, both the number and quality of junior college players available to be selected should rise significantly. PG Crosschecker has identified the top 100 junior college prospects for this year’s draft and projects that as many as 50 could be selected in the top 10-12 rounds.

 

A year ago, only 20 junior college players were selected in the top 10 rounds—none higher thanFresno (Calif. ) CC catcher Jameson Smith in the third round. At least two players, righthanders Matt Latos of Broward (Fla. ) CC and Jordan Walden of Grayson County (Texas) CC, would have received first-round consideration had they not signed seven-figure deals prior to the 2007 draft with the Padres and Angels, respectively.

 

This year, three junior college players have attracted first-round attention from scouts: Pitt (N.C.) CC shortstop Lonnie Chisenhall, Howard (Texas) JC shortstop Tyler Ladendorf and College of Southern Nevada righthander Colby Shreve. Ladendorf, a 32^nd-round pick of the San Francisco Giants, and Shreve, an eighth-round selection of the Atlanta Braves, were drafted a year ago and would have been eligible to sign with those clubs prior to this year’s draft had the draft-and-follow rule still been in effect. Chisenhall was not drafted in 2007 so would have had to enter this year’s draft pool anyway.

 

Shreve’s status as a potential first-rounder remains up in the air as he injured his elbow in a game in late March and hasn’t pitched since. He has apparently been lost for the season—though the full extent of the elbow injury is unclear. The initial diagnosis indicated Shreve would need Tommy John surgery, which would sideline him for a year or more. But he sought a second opinion and that diagnosis came back that he had just a strain in his pitching elbow, which may allow him to resume pitching again late in the season—if his team is still involved in post-season play. The Junior College World Series is scheduled to begin May 24 in Grand Junction, Colo.

 

Still unclear in late April what the diagnosis is on his elbow, Shreve planned this week to visit Dr. James Andrews, the noted Birmingham, Ala., orthopedic surgeon who specializes in Tommy John surgery. The extent of his injury could determine whether Shreve is a first-round pick—or possibly a 10^th-rounder, or later.

 

Shreve was an eighth-round selection of the Atlanta Braves in 2007 and held the distinction of being the highest pick from a year ago to go unsigned and enroll in a junior college last fall. His stock had climbed since then to a point where it looked like he might be selected in the first round—particularly after he came out this season throwing a 90-92 mph fastball that peaked at 95, and complemented it with an above-average slider and changeup.

 

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound righthander won his first five starts of the 2008 season, but was clearly not at his best in a showdown against Salt Lake CC , the top team in the Scenic West Conference, in his final appearance on March 21. He suffered his only loss of the season in that game and finished the season with a 5-1, 2.30 record and 43 strikeouts in 47 innings.

 

Ripe Crop In Florida

 

The Florida junior college ranks are generally considered to be the strongest in the country and scouts in that state have raved all spring about the quality talent in this year’s juco crop. Among the nation’s top 100 prospects as ranked by PG Crosschecker, 25 are from Florida . California trails with 15 and Texas has 14.

 

A player who went undrafted a year ago and was barely on the radar at the start of this season has surged to the top of the pack among Florida junior college prospects.

 

Indian River (Fla. ) sophomore righthander Brett Moorhouse posted just a 3-7, 3.86 record through his first 65 innings, but has received as much interest from scouts as almost any junior college pitcher in the country. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has been clocked at a steady 90-91 mph, while touching 94, and throws three pitches for strikes. He had struck out 86 batters.

 

“His record isn’t that good,” said Indian River coach Bob O’Brien, “but the team hasn’t played great defense behind him or scored many runs for him. We had him in the pen as a freshman and have used him as a starter this year, and he has really developed his second and third pitches, especially his changeup. His command is also much better.”

 

Chipola JC righthander Ryan Chaffee ranked as Florida ’s top junior college prospect at the start of the 2008 season—primarily because he was throwing 94 mph last June while leading his team to the Junior College World Series championship. Chaffee was named the outstanding pitcher at the event after tossing a complete game five-hitter in the championship game against No. 1-ranked New Mexico .

 

Chaffee has not reached that velocity this spring and his command has not been as sharp. It looked like he may be rounding back into his 2007 form when he broke a bone in his foot on April 1 and had surgery to have a pin inserted. It’s possible he will return by the Florida state tournament in the second week of May, but his draft standing already may be compromised.

 

He has probably been passed, in fact, by two members of his own team: righthanders Ben Jeffers and Carlos Moncrief. Jeffers, a red-shirt sophomore who is only 18 months off Tommy John surgery, has been clocked at 94 mph this spring. Moncrief, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound freshman, came to Chipola more renowned as an outfielder than a pitcher but has generated more buzz this spring on the mound.

 

“He reminds me a lot of (Cincinnati Reds) righthander Johnny Cueto,” said Chipola coach Jeff Johnson. “He may have more raw arm speed and power in his fastball than anyone we’ve ever had here. We had him up to 96 mph early, and it’s possible he could reach 98 one day. Because he’s our No. 4 hitter, we’ve used him mostly in relief and he needs more innings to develop.

 

“He’s still pretty raw and had always wanted to be a position player until this year, but he’s exceptionally strong, athletic and powerful.”

 

Junior College Notebook

 

--Walters State , the 2006 Junior College World Series champion, remains the nation’s No. 1 junior college team for a fifth consecutive ranking. The Senators stretched their record on the season to 47-7, are hitting .375 as a team and have slammed 143 home runs. Freshman first baseman Kyle Koeneman leads the NJCAA Division I ranks with 25 homers and is hitting .425, second on the team, but scouts haven’t beat a path to see him as much as they have five or six of his teammates who all have a chance of being drafted in the top 10-12 rounds. Walters State players attracting significant pro interest include sophomore outfielder Adam Milligan (.400-16-52), sophomore righthander David Francis (10-1, 4.20), freshman lefthander Chad Bell (10-1, 3.61), freshman first baseman Cody Hawn (.419-19-66) and freshman catcher Dylan Pratt (.370-21-59). The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Koeneman hits in the 6-hole for the Senators and has been somewhat lost in the shuffle in a potent lineup. Scouts say he has legitimate power, but also say he has an aluminum-bat swing that generates a lot of lift.

 

--Golden West righthander Justin LaTempa’s status as California ’s No. 1 draft prospect may be in jeopardy as he appears to be done for the season with inflammation in his pitching shoulder. He began to lose velocity on his fastball in March after working earlier in the year at a steady 92-94 mph, topping at 97. He was eventually shut down. Before transferring to Golden West, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound righthander pitched sparingly in two seasons at UC Irvine because of a combination of shoulder tendonitis and his inability to throw consistent strikes. LaTempa finished the 2008 season with a 5-3, 2.53 record and 41 strikeouts in 55 innings.