--All Reports written on August 11^th, 2007

Isaac Galloway – WEST –  OF, 6-2/190, R/R, Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Summer Team – RBI (CA)
Galloway, a talented outfielder with all the tools, came to San Diego nursing an injured ankle.  He worked out each day and the ankle really didn’t respond as hoped to treatment.  Still he showed a nice quick swing and athleticism.  His attitude was outstanding as was his work ethic.  The night before the game, Galloway said he didn’t think he would be able to play.  He just didn’t feel that he could perform anywhere near his normal ability.  We made a decision to start him as a DH in the 3 hole and give him a token appearance before replacing him in the lineup.  His ability deserved that honor.  Then in his first inning at bat he roped a single up the middle against “Jackie Robinson Award winner” Tim Melville.  So what the heck, we left him in the lineup to hit one more time.  Then, in the third inning he got another base hit to left field.  We were going to take him out for a pinch runner, but now he looked like the early front runner for the MVP award.  Next came the biggest surprise of the day.  Isaac took off like a deer and stole second base.  We didn’t get a time because no one expected a steal out of Galloway .  We can only say he looked like he got there at warp speed.  Finally Galloway was retired in his 3^rd at bat and was taken out to rest his ailing ankle.  Pretty gutsy performance by this star prospect.  We look forward to seeing him again after he’s 100% healthy.  But we saw enough over the week to realize this is a special player with outstanding makeup and a love for the game

Tim Melville – WEST – RHP/3B, 6-5/210, R/R, Holt, Wentzville, MO
Summer Team – Richmond Braves (VA)

Melville gathered a bit of hardware at this year’s Aflac All American Classic.  At the opening night players dinner, he was presented a plaque for being named the Overall Top Prospect at this year’s Perfect Game National Showcase at Cincinnati in June.  Fast forward to the Aflac Banquet where he was named Baseball America ’s Top Pitching Prospect for the 2008 class.  Then at the end of the evening he was named this year’s Player of the Year and received the Jackie Robinson award.  It was only appropriate that Cardinal great Ozzie Smith presented the award to the St Louis area athlete.  Melville really looks the part with movie star looks and a ready made MLB pitchers body.  He throws steady low to mid 90s fastballs with good life and outstanding command.  He has three good pitches he can throw for strikes.  Melville is athletic and he can hit, play third and fields from the mound very well.  We’ve been following him for a very long time and can go on record as saying he has championship caliber makeup.  In San Diego he pitched a scoreless inning topping out at 93 mph and he also swung the bat very well all week.  Melville’s future is definitely on the mound but he would be a prospect at any of the corner positions.

Tim Beckham – EAST – SS, 6-2/185, S/R, Griffin , Griffin, GA
Summer Team – Atlanta Blue Jays (GA)

Beckham might be the most talented player in the class.  It was appropriate that Ozzie Smith was the Aflac Spokesman this year because Beckham plays with that Ozzie type flair.  He has Latin American shortstop actions with great athleticism.  Beckham was the starting point guard on his highly ranked high school team as a freshman, before giving up basketball to concentrate on baseball.  We think that is going to become a very valuable decision on his part.  The game is easy for this kid.  His swing is effortless and fluid, very smooth and athletic.  The ball jumps off his bat in a hurry and he’s a plus runner with great first step quickness and body control.  Beckham looks the part in every way and he’s going to get stronger in the future.  He’s been on our radar for a long time, so nothing he accomplishes in the future would be much of a surprise.  To top it off, he has great makeup and you can see how much he enjoys the game because he smiles a lot while he plays at full speed.  Tim Beckham was named the MVP of this years Aflac Game.  He had three RBI's with a triple and a sac fly that drove in the winning run in the ninth.

Harold Martinez – EAST – SS, 6-3/195, R/R, Braddock, Miami, FL
Summer Team – All American Prospects (FL)

Martinez is a player we have been watching closely for a long time.  He is one of many from South Florida who has had to live with the unfair comparison to Alex Rodriguez.  But then again, he really is the closest comparison to ARod that we’ve seen so far.  More importantly and more realistically, people need to look at Martinez for what he is and that’s very impressive.  Arguably the best infielder in high school baseball and one of the strongest arms we’ve seen in the past 15 years.  Yes, he has an ARod type body and could develop into that type of super star someday.  His actions and body control stick out at any level.  He shows serious controlled bat speed and will show his extreme power potential at times.  Martinez has great hands and the big time arm, the hitting and power potential, and more importantly the obvious love for the game that scouts pay close attention to.  Martinez runs well and we feel he will get even faster.  He projects and is going to get stronger and just keep getting better.  As much as we’ve seen Harold play, this is the first time we’ve seen him up close and personal (in the dugout) competing with and against his peers.  That was a valuable observation for us, because we found out that Harold Martinez is simply one great kid.  He has the confidence it will take, but it’s a shared confidence that makes him a great team mate.  He respects the game and makes it fun for those around him who can play at this level!  As with most position players entering their last year before the draft, it will all boil down to how well they hit during the next several months.  But Martinez is a special player and he will be a special player for many years to come.

Michael Palazzone – EAST – RHP, 6-3/190, R/R, Lassiter, Marietta, GA
Summer Team – East Cobb (GA)

As a freshman Palazzone was PG’s #3 ranked player.  He rested his arm a lot as a sophomore and we were a bit concerned.  Not any longer though, once we saw him at the PG National in Cincinnati .  We named him the top pitching prospect at that event.  He has a lively low 90's fastball that we’ve seen up to mid 90s several times.  The thing that separates Palazzone from the pack is his breaking ball.  It’s a nasty 12-6 that he can throw with the flat seamed professional ball better than other top high schoolers can with the great big high seams.  It just disappears and is pretty much unhittable.  It’s a pitch that is Major League ready and you just don’t ever see that in a high school pitcher.  In San Diego he got squeezed on what could have been strike three and walked a batter, but his velocity was in the low 90s and the curve ball was it’s normal weapon.  Palazzone actually prefers the no seam ball for some reason and it shows.  Yet another guy with excellent makeup and he pitches with advanced poise. 

Gerritt Cole – WEST – RHP, 6-3/192, R/R, Orange Lutheran, Santa Ana, CA
Summer Team – Trombley Braves (CA)

Cole can swing the bat, but we don’t think anyone in scouting really will care about that.  We have seen him pitch eight times in the past 4 months and on seven of those outings we saw the liveliest arm in high school baseball.  On all but two occasions we saw outstanding command of three quality pitches.  Cole’s fastball is explosive and will run and sink better than all pitchers in his class.  We’ve seen him up to 96 on several occasions.  His breaking ball is filthy, a sharp slider he throws anywhere from 80-85 mph.  He doesn’t feature his changeup as much, but it could end up being his best pitch at the next level.  The change is a real mover and very deceptive.  Cole's quick arm from a slightly lower than normal ¾ release stands out.  In this year’s Aflac game he was probably the most impressive of all pitchers.  We had him topping out at 95 and he made short work out of the East line up.  He struck out the first two hitters showing his entire arsenal of pitches.  Then he retired the last hitter on a weak ground ball.  It was only one inning of work but it was probably the most impressive inning we have seen in the five Aflac Games to date.  This kid has a magical, electric arm and he competes.  The sky is the limit for this Southern California prospect.

Destin Hood – EAST – OF/IF, 6-3/190, R/R, St Paul ’s Episcopal, Eight Mile, AL
Summer Team – Atlanta Braves Scout Team (USA )

Hood is a highest level athlete, plays shortstop in high school, complete with a big live body and outstanding running speed.  He is another of the many top football recruits who played in this year’s Aflac Classic.  Hood is a bit raw if you’re looking for a polished finished prospect, but there’s something very special and different about him.  He has upper deck power!  The ball comes off his bat quicker than anyone in high school baseball and carries tape measure distances.  His arm plays, his speed is a plus, he’s still working on his hitting, but his power is off the chart.  Earlier this year we watched him hit 7 monster shots in 10 swings in Cincinnati .  Ethan Martin and Hood tied for the Aflac Home Run Derby trophy, both hitting 7 during their two rounds.  But in the first round tie breaker on Friday, scouts who hadn’t seen Hood before got a treat.  In 5 swings he hit three very impressive shots.  First one far over the scoreboard in left center field (estimated) 440’, then a 400+’ shot over the right center field wall.  He followed that by hitting one far over the 20 foot high wall, 400’ away to straight away center.  Only wood bats are used during the Aflac Classic.  Destin Hood has very rare ability in the power department!  And he’s only going to get better.  He has an outstanding attitude, loves the game, and plays at 100% at all times.  Another of the many Aflac All Americans this year with championship makeup.  With some of these young kids, you can just feel and see the enjoyment they bring to the team.  Hood is definitely one of those real likable type guys.

Robbie Grossman – WEST – OF, 6-1/195, S/L,  Cy-Fair, Cypress, TX
Summer Team – Houston Kyle Chapman (TX)

Grossman has been highly ranked for a long time now.  We’ve seen his tool package displayed several times and it’s very impressive to say the least.  A plus runner, with a good arm, outstanding defensive outfielder who can hit and hit with power.  That’s all five tools.  But grading out Grossman based on tools alone would be doing him an injustice.  Where he separates from other tool types is in performance.  This kid plays for keeps and leaves nothing behind.  The highest level MLB people who haven’t seen it before got the full display in San Diego .  Grossman got into a groove in early pregame BP and was mashing balls out of the park at Tony Gwynn Stadium.  In the game he made two catches that were definitely both high light category.  Can’t remember the totals, but Grossman seemed to steal a hundred bases during the game.  When you mix high level talent with outstanding makeup and all out 100% effort, you get players like Robbie Grossman.  He absolutely was one of the biggest stars in this year’s Aflac All American Classic.  He put on quite a show in the most high profile event in high school baseball! 

Xavier Avery – EAST – OF, 6-0/180, L/L, Cedar Grove, Decatur, GA
Summer Team – East Cobb (GA)

Avery was presented the fastest man award from the Perfect Game National in Cincinnati .  It was an easy selection because he ran a record 6.17 sixty yard sprint on the turf.  It was the fastest time we’ve ever recorded electronically.  He was also the fastest runner at the East Coast Pro Showcase, but that one was run in very wet and slow conditions.  The 6.5+ he ran at ECP was the slowest time we’ve ever had on him.  He routinely runs the sixty in the 6.3 range.  Avery is a star highly recruited football tailback, but his baseball game is really coming on.  Obviously he covers a lot of ground in the outfield and flies around the bases, but he has developed a quick short stroke that develops serious bat speed.  He is going to hit and he has shown flashes of big power potential.  The one area that Avery could most improve on is his arm. His arm will play in centerfield, but it is below average on the MLB scale.  In many ways Xavier Avery reminds us of another star football prospect we first saw as a junior in high school.  That would be Carl Crawford who is now a Major League All Star.  Just like most of this class of Aflac All Americans, Avery was well liked as a team mate, has outstanding makeup and character.  He loves baseball and will give up football if the opportunity presents itself.  In San Diego he showed a fast bat all week and there’s no question that he is going to hit.

Clark Murphy – WEST- OF/1B, 6-3/203, L/L, Fallbrook Union, Fallbrook, CA
Summer Team – San Diego Show (CA)

Murphy was one of the very first players we selected this year.  He would be the first to admit that he had a couple of off days when we saw him in Cincinnati this past June.  Sometimes even the best of athletes and especially hitters have bad days and we wrote off Murphy’s performance as one of those bad days.  It sure was the real Clark Murphy who showed up at the Aflac Classic, though.  He has serious bat speed and power and he showed it all week including making the finals in the HR contest.  Murphy is talented enough to play the outfield at the highest levels, but spent most of his time at 1B during the week.  He is an excellent and athletic defensive first baseman with quick feet, very good hands and a strong arm.  But it’s Murphy’s bat that will carry him as a college or professional player.  He’s extremely strong and can flat out mash!  Definitely one of the nation’s top left handed bats.  Other than his obvious big time hitting ability and excellent defensive ability there’s another side to Clark Murphy.  Realizing this might sound like a repetitive goody, goody bunch of goo thing… Murphy’s makeup and character are both in the World Champion category.  His love of the game is clearly obvious.  The respect he showed for everyone associated with this game was refreshing.  A star athlete, thanking everyone for the opportunity of a life time.  Kind of classy in our book.  We came away from this year’s Aflac Classic becoming big supporters of a lot of players, none any more than big Clark Murphy. What a great role model he is going to be.

Aaron Hicks – WEST – OF/RHP, 6-1/165, S/R, Wilson , Long Beach, CA
Summer Team – San Gabrial Valley  Arsenal (CA)

Hicks is one of the most talented prospects in America . We named him the player with the “best tools” in our PG National this year.  He is a plus runner, with a super arm, excellent outfielder, fast bat and projects to hit with power from both sides of the plate as he matures physically into his lean athletic frame. He also pitches and we’ve seen him as high as 96 on the gun with a good slider.  He loves to compete and play the game.  He plays with a no fear attitude.  Hicks was the losing pitcher in this years Aflac Game, but it wasn’t because he got hit at all.  He did have a problem throwing strikes, similar to hard throwing Michael Main last year.  Not to make excuses, but he pitched the 9^th inning after playing the outfield the whole game.  He was disappointed, but handled it very professionally, even when cameramen were shooting a close up of him as he walked off the field.  Everyone knows how talented some of these players are, but it’s moments like this that scouts can learn new important information for their files.  Like everyone else, it seems, who played in this game, Hicks shows the makeup necessary to reach the top level of baseball.  No one projects more, Hicks has lots of room to add strength.  He’s still one of the top prospects for next year’s draft as both an outfielder and as a pitcher.  There’s really not much he can’t do on a baseball field.

Note: Over the next few days we will be posting reports on all 38 Aflac All American, even those who were unable to play in this year’s game.