Here is the third of the series of four reports on the 2007 Aflac All Americans.  We will be posting reports on all 38 Aflac players this week.

BJ Hermsen WEST RHP, 6-6/230, R/R, West Delaware,Masonville, IA

Summer Team – High School

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Hermsen is a very talented and very big (6-6/230) athlete who could become one of the most scouted of all high school players by next spring.  He was first team all state as a QB in football, a power forward in basketball and a pitcher in baseball, all as a junior.  Hermsen throws in the low 90’s and has three quality pitches.  What sets him apart is just how easy it is for him and how good his command of these pitches is.  There’s no question that barring any unforeseen injury he will throw mid 90s in the near future, maybe better.  Hermsen looks like a Big Leaguer when he takes the mound.  It should be added that he hit 17 home runs this high school season. He’s a big, quiet kid who has the perfect makeup to be a workhorse Major League pitcher.  Hermsen is yet another of those Aflac All Americans who just goes about his job without the big ego that can sometimes come with being so highly regarded.  He’s another of those who team mates seemed to really like in San Diego . He threw a scoreless inning in the game.

Ryan O’Sullivan WEST RHP/IF,  6-1/180, R/R, Valhalla, El Cajon, CA

Summer Team - ABD Bulldogs

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

O’Sullivan is one of the better 2-way prospects in the country.  He is a quality infielder who can swing the bat.  However, after his performance in the 2007 Aflac game he looks like he’s going to draw the most interest as a pitcher.  He appears very confident and shows excellent poise on the mound.  He threw easily in the low 90’s and showed off a real hammer of a breaking ball in the upper 70’s, all of them right around the strike zone.  His brother Sean was an Aflac All American in 2004 and also had a great performance.  Sean is now pitching very well in the Angels organization.  Ryan is a student of the game and he has a very bright future.  He, too, is one of the many Aflac All American’s who displays Big League makeup.  His work ethic, love of the game, and confidence will all be a big plus in scouts eyes.  O’Sullivan, just like his brother a few years ago, stood out on the biggest stage in high school baseball.

Wes Freeman EAST OF/RHP, 6-4/220, R/R, All Saints Academy, Lakeland, FL

Summer Team – IBC

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Freeman is a big strong outfielder and he could legitimately be called a true 5 tool talent.  It is very unusual when someone as big and strong as Freeman has these kind of tools.  First he has the normal plus arm and power hitting ability you might expect with his body.  What might surprise some is his running ability.  He runs the 60 anywhere from 6.35 to 6.5 in normal running conditions.  He’s a plus plus runner and an excellent defensive outfielder.  He has a nice effortless swing and normally looks better in games than he does in BP.  We’ve seen him hit some long home runs against the top pitchers in high school baseball.  If that isn’t enough, we’ve also seen this talented athlete throw in the 90’s from the mound.  Freeman goes about the game in a quiet workmanlike way that coaches love.  If it weren’t for his rare athletic ability you might not even know he was around.  We think he is going to be “around” for a long time.  He has championship caliber makeup to go with the rest of his impressive baseball resume.

Taylor Jungman WEST RHP, 6-7/185, R/R, Rogers , Temple, TX

Summer Team – Austin Wings

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Jungman is a tall lanky right hander from Texas who has been up around the mid 90’s before.  He threw low 90’s in San Diego with some very good life on his heater.  His breaking ball was a bit flat at times, but we’ve seen a real good one out of him before.  Jungman’s size and arm are going to create a lot of scouting interest over the next nine months.  He has a little effort in his delivery, but his arm works very well.  He creates lots of leverage and it is easy to think he might be lighting up radar guns with the best of them by next spring.  Another good thing was the fact that Jungman’s fastball is the best when it’s down low in the strike zone.  So many seem to get their top velocity up in the strike zone and lose it down low. 

Kyle Skipworth WEST C, 6-3/195, B/R, Patriot, Riverside, CA

Summer Team – ABD Bulldogs

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Skipworth has stepped up front and center as the top high school catching prospect in the ‘08 class.  He did nothing to change our minds in San Diego .  Skipworth is an excellent receiver with a quick, strong and accurate arm.  He is an outstanding left-handed hitter with serious power potential.  He has an easy, fluid power stroke and uses the whole field.  He hit a big two-run blast in the Aflac Game off the San Diego Hall of Fame board behind the right field wall.  Skipworth has a good tall frame that should fill out nicely in the future.  He’s another student of the game and it’s readily apparent how much he enjoys being on the field.  In addition to his home run and sac fly, he was nailed in the middle of the back by a 90 mph fastball and simply put down his bat and trotted to first base.  There have been several former Aflac catchers who were top prospects and even some first round picks.  In our estimation, Kyle Skipworth is the best catching prospect of them all. 

Alex Meyer WEST RHP, 6-7/205, R/R, Greensburg Community, Greensburg, IN

Summer Team – Indiana Bulls

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Meyer actually looks taller than his listed 6 foot 7.  He has room to put on an additional 40-50 lbs in the future.  We’ve seen him a lot this summer and he’s shown mid 90’s velocity each time including the Aflac game in San Diego .  He also shows a real good hard breaking ball that looks MLB quality already and showed it off on three straight pitches to Ethan Martin, the last one gunned at 83 mph. His arm works good and he admits his delivery could repeat a little better.  There might not be a pitcher in high school baseball with a higher ceiling.  It’s conceivable that Meyer may throw triple digits in the future.  In addition to his obvious talent, Alex Meyer is one great kid who is a joy to be around.  Nicknamed “Bubba” as a young child, he’s also a star basketball player, but it’s hard to imagine him not having a good pro career in baseball.  The sky is the limit here.

Garrison Lassiter EAST INF, 6-2/190, L/R, West Forsyth, High Point, NC

Summer Team - Dirtbags

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Lassiter is a player we have seen so often it’s easy to take his talent for granted.  He has good tools, but it’s his game performances that have stood out the most.  Lassiter is an advanced hitter who has shown the ability to hit the best pitchers in the country.  He’s a very solid-type infielder with good actions who just seems to always get the job done.  Some have questioned his hitting mechanics, but hitting is all about results and Lassiter, as mentioned before, gets as good results as anyone out there.  Lassiter is another of this year’s class who scores very high in the make-up department.  A hard worker, there’s no telling what his ceiling might be.  But you get the feeling that whatever his ceiling is, Lassiter is going to reach it.

Scott Silverstein EAST LHP/1B, St John’s College , Brookville, MD

Summer Team – Diamond Skills

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Silverstein is a tall lefty with some of the best raw stuff of any pitcher in the country.  He throws low 90’s with outstanding life on his fastball.  He has a very sharp breaking ball that might be his best pitch.  His arm is quick and fluid.  His mechanics are good, and once he masters his tempo, he’s going to be something extra special in college or pro ball. In the end it probably won’t matter, but Silverstein can really swing the bat and he definitely has home run power from the left side.  He hit a couple out in WWBA tournaments and also during the workouts before the game in San Diego .   Silverstein is a fun loving sort who looks very comfortable on the mound or in the batters box.  He has some obvious athletic ability in addition to an electric left arm.  Another case of good makeup and talent from this year’s Aflac Classic.

Taylor Hightower EAST C, 6-0/205, R/R, Cartersville, Cartersville, GA

Summer Team – East Cobb

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Hightower is a big strong catcher with an outstanding arm and big time power.  He has some physical and athletic resemblance to Atlanta Braves MLB All Star and another former Georgia high school star, Brian McCann.  Hightower has one of the quickest releases in high school baseball in addition to outstanding arm strength.  During one BP session before the game, he put on a great display of that power, hitting several tape measure shots.  He’s been playing at a very high level for several years now with the East Cobb program.  Hightower has caught some of the nation’s top pitchers and some early draft picks over the last few years.  So the Aflac pitchers or for that matters the pitchers at the next level are nothing new.  His receiving skills, arm and power bat will be followed closely over the next 9 months.

Jordan Swagerty WEST C/RHP, Prestonwood Christian Academy , Sachse, TX

Summer Team – Dallas Tigers

Aflac Report: August 11^th, 2007

Swagerty is another of the nation’s top 2-way prospects.  His plus arm plays well behind the plate. He had a bit of difficulty blocking some balls in the dirt during the Aflac game, but people need to understand he really hasn’t caught all that much this year and these are the best pitchers in the country.  Swagerty’s bat is another thing, he can hit and flashes power potential from the left side.  To us Swagerty’s future, if anything, is even brighter on the mound.  He throws low 90’s every time out with a real nasty curveball that he displayed a few times in this year’s Aflac game.  He is an extremely talented pitcher and potential major league work horse. There is little doubt that he is going to get bigger and stronger over the next few years.  Swagerty, just like most of the players in this game, stands out in a big way when it comes to his attitude and makeup.  He’s a guy that will do whatever needs to be done without any questions asked.  The coaches all spoke highly of this talented young man.

Look for more reports coming soon