Updated: 2009 Draft - Top LHPs

LHP:


1. Tyler Matzek - Capistrano Valley HS (California) senior… 6-3, 185… L/L… 18 years old… threw no-hiiter March 20… fastball in 89-92 range… has hit 94… fastball drops to 86-89 in the stretch… mid-70s curve… slider averages 82… and change… throws ¾ arm angle… most consider him the top lefty in the draft… 2009: threw no-hitter March 20.


2. Matt Purke - Klein (Texas) HS… 6-3, 170, L/L… 92/92 mph fastball, tops off at 95… curve break at 78… slider in the 90 range… 2-7 74-77 changeup… 18 years old… needs some meat on his bones… In October 2008, Baseball America had Purke as the 5th overall pick in the draft… BA ranks him as the 3rd top high school prospect this year… considered by some as the 2nd top arm in the draft… March ’09: fastball now topping at 97.

3. Andrew Oliver - (down from #2) Oklahoma State… 6-3, 212… L/L… 28.9%K; however. 6.67 ERA through March 2009 this season… a native of Vermilion, Ohio… sophomore season: 7-2 in 15 games… 2.20, 96K/98.1 IP… 2008: earned 1st team All-Big 12… 2nd team All-American by Rivals,com… 2-20 ERA… pitched for Team USA… In October 2008, Baseball America had him as the 11th overall pick in the draft… as of 4/6/09: has allowed 13 doubles and five home runs, resulting in a 5.91 ERA

4. Tyler Skaggs - Santa Monica (Calif.) HS… 6-5, 190… many project as high as Matzek… high 80s fastball… curve in the 60s…

5. Tyler Lyons - Oklahoma State… 6-2, 207… S/L… 2nd team all-Big 12… 12 wins in 2008… 7-1, 2.99 in conference… on Team USA… excellent curve… fastball command.

6. Daniel Bibona - UC Irvine…5-11, 165… mid-80s fastball… flawless control… compared to Tom Glavine…

7. Chris Rusin - Kentucky… senior… 6-2, 190… L/L… 2009 Wallace Preseason Watch List… 2008 First-Team All-SEC (coaches)… drafted in the 23rd round of the 2008 draft by the Athletics… very little support in2008, but still turned a 6-3, 3.33 ERA…. Good fastball and excellent command of breaking ball.

8. Garrett Hughes - La Costa Canyon H.S,… 6-7, 235… Names to Underarmour all-American team… 2008 high school season: 6-1, 77K66.0 IP, no hitter…

9. Neal Davis - Virginia… 6-6, 210… L/L… junior… relief pitcher… 2008: 1.58… averaged 9.7 Ks per 9IP… ALL-ACC team…

10. James Paxton - Kentucky… dominated SEC… 37.9% K 4.8% BB… born in Canada… 6-4, 210… 97 mph fastball, slurve, changeup… 4-0, 3.30, 47K/6BB/30.0 IP through March 2009… Through 3-25-09, Paxton is 4-0, 3.30 with 47 strikeouts and six walks in 30 innings. On March 20, he out-dueled Vanderbilt lefthander Mike Minor, striking out 10 in 6.2 innings…

11. Matt Packer - Virginia… 6-0, 200… R/L… junior… led the NCAA with the lowest ERA, 1.14… 25 appearances, with 4 starts… opposing teams only hit .202

12. Beau Wright - Los Alamitos HS; Los Alamitos, CA. 6′2, 205… 89-92 fastball… big curve…

13. Steven Rodriquez - Gulliver Prep (FL)… 6-2, 210… named to underarmour All-American team… “Paco”… #7 LHP in the state of Florida according to Prospectswire.com... member of the 2007 U-16 USA National Team …

14. Kraig Sitton - Oregon State… 6-5, 190, L/L, draft eligible sophomore… was 1-3, 4.41 this summer for Spokane/WCCBL… 2008: 22 G, 2-0, 3.91, 23 Ks

15. Mike Minor - (down from #12) Vanderbilt junior… 6-4, 210… has allowed only five extra-base hits in 32 innings through March 2009… previously drafted in 2006 (13th round) by Tampa Bay… 200: 103.0 IP, 8.8 K/9, 2.4 BB/9… has pitched in low 90s, topping out at 94… change-up, curve, and slider… numbers through 4-7-09: 2-3, 3.55, 43K, 12BB, 46.0 IP… pressing. Velocity down… has allowed only 7 exra-baed hits in 46 innings thru 4-7.

16. Matt Way - Washington State… 6-2, 182, L/L, senior… 2008: 18 appearances, 5 starts… 4.01 ERA…

17. Nick Kirk - Northern Iowa… 6-1/200… B/T… senior… 2008: 10 G, 9 starts… 3.84, 4-7… threw no-hitter on March 28 vs. Evansville

18. Justin Marks - Louisville… junior… 6-3/195… L/L… 2009 Brooks Wallace Watch List… 2009 Preseason BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year… 2007 PING! Baseball All-American… 2007 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week (4/30)… 2007 Rivals National Freshman of the Week (4/30)… 2008: named first team All-BIG EAST and second team All-America by PING...invited to compete at the 2008 USA Baseball National Team camp… Posted a 9-2 record with a 2.37 ERA in 91.0 innings, limiting opponents to a .220 average.

19. Nick Hernandez - Tennessee… junior… 6-4/200… L/L… 2008: 14 G, 13 starts… 82.2 IP, K:BB 7.0…

20. David Holmberg - Port Charlotte HS… 6-4, 215… #31 in the state of Florida according to Prospectswire.com… #51 on Baseball America's list of Top 100 High School Prospects… led the state last season with 114 strikeouts and was 6-1 with a 0.70 ERA… over the last four games of the season, struck out 58 in 29 innings with a personal-best of 16 against Southeast

21. Miers Quigley - Alabama… was drafted in the 36th round of the 2008 draft by the Twins… 2008: 5-4, 5.58 ERA in 16 games (12 starts). 3-year college record: 10-15, 5.03.

22. Travis Smink - Virginia Military… 2008: 6-1, 1.88, 1.059 WHIP, 1.4 BB/9, 7/1 K/9, in 62.1 IP… all-league first team pick

23. Dallas Keuchel - Arkansas… 6-3, 200, Junior, L/L… named allstar this summer in Cape Cod League… 2008: 4-3, 4.58, 74.2 IP, 61 K

24. Joe Serafin - Vermont… named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Preseason Watch List ... picked up a save in a 4-3 win over Team USA in June of 2007 striking out five and walking one in three innings ...

25. Jordan John - Calallen HS… 6-3, 195, R/L… signed with Oklahoma… 85-87 fastball… 76 change-up…

26. Jeff Dennis - Binghamton… 6-6, 215, senior… 2008: 4-5, 3.97 in 14 starts… 62K/81.2IP… .203 OBA…

27. Brendan Lafferty - UCLA… 6-5, 215, R/L… played the summer for Mankato in the Northwoods League… went 4-1, 3.93… 2008: 33 relief appearances… 4-3, 3-74, 56K/67.1 IP.

28. Riley Boening - Texas… 6-3, 210… redshirted sophomore in 2008: academic all-Big12… 13 games, 10 starts, 3-1, 6.34

29. Brooks Raley - Texas A&M… 6-3, 185, L/L, sophomore… 2008: 2nd team freshman All-American selection… 7-2, 4.76 in 18 games

30. Wes Musick - Houston…. 6-0, 190, L/L, junior…

31. Tyler Kehrer - Eastern Illinois - through 3/09: 2-1, 4.99, 37K/31.0 IP… fastball in 90-93 range… slider and change-up…

32. Sam Selman - St. Andrew’s Episcopal HS (TX)… 6-3, 160… R/L… FB: 88-89, hit 92… breaker: 70… signed with Vanderbilt…

33. Josh Spence - (previously unranked) - Arizona State – junior… as of 4/6/09: 6-0, 1.17, 72-16 K/BB in 54 IP

34. James, Chad Bishop Verot HS, Fort Myers, Fla. Strong, pro body indicates his 88-90 mph fastball has room to grow