Top 10 First Basemen In Draft

1. Colton Cain - (up from 4th) -

Waxahachie HS… 6-3, 220… L/L… verbally committed to Texas… above average power… named to Texas 4A All-State team (.486, 9 HR, 45 RBIs) in 2008… from realsportsblogger: Cain is all about the power, both as a positional player and as a pitcher. As a first baseman, Cain has a good swing, good power, and is able to draw some walks as well. He’s got a strong arm at first (obviously), but isn’t fast and is limited strictly to first base as a defender. As a pitcher, Cain throws in the high 80’s, touching 92 at times, and throws a good curveball as well. He also has a changeup, but it’s weak at the moment. All in all, he’s probably one of the top lefties in the prep class. However, several factors work against him. First off, at 6-3, 230, he’s going to be seen as a durable pitcher with a strong frame, but scouts are also going to question how much projection he has left. Second, he’s got a college commitment to Texas, and they are pretty good at keeping their higher rated recruits. So we’ll see where he goes, but I do think he’s a first rounder, but I also think it’s going to take some good coin to sign him away from Austin. But he will probably be in the recommendations for draft rooms beginning at 26 with Milwaukee…. From MiLB 5/18 as a pitcher: High school lefties like Tyler Matzek, Matthew Purke, also from Texas, and Tyler Skaggs might go before Cain, but that doesn't mean he won't get a lot of interest. He lost a good matchup against Todd Glaesmann in April, 5-4, but still showed some pretty good stuff on the mound…


2. Rich Poythress - (down from #1)

Georgia junior… 6-4, 235… .509 wOBA* .252 IsoP) 14% BB… .429/.534/.810 through March in 2009… 6-4, 245… named hitter of the week (8-13, 5 HRs, 12 RBIs)March 31 by NCBWA… 2008: .374/.461/.626, 15 HRs, 75 RBIs, .995 fielding %... named to the SEC All-Defensive Team… this season through 3/25: .429/.534/.810, 9 HRs… originally third baseman… awarded golden glove at 1B last season… 2009: .443/.540/.861 through first 115 at-bats… as of 4/7 (as DH): .443/.540/.881… through 4/23: .418/.519/.876 over first 153 at-bats… through 5/7… .406, 21 HRs, 75 RBIs… the consensus seems to be that he's a good hitter, rather than an elite bat… 5/23 from BA: From Lincoln Hamilton’s Top 30 draftees… #10 (#1 IBman on list) 245 lb masher, .379/.467/.738, K just 12.9%, big time power, very good defender at 1B – age: 21.7



3. Mark Krauss – (up from 6th) -

Ohio – thru 5/6: .404, 20HRs, 53 RBIs… from realsportsblog: A solidly built guy, Krauss plays a multitude of positions for the Redhawks. He has a quick bat and hits for some good power. He is also patient and uses the entire field. However, he’s regarded to be only average defensively, which hurts his draft stock a bit. It really depends on where a team sees him. He should be a steal in the lower rounds, and I’ll guess he probably goes in the third. Still, he’s pretty nifty in a Kellen Kulbacki sort of way, who had similar knocks like Krauss and went in the sandwich first round in 2007… 5/18: hitting .403 with 12 doubles, 23 homers and 62 RBIs… from BA 5/20: After starring in his first two years at Ohio and in the Great Lakes League in between, Krauss went to the Cape Cod League last summer and left as a premium prospect. He led the Cape in RBIs (34) and on-base percentage (.473) and has continued to raise his profile this spring, batting .404 and leading the Mid-American Conference with 22 homers and 61 RBIs with a week to go in the regular season. A lefthanded hitter, Krauss has a quick bat and advanced approach, as he has a discerning eye and uses the entire field. He consistently squares balls on the barrel of the bat. Some scouts wonder how much power he'll have with wood, but the consensus is he should have average pop as a pro. Though he's more athletic than most 6-foot-3, 220-pounders and has played some third base, he'll have to be a left fielder at the next level. He has arm strength but his hands, range and quickness are just adequate. Krauss' bat will have to carry him, but it's good enough to do so. As one of the best college hitters in a thin year for them, he could get taken as early as the second round.


4. Kristopher Hobson – (up from 11th) -

Stockdale HS… 2008: .505, 7 HR, 57 RBIs…


5. Ben Paulsen – (down from #4) -

Clemson… junior… 6-3, 195… great power to opposite field… 2008: hit .310 with 46 runs, 18 doubles, one triple, 13 homers, 49 RBIs, and a .393 on-base percentage in 58 games… All-Cape Cod League selection: 8 HRs, 33 RBIs, 4th in x-base hits... #11 Cape Cod League prospect by Baseball America. Makes great contact… disciplined and patient eye… thru 5/6: .380, 10 HRs, 50 RBIs…


6. Nate Freiman -

Duke… 6-8, 245… played left field in college, but defensively, needs to play fist base exclusively… hits for average and hits basically all over the field… 3.92 grade average… ranked 2nd on career batting average at Duke (.357)… 2008: .381, 11 HRs, 46 RBIs… drafted last year by Texas


7. Brandon May -

Alabama junior… 6-0, 200… first team 2008 all-SEC team… also plays the outfield… 2008: .328, 9 HR, 63 RBIs…


8. David Anderson – (up from 21st) -

Coastal Carolina – thru 5/6: .373, 18 HRs, 65 RBIs… thru 5/18: hitting .384 with 18 homers and 68 RBIs


9. Dustin Dickerson - (up from #12) -

Baylor… junior… 6-4, 205, L/R… 2009 BA #71 college prospect… Summer 2008: played 12 games for the Brazos Bombers of the Texas Collegiate League ... Named the league's fourth-best pro prospect by Baseball America… 2008: .313… 4-7: named Phillips 66 Big-12 POW:


10. Jeff Malm –

Bishop Gorman HS (NV