3/24/10

3-24 DRAFT: - Barrett Loux, Anthony Ranaudo, Jameson Taillon, John Stilson... and Tim Smalling

Barret Loux:

3-21 from: - http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2218 - While I knew junior RHP Barrett Loux was starting for the Aggies, my hope was that I would get to see hard throwing sophomore RHP John Stilson out of the bullpen. As sometimes happens, things worked out perfectly. Loux pitched the first 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10 Tech hitters (his third straight double figure strikeout game, giving him 48 K’s in only 27 innings) before leaving after throwing 104 pitches. He raised his record to 3-1 on the season with an outstanding 1.29 ERA.

Scouting Reports - Barrett Loux: Loux is a mature 6-5, 230 lb right hander with a very strong lower half but loose and easy athletic actions. He has a full arm circle and shows the ball a bit in back but he comes through clean and quick from a high ¾’s release point that produces a very good downhill angle to the plate. Loux had elbow surgery last summer to clean up some bone spurs but his delivery and arm action aren’t the type that will make scouts worry at all about future injury. He throws a bit cross body on release, which works well for him. Loux’s fastball was up to 94 mph last night and never dropped below 91 the entire game, with his last two fastballs registering 93 mph. It’s pretty straight and didn’t have the heavy sinking action that I’ve heard it has at times but the downhill angle really is a plus for Loux. Early in the game Loux threw some 83 mph sliders and low 80’s change ups and tried hard to establish the change up especially. I’d like to see him throw the change a little less firmly as hitters’ timing wasn’t affected much. About the middle of the game, Loux started getting a rhythm with his 76-78 mph downer curveball and got many of his 10 K’s on this pitch, including striking out the side in the 5th. It’s a solid pro level pitch that he commanded well. I was impressed by Loux’s ability to mix pitches and repeat his delivery. Throwing 93 mph after 100 pitches was certainly another plus. The minus side was the lack of fastball life and the present below average quality of his slider and change up, although they were admittedly his third and fourth best pitches. Based on this outing I can see Loux as a second half of the first round type of pick, with teams in the early comp round getting really excited about his maybe sliding down a bit to their area of the draft.

Anthony Ranaudo:

3-21 from: - http://www.federalbaseball.com/2010/3/20/1381983/washington-nationals-saturday?ref=yahoo - • Anthony Ranaudo sat out again this weekend with the same discomfort in his right elbow that's cost him three-straight starts in a year the 6'7'', 230 lb right-hander was expected to be one of the top pitchers taken. ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill took a look at the Jackson, New Jersey born pitcher in a recent article (FOR INSIDERS ONLY) entitled, "Ranaudo injury puts stock in question", wherein Mr. Churchill writes that one scout told him, "he'd be wary of tabbing a pitcher with such elbow concerns anywhere in the top half of the first round." Could he fall as far as the top pick in the 2nd Round?

Jameson Taillon:
3-21 from: - http://www.federalbaseball.com/2010/3/20/1381983/washington-nationals-saturday?ref=yahoo  - • And I know, I know, the Nationals will never draft Jameson Taillon, no team has ever taken a prep school pitcher number one overall and this particular pitcher has even verbally committed to Rice, so it's even more unlikely, but he is the best high school pitcher available, and he has a 99mph fastball according to an MLB.com Video Scouting Report, which also says he has, "...two breaking balls, a curve and a slider, and both are plus offerings and yes, he's got a good changeup, though he doesn't need it much at the high school level." That sounds familiar...

John Stilson:

3-21 from: - http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2218 -  While I knew junior RHP Barrett Loux was starting for the Aggies, my hope was that I would get to see hard throwing sophomore RHP John Stilson out of the bullpen. As sometimes happens, things worked out perfectly. Loux pitched the first 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10 Tech hitters (his third straight double figure strikeout game, giving him 48 K’s in only 27 innings) before leaving after throwing 104 pitches. He raised his record to 3-1 on the season with an outstanding 1.29 ERA.

Stilson then came in from the bullpen and threw the final 3 1/3 innings, striking out five more Tech hitters. The 6-3, 190 lb transfer from Texarkana JC is establishing himself as perhaps the most dominant pitcher in college baseball this spring. Stilson is now 4-0, 1.04 with 3 saves. In 25 innings he’s allowed only 8 hits and 7 walks while striking out 39 hitters.

John Stilson: This is the first year that Stilson has concentrated primarily on pitching, although he has still started three games at shortstop for the Aggies. He was a three-sport star in high school in Texarkana, TX, and was the starting shortstop for Texarkana JC last year while also going 12-1, 2.44 on the mound. He was drafted by the Twins in the 19th round of the 2009 draft. Stilson’s delivery, to put it mildly, makes you want to say “Wow…that interesting”. It’s high energy with a pretty severe head jerk and lots of recoil after release. I think the only way that Stilson can get away with it and repeat it well enough to throw strikes is that he is such a good athlete. Of course, all hitters are seeing are arms and legs flying around and it has to be very deceptive. Stilson’s stuff, also to put it mildly, makes you want to say “Wow….that’s awesome”. He sat between 94 and 98 mph and it wasn’t your normal straight high velocity fastball. It had some arm side running action and when Stilson threw to his glove side the ball just ran away from right handed hitters. Stilson’s 83 mph slider was twisty and inconsistent, although it flashed some bite and to his credit he tried a couple of change ups, which wasn’t a pitch he looked too comfortable throwing by looking at his body language after he threw the ball. Stilson will definitely need work developing a true slider, something that he could probably throw in the upper 80’s, but his deception and sheer velocity are enough to overmatch most hitters. The 2011 class is pretty loaded with top half of the first round talent but Stilson’s name certainly belongs in that company.

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