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5/24/10

DRAFT: - Michael Kvasnicka, Michael Choice, Matt Lipka, Adam Smith... and Bryan Holaday

Michael Kvasnicka:


5-24 from: - http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft  - One of the big reasons for Minnesota's success is catcher/outfielder Michael Kvasnicka. Against Ohio State, Kvasnicka went 3-for-13 with five runs scored over the weekend. We've written about him earlier in the season and a couple of Midwest area scouts I talked to liked what they saw out of the switch-hitting junior. As an outfielder, Kvasnicka was amid the pack and stood to be a late-first day draft pick. He has a good quick and simple stroke, can hit for power with more projected, has great plate discipline and defensively, owns a good enough arm for rightfield. But his tools still came up just a tad short in the outfield.

Michael Choice:

5-22 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/05/updated-scouting-reports-michael-choice-james-paxton/#more  - Choice has established himself as the top power bat in the draft and figures to go in the Top 10. Beyond just being a power bat, Choice is one of the few legitimate college bats available. Choice's swing is geared for home runs and he will hit moonshots. He has a swing with excellent leverage which, combined with Choice's upper-body strength, is going to continue to produce power with wood. It's a busy swing, however, with a lot going on in his lower half, from excess leg movement to an early, severe shift forward with his hips, so making contact against better-quality pitching while swinging a wood bat is going to be a challenge. Choice is strong and has gotten his body into better shape than it was in last summer, but he's not staying in center field and his body does not rate to age well into his late 20s or early 30s. He's got an average arm and could probably handle right if he tweaks his throwing motion, as he gets under the ball sometimes and underthrows. He could go as high as #3 to the Baltimore Orioles and doesn't figure to get past the Blue Jays at #11. Cleveland (#5) has been rumored to be very interested in Choice and Arizona (#6) and Oakland (#10) are also interested.

Matt Lipka:

5-17 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/2010/05/17/matt-lipka-qa  - When you discuss who the best all-around athletes are nationwide in the 2010 MLB Draft, Matt Lipka is a player who should be right there. As an All-State receiver at McKinney (TX) HS, he put up numbers that made him a prospect for SEC and Big-12 schools. As a baseball player, he’s put up some right-handed running times that make him a 70 or 80 runner. Offensively, I lnever saw him as limited. I liked the guy in the summer. He traded power for a consistent approach this season. Over time, Lipka seems to have a very clear idea of what kind of player he envisions himself becoming.

Adam Smith:

5-17 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/05/17/phillips-66-big-12-baseball-weekly-awards-5  - Adam Smith (Texas A&M) has been recognized as the Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Player of the Week. Adam Smith, Texas A&M, 2B, So., 6-3, 200, Spring, Texas/Klein - Smith hit .471 with two home runs and nine RBI to lead the Aggies to a perfect 5-0 week. Two of his RBI were game-winners. The first broke a 1-1, sixth-inning tie at Houston on Tuesday with his first career grand slam. Smith then delivered a key two-run single in a seven-run fourth against Centenary on Wednesday. The Spring, Texas-infielder opened the scoring against Oklahoma State on Friday with a home run to left center. On Saturday, Smith tripled off the wall in right center, driving home two in an eventual 10-inning game two win over the Cowboys.

Bryan Holaday:

5-21 from: - http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/beyond-bryce  - To rank draft-eligible catchers, I used all that information (offense, defense and baserunning) for each of the last three seasons, with more recent seasons weighted more heavily. The familiar names land near the top, but not always in the order you'd expect. And a stats-only approach unveils some sleepers for draft day. 3. Bryan Holaday - Texas Christian - Another smallish guy who has gotten it done on the field. According to my numbers, he's been the best defensive catcher in Division One over the last three years, and he's combined that with solid offense each year. He's only a tick behind Stanley overall, meaning that when some team gets around to taking him in the eighth round or so, it may get a steal.

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