DRAFT: - Top 49 1Bmen in Draft

1. Hunter Morris –



1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #57 Houston Hunter Morris 1B Auburn 6'2" 210 L,R



2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - First Team - 1B Hunter Morris, Auburn

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 50th

3-19 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Saturday: JR 1B Hunter Morris (Auburn): 2-4, HR, BB, 3 RBI, 2 R - Hunter Morris has put up good numbers so far, but he’s done it while hacking away at anything and everything remotely in the strike zone. That’s cool when you are hitting over .400 and slugging over .600, but becomes a problem when the inevitable decline in batting average comes.

4-27 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/27/sec-players-of-the-week-10 - PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Had the game-winning (walk-off) and series-clinching hit on Sunday vs. Kentucky, a seventh-inning RBI single…Went 8-for-17 with two doubles, two triples, two home runs, seven runs scored and nine RBI for a .615 batting average and a 1.538 slugging percentage. He now leads the SEC in slugging percentage (.779) and total bases (134), is second in hits (71), RBI (53) and home runs (13) and is third in doubles (14) and triples (5) while his .413 batting average is fourth…His season home run, runs scored (43), triples and RBI totals are already a career high.

5-3 from: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/5/3/1456083/interesting-college-hitters-part - Hunter Morris, 1B, Auburn University - One of the leading power hitters in the '10 college class, Morris is hitting .402/.469/.777 with 15 homers, 19 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 184 at-bats. The 6-2, 220 pounder has pull power from the left side and occasional plate discipline issues, and might not hit for a huge batting average in pro ball. But he's still considered one of the safest college bats available, in the sense of having one major league skill that definitely stands out. He's been considered a first round candidate at times, but probably fits better in the supplemental round for a team looking for a quick power boost.

5-18 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/2010/05/18/sec-scouting-updates - Auburn - “A man. Power to all fields. Sits on a curveball really well. Gets his hands inside everything. Kind of hitter who is talented enough to foul a pitch back to get the guy to throw it again, and then kill that pitch the next time he gets it. A major league characteristic. Pure hitter. Very legit.”

5-31 from: - http://www.deepleagues.com/?p=1733 - Coming from high school, Morris was one of the highest-drafted players to not turn professional in the 2007 draft. He is a good all-around player, but he doesn’t possess the elite tools of former collegiate first baseman Justin Smoak, Yonder Alonso, etc. Nevertheless, what Morris lacks in upside he makes up for as being a fairly well-developed player who should contribute in the major leagues.













2. Conrad Gregor – Carmel HS (IN.) -

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 52nd





3. Christian Yelich – Westlake HS (CA) – 6-3, 190, L/L - also plays OF… runs 60-yd in 6.8… arm strength questionable… projects out at 1B… one of the best pure hitters in draft…



8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: solid power, lefty stroke, make solid contact and adjusted well enough seeing several pitchers with different deliveries, could be a solid contributor at the ML level in 4-5 years

8-10: From www.baseballamerica.com – Area Code Games - Yelich is a and tall and thin lefthanded hitter whose sweet swing produced a long triple to right center in today’s morning game. He followed that in his next at bat with a sharp double down the left field line.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #41 – Christian Yelich – 1st 1Bman on list

10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 1B Christian Yelich - If I had to pick one guy on my list to drop off over the course of the season, I’d probably go with Yelich. That naturally begs the question of why he is on the list in the first place. Yelich is like the hitting version of Stetson Allie, an up and down prospect that can look like a late first rounder one day and a fifth round lottery ticket on the next. It gets repeated every year, but it’s important: prep players limited to first base need to be able to hit, hit, and hit some more to be taken seriously as a draft prospect.

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 134th

2-25 from www.baseballamerica.com: - 2010 Preseason High School All-Americans - FIRST TEAM - 1B Christian Yelich, Westlake HS, Thousand Oaks, Calif.. .489

3-27 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - Christian Yelich, 1B, Westlake HS (CA) - Yelich has come out of the gate on fire, and he’s starting to be considered as one of the best first base prospects in this year’s class. He has a good frame, along with power and strength projection, and he’s really squaring balls this spring. Some teams may look at Yelich as a possible left fielder, too, as he’s a solid-average runner with a fringe-average arm, and I could see him as a possible Major League regular with power development. He’s still a second round player to me, but he’s on the rise.

4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Christian Yelich, 1B, Westlake HS (CA): I featured Yelich’s name on the list of the players I left off my third mock draft, and I feel comfortable calling him the best prep first baseman in this class. Yelich is blessed with good natural size for a first baseman, and as I mentioned in my writeup for him in the aforementioned player list, he has solid-average speed and a fringe-average arm, two traits that could make him a plus fielder at first base. I also mentioned that some teams are entertaining the idea of having him play left field, but I still see his long-term position as first base, which would take advantage of his defensive tools. He does have the bat for the position, too, though there’s more projection involved in saying that than with some elite prep first basemen of the past, such as Eric Hosmer. Yelich has an above-average to plus hit tool, and the easy comparison for him is Lyle Overbay, a doubles hitter more than a home run hitter. However, Yelich has more power projection in him, so listing Overbay as his ceiling is unfair. He’s starting to tap into that power now, and scouts like how he’s approach his at-bats this spring. He could be a strong 2nd round candidate now, though Jeff Malm also seemed to be that high as a prep first baseman before slipping to the 5th round last year. Regardless, Yelich has gone from a 7th-10th round prospect to a 2nd round candidate in just two months.

4-23 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/category/2010-draft - projects as a long, loose and easy left-handed swing. I think his power is mainly pole oriented and his contact is geared to going straight away with an ability to hit to left field. His arm strength is enough for him to stay at third, but he’ll need to prove in the coming years that he has the athletic actions to stay there. After a very solid summer, Yelich should find himself as a very solid high school draft.

5-1 from: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/4/30/1452824/interesting-high-school-hitters#storyjump - Christian Yelich, 1B, Westlake High School, Thousand Oaks, California - A University of Miami signee, the 6-4, 185 pound Yelich is more athletic than the typical high school first baseman. He has decent speed and enough athleticism to have played shortstop in the past, though in pro ball he'll be a first baseman and likely an excellent one with the glove. Offensively, he's considered a pure hitter type with above average power potential, though whether he settles in as a 20-homer type or a 30-homer type will depend on how much he fills out his body and how his swing matures. On talent alone he would be a good pick for someone in the second or third round, but if he slips too far down the list, he could head to Miami and improve his draft position with good play for the Hurricanes by '13

5-31 from: - http://www.deepleagues.com/?p=1733 - One of the top prep corner infielder’s in this year’s draft, Yelich is an excellent hitter who posted dominating numbers in high school. At 6’4, he offers remarkable upside in terms of hitting for power. Scouts debate whether he can remain at 3B, as some see him as a prototypical left-handed first baseman. To the extent that “makeup” plays a role, there are many articles giving Yelich tremendously high praise in this area.





4. Jarod LaKind:

3-20 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2216 - The previous day Lakind had thrown a complete game no-hitter against a 12-1 team (Cy-Falls HS), touching 91 mph on his fastball, along with hitting the ball hard twice. We’ve never considered Lakind a top-level pitching prospect before as he’s been mid-80’s when we’ve seen him, but we have heard of this type of velocity, which is obviously notable from the left side. Lakind’s father admitted that his son still might be buzzing a bit from that game, although he definitely thinks of himself as a secondary pitcher.

Lakind was facing a left handed pitcher who looked like he threw in the 82-84 mph range and could spin the ball fairly well. Certainly a good test.

Lakind walked the first time on four pitches. The second trip he went into vapor lock at the plate and struck out looking (guessing?) without taking the bat off his shoulder. The third time up he fouled off a number of pitches before striking out on a curveball off the plate. The fourth time up, Lakind finally squared up a ball hard to the second baseman.

If you didn’t have a full set of scouting impressions on Lakind before the game yesterday you would have left the ballpark with nothing from which to write a report. He wasn’t challenged in the field, couldn’t have thrown well due to pitching the day before, didn’t have the opportunity to run and had a mediocre day at the plate, twice not getting the bat off his shoulder.

That is why (actually, just one of many reasons why), parents, your son needs to play at the highest level of events he can during the summer and fall. Any high school, college or summer coach or any advisor/agent who tells you that the scouts will be able to evaluate him during the spring and that he should just hang around home and play Legion ball during the summer is playing Russian Roulette with his chances of being evaluated by professional scouts



4-29 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/29/1450107/casing-the-states-texas-part-three#storyjump - Jared Lakind, LHP/1B, Cypress Woods HS, Cypress - Lakind is from a fairly new baseball program in Cypress Woods High School program, having only been in existence for three years. He's been on each of the first three teams, and his career really took off last summer, when he was an AFLAC All-American. He was particularly impressive in the Area Code games and in Jupiter in October, though it wasn't until this spring that his pitching career took off. Previously a mid-80s thrower with inconsistent peak velocities, he's consistently been in the upper-80s this spring, touching 91 almost every time out. That, combined with a potentially plus curveball, has given him plenty of notoriety. However, he's still considered an offensive prospect, too, and he'll be a two-way player if he continues his career in college at Arkansas. He features an above-average package of power and hitting ability, and he could be a .290 hitter with 20+ home runs in his peak years at the plate. He's a well below-average runner, which likely limits him to left field if a team wants to move him off first base, where he could be more valuable. He obviously has a plus arm, and he could make a heck of a left fielder if a team works with him on routes, as he's a first baseman currently. He could easily turn out to be a first round candidate for the 2013 draft after three years in college. Projected Draft Range: 5th-10th Round



5. Kevin Keyes – Texas – 6-4, 225… excellent bat speed and strength… 2nd on team in 2009 in HRs and doubles… charts out as a RFer… average arm

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: power stroke, runs well, better underway and has at least a 55-60 arm, reminds me a lot of JD Dye of the White Sox.

8-2: from 6-16 article www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com: Keyes has physicality that can't be ignored at 6-4, 225 pounds. He has bat speed and strength that plays even in Texas' spacious Disch-Falk Field, as he ranks second on the team in home runs and doubles. He profiles as a right fielder with an average arm and enough speed for the position. His draft status will depend on how well he taps into his raw power.

9-30: From: http://web.usabaseball.com: - Karsten Whitson, Connor Mason and Kevin Gausman combined on a three-hitter, and an opportunistic offense took advantage of five errors as the USA Baseball 18U National Team remained unbeaten with a 19-0 run-rule shutout of Colombia Monday on Day 4 of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Garin Cecchini made it a 3-0 game with an RBI double. The team then added four more runs in the second on Tony Wolters' two-run double and a two-run home run by Bryce Harper, a towering blast to right field. Team USA erupted for five runs in the fifth on two hits and two Columbia errors, with Brian Ragira's two-run double the big hit in the at bat. Wolters ended up with three RBIs. Harper, Cecchini, Ragira and Kavin Keyes had two apiece. Keyes also had three hits. Harper, Cecchini and Manny Machado each scored three runs.

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 17- OF Kevin Keyes – (3rd OF on list)

11-4 from www.baseballamerica.com: - Texas is moving hulking outfielder Kevin Keyes to first base, which could open up an outfield spot for freshman Cohl Walla. Keyes is still listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds but has bulked up to around 260 and lacks the mobility for the outfield.

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 22. Texas Rangers- Kevin Keyes, OF, Texas - Another first round pick for Texas. I see the Rangers staying local, and selecting the power hitting Keyes. They have been on Keyes for a while, since selecting him in the 2007 draft before he attended UT. (4th OF picked)

11-18 from www.macksmets.blogspot.com: - 29. 1B Kevin Keyes – Keyes would never be a first rounder, but he will move to first base from the outfield this season and his power will easily make him the top prospect at that position. That means more press and higher ranking. (only 1B on list)



2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 22. Texas Rangers- Kevin Keyes, OF, Texas - Another first round pick for Texas. I see the Rangers staying local, and selecting the power hitting Keyes. They have been on Keyes for a while, since selecting him in the 2007 draft before he attended UT.



1-1-9 update: - -Guys with sinking draft stock currently include Kris Bryant, Yasmani Grandal, Drew Pomeranz, and Kevin Keyes. Keyes was never in the class of the other names here, but with his weight balloon and shift to first base, he’s lost a lot of scouting value.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #64 Chicago Cubs Kevin Keyes 1B/OF Texas 6'4" 225 R,R

4-29 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/29/1450107/casing-the-states-texas-part-three#storyjump - Keyes has been fairly well-known on the prospect scene for awhile, and he was a 26th round draft pick of the Rangers coming out of Connally High School in 2007. He didn't play much of a role during his freshman year, but he really turned some heads with an impressive sophomore year with the Longhorns. However, he imploded on the Cape, looking tired after a long season that included a trip to the College World Series. He ended up gaining weight, leading to a temporary assignment to first base in the fall. However, he's back in right field now, and he seems to have gained back some of the athleticism he lost over the last year-plus. He features above-average raw power and a fringe-average hit tool, and when he's at his best and in shape, he's an average runner. However, he's going to be a corner outfielder at any level, but he has a big enough arm to handle right field, while having average range. He's not having the best season, but he's still an attractive prospect, especially in a thin college class. Projected Draft Range: 3rd-6th Round







6. Andy Wilkins –- Arkansas … 6-2, 225, R/L… junior… excellent swing… can hit for power to all fields … 2009: .319, 19-HR, 58-RBI, 48-BB

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: lefty power plus with solid skills at 1b. Runs good for a big kid and upside left. Project to a 280 type hitter with 20+ HR power. Playing for Team USA this summer.

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 39- 1B Andy Wilkins (1st … and only… 1B on list)

11-4 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 77th top college player in 2010

12-20 from http://www.deepleagues.com/?p=924 :

Wilson is a terrific athlete with a great swing currently projected to be selected somewhere in the mid-first round. I am normally cynical about selecting high school players too highly unless they’re rare talents like the Upton brothers. Nevertheless, I think Wilson is a wise investment.

There are tons of things to like about Wilson as an outfielder. First, the videos of Wilson are extremely impressive. He doesn’t have the youtube power of Bryce Harper, but I like how Wilson’s swing seems to be a little quicker. Harper is the better prospect, but Wilson could have an easier time adjusting to professional pitchers. He also apparently has a good background, gaining a reputation around Southern California as a great player while attending one of the best academic high schools in the United States. The obvious comparison is Marlins’ prospect Mike Stanton, another great athlete who came from another prestigious private school in Southern California.

There are several concerns about Wilson. First, since he’s a high school player, it’s entirely speculative how good Wilson will end up being. Second, Wilson only has “B-quality” speed (15 steals). If he doesn’t develop power, he projects as a decent 4th outfielder on a major league team. The final concern with Wilson is signability. Since Wilson has a scholarship offer from Stanford, he might be perfectly happy getting a great education rather than entering directly into the major leagues.

Nevertheless, on the whole, aside from Harper, Wilson is my favorite high school prospect in the upcoming draft.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #59 San Diego Andy Wilkins 1B Arkansas 6'2" 225 R,L

3-10 from: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2010/03/10/ranking-the-razorbacks-10-draft-prospects - 1. Andy Wilkins, 1B (9/13/88) - Wilkins first caught my eye in during infield drills. I was really impressed with his athleticism and agility at first base. He was smooth with soft hands and he demonstrated exceptional leaping ability. I wasn't impressed with his arm; it's only fringe-average. While first basemen are near the bottom of the defensive spectrum, Wilkins could be a plus defender at the position. With elite bat speed, a patient approach and the ability to manage the strike zone -- didn't chase pitches when I saw him -- Wilkins could be in line for a monster year. He walked almost as much as he struck out last year (16.3% BB, 17.4% K) and is off to a great start in 2010 (11 BB vs. 5 K over 53 PA). Wilkins' power numbers have been ridiculous so far. He's on pace to top 30 home runs, a total that no NCAA hitter has reached over the last three years. Zack Cox has more hype than Wilkins right now, but there's a reason why Wilkins hit third for Arkansas last weekend and Cox batted fifth. Wilkins is much more advanced. Don't be surprised if Wilkins' name starts getting thrown out there as a potential top 20 overall pick. He looked great when I saw him and he has the production to back up his tools.

4-2 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=2050 - Andy Wilkins, 1b, Arkansas - "He's another guy who has had a little bit of an inconsistent start to the year. There's some games where he has a good approach up there and he's using the whole field—and he's certainly strong enough to hit the ball out of any part of the park. But he's not making a lot of consistent contact right now. He's hitting a lot of stuff off the label and with an aluminum bat that's going to work, but he's going to break a lot of bats with the way he's swinging it right now. He's OK over at first base. Balls hit to him, he's all right. Around the bag he's better than when he's fielding ground balls, but the range is limited—he's a first base-only guy. I think he's going to end up hitting because he does have a good feel up there, but it seems he's just caught in between on a lot of stuff right now and he's up there guessing a little bit. But I think he is going to hit. He's a strong kid. He's definitely got some power and when I saw him last year, it looked like his approach was a little more consistent and he was centering more balls up."

4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Andy Wilkins, 1B, Arkansas: Wilkins offers rare plus power projection in the 2010 class, and that is what is raising his stock quickly. Is he a first round hitter? No. However, that doesn’t mean that Wilkins has no value. A pure left-handed hitter, Wilkins is a right-handed fielder that was considered a third base prospect entering college after being drafted by the Rangers out of high school in 2007. His days at third base are over, but he should be an adequate fielder at first, meaning that a team can rely on him to be more than a designated hitter, opening up National League teams to feel safe in scouting him. I see him as an average fielder in the future, though he’ll need some work to get there, and I feel safe in saying that due to a strong work ethic and plus makeup that is universally praised around the game. At the plate, he can sacrifice some average for power, and his hit tool is probably below-average in the long run. He’ll probably hit in the .250-.260 range, but he’s one of the few in this class with 25-30 home run power, power that can go to any field. He’s been scuffling a little bit lately, but when he’s on, his approach is also plus, and he’s good at waiting for his pitch. He’s probably a 2nd-3rd round name now, up a similar amount to Leonard. He’s going to miss the next couple of weeks due to a pulled hamstring, but that shouldn’t affect his stock much.

5-25 from: - http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft/entry/view/67032/rising_star_andy_wilkins#page_break - Steadiness is the main knock on Wilkins. He started the 2010 season on a nine-game hitting streak, but has also found himself in the middle of a four game hitless streak, directly followed by a 6-for-17 stretch. "He needs to become that consistent hitter who doesn't go into two- or three-week slumps. If he does, he will have a tremendous career," Van Horn said. "We are hoping he kicks it into gear." So far this year, the left-handed hitting Wilkins' contact numbers are slightly down. He is batting .279 in comparison to hitting .319 as a sophomore and .331 as a freshman. He ranks second on the Razorbacks with 13 home runs, and first with 62 RBIs. During the off-season, Wilkins worked on his conditioning and it has paid off with improved defensive range. While he profiles as a first baseman, this has enabled Arkansas to utilize him at third if needed.

5-26 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/5/26/1488491/top-5-by-position-first-basemen#storyjump - Like Hunter Morris, Andy Wilkins has been on the scouting scene for some time. Having played high school ball out of Broken Arrow High in Oklahoma, he was expected to be what a first day pick was back in 2007 when the first day lasted six rounds. However, he was committed strongly to Arkansas, sliding in the draft, and he was a contributor for the Razorbacks from day one. He has slid quite a bit in the last month and a half as he’s gone on one of his infamous cold streaks, but when he heats up, he’s a very hard out, and the scouts that have seen him in those periods might be quick to pull the trigger on him. Wilkins’ tools aren’t exactly optimal, but like Morris, he offers a good amount of production from the tools he does have. At the plate, he struggles against good breaking stuff when he’s slumping, and he’s going to strike out his fair share of times, but he also works over pitchers, causing them to throw large numbers of pitchers. He’s not going to hit for a very high average, but he has plus raw power, a trait that could make him a regular first baseman in the future. He’s less athletic than either Morris or Yelich, as he’s a below-average runner, but he has a solid-average arm and has played third base much of his career. He could go as high as the fourth round to a team that really likes him, but he’s a more likely fit somewhere between rounds six and ten.







7. Kyle Roller – East Carolina – senior… L/R

7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .326, 4-HR, 13-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 119th





8. Troy Scott –





9. Daniel Palka – Greer HS (SC) – 6-2, 190… also is LHP…



PG Cross Check has Plaka as the #2 high school prospect out of South Carolina and #124 in the nation



2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 153rd













10. Mickey Wiswall - Boston College – junior… L/R… 6-0, 205… 2009: .320, 14-HR, 63-RBI… .551 slugging percentage… played the summer with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox: .305, 30-RBI… named 2009 CCBL 1st team 1st baseman



7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .323, 2-HR, 18-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game



10-28 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - voted the 84th top college player



2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 132nd



3-26 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/draft-tracker/2010/269724.html - Mickey Wiswall, 1b, Boston College - Wiswall came into the season as one of the best corner infield bats in this year's class. After all, he hit .320/.377/.551 last year with 14 home runs and followed that up by ranking second in RBIs (30), third in extra-base hits (13) and fifth in slugging (.447) in the Cape Cod League last summer. This year though, he could be slipping. It would have been a great time for Wiswall to shine, as there aren't many bats to be had, but he's not performing as well as evaluators would like, hitting .263/.359/.569 over the Eagles' first 19 games. He's a free swinger and has the skills to make consistent contact, but teams generally prefer a more patient approach from their first basemen. "I love Wiswall, I love him, but he's just another guy," a National League area scout said. "He's a borderline non-prospect right now. He can't play defense at all, they already put him at first base, and he's not hitting."

4-18 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/category/2010-draft - Mickey Wiswall is a left-handed power bat, pure and simple. He’s helping himself in 2010 at Boston College leading up to the draft. In this Cape BP look, Wiswall showed some signs about why his best is likely yet to come. He gave raw power, but not the frequency. Over time, Wiswall’s hands and strength should allow him to weed out the longer approach to the ball. Once he more consistently gets shorter to the ball, he should begin seeing more frequent wood power production. He’s going to be an AL first base-DH type all the way and being left-handed with power means he’s going to be able to buy himself time to develop in the next few years.







11. Blake Dean - LSU… 6-0, 193, L/L, senior … 2008 Baseball America First-Team All-American… named one of Baseball America's Top 300 High School Players of 2006. 2008: .353, 20 HRs, 73 RBIs

8-20: from www.rivals.yahoo.com: He certainly wasn’t the most athletic college player in the draft, but it still surprises me the Twins waited until the 10th round to select Dean. Even with how late he was drafted, it’s even more surprising to me that Dean decided to return to college. After a trio of outstanding campaigns for LSU, Dean has little to prove with the program. Perhaps the Twins acknowledged early in the negotiation process they wouldn’t be able to offer him a substantial contract. Only Dean really knows that. But either way, it was interesting that Dean decided to return to school. LSU coach Paul Mainieri was thrilled with his decision.

12-22 fr. http://baseballdraftreport.com: - SR 1B/OF Blake Dean (2010) is being counted on to start the season as LSU’s primary first baseman even after getting beat up on the operating table (torn labrum and appendectomy) this past offseason. Reports on his defense at first have been extremely positive so far. I liked Dean as a prospect a lot last year, but with every extra year (and every subsequent injury) spent not developing his craft professionally it gets harder and harder to envision Dean ever holding down a starting job in the bigs. His good but not great future with the bat makes me wonder if his overall package is going to be able to carry him at a defensive position like first base that demands more than just a good bat. Getting back into the outfield at some point this season (even if only doing so pre-game for scouts on hand) would be a very, very good thing for Dean’s prospect stock. As is, he represents value as a potential money saving senior sign option (with upside, no less) between rounds five and ten.

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 149th

5-16 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/2010/05/16/lsu-scouting-updates - “Can still swing it. Clutch guy all the way. Pull hitter – crowds the plate, dares you to beat him. Likes to hold his hands high. Should be more of a power hitter than average hitter in the coming years. Has dropped about 15 pounds. Looks better in a uniform. Much improved defensively at first base.”



12. Kevin Patterson – Auburn – 6-4, 220, L/R – 2009: .231, .418 slugging percentage, 6-HR, 18-RBI in 31 starts…



8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: power stroke, upper cut, 250-270 type hitter, also OF, not a great runner, however gets it done. Glove is ok with adequate range. Power numbers are intriguing.

10-18: from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 94th top college player

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 191st





13. Ben Thomas – – Xavier… junior… 2009: .338, 16-HR, 66-RBI, .667 Slug%, also pitched: 5-2, 7.41, in 12 apearances, 11 starts… named 2nd team all-conference first baseman

11-1 from: www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 80th top college player

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: Mock drafted 114th







14. Robert Shoulders – Brandon HS (FL)

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 158th





15. Phil Cerreto – Longwood University -

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 137th



16. Taylor Ard – Mt. Hood CC (Ore.)

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 144th

17. Jaren Mathews – Rutgers

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 147th





18. Cody Hawn – Tennessee – junior… 2009: .364 22-Hr 81-RBI

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – 7th pick overall - Cody Hawn 1B – Tennessee

9-25: From Blake Crosby: - Strong first basemen with a ton of power. Hit .364 with 22 HR last year for Tennessee. His height at 5'11 is his downfall but he has hit at every level for power and scouts love his makeup. Been drafted twice, once in 2007 by Milwaukee, and once out of Walters CC in 2008 by Oakland. He has played a little 3B and outfield.

12-25 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - named to the 2010 NCBWA 3rd team all-american squad

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - 48 Cody Hawn 1B Tennessee 5'11" 202 L,R

1-31: Named to the 2010 Ping!Baseball All American Teams: - FIRST BASE - First Team: Cody Hawn, Tennessee

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 196th

4-2 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=2050 - Cody Hawn, 1b, Tennessee - "Hawn can hit. That's what he does. He hurt his shoulder early on in the year, but it hasn't really hurt him at the plate at all. The tough thing is, he really just has no position. It's kind of painful watching him because he's a great kid. From seeing him at Walters State (JC) a few years ago to last year and this year, he's probably the most consistent guy I've ever seen with run times—he's always giving a good effort—but it's 4.65 to 4.7. He's really a guy that's going to be tough for a National League team to take. He's got good feel for hitting, he has bat speed, he makes adjustments within at-bats—it's tough to get him on the same pitch two times in a row and if you do, you know he's going to make that adjustment for the next at-bat. But he's a tough one because, athletically, there's nothing that really goes with the bat. I think he's DH'd every game I've seen for him this year and over at first base, it was below average. He can make some plays on ground balls hit right at him. He's marginal around the bag but, range-wise, it's real short and his arm's below average as well. I don't think there's any chance he can play left field, and third base was a real challenge for him when he was over at Walters State."





19. Eric Jaffe – Bishop O’Dowd HS (CA.)

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 263rd











20. Kevin Koziol – Brother Rice HS (IL) - 6-2, 195 –

7-29: From: www.baseballfactory.com: - Koziol has a big, strong frame that produces some raw power from the right side of the plate. He has good hands in the field to go along with a solid throwing arm and he runs a 7.2-second 60-yard dash.



21. Tim Kiene – Avon Farms HS (Conn.) -

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 294th



22. Wes Cunningham – Murray State – senior… 2009: .411, 11-HR, 52-RBI in 51-G… .698 slugging percentage… summer 2009: Jayhawk league: .395, 42-R, 18-doubles, 4-HR, 39-RBI…

8-31: From www.baseballamerica: Cunningham wasn't drafted this June even after hitting .380 and .411 the last two seasons for the Racers. Just 5-foot-11, he doesn't profile at first but ran a 6.6-second 60-yard dash at a pro workout this summer and could move to the outfield. He showed gap power while hitting .402 this summer and uses the whole field well; his power would improve if he learned to pull the ball more. Cunningham helped lead the Broncos to the NBC World Series title, scoring the winning run in the championships against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.

10-25: From www.collegebaseballblog.com: - voted the 87th top college player

1-31: Named to the 2010 Ping!Baseball All American Teams: - FIRST BASE - Third Team: Wes Cunningham, Murray State

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 298th





23. Andrew Clark – Louisville senior… 2009: .350, 9-HR, 55-RBI



1-4: named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team as named by a vote of conference coaches: 1B Andrew Clark, Sr., Louisville - .350 BA, 9 HR, 55 RBIs



4-7 from: http://collegebaseball360.com/2010/04/06/cb360-primetime-performers-of-the-week-7-april-6 - Louisville senior first baseman Andrew Clark (New Palestine, Ind has been named the national Primetime Player of the Week, as selected by CollegeBaseball360.com. Clark led Louisville to a 4-0 week, helping keep the Cardinals on course for a possible top-8 seed in the NCAA Championship. The 6-3, 225-pound lefthanded hitter batted at a .556 clip during the week (10-for-18), with four home runs, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, a pair of doubles, a walk and a sacrifice fly (plus a 1.333 slugging pct.). In a midweek game at Indiana, the 3-hole hitter continued to star in his comeback from a ribcage stress fracture. The Hoosiers opted to send their ace Friday-night starter, LHP Drew Leininger, to the mound for a potential 3-inning save and IU was one out from the upset – but Clark drove a 1-1 pitch over the rightfield fence for a 2-run homer and the winning 5-4 margin. The blast ended Leininger’s impressive shutout streak that had spanned 28.2 innings (Leininger also entered the game with a lowly 0.79 season ERA).

4-22 from pnrscouting: mock drafted # 138

5-4 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/05/03/big-east-baseball-honors-2/#more-25979 - Seton Hall righthanded pitcher Joe DiRocco and Louisville first baseman Andrew Clark are the winners of the BIG EAST’s weekly baseball honors for the week-ending May 2. Clark led the Cardinals at the plate, hitting .600 with three home runs, 12 RBI and a slugging percentage of 1.267 as No. 12/13 Louisville went 4-0 with a mid-week win over rival Kentucky and a weekend sweep of Rutgers. The week was highlighted by his performance in Saturday’s series finale against the Scarlet Knights, when he went 4-for-4 with two home runs, a three-run shot and a grand slam both in the first inning of the game, and a career-best eight RBI. On the season, Clark is hitting .406 with 11 home runs and 46 RBI. This is Clark’s second Player of the Week recognition of the season.





24. A.J. Kirby-Jones – Ytennessee Tech University

4-22 from pnrscouting: mock drafted # 200

4-29 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/04/sleepers-for-the-2010-mlb-draft/#more - Sleepers For the 2010 MLB Draft - AJ Kirby-Jones, Tennessee Tech, 1B - Jones is absolutely destroying the ball this year to the tune of 372/.534/.854 with 47 walks and 18 home runs in just 40 games. Figures to easily break his own school record of 20 home runs in a season which he set last year.



25. Mark Canha –



2-8: from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 107th

2-11 from Aman Reaka – www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - 99. Mark Canha – California, 1b/OF - Power, athletic, can steal bases, good hitter, short swing, enough power for 1b?

4-4 from: http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/04/mlb-draft-notes-dixon-anderson-and-other-updated-scouting-report/#more - Probably a high Day 2 draft, a polished college hitter who doesn't profile well at first base or in left field. He doesn't have great bat speed and sets his hands up high and back by his rear shoulder, giving him a long path to the ball and limiting his time to make adjustments. He has shown some patience and pitch recognition and has some track record of performance.







26. Nick Ebert –– South Carolia – senior… 2009: .321 23-HR 72-RBI



12-25 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - named to the 2010 NCBWA Division 1 3rd team all American squad



1-31: Named to the 2010 Ping!Baseball All American Teams: - FIRST BASE - Second Team: Nick Ebert, South Carolina







27. Tony Plagman – Georgia Tech – senior… 2009: .354 16-HR 73-RBI

12-25 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - named to the 2010 NCBWA Division 1 2nd team all American squad



28. Troy Scott - Univ. of Washington – 6-5, 205, L/R, sophomore –



29. Paul Hoilman –

1-31: Named to the 2010 Ping!Baseball All American Teams: - FIRST BASE - Second Team: Paul Hoilman, E Tenn St





30. Chris Brooks – South Aiken HS (SC) – 6-3, 190…

PG Cross Check has Brooks ranked as the 5th SC prospect and the 216th overall in the nation…





31. Mike Giller – Illinois – DH/1B – 6-3, 220, senior, L/R… played the 2009 summer for the Waterloo Bucks…



7-24 – Fr. www.rivals.yahoo.com: The skinny: Giller didn’t have much of a spring for the Fighting Illini, but is making the best of his summer with the Bucks. Giller finished this past season hitting just .231 in only 13 at bats. With the Bucks, though, the veteran is a force at the plate. Giller is hitting .363 with 11 doubles, two homers and 34 RBIs. He also has walked and struck out 17 times each. Giller appears to be readying himself for a strong senior campaign for the Illini.



32. Jeff Jackson – Wauconda HS (IL) – 6-3, 195 –



8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: mostly DH'd during tourney, made solid contact, better power showed in BP, needs a position, 1b seems to be the best bet for him. Good face too! Will contribute solidly in college, so a solid watchful player next 3-4 years.



33. Ryan Ford – Plano West HS (TX) –

8-6: From www.baseballamerica.com: - Ford is a powerful hitter, with natural lift and pull-side power. Ford drops his bat head on the ball quickly and the ball explodes off his bat. He is smooth at first base and has potential above-average ability there.

34. Jared King – verbally commtted to Tennessee

9-8: www.pgtracker.com lists as one of the top 10 high school players coming out of Ohio.

35. Kyle Koeneman – LSU junior…

12-22 fr. http://baseballdraftreport.com: - JR 1B Kyle Koeneman (2010) has been both a highly decorated prospect coming out of high school (2007) and a well regarded junior college power hitter (2008-2009) who was very surprisingly bypassed in all three of his draft years. He has massive playable power and is capable of playing the outfield corners if needed. At bats will be hard to come by for Koeneman, but it’ll be interesting to see how he adapts to a bench role as that will almost certainly be his role if he can hack it in pro ball.









36. Zach Maxfield –

1-31: Named to the 2010 Ping!Baseball All American Teams: - FIRST BASE - Third Team: Zach Maxfield, FGCU

37. Troy Channing –

1-31: Named to the 2010 Ping!Baseball All American Teams: - FIRST BASE - Third Team: Troy Channing, St. Mary's (CA)



38. Connor Powers –

3/9 from http://thecollegebaseballblog.com: - SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Connor Powers • Miss. State - Senior • 1B • Naperville, Ill. - • Powers lead MSU to a sweep of four games against SE Missouri and Michigan State in the BankFirst Baseball Challenge at Dudy Noble Field with a three-home run, 15-RBI weekend…Matched a career-high with a 6-RBI game and belted a walk-off three-run home run vs. SEMO in the opening game…Leads MSU with five game-winning RBI, including two walk-off home runs. • Registered his second two-home run game of the season and set a career-high with a 7-RBI performance in State’s tournament finale against Michigan State…Climbed into the SEC lead in both home runs (7) and RBI (25).

4-20 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - I’m very impressed with the improvements that Connor Powers has made to his game between his junior and senior seasons – he came into the year as a hacker who was limited to first base defensively, but will graduate as a more disciplined bat and an above-average glove at first.

4-20 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/20/sec-players-of-the-week-9 - PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Connor Powers Miss. State Senior 1B Naperville, Ill. - Helped power State to a 3-1 mark last week and its second league series win of the campaign… Batted .706 and delivered four consecutive 3-hit games and drove in 8 runs… With his 12-hit, 8-RBI week raised his batting average to .414, third-highest in the SEC… Continues to lead the SEC in RBI (53) and slugging percentage (.767). Tied the school doubles record with three two-baggers in MSU’s series-clinching 14-6 Sunday win over UT… Credited with his 6th (vs. South Alabama) and 7th (in Sunday series-clincher vs. Tennessee) GWRBI… Laced six doubles and his 10th home run en route to a 1.235 slugging % & a .773 on-base %.

5-3 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/5/3/1455597/casing-the-states-mississippi#storyjump - Connor Powers, 1B, Mississippi State - Powers is one of the better senior bats available in the entire 2010 draft class, as he returned to school following an 11th round selection by the Dodgers a year ago. Originally from Illinois, Powers has shown solid improvement year to year while at Mississippi State, and he should easily improve his draft position by a few rounds in 2010. At the plate, he features a solid-average hit tool to go along with plus power projection, and he's had a great senior year, though he's been in a slump over the past few weeks. He's a below-average runner, though that's not a major part of his game. He gets himself into trouble at the plate when he gets overly aggressive against the soft stuff, though he's showing that he's learned from that this year, improving his plate discipline by a large margin. That could be due to experience against the league, or it could be a real marked improvement. Scouts are split on that issue, as some still think he won't be capable of laying off breaking balls at the next level. However, he does seem to be recognizing those pitches a little bit earlier this year, so there's hope that he's making improvements after being behind the learning curve coming from a cold-weather state as a high schooler. Defensively, he has the tools to be average to slightly above-average at first base, and he played third base early on in his career as a Bulldog. He should be very signable as a senior, and a team might snatch him up early in the second day. Projected Draft Range: 3rd-6th Round

5-27 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/05/chris-duffy-leads-senior-surprises/#more - Senior Surprises - Connor Powers, Mississippi State, 1B - After just two home runs in 162 ABs his junior year, Powers has 15 home runs this season. He also sports a nice .393/.497/.731 and a 33-15 BB/K ratio in 38 games. Powers was the winner of the Cape Cod Leage All-Star game home run hitting contest last year.

5-28 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/5/28/1491102/for-your-consideration-college#storyjump - 3B/1B, Mississippi State: Plus power potential, significantly cut down the strikeouts from last year by drawing more walks than K's. Struggled with wood bats and quality pitching in the Cape the past two years. The bat will be his calling card, as he will be limited to 1B and is average defensively there. Strikeouts are still a concern, but he has a pretty good eye. Very similar to Roller.









39. Dillon Hazlett –

3/8 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com - Name to know = North Carolina JR 1B Dillon Hazlett. I first heard the poor man’s Dustin Ackley comps coming out of Chapel Hill a few months ago, but dismissed them as nothing more than a coaching staff excited about a junior college transfer ready to step in and help fill the gigantic hole left behind by Ackley’s departure. The comp, like most are, was built on convenience – both players are way too athletic to be college first basemen, run well, and have questionable power upsides. That’s what the comp was trying to express, I think. Nobody actually meant that Hazlett would step in and show off a hit tool quite like the one Ackley had shown. Ackley was a truly special college player and an elite professional prospect. In many years, a prospect with his skillset would go number one without a second thought. In fact, from a prospect standpoint only, I’d rank Ackley only behind David Price, Justin Upton, Delmon Young, and Joe Mauer when comparing him to number one overall draft picks of the decade. Long story slightly less long, Ackley was a unique hitting prospect. Hazlett, though impressive so far, has a long way to go to even enter Ackley’s prospect stratosphere. Then again, Ackley’s final junior year line was .417/.517/.763. SMALL SAMPLE SIZE ALERT, but Hazlett has put up a .467/.541/.700 line through 9 games. Just store the name way, way, way in the back of your mind.

Incidentally, I’ve spent significant stretches of my life in the heart of ACC country, so it’s an area of the country I have a decent number of reliable contacts in. One legit source told me the top three draft-eligible bats, based on the pure hit tool alone, in the conference were, in reverse order, 3. Tyler Holt (Florida State), 2. Dillon Hazlett (North Carolina), and 1. Austin Wates (Virginia Tech). Seems plausible to me.



40. Nate Woods



4-7 from: - http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2249 - 1B Nate Woods cleaned bathrooms, wiped smudges off glass display cases and performed other odd jobs when he worked at Perfect Game headquarters in high school. The next time he visits, we’ll have to roll out the red carpet. Woods, now a junior at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., has developed into one of the top sluggers in the country this season with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs. He ranks second in the country in both categories, according to the latest NCAA statistics for Division I players.



41. Aaron Senne:

4-12 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/12/phillips-66-big-12-baseball-weekly-awards-3 - Aaron Senne (Missouri) has earned the Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Player of the Week honor. Aaron Senne, Missouri, 1B, Sr. 6-2, 199, Rochester, Minn./Mayo - In five games last week, Senne hit .609 (14-for-23), including a .533 mark in the series at No. 12 Oklahoma. He also tallied two home runs, three doubles and seven RBI. Senne, who is currently on a 16-game hitting streak, had multiple hits in each contest. The Rochester, Minn.-infielder was 3-for-4 in both of the Tigers’ midweek games against SIU-Edwardsville and Illinois. He again recorded a three-hit game in the opener of the OU series. On Saturday, Senne homered in his first at-bat and added a single in the fourth inning. He closed the week by going 3-for-5 with four RBI. He doubled in the third and singled in the fifth, then hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to break an 11-11 tie and carry Missouri to the 12-11 victory in the finale. On the year, Senne is hitting .460 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 38 RBI.



42. Brian Burton:

4-13 from: http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/13/cbb-players-of-the-week-3 - The College Baseball Blog named Canisius first baseman Brian Burton as our Player of the Week. Burton hit .667 (16-for-24) with eight runs scored, five home runs, 16 RBI, 1.458 slugging percentage and .714 on-base percentage in six Canisius wins last week. Burton was 7-for-7 in Saturday’s doubleheader at Saint Peter’s, reaching base in all 10 plate appearances. The junior had two games with two HR and six RBI.



43. Ryan Ford

4-22-10 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/22/1435556/casing-the-states-texas-part-two - 1B, Plano West HS, Plano - Ford was one of the few prep first basemen in this class to get any sort of scouting attention entering the year, and though he was fairly close to Christian Yelich's equal entering the spring, they've essentially gone in opposite directions. Yelich has been answering questions that scouts had, while Ford has just created more. At the plate, Ford continues to offer solid upside with plus raw power and a solid approach, though he has enough of a long bat path in his swing to be susceptible to quality velocity up and in. He's a below-average runner, but he's a solid defender at first base, profiling to be average there in the long run, even if he bulks up more on top of his currently well-built physique. The questions he's created are related to his academics and makeup. He was recently suspended for six games during a crucial part of the season for his team, returning just a couple days ago. The suspension is rumored to be based on academic issues, and Ford doesn't have a four year or two year college scholarship. He's floated downwards as a result, and it seems likely he'll end up at a junior college this fall. Projected Draft Range: 10th Round - Undrafted



44. Jake Magner:

4-27 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/27/ncbwa-national-players-of-the-week-6/#more-25736 - The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA)­ released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending April 25, today. North Dakota junior first baseman Jake Magner was named National Hitter of the Week. Magner set school records for home runs and RBI in a single game as he went 4-for-6 with four home runs and nine RBI to lead the Sioux to a thrilling 20-19 victory in game two of a Saturday doubleheader against New York Tech. Two of his four home runs in the contest were three-run shots and he opened the scoring with a solo blast in the first. The Grand Rapids, Minn., native finished the doubleheader with six home runs and 13 RBs, going 7-for-10 with seven runs scored in the two games. His five runs in the nightcap tied a UND record and he was the first player in DI this season to hit four homers in a game. For the series against NYIT, Magner hit .556 (10-for-18), scored 10 runs, hit six homers and drove in 14 runs.

45. Jordan Ribera:

4-27 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/26/wac-players-of-the-week-9/#more-25694 - Fresno State’s Jordan Ribera has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Baseball Hitter of the Week, for April 19-25. Ribera, a junior first baseman from Fresno, Calif. (Clovis West HS), hit .625 (10-for-16), helping the Bulldogs to a pair of wins at Nevada last week. Ribera scored seven runs with two doubles, five home runs, nine RBI and a 1.688 slugging percentage over four games last week. With his five home runs last week, Ribera now leads both the WAC and the nation with 20 home runs this season. Ribera has now hit a home run in five-straight games, tying the Fresno State record for consecutive games with a home run.

4-29 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/04/sleepers-for-the-2010-mlb-draft/#more - Sleepers For the 2010 MLB Draft - Jordan Ribera, Fresno State, 1B - Although an average defensive first baseman (at best), Ribera has been phenomenal at the plate: .360/.414/.811 with 20 home runs and 14 doubles



46. Dan Scheffler:

4-29 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/04/sleepers-for-the-2010-mlb-draft/#more - Sleepers For the 2010 MLB Draft - Dan Scheffler, Florida Atlantic, 1B - Similar to Chris Duffy, Scheffler is a hefty 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds and likely stuck at first base. However, he's hitting .416/.542/.825 with 12 home runs, 16 doubles and 27 bases on balls this season.



47. Matt Smith:

5-3 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/5/3/1455597/casing-the-states-mississippi#storyjump - Matt Smith, OF/1B, Ole Miss - Smith is a another player that has been known to scouts for quite awhile, and he was a late-round pick of the Astros last year as a draft-eligible sophomore. Originally from Georgia, Smith came to Ole Miss and stepped into the starting lineup from day one as a redshirt freshman. That's a credit to his bat and maturity, as he succeeded early on, as well. He's improved bit by bit in his three years as a Rebel, and he's expected to greatly improve his draft position from a year ago. At the plate, he features above-average raw power, but he's held back by a fairly long swing that causes him to strike out more than scouts would like. He's greatly improved upon that over the years, but he's still far from a finished product with his approach at the plate. He is working deeper counts this year than in past years, and he's starting to put balls in play with two strikes, but scouts still want to see improvement. In addition, he's a fairly solid athlete, with fringe-average speed. Smith was a first baseman most of his career at Ole Miss until this year, when the Rebels capitalized on his athleticism to move him to right field, where he has stuck all year. He's a fringe-average fielder there, with a solid-average arm, but most scouts project him to either have to move to left field or first base as a pro. He's not exceptionally comfortable in the outfield, so teams will likely base their decision for his draft position solely on his bat. He's expected to be quite signable as a 22 year old junior, so he could be drafted earlier than expected for draft budgeting room. Projected Draft Range: 4th-8th Round



48. Leo Aguirre:

http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/05/03/wac-players-of-the-week-10 - New Mexico State’s Leo Aguirre has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Baseball Hitter of the Week for April 26-May 2. Aguirre, a senior first baseman from Austin, Texas (James Bowie HS), hit .588 (10-for-17), helping the Aggies to a four-game series sweep over Louisiana Tech. Aguirre tallied 13 RBI, seven runs, four home runs and a pair of walks over four games last week. Aguirre also recorded a 1.294 slugging percentage and a .600 on-base percentage with his four home runs, one of which was a grand slam. Aguirre now has 11 home runs on the season and leads the WAC with a .419 batting average.



49. Kyle Livingstone:

5-24 from: - http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=90077&SPID=10822&temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=204949831 - Texas State first baseman Kyle Livingstone has been named the Southland Conference Hitter of the Week. In four games last week, Livingstone batted .444 (8-for-18), hit two home runs, drove in 11 runs and scored three times in leading the Bobcats to a 3-1 week with a pair of wins against UT Arlington and a non-conference victory over Prairie View A&M. The senior from Fort Worth, Texas (Arlington Heights), was 4-for-5, hit a three-run home run and finished with a season-high five RBI against Prairie View last Tuesday. Livingstone again had five RBI in the series opener Thursday against the Mavericks. He knocked in what proved to be the game-winning run with a two-run single in the first and concluded his 3-for-5 effort with a three-run homer in the sixth to aid the 10-0 run-rule victory. The home run was his team-leading 10th of the season. In the final game against UT Arlington, Livingstone drove in the first run of the game, was intentionally walked in the final inning to score a run in the 8-6 victory that clinched the Bobcats' second consecutive regular-season conference title.