1. Zack Cox – Arkansas – draft-eligible sophomore… 3B tools and excellent bat speed… has had back problems.
7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .388, 7-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game
7-25 fr. www.baseballamerica.com: - The fans and dozens of scouts were treated to strong pitching and a two-hit, two-RBI day by Cotuit third baseman Zack Cox (Arkansas), who was named the game's offensive MVP for the victorious West squad. "What you saw tonight is Zack Cox: Most of his hits are up the middle or the other way," said Roberts, who coaches Cox at Cotuit. "If he has one thing he'd like to do better down the road it's on certain pitches he'd like to turn on them better. But he's what I'd call a country Enos Slaughter. He's a country slasher, and he understands hitting."
8-2: from 6-16 article www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com: A freshman this season, Cox will be draft-eligible as a sophomore in 2010. He has battled a bad back this spring, but seemed to be loosening up and getting into a hitting rhythm as the Razorbacks tore through the postseason. Cox has third-base tools with plenty of bat speed to profile him to produce above-average power down the road. He's shown the ability to catch up to good fastballs and needs to learn to trust his hands to handle offspeed stuff.
9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 8. Zack Cox, 3b Arkansas
9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #29 pick overall - Zack Cox, 3B – Arkansas - Cox is a draft eligible sophomore and will have a ton of leverage when it comes to signing. This is why I have him down here to Boston where money is not a problem. I think Cox will eventually sign but the power hitting 3B could go right down to the wire.
10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 8. Houston Astros – Zack Cox, 3B, Arkansas – (1st 3B picked in draft) - Cox is the best draft-eligible sophomore in the 2010 class, and he’s arguably the best overall hitter in the entire class. A lefty in the box, he’s got plus power and hit tools, but he’s lacking a bit in the pitch recognition and plate discipline departments. The big question he’ll look to answer in the spring is whether he can stick at third base, as some see him as a first baseman with hard hands and below-average third base range. His arm is a plus, so I’d give him every chance to play at third as long as he’s hitting.
10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 13. Zach Cox – 2nd 3Bman on list
10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #11 – (1st 3B picked) - Zack Cox
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: - 18- 3B Zack Cox (2nd 3B on list)
11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #7 - Zack Cox, 3B – Arkansas - The Mets have to take the best player available at this point. There farm system is weak and needs everything. Cox is a good start. (1st 3B on list)
11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 11.Toronto Blue Jays- Zach Cox, 3B, Arkansas - Cox, a draft eligible sophomore, might just be the best hitter in the draft after Harper. He is a power left handed bat that the Blue Jays need in the system. Some have questions about the defense, but Cox should be able to stay at third base. (1st 3B picked)
11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 9. San Diego -- Zack Cox, 3B, Univ. of Arkansas (Soph.). Cox could be expensive to pry away from his junior year, but as one of the top pure hitters in the draft (after a breakout summer on the Cape), a successful statistical spring could put him squarely in SDN's sights if he's still on the board.
11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #14 - Milwaukee Brewers Zack Cox (IF, Arkansas) (2nd 3B on list)
12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 10 Athletics Zack Cox 3B NCAA
1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 11th Overall – The Toronto Blue Jays - Zack Cox (3B), Arkansas - A draft eligible sophomore, Cox also happens to be one of the top hitters in the college class. Cox has a quick swing that allows him to make contact, but he also has plus power that will allow him to drive the ball out of the park. However, he is a free swinger and will have to improve his plate discipline if he’s to hit for an acceptable average and draw walks. He’s an athletic defender with good hands, range and an arm to play third. Overall, Cox shows quite a bit of potential, and he’ll likely be a solid fit for Toronto (Brett Wallace isn’t a third baseman guys.)
2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 11. Toronto Blue Jays- Zach Cox, 3B, Arkansas - Cox, a draft eligible sophomore, might just be the best hitter in the draft after Harper. He is a power left handed bat that the Blue Jays need in the system. Some have questions about the defense, but Cox should be able to stay at third base.
1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #9 Toronto Zack Cox 3B Arkansas 6'0" 215 L,R
1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - #19 Detroit Tigers (just kidding, it’s now the Houston Astros): 3B Zack Cox – Arkansas - It feels almost dirty not giving Detroit a hard throwing high school righthander, especially in a year with plenty of worthy candidates at this spot. Allie and Whitson both could be possibilities, as could college righthanders Hahn, Workman, and Matt Harvey. Luckily, I can now guarantee Detroit won’t be picking a hard throwing righty in this spot. No way, no how. Now I’m looking for players that would make sense for Houston that won’t screw up any picks later in the first round. Zack Cox makes some sense, but the added leverage the draft-eligible sophomore has makes me a little leery of keeping in this spot. LeVon Washington maybe? Could Ed Wade overrule Bobby Heck’s team of scouts and demand a guy like Kevin Jacob here? They’ve had some success with two-way players before, so maybe Bryce Brentz could fit?
1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 5. Cleveland Indians – Zack Cox, 3B, Arkansas – This is a tough pick to handicap. The Indians went with a clear best player available pick in 2009 with Alex White, and they paid over slot for the first time in a few years. Some might argue that Cox is just more of the Beau Mills/Lonnie Chisenhall picking from the past, but Cox has the highest upside of any college bat in this draft. His price tag may be a bit high as a draft-eligible sophomore, but I don’t expect him to get much more than slot at such a high pick. This pick could be similar in fashion to picks by Pittsburgh and Baltimore from a year ago, saving some budget money for later rounds. Previously: #8.
1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - #19 Houston Astros: 3B Zack Cox – Arkansas - It feels almost dirty not giving Detroit a hard throwing high school righthander, especially in a year with plenty of worthy candidates at this spot. Allie and Whitson both could be possibilities, as could college righthanders Hahn, Workman, and Matt Harvey. Luckily, I can now guarantee Detroit won’t be picking a hard throwing righty in this spot. No way, no how. Now I’m looking for players that would make sense for Houston that won’t screw up any picks later in the first round. Zack Cox makes some sense, but the added leverage the draft-eligible sophomore has makes me a little leery of keeping in this spot. LeVon Washington maybe? Could Ed Wade overrule Bobby Heck’s team of scouts and demand a guy like Kevin Jacob here? They’ve had some success with two-way players before, so maybe Bryce Brentz could fit?
3-10 from: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2010/03/10/ranking-the-razorbacks-10-draft-prospects - Zack Cox, 3B/2B (5/9/89) - Cox, has a relatively short track record in college ball. He opened a lot of eyes last summer in the Cape Cod League but he's still a guy who put up a well-below-average strikeout rate during his first season with the Razorbacks (28.9% over 225 PA). Steve Carter analyzed Cox's swing for me before I got my first glimpse of him. Carter pointed out how Cox's swing was largely driven by his shoulders and front side. He noted that such a swing would leave a hitter in a poor position to adjust to breaking balls. Cox took more than a few ugly swings -- like the one to the right -- against breaking balls last weekend. A solid defender at third base -- he's below-average at second -- Cox has made a lot of progress over the last year. He appears to be making a conscious effort to adjust his swing and approach in hopes of making more contact than last season. To date this has resulted in fewer strikeouts and more contact but a decline in power. Cox is much more balanced than he was in high school and as a freshman. He didn't take any swings where his back leg flew out behind him as shifted his weight, something he's done in the past. I was impressed with the opposite-field power I saw from him during batting practice. And he has a pretty good eye to go with some patience. He just has more adjustments to make than I'd want from a guy who I was thinking of spending a million dollars on. Right now, I wouldn't touch Cox in the first round. But his elite bat speed and potential to play solid defense at third base still make him one of the 100 draft-eligible talents in the nation.
4-2 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=2050 - Zack Cox, 3b, Arkansas - "Cox is another one who's going to have to hit. He's certainly not your prototype at second base or third base—I've seen him at both spots this year. Some of his stuff has gone a little bit backwards for him since high school. His arm strength has gone a little backwards, but he's always going to be a fringy fielder. His hands are fine, balls hit to him are OK, he's got slow feet, his range should be good enough for third base. The thing that I can't figure out with him is he goes out and hits .260 with 15 home runs or whatever for Arkansas last spring and then he goes out to the Cape and hits .340 with no power and now he comes back this year and what's he hitting? [.414/.516/.606 with nine extra-base hits.]"He's strong, he's a real strong kid. You watch him in BP and he can launch balls. But it seems like he has to make a tradeoff. Either he's going to hit for power or he's going to hit for average and I'm not certain that he can do both. The thing that concerns me about his swing is that he has a lot of head movement in his swing. He starts off with his head upright—a fairly standard look—but when he's actually making contact, his left ear's touching his shoulder. He's figured it out against college pitching, but I'm concerned about as he gets more advanced. I think he is going to hit and he's a good prospect, but we'll see how everything goes signability-wise and how all that plays into it. But he's a hard-working kid, good kid, that can swing the bat a bit and I think he'll play third base enough to stick there."
4-15 from http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_midseason_thirdbase.html - Zack Cox, Sophomore, Univ. of Arkansas entered the season as the top rated bat on the PnR Top 300 and has put together a nice first half of the season, doing nothing to lose that ranking. Perhaps most impressive thus far has been how well Cox is hitting good pitching. Courtesy of www.collegesplits.com, through April 9th Cox is doing the bulk of his damage on Fridays and Saturdays, slashing .517/.571/.690 and .483/.571/.724, respectively. He experienced no fall-off as he entered SEC play (through 37 AB, .459/.565/.757) and has shown an ability to control the strikezone and avoid the strikeouts that concerned many entering and through the summer (1.83 BB/SO and a walk every 6.5 PA). The new question for evaluators will be, "Can Cox hit for the power you would expect coming out of the hot corner?" The Razorback third baseman could make their jobs easier by showing some more pop over the next six weeks. You may also start to read rumors of teams thinking about shifting him to second base where power wouldn't be a huge issue.Either way he has solidified himself as a 1st Round talent.
4-20 from: - http://web.goldenspikesaward.com/index.html?page=news_archive&article_id=66 - Zack Cox, a sophomore third baseman for Arkansas, has been red hot during the Razorbacks' 11-game winning streak. Cox has a 12-game hitting streak, and he has registered multiple hits in nine straight games to raise his overall line to .444/.538/.616 with six home runs and 42 RBIs.
5-3 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com - A fourth choice is someone you've been looking at for awhile in Zack Cox. You like the difference in floor and ceiling he provides compared to your other two offensive options in Machado and Colon. You believe he has a higher ceiling Colon and a higher floor than Machado, and there's a good chance he'll turn out to be the best offensive option of the bunch. You fully believe he'll stick at third base in the long run, and you don't feel that way about your best current prospect Pedro Alvarez. In addition, if you want to keep current third baseman Andy LaRoche, Cox is versatile enough to move to second base and play league-average defense there. You like the tools, and while you don't believe his power will be elite, you think he'll easily show 25 home run power in his prime, and he'll provide a .300 batting average with above-average patience. He would sign for right around slot immediately and head to Low-A, and you look at this choice in a similar manner to your pick of Tony Sanchez last year.
5-13 from: - http://pnrscouting.com/scoutingreports_2010_coxza.html - Cox is the best college bat in the 2010 class by a fair amount, showing clean mechanics, an advanced approach and pole-to-pole versatility. Through just over 230 PA in 2010, Cox is slashing .456/.534/.641 and putting around 11 ABs between each strikeout. He has shown good pitch recognition (particularly when facing a limited repertoire) and an ability to let the ball travel and produce hard contact where the ball is pitched. Critics will point to power totals on the light side for a corner bat, but there is potential for him to continue to grow into homerun pop (perhaps above-average), given his plus hands, good bat speed and the raw skill set to build-up above-average selective aggression. In a class light on college bats, Cox stands out and could be the first 4-year bat off the board -- perhaps as high as the first 5 picks and almost certainly in the first 15.
5-18 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/2010/05/18/sec-scouting-updates - Arkansas - “Quiet hands. Solid bat but no power, can hit for average. Average third base defender. Limited range at third. Average arm. Lacks premier athleticism. Better hit to make it.”
5-21 from: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10931 - Hit Tool: Zach Cox, 3B/2B, Arkansas - Nobody in the draft puts the screws on the ball as consistently as Cox, who enters this weekend batting .431 for the Razorbacks. Beyond that, he adds a fantastic approach, as evidenced by his 33 walks. He's elevated his stock with a slump-free season, and could even be the first four-year college position player to go off the board, but that's not to say he's a perfect player. Thickly built at 6-foot, 215 pounds, he profiles best as a third baseman, where he has a plus arm but merely average defensive skills otherwise. The real concern is his power ceiling. With just 11 doubles and eight home runs in 211 at-bats this year, Cox is rarely driving balls with aluminum, as his line-drive swing offers little in the ways of loft and back spin, while he's also far more likely to take a pitch the other way than pull anything. Teams that believe power is the last tools to develop may end up disappointed in Cox, who for many is more of a left-handed Bill Mueller than a future middle-of-the-order force.
5-28 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 2. Arkansas SO 3B Zack Cox - Easily confused fellow that I am, I don’t quite understand the negativity surrounding Cox’s power potential that has come to the surface this season. It seems to me that he can’t really win with some people. Last year people oohed and aahed as he flashed prodigious raw power, but disappointed in the plate discipline department. This year he’s taken a much more patient, contact-oriented approach, but is getting heat for not hitting for the same power as he did his freshman year. I realize slugging .600+ and socking 20 extra base hits in college (like Cox has done so far in 2010) isn’t quite the feat it appears to be at first blush, but it’s still a decent indicator that the guy hasn’t been reduced to a singles only hitter this year. Now imagine the possibility that good professional coaching can help Cox unlock the secret of maintaining his gains in plate discipline and a high contact rate while simultaneously helping him rediscover the big power stroke of his first collegiate season. Sounds pretty good, right? As arguably the draft’s top position player prospect, much has already been written about Cox’s toolset. The cliff notes version is this: potential plus bat, above-average present power but plus projection, 45/50 runner, plus arm, good defender. His worst tool is probably his speed, and, as you can see, even that project to be around average. I think Cox’s ceiling is below that of your typical top half of the first round college bat, but he’s still a relatively safe pick to be an above-average regular third baseman for a first division club.
2. Nick Castellanos – Archbishop McCarthy HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – 6-4, 205 –
From: www.baseballfactory.com: - One of the top hitters in the 2010 class, Castellanos generates plus bat speed and has legitmate home run power to all fields. He has a tall, broad-shouldered frame similar to Scott Rolen and makes all the plays at 3B with ease. He projects as a middle-of-the-order hitter at any level. We have seen a lot of Nick as he has attended an Under Armour National Tryout, Dodgertown World Series and played in an Under Armour SE Tournament. He also plays for UA Franchise Team, the All-American Prospects. He has verbally committed to the University of Miami.
8-6: From www.baseballamerica.com: - A strong, solid corner infielder, Castellanos can flat out rake. He has a big frame, and is very athletic for his size. Castellanos has a good feel for the game and has a strong arm from the left side of the diamond.
8-9: from www.baseballamerica.com: - Castellanos was the driving force behind Baseball Factory’s win. He went 4-for-4 with four doubles, three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. He hit the ball to all fields, squared it up and also made a very nice play up the third base line to kick the game off.
8-15: from XMLBScout on www.perfectgame.com: I saw him a couple games in Cary and he showed the ability to make solid contact, however, yesterday he appeared to show better on the way speed and if comparing him to anyone currently in the ML, I'd say Zimmerman 3B with the Nats. John moved up several projection charts for 2010 for sure!!
9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 8. Nick Castellanos, 3b Archbishop McCarthy HS, SW Ranches, Fla.
9-26 from: http://www.baseballrumormill.com: - While Bryce Harper and Jameson Taillon dominated the reports from the USA Baseball 18-and-under team trials, a number of lesser-known players also had good performances which landed them on the roster. Nick Castellanos is currently playing third base, but will likely end up at first base as a professional. Nevertheless, Castellanos' hitting was very impressive, pulling the ball and going to opposite field with equal effectiveness.
9-27 from: http://web.usabaseball.com: The USA Baseball 18U National Team logged a seven-run inning for a third consecutive day in a 14-0 run-rule shutout Sunday against Panama in the third day of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Nick Castellanos knocked in the first run with a single off the center field fence.
9-1 from: www.baseballrumormill.com: - The COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships began this past weekend and the 18-and-under squad from Team USA got off to a very hot 3-0 start with wins over Aruba, Argentia and Panama. Three stars stood out offensively for Team USA: Nick Castellanos: Team USA followed up their 14-0 drubbing of Argentina with an identical 14-0 win over Panama on Sunday. Castellanos was the DH in that game and had an impressive 2 for 4 day with a double, two runs scored and three RBI.
10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 18. Seattle Mariners – Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) – (3rd 3B picked in draft) - Castellanos is the Bobby Borchering to Kris Bryant’s Matt Davidson. Castellanos has the more advanced approach and better advanced game results than Bryant, but the tools seem to currently rest in Bryant’s favor. Castellanos has a good hit tool with good raw power, and the odds are in Castellanos’ favor in terms of staying at third base. All in all, Castellanos would form a good complement to Seattle’s pick of Nick Franklin in 2009. Makes sense to me.
10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 3. Nick Castellanos - 1st 3Bman on list
10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft #22 – (3rd 3B picked) – Nick Castellanos
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: - 11- 3B Nick Castellanos (1st 3B on list)
11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – Nick Castellanos, 3B - Archbishop McCarthy (FL) - Castellanos has the chance to be power hitter at the next level. His big 6'4 frame provides the projectability to take him this high. His commitment to Miami (FL) may play a factor because I think he could use the college development to go even higher in 2013. (2nd 3B on list)
11-9-9 from www.examiner.com: - Top 15 High School Draft Prospects - 11. Nick Castellanos, 3b
Archbishop McCarthy, SW Ranches, Fla.
College Commitment: Miami - Castellanos is long and athletic with good bat speed and legitimate pull power. (1st 3B on list)
11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 17. Tampa Bay Rays- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS(FL) - Castellanos had a big summer to put himself into the mix. He is a pure hitter, and has solid power to all fields. He is a good athlete, and runs well for being 6'4. (2nd 3B picked)
11-18 from www.macksmets.blogspot.com: - 22. 3B Nick Castellanos – the best of a weak crop of third basemen. (1st 3B on list)
11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 20. Atlanta -- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL). Castellanos has easy plus raw power and one of the prettiest swings in the draft class. The Braves could jump on the power prospect if his bat is still around here.
11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #22 - Texas Rangers Nick Castellanos (3B, Cooper City, Florida) (3rd 3B on list)
12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 17 Rays Nick Castellanos 3B High School
1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 21st Overall – The Minnesota Twins - Nick Castellanos (3B), Florida High School - Castellanos is another prep prospect gaining some early traction. Right now, Castellanos is highly regarded for his ability to hit. He shows the ability to make solid contact, and displays a patient approach at the plate. Castellanos also projects to hit for plus power as he fills out. However, there is also a concern that he’ll not be long at third base as he matures, due to the likelihood that he’ll lose speed and range. Still, he is a fairly safe here. It’s difficult to tell where the Twins will go, so Castellanos will slot here for now.
2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 17. Tampa Bay Rays- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS(FL)- Castellanos had a big summer to put himself into the mix. He is a pure hitter, and has solid power to all fields. He is a good athlete, and runs well for being 6'4.
1-7-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com : #10 Oakland Athletics: 3B Nick Castellanos – Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) - Arguably the best high school position player in this year’s class winds up joining up with one of baseball’s premier farm systems. Castellanos is the first high school bat off the board for a lot of reasons. He reminds me a lot of Josh Vitters, but with easier to project power potential and a better, more professionally approach at the plate. So, he is like Vitters, a former third overall pick in the draft, but better in the two biggest areas of concern on his game. He’s Super Vitters.
1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #18 Seattle Nick Castellanos 3B Archbishop McCarthy HS, Fl. 6'4" 200 R,R
1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 18. Los Angeles Angels – Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) – Interestingly enough, I had Castellanos going in this slot when the Mariners owned it back in October. There’s been plenty of speculation that Castellanos has pushed himself into the top ten, but that’s a bit much when the defensive concerns are more present than ever. Castellanos might be a first baseman acting as a third baseman right now, so his plus bat takes a bit of back seat when thinking about drafting prep first basemen. The Angels have multiple early picks, so taking a chance here wouldn’t hurt them too much, as Castellanos could easily hit himself into being an asset anywhere on the diamond. Previously: #18.
3-24 from: http://pnrscouting.com/articles_stockwatch_2010class_10onthrerise_03232010.html - Stock Watch: Ten on the Rise (2010 Draft Class) - Nick Castellanos, SS, Archbishop McCarthy HS (Fla.) (#16 on PnR Preseason Top 300): With the general shortage of true impact college bats in this year's class, the top high school bats could see their value bump-up higher than you might usually see. This means players like Castellanos and Josh Sale (OF, Bishop Blanchet HS (Wa.)) potentially moving-up boards as college hitters fail to establish elite status. Castellanos was our top rated high school bat entering the season, and has hit well in his first thirteen games. Though there isn't much room left for him to rise, he could end-up in the top ten overall selections if he continues to show potential for a plus hit tool and plus power tool, regardless of some of the questions about whether he can stick at third base.
4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL): I think I was a little early to the Castellanos bandwagon, as there wasn’t true scouting consensus about his value entering the spring. Some teams saw him as first round material, while others saw a future first baseman without enough raw power for the position. While the answers about his fielding haven’t been answered definitively, Castellanos has flat-out hit this spring. He is showing an advanced eye, plus raw power, and a plus hit tool, and he should be a middle of the order force in the long run. He’s gone from possible late first rounder to possible mid first rounder, and that’s agreed upon more now than it was a couple months ago.
4-20 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com - Archbishop McCarthy High School, SS - Although Castellanos lacks the defensive acumen to play shortstop professionally, his bat is still strong enough to fit at third base. Castellanos has very strong hands and wrists, so even though he still has an 18-year-old's build, he can generate power now. Whatever team drafts him will likely do so to play third base or even possibly a corner outfielder if necessary. His bat projects to hit for average and power when he reaches his mid-20s.
5-1 from: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/4/30/1452668/interesting-high-school-hitters#storyjump - Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy High School, Davie, Florida - High school hitting is relatively thin this year, making the power-hitting Castellanos very attractive. He's a good fielder, too, and should be able to remain at the hot corner at higher levels. His arm is average, but his range and hands rate very well there. The 6-4, 210 pounder has some leverage with a Miami scholarship, and current rumors indicate he will use that leverage to demand top dollar. In a pitching-heavy year, he sometimes seems to get a bit overlooked when the high school players are discussed, but scouts are very familiar with him and he seems like the kind of player who would be "second choice" on a lot of draft boards, if deemed signable. He could go anywhere from the middle of the first round to the supplemental round to out of the first day altogether, depending on how much money he really wants.
5-12 from: - http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-cubs-wrigley-bound/2010/05/cubs-draft-preview--hitters.html - Nick Castellanos 3B--FLA (H.S.)-- 6'4 185 - Winner of the 2nd annual Under Armour All-American game MVP award, which was held at Wrigley Field. Castellanos went 4-4, 4 2B, BB, 3 R, 3 RBI. I think we can safely say he like hitting in Wrigley! This Florida prep 3B offers potential plus power as well as a fluid swing with a slight uppercut that reminds some scouts of Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria. His long term defensive home remains to be seen. With a plus arm but a body that projects to fill out he may end up at 1B. Early reports of a 4-6 million dollar bonus demand makes his draft position volatile.
5-25 from: - http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft - Archbishop McCarthy High School shortstop Nick Castellanos is another with options, according to the scout. "His dad's a doctor and he comes from some money. But no one's holding that against him. It's just that he has options available to him that other kids sometimes don't have. He's committed to Miami, which is a great school, so it's going to take a little bit to lure him away." The projectable shortstop will most likely play 3B in the pros or in college. "He's improved his speed and mobility. You can see more coordination there," the scout added
3. Jedd Gyoko – West Virginia – Junior – 5-10, 195… played SS in 2008… played 3B in 2009 Cape Cod League… hits for average and power… excellent middle fielder in past
7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .294, 8-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game
9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 12. Jedd Gyorko, 3b/2b West Virginia
10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 29. Boston Red Sox – Jedd Gyorko, 3B/2B, West Virginia – (4th 3B picked in draft) - Gyorko’s a questionable first-rounder to those that only love pure tools, but his bat is a legitimate first-round weapon in my book. He’s got a plus hit tool and decent raw power, and I think Gyorko could be a solid all-around infielder. Whether he’s a second baseman or third baseman isn’t a big deal, as his bat will play at either spot, but the Red Sox would probably only go for him at the third base spot. He fits perfectly into the Boston style of hitting, and I can easily see a match here.
10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia - I’ve gone back and forth on whether to list Gyorko as a second baseman or third baseman, and I think I’ve settled here…for now. He’s got a plus hit tool with some good raw power, and he could turn out to be one of the best hitters from this draft class. He has a college approach to hitting and will be picked on the bat alone. Projected draft position: Late-first to mid-second round.
10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #21 – (2nd 3B picked) – Jedd Gyorko
*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: - 21- 3B Jedd Gyorko (3rd 3B on list)
11-20 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - ranked the 61st top college player
1-4: named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team as named by a vote of conference coaches: - Player of the Year: Jedd Gyorko, Jr., SS, West Virginia - SS Jedd Gyorko, Jr., WVU -.421 BA, 8 HR, 58 RBIs
1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #36 Jedd Gyorko 2B West Virginia 5'10" 195 R,R
4-14 from: - http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_midseason_secondbase.html - Jedd Gyorko, Junior, West Virginia Univ. had a strong showing on the Cape and has hit reasonably well this year, as well, slashing .359/.452/.725. He has also shown the ability to drive the ball with a strong, stocky trunk, but tends to sacrifice some contact ability when he does so. The biggest shortcoming holding-up his value may be that he doesn't really fit anywhere in the infield (he's a shortstop at WVU). He may lack the arm strength and power profile to play third at the next level, and footwork and range could potentially be an issue at second base. For now, he sticks as a top five second baseman, but he could stand to up his defensive game some in the coming months, including crisper actions at short (particularly in his set-ups and throws). Each player's preseason ranking on this list is in parenthesis, green indicating upward movement, red downward and blue neutral:
5-3 from: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/5/3/1456083/interesting-college-hitters-part - Jedd Gyorko, 3B, West Virginia - Hitting .359/.445/.696 with 14 homers for West Virginia, Gyorko's OPS is about 33 percent better than the context in which he plays, a strong number though not superb. However, Gyorko's track record with wooden bats is excellent, and scouts have few doubts that he'll hit pro pitching well. Defense is a problem: he has a strong arm but lacks the range to be a plus defender, and may end up in the outfield down the line. That issue will keep him out of the first round, but as a supplemental or second round choice he will attract attention.
5-11 from: - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?q=Y&a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=4361060202&p=6 - Ss, Jed Gyorko, W. Virginia , 5'10 185, R/R, listed at 5'10, more like 5'8 1/2, solid build, will have to move to 2b in pro ball, perhaps LF, ran 4.3 out of the box and showed solid alley power, pull type hitter, left and left center, will go other way on occasion, 45 arm strength, 40 fielder, 45 range, plus is his ability to put the bat on the ball, ala, Dustin Pedroia. Latter sandwich first round.
5-27 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/5/27/1489645/top-5-by-position-second-basemen#comments - Jedd Gyorko is currently a shortstop, but the odds are that he’ll end up at either second or third base as a pro. He lacks the offensive profile for third base, so even though his range at second would likely be below-average, he still fits best there. Gyorko wasn’t a very highly-recruited player coming in to West Virginia, but after three prolific offensive seasons, he’s going out as one of the more heralded players to ever go through the program. He’s done nothing but produce, and while he gets plenty of negative comments about his body and his glove, he’s likely to be a productive Major League hitter. In terms of tools, Gyorko features an above-average to plus hit tool, and he could be a .300 hitter at the Major League level due to his sound approach to hitting, which means hitting the ball where it’s pitched. He’s extremely patient and works pitchers, and he’s difficult to strike out. His power is only average, but he’s not cheated on pitches to drive, and he could turn out to have a similar offensive profile to the Rangers’ third baseman Michael Young. He’s a below-average runner and has below-average range defensively, but he has an average arm that could play well at second base. He will need to continuously work on his defense to be good enough to warrant a defensive spot, but as a high makeup player, he’s expected to be a solid starter. He should be off the board in the supplemental first round or the second round.
4. Kris Bryant – Bonanza HS, Las Vegas
8-19: Jeff Sullivan from the AFLAC Games: - Power is his calling card. He is a giant at the plate, at 6’5,205 and he generates a ton of power in his swing. Bryant went 0-2 with a walk in the game, but the days before is where he shined. It was great to watch him during BP as he makes it look almost too easy to hit for that much power. He has a solid arm across the diamond and should be able to stay at third base as he moves up during his career.
9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 7. Kris Bryant, 3b Bonanza HS, Las Vegas
9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #26 pick overall - Kris Bryant, 3B - Bonanza HS (NV) - When you are 6'5, have good range, and hit for power you will find yourself in the first round. This is Kris Bryant. In a draft very weak on corner infield talent Bryant could go even higher than this. Right now he is committed to go to the University of San Diego but I expect to see him in the minor leagues.
10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 11. Toronto Blue Jays – Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS (NV) – (2nd 3B picked in draft) - It’s tough to predict this pick, along with Padres’, as they’re both in the middle of front office transition, and a GM hasn’t been named. However, teams usually keep a good number of their scouts for at least the next season, so I’m going at least partly off of history. Bryant’s got the power bat Toronto’s been searching for in the minors since Kevin Ahrens hasn’t panned out. He might be a first baseman in the long run, but if Bryant proves he can handle himself with the wood bat before June, teams won’t care. His raw power is that good. He’s probably a first round pick with a good spring, and he might even go higher than this with an offensive explosion.
10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #43 - Kris Bryant – 4th SS on list
10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #25 – (4th 3B picked) – Kris Bryant
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: - 43- 3B Kris Bryant (4th 3B on list)
*11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #25 - Kris Bryant, 3B - Bonanza (NV) - This is two mock drafts in a row that I have St. Louis taking Bryant. I feel this kid is the real deal and if the Cardinals can do anything to keep him from going to San Diego they got to do it. (3rd 3B on list)
11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 24. San Francisco Giants- Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS(NV) - Bryant is a true power hitter. The giants are lacking the big bat in the lower levels, and Bryant would quickly become the best option. He is a fantastic hitter, but the defense is a question. Some think his ultimate destination might be first base. (3rd 3B picked)
11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 24. San Francisco -- Kris Bryant, 3B/1B, Bonanza HS (NV). The Giants love big bats and Bryant has one of the biggest in the high school ranks.
11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #32 - Tampa Rays Kris Bryant (3B, Las Vegas Nevada) (4th 3B on list)
12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 30 Angels Kris Bryant 3B High School
1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 24th Overall – The San Francisco Giants - Kris Bryant (SS/3B), Nevada High School - The Giants have loaded up on pitching these past couple of drafts, but they’ll be out of most of the top prep arms in this draft. While they could go for a quick fix, my guess is that Sabean will continue his newfound appreciation for the draft and add a solid prep. Bryant the opposite of Castellanos. Bryant has the potential to stay at third base, where he shows a strong arm and solid range. He also shows lots of power right now. He isn’t quite the hitter Castellanos is, but overall he’ll provide more value, especially if he’s able to remain at third.
2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 24. San Francisco Giants- Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS(NV) - Bryant is a true power hitter. The giants are lacking the big bat in the lower levels, and Bryant would quickly become the best option. He is a fantastic hitter, but the defense is a question. Some think his ultimate destination might be first base.
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: - #12 Cincinnati Kris Bryant 3B Bonanza HS, Nv. 6'5" 205 R,R
4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS (NV): I always seem to be right when it comes to Bryant, and then I second-guess myself. In my second mock draft, I dropped him from mid-first round potential to the latter part of the supplemental first round, then relented and placed him in the beginning of the supplemental first round with my latest mock, citing some scouts thinking that they can make his transition to wood bats easier than is speculated. Well, that feeling has essentially evaporated, which was my gut feeling entering the spring. Bryant still has one of the most projectable hitting frames in this entire class, along with the best raw power, but the ability to hit with wood against quality velocity is really in question. I mean seriously in question. He’s starting to get the label as a metal bat hitter, and that’s something hitters should avoid at all cost. His hitting this spring is very mechanical and raw, and most scouts now think he’ll head to college, trying to elevate his stock for 2013. This isn’t even getting into the defensive questions, where he faces the same issues as Castellanos, putting more pressure on his hitting. It’s a vicious circle.
4-20 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/20/1431880/casing-the-states-nevada#storyjump: - 3B, Bonanza HS, Las Vegas - Bryant came into the year as easily the top prospect in the state of Nevada, but that's more up for debate as of mid-April. A San Diego commit, Bryant plays off of a pair of plus tools in his power and his arm, but the rest of his tools are more questionable. He's a below-average runner with below-average range, and there's a growing camp that sees him as a long-term first baseman. At the plate, a lot of scouts have been openly questioning his ability to hit with a wood bat after some struggles over the summer, which have bled into the spring. He struggles to consistently square balls, and he also struggles with pitch recognition, leading to most scouts thinking he'll be a poor pro hitter for average with a ton of strikeouts to boot. Those negatives aside, though, Bryant's raw power is almost unequaled in the prep class, and if it weren't for Bryce Harper being in the state, he'd easily have the Best Power honors for Nevada. Projected Draft Range: 2nd-5th Round
4-30 from: - http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft - At 6-5 and 190 pounds, Bryant is your stereotypical power-hitting third base prospect. With his long levers and strong lower half, he generates plus power as a high schooler with lots of leverage and loft.He reportedly hit home runs in six straight games as a Bonanza sophomore. Bryant usually makes good contact, but one AL Central scout says he has to avoid getting caught up in the "Home Run Derby" mentality.
5-10 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/category/2010-draft - Take a tall right-handed hitter working on a 20-plus home run season and a school record 45 home runs in a baseball town, and you might think that the talk would be all about the home runs. For Kris Bryant, the power has always been there, but he didn’t care to fall into the trap of a DH-in-waiting who would expect nothing but his power to carry him. Perhaps that might be the old-school New England baseball influence in him, or it might just be the hours spent with the track coach running him down while the prospect rags were ranking him up. If there’s one thing a player can do to help himself, it’s to make it easier for scouts to look good when they bring their bosses in to see him. In Bryant’s case, he brought the power, but also a few surprises
5. Joe Leonard – Pittsburgh
2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 167th
3-10-10 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2199 - JOE LEONARD, 3b, Pittsburgh - SCOUTING REPORT/Cal Ripken Sr. League: Most times when scouts look at a 6-foot-5, 220-pound third baseman, they are going to think, “This guy has power, I hope the rest of his game is playable.” With Leonard, the opposite is true. The righthanded hitter has a smooth, crisp swing that is geared to high-contact/high-average, but doesn’t produce much lift. He hit .346-0-25 for the O’s this summer. Leonard has 12 home runs in two years as an everyday starter at Pittsburgh, so there is something there to develop. Defensively, Leonard is surprisingly quick and agile for an athlete his size. He has plus arm strength and has been clocked up to 93 mph on the mound. Some CRSL observers likened Leonard defensively to a young Cal Ripken Jr., given his size, arm strength and agile feet. The irony in that comparison is that Leonard’s father, John, was the Baltimore Orioles’ first-round pick in the secondary phase of the January 1982 draft, and pitched briefly in the organization that year – the same year that Ripken won the American League rookie-of-the-year award.
4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Joe Leonard, 3B, Pittsburgh: I received a question about Leonard in a chat about a month ago, and I answered that most of the questions about Leonard aren’t about his defense, but about his bat. He’s started to answer those questions, and his stock has been rising as a result. He’s putting up a strong .432/.496/.649 slash line so far, while continuing to play above-average defense. There’s also hope for continued development in the power department, as he’s still a tall, skinny hitter at the plate, though he’s matured over the last 12 months in his frame. He’s worked hard on his plate discipline, and while he won’t walk anything more than the league average in the pros, he’s not going to swing at everything like he has sometimes in the past. The doubles he hits now will turn into some homers in the future, and while his ceiling looks like a 15-20 home run slugger in his prime, his defense and hit tools are good enough to make him a league average third baseman in the big leagues. He’s looking at a possible 2nd-3rd round selection now, up from the 4th-6th round level he was looking at entering the season.
4-26 from: - http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft - 3B Leonard smashed West Virginia this weekend, going 12-for-17, with three homers, eight RBI, five runs scored and even chipped in a save on Saturday, after pitching an inning in relief. On the season, Leonard is hitting a robust .455 with seven homers and 56 RBI.
5-28 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 4. Pittsburgh JR 3B Joe Leonard - Leonard has gotten a ton of positive press over the past few weeks, all of it well earned. He came into the season as one of the best college hitting prospects and one of the few collegiate position players projected to be productive enough both at the plate and in the field to start every day in the big leagues. The one question that scouts had about his game was his power upside. Leonard has answered the bell by hitting for over 30 extra base hits and slugging well over .600. He’s a good athlete with a plus arm and great big league size for a third baseman. Defensively he’s presently skilled enough to be considered big league average at the position, and continued development ought to get him up above-average during his best defensive seasons. Neither his offense nor his defense will ever quite approach the level of peak years Scott Rolen (a really underrated player by many, I think), but if you squint really hard you can begin to see Leonard as perhaps developing into that type of player – exciting defenders, strong physiques, and often mischaracterized as power hitters first and foremost. In fact, after looking at the numbers some, I’d compare Leonard’s upside as a hitter to something around what Rolen did his rookie season (.283/.377/.469) with the Phillies. That kind of upside is substantial, clearly, so it may very well be that Leonard’s placement on this list is a mistake that I’ll have to rectify before June 7th hits.
6. Tony Thompson –
*11-9-9 from www.baseballdraftreport.com: - The Huskies feature one of the nation’s most intriguing pair of two-way talents in SO RHP/SS Nick Ahmed (2011) and SO RHP/3B Kevin Vance (2011). Ahmed may have been the hotter name over the summer, but Vance’s stuff is currently a touch better. He has similar velocity to Ahmed (normally sitting 90-92 with the FB), but a better overall breaking ball and plus command give him the overall edge.
12-20 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - voted to the 2nd team NCBWA 2010 All-American Team
2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - Second Team - 3B Tony Thompson, Kansas
2-9 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - Kansas Head Baseball Coach Ritch Price announced Tuesday that junior third baseman Tony Thompson will miss the first few weeks of the regular season due to a leg injury suffered in practice last week. Thompson fouled a pitch off his knee in practice last week and sustained a hairline fracture of his left kneecap. His MRI showed no ligament damage, and his x-rays indicated that the kneecap has a hairline fracture, and no other structural damage. Dr. Jeff Randall, KU Team Physician, is confident that Thompson will be completely healthy within 4-6 weeks. He is receiving treatment from Kansas baseball athletic trainer Ken Wainwright on a daily basis.
2-9 from: www.baseballamerica.com: - 2010 College Preseason All-Americans 2nd team - 3B Tony Thompson, Kansas Jr. R-R 6-4 219 .389 .442 .753 247 58 96 21 82 1
4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Tony Thompson, 3B, Kansas: Count this one as unfair, as Thompson has had little time to come back from a knee injury he suffered before the season. After missing the first 19 games of the season, he’s come back slowly. At the plate, he still has good potential, but he’s struggled early on, a result of a lack of baseball repetitions during his time off. He’s not recognizing pitches enough, getting in bad counts and swinging at bad pitches. His current slash line of .229/.349/.429 so far isn’t indicative of his future potential, but it’s just something to be concerned about. The reason he makes this list is the stiffness at third base he’s shown. His hands have never been praised as plus, but simply as solid, and now he’s slipping slowly past that. His range has been below where it was before the injury, and while I expect him to recover most of it, he could easily have reached the point of regression in terms of his size and agility. Some scouts are thinking he might have to be shifted across the diamond, which really puts pressure on his bat, though I do expect his bat to recover. Thompson was considered a second round candidate before his injury, and he’s looking like a 4th-6th round player right now, though I expect some bounce back.
5-3 from: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/5/3/1456083/interesting-college-hitters-part - Tony Thompson, 3B, University of Kansas - Another disappointment, Thompson is a 6-5, 220 pounder who drew Troy Glaus and Mike Lowell comparisons pre-season for his combination of power and solid defense. Alas, he fractured a kneecap right before the beginning of the '10 season. He's back on the field but hasn't looked the same, especially on defense. He's hitting .299/.403/.505 and has shown good plate discipline with 14 walks against 12 strikeouts in 97 at-bats, but in general his bat hasn't looked quite as quick. More worrisome is a noticeable decline in both fielding range and reliability. It's possible he's still feeling the effects of the knee injury, but his draft status is unclear and he'll need a late hot streak to get back into early round consideration.
5-28 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 7. Kansas JR 3B Tony Thompson - If he sticks at third, you’ve got a real player on your hands. If he’s a first baseman long-term, the bat will need to go up a level or two before you could realistically consider him a potential regular at the spot. For now, I think he’s got nimble enough feet to stick at third through his mid-twenties. Thompson’s successful return to health after an early season injury has allowed him time to showcase the plus arm and plus power that should get him drafted in the first five rounds no matter what teams think about his defense.
7. Victor Sanchez – San Diego – 6-2, 180, R/R – was drafted 25th by Cubs in 2007… lots of raw power… 12 HRs as freshman… injured most of sophomore year… shortstop in high school…
7-21: Fr. http://baseballdraftreport.com: - My favorite of that group (of 3Bmen) and minor sleeper come draft day is Victor Sanchez from California.
8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: has pop in his bat and body to fill out, 15-20 type HR power, solid ML arm, runs ok, better between the bases, glove can play at 3b, future might be 2b.
9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1.0 – 30th pick overall - Victor Sanchez, 3B - San Diego
10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 40. Victor Sanchez - 3rd 3Bman on list
10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 3B Victor Sanchez - Sanchez seems like he is getting lost in the shuffle as another formerly highly touted high school prospect who has battled injuries and inconsistency at the college level.
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: - 25- 3B Vic Sanchez (4th 3B on list)
*11-4 from: www.baseballamerica.com: - Injuries torpedoed San Diego's 2009 season, but the Toreros have good news on the injury front this fall. Junior third baseman Victor Sanchez has fully recovered from the shoulder injury that cut short his sophomore year
11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 28.Los Angeles Dodgers- Victor Sanchez, 3B, San Diego - Sanchez was a top prospect in HS too, but he has only improved since going to USD. With a big year, Sanchez will move right up the draft boards. (4th 3B picked)
2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 28. Los Angeles Dodgers- Victor Sanchez, 3B, San Diego - Sanchez was a top prospect in HS too, but he has only improved since going to USD. With a big year, Sanchez will move right up the draft boards.
1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #51 Pittsburgh Victor Sanchez 3B San Diego 6'2" 180 R,
1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - #27 Philadelphia Phillies: 3B Victor Sanchez – San Diego - As a Phillies fan, I can’t help but wonder if sometimes I lean closer towards wishful thinking than objective analysis when it comes time to making a pick for the hometown team. I probably have no business giving the Phillies a college bat in the first round, but, really, I probably have no business making any of these guesses and you’re still reading all the way down here at pick 27, right?
In order for Sanchez to go in the first he is going to have to put together a big junior year. Now that’s true of just about any guy on the mock, doubly so for any player projected to go here at the back end of the first, but Sanchez is facing a more critical 2010 season than most after missing the majority of the 2009 season with a shoulder injury. He’ll need to build on his strong 2009 start if he wants to showcase his considerable talents. At his best Sanchez displays plus raw power, a good offensive approach, and enough defensive abilities to stick at third long-term.
5-28 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 8. San Diego JR 3B Victor Sanchez - My support of Victor Sanchez goes back to his prep days, so it’s hard for me to be completely objective when trying to evaluate his current draft stock. The memory of the potential plus defender with equally exciting power potential and a mature beyond his years approach to every single at bat may be just that, a memory. Sanchez’s slow recovery from labrum surgery has knocked his prospect stock way down, but I’m enthused by the perhaps misguided hope that his depressed draft standing will give him the chip on his shoulder (not literally) needed to prove all the teams that passed on him wrong. Talent doesn’t disappear, but it can get lost in the fog of injuries. Teams willing to take the chance that Sanchez will someday recovery 100% from his shoulder injury are betting that the fog will soon lift.
8. Rob Segedin –
2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - Third Team - 3B Rob Segedin, Tulane
2-9 from www.baseballamerica.com: - 2010 College Preseason All-Americans - 3rd team – 3B Rob Segedin, Tulane So. R-R 6-3 220 .286 .476 .500 14 3 4 0 4 1
2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 85th
4-4 from - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?q=Y&a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=4361060202&p=3 - “… you ask about Segedin, he's interesting, not very flashy, one dimensional right now, he puts the ball in play and will hit the middle up fb hard and drive it, he's very vulnerable on stuff outside on the corner, his feet are not quick enough for 3b, his glove is fair, best move to 1b, but again he's not nimble, listed at 6'3 220, he's more like 6'1 plus and 225, R/R, solid average arm, had a triple that he needed oxygen on after he got to 3rd. LOL. Also committed 2 errors and made a spectacular play at the hot corner on a liner thanks to his lack of range though. LOL He's a draft eligible soph and does not for me warrant high round consideration and he's a good student, so my guess is he'll pass this year if drafted, get in some summer ab's with wood and convert to another position or concentrate on pitching perhaps.”
4-29 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/04/sleepers-for-the-2010-mlb-draft/#more - Sleepers For the 2010 MLB Draft - Rob Segedin, Tulane, 3B - A veteran of Team USA where he performed well, Segedin continues to hit the ball this spring - .429/.505/.833 with 12 home runs, 23 doubles and a 21-15 BB/K ratio in 41 games.
5-8 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2299 - March 24th was the last time I wrote about one of my preseason sleepers breaking out this year. At the time, Tulane’s Rob Segedin was leading the nation in doubles with 17, and he also had three home runs. Since then his doubles pace has slowed (he had 24 at last report), and the rest of the nation had caught up as he’s now tied for second in the nation. He was sporting a very impressive hitting line of .439/.510/.780 and looked as though he was continuing his reputation as one of the nation’s finer hitters. He was just getting started. The batting average and on-base percentage are roughly the same now (.424/.505), but beginning in early April his power production has significantly jumped up Segedin got locked in. At the end of last weekend, he was sitting on an 18-game hit streak (which came to an end Tuesday night against Louisiana-Monroe) in which he went 35-for-65 (.538) with seven doubles, a triple and 10 home runs. He hit a home run in five consecutive games at one point during that streak, and went 10 games in a row with an extra-base knock.
5-28 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 1. Tulane JR 3B Rob Segedin - I had Segedin as the 47th best draft-eligible player in the nation heading into the year, so it’s nice to see him succeed in 2010 for totally selfish reasons alone. Sure, it’s also nice to see a hard working young man work his way back from a season lost to injury to put himself in a position for a well earned big paycheck and chance at chasing his dream of professional baseball, but, really, it’s all about me, me, me! Anyway, Segedin has a gorgeous righthanded stroke that’s so pretty to look at it’s almost a surprise when he makes contact and the ball doesn’t fly to an unattended gap somewhere. Defensively, he’ll stick at third at least in the short-term (steady hands, limited range), but could become a rightfielder with average range and a cannon arm if needed. It’ll be the bat that makes him the big bucks, and it’s got all the makings of a special one. At the plate, Segedin is a professional player trapped in the college game. Rare plate discipline, gap power that’s finally beginning to round into over-the-fence pop, and impressive bat control make him a hitter with a big future going forward. When your floor is a lefty mashing four-corners utility guy, then you’d better believe the ceiling is much, much higher.
9. Michael Olt – Univ. of Connecticut – junior… 2009: both ankle and wrist injuries… .301, 8-HR, 40-RBI in only 38 games…
11-11 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 69th top college ballplayer
2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 174th
4-26 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/26/big-east-players-of-the-week-12/#more-25679 - Connecticut third baseman Mike Olt is the winner of the BIG EAST’s weekly baseball honors for the week-ending April 25. Olt was named BIG EAST Player of the Week after he led Connecticut to a 6-0 week, including a three-game sweep of Rutgers, to lift the Huskies into sole possession of first place in the BIG EAST standings and extend Connecticut’s winning streak to 21 games — the longest active streak in the nation. Olt hit .655 and slugged 1.138, going 19-for-29 with five doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI and nine runs scored. He had at least two hits in all six games and had at least one extra-base hit in five of the six. Olt hit .786 in the three games against Rutgers, capping the week by going 5-for-6 with a double and a home run in Game 3.
4-26 from: - http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft - It was "Clobberin' Time" this weekend as (3B) Olt went nuts, going 11-for-14 with two home runs, five RBI in a sweep of Rutgers. For the season, Olt is now hitting .347 with 12 homers and 48 RBI. Olt is perhaps more physically maxed out than Leonard in the sense that he's probably done growing height-wise whereas Leonard has some projectability left. We've talked about how Leonard is almost an exact replica of a young Troy Glaus, but Olt is perhaps more similar to Oakland's Kevin Kouzmanoff or Arizona's Mark Reynolds.
5-11 from: - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?q=Y&a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=4361060202&p=6 - 3b, Mike Olt, U Conn, 6'1 210, R/R, talked about a lot in publications and on MLB news, for me, he's got some power in his bat, nice level stroke, a bit tentative at the plate at time and solid breaking stuff gives him fits middle out, doesn't run well, 4.55, arm is solid for 3b, was also listed as a SS, but he doesn't move that well, better to his left than right, not a base clogger and will on occasion steal a base but don't count on his speed to win a game for you. LOL Nice club U Conn has, some solid players to keep an eye on as fill in's for the 2010 draft or in 2011 when some become seniors. Young pitcher Barnes has arm strength and velocity to watch, 6'4 200, was 88-91, a couple 92's, almost sounds like Aviles, LOL, funky delivery but effective and should be seen on the summer circuit for sure.
5-28 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 9. Connecticut JR 3B Mike Olt - I’ve toyed with the idea of standardizing these quick scouting capsules, but always wind up just doing the rambling paragraph or two synopses you see up and down the page. Seems like all of those standardized reports have some sort of strengths/weaknesses attached somewhere, so let’s try it out with a personal favorite, Mike Olt: Strengths: three above-average or better tools (65 raw power, 55 speed, and 65 arm), plus athleticism, and a big league ready frame Weaknesses: present tool most need in work is his bat, due in large part to a largely unrefined approach and inconsistent swing mechanics So, will Olt make enough consistent hard contact to put his other tools to use professionally? I think any one of the guys on one of the deepest top ten college position lists I can remember in the long, storied history of this site has the upside of an every day player if the circumstances allow it. That comes out as a cop-out, but it’s true; this is a really, really deep year for college third basemen.
10. Phil Wunderlich
5-28 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 6. Louisville SO 3B Phil Wunderlich - Makeup is one of the easiest scouting terms to throw around as a positive or a negative for any given prospect because anonymous internet sources (like mine!) are never asked to truly qualify what the word means. Here’s what I mean when I say Wunderlich’s makeup is off the charts: In an completely fictional, but totally possible survey of college coaches and players, Wunderlich would win the “most likely to manage” poll going away. He’s that kind of player. Intangibles aside, Wunderlich is an underrated athlete with legit plus power and amazing patience at the plate. He may not be a natural defender at third, but he’s also not the type of player you’d bet against working his tail off until he is at least a decent big league defensive player.
11. David Rohm:
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 11. Fresno City College FR 3B David Rohm - Rohm hits and hits and hits. He can also steal a bag when left unattended (great instincts on the bases), smack a ball the other way (very mature hitting style), and crank it out of the ballpark when the mood strikes (above-average present power). Mostly though, he hits. His defense ranks in the bottom third of players here in the top 30, but he still has a better than 50/50 shot to stick at the position through his first six years of big league control. Ah, the defense update is appreciated, you’re thinking, but, wait, can the guy hit? Excellent question; yes, David Rohm can hit.
12. Johnny Coy:
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 12. Wichita State FR 3B Johnny Coy - Coy has taken a long, strange trip to get to this point, but the eventual payoff could very well make it all worth it. Coy’s story began as a two-sport high school star, regarded by many as a better basketball prospect than baseball. After getting drafted by the Phillies in the 7th round, protracted and sometimes testy (allegedly) negotiations between player and team led to the two sides opting to go their separate ways. Coy’s older brother was reportedly heavily involved with negotiations, strongly pushing his bro to either a) get every last penny from the Phillies as possible (making him a greedy villain to many) or b) go to school and get a quality education (a far more admirable position, some might say). Coy wound up enrolling at Arizona State, but never made it to baseball season. He left the Sun Devils to move closer to home after his father suffered a stroke in late 2008. That led him to Wichita State. As a Shocker, Coy has been able to focus on honing his considerable baseball skills. All of his raw tools grade out as average or better – 55 speed, 60 arm, 65-70 raw power, average hit tool, and, perhaps most controversially, above-average upside with the glove at third. I remember not believing for a second that he’d ever stick at third after seeing video of him in high school, but all of the noise regarding his defensive progress coming out of Wichita has been positive. I’m a big believer in the big (6-8, 210 pound) righthanded freshman. As mentioned, Coy was a 7th round pick by the Phillies back in 2008. The questions concerning his signability will probably keep him from hitting that mark here in 2010, but his true talent level makes him a top ten round candidate worth pursuing if he even begins to hint that he’ll consider signing.
13. Jason Martinson:
4-29 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/29/1450107/casing-the-states-texas-part-three#storyjump - Jason Martinson, 3B, Texas State - Martinson is a former football player that quit playing when he tore his hamstring during his freshman year in the Texas State program. After struggling a rough freshman campaign on the diamond following that, he gave up football to concentrate on baseball. That seemed to work well, as he had a solid sophomore campaign. More importantly, he transitioned to shortstop after not playing the position since high school, and he handled it rather well. He entered 2010 looking to build on that campaign, but he's seemingly leveled off. Despite a hot streak that included a 20+ game hit streak, Martinson's offensive output is roughly the same as 2009, and scouts are wondering if he projects well for the pros at the plate. He's a fringe-average hitter with fringe-average power, and while that's fine for a college shortstop, he lacks the range to stay there as a pro, meaning he'll have to handle third base. He has an average arm, and he's an average runner, so he could be a nice third baseman if he calms his hands down a bit. The consensus now seems to be that Martinson might make for a solid four corners utility player in the pros, and that has some value. He's going to strike out, but he works the count rather well, and he should make for a solid bench presence with good makeup. Projected Draft Range: 6th-12th Round
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 13. Texas State JR 3B Jason Martinson - The more I do this, the more I begin to gain an appreciation for the way certain college programs recruit and develop talent. The job Ty Harrington has done in San Marcos is nothing short of spectacular. I relate it to a college football team with very specific offensive and defensive schemes recruiting not based on consensus overall talent levels, but rather best fits for the program. You’d think these less talented players would succeed mainly due to the system in college, but then, lo and behold, draft day comes and teams start taking these supposed system talents left and right. Turns out that players overlooked in high school can turn out to be pretty valuable prospects after three years of quality college coaching. I suppose that’s really just my long way of saying that even though it’s common the best high school players sign out of high school, and even though it’s common the best unsigned high school players go to the big name schools in Texas, it’s still possible to have some really talented players wind up at non-traditional baseball schools. Schools like that often have coaching staffs more familiar with coaching guys up than allowing them to coast by on natural abilities they may or may not have. Martinson is a plus athlete with very good defensive tools who, similar to Tennessee’s Matt Duffy, may be good enough with the leather to stick up the middle (either shortstop or second base) in some organizations. For me, however, his hands, range, and arm all play best at third, a position where he could eventually be a decidedly above-average defender. Offensively the rap on Martinson coming into the year was that he swung and miss too often to ever hit for an acceptable average professionally. That may or may not be true going forward — his 2010 performance has been very similar to his 2009 — but his quick wrists and above-average plate discipline should help keep his on-base percentage up even when he is striking out more often than you’d like. Teams will worry less about the low contact rate if Martinson can begin to tap into some of the long awaited above-average raw power that hasn’t really showed up through three seasons of college ball. If he can begin to apply some of his brute physical strength into homerun power professionally, he’s got a chance to be a starter. If not, his best chance of earning the big bucks will be in the good defender/patient pinch hitter role.
14. Scott Woodward – Coastal Carolina – 6-1, 200, L/R –
8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: solid player, put himself on the map with solid spring as a freshman in 2008, grades across the board at ave with gamer mentality.
10-19 from www.mlbresource.com - when Coastal Carolina begins it's 2010 season they will know that they can beat teams with their legs. Back for their junior years are speedsters CF Noel Rico (right) and LF Scott Woodward. Rico in 2009 stole 48 bags and Woodward swiped 30 of his own. Not only are the pair covering ground on the bases, but they are tracking down everything that is in the vicinity in the outfield. One AL Scout said "Rico and Woodward remind me of the Tampa Bay Rays outfield because you simply can't get anything to land around them." Both are juniors this season so who knows if this duo comes back in 2011 or will they be trying cover ground in the minor leagues
11-10 from www.rivals.yahoo.com: Just two seasons ago Woodward was one of the nation's biggest names. As only a freshman, the talented third baseman batted .364 with 15 doubles, seven homers and 45 RBIs. He also slugged .533 and had an amazing .540 on-base percentage. Last season, though, as a sophomore, Woodward had injury issues and only played in 41 of Coastal's 63 contests. He batted just .284 with four doubles, a triple, a home run and 19 RBIs. He still managed a .445 on-base percentage. Look for a healthier Woodward to have a huge '10 campaign. Coastal is in business if Woodward returns to his old ways.
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 15. Coastal Carolina JR 3B Scott Woodward - It’s very easy to envision Scott Woodward playing in the big leagues someday. He’s got an outstanding approach to hitting, a discerning batting eye, and a really good idea of his fundamental strengths and weaknesses at the plate. Woodward ably uses his plus-plus speed to leg out infield hits, turn balls driven to the gaps into triples, and steal bases at a tremendous success rate (46 steals in 52 tries). Home runs will likely never be a big part of his game, but his is a game based more on speed and plate discipline anyway. He could have the type of career many once projected for former Dodgers prospect Joe Thurston. Another comp that I like a lot is Phillies minor leaguer Tyson Gillies, a comparison made more interesting due to the fact both players are hearing impaired, but one not at all dependent on that fact as the basis of the comp. When I first thought of it a few weeks ago the connection didn’t even occur to me, but the two players share enough distinct offensive similarities to make it work.
15. Ryan Delgado:
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 16. Azusa Pacific SR 3B Ryan Delgado - Delgado earned his way on the list because of his ridiculous power numbers over the years, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that Azusa Pacific has one of the most fun college names to say out loud. Try it, you won’t be disappointed. Besides the cool college name and plus power potential, Delgado has a true plus arm and a well above-average overall hit tool. His defense at third isn’t currently at the level where you could project him as above-average professionally, but the tools are there for him at least wind up a decent defensive player at least through his twenties. If it doesn’t work at third, however, there’s a backup plan that I know for a fact is actually Plan A for some teams. Delgado’s future for some teams might be donning the tools of ignorance behind the plate every day. It’s a stretch and it’s based largely on the 3B/C future that could be in store, but I can’t shake the Jake Fox comp for Delgado that I heard way back when.
16. Matt Duffy:
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 17. Tennessee JR 3B Matt Duffy - Duffy was a deep sleeper top five rounds candidate of mine heading into the season, so you know his underwhelming, but still solid, junior season won’t downgrade his stock too much for me. The Vermont transfer has all of the defensive tools to play a decent shortstop professionally, but profiles better as a potential plus defender at the hot corner. For Duffy, a Jack Hannahan (with more raw power) or Andy LaRoche (with less raw power) type of career is possible.
17. Chris Casazza:
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 18. Tarleton State JR 3B Chris Casazza - Like Jayson Langfels and Jake Smith before, and Jason Martinson and Mike Olt after, Chris Casazza’s biggest deficiency is a long swing with holes in it that winds up waving and missing at the ball far too often. Like Martinson a few spots ahead of him, Casazza’s good batting eye and sneaky power upside should keep his secondary statistics afloat even when the K’s are trying to drag his prospect stock below the surface. In many ways he’s quite simply the better version of Alabama’s Jake Smith, especially at the plate – more power, more patience, less strikeouts, and better all-around bat. Definite sleeper to watch.
18. John Hinson:
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 19. Clemson SO 3B John Hinson - John Hinson was a tough player to rank because of his status as a redshirt and thus draft-eligible sophomore and his positional versatility across the infield. He was an easy guy to rank this high because of the really nice things that anybody who has seen him play this year had to say about him. Hinson was a highly touted prospect out of high school who was considered advanced enough after his freshman year to be asked to play for Hyannis in the Cape Cod League. Back surgery cost him all of his 2009 season, but the fully recovered version of Hinson put up a 2010 statistical line that reads a lot like Pittsburgh’s Joe Leonard’s work this season. A plus hit tool combined with above-average speed and power will get you far professionally, but people smarter than myself that I talked with told me some teams question his ability to play any one particular spot in the infield with the consistency needed of a regular. Based on the limited looks of Hinson that I’ve seen, I can’t say that I necessarily agree with that assessment, but his defensive skillset (good athlete, iffy arm) may make him better suited for second base than third. At either spot, he’s got the bat to make him a potential regular with a couple breaks along the way.
19. Jake Smith – Alabama – senior – 2009: .359 18-HR 54-RBI…
10-7 from: - www.mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Jake Smith---3B---The senior out of Shannon, AL has been a valuable asset each year but none will be more needed than in 2010. Smith put up huge numbers in '09 and will asked to repeat to make up for the loss of Matthes from the lineup. Smith last year led the team in hitting with a .359 makr and also chipped in a nice 18 HR.
12-20 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - votoed to the 3rd team NCBWA 2010 All-American Team
5-24 from: - http://www.secsports.com/news/baseball-players-of-the-week524.aspx - SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Jake Smith • Alabama Sr. • 3B • Shannon, Ala. - • Was a two-way threat in the Tennessee series and played a huge role in the Tide’s series-clinching win on May 21. The senior hit a game-winning two-run home run in the top of the 11th inning to give Alabama a 4-2 lead and send the Tide to Hoover. • He pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Kilcrease to earn his first career win on the mound as the Tide won its first SEC road series of the season. He hit two home runs and six RBI in the series.
5-27 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - 2010 MLB Draft: Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 20. Alabama SR 3B Jake Smith - Players coming off of more accomplished collegiate seasons precede Smith on this list, so take this aggressive ranking as a show of good faith that the Alabama senior’s tools will trump his up-and-down college career when it comes to his success or failure in the pros. Hey, speaking of aggressive, one of Smith’s biggest current issues is a tendency to get too aggressive at the plate, jumping out at pitches before they reach his happy zone. He’s gotten away with it to some extent in college, but hacking at anything 16 inches (give or take) off, up, or away from the plate is no way to advance up the minor league ladder in the enlightened age of baseball we’re lucky to be living in. Smith’s tremendous raw power and excellent defensive tools play in any era of baseball, but he’s been slow to recover from a serious ankle injury. I get the feeling based on all of the above that we’re talking about another four-corners backup type here. Fun fact: Replace “serious ankle injury” with “labrum injury” and you’ve got a very similar situation to what the number eight overall prospect on this list is dealing with. Any guesses about the identify of our mystery prospect?
20. Brian Harrison:
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 21. Furman JR 3B Brian Harrison - Harrison is a good, good player. Case in point, Harrison has a good arm, is a good defender, and has a good hit tool, with good power potential. He’s a really good athlete, perhaps too good to be “wasted” at third if there’s really a team out there willing to try him in centerfield as rumored. I wish he would have gotten more at bats on the Cape this past summer, but, as too often the case with Harrison, injuries limited his playing time. Get him healthy, get him a regular defensive home, and get a good, good player with starter upside past round ten. Good bargain. The relatively low ranking is more about the players ahead of him than the above-average (or, in other words, “good”) overall talent package that Harrison brings to the table.
21. Stephen Yarrow:
5-6 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/2010/05/06/stephen-yarrow-update/#more-5913 - 3B Stephen Yarrow has all the hallmarks of a late bloomer, physically growing into a lean and lanky 6-4 frame. Because of this, he might not look like the prettiest or most graceful overall athlete, but that all goes away when he swings the bat. He has plus, plus left-handed bat speed, a quick trigger, drops the bat head and he lifts the ball consistently. This is what you want for a player like this, because no other tool will be so extraordinary. Offensively, Yarrow reminds me some of former Loyola Marymount first baseman Ryan Wheeler. Both are tall left-handed hitters with bat speed and the ability to lift the ball. I’m sure that Yarrow, like Wheeler at various points in his career, has been dismissed out of hand. Based on the swings I saw, I believe that would be a mistake. I believe Wheeler is the better overall hitter, but Yarrow’s raw power to all fields would be superior at the same stage of his career.
5-16 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/2010/05/16/stephen-yarrow-report - 3B - 6-4, 205 Bats: L, Throws: R – USF - Games seen: 1, Innings: 9 - PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Long legs, high hips, wide shoulders and chest yet to physically fill out. A frame ready for more muscle in the coming years. STRENGTHS: Power to all fields and plus, plus bat speed. Pull hitter, pull power. Balanced and coordinated in box. WEAKNESSES: Would have liked to have seen him pick up hard SLs better, needs to prove he can adjust in coming years. Bat speed to crush mistakes, would like to see more ability to go to left field occasionally. Below-average runner. Slightly Below-average fielder, but has feet and hands to be average big league defender. SUMMARY: Might not be the prettiest overall athlete but he can hit. Plus bat speed and hands, should crush mistakes, should be able to beat the good fastball. Lacks a separating secondary tool but should be adequate enough to stay on field defensively. Likely to be typecast at first base. GRADES (Present/Future): Hit 20/50 Power 35/70 Run 40/40 Arm 40/40 Field 40/50 Overall Future Potential: 50
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 22. San Francisco JR 3B Stephen Yarrow - Yarrow’s basic story is very similar to Garrett Buechele’s in that both prospects have legit plus power potential and a strong overall hit tool. Going against Yarrow is his tendency to pull darn near everything, below-average tools outside of the batter’s box, and a long-term future as a four-corners type of player, not an everyday third baseman.
22. Garrett Buechele:
5-24 from: - http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=106091&SPID=13131&DB_OEM_ID=10410&ATCLID=204950431 - Garrett Buechele (Oklahoma) has been recognized as the Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Player of the Week. - Garrett Buechele, Oklahoma, 3B, So., 6-0, 197, Arlington, Texas/Lamar - Buechele hit .522 and posted an .870 slugging percentrage to lead the Sooners to an undefeated 5-0 week. In conference play, the sophomore batted .538 with five runs, two doubles and a home run for a .923 slugging percentage as OU swept Kansas. The home run was his 13th of the season, his fourth in league action. The Arlington, Texas-infielder has hit safely in 26 of the last 28 games, including all five contests last week. Buechele leads Oklahoma in batting average (.387), hits (82), doubles (15), runs (47) and RBI (59).
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects -23. Oklahoma SO 3B Garrett Buechele - And so begins a stretch of players with starting caliber upside, but high bust potential. Buechele has one of the stronger pure hit tools of this college third base class, and his quickly emerging power make him one to watch. His defense is plenty good enough to stick at third, so the only thing that realistically stands in the way of Buechele succeeding professionally (you know, besides all of the other things that can get in the way for any player drafted) will be high strikeout totals. He’s not as talented as Zack cox, so don’t take this as a direct comparison, but it seems that Buechele would be best served returning to school to work on honing his pitch recognition skills like the top player on this list managed to do in his sophomore season.
23. Jayson Langfeis:
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 25. Eastern Kentucky JR 3B Jayson Langfels - Langfels came into the season with a reputation as a total hacker at the plate, but curbed his swinging and missing ways just enough to finally unlock his good raw power in game situations. I’ve gotten mixed reports on his defense this year, but his hands in the past have gotten him into some trouble at third. It ranges anywhere from somewhat possible to very likely that he’ll wind up as more of a power hitting four-corners utility type than a starting third base candidate; either way, there’s value enough in the bat.
24. Matt Perry – Holy Cross – senior… 6-2, 190… 2009: .423, 7-HR, 37-RBI, in 49-G… .491 OBP… named Patriot League Player of the Year
10-24: from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 88th top college player
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 26. Holy Cross SR 3B Matt Perry - Is it sad that one of the first things I thought about when looking at my notes on Perry was “gee, I bet Bill Simmons would get a kick out of having a fellow Holy Cross guy show up on some anonymous internet nobody’s top 30 college third base prospect list…”? Perry is one of my favorite 2010 senior signs because of his advanced strike zone knowledge, good defensive tools, and renowned drive to succeed. It’s a rare college senior who plays in the big leagues, so sometimes it’s alright to dig deep to find a small something extra about a player that you think sets him apart. Perry’s steady four year progression, strong performance under pressure as a legacy at Holy Cross, and success with wood in the summer makes me think he’s a guy worth gambling on.
25. Michael Revell:
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 27. Chipola FR 3B Michael Revell - Revell has really impressive tools across the board, but his production in 2010 didn’t reflect his true talent level. His plus bat speed, strong arm, good athleticism, and 20 homer lefthanded power upside will keep him on many follow lists despite his struggles. The down year will probably keep him at Chipola for a sophomore season; disappointing, sure, but perhaps a good thing for his long-term draft stock. Revell has the tools to succeed, but is raw enough that the extra relatively low pressure junior college at bats could help turn his substantial promise into production. It’s rare to see a player capable of starting in the big leagues so low on a prospect list like this, but it’s an acknowledgement of the wide gap between what Revell could be versus what he currently is. He makes the list as more of a token 2011 name to watch than a realistic 2010 draft target.
26. Brian Hernandez:
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 28. UC Irvine JR Brian Hernandez - Hernandez has a similar scouting profile as Derek Spencer, but gets the edge because of better plate discipline and more balanced swing mechanics. Like Spencer, he’s your typical “whole is greater than the sum of his parts” kind of prospect, with the upside of a big league bench bat if everything breaks right.
27. Bryson Smith:
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 29. Florida JR 3B Bryson Smith - Smith has a big league body, intriguing pop, useful positional versatility, but has been held back by injuries in 2010. Injury induced subpar seasons for mid- to late-round underclassman prospects are normally a recipe for a senior season return engagement, but Smith may be a victim of his own college team’s success. Playing time in 2011 looks to be very hard to come by on a young, stacked Florida starting nine, so Smith may try his luck professionally if a team is willing to bet that a return to health will bring him closer to the player he was at junior college than he was as a Gator.
28. Derek Spencer:
5-25 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/2010/05/25/2010-mlb-draft-top-30-college-third-base-prospects-30-21 - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 30. Bowling Green SR 3B Derek Spencer - Spencer won’t wow you with his tools or outstanding collegiate production, but his skills are good enough when taken in altogether to get himself on a professional roster. He’s the classic well-rounded, hard working, good enough senior sign who doesn’t do any one thing exceptionally well, but does everything so wonderfully competently that he profiles as an organizational player with backup upside. Three of his tools have average upside or better (power, speed, glove), so it’s no stretch to see him sneak him onto a big league bench someday.
29. Mathew Kirkland –
30. Jake Lamb -
31. Joey Bergman – College of Charleston senior –
12-5 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: named the 47th top player in the 2010 college season
2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 217th
32. Chad Lewis – Marina HS (CA) – 6-2, 190, R/R…
8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: one of best power strokes in the tourney, solid ML arm from the corner, moves feet well enough to stay there, reminds me some of Mike Schmidt when I was a kid watching the Phillies.
4-26 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/2010/04/26/chad-lewis-update - You would take one look at Chad Lewis playing third base in a high school game and wonder what a guy who is already built like a minor leaguer is doing all the way down here. Gifted with raw right-handed power, a big league body for third base, and enough arm to stay there, the concern with Lewis is if he can bring enough contact into his game to allow his power to show as his best tool, which it is. Henry Owens is the kind of pitcher Lewis needs to prove he can hit. As a strong right-handed hitter facing a left-hander who paints with curveballs, change-ups and saves the hardest and best located fastballs for the big right-handers, it’s similar to a plan of attack Lewis would face at the next level
4-28 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com - Marina High School, 3B - Lewis has the prototypical big league third baseman’s frame at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. Concentration lapses affect his fielding consistency, but Lewis profiles as a plus defender. His range may be a tad short, but Lewis has buttery smooth actions, outstanding play making ability and a strong, accurate arm. While his running speed is below average, Lewis shows interesting potential as a hitter, for he possesses both power and bat speed. At this stage, Lewis struggles with pitch recognition and has a habit of over striding and pulling his front side off of the ball, resulting in weak ground balls to the left side. Nonetheless, it is not difficult to imagine Lewis becoming an impact hitter as he progresses through pro ball, which will provide him the chance to play every day and get his swing in a groove.
33. Wade Kirkland –
2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 181st
34. Preston Overbey – University of Jackson HS (Tenn.) –
2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 185th
35. D.J. Peterson – Gilbert HS ((AR.)
2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 248th
36. Joey Kenworthy – Texas Tech – Senior… 5-5, 152, S/R… 2009: .335/.378/.417 in 220 Abs… 17 errors…
37. Ryan Albert – Newport Harbor HS (CA) – 5-11, 170, L/R – raw power… also throws 88-fastball, 76 curve… projects out at third due to his excellent hitting ability…
38. Josh Anderson – Poway HS (CA) – 6-0, 205, R/R – also pitches with 84-87 fastball… well above average tools… but slow…
39. Bryan Soloman – Memorial HS (NJ) – 6-4, 245, R/R – raw power and excellent extension threw contact… also pitches with good command…
40. Dan DiBartololeo –WVU junior… 2009: .439, 8-HR, 59-RBI
1-4: named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team as named by a vote of conference coaches: - 3B Dan DiBartolomeo, Jr., WVU -.439 BA, 8 HR, 59 RBIs
41. Brett Weibley:
4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Brett Weibley, 3B, Kent State: Talk about a rough year. Weibley was a converted third baseman entering the spring, someone who had big closer potential. However, he was still expected to be a possible option at third base, too, as there was some potential in his bat. Not only has Weibley struggled with the bat, he’s probably closed the door to any hitting possibility as a pro. He’s started off at a .228/.302/.421 clip, and he’s now a part-time player. In the bullpen, he’s had a solid season, though with a lot of inconsistency, which is to be expected from a new pitcher. He hasn’t been very hittable, but he hasn’t helped himself with his control, as he hits or walks more than a batter an inning. I guess you can put Weibley’s stock down across the board, and I’ve simply chosen to place him in the corner infield section. Once considered a solid hitter, I see a future relief prospect, and that’s a little disappointing. He’s still a solid fielder with a plus arm, but that won’t be enough to make him more than a one-dimensional relief prospect to scouts.
42. Grant Buckner:
5-10-10 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/05/10/big-east-players-of-the-week-13/#more-26203 - Connecticut righthanded pitcher Matt Barnes and West Virginia third baseman Grant Buckner are the winners of the BIG EAST’s weekly baseball honors for the week-ending May 9. Buckner led the Mountaineers to their first BIG EAST series sweep of the season against Notre Dame. In Game 1 of the doubleheader on May 8, the junior set a WVU single-game record with 10 RBI. Of his four hits in that game, three were home runs. On the week, Buckner hit .667 (8-12) with 14 RBI, four home runs and a slugging percentage of 1.750. This is his first BIG EAST Player of the Week recognition.
43. Justin Schumer:
5-24 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/05/24/big-south-players-of-the-week-12 - - UNC Asheville 3B Justin Schumer (Charlotte, N.C.) has been named the Big South Conference’s Choice Hotels Player of the Week. Schumer batted .579 (11-19) in four games last week, helping the Bulldogs clinch a berth in the Royal Purple Big South Baseball Championship. He opened his week with two hits at Tennessee, and went 8-10 in Saturday’s doubleheader against Gardner-Webb, recording four hits in both games. In the nightcap, Schumer helped Asheville rally from an 11-0 deficit with two home runs and a double, and drove in four runs before the Bulldogs fell, 15-14. In the first game, he pitched four innings to get the win and went 4-5 at the plate. Schumer finished the week with six RBI and a .947 slugging percentage.
44. Stefan Romero:
5-28 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Top 30 College Third Base Prospects - 10. Oregon State JR 3B Stefen Romero - Romero is arguably the best present defender on the top ten list. He makes all the plays on balls hit at him, and has proven more than capable of ranging to both his left and right when needed. What really makes his draft stock pop in comparison to some other names on the list is his performance with wood last summer on the Cape. The raw numbers don’t jump right out at you, but all of the reports from the summer were positive. Romero kept the momentum going this spring by displaying a steady dose of good defense, above-average power, and decent athleticism. A few area scouts that have seen him play way more than I have seem to like him a lot more than I do, so take his placement on the list as a rare example of me trusting people smarter than myself. Rare not because I’m trusting them, but because there are people out there actually smarter than I am. Hard to believe, I know. Romero’s upside is a good four-corners bench bat for me, something true of the majority of the players on this list no matter how rosy a picture I try to paint of their ultimate super duper best case scenario big league ceilings.
Mack’s Mets – the premier site for information on the New York Mets talent pipeline and dialogue on Mets prospects, Mets news, and Mets opinions.
No comments:
Post a Comment