9-8 from: - link - When Science Hill High School (Johnson City, Tenn.) and East Cobb Yankees (Marietta, Ga.) standout left-hander Daniel Norris learned Perfect Game had him ranked as the nation’s top prospect in the high school class of 2011, he had two immediate reactions – if that’s possible. There was an initial sense of gratitude. “When I first heard about it and went and looked at it, the first thing that came into my head was, what a high honor,” Norris said. “For people to think that highly of me, just seeing me a couple of times and to project me as that, it’s really touching and it’s exciting.” There was also an initial sense of mission. “I’m going to have to work extra hard to stay here,” he remembered thinking. “Honestly, for you-all to rank me No. 1, it’s made me a harder worker. I remember seeing a quote … that said ‘It’s easier to become No. 1 than to remain No. 1.’ It really kind of stuck with me.
Chris Reed:
9-11-10 from: - link - LHP, Torrington (Jr. Stanford) - Reed pitched sparingly as a freshman in 2009 and struggled with his control as a sophomore at Stanford, going 2-0, 6.10 with 15 walks and 14 strikeouts in 21 innings of relief this spring. But he turned a corner this summer in the ACBL, going 2-2, 1.23 with 23 strikeouts and 13 walks in 22 innings, mostly in relief. Reed has a projectable pitcher's frame at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds. This summer he showed good command of a 90-92 mph fastball and a sharp slider in the low 80s. He has significant upside but must continue to refine his feel for pitching and command.
Charlie Lowell:
9-11-10 from: - link - LHP, El Dorado (Jr., Wichita State) - Lowell and 6-foot-8 Broncos (and Shockers) teammate Brian Flynn both got support as the Jayhawk League's top prospect, with Lowell earning the edge for his combination of polish and arm strength. While the Laurence-Dumont Stadium radar gun had Lowell register 98 mph during the NBC World Series, most observers thought the gun was hot, by at least 3 mph. However hard he was throwing, he fanned 16 in 12 innings of work in the NBC. Lowell's fastball sits around 90 mph regularly, though, and he touches 93-94. He has a solid-average slider with above-average potential; together with the angle he manufactures with his delivery, he can be very tough on lefthanded hitters. Lowell, who went 0-1, 4.00 this summer for the Broncos, has some feel for pitching, adding and subtracting from his pitches, and has a solid changeup with room to grow. If the 6-foot-4, 234-pounder doesn't stick as a starter, he could wind up as a lefty reliever.
Navery Moore:
9-11-10 from: - link - RHP, Nashville (Jr., Vanderbilt) - Entering the 2011 season, Moore seems to be on the cusp of realizing the vast potential that made him one of the top pitchers in the country as a 16-year-old. Moore had Tommy John surgery prior to his senior season in high school and threw just five innings as a freshman at Vanderbilt while rehabbing his elbow. He struggled mightily with his control that spring and last summer in Cape Cod. As a sophomore, Moore was unlucky again when he broke his kneecap during fall practice, limiting him to just 13 innings; he finished with a 9.24 ERA, 16 strikeouts and 12 walks. Finally healthy this summer, Moore showed what he was capable of on the mound for the Outlaws. In 46 innings, he posted a 3.94 ERA as well as 48 strikeouts to 21 walks. Opponents hit just .236 against him and no one took him deep all summer. Moore's fastball may not have as much zip as it did before the surgery, but it still sits in the 92-94 mph range with late life. When he is locating his curveball, it is a true 12-to-6 pitch with tight spin; the problem is that his control is still inconsistent. Once he gains more confidence in his pitching ability, and if he harnesses his secondary stuff, he has a high ceiling as a potential closer—but that's a big if. The good news is Nashville coach Brian Ryman lauded his makeup and called him one of the hardest-working players on the team.
Lee Orr:
9-11-10 from: - link - OF, East Texas (Jr., McNeese State) - Considered the TCL's best overall athlete, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Orr has the potential to be a five-tool player. He runs fast enough and gets good enough reads to project as a center fielder at the next level, but he has enough power to play right field, where his plus arm fits well. More than half of his 40 hits this summer were for extra bases, and he swiped 24 bases in 27 tries, showing off his solid-average speed. But Orr also struck out about once every three at-bats, and he will need to become more disciplined to become a passable hitter at the high levels of professional baseball. He struggles against breaking balls—which also helps explain his 136-62 strikeout-walk mark in his two seasons at McNeese—but he also has legitimate power to all fields, as evidenced by his 31 homers in two college seasons. Orr was a 40th-round pick as a redshirt sophomore this spring, but he could boost his stock significant if he can show a more mature approach to go along with his nice tool set next spring.
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