11-2-09 from http://www.thehardballtimes.com/ : - Josh Tobias, 2B/3B, 2011, Greensbor, N.C., Canes - Scouts talk about the sound a ball makes coming off a bat. That was the first thing that got my attention with Tobias. “CRACK!”, and a line drive screams off into left field. I made a note to not go too far anytime soon, so I could see his next at-bat. Then again, “CRACK!!”, even louder than the first, a line-drive to right-center on a breaking ball. I couldn’t get enough; I saw Tobias more than any other player at the tournament, getting to see him in 10 or 11 PAs. One ended in a walk, and I’ll be damned if fewer than seven of them resulted either in line drives or ground-liners that made it out of the infield in one hop. (I was also told I missed a long homer the day before.) His swing is a bit unorthodox. It’s semi-long and he finishes with his hands flying high, sort of like a mini-right-handed Fred McGriff. But he has great bat speed and covers the plate completely with hands that thrash through the zone lightning quick. It’s a point I’ve made before, but one ‘tool’ that I feel gets overlooked at times is just plain old hitability. Scouts like to look at the components; are the hands quick, is the swing short, does he have a good swing path, does he recognize pitches well, does he keep himself balanced, etc. Those are all important pieces in projecting a player’s future success, and by no means would I advocate disregarding them. But the bottom line is this: Some guys plain old find the barrel with consistency, and others (even the ones with quick hands and short strokes) do not. Those components are intended to project those who can and will find the barrel, but it’s a very complicated view of things. Simply put, the difference between a routine groundball to the SS and a liner that goes over his head is a few millimeters of difference on the bat. Despite the hands, the shortness of the swing, the balance, etc etc… some guys are extremely coordinated with that bat in their hands, and others are just so-so. And Josh Tobias is great. Now, I don’t want to create the impression that Tobias has some Hunchback of Notre Dame swing; that’s not the case at all, it just may not be what Walt Hriniak would use as his model. As comps, I see shades of both Gary Sheffield and Dmitri Young here. An ultra-fast bat and swing to hit for average, a guy who handles both breaking pitches and good heat, and some serious raw power. Going forward, I have two question marks; one is future power. Tobias is 5-foot-9. Sure, he’s just 16 and may have some growth left, but Dad is only about 5-foot-10. Then again, he’s 16 and hitting homers with a wood bat. The size may limit his ceiling with regard to power, but don’t get caught up in that; this one might be a mold-breaker. The main concern for me is finding him a position. His arm is sub-par and comes with a screwy, flailing sidearm motion. His actions and hands are also quite questionable. Veteran scouts will swear they’ve seen future gold-glovers who couldn’t field a lick in their teens, but I’m pretty discouraged with Tobias’ D (especially since the arm means in you move him to OF, it’s got to be left). Still, he’s the best all-around bat I saw this weekend. As if I didn’t already love him enough, I’m told he’s committed to the Gators for college (though, as always, the draft may change that). Again, he’s a 2011 guy, so this is very early hype. But I’m keeping a very close on him going forward.
6-23-10 from: - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=3221081702 - Day 1 at TOS : - 3b, Josh Tobias, for Babe Ruth a local kid from Greensboro, did not impress at the plate as his press clippings and I've seen him a couple of times last 2 years. He has good physical numbers, running and throwing wise and he'll put on a bp show. He should hit enough at the next level if he can cut down on his swing. Plus runner, better on the way and solid arm strength, not real big listed at 5'9, more like 5'7 1/2, he may have to move to 2b eventually.
6-29 from: - Andy Seiler Mock Draft - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/6/28/1541924/andys-first-2011-top-50#storyjump - 32. Josh Tobias, 2B, Southeast Guilford HS (NC)
7-1 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/6/30/1544396/pats-first-2011-top-50#storyjump – Pat Hickey Mock Draft – 13. Joshua Tobias, 2B, Southeast Guilford HS (N.C.)
7-1 from: - http://sullydraft.blogspot.com/ – 2011 Mock Draft – 14. Joshua Tobias- 2B, Southeast Guilford HS
7-3 from: - http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/07/03/early-follow-list-for-2011-mlb-draft - from Fanhouse.com MLB Draft guru Frankie Piliere – Josh Tobias 3B Southeast Guilford HS (N.C.) - Not tall, but a physical powerhouse. Tobias has huge raw power and a short, but powerful swing. Has plus-plus speed. Tremendous upside, still getting better.
7-3 from: - http://milbprospects.blogspot.com/2010/07/early-version-of-top-50-prospects-for.html - Top 50 - 22 Joshua Tobias , 3B , Southeast Guilford Greensboro NC
7-11 from: - http://sullydraft.blogspot.com/ – top ten high school middle fielders - 1. Joshua Tobias- SE Guilford HS
7-10 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/7/10/1562916/all-questions-answered#comments - All around talent. He’s the type of kid that is really going to turn some heads all summer in showcase-style games, but he’s going to need a fair amount of at-bats in the minors. He’s not as polished as his performances indicate. He has the potential to be a great offensive talent, and the only question now is finding out what defensive position fits him best. I could see him trying out second base and center field in the end, with a leaning towards second. However, he has power and speed, and he’s a hard working kid, so the sky’s the limit with his offensive potential if he keeps working.
7-25: - http://www.fanhouse.com/ : - Fanhouse Top 70 Prospects - 14. Josh Tobias, 2B, Southeast Guilford HS (N.C.)
8-16: - http://diamondscapescouting.com/articles_aflacallamerican2010_10playerstowatch_08152010.html - 2B/SS, Southeast Guilford HS (N.C.) -- Tobias is an interesting talent, with a short and strong frame that belies both his plus-plus speed and upside power. Another switch-hitter, he utilizes a compact swing to maximize barrel acceleration through contact, which allows him to generate force without swinging from the heels. He gets solid natural loft but can also run into issues keeping his swing plane in the hit zone from time-to-time. His arm strength will limit him to second base as a pro, where his hands and athleticism should allow him to succeed.
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