2012 Draft: - RHP Lance McCullers Jr.

1)       RHP       Lance McCullers Jr.

6-11-10: - http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110608&content_id=20222396&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&partnerId=rss_mlb Lance McCullers, RHP, Tampa Jesuit HS, Fla.: McCullers has an electric arm. The son of the former big leaguer of the same name, he has the chance to be much better than his dad, with a fastball that can touch the upper 90s and signs of a plus slider.

6-23-10 from: - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=3221081702  - Day 1 at TOS: - 3b, Lance McCullers for Pony is a 2012, shows a near 70 arm at the corner and solid bat and approach at the plate. Runs ok, not a sprinter by any means, solid glove and range to his left. Can't wait to see him on the bump, hopefully tomorrow.

6-24-10: - http://sullydraft.blogspot.com/2010/06/sneak-peak-2012-high-school-top-ten.html  -  After watching the Junior National Showcase at Tropicana Field. Here is my top ten list for the class of 2012. - 1. Lance McCullers- RHP/SS, Jesuit HS (FL)

6-29-10 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/high-school/?p=192  - The highlight of Saturday came during the fourth game with AABC and PONY vying for a spot in Sunday's bronze medal game. Starting for PONY was Lance McCullers Jr., a well-known prospect for 2012, son of an ex-big leaguer and already a favorite among a couple Baseball America staffers. McCullers is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound infielder/righthander from Jesuit High in Tampa. I first saw McCullers—along with dozens of scouts and recruiters—at the World Wood Bat Championships in Jupiter, Fla. in 2008. He was an incoming freshman then and hadn't thrown a varsity pitch yet. He had an 88-90 mph fastball and also showed a nasty curveball. Almost a year later he made an appearance at USA Baseball's National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. for the Labor Day Cup for Florida Travel Ball, his summer team. He showed the same nasty curve with a little more velocity and ran his fastball up to 94.

6-29-10 from: - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?q=Y&a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=6261024791&p=2  - RHP, Lance McCullers, Jesuit HS, Tampa, 6'1 185 now, probably will end up 6'2 plus and 210, power arm, runs ok, nice level swing, good hands and know how, competes and does it all easy!! fb vel ranges from 92-96, saw a couple at 97 on the jugs, solid at 93-94, with nasty knee buckler cb. Command is ok for his age and he can only get better.

6-28-10 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/high-school/?p=204&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter  - With the conclusion of the Tournament of Stars in Cary, N.C., USA Baseball has now announced the trials rosters for the 18U national teams.. - Lance McCullers RHP/INF L/R 6-1 180 Jesuit HS, Tampa 2012

6-24-10 from: - http://sullydraft.blogspot.com/2010/06/sneak-peak-2012-high-school-top-ten.html  - Sneak Peak: 2012 High School Top Ten - After watching the Junior National Showcase at Tropicana Field. Here is my top ten list for the class of 2012. - 1. Lance McCullers- RHP/SS, Jesuit HS (FL)

7-13-10 from: - http://web.usabaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100713&content_id=12240358&vkey=recap_usab  - The USA Baseball 18U National Team beat the Minnesota Class A All-Stars 5-4 Tuesday night at Veterans Field.. Lance McCullers (Tampa, Fla.) worked a perfect ninth, striking out the side on just 13 pitches, to earn his first save. McCullers was electric in the ninth, sitting all three batters faced down on strikes to seal the U.S. win.

7-13-10: - MaxPreps Sophomore All-American Baseball Team - Lance McCullers, Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), All-Purpose - Helped lead the Tigers to the 4A state finals by batting .457 with 8 doubles, 30 RBI, 35 runs scored and 2 home runs. Named to the All-Suncoast Team by the Tampa Tribune.

8-12-10 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/events/under-armour-preseason-all-america-tournament/2010/2610524.html  - RHP/IF - Jesuit HS, Tampa The son of the former big leaguer, McCullers is the top pitcher in the 2012 class and was one of just two underclassmen on Team USA's 18U squad this summer. He has an electric arm with a fastball that has touched 98 and is consistently in the mid-90s. He mixes in a filthy slider and shows good composure. McCullers is also an athletic infielder with with power potential from the left side.

8-16-10 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/8/16/1625615/2010-under-armour-all-american#storyjump  - Lance McCullers, Jr., RHP/IF, Jesuit HS (Fla.) Committed to Florida as another top 2012 prospect, McCullers woke up a relatively dead crowd in the fourth inning on the mound on Saturday – reaching back and pumping 95-97 mph heat. Obviously, the arm was the best of the day, and he was able to showcase his 83-85 power curveball as well. Both pitches have plus to plus-plus potential. The only downside on this day was his control and command, which graded out as below-average. He could have just been trying to do too much as a younger kid at a national event full of older players, so he’ll get a pass for now. The arm action is pretty long, so I’m curious to see how the control develops in the next couple years. Also a top prospect as an infielder, McCullers has some big-time raw power in his swing as well. But, my gut feeling based on what I saw on Saturday sees him as a pitcher down the road if he can correct a few mechanical errors.

8-16-10: - http://www.prospectwire.com/pw/article.php?id=130  - Lance McCullers Jr., RHP, Jesuit HS (FL)- A 2012 grad, McCullers featured the most impressive stuff of any pitcher in the game. He has two potential plus-plus pitches. He ran his fastball up to 97, and sat in the 94-96 range. He walked one, and hit two batters to load the bases, but got out of the inning by striking out Mason Robbins, and getting game MVP Brandon Nimmo to line out to first. His command needs to improve, but he will only be a junior this season. McCullers is one of the best pitchers in the country, regardless of class.

8-29-10 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/8/16/1625615/2010-under-armour-all-american#comments  – McCullers was impressive but raw. Absolutely no feel for the breaking ball in this inning. I see why he gets dinged as not having much projectability left — he’s pretty well-proportioned and doesn’t have a lanky frame at all — but he definitely has room to get stronger, which is scary as he was 94 all day. He’s definitely a Sonny Gray type, where the lack of size scares you

8-14-10 from: - http://www.5tooltalk.com/notes-mainpage.html  - As noted above, no one matched McCullers heat. He sat at 94 and touched 95 twice. The arm strength and overall delivery are pretty easy, and he also mixed in a violent hard downer low-80s curve that had some slurve-like two-plane to it at times. He threw too many breaking balls, and likely would have enjoyed a much more crisp inning had he thrown more fastballs. He walked and hit a batter and he struck out both Nick Delmonico and Mason Robbins on fastballs. It’s going to be hard to determine how to develop this young man, a debate scouts will likely have for nearly two years.

Ranked #1 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft

10-11-10 – Top 10 2012 Prospects from Jim Callis/Baseball America - #3. Lance McCullers Jr., rhp, Jesuit HS, Tampa

6-10-11 from http://www.draftsite.com/mlb/mock-draft/2012  - Mock Draft -   Minnesota Lance McCullers RHP   United States 6' 2" 195

6-12-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/722354-2012-mlb-mock-draft-early-predictions-for-next-years-top-10-picks#/articles/722354-2012-mlb-mock-draft-early-predictions-for-next-years-top-10-picks/page/2  - At only 16 years old, Lance McCullers was already throwing 97 mph fastballs, which means that as a high school sophomore, he is already pretty much assured of a place in the Top 10 of the 2012 MLB draft. There is a strong chance that he will go No. 1 overall, breaking the mold and becoming the first high school pitcher ever tabbed with the No. 1 pick. McCullers could have fit in very well with the 2011 draft class, seeing as how he's a diminutive pitcher around the same size as Trevor Bauer. In addition to his mid-to-high-90s heat, McCullers also features a hammer curveball that should be a plus pitch as a pro. He's also been throwing a changeup, and the pitch has considerable promise. One thing that might put a damper on McCullers' prospects on the mound is his ability at the plate and in the field, where he moonlights as Jesuit's power-hitting shortstop. In the field, he has shown more than enough arm to handle the position and is more fluid than you would expect a pitcher to be. His footwork is impressive as well. At the plate, he has a sweet left-handed swing that oozes with raw power. He has tapped into it in games, but could really take off if he would give up a career on the mound. And of course, McCullers has the lineage working in his favor. His dad was a seven-year MLB veteran who pitched for the Padres, Yankees, Tigers and Rangers.

6-19-11: - per Twitter - PGPatrickEbert - 2012 #mlbdraft prospect Lance McCullers throws 97, 97 and 98 with his 1st 3 pitches here at the PG National, also throws nasty 86 curveball

6-20-11: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/2011/06/pg-national-ends-on-a-high-note-with-mccullers - McCullers threw 22 fastballs today: five at 94 mph, seven at 95, six at 96 and four at 97. He throws both a curveball and a slider. There is a subtle difference in the velocity—the curveball is 83-84 mph and the slider is 86-87—but the pitches blend together a bit with hard, late break.  McCullers said he has been hitting the gym to add muscle to his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, mostly focusing on strengthening his legs and core. The improved strength showed up on the mound today, as McCullers looked more balanced than he has in the past. He was sticking his landing pretty well instead of falling off or overthrowing and the adjustment allowed him to throw more strikes.

6-25-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/06/23/lance-mccullers-jr-2012-draft-profile - Lance McCullers Jr. has been on the prospect map for a long time and is in line to be one of the first players selected in the 2012 draft.  He is ranked numer 1 in Perfect Game’s Top 200 Draft Prospects for 2012.  McCullers, whose father pitched in the Majors for 7 seasons, is a two way prospect, but his future is clearly on the mound. McCullers has great stuff and good command.  His fastball sits 94-97 with some reports as high as 99.  He also throws a power curve and a quality change.  All three project as plus pitches.  He has a fast, loose arm and uses a 3/4 arm slot. McCullers has the stuff and the competitive drive to excel at the next level.

7-3-11 via twitter: - PerfectGameUSA Perfect Game USA - Lance McCullers runs his FB up to 96 mph and shows a power breaking ball at 18U WWBA. Current #1 ranked player in 2012 class. 2012 #mlbdraft

7-21-11: - http://www.mockdraftmania.com  - 1. Houston Astros Lance McCullers Jr. P Tampa Jesuit High School Florida I said back in March that the Astros would finish in last place instead of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Looks like I was right on that call while the rest of the country is shocked by the Pirates being in contention this season.  To be honest, I’m not that surprised by the Pirates this season.  I said back in March that the Pirates would win 70 games and have the division lead at some point in the MLB season.  Every other MLB expert, sports personality, or Pirates fan never in their right mind would have picked the Pirates to win 70 games let alone be in contention for first place this late in the season.

7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments - Lance McCullers, Jesuit HS, Tampa FL, 6’1 185, R/R, max effort with some pitchability, fb up to 97, most are 93-94, same as in 2010, has hard breaking slider up to 87 that can be overpowering, throws strikes, jerks head some in delivery causing eratic command/control, can get better in time, has good bloodlines, type of physique to get bigger in time, potential starter, long term is as a short man out of pen. Definite type of arm strength to be considered top 10 in first round for 2012.

8-15-11: - http://www.draftsite.com/article/High-School-Names-to-Know/94  -  Lance McCullers – RHP/SS  HT -6’2’’  WT -195  Tampa Jesuit (FL)  -For a while it seemed like McCullers would have an easy ride as the top prep arm and possibly all the way to the top overall pick. However, he has been hit a little harder than usual this year and Lucas Giolito has jumped ahead of him in the rankings. But don’t get it twisted, McCullers is still a top three prospect. He is an impressive athlete, who also plays shortstop. He can get it up to 98 mph and pairs it with a filthy mid 80’s curve, along with a developing change.  He also has the bloodlines that scouts love so much as his dad pitched in the Majors for seven seasons with the Padres in the 80’s. In an interesting move, McCullers chose to stick with his AAU team this summer instead of playing for Team USA – giving scouts more looks at Giolito. He will no doubt get a chance to start at the next level but his frame and delivery now have some scouts wondering if he would be better suited for closing; Just one more thing to monitor during his senior season.

9-1-11: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2011/08/31/2012-mlb-draft-top-prospects  - Lance McCullers Jr., RHP, Tampa Jesuit HS, FL - McCullers' arm action has some length thanks to a huge degree of scapular loading present in the pick-up phase of his delivery. It is a little atypical, think Daniel Hudson except from a 3/4 arm angle, but not necessarily a bad thing. He appears to have pretty good timing, strong hip rotation, and keeps his front side closed pretty well. He throws with some effort, which again isn't always a bad thing. There will be some who want to knock McCullers' mechanics but, unless we see something different in the future, we won't be among them.

8-25-11: - http://sullydraft.blogspot.com - This summer I went to the National Showcase, Prospect Classic, and the Under Armour All-American Game. Here is my updated top 50 HS prospects. - 3. Lance McCullers, Jr. - RHP, Jesuit HS

9-27-11: - http://legendsoftomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/09/lance-mccullers-son-of-gun.html  - Lance Jr. has pretty much hit the ground running. As a sophomore, he was throwing 96 on the radar gun, not unlike the self proclaimed messiah of baseball, Bryce Harper. Like Bryce, he's a two-way star, as he plays infield too, but its widely believed that McCullers will wind up a pitcher, like his father. Since going to Tampa Jesuit, McCullers has left behind a trail of awards and top amateur team selections. He was the 2009 MaxPreps Freshman of the Year, was named to several Perfect Game USA all star teams, played in the 2011 Baseball Factory Under Armour All American game at Wrigley Field as the only non-senior, and was named a Louisville Slugger All American Honorable mention. He's committed to pitching for the University of Florida, but don't expect him to go unless Scott Boras takes him under his wing, which is highly likely.

10-18-11: - http://www.rantsports.com/blog/2011/10/18/2012-mlb-mock-draft-update-heading-into-the-world-series   - 4. Baltimore Orioles Lance McCullers Jr. Pitcher Tampa Jesuit High School Florida The Orioles need to add another pitching prospect.  Their rotation has no identity.  Lance McCullers Jr. could develop into a #1 pitcher. When most 2012 MLB Mock Drafts started Lance McCullers Jr. was the clear cut #1 overall pick.  This changed because McCuller’s lacked the size.  McCuller’s has pinpoint accuracy on his pitches along with deadly velocity for a starter.  Lance McCullers Jr. still looks like a stone cold lock to get drafted in the top 5 even if he took himself out of contention for that top pick.