1/11/12

Draft 2012 – Carson Kelly, Branden Kline, Chris Beck, Corey Seager, Josh Elander


Carson Kelly — 6’-2”, 3B/RHP, Westview HS (OR) - Kelly, the top prep player in Oregon, is an athlete who excels both on the mound and at the plate. He hit .473 with 14 home runs as a junior and is a line-drive hitter with power to all fields. Has very good bat speed and a solid approach at the plate. His strong arm and athleticism should allow him to stick at third base, if he chooses. As a pitcher, his curve, sinker and 93 mph fastball are all quality pitches with the ability to get better with more time and focus on the mound. Was outstanding at the Pan Am Championships for Team USA, going 2-0 1.29 ERA and 12 K/1 BB over 14 innings. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-50-thru-26/15621/

Branden Kline / RHP / Virginia – A plus fastball and breaking ball, Kline would be the first reliever off the board if not for Stroman. He won’t dominate hitters, but a solid set up man with the potential for more if he can add a tick or two on his heater. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2011/12/top-twelve-college-pitchers/

Chris Beck is a strong right-hander who may not be the first college arm to come off Draft boards, but a strong junior season could have him in the top of the first-round discussion. The Georgia native has the chance to have three pitches that will be Major League average or better. He can run his fastball up to 94 mph, sitting comfortably at 92-93 mph, and he maintains his velocity deep into starts. When he stays on top of his slider, it's a sharp breaking ball with late tilt. His changeup is above-average with late sink and a lot of deception. He can throw all three pitches for strikes and has a very good feel for pitching. For a guy with his size and stuff -- think a Kyle Davies type with more power -- he doesn't always throw like a power arm. His fastball will flatten out at times and his slider isn't always crisp, but if he would pitch off of his fastball more, he could be even better, a frontline starter with three weapons to choose from. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/

http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2011/12/top-twelve-high-school-position-players/#more-602  10. Corey Seager / 2B / NW Carrabus HS (NC): This is another aggressive ranking, but just watch the kid take batting practice and you’ll understand why I’m high on the South Carolina commit. The ball jumps off his bat to all parts of the field, and his bat speed is as good as any infielder in the class. He might have to move to third-base, but there’s plenty of arm strength to play the hot corner.
Josh Elander is a good catching prospect, but he the potential to be a high-riser in the months before the 2012 MLB Draft if he can show more flashes of the ability scouts have seen in him. Elander has shown good bat speed with an ability to spray line drives all over the field, but he has been primarily a singles hitter thus far in his career. Scouts have seen the power potential in Elander, but maybe his swing is too short for him to display it in games. He does have pretty good plate discipline, but he strikes out too much, especially for a player who’s a singles hitter at this point. He is fast for a catcher, able to run a 6.78 in the 60 (4.5 in the 40), and he was a perfect 9 for 9 in stolen bases in 2011. If Elander can ever bring his power out, he’ll be a good offensive prospect. Right now, he’s a decent hitting prospect at best. Defensively, Elander has a very strong arm and he is smooth behind the plate. He has the makings of a good defensive catcher.  http://rayscoloredglasses.com/2011/12/21/taking-an-early-look-at-the-catchers-in-the-2012-mlb-draft-part-1

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