5/21/12

Draft Notes 5-21-12 – Kenny Diekroeger, Jamodrick McGruder , Taylor Dugas, Walker Buehler


Texas Tech (29-26)  head coach, Dan Spencer, has been fired. 


Diekroeger turned down $2 million as a Rays second-round pick out of Menlo School (Atherton, Calif.) in 2009, and looked liked he'd cash in for more than that after three years at Stanford. He ranked as the top college prospect for 2012 entering his sophomore season. But after hitting .356/.391/.491 as a freshman, he has produced just .289/.353/.376 numbers the last two years after the NCAA toned down its bats. Diekroeger also hasn't demonstrated the range to play shortstop in the major leagues, putting more pressure on him to produce offensively. He fits best at second base because he doesn't have the power to profile at third base, and he could wind up as a utilityman because his versatility stands out more than any of his individual tools. He ranks 118th on BA's list of draft prospects and figures to go in the third to fifth round.


Jamodrick McGruder, 2B, Texas Tech - At 5’-7” and 170 pounds, McGruder is pound-for-pound one of the best players in the country. A slick defender with outstanding range and soft hands, he also excels at the plate. Through 50 games, he is hitting .374 with 52 runs, six doubles, eight triples, 23 RBI and is second in the nation in stolen bases with 37. His 45 walks also puts him among the leaders, as well as his .515 OBP. He had a recent 16-game stretch in which he went 30-for-68 (.441) with 20 runs, four doubles, five triples, 12 RBI and 10 stolen bases. Over his 147 career games, he is hitting .330 with 15 doubles, 15 triples, 10 home runs, 84 RBI, 88 stolen bases and a .473 OBP. High energy, confident player with the game to back it up.




The more I see of Taylor Dugas, the more I like him.  Dugas’ tools don’t stand out, but his approach to the game and competitiveness are exceptional. Dugas has a very good approach at the plate, with superior strike zone judgement.  He has a smooth line drive swing and more pop than you would expect given his size. Even with average arm strength, Dugas is a plus defender in the outfield.  He gets good jumps and takes good routes, which combined with above average speed, allow him to cover plenty of ground.




RHP Walker Buehler (Henry Clay HS, Kentucky): classic case of a plus pitchability arm who one day wakes up to big league quality stuff; his upper-80s FB (91-92 peak) has jumped to a steady 90-94, peaking 95-96; best off-speed pitch is an above-average 76-78 CB with plus upside, one of the best of its kind in the class – even more effective when he throws it a little harder (78-82); third pitch is a straight CU with tumble that at times is his best offering; hardly going out on a limb, but Buehler is one of my favorite prep arms in this year’s class: smarts, three big league pitches, and repeatable mechanics all add up to a potential quality big league starter; 6-1, 165 pounds


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