Draft 14 – Trae Turner, Luke Weaver, Carlos Rodon, Mark Zagunis

6-24-13   -  SS: Trea Turner, North Carolina State - A repeat member of this squad, Turner impressed me as much with his rare insightfulness as with his special baseball ability. Sure, he’s an electrifying player, with game-changing speed, a lightning-quick bat and the ability to dazzle on occasion at shortstop. But UCLA coach John Savage rightfully gushed about Turner’s analytical skills after Turner broke down Nick Vander Tuig’s performance against the Wolfpack. So Turner gets the nod over three other players who were a joy to watch this year, LSU’s Alex Bregman, Texas A&M’s Mikey Reynolds and Cal State Fullerton’s Richy Pedroza. LINK

6-10-13 - Luke Weaver, RHP, Florida State - The Florida State righthander has managed to remain somewhat under the radar, but he has the ability to climb draft boards over the next year.  His fasball sits low 90′s and touches 94.  His change is an above average pitch and his breaking ball shows promise.  Weaver’s also shows very good command. LINK

6-13-13  -  2. Houston Astros — Carlos Rodon, LHP, North Carolina State - Rodon has pretty much everything you want in an ace. At 6’-2” and 230 pounds, the southpaw definitely has the size to carry the workload and his legs look like tree trunks. He has a five-pitch arsenal that includes a mid-90s heater, a power slider, a lethal cutter, an above-average curveball and a change-up with nice fade. He commands all of them well and is comfortable throwing any of them in any situation. Over 16 starts so far this year, he has a 3.19 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 161 K/40 BB over 110 innings. Opponents are hitting just .190 against him. His junior season should be full of ridiculousness. The only knock I have heard on him is his size and if he will be able to maintain that kind of velocity for the long haul. He also tends to get into control issues at times. LINK

6-10-13 - Mark Zagunis, C, Virginia Tech - Zagunis is a good athlete with good tools across the board.  He has a line drive swing and shows a good eye at the plate.  Zagunis is versatile in the field, showing the ability to play behind the plate or in the outfield. LINK