Draft 14 – Grant Holmes, Tyler Beede, Trea Turner, Michael Cederoth,,Ti’Quan Forbes

11-6-13 – Todd Gold – WWBA World Championship – Grant Holmes (2014 RHP, EvoShield Canes) - It doesn't come as a big surprise that Holmes registered the tournament's highest velocity, touching 97 mph with his fastball in the opening game for the champion EvoShield Canes. His velocity has frequently sat in the mid-90s in showcase settings, and low- to mid-90s in a starting role. Just as importantly, in Jupiter he showed the ability to command that heat well. While his command in the semifinal start against the loaded Mets Scout Team doesn't look impressive in the box score with three walks and 59-percent strikes, he was making a noticeable effort to hit the corners of the strike zone. After pounding the zone in the opener, Holmes stayed out of the middle of the plate effectively in the semifinals and his command was good for the majority of that critical game while sitting 91-95 on fairly short rest. That command is key for his draft stock, as his thick stocky build doesn't neatly fit the mold of a classic starting pitching prospect. But in Jupiter he proved that he can command his fastball well and incorporate his hammer curveball effectively over multiple innings while knowing how and when to work in the changeup. That combination puts him in position to become a top 50 pick. His effort in the semifinals gave his team a chance to win against one of the best lineups in the tournament, and he was rewarded with a championship ring. http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=9157


11-4-13 – MLB Draft Insider - Top 14 for ’14: College Pitchers - 7. Tyler Beede / RHP / Vanderbilt – Outside of Rodon, Beede might be the most famous collegiate pitcher in the class after not signing as a first-rounder in 2011; but middling command and some potential medical issues make him more of a mid-first round pick at this point. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2013/11/top-14-for-14-college-pitchers/


10-15-13 – Baseball America - 4. Trea Turner, ss, North Carolina State: Ankle issue hampered him in 2013, but he offers bat speed, athleticism and top-of-the-scale speed when healthy. http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2014-draft-top-50-october-2013-carlos-rodon/


11-6-13 –  PG -- The scouting world didn’t get their dose of flame-throwing San Diego State righty, Michael Cederoth this summer, and because of that, his fall outings are garnering more attention than they would typically get. Since Cederoth did not pitch on Cape Cod, for Team USA, or anywhere else for that matter, the most recent reports come from his sophomore season. The 6-foot-6 right-hander’s velocity exploits are well documented, as he is known to frequently pitch in the upper 90s with his fastball and touch as high as 100 mph.  Cederoth took the mound on Friday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium, where he was scheduled to throw four innings in San Diego State’s intrasquad game. But, if you looked at the large scouting contingent in attendance, you certainly wouldn’t know this was only a very controlled scrimmage among teammates.  The San Diego State ace did not bring out of his best velocity on Friday, and for most in attendance, the assessment was that this was probably somewhat intentional. We’ll keep an eye on it, but more than anything else Cederoth appeared to be striving for command and movement in favor of pure velocity. He worked consistently at 91-93 mph with his fastball, but throughout his four innings was able to reach for an easy 95 mph fastball whenever he wanted it. If he needed to sit around 95 mph, which we know he’s capable of, it appeared he could have done it quite easily.  More interesting, however, was the frequency of Cederoth’s breaking ball, and his variance of it. To the naked eye, Cederoth threw as many, or more, off-speed pitches as he did fastballs, and was mostly very effective with that approach. He mixed a 12-6 curveball at 76-78 mph that he even dropped down to 73 mph with late in his outing. But, his real put away pitch is his 81-85 mph slider. Although the bite on this pitch was a little inconsistent, when he got on top and not around it, it had the look of a plus or 60 offering on the 20-80 scale. http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=9172


9-11-13 - Sully’s 2014 Top 100 MLB HS Draft Prospects – 40.Ti’Quan Forbes – SS, Columbia (MS) HS http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/sullys-2014-top-100-mlb-hs-draft-prospects/