Gavin Williams
RHP 6-6 240 East Carolina
The Fayetteville, N.C., native and Cape Fear product is known for his flamethrowing fastball that has hit 100 mph in the past (most recently against Campbell in the 2019 Greenville Regional championship). But he didn't get to have the junior season he was hoping for, making just two relief appearances after suffering a preseason injury before the season was shut down in early March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Williams has appeared in 38 games over his ECU career with five starts. He was primarily used as a reliever, going 1-4 overall with a 3.57 ERA and one save. The junior was slated to be the Pirates' frontline ace as a junior, but he instead broke his finger in the preseason and only made two appearances out of the bullpen before COVID-19 ended the college baseball campaign prematurely.
2020 stat line - 2-appearances, 0-0, 0.00, 3-IP, 5-K
Mack observation - I love the 100 mph from this guy but I don’t know enough about him to determine where he would fit in here. Additionally, he just didn’t [otch enough in 2020.
I love relievers past the tenth round. I will consider him if he is still there then.
Alex Ulloa
SS Calvary Christian Academy (FL)
MLB -
Alex Ulloa, SS, Calvary Christian Academy (Fla.) -- A teammate of Andrew Painter, the top prep pitcher in the class, Ulloa got his own name on the radar by going 2-for-2 with a double and triple to go along with three RBIs and a stolen base after showing well during workouts prior to the game. He’s small, but there’s surprising power here with an aggressive approach at the plate. The Oklahoma State recruit is a sparkplug who showed good actions at shortstop.
Joe -@JoeDoyleMiLB
Alex Ulloa's bat is going to force him into Top 100 discussion come next July. Probably a second baseman at the next level. The bat speed is easy with quick hands. A little Luis Urias in the profile
Mack observation - It is Ulloa’s bat that will determine his value in this draft.
Still, I need to see another year of him to make a determination.
Boy, I hate 2020.
Marcelo Mayer
SS Eastlake HS (CA)
10-9-2020 - Carlos Collazo - @CarlosACollazo
A lot of action for Marcelo Mayer at SS in the first. One error clanked off his glove on a fairly routine backhand, but he also made a slick diving stop up the middle and a routine play on a slow-roller on a broken bat ground ball. He glides around the field.
MLB -
Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS (Calif.) – No. 3 on the Top 15, Mayer is the 1A to Lawlar among high school shortstops. He has as good an approach at the plate as any high schooler in the class with elite bat-to-ball skills. He can really play shortstop, with instincts and aptitude better than raw tools, kind of like Brandon Crawford.
Tyler Jennings - @TylerJennings24
Finally got to see Marcelo Mayer this morning. While he did strike out twice, he sent this ball to deep LCF gap where it was tracked down by the CF. Very loud off the bat, strong and smooth stroke. Very smooth in the field as well at SS
Ian Smith - @FlaSmitty
First live look at 2021 SS Marcelo Mayer (CA) this morning. Body is impressive. Smooth actions in the field with an AA arm. Easy LH swing that creates natural loft and easy juice
7) Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS (CA)
In a draft class littered with talented high school shortstops, Mayer’s physical frame and well-rounded game help him stand out. Offensively, he has a clean, pretty swing that generates easy bat speed. He has explosive hands that help him generate that bat speed without having elite hip/torso separation. His ability to rotate and pull balls with authority gives him intriguing in-game power potential, especially when considering he could still develop into more of a physical specimen given how much weight his frame can still add. Mayer also has good bat to ball skills and commands the strike zone well enough to have an above average hit tool. A potential Mayer slash line may look like .265/.360/.440 with 15 bombs. Much of Mayer’s value also stems from his defense at shortstop. He is a lock to stick at the position with good lateral quickness and baseball instincts that give him good range. His actions and arm strength/accuracy/utility are above average as well. The knock on Mayer right now is that he has been absent from a lot of the high-profile showcase events, and as a result he hasn’t been seen too much against the best high school talent around. That will chance soon, as Mayer will be participating in the Perfect Game All-American Game in Oklahoma City next month. In sum, Mayer has 5-tool potential, and his athleticism and the amount of physical projection left make him a candidate for a top-10 selection. Mayer is committed to USC.
Marcelo Mayer – SS: All-around strong athlete with one of the better approaches at the plate to go with an Above-Average (55) Hit Tool. Showing a smooth, consistent swing from the left side. However, the bat path is rather flat but has been showing more loft as of late and projects for League-Average (50) Power at his peak, with the potential for more as he tinkers with his bat path as he enters pro ball to tap into that power more consistently. As good as he is in the box, he shows equally as strong defensively at a premium position as a 55 Defender with a (60) Arm that’s capable of making most any throw on the infield.
19. Marcelo Mayer, 2B/OF, Eastlake High School (California)
Much like former Eastlake High School player Keoni Cavaco, Marcelo Mayer seems to be emerging out of nowhere to be a lock for the first round. He had a great summer in 2019 with Team USA. There is plus bat and power potential here. I think he ends up in the outfield eventually, but he plays a good second base right now.
Mack observation -
Mayer is one of the top high school shortstops in this draft.
Everything I see from him is the same projection and results from Amed Rosario. Plus, remember we also have Andres Gimenez and Ronny Mauricio in the pipeline.
Shortstop is the one position I would avoid in this draft regardless of how talented Mayer is. There are bigger fish (RHPs) in the sea.
Hunter Dobbins
RHP 6-2 185 Texas Tech
Medium -
Hunter Dobbins — Texas Tech
Hunter Dobbins made a big impact for the Red Raiders as a sophomore, starting 3 games with 6 appearances total. He produced a 1.53 FIP with a wOBA allowed of 0.248, right at league average, but some of that may have been inflated by bad batted ball luck given his BABIP of 0.347, much higher than conference average.
The best part of his profile is his K/9 of 11.25 and BB/9 of 2.25, both of which are better than average. For a sophomore throwing his first college innings, those are really great numbers that give Dobbins a strong foundation to build on for the future.
2020 stat line - 6-games, 3-starts, 2-0, 1.35, 1.10, 20-IP, 25-K
Mack observation -
I beg for a normal 2021 so I can get a better look-see at guys like Dobbins. He looks like a duck but I need another year to see him walk like one more.
James Wood
OF 6-6 230 IMG Academy
11-9-20 - Ian Smith Mock 1.0
11. Washington Nationals
The Pick- OF James Wood • IMG Academy (FL )
6’7” • 230lb
This pick could come as a surprise to some but James Wood is currently the most complete prep outfielder in the 2021 class. He gives you a hulking 6-foot-7 frame with high level athleticism and a frame that seems as though it will age well. Above average actions in the field with plus arm strength but his value is truly coming from his bat that has stood out among his peers this summer. Massive raw power as you’d expect, but it comes out a very compact left-handed swing that shows a natural feel for the barrel. Impressive approach for his size, and could eventually be a 60 hit, 70 power type of player if everything clicks. In a Nationals system that’s starving for high upside bats, Wood brings you so much to dream on.
15) James Wood, OF, IMG Academy (FL)
Wood is one of the biggest risers of this year’s prep class, simply because it feels like he has put the barrel on literally every pitch thrown to him this summer. The first thing that jumps out about Wood is the body. He is every bit of 6’6, and the physical transformation that he has undergone since last summer is noticeable. He looks lean and absolutely ripped, and it still looks like he could put some more muscle on his projectable frame. Wood’s impressive strength plays in a big way at the plate. He has legit 70-grade raw power potential, and he has present in-game power, as well. He generates phenomenal bat speed and rotation with a loose, athletic swing with the ability to lift the ball because of his natural upward swing plane. Wood’s in-game power has emerged in a big way this summer on the showcase circuit, where he has been hitting a ton of long home runs. What has really impressed me about Wood is even with his crazy power, he has shown the ability to hit the ball hard no matter where it is pitched. He has shown flashes of unbelievable bat control, swatting balls way out of the zone over the fence. His offensive potential is truly special, and he could be a guy that hits 30 homers a year. Defensively Wood may end up at first base. He has a 60-grade arm in the outfield, but he doesn’t have great first-step quickness that would allow him to get great jumps on the ball. Wood runs well once underway, but as he fills out his body more he will slow down. While the defense is a big question about his future outlook, his prodigious offensive potential makes him one of my favorite hitters in this year’s class. Wood is committed to Mississippi State.
James Wood – OF: Not often you see a player 6’6 230lbs with Plus (60) Speed, Plus-Plus (70) Raw Power with a chance to tap into all of it, Defensively, showing an ability to play CF, however likely sliding in as a Plus defender in RF as he reaches Pro ball. The offensive ceiling is as high as any in the class when you have that strong hitability in such a powerful Left Handed hitter. Shows strong mechanics and the ability to stay short with those long arms. Not something you see often from a young hitter this size. You can’t help but think of a Left-Handed Aaron Judge here.
James Wood, OF, IMG Academy
Wood has emerged as one of the top prep prospects in the country on the back of a mammoth 2020 summer, during which he showcased his monster tools and growing hitting ability. A projectable 6’6”, Wood moves like a smaller man, making it unsurprising that he has a strong basketball background. As you might expect, his raw power is among the best in the class, rating in plus-plus territory. With that said, Wood isn’t a pure slugger and is has handled the highest level of prep pitching with aplomb. Wood’s swing is bigger than average, but that’s more a product of his long levers than anything. His cut is almost effortless, with a quick trigger, and many evaluators are optimistic about his chances to hit for average and power.
In addition to the tantalizing offensive upside, Wood gets strong reviews in center field. His arm strength is every bit as big as you’d expect, and he’s shockingly fast for his size with a 6.7 second 60 yard dash time. All in all, the profile shares quite a bit with 2020 top-10 selection Riley Greene’s, with Wood trading a bit of hit for a bit of power.
The range of outcomes here is wide, but those at the right tail are simply too big to ignore, and should keep Wood’s stock in the top-20 selections at a minimum, if not the top-10.
James Wood: Wood entered the All American Classic as one of the top power bats in the 2021 prep class. The IMG product has a very simple and easy swing, allowing for his 6’6’’ frame to utilize the easy power he gets without being as feast or famine of a power bat. At 230lbs, many believe that he will end up shifting over to his secondary position, first base in order to put on some more weight and further bolster the power numbers. This has been accentuated by the fact that Wood’s lower half on his throws from the outfield is not outstanding, and he has a lot of work to do on his transition and release. On the flip side, Wood gets very good jumps in the outfield, and moves very well for someone of his size- he could easily project into a corner outfield spot.
At the All American Classic, Wood participated in the home run derby, reaching the final rounds on Classic day. During the game itself, Wood had a pretty forgettable day, striking out on three pitches to Ryan Ginther after working a walk in his first at bat against Christian Little. Wood projects out very well due to the clean, crisp swing and ability to move in the field.
Mack observation -
I love 6-6 baseball players, but I would rather them be pitchers.
Wood has tremendous power potential which makes him a viable consideration in the second round. Not the first. The season.
2 comments:
I like Wood and Gavin Williams here. 100 MPH won’t make it to round 10, IMO.
Williams is a helium alert.
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