Draft Notes 5-16-12 – Albert Almora, Duane Underwood, Nick Travieso, Lance McCullers Jr.

Doc Silvey – http://www.prospectnation.com/blog/?p=1710

Albert Almora, Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.), OF, Senior - Almora had a phenomenal regular season, hitting .603 with six homers, 34 RBIs, 42 runs scored and 27 stolen bases. But a shocking loss to Hialeah-Miami Lakes (Hialeah, Fla.) in the Class 8A district playoffs ended the season of Mater Academy, which failed to qualify for the regional tournament. Meanwhile, the rest of The Starting Nine was still in postseason play through Sunday.

John Manuel - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/2012/05/what-to-do-with-duane-underwood/

And then there's Duane Underwood. The athletic 6-foot-2, 185-pound righthander at Marietta's Pope High has had an up-and-down spring, mostly on the down side. A late uptick produced buzz that Underwood could put himself back into first-round consideration, as he reportedly hit 96-97 mph as Pope High approached the playoffs.

MLB Draft 2012 – http://mlbdraftcountdown.wordpress.com/category/mlb-draft-2012/

Nick Travieso is one of just a handful of pitchers who have consistently been clocked in the mid-to-high 90s, and that’s a primary reason that he has so much helium headed into the final month before the draft.

ESPN HS -

Lance McCullers Jr., RHP, Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.) - McCullers’ domination – he didn’t allow an earned run during the regular season -- has continued during the postseason as he went all seven, fanning 13 and allowing just four hits. Amazingly, those were the most hits he’s allowed in a start all season. As one scout in attendance opined, “We got to see him really focus, and bow his neck today, and the results speak for themselves.”

North Carolina sophomore pitcher, Shane Taylor, named ACC Pitcher of the Week.

LSU Kevin Gausman named SEC Pitcher of the Week.

Mack –

“How’s the recovery process. Are you 100%?”

Alex Bregman -

One hundred percent. Really excited to move forward with my baseball career.

2012 Draft: - SCAD, Michael Fagan, Albert Almora, Marcus Stroman

The Savannah College of Art and Design announced Monday that it is discontinuing baseball, softball and volleyball programs at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year. SCAD vice president for student success Phil Alletto said the money saved will make financial aid available to a greater number of incoming students. Affected student-athletes will keep their scholarships while they remain in good academic standing continue to progress toward graduation. http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2012-01-23/scad-discontinuing-baseball-softball-and-volleyball

Michael Fagan  LHP  St. Cloud River Bats—Princeton -  Michael was one of the top relievers in the league. He went 3-2 and had a 1.95 era in 50.2 innings of work. He appeared in 19 games and led the league with 81 strikeouts. PG ranked him as the 28th best prospect in the league. http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2012/01/top-35-pitchers-in-northwoods-league_20.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter  

Albert Almora — 6’-2”, OF, Marion Christian Academy (FL) Aside from his five-tool abilities, Almora has leadership qualities not seen in many players his age. Those qualities were on full display during this year’s Pan-Am Championship games in Colombia. The six-time member of Team USA won MVP honors as the under-18 team brought home the gold by annihilating the competition. Almora hit .421 (16 for 38) with a team leading 11 runs, five doubles, 11 RBI and nine stolen bases as Team USA went 9-0, outscoring opponents 88-8. He has a plus arm and his speed should allow him to play center field at the next level. A total package of offense, defense, speed and an extremely high understanding and passion for the game, Almora should hear his name called in the upper half of next year’s draft. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-25-thru-1/15694/

We continue the countdown today at number 6 with Duke junior RHP Marcus Stroman. The Medford, New York native attended Patchogue-Medford High School where he was a four year letter winner. He went 9-1 as a senior with a 0.25 ERA and 120 strikeouts while hitting .350 with six homers and 22 stolen bases. His junior season saw him go 7-2 on the mound with a 1.20 ERA and 96 strikeouts while batting .410 with a pair of homers and 30 steals. He was named Louisville Slugger’s Player of the Year and earning the Gatorade Player of the Year honors for the state of New York. He also won the Paul Gibson Award, which goes to the top pitcher on Long Island. He was selected in the 18th round (532nd overall) of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals but decided to head to Duke. As a freshman, he hit .265 with 44 hits, 26 runs scored and 20 RBI while going 6-4 on the mound with three saves and an ERA of 5.31 ERA over 57.2 innings. He was named ACC Freshman of the Year and a second team Freshman All-American by Baseball America. http://ht.ly/1gV4Z8

Draft 2012 – Travis Jankowski, Brian Johnson, Rio Ruiz, Albert Almora, Kevin Gausman.

Travis Jankowski — 6’-3”, OF, Stony Brook Jankowski is the prototypical leadoff hitter. He hit .355 with three home runs, 38 RBI and 30 stolen bases last season. He also showed a great approach at the plate by taking 20 walks while only striking out 22 times over 54 games. The left-handed hitter is just as aggressive at the plate as he is on the base paths and will be an immediate fan favorite because of his hustle. Has great instincts in the outfield, and with his speed and strong arm, will be able to stay in center field. Hit .329 over 44 games at the Cape Cod League, ranking among the stolen base leaders with 15. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-50-thru-26/15621/

Brian Johnson / LHP / Florida – Hey a left-handed pitcher, how about that. Johnson has four pitches with a plus slider and low 90′s fastball with sink, and gets high marks for his poise and work ethic. He’s also the best hitting pitcher in baseball, maybe the best hitting college pitcher since Darren Dreifort. There’s not as much upside as most of the starters here, but a solid third-starter from the left side will be coveted come next June. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2011/12/top-twelve-college-pitchers/

He's from SoCal. He hits left-handed. It's not a real shock Rio Ruiz gets Eric Chavez comps. Ruiz has the tools to be an every-day Major League third baseman. He has a terrific left-handed swing, a short stroke with good bat speed. He makes consistent hard contact and there's more than enough loft and leverage for him to have good power at the next level. He's a solid, instinctive defender at third, with good lateral movement and a strong arm. Ruiz doesn't run well, but given his other skills, that doesn't matter so much. He doesn't need to run if he's going to develop into a run-producing third baseman as a professional. That potential should put him in many beginning of the Draft conversations.http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/

Albert Almora, OF, Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.)  - Almora brings plenty of upside to the table, including plus speed and a plus throwing arm. He’s committed to Miami, but his strong, quick wrists and a consistent swing may be too much to pass up on draft day. He runs good routes in the outfield and may be able to handle center in the big leagues. Almora was named tournament MVP after leading the USA Baseball 18U National Team to a gold medal this fall in the COPABE 18U/AAA Pan American Championships. http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/940/mccullers-jr-is-top-florida-diamond-star

We continue the countdown today at number 27 with LSU sophomore RHP Kevin Gausman. The Centennial, Colorado native attended Grandview High School where he was a two-time All-State selection. As a senior, he went  9-2 with a 3.12 ERA while recording 88 strikeouts and 14 walks. His junior season saw him go 7-2 with a 2.15 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched. As a freshman at LSU in 2011, he went  5-6 and a 3.51 ERA in 89.2 innings with 23 walks and 86 strikeouts in 14 starts. He improved as the season went on going 3-1 record with a 1.17 ERA in his final four starts, recording five walks and 32 strikeouts in 30.2 innings. http://ht.ly/1gsYLU 

Draft 2012: - Justin Garza, Matt Duffy, Albert Almora, Zach Green, Alex Stanford

10-28-11: - http://orioles-nation.com/2011/10/26/wwba-2012-highlights - Justin Garza (Ontario CA; Bonita HS) – Small little fire cracker arm.  I hate throwing out comparisons, but really see a good deal of Zach Davies in him.  He is 5’10” and roughly 150 pounds but sits 89-91 mph and will touch 92 mph.  He is a fastball and change up pitcher at this stage with limited effort out of the delivery.  He showed a curve with some decent depth, but needs to gain some consistency down the line with the pitch.  Live arm that will make some noise out of the smaller frame.

11-2-11: - http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2011/11/top-35-position-players-in-cape-cod.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitte r - Top 35 Position Players in the Cape Cod League 5.   Matt Duffy   SS/2B   Orleans Firebirds---Long Beach State   Matt (6-/175) placed third in the league with a .346 batting average. He was the best SS in the league this summer. He scored 16 runs, drove in 16 and stole 7 bases this summer. Perfect Game ranked him as the 80th best prospect in the league.

11-4-11: - http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-2012-free-agent-and-draft-pick-possibilities/13157/#  -  OF Albert Almora, 6’-2″, 180 lbs, Marion Christian Academy (FL) — Almora is a five-tool player who some feel can shoot up draft boards the way Manny Machado did when the draft nears. He is a six-time member of Team USA and has Derek Jeter- like leadership abilities about him. Projects to a high-average hitter with 20+ stolen base potential and a solid defensive outfielder. Could also develop some serious power when his body fills out.

11-5-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1  - Player:  Zach Green - Scouting Report: Shortstop Zach Green has been a star on the summer circuit for 2 years.  Green has quick hands and good bat speed.  He has a short stroke and should hit some home runs in the future.  His recorded 60 time is 6.94. Green is solid at short, though some view him as a future third baseman.  He has smooth infield actions and soft hands.

11-8-11: - http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2011/11/top-25-position-players-in-west-coast.html  - Top 25 Position Players In the West Coast League   3.   Alex Stanford   2B   Walla Walla Sweets---Gonzaga   Alex (5-11/185) was named the WCL MVP for his performance this summer. He hit .340 and broke the record for hits in a season with 66. He scored 25 runs, drove in 11 and hit 12 doubles. He is pretty quick (15 stolen bases) and he walked 9 times this summer. Alex went 1 for 3, with a triple and rbi in the All-Star Game. During the Sweets playoff run, he went 8/18, with 4 runs scored and 1 rbi. He was ranked as the 32nd best prospect in the league by Perfect Game.

Draft 2012: - Chaz Frank, CJ Hinajosa, Albert Almora, Carlos Correa, Taylor Gushue

7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments  - Chaz Frank, UNC-Chapel Hill, 5’10 165 L/L, strong throwing arm and plus hitter with occ power the other way or pull to foul line, can run once underway, will go as far as bat takes him. 13-20 round type guy.

8-15-11: - http://www.draftsite.com/article/High-School-Names-to-Know/94  - CJ Hinajosa –SS HT -5’11 WT- 180 Klein Collins (TX) -Hinajosa doesn’t get a lot of pub but this summer he has squared the ball up at every showcase he has gone to. He has shown off a solid all-around package of tools and athleticism. He probably moves off of shortstop, maybe over to second but he is an interesting name to follow.

8-24-11: - diamondscapescouting.  - Defensively, Albert Almora stood out among the high school outfielders, showing consistently impressive reads off of the bat. He has the foot speed to close on balls and utilizes his athleticism and body control to consistently finish, be it to the gaps, over his head or charging in. Addy Russell has a strong arm and soft hands, displaying both on a backhand stab on a one-hop linedrive to the third base line. An excellent athlete with a chance to play up the middle, he showed off his athleticism before game two of the series, performing standing backflips along the right field line during stretches

8-23-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/08/23/carlos-correa-2012-draft-profile  - Carlos Correa was one of the players who really jumped out at me at the All-American Classic. After researching him some more, he may be one of my favorite prospects for the 2012 draft. Correa is most known for his defense. He is smooth and steady in the field. Correa moves well and has a strong accurate arm. Should he outgrow the shortstop position, Correa would make a premium defensive third baseman. Correa’s offense also shows great potential. He hits from a spread stance and makes solid contact. His hands are quick and he has good bat speed. There is some power in his swing and there is room for more as Correa matures. He ran a 6.79-60 over the summer. A likely first round pick in 2012, Correa is a player with plenty of potential and the work ethic to turn that potential into reality.

7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments  - Taylor Gushue, Calvary Christian, Boca Raton FL, 6’2 190, S/R, showed a better approach to hitting this year shortening his stroke, 1.95 on pop times to 2b, know how as a receiver, has power from left side of plate, definite follow, would be a 13-20 round type for me.

Albert Almora, Ryne Stanek, Austin Voth, C J Hinojosa, Andrew Heaney

Albert Almora:


7-21-11: - http://www.mockdraftmania.com/  - 21. Pittsburgh Pirates Albert Almora OF Mater Christian High School Florida Albert Almora is a power hitter who can provide some pop. Almora would likely play right field for the Pirates. If the Pirates want to continue to build through the draft then they should draft Albert Almora. He’s the best player available and fills a major hole for the Pittsburgh Pirates because they need a bat who can compliment McCutchen at right field. Almora has 5 tool potential and can jump into right field. Alex Dickerson of Indiana could play left field or center field if Andrew McCutchen opts out of his contract in 2012.


Ryne Stanek:


7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments  – Ryne Stanek, Arkansas, 6’4 190, draft eligible like Gausmann, Stanek was an early rounder in 2010 by the Mariners, he has a 94 mph fb with late tailing action up vs RHH, also hard breaking ball that lacks only command/consistency. Potential to be top 25 guy in first round. Team USA performer this summer.


Austin Voth:


8-2-11: - http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2011/08/02/cape-cod-baseball-league-all-star-pitchers-trevor-gott-carter-capps-bobby-wahl-ryan-eades-austin-voth/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CollegeBaseballDaily+%28College+Baseball+Daily%29&utm_content=Twitter  - Austin Voth (Washington)- He struggled mightily in his freshman season with the Huskies but did make a team high 13 starts (14 appearances) while going 2-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 69.1 innings. His biggest trouble was his batting average against which was at .296. Voth has worked out of the bullpen for the Brewster Whitecaps this summer, appearing in 14 games with an ERA of 1.98 while striking out 30 batters. He worked a perfect inning during the 2011 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game striking out a batter.


C.J. Hinojosa:


8-4-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/AllAmerican/News.aspx?num=6098  - One of those top prospects is C.J. Hinojosa, a highly ranked (No. 13 nationally) infielder who attends Klein Collins High School in Spring, Texas. Hinojosa eagerly anticipates playing in the game alongside the very best of his peers, but he also is looking forward to enjoying every aspect of an event that welcomes the players in on Aug. 11 and concludes on Aug. 14. Hinojosa, who is on the West Team roster, is particularly interested in the happenings of Friday, Aug. 12. The day starts with a team breakfast, rolls into a practice session and scrimmage at the University of San Diego, followed by a break for lunch


Andrew Heaney:


7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments  - Andrew Heaney, Oklahoma St, 6’2 1/2 170, string bean with cross over delivery and fb up to 93, most are 91 with middle out life and sink and hard slider that lacks only consistent command to be plus out pitch. Potential first rounder for sure in 2012.

Anthony Gomez, Victor Roach, Kevin Gausman, Branden Kline, Albert Almora

Anthony Gomez:


6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/5   - SS Anthony Gomez fought off Jason Esposito and clinched his spot as the team’s starting shortstop for next year with a very strong season at the plate. He finished fifth on the squad with a .343 average and fourth with 45 RBI. He doesn’t have much power in his bat (two career HR), and he rarely walks (eight BB in 62 games), but he also doesn’t strikeout too often, racking up only 13 K's all season. On defense, Gomez struggled, committing 19 errors, despite the fact that he was throwing to one of the best defensive first baseman in the SEC. Even so, with his strong arm and good range, he should be one of the first college shortstops off the board.


Victor Roache:


7-21-11: - http://www.draftsite.com/article/College-Names-To-Know/92  - Strengths – Power, power, and more power. He is tremendously strong. He has shown the ability to make adjustments at the plate. He went from seven home runs his freshman year to 30 his sophomore year. Roache has shown he can handle wood bats; he leads or is near the lead in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in at the Cape Cod League. He has outstanding bat speed and extremely quick hands. He shows very good patience at the plate. He is a decent fielder.


Kevin Gausman:


7-21-11: - http://www.mockdraftmania.com/  - 11. Florida Marlins Kevin Gausman P LSU Gausman led the team innings pitched for LSU last season. Kevin Gausman managed to pitch 89.2 innings for the LSU Tigers in 15 starts. With an improvement of his mechanics and change up pitch Kevin Gausman has the tools to be a top 10 pick now.


Branden Kline:


7-21-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/07/21/branden-kline-2012-draft-profile  - Branden Kline was one of the top college closers in 2011 and is set to serve as Virginia’s Friday night starter in 2012. A long armed righthander, Kline has the command and stuff to be an elite level starter. He uses an overhand arm slot and has a good downward angle on his fastball. Kline’s fastball sits in the low to mid 90′s. A plus slider is his top secondary pitch. Kline’s curve and change are aslo quality pitches.


Albert Almora:


7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments  - Albert Almora, Mater Academy, Hialeah FL, 6’1 1/2 175, R/R, smooth hitting OF with ave speed, quick bat with deceptive strength and power to LF alley, squares up ball well, runs well once underway, has arm strength and good instincts in CF.

Kenny Diekroeger , Kyle Martin, Albert Almora, Kyle Hansen, Evan Marzilli

Kenny Diekroeger:


7-8-11: - http://diamondprospects.blogspot.com/  - One of the top high school prospects in the 2009 draft Kenny Diekroeger stands out for his elite athleticism. He has plus speed and range at shortstop and has improved greatly at the position since his high school days. He should be able to remain there in the future as his slightly above-average arm is helped greatly by his superb athletic ability. Diekroeger has quick hands that allow him to have great bat speed. He projects to hit for solid power along with plus average. However he struggled at the plate this year for Stanford, which could partially be due to the new bats. If Diekroeger can return to his freshman year form at the plate and continue his excellent work in the field, he could be selected within the Top 5 picks in the 2012 draft. If his struggles remain, though, his stock could drop to the back end of the 1st round.



Kyle Martin:


6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/7  - RHP Kyle Martin was one of the Aggies’ most effective relievers this season, helping to fill the huge hole left by John Stilson who moved into the rotation. Martin finished with a 3.60 ERA in 30 appearances and notched 37 strikeouts in 40 innings. He also picked up one save and served up only one home run the entire season. Martin was a 39th-round pick of the Washington Nationals back in 2009.


Albert Almora:


7-5-11: - http://diamondscapescouting.com/articles_2011_summercircuit_prospectclassic_07042011.html  - Defensively, Albert Almora stood out among the high school outfielders, showing consistently impressive reads off of the bat. He has the foot speed to close on balls and utilizes his athleticism and body control to consistently finish, be it to the gaps, over his head or charging in. Addy Russell has a strong arm and soft hands, displaying both on a backhand stab on a one-hop linedrive to the third base line. An excellent athlete with a chance to play up the middle, he showed off his athleticism before game two of the series, performing standing backflips along the right field line during stretches


Kyle Hansen:


7-5-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/07/05/kyle-hansen-2012-draft-profile  - Kyle Hansen, brother of 2005 first rounder Craig Hansen, is a tall, thin righthander from St. John’s. He shows flashes of dominance that could land him near the top of draft boards. Hansen throws his fastball from 89-92 and could add velocity as he fills out. His fastball has good sink. He throws a slider, at 79-80, that shows plus potential. Hansen also throws a change, at 81-82, and an occasional cutter. Hansen uses a 3/4 arm slot and sometimes has trouble with his command.


Evan Marzilli:


6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/9  - OF Evan Marzilli exploded onto the scene as a freshman, hitting .385 in 91 at-bats. He came on strong as the season progressed and was named to the CWS All-Tournament Team after hitting .370 with seven runs scored in Omaha. And he was the Gamecock’s best hitter throughout the NCAA tournament, hitting .417. And in USC’s two-game sweep of UCLA, Marzilli went 4-for-9 with an RBI. Marzilli just about defines the term “spark-plug.” He was a central piece of USC’s SEC co-championship squad in 2011, hitting .299 with 12 doubles, two triples and 36 runs.

Hudson Randall, Albert Almora, Steve Bruno, DJ Baxendale, Lance McCullers

Hudson Randall:


6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/3  - Last but not least is this year’s ace, RHP Hudson Randall. Randall was an all-everybody freshman last year, winning eight games and posting a 3.24 ERA. This year he stepped it up a notch, winning 10 games and posting a minuscule 2.29 ERA. He is not, and never will be, a big strikeout guy (only 62 K in 110 IP), but he’s also got great control (12 BB). He’s also durable as a horse, as he proved consistently this season. Pitching on Friday nights in the SEC takes a certain kind of pitcher, and Randall proved himself worthy this year.



Albert Almora:


6-21-11: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/high-school/2011/06/fulmer-shows-big-arm-at-tos-day-one  - Albert Almora, an outfielder from Mater Academy in Hialeah, Fla., had a loose, easy swing in batting practice and went 2-for-4 with two walks and four runs in the first game of the day. He shows easy power and an ability to go the other way, but was bailing with his front foot during the game.


Steve Bruno:


6-23-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/  - Virginia SO SS Stephen Bruno
.240/.269/.320 – 0 BB/7 K – 0/1 SB – 25 AB - I wrote about Bruno a bit back in the day… FR SS Stephen Bruno (2012) was one of the rarest of the rare coming out of high school – a prep player actually expected to stay at shortstop as a pro. We always hear about how pretty much every worthwhile big leaguer was the star shortstop/pitcher of his high school team, but it never registered how often these players were forced to move off the position after signing that first pro deal. I mean, Jim Thome was a shortstop in high school* because, let’s be honest, that’s just where you put the best athlete at that level. I remember watching Billy Rowell play shortstop in high school. He positioned himself about 3 steps out on the outfield grass, basically admitting to all in attendance he had no range and instead relying exclusively on his rocket arm to gun people down at first. Rowell wasn’t a pro prospect as a shortstop, but he played shortstop on his high school team because, quite simply, if he didn’t, then who would? Bruno was a top ten round talent in 2009 who fell to the Yankees in the 26th round due to a very strong commitment to Virginia. He’ll stick at shortstop throughout his career due to his plus range, slightly above-average speed, and Speedy Gonzalez quick hands. He has flashed present power, launching a couple of 450 bombs his senior year of school, but lacks the overall strength to do it on a consistent basis. That last point may not seem like a huge deal for a middle infield prospect, but it does speak to the general concerns about Bruno’s future. Some players are projects based on the development of their tools, an area that Bruno grades out fairly well across the board (in addition to the aforementioned defensive skills, he has a 55 arm), but other players are projects based on their physical development. That’s where Bruno is at right now. He has worked his tail off to improve in each of the five tools (most notably speed and arm strength), but it’ll be the way is body fills out (keeping in mind he is 5-9, 165) that will make him into either a first round caliber guy or not. It really is a shame that an injured hamstring has held back Bruno in 2011 because, when healthy, he can really, really play. He should get his chance next season, though it remains to be seen if he’ll get the opportunity to unseat the incumbent Chris Taylor or have to put his strong arm and good athleticism to use elsewhere on the diamond. As good as Taylor has been at short for the Cavaliers, I think Bruno’s defensive upside is even higher.


DJ Baxendale:


6-25-11: - http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2011/06/25/usa-baseball-sweeps-doubleheader-on-Friday  - DJ Baxendale (Arkansas) started and worked five innings for Team USA. His lone blemish on the night was an 0-1 pitch to David Perkins in the fifth that the left fielder connected on for a two-run home run over the left field fence. It sent Mystic to a 2-0 lead. Baxendale struck out six and issued just one walk – immediately before Perkins’ home run – but did not figure in the decision.


Lance McCullers:


6-25-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/06/23/lance-mccullers-jr-2012-draft-profile  - Lance McCullers Jr. has been on the prospect map for a long time and is in line to be one of the first players selected in the 2012 draft. He is ranked numer 1 in Perfect Game’s Top 200 Draft Prospects for 2012. McCullers, whose father pitched in the Majors for 7 seasons, is a two way prospect, but his future is clearly on the mound. McCullers has great stuff and good command. His fastball sits 94-97 with some reports as high as 99. He also throws a power curve and a quality change. All three project as plus pitches. He has a fast, loose arm and uses a 3/4 arm slot. McCullers has the stuff and the competitive drive to excel at the next level.