Draft Notes – Austin Maddox, Ryan Young, College Writers Poll,

Florida RP Austin Maddox is “dealing with” tendonitis…  he’s listed as ‘probably’ for this upcoming SEC battle, but it’s simply too early to tell right now. Also, things like this are the last thing a relief pitcher needs before draft  day

Coastal Carolina ace, Ryan Young, is out for the ‘rest of the season’ (a week?) for an undisclosed injury suffered over the weekend.

http://collegebaseball360.com/2012/04/30/ncbwa-college-baseball-poll-april-30/ -

1 Florida State ACC 36-7 1

 2 Baylor Big 12 38-8 5

 3 South Carolina SEC 33-11 4

 4 LSU SEC 35-10 6

 5 Florida SEC 33-12 2

 6 Stanford Pacific-12 28-11 7

 7 Kentucky SEC 36-9 3

 8 Rice Conference USA 30-12 9

 9 Texas A&M Big 12 31-13 10

 10 North Carolina ACC 30-13 11

Draft 2012 – Jake Cosart, Keon Barnum, Kevin Plawecki, Austin Maddox, Lewis Brinson

Jake Cosart — 6’-1”, RHP, Clear Creek HS (TX)  When you can throw 99 mph, you are going to get some attention. At 6’-1” and 165 lbs, the power Cosart generates from his arm is scary. At the 2011 Perfect Game National Showcase, he hit 99 mph on the radar gun, easily the fastest time at the event. It must run in the family bloodline — his brother Jarred Cosart, a top prospect for the Astros, hit 102 mph at the 2008 Perfect Game World Showcase. Jake shows signs of a future devastating curve but is still inconsistent with his command. A strong senior season, and added weight, could see him sky rocket when the draft comes around. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-50-thru-26/15621/

Keon Barnum, 1B, King (Tampa, Fla.)  - Barnum has plus raw power and a major-league frame at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. He's a decent athlete but profiles best at first base, which will limit his value come draft day. But a better year hitting to all fields and making contact could put him into the top 30. Barnum, a Miami recruit, batted .491 last year with six homers and 27 RBIs. 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 23 with Purdue junior catch Kevin Plawecki. The Carmel, Indiana native attended Westfield High School where he was a four year letter winner. He was a two-time All-Indy North, All-Hoosiers Crossroads and All-Hamilton County selection while leading his team to the State semifinals as a senior. As a freshman in 2010, he made 54 appearances (52 starts) while hitting .343 with eight homers and a team high 53 RBI. He was excellent behind the plate throwing out 16 baserunners out of 46 attempts. He picked up several honors including being named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA Freshman All-American, and Big Ten All-Freshman Team member. http://ht.ly/1gyc28  

We continue the countdown today at number 22 with Florida junior RHP/infielder Austin Maddox. The Jacksonville Florida native attended Eagle’s View Academy where in his four-year high school career, Maddox led the Warriors to a 19-2 playoff record, a pair of state championships and four final fours. He was picked  by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 37th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft with the 1,129th pick but decided to head to Gainesville to play for the Gators. As a freshman, he started 63 games playing four different positions at third base (29), designated hitter (19), first base (14) and catcher (1). He ended up finishing second on the team with a .333 batting average while leading the team  in homers at 17 and RBI with 72. Maddox picked up several honors including being named SEC’s Freshman of the Year, third-team All-American by the NCBWA, Freshman All-America teams by Baseball America, Lou­isville Slugger, NCBWA, second-team All-SEC recognition, and was named to the league’s All-Freshman Team. http://ht.ly/1gAsQf

Lewis Brinson has the tools that scouts look for and the skills to put those tools to use on the field.  In a deep outfield class, he is among those at the top. Brinson has above average bat speed and good power.  He has room to fill out and should add more power as he matures.  Brinson shows good speed with recorded 60 times from 6.51-6.60. Brinson projects as a centerfielder at the next level.  He has plenty of range and a plus arm. On draft day, Brinson is a likely first round selection.  If he slips, he won’t slip far. http://mlbdraftguide.com/

Draft 2012: - Austin Maddox, Travis Jankowski, Matt Smoral, Lewis Brinson, Dylan Floro

10-17-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1  - Austin Maddox, C/IF, Florida - Maddox came out of high school as a catcher with a big arm and power potential.  He was one of my favorite prep prospects who made it to college. Arriving in Gainesville with Mike Zunino took catching away from Maddox’s profile, at least for the duration of his time in college.  He has played primarily the corner infield spots for the Gators while also spending time at DH. The big bat remained for Maddux in 2010.  He hit .333/.369/.587 with 17 home runs on his way to being named the SEC Freshman of the Year.  Maddox experienced a drop-off at the plate in 2011, falling to .280/.327/.368 with 6 home runs. A return to catcher will have to wait until Maddox reaches the next level, but a return to his freshman form as a batter could shoot him up draft boards.

10-22-11: - http://ht.ly/1fglCb - We continue the countdown today at number 83 with Stony Brook’s Travis Jankowski. In his sophomore season in 2011, he finished second on the squad with a .355 batting average with two homers and 38 RBI in 54 games. He led the squad with 30 stolen bases in 34 attempts while also not committing a single error in the outfield. Jankowski had a breakout summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Bourne Braves. He played in 47 games hitting .326 with seven triples and 22 RBI. He continued his prowess on the basepaths with 15 stolen bases. He was named the 2011 CCBL MVP for his play over the summer

10-23-11: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/2011/10/smoral-stands-out-among-big-arms  - The World Wood Bat Association World Championship has long been a place where high school prospects can establish themselves as elite players against high-level competition. Matt Smoral, a lefthander from Solon (Ohio) High has always been considered to be among the top pitchers in the country, but he may have solidified himself as the top southpaw with an impressive outing on Friday. Smoral took the hill for the Midland Redskins/Royals Scout Team and lit up radar guns immediately, sitting 90-92 mph and touching 94 twice in the first inning. He remained in the low 90s for the first three innings before settling in at 88-91 in his final inning. He throws from a three-quarter arm slot and has a fairly easily delivery. His second-best pitch is a hard tilting slider in the low 80s.

10-22-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6347  - Having grown and matured into one of the nation’s top outfield prospects in the class of 2012, Lewis Brinson finds that he really isn’t overwhelmed by too much anymore. It’s just that there remain some scenes and situations that can be just a little bit more overwhelming than others, or at least trigger memories of the same. Brinson was at the Roger Dean Complex – the spring training home of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Florida Marlins – late Saturday morning in preparation of taking the field for the Red Sox Scout Team/Elite Squad at this year’s Perfect Game WWBA World Championship.

10-23-11: - http://ht.ly/1fhxpn  - Dylan Floro will be the anchor for the Titan pitching staff. Having watched him several times over the summer on the Cape, I’m pretty comfortable saying that. In Game 1, the junior pitched four innings, allowing only one run, unearned, on one hit, and he struck out three. It wasn’t until he left the game that Vanderbilt managed to get their momentum in what turned out to be a 10-8 Fullerton win.

Nolan Fontana, Taylor Naquin, Michael Wacha, Ron Miller, Austin Maddox

Nolan Fontana:


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  - There’s athletic 3B Nolan Fontana, the team’s first-ever Rawlings Gold Glove winner. Fontana was one of the Gators' most consistent hitters during this past season, despite finishing sixth on the team with a .301 average. He rapped 12 doubles, legged out five triples and slugged five home runs. He also drove in 47 runs, good for third on the squad. He also played sterling defense again, making only 10 errors in 66 games.


Taylor Naquin:


7-9-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6002  - Tyler Naquin, OF, Texas A&M - Naquin and former Aflac All-American Krey Bratsen formed a formidable duo for the Aggies last spring, who like the Longhorns, were ushered out of the College World Series much more quickly than either team hailing from Texas would have liked to have seen. Naquin, a left-handed hitter, has very good bat speed and easy power potential, drilling one fastball earlier in the week the opposite way high off the wall at Durham Bulls Athletic Park for a double.


Michael Wacha:


7-21-11: - http://www.mockdraftmania.com/  - 14. Washington Nationals Michael Wacha P Texas A/M Wacha went 9-2 with a 2.90 ERA for Texas A/M as a freshman. Wacha would be another prospect that the Nationals could add to their system. Its scary to think what this Nationals rotation is capable of if Strasburg recovers while their 2011 draft picks like Alex Meyer and Matt Purke pan out. I really don’t think Purke will sign because he wants a major payday. Purke was a frontrunner to go #1 overall in 2011 before a major regression.


Ron Miller:


7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments  - Ron Miller, Serra HS, Los Angeles CA, 5’10 210 R/R, plays 3b, best shot to play LF at pro level, short compact power stroke with ability to go the other way, shows arm strength and fair running speed, enough ability offensively to get to pro level, will go as far as bat takes him. Kevin Mitchell type comp from the early 80’s.


Austin Maddox:


7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments  - Austin Maddox, Florida, 6’3 210, pure arm strength and decent mechanics, will touch 95 on occ, suited to be a closer, like him more behind the plate, but with Zunino there, he’s having a tough time showing scouts that is where he belongs. Will be interesting to see this fall.

Branden Kline, Danny Canela, Austin Maddox, Brady Rodgers, Brandon Wood

Branden Kline:


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/2  - The Cavaliers should take a hit next year after losing Danny Hultzen and Tyler Wilson, but they should be bolstered by the addition of RHP Branden Kline to the rotation. Kline, a 2009 sixth-round draft pick by the Red Sox, has pitched the last two years out of the bullpen, saving a combined 20 games. This year he has posted a 49:18 K:BB ratio and a 2.15 ERA in 30 contests. Kline has good size (6'3", 190) and is a former Louisville Slugger Maryland State Player of the Year. He throws in the low-to-mid 90s and complements his fastball with a curveball and a slider. He has already proven himself as a reliever, and with the Hultzen and Wilson departing, along with Will Roberts and Cody Winiarski, Kline might finally get his shot as a starter.



Danny Canela:


6-23-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/  - North Carolina State SO 3B Danny Canela
.267/.349/.443 – 17 BB/26 K – 131 AB - This may be a little bit of a cheat seeing how Canela’s likeliest defensive home at the next level is probably behind the plate, but a little bit of creative licensing gets him the job at the hot corner on our list. He is probably talented enough to play at least average defense at either position, but his, shall we say, “compact” 5-10, 230 pound frame gives him the look of a future pro backstop. Canela’s signature tool is probably his raw arm strength – no surprise considering his two defensive positions – but his quick bat and power upside are nearly as appealing positives.



Austin Maddox:


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  - There’s also C/INF Austin Maddox, who exploded onto the scene as a freshman, hitting .333 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI in 2010. Maddox turned down a 37th-round offer from the Rays to attend UF, and despite suffering through a tough season (.280, 6 HR, 35 RBI) should be one of the top corner infielders available in 2012.





Brady Rodgers:


6-25-11: - http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2011/06/25/usa-baseball-sweeps-doubleheader-on-friday  - Brady Rodgers (Arizona State) scattered three hits over six innings and the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team opened its slate with a 7-0 victory over Keene Friday morning at Martha Pappas Field. Rodgers allowed consecutive no-out singles in the second inning, but settled down to retire the next seven batters before allowing a one-out single in the fourth. However, he induced the next batter into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. The righty, making his Team USA debut, ended the game with 68 pitches, of which 50 went for strikes. He picked up the win after striking out two and is 1-0.


Brandon Wood:


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  - OF Brandon Wood had a tough year with the new bats, hitting only .259 with one home run. Given another year, the talented athlete who played football for three years in high school, should adjust and become a late-round talent.