Carson Kelly — 6’-2”, 3B/RHP, Westview HS (OR) - Kelly, the top prep player in Oregon, is an athlete who excels both on the mound and at the plate. He hit .473 with 14 home runs as a junior and is a line-drive hitter with power to all fields. Has very good bat speed and a solid approach at the plate. His strong arm and athleticism should allow him to stick at third base, if he chooses. As a pitcher, his curve, sinker and 93 mph fastball are all quality pitches with the ability to get better with more time and focus on the mound. Was outstanding at the Pan Am Championships for Team USA, going 2-0 1.29 ERA and 12 K/1 BB over 14 innings. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-50-thru-26/15621/
Branden Kline / RHP / Virginia – A plus fastball and breaking ball, Kline would be the first reliever off the board if not for Stroman. He won’t dominate hitters, but a solid set up man with the potential for more if he can add a tick or two on his heater. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2011/12/top-twelve-college-pitchers/
Chris Beck is a strong right-hander who may not be the first college arm to come off Draft boards, but a strong junior season could have him in the top of the first-round discussion. The Georgia native has the chance to have three pitches that will be Major League average or better. He can run his fastball up to 94 mph, sitting comfortably at 92-93 mph, and he maintains his velocity deep into starts. When he stays on top of his slider, it's a sharp breaking ball with late tilt. His changeup is above-average with late sink and a lot of deception. He can throw all three pitches for strikes and has a very good feel for pitching. For a guy with his size and stuff -- think a Kyle Davies type with more power -- he doesn't always throw like a power arm. His fastball will flatten out at times and his slider isn't always crisp, but if he would pitch off of his fastball more, he could be even better, a frontline starter with three weapons to choose from. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/
http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2011/12/top-twelve-high-school-position-players/#more-602 10. Corey Seager / 2B / NW Carrabus HS (NC): This is another aggressive ranking, but just watch the kid take batting practice and you’ll understand why I’m high on the South Carolina commit. The ball jumps off his bat to all parts of the field, and his bat speed is as good as any infielder in the class. He might have to move to third-base, but there’s plenty of arm strength to play the hot corner. Josh Elander is a good catching prospect, but he the potential to be a high-riser in the months before the 2012 MLB Draft if he can show more flashes of the ability scouts have seen in him. Elander has shown good bat speed with an ability to spray line drives all over the field, but he has been primarily a singles hitter thus far in his career. Scouts have seen the power potential in Elander, but maybe his swing is too short for him to display it in games. He does have pretty good plate discipline, but he strikes out too much, especially for a player who’s a singles hitter at this point. He is fast for a catcher, able to run a 6.78 in the 60 (4.5 in the 40), and he was a perfect 9 for 9 in stolen bases in 2011. If Elander can ever bring his power out, he’ll be a good offensive prospect. Right now, he’s a decent hitting prospect at best. Defensively, Elander has a very strong arm and he is smooth behind the plate. He has the makings of a good defensive catcher. http://rayscoloredglasses.com/2011/12/21/taking-an-early-look-at-the-catchers-in-the-2012-mlb-draft-part-1
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.
Devon Rodriguez:
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/6 - 1B Devon Rodriguez might get a call late on draft day. He has posted .288 and .289 averages over the past two years and only has a combined eight home runs, but he does have some raw power in his bat, and his defense is slightly above-average. He made only four errors this season in 532 chances.
Branden Kline:
7-9-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6002 - Branden Kline, RHP, Virginia - Like Fontana, Kline was in Omaha for the College World Series, where he enjoyed a late inning showdown between Matt Price and the eventual CWS champion South Carolina Gamecocks in one of the most memorable CWS games ever played. With a tall, projectable frame and long, strong limbs, Kline sits in the low-90s with his fastball while also throwing a nasty low-80s slider. That combination led to 18 saves for the Cavaliers last spring, and may put him a position to serve as a weekend starter next year.
Richie Shaffer:
7-19-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/ - Richie Shaffer - 2012 - ranked 38th
Clemson University - FR – .323/.415/.525 – 18 BB/36 K – 158 AB - SO – .315/.438/.577 – 44 BB/53 K – 222 AB •“recovered from broken hamate to show true plus power” •“good present defender with the chance to be excellent” •“strong arm”
Mark Appel:
7-21-11: - http://www.draftsite.com/article/College-Names-To-Know/92 - Strengths – Appel possesses great height for a pitcher, with a frame that has room to fill out, offering plenty of projection down the road. He has a low effort delivery and an extremely quick arm, along with easy arm action that produces 97 MPH heat. His pitches have very good movement; can run his fastball in on righties with terrific arm side run. He has a slider that could partner with his fastball for another out pitch; he also has a change-up. He pitches well out of the windup.
Lance McCullers:
7-21-11: - http://www.mockdraftmania.com/ - 1. Houston Astros Lance McCullers Jr. P Tampa Jesuit High School Florida I said back in March that the Astros would finish in last place instead of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Looks like I was right on that call while the rest of the country is shocked by the Pirates being in contention this season. To be honest, I’m not that surprised by the Pirates this season. I said back in March that the Pirates would win 70 games and have the division lead at some point in the MLB season. Every other MLB expert, sports personality, or Pirates fan never in their right mind would have picked the Pirates to win 70 games let alone be in contention for first place this late in the season.
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.
Karsten Whitson:
6-13-11: - http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=20899 - Florida right-hander Karsten Whitson (Chipley, Fla.) was chosen as a first-team Freshman All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on Monday. Chosen to the SEC’s All-Freshman Team and as a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger, Whitson has been a fixture in the Gators’ weekend rotation and is 8-0 with a 2.45 earned run average. He leads the club with 83 strikeouts in 88.0 innings and has limited opponents to a .235 batting average. In his NCAA Tourney debut on June 3, Whitson did not permit any runs or walks as Florida overpowered Manhattan, 17-3. He worked 6.1 innings last Saturday in the second game of the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional against Mississippi State but was not involved in the decision after giving up two runs and four hits over 6.1 innings.
Tommy Coyle:
6-14-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - SO 2B Tommy Coyle (2012)
.337/.429/.451 – 37 BB/21 K – 19/25 SB – 255 AB Coyle played his high school ball about fifteen minutes from where I grew up, so I was lucky enough to catch him a couple of times during his senior season. He’s got above-average speed and athleticism, a really solid line drive swing, and an outstanding batting eye. It is still really early in the process, but I think we’re looking at a player with the ceiling of a big league regular with the possibility of a utility future a realistic backup option. I’m looking forward to seeing where he stacks up against the rest of the 2012 college middle infield crop, but I have a feeling he’ll be up there.
Branden Kline:
6-13-11: - http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=88827&SPID=10613&DB_OEM_ID=17800&ATCLID=205159611 In the decisive game of the Charlottesville Super Regional, No. 1 national seed Virginia scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to rally for a 3-2 win over UC Irvine Monday at Davenport Field. Sophomore Branden Kline got the win for Virginia, improving to 4-1. He pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit. Cavalier starter Will Roberts went the first 7.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits.
Deven Marrero:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110608&content_id=20222396&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&partnerId=rss_mlb Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State: Part of an impressive crop of 2012 Draft talent at ASU, Marrero is a legitimate shortstop with great defensive actions and a playable bat for the next level.
Nick Williams:
6-11-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/722354-2012-mlb-mock-draft-early-predictions-for-next-years-top-10-picks#/articles/722354-2012-mlb-mock-draft-early-predictions-for-next-years-top-10-picks/page/6 - (Nick) Williams exploded onto the 2012 draft scene as a high school junior last summer at the Perfect Game World Wood Baseball Association National Championship Tournament. He went 12-for-26 with six home runs and 12 RBIs over eight games, including one 4-for-4 performance in which each of his hits came in the form of a homer. He also racked up seven RBIs in that contest. It wasn't too long after that that colleges starting knocking on his door. Scouts have already started to compare him to Ken Griffey Jr., with some likening his powerful swing to Darryl Strawberry's. After his sophomore year, all the talk about Williams was that while he had a lot of raw power, he was helpless against good breaking-balls. He worked very hard on that throughout the season and responded with his performance at the WWBA championship: All four of his home runs came on breaking balls. At 6'3" and 195 pounds, Williams has a very athletic-looking frame and has been described by Perfect Game as an "excellent athlete." He also shined at the Area Code Games and was a regular among the HR derby circuit last summer. He should be a competitor at more than a few showcases this summer, giving him greater exposure to the rest of the country.
