Draft 13 – Clinton Hollon, Marco Gonzales, Cody Reed, Alex Gonzalez, Carlos Salazar

Clinton Hollon, RHP, Woodford County HS (KY) - On May 7, the 6’-1” right-hander needed just 87 pitches to toss a seven inning no-hitter. He struck out 11 to one walk and now has a 0.96 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and 68 K/11 BB over 47 innings, allowing just 18 hits. He features a low/mid-90s fastball and both his curveball and change-up are already considered above-average pitches. Committed to Kentucky. LINK

Marco Gonzales is one of the most interesting pitchers in this draft. His stock is incredibly high, to the point where he will likely end up going in the first round, but he does it in a way that usually gives evaluators some pause. Working with a fringe-average fastball from the left side, usually in the 86-89 mph range, Gonzales is not going to blow opposing hitters away. But he has such a good off-speed repertoire, with a plus changeup, above-average curveball, as well as a cutter, above-average command of everything and a great feel for pitching that the Gonzaga ace can get away with less velocity on his heater. LINK

Cody Reed, NW Mississippi - Reed is the sleeper in the group.  He's come out of nowhere as a guy who was on the small side and had a mid 80s fastball in high school.  He ended up going to a community college in Mississippi.  Since those days, Reed has grown to a filled out 6'5"and is perhaps the most intriguing non-prep lefty and may rival Overton as the guy with the best upside. He's a guy we talked about before as a fast riser on the strength of a fastball that can reach the mid 90s.  Reed has also increased the velo on his slider into the low 80s.  He has a smooth, athletic delivery from the left side and throws with pretty good command considering his experience level.

LINK

Player:  Alex Gonzalez  Position:  RHP  School:  Oral Roberts Date of Birth:  1/15/1992  Height/Weight:  6’3/200  Bats/Throws:  R/R  2013 Class:  College Junior Previously Drafted:  2010, 11th Rd, Orioles  Scouting Report: Clean, simple delivery Repeats delivery well 3/4 arm slot Does a good job pitching downhill Low 90′s fastball, hits 94, with good sink and run Slider with late break is an above average pitch Improving changeup Carries his stuff into late innings LINK

Dan Kirby ‏@DanMKirby

Kerman HS (CA) RHP Carlos Salazar gave up first ER of season: 6 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 11 K/4 BB. Has 147 K/26 BB over 74 IP w/ 1 ER, 22 H

Draft 13 – Carlos Salazar, K.J. Franklin, Austin Meadows, Braden Shipley, Tyler Danish

Carlos Salazar, RHP, Kerman HS (CA) - Salazar has been climbing draft boards all spring, and there is a great chance he won’t be available when the Cubs pick at 41. His fastball has touched 97 mph and sits in the 91-93 range with late life and movement. He also features a solid, low-80s change-up while his breaking stuff is still developing. At 6’-3” and 210 pounds, he has the frame to add more velocity. Over 55 innings this season, he has yet to allow an earned run and has struck out 104 to 21 walks, allowing just 15 hits. He has worked hard on his control over the past year, cutting his BB/9 ratio down from 6.4 to 3.4 this year. Committed to Fresno State. link

K.J. Franklin, 3B, Gahr HS (CA) - Over his last five games, the 6’-2”, 220-pound right-hander has gone 10 for-16 (.625) with four doubles, two home runs and has driven in 14 runs. On the season, he is now hitting .459 over 23 games with seven doubles, eight home runs, 32 RBI and has drawn 11 walks for a .544 OBP/.878 SLG. With his size and tremendous power, he could go high in the 2o13 MLB draft, especially if teams believe he can stick at the hot corner. Committed to Arizona State. link

Why Austin Meadows should be the top pick: "He's going to be 17 at the Draft. You've got a really young hitter. He's a pure hitter. He's one of those kids who can fall out of bed and hit. There's a lot of upside, a lot of ceiling. He has good baseball instincts, he runs the bases well. In the outfield, he's got good anticipation, his routes are advanced for a high school kid. Of the five tools, you'll have to wait for the power to come. I think it will. When that body matures, and he gets stronger, that's when the power will show up. He's too good of a hitter. He might hit .280-.300 with 20-plus home runs. That's a pretty good player. It's hard to get that, especially out of a high school kid, in the Draft." - link

Player:  Braden Shipley  Position:  RHP  School:  Nevada    Height/Weight:  6’3/190  Bats/Throws:  R/R  2013 Class:  College Junior  Scouting Report: High 3/4 arm slot  Hides the ball well Projects 3 above average to plus pitches Mid 90′s fastball has touched 98 Change is a plus pitch with good arm speed Hard curveball flashes and should be an above average pitch Good athleticism  link

Dan Kirby ‏ @DanMKirby

Durant HS (FL) Tyler Danish had 13 Ks over 7 shutout IP. Now has allowed 0 ER over 83 IP w/ 28 H, 140 K/12 BB.

Draft 13 – Arden Pabst, Brandon Dixon, Terry McClure, Jacob Brentz, Carlos Salazar

Arden Pabst, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA) - A strong defensive catcher who has had a ton of experience catching power arms as he was a teammate of 2012 first round picks, Max Fried and Lucas Giolito, as well as 2014 possible first rounder Jake Flaherty, Pabst is emerging as one of the better offensive players at his position. Over 21 games, he is hitting .419 with eight doubles, four home runs and 21 RBI for one of the top programs in the country. He fits the mold as a true leader and is very aggressive in all areas of the game. Could be a steal if he is available in the 3-4 round range of the 2013 MLB draft. Committed to Georgia Tech. link

Brandon Dixon, INF (Arizona): He might just be a poster child for LASIK. Before this year, the junior infielder had 165 ABs combined, posting a miserable .242/.326/.323 line. This year, Dixon has been fantastic with a .390/.459/.622 line, with 28 steals, 5 triples, and 6 home runs. His batting average overstates his overall line a bit, but he’s shown a knack for contact, and with his speed he could settle in as an interesting utility option in a pro organization.  link

Terry McClure, OF, Riverwood HS (GA) - A dynamic athlete, the 6’-2” right-hander should be able to stick at centerfield due to his quickness and instincts. At the plate, he has excellent bat speed and an advanced approach at the plate. He also generates a lot of power from the right side with room for more as he matures. Over 27 games this season, he has hit .400 with eight doubles, eight home runs, and has drawn 19 walks for a .534 OBP/.800 SLG. He has also added 11 stolen bases, showing above-average speed. Could be available at 41 and could be a great selection even though the Cubs have several top outfield prospects including Jorge Soler and Albert Almora in their system already. link

Player:  Jacob Brentz  Position:  LHP  School:  Parkway  South (MO)  Height/Weight:  6’2/195 Bats/Throws:  L/L  2013 Class:  HS Senior  Committed To:  Missouri - Scouting Report: Solid build  High 3/4 arm slot  Fastball sits 93-94 with sink, has touched 97  Easy velocity  Change has the potential to be a plus pitch  Curve shows good depth and potential  link

Dan Kirby‏ @DanMKirby7s

Kerman HS (CA) RHP Carlos Salazar tonight: 7 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 19 K/0 BB. Now has 0 ER over 62 IP w/ 16 H, 123 K/21 BB

Draft 13 – Matt McPhearson, Kris Bryant, DJ Snelton, Carlos Salazar, Mark Appel

Matt McPhearson, OF, Riverdale Baptist HS (MD) - The 6’-0” left-hander has plus/plus speed and should develop at least gap power with a chance for more. He has very good bat speed and an advanced approach at the plate. Over 17 games this season, he has stolen 20 bases while battling a nagging hamstring injury. He has also posted a .603 OBP, drawing 14 walks to six strikeouts. His speed is his best asset, however, and he has the defensive skill set to remain in centerfield and be a table-setter on offense. If he is available when the Cubs pick at 41, he could be a nice sign as the Cubs don’t have much depth at leadoff-type burners in their system. Committed to Miami. link

Dan Kirby‏ @DanMKirby

San Diego 3B Kris Bryant has more HR (22) and BB (55) than the Minnesota Twins (16 HR, 54 BB) ... in far less at-bats.

Any reports in DJ Snelton and where he could be drafted?  - Jim Callis: I think Snelton, a Minnesota LHP, he’ll go in the 5th-10th round range. He strained his elbow and got a late start to the season, but he’s a 6-foot-7 lefty who gets good extension in his delivery. He can touch 95 mph, throws a decent slider and changeup. Scouts don’t love his arm action. link

Carlos Salazar, RHP, Kerman HS (CA) - Salazar put on quite the show Friday, allowing just one hit over seven shutout innings. He also struck out a career-high 19 batters and didn’t issue a walk. He now has 44 K/3 BB over his last 20 innings and, for the season, has yet to allow a run over 62 innings with 123 K/21 BB and just 16 hits allowed. The 6’-3” right-hander has a plus fastball that sits in the 91-93 range with late life. The most impressive thing about him, however, may be his continued work on his command. After allowing 6.4 BB/9 as a junior, he has cut that number down to 2.9 this season. Committed to Fresno State. link

 

Mark Appel has been here before. The Stanford ace was the potential top pick a year ago, but he ended up sliding to the Pirates at No. 8. He opted to return to school for his senior year and has arguably been the most consistent performer in this year's Draft class. After his win against Arizona State on Friday, he's 8-3 with a 1.56 ERA in 11 starts. In 86 1/3 innings, he has held opponents to a .195 batting average while allowing just 15 walks and striking out 106. link

Draft 13 – Carlos Salazar, Trey Ball, Jonah Wesely, Ryne Stanek, Dillon Overton

 

Dan Kirby‏ @DanMKirby

Kerman HS (CA) RHP Carlos Salazar: 7 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 11 K/2 BB. Now has 0.19 ERA, 91 K/18 BB over 48.2 IP (16.9 K/9

In his last start, 6'-5" LHP Trey Ball had 11 K/0 BB, 0 ER, 2 H over 7 IP, hitting 93 mph

Tracy HS (CA) LHP Jonah Wesely's last 3: 18 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 43 K/6 BB (21.5 K/9), includes an 18 K no-no

Ryne Stanek, RHP, Arkansas - Through his first five starts, the 6’-4” right-hander had a 3.75 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 20 K/13 BB over 21.2 innings. His stock was plummeting as people questioned his control and ability to go late in games as his 4.2 IP/per start was concerning for someone considered a frontline starter. Over his last five starts, he has clearly quieted critics and has placed himself back in talks for the top 5-10 picks in the 2013 MLB draft. Over that span, he has a 0.54 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 32 K/8 BB over 33.2 innings. link

ChasingOmaha.com‏  @ChasingOmaha6h

News out of Norman that Dillon Overton, potential first round pick, has an inflamed elbow, out for 2-4 weeks.