The best
curveball in this year's class, Ian Clarkin works
in the low 90s with a fastball that shows late life. He also throws a changeup
that has the potential to become a plus pitch. Athletic with plenty of
deception in his delivery, Clarkin has racked up 105 strikeouts over 58 2/3
innings this season. He owns a 7-2 record with a 1.07 ERA and a .159 batting
average against. His big-game ability was on display last summer, when he
starred for a Team USA squad that won the 18U world championship. Clarkin is
committed to USD, but his top-of-the-rotation potential will likely land him in
the top half of the first round.
Casey
Meisner,
RHP, Cy-Woods HS (TX) - At 6’-7” and 190 pounds, there is obviously a lot of
room for projection. Meisner can hit 91 mph with his fastball and, despite his
size, has good control of his body on the mound with a nice, easy delivery. He
features an average, mid-70s curveball and developing change-up but needs to be
more consistent with his command of both. He tossed a five-inning no-hitter in
his season debut, striking out 13 to two walks, and for the season, he has 85
K/12 BB over 53 innings, allowing 32 hits. He is raw in areas, but the upside
is high for a third-fourth round pick in the 2013 MLB draft. Committed to Texas
Tech. LINK
I had the luxury
of seeing Connor Jones during the Under-Armour
All-American Game in Chicago last August, and he also took part in the World
Wood Bat Championships in Florida, so this report is a mix of what I saw last
year and his performance in that event. Jones gets by with basically one pitch
right now: An average fastball that plays up because of his arm action and
natural movement. He comes from a three-quarters slot and you can see the pitch
really move, especially to his arm side, generating soft contact. LINK
Thomas
Windle,
Minnesota - Windle was a guy some watched early because there seemed like there
would be some potential for a breakthrough into first round territory. That didn't happen and Windle is back in the
range where scouts thought he'd be after his sophomore season. He's an athletic pitcher who projects to have
good command and to go with his advanced feel for pitching. The stuff is solid but not special. He has a good 88-92 mph fastball that has
reached as high as 94. There isn't a
whole lot of movement but Windle's 6'4 frame that allows hm to throw that pitch
from a good downward plane. LINK
Braden
Shipley |
RHP, Nevada - Gifted pitchers tend to arrive in the majors a bit more quickly
than the hitters. 2012 first-rounders
like Kevin Gausman and Michael Wacha are already on the cusp of breaking
through in the bigs, and both could be making impacts in fantasy ball this
year. Braden Shipley is one of the few
2013 draft prospects who could find himself on the mixed league radar a year
from now. A University of Nevada
product, Shipley displays a rare combination among pitching prospects: supreme athleticism and plenty of polish to go
with it. His fastball is a plus
offering, siting low- to mid-90s, touching elite velocity on occasion. His changeup, though, is the pitch that
stands out — probably the best change in the draft class, and he throws it with
confidence and great deception. Reports
on his breaking stuff are mixed, but most scouts are optimistic that his hard
curve will blossom into a third plus weapon.
At 6-3, 190, Shipley’s frame projects well as a starter. A mid-rotation gig seems the most likely
destination for him, but there’s front-end potential here if development goes
well. Expect Shipley to be drafted
within the first 15 picks. LINK
