Clemson JR 1B Richie
Shaffer - I’ve waffled back and forth on top ACC first base prospect, but
am finally settling on a player not even projected to play first this spring.
Long-term, however, I’m pretty confident that first base will be Shaffer’s pro
home. Then again, from the “take it for what it’s worth” files, one of my
sharper buddies who saw Shaffer in fall ball this year deemed him athletic
enough to stick at third base, at least through his first few pro seasons. If
nothing else, we know he has the arm (94 peak FB on the mound) for it. His plus
raw power and whole-fields approach give him the narrow edge over the
underrated Jayce Boyd. http://baseballdraftreport.com/
Young A.J.
Puk, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound left-handed pitcher and first baseman, announced
in August he was leaving the Washington football team to pursue a dream that he
hopes will someday blossom into a professional baseball career. It was a bit of
a shocker because Puk was the Warriors’ starting varsity quarterback as a
sophomore and was an effective leader while helping them reach the state
playoffs. But there is a lot more football history in the Puk family than just
that. A.J.’s father, Dr. David Puk, was a four-year football letterman and
Academic All-American at the University of Minnesota from 1982-85 and A.J.’s
uncle Steven Puk lettered at Minnesota in 1984. Another uncle, J.J. Puk, was an
all-Big Ten linebacker at the University of Iowa from 1986-87 and yet another
of those Puk brothers, Kevin, lettered at Stanford from 1989-91. All four
played football at Cedar Rapids Washington High School, the same school A.J.
attends. http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6584
Beau
Cebulski is one of those under the radar prospects who has
the potential to get to the next level.
His primary position, and the position he will play going forward, is
catcher. He has also pitched and played
shortstop. Cebulski put up a .643 batting average during his senior year and
continued to show good skill with the bat during the summer. He has some pop in his bat, as well. He has a recorded 60 time is 7.2. Everyone I
contacted about Cebulski spoke highly of his defense, with adjectives ranging
from good to great. He has an above
average arm and pop times from 1.85 to 1.90. Cebulski is definitely a favorite
of coaches and instructors, who all speak highly of his defense, character, and
work ethic. http://mlbdraftguide.com/
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/
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/
11-22-11: - http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/814/lucas-giolito-leads-loaded-cali-senior-class - Here’s a look at the Top 10 California high school prospects in the Class of 2012. 8. Shane Watson, RHP, Lakewood (Lakewood, Calif.) Watson's arsenal includes a fastball in the 88 to 92 mph range, showing sink and arm side ride, and his frame (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) may produce more velocity down the line. But it may have to come from improved mechanics, primarily better balance and use of his lower half. Watson is committed to USC and should be considered early on Day 1 of the draft.
11-30-11: - http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2011/11/top-20-position-players-in-california.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter - Jeff McVaney OF Santa Barbara Foresters---Texas State - Jeff is 6-2/210 pounds and hails from Houston, TX. He was simply outstanding this summer and was named the 2011 Cal League MVP. He led the league with a .412 batting average, .632 slugging percentage and with a .491 on base percentage. Jeff was second in the league with 38 runs scored and he also drove in 21 this season. Jeff hit 12 doubles, led the league with 6 doubles and hit 2 home runs for Santa Barbara. Jeff also stole 15 bases this season. Perfect Game ranked him as the 21st best prospect in the league.
12-1-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/12/01/keon-barnum-2012-draft-profile - Often referred to as soft spoken, King first baseman Keon Barnum lets his talent speak for him on the field. He is among the top prospects from the talent rich state of Florida. Barnum carries one of the most powerful bats among 2012 draft-eligible players. He has top bat speed and has shown a willingness to go the other way. Barnum is also a patient hitter, taking 26 walks in 81 plate appearances during his junior season. His recorded 60 time is 7.01. Barnum looks good at first base. He also has a plus arm. I generally avoid comps, but the Fred McGriff comp pops up everywhere for Barnum. The potential in his bat should carry him into the first round.
11-22-11: - http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/814/lucas-giolito-leads-loaded-cali-senior-class - Here’s a look at the Top 10 California high school prospects in the Class of 2012. 9. Felipe Perez, RHP, Fairmont Prep (Anaheim, Calif.) This 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander pitches at 88 to 91 mph but has touched 93 and throws two breaking balls — a 72 to 75 mph curveball and a 77 to 79 mph slider. His arm works well from a high, three-quarter slot and he's performed well in showcase events, something scouts remember throughout the spring.
9-1-11: - http://xmlbscout.angelfire.com - Nick Williams, Ball HS, Galveston TX, 6'2 190, L/L, smooth hitting CF with very good actions and discipline as a hitter and fielder, ave to abv ave arm strength, room to fill out and get stronger, ran 4.2 from LH side, has power to alleys, definite top 5 for 2012 to follow.
9-29-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/9/28/2455532/all-questions-answered-thread#comments - Kenny Diekroeger - I saw quite a bit of him this year. He started the year showing a nice line drive inducing swing but that eventually devolved into a much less impressive offensive player. Defensively, he showed decent enough range, but his actions were pretty rough and I wasn’t impressed with his arm. I don’t see him sticking at SS, and I’m not sure if 3B is viable given his arm strength.
10-1-11: - http://www.tampabay.com/hometeam/blog/king-1b-keon-barnum-commits-miami/1100 - / King first baseman Keon Barnum, one of the Tampa Bay area's top senior baseball players, has verbally committed to the University of Miami. Barnum, who is also one of the area's top Class of 2012 MLB Draft prospects, committed to the 'Canes Thursday night after returning from a trip to Coral Gables last weekend.
10-1-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/10/01/david-dahl-2012-draft-profile - David Dahl has above average tools across the board and can play the game. Even after missing time during the summer due to illness, Dahl remains highly ranked by every scouting service. Dahl is advanced offensively, with a balanced level swing and quick hands. He has good bat speed and makes consistent contact. A line drive hitter, Dahl should add more home runs as he matures. He is aggressive on the bases, and, with his 6.5 spped, always a threat to steal. Dahl is one of the top defensive outfielders eligible for the 2012 draft. He complements his speed with a legitimate plus arm. When draft day arrives, Dahl is likely to be one of the first 20 names off the board.
10-3-11: - http://ht.ly/1eXiUB - (Joe) Sclafani made an immediate impact into the Dartmouth Big Green lineup as a freshman as he appeared in 44 games hitting .339 with two homers and 35 RBI. At the midseason point of the season, he was moved up to the leadoff role for the Big Green. He ended up hitting .350 at the top of the order with 46 runs and 28 RBIs leading the squad to a 25-7 record when he led off. He was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year and named First Team All-Ivy League at shortstop. Joe played the summer of 2009 in the NYCBL with the Amstredam Mohawks. Things didn’t go exactly as played with him struggling at the plate hitting .212 with two homers and 18 RBI in 35 games. He did walk 20 times while striking out on only eight times in 99 at bats.
7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments - Mason Katz, LSU, 5’11 190, R/R, scrappy hitter with decent running ability, throws well enough to play any OF position, ability to make contact as a hitter is his strength and plays hard. 8-12 round type guy.
7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments - Tyler Naquin, Texas A&M, 6’2 175, L/L, string bean with solid arm strength, ability to hit and with occ HR power, as he matures could add more HR frequency, right now more of a contact hitter, who tends to reach for pitches with his aggressiveness.
7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments - Keon Barnum, King HS, Tampa FL, 6’4 220, L/L, strong lefty swing with power to RF, arm strength and runs well once underway, 4.3 on grounders, has made some improvements to pitch selection as hitter, still developing. One of better Florida Kids to watch in 2012.
