Draft 13 – Jacob Heyward, Nick Ciuffo, Dustin Driver, Spencer Turnbull, Brian Ragira

Jacob Heyward, OF, Eagle’s Landing Academy (GA) - The brother of Atlanta Braves outfielder Jason Heyward, Jacob is a 6’-2” right-hander with a lot of upside. He has been clocked at 6.83 in the 60 and his arm at 86 mph from the outfield. He shows a good approach at the plate and his raw power is still developing. Over his last 14 games, he is hitting .421 with six doubles, four home runs, 22 RBI and has drawn seven walks for a .577 OBP/.947 SLG. He has 11 stolen bases on the season and has been hit by a pitch a whopping 10 times over 26 games. Committed to Miami. LINK

Nick Ciuffo, C, Lexington HS (SC) -The 6’-1” left-handed hitter may be the best defensive catcher in the 2013 MLB draft and he has a chance to go in the top 20 picks as he has been showing great offensive potential this season. He had a 25-game hitting streak earlier in the year and, over 33 games, is hitting .453/.541/.705 with seven doubles, five home runs, 33 RBI and has drawn 21 walks to just six strikeouts. He also fits the mold as a clubhouse leader and is one of the more competitive players you will see. LINK

 

Dustin Driver, P, UCLA 50% - Driver doesn't have the front of the rotation stuff to be drafted in the top half of the first round but he could prove that he is a solid mid rotation starter and make that happen after three years at UCLA. LINK

   

Kendall Rogers‏ @KendallRogersPG - Alabama RHP Spencer Turnbull left some balls up early, he's 91-94, tops out at 95. Also a 73-74 CB, avg dpth, 80-81 CH, 82-83 SL

Brian Ragira could have gone pro back in 2010, as he was drafted in the 30th round by the Texas Rangers. Obviously, he chose not to sign. That decision should pay off this year, as Ragira's career at Stanford—while not astounding—has served to establish him as a solid first base prospect with a solid bat. He hit .329 in 2011 and 2012, and is once again in that neck of the woods this year at .327. LINK

Draft 13 – Nick Ciuffo, Caleb McClanahan, Colin Moran, Jonathan Gray

Nick Ciuffo, Lexington HS (SC) - Ciuffo is a strong offensive prospect, with solid pop and bat speed to go along with a good catcher’s build (6-1, 200). Ciuffo projects to hit for solid average as he makes really good contact and has strong plate discipline. In terms of receiving skills and arm strength, Ciuffo is one of the strongest catching prospects in this draft, but needs to refine those skills for better consistency. With proper development, Ciuffo should become an everyday starter with plus offensive ability and decent defensive tools. LINK

RHP Caleb McClanahan – Central Arkansas - Like Graveman, Caleb McClanahan is no stranger to Mississippi State, but he is also looking for a better outcome the second time around. He gave up two runs on three hits in 4.1 innings in the Bears lone loss to the Bulldogs. But if he pitches like he has multiple times this year, Mississippi State could find itself fighting through the loser’s bracket.  LINK

Jim Callis‏ @jimcallisBA -

Go get Gray & Manaea for $9.2 mil. @Biggio4HOF: Better deal for #astros... 1.1 Colin Moran 2.1 Manaea or 1.1 Gray 2.1 slot player ? #mlbdraft

There is a great chance that with the first overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, the Houston Astros will be selecting one of three players; Mark Appel, Kris Bryant, or Jonathan Gray.  Others, such as Colin Moran and Kohl Stewart also remain possibilities.  General consensus has Gray tabbed as Houston’s pick and he has a great case as the best prospect in the 2013 class. LINK

2013 Draft-Notes - Sean Manaea , Brandon Pierce, Mark Appel, Nick Ciuffo, Taylor Sparks

Indiana State junior lefthanded pitcher Sean Manaea has made the full transformation from a little known freshman a couple of seasons ago into one of college baseball's elite starting pitchers and MLB draft prospects. Perhaps we should've seen this coming. Manaea wasn't a highly recruited lefty out of high school, only ranked as one of the top 1,000 national prospects to watch. But he made a huge statement the summer of 2011 when he was the top prospects at the Prospect League, a summer collegiate level. There, he topped out at 93 and attracted plenty of eyeballs for his sophomore season with ISU this past spring. PG

RHP Brandon Pierce, Nebraska -- Pierce entered the spring with some high hopes with the Huskers, but control issues plagued him at times. Pierce put together a very good summer season, making nine appearances and having a 2.45 ERA in 44 innings. He also struck out 30 and walked 15, while teams hit him at a .229 clip. PG

Mark Appel RHP Stanford- I am just not a huge fan of Appel but the arm is full of projection. He commands the zone well with plenty of action from a 3 pitch mix. He finished 2012 with a 10-2 record and a 2.56 e.r.a in 123 IP with 130 K and 30 walks. pinetarpress

Nick Ciuffo  C  Charleston, S.C. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 200. B/T: L/R.  Ciuffo is one of the most complete catchers in the 2013 class. He is an advanced receiver with a feel for the game and has a strong, accurate arm. His lefthanded swing is quick and clean. He uses the whole field and flashes some power to the pull side. He is verbally committed to South Carolina.

Taylor Sparks, 3b/of, Wenatchee (So., UC Irvine): In high school and as a freshman at UC Irvine, Sparks' performance lagged behind his impressive tools, but he may have narrowed the gap this summer after hitting .388/.448/.709 over 134 at-bats, ranking second in the league in batting average and first in home runs with nine. Sparks has a brawny, 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and power is his best tool. He won the league's home run derby at the all-star game and hit a few balls nearly 450 feet. He has a compact swing but his brute strength allows him to occasionally mis-hit balls and still muscle them through the infield for hits.. http://ht.ly/1m4q1n

The Newport Gulls clinched the New England Collegiate League championship on Aug. 11. Some 10 days later, that title has resulted in an unofficial national championship. http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2012/08/newport-gulls-finish-season-at-no-1.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Patrick Ebert‏ -  Congrats to Indiana State LHP Sean Manaea, our 2012 PG summer collegiate POY