2013 Draft-Notes - Hunter Green, Chris Kohler, Braden Shipley, Brendan Hendriks, Rhett Wiseman

Hunter Green LHP Warren East HS, Bowling Green, Ky. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 160. B/T: L/L.  Green is a long, lean lefty with outstanding arm speed. He throws his fastball in the 88-92 mph range and complements it with a big curveball that has depth as well as a deceptive changeup. He has good feel for his off-speed stuff and has the look of a young pitcher who will continue to add velocity as he matures.

Chris Kohler  LHP  Los Osos HS, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 195. B/T: L/L. Kohler is a long, loose lefthander with a great feel for his stuff. He comfortably throws his fastball in the upper 80s and can slide into the low 90s on occasion. His curveball works as his out pitch and he also uses his changeup off of his fastball. He throws all of his offerings for strikes in any count.

 

Braden Shipley, rhp, Anchorage (Jr., Nevada): A former second-team all-Western Athletic Conference shortstop who pitched just 10 innings as a freshman, Shipley emerged as the Wolf Pack's Friday starter and won WAC pitcher of the year this spring, ranking first in ERA (2.20), second in innings (98), and third in strikeouts (80). Deployed as a closer to limit his innings, Shipley dominated in 13 summer innings, striking out 22 and walking two. Shipley has a lean, angular and athletic 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame that offers some projection. He throws from a high three-quarters slot and gets good downhill plane. Scouts love his mid-90s fastball that touches 97 mph.

INF Brendan Hendriks, San Francisco -- After putting together a respectable spring with a .311 batting average, Hendriks continued his impressive ways this spring for the Dons. He batted .400 with 17 doubles, two triples, six homers and 40 RBIs. He also had a 26:17 SO:BB ratio. http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=7564

Rhett Wiseman, of, Brockton (Fr., Vanderbilt): Ranked No. 136 in the BA 500 heading into the 2012 draft, Wiseman slipped to the 25th round by the Cubs due to signability, and he elected to stick with his commitment to Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Massachusetts native impressed league coaches with his athleticism and ability to cover both gaps. Although there are some holes in Wiseman's lefthanded swing, evidenced by a .224/.313/.344 line this summer, league managers observed that the ball exploded off his bat, and most were convinced that he would hit for average and power as he developed and gained more experience. The 18-year-old also swiped 13 bases and was praised for an advanced approach at the plate and outstanding work ethic.

Prep Baseball Report‏ @prepbaseball -  PA: Class of 2015 LHP Zach Wielgus (William Penn Charter) shines on the mound at Eastern PA Top Prospect Showcase

Draft 2012: Rhett Wiseman, Austin Fairchild, Victor Roache, Joey Gallo, Trey Williams

 A power/speed combination in centerfield, Rhett Wiseman is often compared to Johnny Damon. Wiseman has a short quick swing and squares up on the ball well.  A pull hitter with some loft, he has plus bat speed and good power potential.  Wiseman runs a 6.51 60 and is dangerous on the basepaths. Wiseman shows good actions in centerfield and has been improving defensively.  His speed allows him to cover plenty of ground and while he lacks a cannon, his arm is accurate and playable in center.  Wiseman plays all out on every play, both in the field and on the bases.  He is the type of player that fans and coaches will love. http://mlbdraftguide.com/

Austin Fairchild, St. Thomas (Houston)  Fairchild isn't built like the prototypical starting pitcher at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, but he reaches the low-90s with his fastball and also offers a curveball and changeup. He has good arm speed, too, but there is a lot of effort in his delivery, which could mean he's headed for the bullpen down the line. Fairchild is a TCU commit, and among the most likely of their better signees to actually get to campus next fall. http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/1086/max-fried-leads-class-of-2012-left-handers

OF Victor Roache School: Georgia Southern  Cl.: Junior, Ht.: 6-1, Wt.: 225 Hometown.: Ypsilanti, Mich.  High school: Lincoln  While many hitters struggled with the BBCOR bats last season, Roache did the opposite. The hard-hitting outfielder turned into an elite prospect with a mammoth campaign. He also raised eyebrows at the Cape Cod League. In 2011, he batted .326 with 30 home runs and 84 RBIs. http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6498  

Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman  . Considered the top all-around player among high school players, Gallo can pitch and hit. While Gallo's fastball reaches around 94 mph, he will likely end up a position player due to his hitting skills. He has 25 home runs as a junior and reportedly has power to all fields. Has a strong arm but he can play just about any of the infield positions, including the left side and first base. He could possibly go around pick No. 20. http://www.maxpreps.com/news/-8V2A0MeEeGkPgAmVebEWg/maxpreps-top-10-mlb-draft-prospects.htm  

Trey Williams, 3B, Valencia, CA - Williams is the son of journeyman major leaguer Eddie Williams and has all the tools to make it to the majors and hopefully surpass his fathers' accomplishments. At 6'2", 205 and extremely athletic, he could be a very good 3B due to soft hands and smooth movements. He's handled shortstop at the high school level but will be a 3B at the next level.  On the offensive side, Trey can rake. The smooth swinging righty should have an above average bat with above average power as well. He's not a burner but he has solid average speed. He could be a .280 type hitter with 25 home runs annually. He's physically mature and has good baseball instincts. Williams could be a future middle of the order hitter with a good glove as well. He is likely a top 15 pick in this year's draft but could slide if he makes it past that. He is committed to Pepperdine and that usually is a pretty solid commitment. http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/2/6/2773435/2012-baseball-draft-high-school-prospects-1-5   

Draft 2012: - Blake Hickman, Albert Amora, Mike Zunino, Rhett Wiseman

9-21-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6253 – David Rawnsley: - JN, I saw Blake Hickman play all over the country this summer. He's a great kid from what I'm told and what I've seen and he certainly looks the part of the prospect, you aren't going to find a better and more projectable body. He has the bat and the arm strength to be a top 5 round pick but he's really behind right now in his receiving skills, so much that there are a number of scouts who want to see him on the mound. He'll have to prove himself next spring.

9-1-11: - http://xmlbscout.angelfire.com - 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.

9-28-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/9/28/2455532/all-questions-answered-thread#comments  - Good defensive catcher with bat speed, patience and power. He will K some… but who cares? You’ll be getting plenty of offense from a good defender at a premium position. It may sound crazy… but with a good season he really could push himself into #1 overall consideration IMO. Appel and Marrero are not exactly known for their consistency… if they continue that trend this year and still want big paydays… I have Mike Zunino 5th on my board right now (Gausman and Giolito also above him). I would not be shocked at all to see him have a dominant season though… and that may be enough in a class where there hasn’t been a clear #1.

9-27-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/09/27/rhett-wiseman-2012-draft-profile   - A power/speed combination in centerfield, Rhett Wiseman is often compared to Johnny Damon. Wiseman has a short quick swing and squares up on the ball well.  A pull hitter with some loft, he has plus bat speed and good power potential.  Wiseman runs a 6.51 60 and is dangerous on the basepaths. Wiseman shows good actions in centerfield and has been improving defensively.  His speed allows him to cover plenty of ground and while he lacks a cannon, his arm is accurate and playable in center. Wiseman plays all out on every play, both in the field and on the bases.  He is the type of player that fans and coaches will love.

Draft 2012: - Clate Schmidt, Peter O’Brien, Lance McCullers, Addison Russell, Rhett Wiseman

7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments - Clate Schmidt, Allatoona HS, Ackworth GA, 6’1 175, deceptive arm strength up to 92 on the day, fb was mostly straight and hittable, but has a lil giddy up on fb when in on RHH, quickness in arm action to show 3 pitches to be effective, cb and change still in development stage but can be a good one in time.

9-27-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/09/22/trey-williams-2012-draft-profile -

Player:  Trey Williams

 Position:  3B

 School:  Valencia HS, CA

 Date of Birth:  3/9/1994

 Height/Weight:  6’1/211

 Bats/Throws:  R/R

 Class Of:  2012

 Committed To:  Pepperdine

Scouting Report:

Trey Wiliams may be the top hitting prospect eligible for the 2012 MLB Draft.  Showing how much respect opposition coaches have for Williams’ bat, he was intentionally walked with the bases loaded in a game his sophomore year.  The son of former Major Leaguer Eddie Williams, he has had excellent coaching from day one and it shows.

People talk about the sound of the bat hitting the ball being different for a special few hitters.  Williams is one of those hitters.  He has an impressive swing with tremendous bat speed.  Williams has an upright stance, strong hands, and shows power to all fields.

While his bat is his ticket on draft day, Williams is strong at third base.  He moves well, has good hands, and displays a strong accurate arm.

A strong finish to his junior year (.500, 6 HR in final 11 games) and good showings throughout the summer have Williams’ looking likely to land near the top of the first round, with the top five a possibility

9-21-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6253 – Hey Kendall, love your college baseball reports. Any idea if Peter O'Brien of Miami will be cleared to get that waiver and be eligible this year? When is the deadline on that stuff? Who will replace Roger Tomas? Thanks K-Rog!   -  First of all, I was shocked Peter O'Brien didn't sign with the Rockies as a third-round pick to the Rockies this past summer. He's most certainly not going to sniff that kind of slot or money (at least in my opinion) in the coming season. With that said, I spoke to two sources inside the Miami program at length about a week and a half ago and they were cautiously optimistic Peter would get cleared as paperwork was just sent. You never know with the NCAA, and there's not timeline .... it happens when it happens.

9-27-11: - http://legendsoftomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/09/lance-mccullers-son-of-gun.html - Lance McCullers Jr. has pretty much hit the ground running. As a sophomore, he was throwing 96 on the radar gun, not unlike the self proclaimed messiah of baseball, Bryce Harper. Like Bryce, he's a two-way star, as he plays infield too, but its widely believed that McCullers will wind up a pitcher, like his father. Since going to Tampa Jesuit, McCullers has left behind a trail of awards and top amateur team selections. He was the 2009 MaxPreps Freshman of the Year, was named to several Perfect Game USA all star teams, played in the 2011 Baseball Factory Under Armour All American game at Wrigley Field as the only non-senior, and was named a Louisville Slugger All American Honorable mention. He's committed to pitching for the University of Florida, but don't expect him to go unless Scott Boras takes him under his wing, which is highly likely.

9-22-11: - http://www.pnj.com/article/20110922/SPORTS10/109220318/Addison-Russell-making-stops-Team-USA - The 6-1, 193-pound shortstop — who has verbally committed to play baseball at Auburn — already has developed relationships with most of the players, having spent pretty much the entire summer competing with and against them for the prestigious Team USA spots. "It was a grueling process," (Addison) Russell said. "They invited 144 draft-eligible kids to compete in a tournament. From there, they made cuts down to 40 players. Those 40 players got to stay for another week and we competed for another week to get down to 28 players. "They invited those 28 guys back a week ago, but because some of them were in football, we only had 21 kids come back. So we had 21 to get down to the final 20. The Saturday night was hectic. All they told us was to go back to our room and wait for a phone call. They called my room around 10:35 p.m. and told me to come down to their room. They told me 'Well, you're a good guy and we appreciate you coming down here, but I want to congratulate you for making the team.' I was so excited and relieved at the same time."

9-1-11: - http://xmlbscout.angelfire.com - Rhett Wiseman, Buckingham Browne & Nichols Schools, Mansfield MA, 6' 195 L/R, gamer with some bat speed, stiff back when he hits and throws, runs better underway, lack of fluid actions bother me, but has strength in his swing and throwing arm to watch again. May just be a solid college player in the long run, but worth a follow.