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 – Denton Keys, Matt McPhearson, Nick Petree, Austin Kubitza, Terry McClure

Denton Keys, LHP, Rye HS (CO) - You know you are having a good season when you strike out 14 over seven innings and actually lower your K/9 ratio. The 6’-3”, 200 pound southpaw came into his last start with 44 K/3 BB over 16 innings (24.8 K/9). He now has 58 K/4 BB over 23 innings (22.7 K/9) and has yet to allow a run on five hits. His fastball sits in the 89-91 mph range and he has deception in his delivery. He also adds a mid-70s curve and change-up. Committed to Kansas. link

Outside of the usual warm-weather states like California, Arizona and Florida, the 2013 season has been brutal for baseball. Temperatures have barely sniffed normal levels and precipitation has jumbled schedules from the high school level to the low Class A Midwest League. The cold weather has also indirectly affected Matt McPhearson’s run at breaking his own record. An outfielder at Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro, Md., McPhearson set the Crusaders’ record for stolen bases in a season with 68. He set a goal of swiping 75 in his senior year, but that is in jeopardy after McPhearson has missed eight games this season with a nagging hamstring. link

Nick Petree, RHP, Missouri State - Over his last six starts, the 6’-1” right-hander has a 1.40 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 52 K/6 BB over 45 innings. He led the nation in ERA as a sophomore (1.01) in a season that included an incredible run of 73 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. He features a low-90s fastball, a plus change-up, a slurve and a cutter. He has a great feel for his pitches and commands all of them well. link

For Rice junior right-hander Austin Kubitza, the key has always been harnessing the extreme movement on his fastball well enough to throw strikes. There are times when his ball moves too much and his walks pile up: He has 37 walks in 67 innings this year, about as many as he threw in 80 innings last season. But extreme movement is a double-edged sword, and it also allows him to escape jams with strikeouts and weak contact. He ranks fourth in the nation with 90 strikeouts -- just five behind leader Carlos Rodon of North Carolina State -- and his 12.15 strikeouts per nine innings are second-most of any pitcher with at least 70 strikeouts, behind only Rodon's 14.9. link

Dan Kirby‏ @DanMKirby

Riverwood (GA) CF-Terry McClure 2-for-3 w/ 2B, HR, 5 RBI. Hitting .398 over 26 G w/ 7 2B, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 11 SB, .521 OBP/.795 SLG