Update: 2009 Draft - Top Outfielders

OF:

1. Dustin Ackley - UNC junior… 6-1, 184… L/R .477 wOBA high average, and walk hitter with speed. Through 4-1-09: .421 with eight homers and 23 RBIs in 28 games... .729 Slug% .530 OBP… TJS over the summer… excellent base-runner… now limited to playing 1B instead of outfield.

2. Donavan Tate - Cartersvill HS, Georgia… 5-tool talent – may not sign due to commitment to UNC… 6-3, 200… 5-tools… runs 6.34 in 60-yard dash… 80 speed, 70+ arm, 60+ defense…in October 2008, Baseball America projected him as the seventh overall pick in the draft… committed to UNC.

3. Ronnie Mitchell - Carroll HS (TX)… 6-0, 180, L/L… plus bat speed… power to all fields… projects out as RFer…

4. Slade Heathcott - Texas HS senior… 6-1, 196… L/L… power to all fields… big arm, pitched at 96mph… ACL reconstruction surgery last November…

5. Jason Kipnis - ASU junior… 6-0, 180… L/R… 18.9% BB .380 IsoP… 4th round pick '08… thru 4-1-09: .469, 9 HR, 39 RBI, .561 OBP, .919 slug%, 11-13 SB… limited power… strong for his size… through 4-7: .429/.536/.829

6. Jared Mitchell – LSU sophomore… 6-0, 192, L/L… 5-tools… .316 IsoP, 29.3% BB, however, only K 18.3%, ++ speed… was drafted in the 13th round of the 2006 draft by the Twins… 2008: .297 (52-175), 10 doubles, 6 HRs, 29 RBIs, 44 R, 16 SB

7. Brett Nommensen - (up from 11th) - Eastern Illinois senior… 5-10, 190… as of 4-2-09, Nommensen leads the nation in OBP with .643… also: .518/.643/1.024, 10 HRs, 21 RBI, 5 SB in 24 G… 2008: .402… led the team in batting average, hits, multi-hit games, runs scored, doubles, slugging percentage, walks, on-base-percentage, stolen bases and outfield assists… 4-6-9: named Ohio Valley POW… hit .739 for the week… 2nd pow this year… as of 4/8: 17th rank nationally with 11 HRs… as of 4-7-09: .516/.642/1.022

8. Jake Marisnick - Poly HS… 6-4, 200… toolsy… plus power and speed… turning 18… 2007: .495, 5 HR, 22 RBIs… verbally committed to Oregon…

9. Kentrail Davis - (down from #5) - strong & athletic… production down in '09… in October 2008, Davis was ranked as the projected 15th overall pick in the draft… 2009: as of April: stats way down in 2009 from last year

10. Ruben Sierra, Jr. - San Juan Educational School… 6-2, 174… blazing 6.38 speed… big arm… 93 mph from utfield… good bat speed…

11. Matt den Dekker - Florida… High School All-American… 20-20 SB… 29W/24K… was named to the 2009 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Pro-Line Athletic Preseason All-America Team .. 2008: .333, 55R, 48 RBI, 8 HR, 20-20 SB…

12. Kyle Colligan - Texas A&M… senior, 6-2, 210… R/R… 2008: first-team All-Big 12 selection in the outfield ... 67 R, 14 HR, .542 slug%, .421 OBP

13. Brett Jackson - California… junior, 6-2, 210… L/L… 2008: .307 4 home runs and 40 RBI… 53 stolen bases last season… through April 2009: Second in Pac-10 with 13 doubles

14. A.J. Pollack - Notre Dame… junior… 6-1, 200, R/R… great approach to plate… gap-to-gap line-drive hitter… above-average runner… a little flat footed… strength is hitting ability… also, has above average speed. Considered one of the top hitters in the draft.

15. Brian Goodwin - 6-1, 185 high schooler hitting .500 with 8 SB through March 2009… well known for his excellence defense… very good speed… considered to have an above average arm…

16. Chase Leavitt - Arkansas… junior, 5-11, 185… R/L… right fielder… named to Rivals.com Preseason All-SEC team ... Played summer ball with the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod League… 2008: .366… led team in average (.366), runs scored (60), hit by pitch (13), on-base percentage (.505) and sacrifice hits (6.

17. Reymond Fuentes - Fernando Callego HS… a future leadoff hitter with good running ability.

18. Reggie Williams - Brooks-Debartolo HS (FL)… toosy… through April 2009: .576 with 41 stolen bases over first 12 games.

19. Tim Wheeler - Sacramento State junior… 6-4, 205… .718 SLG and 7 stolen bases through March 2009… plus speed and above average presence on the bases… limited power… through April 2009: .741 SLG and 12 stolen bases

20. Kyle Conley - (up from #22) - Washington… junior… 6-4, 209, R/R… 2008: named to all-Pac10 team… drafted by the Dodgers in the 16th round… .746 slug%, 19 HRs… 57RBI… Named Pac-10 POW 4-14: hit 11-16, .688

21. Kyle Jensen - St. Mary’s… Jensen was named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace pre-season watch list… 2008: .421, with 13 HRs… named an ABCA/Rawlings All-American, and a Rivals.com Second Team All-American.

22. Jacob Marisnick - Riverside Poly HS; Riverside, CA. 6′4, 200, Bats R, Throws R… 6-4, 200… strong… center fielder… excellent bat speed… pro-body… 6.8 60-time… 4.3 down the line… average throw from center… ability to drive the ball to all fields.

23. Drew Heid - Gonzaga… junior… 5-9, 170, L/R… 2007: played at Walla Walla C.C…. .362, 68 hits, 53 R, 4 HRs.

24. Matthew Moynihan - Cathedral Catholic HS; San Diego, CA. 6′2, 205, Bats L, Throws, R… ability to hit… 6.6 60-time and 4.1 down the line… above average throw.

25. Nate Lape - Marshall senior… 6-5, 215, R/R… 2008: .388… .610 slugging… drafted in 20th round of 2008 draft by the Rockies… earned baseballnews.com Louisville Slugger's National Player of the Week honors

26. Andrew Aplin - Suisun City CA)…. 6-0, 190… L/L… plays hard and swings above average… slow… 6.8 60-time and 4.35 down line… can really hit.

27. Luke Yoder - Cal Poly… 6-0, 205… R/R… playing left field on 2009… 2008: .350, 8 HR, 33 RBIs, primarily as DH… drafted in 33rd round by Twins in 2008.

28. Marc Krauss - (up from # 30) - Ohio… junior… 6-3, 225, L/R… ranked 27th prospect in league by BA… hit .333 in Cape Cod league this summer… 2008: .332 in 57 games. Also plays 3B and 1B. Through 4-6-09: .429, 13 HRs.

29. Ross Babineauz - (previously unranked) - Delaware State… through 4-6-9, leading Division I in batting average: .535 in 86 Abs.

30. Nathan Hines - Middle Tennessee State… 5-10, 171… junior… 2008: 57 G, .344, 11 HRs, 50 RBIs… center fielder.I

31. Cohl Walla - Lake Travis HS… 6-2, 170… 2007/08: .378, 4 HRs, 27 RBIs…

32. Blake Dean - LSU… 6-0, 193, L/L… 2008 Baseball America First-Team All-American… named one of Baseball America's Top 300 High School Players of 2006. 2008: .353, 20 HRs, 73 RBIs

33. Jacob Morris - Coppell HS; Coppell, TX. 6′3, 195… switch-hitter… can play multiple positions… known for defensive skills… top speed… average arm…

34. Todd Glaesmann - Midway HS… 6-4, 200… 6.83 in 60… 90 mph arm… excellent arm… 2008: .471, 11Hr, 53R, 61RBI… committed to Texas A&M.

35. Allen Bolden - Lipscomb… L/R, 5-11, 200… 2008: 64R, 38BB, 82H

36. Rob Lyerly - NC-Charlotte… junior… 6-1, 200… L/R… 2008: First Team All-Atlantic 10, Most Outstanding Player of 2008 Conference Tournament… led the Atlantic 10 in slugging (.705), doubles (26), RBI (76) and sacrifice flies (9).

37. Neil Medchill – Oklahoma State… junior… L/R… 6-4, 220… was drafted by the Mets in the 33rd round of the 2008 draft… .349, .628 slugging.

38. Aaron Senne - Missouri… junior… L/L… 6-2, 210… 200*: All-Big 12 conference 1st-team… .347, 67 RBI, 13 HRs…

39. Chris Lewis - Western Michigan… junior… S/R… 6-0, 190… named to ESPN Academic All-District team… 2008: 50 G .390, .488 OBP, 71 H, 49 RBI

40. Sonny Meade - The Citadel… senior… 6-5, 230, R/R… named to Southern Conference All-Tournament team… 2007: .379, 86 H

41. Mitch Haniger - Archbishop Mitty HS… 6-2, 185

42. Myrio Richard - Prarie View A&M… The MVP of the 2008 SWAC Season… MVP of the Texas Collegiate League this summer… 2008: .370, 10HR, 51 RBIs

43. John Fellhauer - Cal State Fullerton… 2008: named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team… .390, .488 OBP, 71H, 49 RBIs, struck out only 8 times in 182 Abs…

44. William Henderson - RS Central HS (NC)… 5-11, 170, R/R… signed with UNC Greensboro… excellent pitcher but projected as an outfielder… 6.64 in 60… a pure athlete… excellent bat speed… average arm…

45. Ali Knowles - Christ School (NC)… 5-10, 170, S/R… as talented a pitcher as an outfielder… ran 7.12 in 60, down the line in 4.4… toolsy… average arm…

46. Everett Williams – McCallum HS (TX)… senior… 5-10, 195, L/R… strike out rate too high… gap hitter… plus runner… arm strength below average…

47. Kent Matthes – (previously unranked) – Alabama… through 4-7: .394/.481/.982

48. Jordan Henry - University of Mississippi… junior… 6-1, 170, L/R… fringe-average hitter… good instincts.. average arm… has skills defensively to play CF… projects as 4th OFer at best

49. Randal Grichuk - Lamar HS (TX)… 6-1, 195, R/R… strong right fielder… pop in bat… 60-timr 6.9, 4.4 down line…

50. Steve Detwiler - Fresco State University… junior… 6-1, 220…

51. Dane Hamilton - (previously unranked) - New Mexico senior… 6-2, 195… plays infield also… through April6, 2009: .404, 15 doubles, 6 triples.

52. Drew Allain – (previously unranked) – Tulane senior… named POW in Conference USA on 4-13… batted .625 (10-16) that week.