11-1-9: www.baseballamerica.com: rated the number one prospect on the US National team
1-9-10 from www.jjscouting.com: - Gerrit Cole: This 6-4 220 right-handed pitcher from UCLA has already made a big impact on the baseball world. Already being a first round pick by the Yankees in 2008, Cole should have repeated success in 2011, only having his name called a lot earlier in the first round. With a heavy fastball around the low-to-mid 90's, reaching the upper 90's and good secondary pitches, Cole should have a nice follow up year to his freshman year, in which he went 4-8. But don't let his record fool you, as UCLA had a down year as a team last year, but Cole's other stats were great. Posting a 3.49 ERA while striking out 104 and only walking 38 in 85 innings last spring helped propel him to Team USA. Once getting down to North Carolina with the team, Cole didn't slow up, goign 4-0 with a 1.06 ERA, striking out 46 and walking 10 in 34 innings. And one of the most impressive stats from his summer ball, might have been the opponents batting average, hitting a meager .106.
3/8 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com - SO RHP Gerrit Cole (UCLA) and SO RHP Trevor Bauer (UCLA) were both awesome this weekend against Nebraska. How awesome? So glad you asked. Cole put up the following line: 7 IP 2 H 1 ER 0 BB 9 K; Bauer’s numbers looked more like this: 6.2 IP 6 H 1 ER 2 BB 10 K. Just like last week, however, I’m as excited about a little thing that occurred in Cole’s start than I am about the entirety of his performance. Well, that may actually be a stretch, but I was impressed by his fourth inning showing all the same:
3-9-10 from: - http://collegebaseball360.com/2010/03/09/uclas-cole-gets-2010-usa-baseball-team-trials-invite - – Sophomore right-hander Gerrit Cole has been invited to the 2010 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Trials, as announced Monday by USA Baseball. Cole went 4-0 with a 1.06 ERA for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team in the summer of 2009. Cole has gone 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA through three starts this season, collecting 26 strikeouts and two walks in 18.0 innings. The native of Santa Ana, Calif., has limited the opposition to a .117 batting average in three games. In UCLA baseball history, only two Bruins – Troy Glaus (1995-96) and Josh Karp (1999-2000) – have competed for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team in multiple years. Last summer, Cole led the Team USA in strikeouts (46) and innings pitched (34.0) en route to leading the USA National Team to the 2009 World Baseball Challenge Championship in Prince George, British Columbia (Canada).
3-13-10 from: http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/03/13/foleys-friday-thoughts: - There was also two more great pitching lines on Friday evening with Gerrit Cole dominating Texas AM Corpus-Christi and Mario Hollands beating Northern Illinois. Cole pitched 7.2 innings while allowing only five hits and giving up two runs (one earned) while striking out 15 batters as the UCLA Bruins picked up a 11-3 victory.
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - Gerrit Cole at this point is the cream of the 2011 draft crop, rivaled only by Rendon as the favorite to go first overall. His stuff is comparable to that of Verlander’s from the ’04 draft, as is his inconsistent command at a similar stage in their careers.
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - RHP Gerrit Cole (UCLA) throws in the upper 90s and has led a surprising UCLA team, ranked No. 2, to a 23-2 record thus far. Despite some recent control problems, Cole is 6-0, 2.49 with 61 K’s in 43 innings.
2. Taylor Jungmann
1-9-10 from www.jjscouting.com: - Taylor Jungmann: A right-handed pitcher from the University of Texas, Jungmann is not used to losing. In his four years of varsity baseball during high school, he complied 4 total losses and continued the trend into the spring semester of his freshman year. The 6'6 195 Longhorn complied a line of 11-3, 2.00 era, 101 K, 35 BB in 94 2/3 innings. This led him to becoming a Louisville Slugger Pre-season All-American for the upcoming 2010 season. With his mid 90's fastball, Taylor is sure to improve his previous draft status, 24th round by the Angels in 2008, and become one of the elite pitchers in the 2011 draft class
2-11-10 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - Staying on the theme of tall, projectable power arms, Texas’ Taylor Jungmann had a freshman season matched by few in the nation. On a loaded Longhorns’ staff, Jungmann may be good enough to earn Friday starting honors this coming year. He led Texas in both wins (11) and ERA (2.00) a year ago, and has a rare combination of size, stuff and command.
3/8 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com - As good as Wall was, SO RHP Taylor Jungmann of Texas was just a little bit better. And I really mean just a little bit, as the two pitchers put up startlingly similar lines. Jungmann got one more out (pitching 7.2 innings), allowed one less hit and one less run, walked one better less, and, just to keep up the theme here, actually threw one more total pitch (115 to 114). To add on to the craziness, each pitcher threw exactly 65 strikes. Weird night. Anyway, Jungmann’s final line: 7.2 IP 4 H 1 ER 2 BB 8 K
3-15-10 from http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_houstoncollegeclassic.html - Top 10 Players (2011 Draft Class) - Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Univ. of Texas - Explosive offerings out of an easy arm action and packaged in a durable, projectable frame; low-90s fastball, low-80s power curve and a filthy change with breaking ball caliber depth to the arm-side produced a neat line of 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB and 8 SO while facing just four over the minimum.
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - RHP Taylor Jungmann (Texas) survived an outing at Texas Tech with gusting 50 mph winds, and has posted a 3-1, 2.94 record with 61 K’s in 49 innings. His raw stuff is just a small notch behind Cole’s.
3. Matt Barnes -
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - RHP Matt Barnes (Connecticut): The 6-4, 205-pound Barnes could well find himself lumped with righthanders like Cole and Jungmann over the next year. He has excellent command of mid-90s type stuff and has been overmatching hitters all spring (5-0, 2.10, 34 IP/6 BB/35 K).
4. Trevor Bauer – UCLA – 2009: 9-3, 2.99, 92-K, 105.1-IP
12-20-09: named to 3rd team 2010 NCBWA AA team
1-9-10 from www.jjscouting.com: - Trevor Bauer: The youngest player on the collegiate side of things, Bauer is entering his sophomore year as a 19 year old pitcher. Graduating high school early to play for UCLA, like Levi Michael did with UNC, Bauer showed no nerves of pitching against the older competition. Compiling a 9-3 mark with a 2.99 ERA, Bauer did a lot of work pitching in 105 1/3 innings, recording 92 k's and only 27 walks, while also picking up 2 saves. His performance his freshman year resulted in the National Freshman Pitcher of the Year Award by the Collegegiate Baseball Newspaper. Like Gray and Cole, the 6'1 175 RHP took his game to Team USA this past summer, where his numbers were good in his 17 innings of work.
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - Fellow ’11 draft-eligible righty Trevor Bauer will follow Cole in the weekend rotation this spring at UCLA, and while he doesn’t throw as hard, he sits in the low-90s and offers better command and overall repertoire. Those two, along with junior lefty Rob Rasmussen, form one of the better weekend rotations in the nation.
3/8 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com - SO RHP Gerrit Cole (UCLA) and SO RHP Trevor Bauer (UCLA) were both awesome this weekend against Nebraska. How awesome? So glad you asked. Cole put up the following line: 7 IP 2 H 1 ER 0 BB 9 K; Bauer’s numbers looked more like this: 6.2 IP 6 H 1 ER 2 BB 10 K. Just like last week, however, I’m as excited about a little thing that occurred in Cole’s start than I am about the entirety of his performance. Well, that may actually be a stretch, but I was impressed by his fourth inning showing all the same:
3-14-10 from http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/03/14/quick-thoughts-from-saturday/#more-24380 - Trevor Bauer of UCLA picked up where Gerrit Cole left off on Friday night by striking out 15 batters on Saturday against Mississippi State in eight innings. Bauer’s record improves to 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched.
3-21 from: - http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/032010aac.html - The No. 12 UCLA baseball team improved its record to 15-0 by defeating Oral Roberts, 12-2, in the second contest of a three-game series Saturday afternoon at Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Right-hander Trevor Bauer (2011) improved to 4-0, limiting the visiting Golden Eagles to one run and five hits in eight innings. Bauer struck out nine and walked just one in helping UCLA extend its win streak to 15 games, the program's longest win streak on record. The Bruins are off to its best start in any season in the modern era (dating to 1955).
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - RHP Trevor Bauer (UCLA): Cole and potential 2010 first-rounders Dan Klein and Rob Rasmussen seem to get most of the attention at UCLA, but the 6-1, 175-pound Bauer could well be the team’s best pitcher in terms of his combination of stuff and pitchability. The amazing thing is that Bauer skipped his senior year in high school and should just be a freshman now. He’s 5-1, 2.28 this spring with 59 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 45 innings.
5. John Stilson –
3-18 from: - www.rivals.com: - John Stilson is a name to remember the rest of the season. The Texas A&M right-hander pitcher is off to a start most pitchers can dream about. In eight appearances for the Aggies, Stilson has struck out 34, walked six and has a 0.81 ERA in 22 1/3 innings of work. The righty also has limited opposing teams to a .087 batting average. But not until last weekend’s series against Washington State did Stilson allow a run… In a recent outing against Washington State, Stilson kept his fastball between 95-98 and also approached hitters with an 81-82 MPH slider and a curveball and change in the mid-to-upper 70s.
3-21 from: - http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2218 - While I knew junior RHP Barrett Loux was starting for the Aggies, my hope was that I would get to see hard throwing sophomore RHP John Stilson out of the bullpen. As sometimes happens, things worked out perfectly. Loux pitched the first 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10 Tech hitters (his third straight double figure strikeout game, giving him 48 K’s in only 27 innings) before leaving after throwing 104 pitches. He raised his record to 3-1 on the season with an outstanding 1.29 ERA.
Stilson then came in from the bullpen and threw the final 3 1/3 innings, striking out five more Tech hitters. The 6-3, 190 lb transfer from Texarkana JC is establishing himself as perhaps the most dominant pitcher in college baseball this spring. Stilson is now 4-0, 1.04 with 3 saves. In 25 innings he’s allowed only 8 hits and 7 walks while striking out 39 hitters.
John Stilson: This is the first year that Stilson has concentrated primarily on pitching, although he has still started three games at shortstop for the Aggies. He was a three-sport star in high school in Texarkana, TX, and was the starting shortstop for Texarkana JC last year while also going 12-1, 2.44 on the mound. He was drafted by the Twins in the 19th round of the 2009 draft. Stilson’s delivery, to put it mildly, makes you want to say “Wow…that interesting”. It’s high energy with a pretty severe head jerk and lots of recoil after release. I think the only way that Stilson can get away with it and repeat it well enough to throw strikes is that he is such a good athlete. Of course, all hitters are seeing are arms and legs flying around and it has to be very deceptive. Stilson’s stuff, also to put it mildly, makes you want to say “Wow….that’s awesome”. He sat between 94 and 98 mph and it wasn’t your normal straight high velocity fastball. It had some arm side running action and when Stilson threw to his glove side the ball just ran away from right handed hitters. Stilson’s 83 mph slider was twisty and inconsistent, although it flashed some bite and to his credit he tried a couple of change ups, which wasn’t a pitch he looked too comfortable throwing by looking at his body language after he threw the ball. Stilson will definitely need work developing a true slider, something that he could probably throw in the upper 80’s, but his deception and sheer velocity are enough to overmatch most hitters. The 2011 class is pretty loaded with top half of the first round talent but Stilson’s name certainly belongs in that company.
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - RHP John Stilson (Texas A&M): Stilson created some late-spring draft buzz last year while at Texarkana (Texas) JC, but playing shortstop when not pitching kept his raw stuff from reaching the premium area. That’s changed this spring and Stilson has overwhelmed hitters (6-0, 0.96, 4 SV, 58 K’s in 37 IP) with his mid- to upper-90s heat and deceptive delivery.
6. Tyler Pill – Cal Sate Fullerton – 2009: 11-3, 4.06, 74-K, 102.0-IP
12-20-09: named to 3rd team 2010 NCBWA AA team
7. Noe Ramirez – Cal State Fullerton – 2009: 9-2, 3.33, 100-K, 110.2-IP
12-20-09: named to 3rd team 2010 NCBWA AA team
8. Michael Schum – Wright State – 2009: 5-7, 1.95, 34-AP, 57-K, 62.0-IP
12-20-09: named to 3rd team 2010 NCBWA AA team
9. Mitchell Lambson – Arizona – 2009: 9-5, 3.01, 32-AP, 99-K, 83.2-IP
12-20-09: named to 3rd team 2010 NCBWA AA team
10. Matty Ott – LSU – 2009: 4-2, 16-saves, .268, 37 appearances, 87-K in 67.2-IP
12-6-9 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 45th top college player to play the 2010 season
11. Luke Crumley -
11-2-09 from www.thehardballtimes.com: - Luke Crumley, RHP, 2011, Cleveland, Ga., Royals Baseball Club - Crumley has the ideal projectable pitchers body; 6-foot-4, 180. His fastball right now sits 88-90 mph, with the potential for a lot more as he fills out. He also showed a pretty nasty curveball that definitely looks like a future plus pitch. Just a high school junior, Crumley is already committed to Georgia (according to Mom). Mechanically, there is a bit more effort in the delivery than you’d like to see, and his arm jerks a bit on the finish. His draft day is 19 months away, and anything can happen between now and then (and let that be known for any 2011 player discussed here). But if he’s already hitting 90 with room to grow and a good looking second pitch, he’s a guy you want to follow.
12. Shawn Gilmartin – Florida State – freshman 2009: 12-3, 3.49, 83-K, 98.0-IP
12-20-9 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named to the 10th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Pro-Line Athletic Preseason All-America team. Gilmartin went 12-3 with a 3.49 ERA while striking out 83 batters and walking 37 in 98 innings as the Seminoles finished first in the ACC Atlantic Division and advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAAs.
13. Eric Harrington – Lamar – 2009: 15 appearances, 8-1, 3.01, 63-K, 83.2-IP…
11-24-9 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: named the 57th top college player for the 2010 season.
14. Logan Verrett – Baylor… 2009: 20 games, 5 starts, 7-1, 5.13 in 54.1-IP. .329 OBA…. 54-K, 1.18/IP…
11-17-9 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 64th top college player for the 2010 season.
4-12-10 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/12/phillips-66-big-12-baseball-weekly-awards-3 - Logan Verrett (Baylor) has been selected the Pitcher of the Week for games of April 5-11. PITCHER OF THE WEEK - Logan Verrett, Baylor, RHP, So., 6-2, 180, Corpus Christi, Texas/Calallen - Verrett turned in one of the best performances in Baylor Ballpark history with a complete-game four-hitter against Texas A&M on Saturday. He posted 13 strikeouts, a venue record. Each of the last 12 strikeouts were swinging, and he issued just two walks. Verrett surrendered just two hits through the first seven innings, and did not allow a runner to advance past second base until consecutive doubles in the eighth ended his shutout bid. He finished the game as strong as he started, striking out the first two and the last two batters of the game. Verrett’s 13 strikeouts were the most by a Bear hurler in a regular season game since Jason Jennings struck out 14 against Kansas in 1999. The Corpus Christi, Texas-righty retired at least one batter in every inning but the eighth, yet never struck out the side. Verrett pitched a full two innings longer than his previous career best of 7.0 innings, helping to save the BU bullpen for Sunday’s series finale.
15. Ryan Keller –
11-2-09 from www.thehardballtimes.com: - Ryan Keller, Braves Scout Team—CA RHP who resembles Curt Schilling, sat 87-89 but CB was subpar. 2011.
16. Tony Zych – Louisville – junior… 2009 as a freshman: 6-2, 3.25, in 21 appearances, 3 starts… 2 saves… .235 OBA…
11-3-09 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: named the 78th top college player ging into the 2010 season.
1-4: named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team as named by a vote of conference coaches: P Tony Zych, So., Louisville (6-2, 3.25 ERA)
17. Nick Ahmed – Connecticut…
11-9-9 from www.baseballdraftreport.com: - The Huskies feature one of the nation’s most intriguing pair of two-way talents in SO RHP/SS Nick Ahmed (2011) and SO RHP/3B Kevin Vance (2011). Ahmed turned some serious heads in summer league play with a fastball sitting in the low-90s, a low-70s curve with promise, and a presently league average change.
18. Kevin Vance – Connecticut…
11-9-9 from www.baseballdraftreport.com: - The Huskies feature one of the nation’s most intriguing pair of two-way talents in SO RHP/SS Nick Ahmed (2011) and SO RHP/3B Kevin Vance (2011). Ahmed may have been the hotter name over the summer, but Vance’s stuff is currently a touch better. He has similar velocity to Ahmed (normally sitting 90-92 with the FB), but a better overall breaking ball and plus command give him the overall edge.
19. Aaron Sanchez – Barstow HS (CA.) – 6-3, 170… 93-94 fastball… good consistency…
9-16-9: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 23. Aaron Sanchez, rhp Barstow (Calif.) HS
10-5-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects i– #44 - Aaron Sanchez (22nd RHP on list)
11-9-9 from www.mlbresource com: - Aaron Sanchez, RHP Oregon - Tucked away in Barstow, California is a sure top five rounder that throws a mid 90’s fastball.
20. Adam Smith -
11-11-9 from www.thebaseballdraftreport.com: - Texas A&M - SO RHP/SS Adam Smith (2011) and the bazooka launcher attached to the right side of his body. If you’ve been following the draft over the past few years the name Adam Smith should sound familiar. No, not the Wealth of Nations guy. The highly sought after 2008 recruit who wound up in College Station playing for the Aggies. Smith has always had a crazy strong arm, but only recently has he had the chance to showcase it regularly on the mound. I still believe he can play a capable SS/3B and hit enough to be productive at either spot, but I couldn’t fault a team that instead saw him as a potential closer-type throwing easy 97 mph fastballs off the bump.
21. Kyle Winkler -
1-7-10: invited to join Team USA in July 10 - Kyle Winkler-RHP-TCU - This is the second invite for Winkler as he participated in the 2009 trials last summer. Winkler completed a successful freshman season, tying for the team lead with seven victories. In 17 appearances, he made 14 starts and posted a 7-1 record to go along with a 4.15 ERA. In 73 2/3 innings pitched, the righty tallied 48 strikeouts. He was named to the Mountain West Conference All-Tournament team and the Fort Worth All-Regional Team. TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle on Winkler: “This is a great honor for Kyle and our program,” Schlossnagle said. “Representing your country is one of the greatest honors one can receive in amateur baseball and Kyle was very close to making the team last year. I’m sure he will represent TCU at the highest level when the trials begin this summer.”
3-15-10 from http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_houstoncollegeclassic.html - Top 10 Players (2011 Draft Class) - Kyle Winkler, RHP, Texas Christian Univ. - Yet another potential Day 1 arm, Winkler mixed a low-90s fastball with a low-80s change and a mid-70s downer curve; biggest problem area continues to be control and command over the course of his starts, allowing more to reach by walk than by hit (5:4) over his 6.1 IP.
22. Sonny Gray
1-9-10 from www.jjscouting.com: - Sonny Gray: Sonny Gray is a competitor out of the University of Vanderbilt. By scouts standards Gray would be "undersized", standing at 5'11, but that doesn't matter, as he goes out there an competes. The right-handed pitcher was originally drafted by the Cubs in the 27th round and slipped so far due to such a strong commitment to Vanderbilt. If not, Gray wouldn't have lasted past the second round in 2008, most likely not even past the first round. Like Cole, Sonny had a strong freshman campaign, with which he followed it up with a superb summer circuit. At Vanderbilt, he went 5-1 with a 4.30 ERA, recording 5 saves and striking out 72 and walking only 20 in 58 2/3 innings. Not impressing you? Gray then went on to do equally great things with Team USA, going 3-1 in 24 innnings pitched, with a miniscual .75 ERA, averaging 1 strike out an inning and only walking 8. Another elite pitcher,that will have his name called early come 2011.
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - While Cole possesses the best pure arm in the nation in any class, Vanderbilt sophomore teammates Sonny Gray and Jack Armstrong, also teammates on the 2007 Aflac All-American team, offer a more intimidating one-two punch. Gray’s arm may rival Cole’s, even though Gray continues to be scrutinized for his less than ideal 5-foot-11 frame. He, too, lights up radar guns and offers an equally neutralizing breaking pitch. He joined Cole on the Team USA squad last summer, where both may return this coming summer to help cement their status as premium, first-round picks for the following year’s draft.
23. Jack Armstrong, Jr.
1-9-10 from www.jjscouting.com: - Jack Armstrong Jr.: Gray's teammate at Vanderbilt, Armstrong didn't pitch much this past spring, only 7 2/3 innings, but did record 8 strikeouts. Then this past summer, as a member of the Wareham Gatemen of the CCBL, Jack went 4-1 wit ha 2.57 ERA, averaging almost a strikeout an inning and only walking 18 in 35 innings pitched. While filling out his 6'6 frame since high school, now up to 226lbs, Armstrong has seen his velocity jump, now sitting consistantly in the low 90's and found himself pitching in Fenway, as a member of the Cape Cod All Star team. Look for Armstrong to get more innings this year and for him to prove himself as a top of the line prospect.
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - While Cole possesses the best pure arm in the nation in any class, Vanderbilt sophomore teammates Sonny Gray and Jack Armstrong, also teammates on the 2007 Aflac All-American team, offer a more intimidating one-two punch. Stature isn’t a problem for the 6-foot-6, 225-pound Armstrong, whose stuff began to catch up with his size last summer on the Cape. Armstrong impresses me the most in that his command is what caught my attention the most the first time I was able to see him pitch, and at that point in time he topped out in the upper-80s. Now throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s, he looks to carry his success from the Cape to his sophomore campaign, and if that success continues he could push his name into the discussion for the first overall pick in 2011.
24. Jordan Cooper – Wichita State
1-28-10 from www.baseballdraftreport.com: - SO RHP Jordan Cooper (2011) is coming off a fantastic freshman season and should once again thrive as Wichita State’s Saturday starter. His hard work on campus has helped him further develop his pro body and clean up his loose, easy, and repeatable throwing mechanics. He has a low-90s fastball, decent slider, an emerging changeup, and a curve still in its infancy. There isn’t a standout pitch in his arsenal just yet, but the ability to throw four (though closer to three and a half) pitches for strikes make him appealing as a potential back of the rotation starter. Another big year in 2010 will earn him his rightful promotion to Friday starter in 2011.
25. Michael Palazzone - Georgia
3-10-10 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - SO RHP Michael Palazzone (Georgia) had a rough Sunday. The draft-eligible sophomore was pounded by Florida State: 1.1 IP 5 H 6 ER 2 BB 1 K. Teammate SO RHP Cecil Tanner, channeling a young Bobby Jenks (Georgia) had an even rougher go of it: 1 IP 1 H 6 ER 6 BB 0 K 3 WP
26. Tyler Lasko –
3-11-10 from: http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/03/18/acc-recap-for-march-17th-2 - Sophomore RHP Taylor Lasko allowed one run in 6.0 innings of work to lead the Boston College baseball team to an 8-2 win at Bryant on St. Patrick’s Day. Lasko allowed one run on five hits for his first collegiate win. He struck out two and walked one.
27. Michael Goodnight
3-9 from: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Houston SO RHP Michael Goodnight (7 IP 2 H 0 ER 4 BB 9 K) outdueled Texas ace JR RHP Brandon Workman (8 IP 4 H 1 ER 1 BB 7 K), although Workman’s stuff and command were both reportedly very impressive. As for the game’s winning pitcher, well, it’s been mentioned before, but it really bears repeating: Goodnight would absolutely be the best name ever for a closer. That is, until Willie Wewin finally breaks out and reaches the bigs, of course.
3-17 from: - http://pnrscouting.com/articles_2010_houstoncollegeclassic_day2_03102010.html - Michael Goodnight (2010) spun a gem against a bewildered Longhorns offense, finishing with a line of 7 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 9 SO and 0 R, combining with Ty Stuckey (2010) and closer Matt Creel (2010-Soph.) for the shutout. Entering Saturday's action, most projected Goodnight in the pen due to an inability to maintain velocity and stuff late into games. He was at his best on Saturday, however, with all four offerings (three of which could serve as workable pitches at the next level). His fastball was low-90s, dropping some as the game progressed, but still breaking 90 in the sixth. He also commanded it well to the quadrants and used it effectively as a set-up for his change and slider. His off-speed looked like a circle change, sitting low-80s and coming with good fade and drop. Goodnight threw a couple different breaking balls, with an 80-82 slider being the more effective of the two. His curve is a very soft 67-70 mph with rolling action that likely will not play against advanced hitters (though he doesn’t need the pitch with his slider and his change each capable of preventing hitters from sitting on a particular plane). Saturday may have been a perfect storm of events, wherein Goodnight on one of his better days met a struggling Texas offense on a down afternoon, but if he continues to show advanced pitchability throughout the remainder of the spring, he could creep into early Day 2 consideration. As a pro, though he likely still fits best in the pen, he figures to start until he gives his drafting organization reason to shift him to relief.
28. Kaleb Merck -
3-15-10 from http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_houstoncollegeclassic.html - Top 10 Players (2011 Draft Class) - Kaleb Merck, RHP, Texas Christian Univ. - Just one appearance on the weekend, but made the most of his 2.2 IP notching 3 SO while allowing 2 H and 0 BB and took just 34 pitches to record 8 outs, with just one of the outs coming in the air; 89-91, touched 92 mph with his fastball and added a 78-80 slider that flashed late bite.
29. Jordan Prias -
RHP - 4-7-10 from: - http://collegebaseball360.com/2010/04/06/cb360-primetime-performers-of-the-week-7-april-6 - Stanford sophomore righthander Jordan Pries has been named the Primetime Pitcher of the Week. Pries went the distance on April 2 in game-2 of the series at #2 UCLA, as the Cardinal handed the Bruins their first loss of the season (8-4). The 6-0, 190-pound righthander allowed three earned runs on eight hits and four walks, with four strikeouts while facing a potent UCLA lineup that featured four players hitting above .390 for the season. The 133-pitch complete game saw Pries sparkle through the first 7.2 innings, as he allowed only an unearned run and four hits until late in the 8th inning. Twice in the game, Pries retired seven in a row – and his first six frames featured two 1-2-3 innings and four others in which he induced a double-play ball.
30. Branden Pinder:
4-12-10 from: http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/12/big-west-players-of-the-week-2 - Long Beach State’s Branden Pinder (Torrance, Calif./Santa Ana CC) delivered the first complete game shutout of his career to capture Big West Baseball Pitcher of the Week accolades. Pinder went the distance as the 49ers salvaged the final game of a three-game series, winning 11-0 against UC Davis on Saturday. Pinder tossed a three-hitter and allowed only one walk while throwing just 100 pitches in an efficient performance. He also struck out three. The sophomore faced the minimum 12 batters over the final four innings of the game and got a double play to remove the only Aggie baserunner in those final four frames.
31. Alex Meyer - Kentucky
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - Alex Meyer – RHP – Kentucky - Now listed at 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, Meyer has the size and stuff that could draw comparisons to Jeff Niemann. Meyer has always thrown hard, and has the body size and looseness in his arm to maintain his velocity deep into ballgames. He was challenged as a freshman by being immediately inserted into the Wildcats’ weekend starting staff, and that experience should allow him to take a significant step forward this year.
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - Not every college player in the 2011 draft class has performed to expectations this spring. Here are five that may need to pick up their pace to preserve their high standing: - RHP Alex Meyer (Kentucky): As PG scout/writer Pat Ebert wrote about earlier this week (http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2243) Meyer still has top-half-of-the-first-round stuff. He’s a late bloomer who is still growing into his 6-9, 220-pound body, but scouts will be looking increasingly for improved performance (4-2, 7.64, 65 base runners in 35 IP) before June 2011.
4-14-10 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/14/alex-meyer-out-for-3-4-weeks/#more-25386 - Kentucky standout sophomore right-handed pitcher Alex Meyer has been diagnosed with mononucleosis and will be out for an estimated three to four weeks, it was announced by UK head coach Gary Henderson Wednesday morning. A 6-foot-9, 220-pounder, Meyer leads the team with 52 strikeouts in 40.2 innings pitched, functioning as UK’s Sunday starter throughout the season. A native of Greensburg, Ind., Meyer (4-2, 7.30 ERA) has made eight starts and appeared in nine games for UK in 2010. Over his two-year career, Meyer has struck out 132 in 100.1 innings, allowing 99 hits.
32. Cecil Tanner -
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - Add one more towering, fire-ballling righty to the mix of those eligible to go in the first round of the 2011 draft: Georgia’s Cecil Tanner. Georgia’s depth in pitching may allow the team to use him as either its closer, set-up man or both, as he and equally towering lefty Alex McRee could give the Bulldogs the most intimidating bullpen to deal with in games that are close and late. If he remains in a late-inning role, Tanner may follow in the footsteps of big-bodied closers with equally big arms in Jonathan Broxton and Bobby Jenks.
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - Not every college player in the 2011 draft class has performed to expectations this spring. Here are five that may need to pick up their pace to preserve their high standing: RHP Cecil Tanner (Georgia): Tanner has flashed first-round potential in the past, including a mid to upper 90’s fastball, but has seen his command completely evaporate this spring. He has gone just 1-2, 14.18 with 26 walks in 13 innings. His command has never been particularly outstanding (27 BB in 35 IP as a freshman), but it’s worth noting that Tanner is not very experienced, especially for a Georgia high-school prospect, as he threw only 28 innings as a high-school senior in addition to last year’s 35 innings.
LHP:
1. Matt Purke –
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - Like lefties? The 2011 draft has those to offer as well, from fire-balling Matt Purke to the crafty, two-way talents of Danny Hultzen. Purke may be considered a bonus to the ’11 draft class as a draft-eligible sophomore. He was once thought to be signed by the Texas Rangers as their first-round pick in last year’s draft, only to honor his commitment to TCU. Built lean and wiry strong, Purke offers command of a solid overall repertoire. While you always have to temper your expectations with freshmen, the Horned Frogs are confident that Purke will hit the ground running.
3-13 from http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/03/13/cbb-visit-no-8-tcu-6-texas-tech-1-3-13-10/#more-24361 - Matt Purke threw a complete game, his first outing over 5.1 innings on the year, giving up only four hits, one run, and striking out eight Red Raiders. Purke’s victory moves him to 2-0 on the year. The Horned Frogs finished the game with a 9-1 victory, moving to 11-2 on the year while Texas Tech fell to 8-8. TCU has won all three games against Tech in 2010, with one remaining tomorrow
3-17 from: - http://pnrscouting.com/articles_2010_houstoncollegeclassic_day2_03102010.html - Purke was easily the best I’ve seen him in the last 18 months, with the largest improvements coming from the quality of his secondaries and the arm slot for his curve (which I thought was a little higher than his other pitches in the past). The lefty was 91-93 mph on Saturday, which is right around where I’ve seen him in the past. He was low-80s with his sweeping slider and upper-70s, touching 80, with a two-plane curve that had absolutely dirty late bite. His change (which he throws with a split, or “vulcan” grip, pictured) showed its usual quality tumble and average command. He was consistent with his secondaries and most impressively used them to set up his fastball on more than a couple occasions -- generally coming in to righties with his curve or change and following it with well placed running fastballs away.
Purke was also much better at hitting his low-3/4 arm slot with all four pitches, coming across his body and giving some deception. I have slight concerns about the plane of his fastball, as it lacks drop to go along with the run. Since his slot is so low, the ball ends -up sitting in the hit zone for a long time. Still, I wouldn’t try to change anything at this point, given the current quality of his offerings. Further, if his secondaries continue to improve, they should be more than enough to keep hitters honest. As a final note, Purke had an excellent presence on the mound, coming right at hitters and showing poise with runners on and behind in the count. He ended a couple of innings with big first pumps after strikeouts, which in and of itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but he also was well late in covering first on a jam shot to first baseman Matt Curry (2010). His competitive mentality will be an asset, but he’ll need to make sure that asset doesn’t come at the expense of in-game focus. It's almost certain to be a non-issue, but I think worth noting at this point. His final line sat at a solid 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 SO and 1 ER. Also notable on the mound for TCU was sophomore closer Kaleb Merck (2011). Merck pitched the final 2.2 innings, allowing just two batters to reach (a double scoring an inherited run and a single) while striking out three. He sat 89-91, touching 92 mph, with his fastball and paired the pitch with an effective 78-80 slider. He also showed a fine pick-off move that he set-up by continually altering his hold time in the set.
From www.mlb.com: Fastball: Purke showed velocity a tick above average, sitting at 92-93 mph. He topped out at 95 mph.
Fastball movement: It has tailing life to the arm side.
Curve: It's kind of between a curve and a slider. It has more of a curve break, with good rotation and depth. He thew it about 78 mph with late break to it.
Changeup: Has a good changeup.
Control: He has good command and moves the ball around the zone well.
Poise: He's pitched in big games and rises to the occasion.
Physical Description: Purke is a lean, wiry, thin-waisted left-hander. He's projectable, but needs to add some strength.
Medical Update: Healthy.
Strengths: Three average to above-average pitches. Good command, projectable body.
Weaknesses: He's a little too slender, leading some to worry about durabilty.
Summary: When conversations arise about the top prep lefties in the class, Purke is on the short list. With three excellent offerings and command of them, to go along with a projectable frame, Purke's name comes up early and often. There might be a small concern about his durabilty because he's a little too slender, but that won't be enough to keep him from being taken high up on Draft day
3-15-10 from http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_houstoncollegeclassic.html - Top 10 Players (2011 Draft Class) - Matt Purke (Freshman), LHP, Texas Christian Univ. - Along with Rendon and Jungmann, Purke fills-out the top 3 talents on the weekend, regardless of class, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see these three make-up the top three picks in the 2011 draft when all is said and done; best line of Purke's year -- 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB and 7 SO -- and best look from his secondaries, though he needs more economy, taking 99 pitches to record 16 outs.
4-9-10 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/on-campus/2010/269792.html - Top Freshman - Matt Purke, lhp, Texas Christian - Expectations could not have been higher for Purke from the day he set foot on TCU's campus. An unsigned first-round pick who turned down at least $2 million from the Rangers to attend school, Purke was expected to be a dominant ace from the start of his collegiate career. Through seven weeks, Purke has managed not to disappoint, despite the massive hype surrounding him. He stepped into TCU's weekend rotation immediately and has emerged as the Horned Frogs' Friday starter over the last few weeks. He is 3-0, 3.52 with 48 strikeouts and nine walks in 38 innings.
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - LHP Matthew Purke (Texas Christian) turned down high first-round money from the Texas Rangers last year, but hasn’t missed a beat as a freshman, going 3-0, 3.52 with 48 K’s in 38 innings. He will be a draft-eligible sophomore in 2011.
2. Danny Hultzen – Virginia – 2009: 9-1, 2.17, 17 appearances, 16 starts… SP1… 107-K in 95.1-IP…
11-25 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 56th top college player for the 2010 season
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - You wouldn’t know that two-way talent Danny Hultzen was a freshman a year ago by looking at his stats. He led the starting staff in ERA (2.17), innings (95.1), starts (16) and strikeouts (107), and shared the team lead in wins (9) while hitting .327. He played a big role in the Cavaliers’ College World Series run and is also a big reason why Virginia opens the season as one of the top teams in the nation. With good command of an upper-80s to low-90s fastball, as well as a good overhand curve, scouts currently project Hultzen’s professional future brighter as a pitcher than as a hitter.
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - LHP Danny Hultzen (Virginia) doesn’t have mid- to upper-90’s stuff to warrant being an early first-rounder like the other prospects on the preferred list for 2011, but his 90-92 mph heater is plenty firm enough and he might be the best “pitcher” in college baseball. His Virginia team has spent plenty of time in the No. 1 spot in the national rankings this spring, in large part because of Hultzen’s work on Friday nights (4-1, 1.57, 46 IP/8 BB/55 K).
3. Jed Bradley:
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - LHP Jed Bradley (Georgia Tech): The 6-4, 210-pound Bradley has followed a classic projection curve since being a slender mid-80s southpaw as a high-school junior. He now overpowers hitters (4-1, 3.46, 39 IP/10 BB/50 K) with a low-90s fastball and effective curve/changeup combination.
4. Adam Conley:
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - LHP Adam Conley (Washington State): The 6-3, 170-pound Conley garnered attention last summer by posting a 0.00 ERA in 34 innings in the New England Collegiate League. He did that while pitching in the 86-88 mph range with an outstanding changeup and workable slurve. Reports out of the Northwest this spring say that Conley is now touching 94 mph while dominating hitters as Washington State’s closer (2-1, 0.84, 5 SV). Loose, projectable southpaws who can touch 94 and have a dominating secondary pitch usually get drafted very high.
5. Henry Owens – Edison HS (CA.) – 6-5
11-27: from www.baseballamerica.com: - Re: 2009 World Wood Bat Association World Championship - 6-foot-5 lefthander Henry Owens from Edison High in Huntington Beach, Calif., who was named the tournament’s most valuable pitcher –
6. Jake Cave -
11-2 from www.thehardballtimes.com: - Jake Cave, LHP/OF, 2011, Hampton, Va., Canes - Now here’s a really interesting guy. Look at Cave, and he’s very unassuming physically; 6-foot-1 quite skinny, slim hips, does not look so athletic. Then you put him on a mound and watch him throw an easy 88-91 with plus command and a curve that makes you think Zito. Then, you can take him off the mound, put a bat in his hand, and watch him take simply vicious hacks and display some pretty incredible raw power. For icing on the cake, he’s a plus runner straightaway (4.09 through first) and cuts bags quite well. He’s a little more advanced on the mound right now than at the plate, in my opinion. He was a bit hack-heavy, and swung and missed more than you’d like to see (mostly on bad balls). It’s hard to tell if that’s a real trait or just a guy at a showcase trying to get his money’s worth. Either way, this is an incredibly talented kid for the ’11 class. Shades of Nick Markakis at the plate, and something like a more powerful Zito on the mound. If the draft were tomorrow, he might be a supplemental-round pick. But he’s got another year to grow. Look out.
7. Taylor Wall -
3-15-10 from http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_houstoncollegeclassic.html - Top 10 Players (2011 Draft Class) - Taylor Wall, LHP, Rice Univ. - Kept up with Jungmann in Friday's nightcap, notching 8 SO while allowing 5 H, 3 BB and 2 ER over 7.1 IP; mid-70s change-up with good deception was his most effective weapon and helped a mid-80s fastball play well above its velocity.
8. Sean Gilmartin
3/8 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com - Florida State SO LHP Sean Gilmartin (7 IP 6 H 0 ER 0 BB 9 K) got the best of Georgia JR RHP Justin Grimm (4 IP 11 H 7 ER 2 BB 7 K). Not a good outing for Grimm’s first round draft hopes, assuming he looked as out of sorts as his line would indicate. His peak stuff – a four-pitch mix featuring a sitting 92-93 with fastball that peaks at 96, potential plus upper-70s curve, good low- to mid-70s CU, and a mid-80s cutter — is up there with any college pitcher in his class, but his inconsistent mechanics and steady stream of nagging injuries have kept him from showing off that elite stuff as often as a team drafting high in the first round typically likes to see. I get the feeling Grimm could be this year’s Andy Oliver.
9. Nick Maronde -
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - Nick Maronde was considered a premium talent coming out of high school, eligible for the 2008 draft, but once again, agent affiliation and his commitment to Florida caused him to drop to the 43rd round. He showed the ability to both miss bats (59 strikeouts) and command the strike zone (18 walks) in 61 innings as he was used in a versatile swing role for the Gators. He has a good build and a solid repertoire, with an upper-80s to low-90s fastball, curveball and advanced changeup. Unlike Mooneyham and Carpenter, Maronde already shows considerable pitching guile, with the ability to change speeds while commanding the strike zone to get ahead early in counts.
10. Andrew Hedrick:
4-6-10 from: - http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2248 - The most impressive performer for me the first two games was LHP Andrew Hedrick, a 2011 southpaw from Ankeny High School in the Des Moines area. I saw Hedrick pitch at the Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase and he was impressive then, getting a PG 9 grade. He was better outdoors, especially in keeping his delivery directional to the plate. Hedrick pitched under control and pounded the strike zone with an 84-87 mph fastball that seemed to jump on hitters, a hard-spinning mid 70’s curveball and a nice changeup. He struck out 8 hitters in 3 innings of work. One of the best things about the 6-0, 165 lb Hedrick is that there’s little question he’s going to get better over the next couple of years. He is very young in the face and hasn’t started to physically mature much yet. He shows his athleticism in the way he repeats his delivery and moves around the field, and it was instructive to find out that both his parents were college athletes (dad in baseball, mom in basketball), so he has athleticism in his background as well.
11. Ryan Carpenter – Gonzaga… 2009: 6-4, 5.26, in 15 appearances, 12 starts, 68-K, 65.0-IP.
11-22-9 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 59th top college player for the 2010 season
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - From a relatively smaller school comes Gonzaga’s Ryan Carpenter, who like Mooneyham offers a tall, intimidating presence on the mound at 6-foot-5. Carpenter’s fastball sits in the low-90s, and his overall command and the bite on his slider saw significant improvement last summer in the Alaska League, where he led the circuit in ERA (0.67).
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - Not every college player in the 2011 draft class has performed to expectations this spring. Here are five that may need to pick up their pace to preserve their high standing: LHP Ryan Carpenter (Gonzaga): The 6-foot-5 Carpenter just needs to start matching results with his ability. He had a passable freshman year (6-4, 5.26 in 65 IP) and was dominant during the summer in the Alaska League (2-2, 0.67, 54 K’s in 40 IP). But he has been very hittable this spring (2-3, 7.20 in 7 starts) with no firm explanation why.
12. Brett Mooneyham –
1-9-10 from www.jjscouting.com: - Brett Mooneyham: A lefty from the University of Stanford, the 6'5 235 Mooneyham towers over the opposing batters. He had a nice spring this past year, recording a 6-3 record, second most wins on the team behind Drew Storen, a first round pick by Washington. He appeared in 67 1/3 innings, which were the most on the pitching staff and had 72 strike outs. The only problem was his control, where he walked 54 batters this spring. But with a great pitching frame, being a lefty, throwing mid 90's and having a good breaking ball and an above average change up, Brett Mooneyham will the ace of Stanford this year and will be followed very closely here at JJScouting
2-11 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com - Big-bodied lefty Brett Mooneyham was considered to be one of the top prep lefties available for the 2008 draft, but agent affiliation and a strong academic commitment to Stanford made him nearly unsignable. During his freshman season he continued to show that he had swing-and-miss stuff (72 strikeouts in 67 innings of work), but also showed that he had a long ways to go with his control (54 walks). If he harnesses his power three-pitch arsenal between now and the 2011 draft he may be considered among the top three to five overall selections.
4-7-10 from: http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2253 - Not every college player in the 2011 draft class has performed to expectations this spring. Here are five that may need to pick up their pace to preserve their high standing: - LHP Brett Mooneyham (Stanford): Mooneyham still shows top-level raw stuff and might have been a first-rounder out of high school if it weren’t for his strong commitment to Stanford. His command has not come close to matching his stuff, though, and he has struggled to an unimpressive 0-4, 7.52 record with 32 walks in 26 innings over seven starts this spring.
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