The Mack Draft Report – John Taylor, Stephen Tarpley, Thomas Robson, Matty Ott,Velo, Jackie Bradley

First off, let’s discuss three relatively unknown guys that made their mark in the October WWBA fall tournament.


Franklin County (Carnesville, Georgia) RHP John Taylor (no, not the guy from Duran2) did well for the Mid-Atlantic Rookies.


88-91 fastball, 74-77 curve, 78-79 change-up… named to MaxPreps All-Region baseball team… good life on the ball…


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Gilbert (Arizona) High School LHP Stephen Tarpley first impressed in the Area Code games in June and followed that up with another impressive outing for the Royal Scout Team of the WWBA.


He also has one hell of an arm in the outfield, though his first job is pitching… 88-91 fastball… 72-76 curve… 81 change… 6-0, 170… this is a kid that is still learning the game and needs a team that has patience.


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Team British Columbia RHP 6-4, 200 Thomas Robson got his heat up to 92 which was coupled to a 78-81 slider.


In August, Robson led BC to the gold medal in the Canada Cup, throwing a complete game with stats of: 3-H, 1-BB, 9-K. He had two wins in the tournament, pitching 13 innings that included 18 strikeouts in a row.


Oh, did I mention he can hit too? BC 2010 stats: .455.


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The LSU Gold team beat the Purple guys, 4-2, behind the last inning 1-2-3 thrown by prospect Matty Ott.


He was aces earlier this year in the Cape Cod league, going 2-0 in 13 games, with a 0.50 ERA.


In 2009 he went 4-2, with 16 saves for LSU, but crashed an burned in 2010 (6.38).


Ott has only been named in one mock draft so far this year, coming in as the 163rd overall pick in the October 1st Draft Site mock.


I have him as the 53rd overall RHP in the draft and the 8th top RP. Probably a late 2nd rounder.


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I can’t tell you how many people associated with high school and college baseball thin that there are millions of pitchers topping out in the mid-90’s. Well, it just doesn’t happen and any decent scout knows that, when he gets a telephone call and someone tells him that they saw a kid downstate that “sits at 95”, the chances of it being true is around15%


PG  did a fascinating study after the WWBA. They recorded 813 pitches and only 156 had a 90+ fastball. And, only three were over 95.


The winners were the same old names:




Craig Bailey

 Jose Fernandez - 97


Lance McCullers – 96


Nick Burdi – 96


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There are very few sure bets in the MLB draft, but South Carolina OF Jackie Bradley looks like one of them.


4-tool player… 2009 stats: .367/.468/.585… 2010: .371/.477/.587… 38-BB vs. only 31-Ks… 65 arm… he threw a ball 101-mph from right field at the Perfect Game’s 2008 Pre-Draft Showcase… very strong runner… great instinct in running down fly balls… hands are quick… good understanding of strike zone…




Rich Glickstein

 If there’s a downside here, it would be his lack of MLB pop and lack of wood bat experience. Played USA ball this summer but didn’t hit over .300. Not that big either at 5-10, 175.


Draft wise, I have him as the first outfielder to be picked in June. His name has been on every mock draft released so far and he’s also been a first rounder on all of them as well. Overall rank ranged from 7th (Draft Site), to 12th (XMLBScout).


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http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2010/11/top-performers-from-2010-kyle-gaedele.html featured the great nephew of the smallest ballplayer to have ever played major league baseball… but, believe me, that’s where the comparison stops.

6-3,220-lb. Valparaiso (Indiana) outfielder Kyle Gaedele may share the last name of his 3-7 Great Uncle Eddie, but this kid will make the majors as an ever y day player, not a circus stunt.


3-Tool player… plus 70 run and plus throw… raw 70 power… compared to Jeff Franceour… drafted out of high school by Tampa, which made him the only ballplayer in the history of the game to turn down a pro team and sign with Valpariaso… great physique… plus power in July home run derby… ran a 4.3… projects as a right fielder… good eye contact… played this summer for the Hannibal Cavemen of the Prospect League (.278, 28-RBI, 30-SB, led league with 5-HR).


Then played for the Madison Mallards/Northwoods League (.315/.498/.380, 279-AB, 56-R (league lead), 5-triples, 9-HR, bb/k 25/37, 26-SB).


PG ranked him #1 prospect in their league.


Gets out in front sometimes… still learning how to use his natural strength… gets caught on front foot too often.


Strangely, I only have him on two mock drafts, both in a completely diffirent direction. Draft Site has him as the 156th overall pick, while PG Tracker had him 26th, or a first rounder. Obviously, his MVP placement in the PG league helped elevate his value.


Still, because so many people didn’t “draft” him at all, I have him as the 36th overall outfielder in the 2011 draft, which translates right now to around a 5th round pick.