Mack Draft: - WWBA 17U/18U National Championships , Austin Wood, Bubba Starling, Gerrit Cole, and Chris McFarland

The WWBA 17U/18U National Championships (number of teams) and WWBA World Championships (number of coaches/scouts) get plenty of attention due to their unique size but there is another event on the Perfect Game calendar that stands out as well, the PG National Underclass Showcase (Main Event).Held every year in Fort Myers, this event has averaged over 500 players for most of the last decade. We know of no other full showcase, Perfect Game or otherwise, that can come close to this amount whether it is in sheer numbers or in the consistency of turnout. In fact, the National Underclass Showcase has been so popular over the years that it has spawned smaller Perfect Game “National Underclass Showcases” at different sites around the country, causing this gathering to be retitled the “Main Event.” Players from all 50 states and 5 countries have participated in the National Underclass Showcase over the years. - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=5145



Austin Wood: - We continue the countdown today at number 28 with USC junior RHP Austin Wood. The Niceville, Florida native attended Niceville High School where he had a standout career. As a junior in high school, he went 6-2 with a 1.35 ERA in 13 appearances (11 starts). He was named a third team All-American and first team All-Region from Rawlings. He also was named honorable mention All-State. He was drafted in the 2008 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros in 36th round but decided to head to Florida State to play under Mike Martin Sr. Austin Wood struggled mightily in his freshman season in 2009 at Florida State as he did not record a decision in nine appearances (five starts) while accumulating an ERA of 6.25 in 22.2 innings. He did struggle with his control as he walked 25 batters while striking out 13 batters. After the season was over, Wood decided to transfer out of Florida State. - http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2010/12/27/austin-wood-usc-top-100-countdown/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CollegeBaseballDaily+%28College+Baseball+Daily%29&utm_content=Twitter



Bubba Starling: - Bubba Starling is considered the best high school player in the country according to Baseball America. There is a problem though as Bubba has committed to the University of Nebraska where he is expected to be compete for the starting quarterback position in the fall of 2011. Football people him the next Tim Tebow while baseball people say he could be the next Josh Hamilton. If Bubba decides to spurn the 2011 MLB Draft, then Mike Anderson will have one of the top players in the country in centerfield when the Huskers play their first season in the Big Ten conference in which they are expected to compete for a conference title right away. - http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2010/12/27/the-sky-is-the-limit-for-bubba-starling/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CollegeBaseballDaily+%28College+Baseball+Daily%29&utm_content=Twitter



2008 Draft - 28.Yankees: Gerrit Cole - RHP - Orange Lutheran HS (CA). It's always risky to turn down 1st round money to go to school but Cole will undoubtedly go much higher in 2011 than he did in 2008. As a sophomore he led a deep UCLA staff to Omaha and the Bruins will be among the favorites for the National Championship again in 2011 and Cole should be a top 10 pick. - http://www.prospectjunkies.com/



Chris McFarland - ss/2b - Lufkin HS, Lufkin, Texas - Like McElroy, McFarland is capable of earning the infield hit, though his first-step quickness and plus footspeed were noticeably absent during his 30/60 yard dash. In-game he clocked sub-4.2 times to 1st, and even a sub-4.1, showing a nice first step out of the box from the right side and good explosiveness. His footwork carried over to the field, where he also showed soft hands and a solid arm (though his arm may ultimately play best at second base as a pro). There is enough potential in the bat for him to shift to the outfield if necessary, as he gets solid whip with the bat head and can produce hard contact to the pull side. He has a nice approach at the plate and does a good job of working with what is given to him. http://diamondscapescouting.com/articles_2010acg_wraps_part1_11162010.html