The Morning Report 6.29.2015 | Matz's Superb Debut, Granderson on Fire, Flores Value Plummeting, Cubs Interested in Niese

Zach Braziller | New York Post- They stood in the bowels of Citi Field, about 15 members of Steven Matz’ immediate family and his closest friends, all of them beaming, grinning broadly and looking spent at the same time. “I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome, really,” said Lori Matz, Steven’s mother. “He’s just so deserving." “It’s unreal,” said Matz’s brother Jon, a 27-year-old graphic designer. “It’s something you only imagine what it’s like. It’s kind of surreal.” Steven’s grandfather, Burt, became a social-media sensation with his reactions to every big hit.“He was incredulous, ‘I can’t believe it,’ ” Lori said. “I heard my dad is trending. It’s very interesting. He’s a great Steve fan, he’s a great Mets fan.”

(Chris Soto: Matz was unbelievable last night. Not many people, let alone MLB players, see a 96 mph fastball coming from the left side. Then you pair that with a curveball that appears to have tilt and break equivalent to Clayton Kershaw's nasty breaker and you have yourself a future star in the making. From the personal family standpoint, you have to give a hat tip to the rest of the Mets players in that clubhouse. For all the guys to come together and give Matz most of the team's free tickets for him to use for his friends and family was truly a great team moment. Those seats that Momma, Pops, and Grandpa Matz were sitting in?....of course...David Wright's suite seats. Truly a great moment for the Mets organization.) 
  
Barry Holmes | Rant Sports- Curtis Granderson has always been a topic of discussion, and has had immense pressure to preform since coming over from the New York Yankees in 2014. This is mostly due to the huge four-year, $60 million dollar contract that he signed. Some may say that he hasn’t performed consistently enough to deserve that amount of money. In the month of June, Granderson is hitting for an average of .281 with 6 HRs and 8 RBIs. In the last seven days, he has hit for an average of .429 with 4 HRs and 4 RBIs while also drawing five walks. Stats don’t lie, and the stats are showing that Granderson is swinging the hottest bat for the New York Mets as of right now.

(Chris Soto: And yet...the only thing people are talking about is the fly ball he missed in RF. Take him out of the lead-off spot! Trade him for peanuts to get rid of the money! Really? The Grandy Man is hitting .259 with a .357 OBP and is on pace for 25 HRs this season. He already has been worth +2.2 WAR so another win added and he meets the supposed"financial" value of his contract. The Mets certainly have offensive problems that need to be address, and Granderson is not a perfect player, but he is the least of the team's worries even before this little hot streak.)


Sean Coffey | NY Daily News- It's not longer just talk. After 76 games, the Mets have moved Wilmer Flores to second base. He started at second Sunday for the first time since the final game of the 2014 season. “I wanted to get him out there for a game,” Terry Collins said after the Mets’ 7-2 victory. The News reported last week that the Mets were considering moving Flores to second base as a better defensive and offensive alignment for when Daniel Murphy returns, in part because third baseman David Wright is nowhere near returning. Murphy will play third when he returns from the DL and until Wright returns.

(Chris Soto: From a non problem to a potentially big problem. While Flores moving over from SS to 2B certainly improves the overall team defense, from a personnel standpoint, it severely reduces Flores value in regards to the rest of the MLB. The average SS has been producing a measly .669 OPS, a stat that Flores has been on par with even during his struggles. However the average 2B, has an OPS that 20 points higher at .689. Flores need to work even harder now to start producing or else he's going to end up be an even bigger detriment to the team than he was before, at which point maybe Matt Reynolds starts knocking on his door.)


Connor O'Brien | Metsmerized Online- The Chicago Cubs are [reportedly] somewhat interested in Jon Niese as a potential trade target. However, the Cubs will likely have their sights set a little higher. Niese, 28, has a 4.12 ERA in 83 innings this season. Over eight seasons with the Mets, he owns a 3.89 ERA as well as walk and strikeout rates of 2.7 and 7.1. The big issue is Niese’s contract. He is making $9 million next season and has a $500,000 buyout or a $10 million option for the season after that. If the Mets want to use Niese in any deal for an upgrade at shortstop Niese would only be part of a package. The Mets would have to add more to a deal.

(Chris Soto: The Mets and Cubs have been linked together for a potential trade for months now as the two teams just match up way to well. That said the interest in Niese is a bit surprising. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that he has found some consistency this month with a 3.46 ERA in his 4 starts and an 7.3 K/9 rate. There has been quite a bit of chatter for a rumored Javier Baez for Niese swap but Baez has been sidelined with an injury since June 7th. In addition, while Baez has rare power from a middle infielder, his K rate is always through the roof. He is also a terrible defender at SS and mostly plays 3B now. The club would be better served to maybe package Niese together with a high upside prospect arm like Fulmer, Meisner, or Gsellman to make a run at Addison Russell.)

Draft 2012 – Addison Russell, Travis Jankowski, Blake Schwartz, Lucas Giolito, Peter O’Brien

Addison Russell — 6’-1”, SS, Pace HS (GA)  Russell has soft hands and a strong throwing arm, but his size may end up forcing a move to third base where is power is better suited. Extremely quick wrists and a consistent, easy swing allow him to hit the ball to all fields with more power coming as he matures. Played for U18 Team USA at the Pan Am Championships hitting .393 with nine RBI, four stolen bases and he hit the team’s only home run of the tournament, a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning against Canada in the gold medal game that put the game away early for Team USA. Makes the game look easy. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-25-thru-1/15694/

Travis Jankowski / Stony Brook / OF: Jankowski was a lesser known name coming from Stony Brook but he exploded onto the scene and won the Cape MVP. He doesn’t possess real standout tools but he has a quality overall game and could fit as a major league center fielder who hits at the top or bottom of the order. Jankowski does have good speed and athleticism and those skills show up well in the field, too. He’s a max effort guy and plays the game hard. While he’s probably not an impact player as a pro, he is at least a four tool prospect who could still grow into more power. Jankowski could be a nice get for a team picking at the end of the first or in the supplemental round. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2012/01/scouting-the-cape/#more-720

Blake Schwartz  RHP  Mankato MoonDogs--Oklahoma City   Blake is 6-3/210 pounds and hails from Minnesota. He was the best pitcher in the league and was named the leagues Pitcher of the Year. He went 6-1 and sported a league-low .171 era in 63 innings pitched. He made 10 starts, completed one game and allowed just 51 hits this summer. He walked just 15 batters and he was second in the league with 75 strikeouts. http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2012/01/top-35-pitchers-in-northwoods-league_20.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Lucas Giolito — 6’-6”, RHP, Harvard Westlake HS (CA)  Giolito has everything you want in a future ace. At 6’-6” and 230 lbs, he has the size to be a workhorse already. He has five pitches in his arsenal and can command all of them. His fastball can hit 98 mph, and both his curve and slider are already plus-pitches. He has a slow and easy delivery and makes pitching look effortless. And he stays poised and has great mound presence. With another year of development and maturing, he could be the clear cut number-one pick come June 6. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-25-thru-1/15694/

Senior catcher Peter O’Brien has been approved by the NCAA to compete for the Hurricanes during the upcoming 2012 baseball season. “Needless to say, Peter is very excited, the players are excited, and the coaching staff is excited to have a guy of his quality,” Head Coach Jim Morris said. O’Brien transferred to Miami after an impressive three-year career with the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats. The Miami Gardens, Fla. native finished his junior campaign with a .304 batting average, 14 home runs and 69 runs batted in. O’Brien, who was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2010, earned Freshman All-American honors from Louisville Slugger in 2009. http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2012/01/20/ncaa-declares-miami-catcher-peter-obrien-eligible-for-2012-season/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CollegeBaseballDaily+%28College+Baseball+Daily%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Draft 2012 – Alex Bregman, Kyle Hansen, Brian Johnson, Ross Heffley, Addison Russell

 Alex Bregman — 5’-11”, C/INF, Albuquerque Academy (NM) - Bregman is an advanced hitter with an easy swing and power to all fields. As a junior, he hit .678 with 19 home runs, and his 6.8/60 speed allowed him to steal 23 bases as well. He is still raw as a catcher but has shown the ability to stay at the position at the next level. Hit .417 with seven RBI and five stolen bases for Team USA at the Pan Am Championships, coming up with clutch hit after clutch hit. Plays the game very hard and has a high understanding of the game. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-50-thru-26/15621/

Kyle Hansen / RHP / St. John’s – A 90-92 fastball from the 3/4 slot with good sink, Hansen has shown the ability to miss bats in his first two years in the Big East. There are some issues with his finish with the delivery, but Hansen is one of my sleepers to watch in 2012. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2011/12/top-twelve-college-pitchers/

Brian Johnson has gotten looks as both a hitter and a pitcher with Florida and while he can hit a little, most feel he'll pitch at the next level. The left-hander has four pitches he can throw for strikes. His fastball sits mostly in the average range, though he can run it up to 92 mph, with pretty good sink to the arm side. His slider is his out pitch and should be an above-average offering in the big leagues. His changeup, which he doesn't always use, has the chance to be at least above-average. Johnson gets high marks for his mound presence and willingness to go right after hitters. College lefties are always a hot commodity and Johnson could be the first in this class to go off the board.http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/

Ross Heffley   Position:  2B   School:  Western Carolina   Date of Birth:  1/21/1990   Height/Weight:  5’8/175   Bats/Throws:  R/R   Class Of:  2012   Previously Drafted:  Scouting Report:  Ross Heffley earned All-American Honors in 2011 and won Western Carolina’s triple crown.  He is a small second baseman, listed at 5’8, but that may be generous.  He handles the bat well.  He has some pop and could provide plenty of doubles at the next level.  Heffley is an average runner.  He provides solid defense at second and has a strong arm  http://mlbdraftguide.com/

Addison Russell, SS, Pace (Fla.)  - Like Romero, Russell appears to be a candidate to move to third base at the next levels, and there's enough arm strength and athleticism to warrant a shot in the outfield if necessary. He possesses well above-average bat speed that may turn into enticing power come draft day. Russell, who signed on to play at Auburn, starred with Almora on the USA Baseball National Team that won the Pan Am title. http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/940/mccullers-jr-is-top-florida-diamond-star

Draft 2012: - Byron Buxton, Tyler Alexander, Addison Russell, Stryker Trahan

12-2-11: - http://mlbdraftcountdown.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/2012-mlb-mock-draft-updated-top-15-with-final-mlb-standings - 11) Oakland Athletics: Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County HS (GA) Baseball America’s top-ranked high school prospect heading into the 2012 season, Byron Buxton has already drawn comparisons to Justin Upton. That, and the track record of elite George prospects, including Brian McCann, Jeff Francoeur and Jason Heyward, should be enough to get him popped inside the top ten. Still, the 2012 draft is a long ways away, and there’s plenty of time for Buxton to either slide or for some other talented players to leapfrog him. The A’s would be incredibly pleased to get a player of his potential when their pick rolls around at No. 11. They would have loved to have had a shot at George Springer last year, so getting Buxton could easily be the next best thing. Or even better. Buxton is a veritable tool shed, possessing impressive hit and power tools, as well as having great speed and outstanding defensive range. It would be a shock if Buxton dropped out of the first round, and there’s even the chance that he could garner support for the No. 1 overall spot.

http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2011/12/top-25-pitchers-in-great-lakes-summer.html - 3.   Tyler Alexander   LHP   Hamilton---Hillsborough CC -  Tyler went 3-1 with a 1.71 era in 42 innings of work. He allowed just 26 hits, fanned 45 and held the opposition to a .178 batting average. He was named the leagues RHP of the Year. PG ranked him as their 2nd best prospect in the league, while BA ranked him #4 in the league.

http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2011/12/top-twelve-high-school-position-players/#more-602 11. Addison Russell / 3B / Pace HS (FL): Some will list Russell as a 3B/SS, but from what I saw in North Carolina, there’s no chance that he’s going to play in the middle infield. With that being said, he has above-average power with good bat speed, and should be a very good third-basemen at the professional level

Stryker Trahan’s athleticism at the catcher position is unparalleled now that Bryce Harper has moved to the outfield. He’s one of the few and far between five-tool catching prospects. At the plate, Trahan has some moving parts in his swing, but he has a quick bat that leads to a multitude of line drives. He possesses nice raw power from the left side of the plate. He also adds the speed dimension that you never see from a catcher. The best 60 yard dash that Perfect Game has seen from Trahan was 6.54, and that comes out to a 4.3 in the 40. He could be a legitimate 30 stolen base threat if he’s moved off catcher, but even if he stays at the position, his speed will certainly be an asset as it will allow him to not only swipe the occasional base, but also beat out infield hits and double plays balls because no one would expect a catcher to run as fast as he does. Trahan is still somewhat raw, especially in terms of his power, but he has superstar if not Harper-esque ability. http://rayscoloredglasses.com/2011/12/21/taking-an-early-look-at-the-catchers-in-the-2012-mlb-draft-part-1

Draft 2012: - Ralph Garza, Tanner Rahier, Addison Russell, Peter O’Brien, AJ Simcox

10-28-11: - http://orioles-nation.com/2011/10/26/wwba-2012-highlights - Ralph Garza (New Braunfels TX) – He is changing my mind about wanting to have him as a pitcher.  Always had above average stuff in the 87-88 mph range, but over his start here it was sitting 90 mph and touching 92 mph into the late innings.  He is still a bit stiff mechanically.  When he showed sound mechanics, it is the point when he hit his highest readings.  He has some solid sink and keeps the ball down in the zone.

10-30-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/10/29/tanner-rahier-2012-draft-profile  -  Tanner Rahier is a prep shortstop from California who has worked extrememly hard to achieve his position among the top ranked players in the country (check out the mydesert.com link to see how he trains).  After playing for Palm Desert High’s team as a freshman in 2009, he has opted to participate in a spring wood bat league the last 2 years.  Rahier has a short compact swing and generates plus bat speed.  He squares up with authority and projects good power.  Recorded 60 times for Rahier are 6.62 and 6.63.  Rahier has good footwork and plus range at shortstop.  He has a good arm for the position.  He is solid on the double play and shows soft hands. Even among baseball players shooting to make it to the next level, Rahier’s drive stands out.  It is easy to see good things for him in the future.

10-30-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/10/30/addison-russell-2012-draft-profile  - Player:  Addison Russell   Position:  SS/3B   School:  Pace HS (FL)  Date of Birth:  1/23/1994  Height/Weight:  6’1/210  Bats/Throws:  R/R  Class Of:  2012  Committed To:  Auburn Scouting Report: Addison Russell has been on the radar for 2012 for quite a while.  He participated in the Under Armour All-American Game in 2010 and the Perfect Game All-American Classic in 2011.  Russel is one of those players who makes the game look easy. Russel has a patient approach at the plate.  He squares up consistently and the ball really jumps off his bat.  Russel’s bat speed is above average.  He has a line drive swing with good power potential.  Russel has a recorded 60 time of 6.75. In the field, Russell has a strong arm and good range. 

10-31-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com  - Bethune-Cookman C Peter O’Brien surprised everybody when he didn’t sign as a third round pick this past June. He surprised everybody again when he announced his intention to transfer to Miami with the hopes of being eligible to play for the Hurricanes in 2012. If deemed eligible, I think this is a genius move on O’Brien’s part. He now has the opportunity to play big time college ball in a major conference for a team with legitimate postseason aspirations. Scouts who questioned his defense and ability to make enough contact – the same questions that were asked last year at this time, by the way — will get many marquee ACC matchups to come see him play. Bonus points for doing all of that while soaking up his last year of limited responsibility in the awesome college backdrop Miami provides. 99% of the time I think players should take the pro money and not think twice (if I was O’Brien’s “advisor” I would have begged him to sign with the Rockies), but quality of life, even if that “life” is only one year, shouldn’t be ignored. Maybe this is all an overreaction because I foolishly spent my four undergrad years in snowy Boston, but good on O’Brien for taking the road less travelled.

11-2-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/11/01/aj-simcox-2012-draft-profile  - Player: AJ Simcox  Position: SS  School: Farragut HS (TN)  Date of Birth: 6/22/1995  Height/Weight: 6’3/165  Bats/Throws: R/R  Class Of: 2012  Committed To: Tennessee  Scouting Report:  AJ Simcox is a rangy 6’3/165 shortstop with projection.  Simcox has a good approach at the plate. He hits to all fields and has gap power. His recorded 60 time is 6.92.  Reviews on Simcox’s defense are all positive. He has good range and soft hands. Simcox also shows a plus arm at short.

Draft 2012: - Clate Schmidt, Peter O’Brien, Lance McCullers, Addison Russell, Rhett Wiseman

7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments - Clate Schmidt, Allatoona HS, Ackworth GA, 6’1 175, deceptive arm strength up to 92 on the day, fb was mostly straight and hittable, but has a lil giddy up on fb when in on RHH, quickness in arm action to show 3 pitches to be effective, cb and change still in development stage but can be a good one in time.

9-27-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/09/22/trey-williams-2012-draft-profile -

Player:  Trey Williams

 Position:  3B

 School:  Valencia HS, CA

 Date of Birth:  3/9/1994

 Height/Weight:  6’1/211

 Bats/Throws:  R/R

 Class Of:  2012

 Committed To:  Pepperdine

Scouting Report:

Trey Wiliams may be the top hitting prospect eligible for the 2012 MLB Draft.  Showing how much respect opposition coaches have for Williams’ bat, he was intentionally walked with the bases loaded in a game his sophomore year.  The son of former Major Leaguer Eddie Williams, he has had excellent coaching from day one and it shows.

People talk about the sound of the bat hitting the ball being different for a special few hitters.  Williams is one of those hitters.  He has an impressive swing with tremendous bat speed.  Williams has an upright stance, strong hands, and shows power to all fields.

While his bat is his ticket on draft day, Williams is strong at third base.  He moves well, has good hands, and displays a strong accurate arm.

A strong finish to his junior year (.500, 6 HR in final 11 games) and good showings throughout the summer have Williams’ looking likely to land near the top of the first round, with the top five a possibility

9-21-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6253 – Hey Kendall, love your college baseball reports. Any idea if Peter O'Brien of Miami will be cleared to get that waiver and be eligible this year? When is the deadline on that stuff? Who will replace Roger Tomas? Thanks K-Rog!   -  First of all, I was shocked Peter O'Brien didn't sign with the Rockies as a third-round pick to the Rockies this past summer. He's most certainly not going to sniff that kind of slot or money (at least in my opinion) in the coming season. With that said, I spoke to two sources inside the Miami program at length about a week and a half ago and they were cautiously optimistic Peter would get cleared as paperwork was just sent. You never know with the NCAA, and there's not timeline .... it happens when it happens.

9-27-11: - http://legendsoftomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/09/lance-mccullers-son-of-gun.html - Lance McCullers Jr. has pretty much hit the ground running. As a sophomore, he was throwing 96 on the radar gun, not unlike the self proclaimed messiah of baseball, Bryce Harper. Like Bryce, he's a two-way star, as he plays infield too, but its widely believed that McCullers will wind up a pitcher, like his father. Since going to Tampa Jesuit, McCullers has left behind a trail of awards and top amateur team selections. He was the 2009 MaxPreps Freshman of the Year, was named to several Perfect Game USA all star teams, played in the 2011 Baseball Factory Under Armour All American game at Wrigley Field as the only non-senior, and was named a Louisville Slugger All American Honorable mention. He's committed to pitching for the University of Florida, but don't expect him to go unless Scott Boras takes him under his wing, which is highly likely.

9-22-11: - http://www.pnj.com/article/20110922/SPORTS10/109220318/Addison-Russell-making-stops-Team-USA - The 6-1, 193-pound shortstop — who has verbally committed to play baseball at Auburn — already has developed relationships with most of the players, having spent pretty much the entire summer competing with and against them for the prestigious Team USA spots. "It was a grueling process," (Addison) Russell said. "They invited 144 draft-eligible kids to compete in a tournament. From there, they made cuts down to 40 players. Those 40 players got to stay for another week and we competed for another week to get down to 28 players. "They invited those 28 guys back a week ago, but because some of them were in football, we only had 21 kids come back. So we had 21 to get down to the final 20. The Saturday night was hectic. All they told us was to go back to our room and wait for a phone call. They called my room around 10:35 p.m. and told me to come down to their room. They told me 'Well, you're a good guy and we appreciate you coming down here, but I want to congratulate you for making the team.' I was so excited and relieved at the same time."

9-1-11: - http://xmlbscout.angelfire.com - Rhett Wiseman, Buckingham Browne & Nichols Schools, Mansfield MA, 6' 195 L/R, gamer with some bat speed, stiff back when he hits and throws, runs better underway, lack of fluid actions bother me, but has strength in his swing and throwing arm to watch again. May just be a solid college player in the long run, but worth a follow.

Draft 2012: - Sean Godfrey, Darrell Mathews, Deven Marrero, Mark Appel, Addison Russell

8-31-11: http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2011/08/top-15-position-players-in-cal-ripken.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter   - Top 15 Position Players in the Cal Ripken League - 9. Sean Godfrey OF Southern Maryland--Ball State - Sean hit .357 in 143 at-bats this season. He scored 28 runs, hit 9 doubles and stole 20 bases for Southern Maryland. He also hit .385 in the LCS. He was named to play in the All-Star Game and he was selected to the All-League Team.

7-19-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments  - Darrell Mathews, Cal, 5’9 165, L/L, scrappy player with solid speed, occ base stealing threat, slap type hitter who plays CF well, adequate arm strength and range, question will be strength and bat strength, 13-20 round type guy.

9-1-11: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2011/08/31/2012-mlb-draft-top-prospects  - Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State - Marrero projects to hit for average in the pros. He's posted strong contact numbers for the Sun Devils (13.4% strikeout rate to date with ASU). Like many college players adjusting to the new bats, he struggled offensively last year, hitting just .319/.354/.444 after posting a .397/.442/.628 line as a true freshman. Marrero also doesn't walk much -- just 6.5% over the past two years.

9-8-11: - http://www.gacksports.com/65590/2012-mlb-mock-draft-update  - 1. Houston Astros Mark Appel Pitcher Stanford At this point Mark Appel looks like a clear cut #1 overall pick to go first overall in the 2012 MLB Draft. Appel is no stone cold lock to go #1 overall by any means necessary, but Appel has to be the frontrunner to be the first pick in the 2012 MLB Draft just like Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is the frontrunner to be the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft at this point in the draft process even though nothing has been finalized yet.

7- 9-11: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2011/6/29/2250656/early-look-at-2012#comments - Addison Russell, Pace HS, Pace FL, 6’ 185 R/R, strong physical specimen, a bit stiff with bat and actions as a fielder, gets rid of ball quickly, good range in field, at plate has hand strength but doesn’t get full extension as a hitter to utilize that strength, have to see him again, ran ave 4.3 from box.

Addison Russell, Mark Appel, Dominic Ficociello, D.J. Baxendale, Marcus Stroman

Addison Russell:


mlb.com  Addison Russell, SS, Pace HS, Fla.: Russell is very strong and athletic. He's an excellent right-handed hitter who makes consistent, hard contact with power. He's got a plus arm as well.



Mark Appel:


6-12-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/722354-2012-mlb-mock-draft-early-predictions-for-next-years-top-10-picks#/articles/722354-2012-mlb-mock-draft-early-predictions-for-next-years-top-10-picks/page/4  - Right now (Mark) Appel looks to be the top college pitcher heading into the 2012 season. He's coming off of a stellar season in which he's won six games (so far), posted a 3.02 ERA and struck out 83 batters in a team-leading 104.1 innings. He helped guide Stanford into super-regional play with a seven-hit complete game in the NCAA opener against Kansas State. He struck out eight in the game and walked none. Last year as a freshman, the 6'5", 190 pound right-hander had a tough year pitching out of Stanford's bullpen. He was hit hard (44 H, 25 R in 38 IP) and finished the year with a 5.92 ERA and almost as many walks (19) as strikeouts (24). He didn't let a disappointing first-year campaign keep him down though. He traveled, along with Diekroeger, to the New England Collegiate League and dominated, posting a 6-1 record and a 1.87 ERA, earning top prospect honors. Appel has all the tools to end up as a top five pick. He has the easy velocity that can produce 97 mph bullets, although he sits more comfortably in the 92-95 mph range. He has a very impressive slider and also throws a changeup and a cutter—a pitch becoming more and more popular amongst younger pitchers these days. One thing scouts are always looking for is excellent arm speed, and Appel has that too



Dominic Ficociello:


5-18-11: - from http://www.4029tv.com/r/27944839/detail.html  - Arkansas freshman infielder Dominic Ficociello has been added to the 22-man roster for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, as announced on Wednesday evening. A native of Fullerton, Calif., Ficociello has developed into one of the top freshman hitters in both the Southeastern Conference and the country. Entering this weekend’s series with Ole Miss, Ficociello is hitting a team-best .363 with four homers and a team-leading 47 RBI. Currently on a 12-game hitting streak, Ficociello leads all freshmen in the SEC in batting average, hits (66), doubles (15) and RBI. Ficociello has also been the Razorbacks’ top hitter in conference games, batting .337 against SEC competition with two homers and 18 RBI.


D.J. Baxendale:


5-10-11: - http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext-news/?nxd_id=238167  - Arkansas sophomore pitcher DJ Baxendale has been selected to the 22-man roster for the 2011 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, it was announced on Tuesday morning. A native of Jacksonville, Ark., Baxendale is one of the most versatile pitchers in college baseball, seeing time in both the Razorbacks’ starting rotation and in the bullpen. Baxendale currently ranks third in the SEC with a 1.58 ERA and has a 7-1 record with two saves in 14 appearances, including eight starts. In 57 innings pitched this season, Baxendale has given up 14 runs, only 10 earned, and struck out 53 batters, while issuing 11 walks. Opponents are hitting just .226 against the sophomore right hander.



Marcus Stroman:


6-8-11: - http://www.wralsportsfan.com/duke/story/9702563  - Duke pitcher and infielder Marcus Stroman has been selected to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. A 5-9, 185-pound right-hander, Stroman was Duke’s top pitcher as a sophomore, logging a 2.80 ERA over 64.1 innings. He ranked third in the nation with 12.60 strikeouts per nine innings, trailing only No. 2 MLB Draft Pick Danny Hultzen of Virginia and No. 3 MLB Draft Pick Gerritt Cole of UCLA in that category. Stroman served as a reliever and starter for the Blue Devils, posting a 3-4 record and four saves over eight starts and nine relief appearances. He surrendered just 59 hits while striking out 90 batters and walking 21. He also started 33 games at second base, hitting .250 with 15 RBI and 12 stolen bases.