Gerrit Cole, Pirates: Look
at Cole's size and pure stuff and it's easy to see why he was the No. 1 pick in
the Draft. If he can harness his three plus pitches, he has everything a team
wants from a top-of-the-rotation starter. He has three plus pitches with his
fastball, slider and changeup. He gets into trouble when he overthrows, leaving
everything too hard and straight. Outside of a rough Rising Stars appearance,
he showed just how successful he can be when he stays under control while
pitching in the Arizona Fall League. He has the stuff to move quickly and
should do just that. Assuming he can learn to be consistent with his delivery,
it shouldn't take him too long to make it to Pittsburgh. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120112&content_id=26330142&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&tcid=tw_article_26330142
Danny Hultzen,
Mariners: While most thought the Mariners would go after Rice third baseman
Anthony Rendon with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft,
they actually had their sights set on Hultzen all along. The University of
Virginia product is the kind of college lefty who is expected to move quickly,
but he's more than just a command/pitchability type. Hultzen's velocity
increased in his junior season, giving him a plus fastball from the left side
as well as a plus changeup. His breaking ball -- a slider -- isn't quite as
good as those first two, but it's a serviceable pitch, and Hultzen is the type
of player who will work to improve it. If his performance in the Arizona Fall
League is any indication, he should indeed be able to move quickly through the
Mariners' system. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120113&content_id=26339048&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&tcid=tw_article_26339048
Catcher – Devin Mesoraco (23): Barring some strange turn of events, Mesoraco
is going to be the Reds Opening Day Catcher and with good reason. As I
mentioned above he is the team’s consensus top-prospect and I regard him as the
best catching prospect out there right now. Nathaniel, who ranked Devin 12th in
his recently completed Top-100, agrees with me on that. In Mesoraco, I see a
guy who will make his share of all-star teams during the course of his
career. I believe he will hit for a good
average and his share of power. He’s solid defensively and intelligent in all
aspects of the game. The fact that he looked into the “prospect bust abyss” and
bounced back to become one of the best prospects in baseball makes me believe
he’s going to be better than most people project and that’s saying something.
When a guy’s floor is that of a solid major league regular, you know you have
something special on your hands and Devin Mesoraco fits that description. http://seedlingstostars.com/2012/01/19/s2s-2012-team-prospect-lists-cincinnati-reds/#more-3181
Brandon Belt, San Francisco
Giants — Yes, Belt was on our sleeper list as well last year, but things didn’t
quite work out for Belt who started the season as the starter, then got
demoted. His replacement, Aubrey Huff,
was not able to duplicate his 2010 season, however, thus opening the door again
for Belt. Belt struggled to hit for
average throughout the season but flashed some power, hitting seven homers
after August 1. Perhaps that’s an
indication of his 2012 potential. http://www.fantasybaseballdugout.com/2012/01/20/sleepers-first-base-2012/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed
St. John’s senior first baseman Paul Karmas earned BIG EAST Player of the Week honors. Karmas earns BIG EAST Player of the Week honors after batting .550 (11-for-20) with 12 RBI to lead St. John’s in a 4-0 week and held the Red Storm clinch a spot in the BIG EAST Championship. The first baseman had three doubles and two home runs, including a grand slam, for a 1.000 slugging percentage. The senior had four multi-hit games and three multi-RBI games, including a five-RBI game and a pair of three-RBI performances. Karmas went 3-for-5 with three RBI in a win against NYIT to open the week and then went 2-for-4 with a double, a grand slam and five RBI in a series-opening win against Georgetown. The first baseman was 4-for-6 with two doubles and three RBI on Saturday before closing the weekend by going 2-for-5 with a home run. http://www.bigeast.org/News/tabid/435/Article/225694/Pittsburgh,-St.-John%E2%80%99s-Earn-BIG-EAST-Baseball-Weekly-Honors.aspx
Francisco Lindor, SS, Montverde Academy (FL) - Pros: It's rare to find a true shortstop in the draft, but Lindor is just that. He's a silky-smooth defender with range, good hands, a plus arm, and instincts beyond his years. He'll still be just 17 years old when drafted, so there is even more room for projection. Cons: It's hard to see star-level upside in him, at least offensively. He's a solid hitter from both sides of the plate with the ability to drive balls into the gap, but he'll never have much in the way of power. While he's a good runner, he won't be a big base-stealer. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=13935
Bubba Starling may be the biggest disappointment in this draft. He may end up being a 5 tool stud, but I don't have a great feeling about his hit tool. As I stated earlier, he reminds me of a more athletic David McCarty. He was the 3rd overall pick in the 1991 MLB Draft and ended up getting nearly 1500 AB's in the majors with a .242/.305/.371 slash line. I could see Starling producing similar numbers when or if he makes it to the majors. Just what I see. http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/
Mike Strong, Oklahoma State, LHP, Jr., 6-0, 187, Afton, Minn. (Iowa Western CC) - Strong had a career night for the Cowboys in the series opener against Baylor on Friday as the senior southpaw racked up 14 strikeouts, setting a career high and tying for the most strikeouts by a Big 12 pitcher this season. The 14 punch outs were also the most by a Big 12 pitcher in conference play this season and were two shy of OSU's single-game record. In eight innings of work, the junior allowed just two hits, both of them singles, and did not allow a runner past second base with just a total of two reaching second on the night. He did not issue a walk and allowed just five baserunners (two singles, error, fielder's choice and a wild pitch on a strikeout). Strong recorded multiple strikeouts in five of his eight innings and retired the side in order four times. He also recorded five assists, and he faced just three batters over the minimum. Despite not getting a decision, Strong helped the Cowboys pick up a 1-0 win in 10 innings http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=106091&SPID=13131&ATCLID=205151743&DB_OEM_ID=10410
Anthony Rendon, 3B, RiceI know Jack Zduriencik went to see both Francisco Lindor and Bubba Starling last week, but everyone I talk to says Seattle is taking Rendon if they're happy with the medicals -- and a very good source told me earlier this week that there is nothing structurally wrong with Rendon's shoulder. insider.
Danny Hultzen, LHP, Virgina - Pros: Hultzen has gone from a guy who is high on polish with average stuff to one that brings that same polish but has gained two ticks on his fastball. He now sits at 91-94 mph with a good slider/changeup combination. He has the best command in the draft and is the kind of guy who could rocket through the minors. Cons: Hultzen doesn't have the raw stuff for an elite-level ceiling, and his low three-quarters delivery turns many evaluators off. baseballprospectus
UCONN junior RHP Matt Barnes has consistently dominated hitters this year; consider this, out of 13 starts this year Barnes has allowed more than 3 runs in only 1 of them and has allowed more than 2 runs in only 3 starts!; “That is what we have seen from him all season,” said an area scout of AL club. “I’ve seen him better but he settles in right there somewhere bordering dominant.” (quote from Keith Law’s Draft Blog); this past week, Barnes was in typical form, going 8IP allowing 2 unearned runs (0 earned runs) on 6 Hits, 2 BB’s and 9 K’s… .prospectnation
B.A. Vollmuth - Tall athletic frame with wide shoulders and long limbs; big imposing presence at the plate - Big powerful stroke with an Alex Rodriguez-esque finish; good bat speed - Generates easy power to all fields; ball rocketed off of his bat for triple to the center field wall in the first and carried all the way to right field wall on a high, seemingly lazy, fly ball Seemed to be looking for a first pitch fastball he could drive and took aggressive swings at it; more patient approach as he got deeper into the at bat Fooled by a few curve balls for swinging strikes Showed good reactions to field an unexpectedly high hop and making a quick transfer on a throw to second base bullpenbanter
Mikie Mahtook has better contact ability than he had in the last two years. I wasn't that much of a believer last year, though the potential was obvious. He could be the closest thing to a finished 5 tool player in this draft. mlbbonusbaby
Some people will tell you that Brian Goodwin could be a potential #1 overall pick if he doesn't sign this year and plays at South Carolina next year. Don't believe them. He won't hit much and the draft next year isn't as deep as this one, by any means, but it isn't a paltry class either. http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/
Geoffrey Thomas - Average height; very athletic with a well developed chest and a high waist High 3/4 arm slot with a fast, whippy arm; utilizes lower half well Fastball with average velocity with late arm side run and some sink; good downward plane when thrown down in the zone; 91 in the first (via announcer) Fastball had good life low in the zone but straightened out a bit when left up; good ground ball tendency Reached back for a bit extra and blew by the hitter on a couple of occasions Has a cut fastball with late glove side movement; 87 in the third (via announcer) Curve ball has traditional 12-6 movement; good depth but lacked sharp break; 76 in the second (via announcer) bullpenbanter
Clemson junior IF Brad Miller was named the ACC Player of the Week for the 3rd time this season; his weekly stat line of 10-for-19, 1 HR, and 7 RBI, includes the go-ahead runs in 4 of the 5 games he started; on the year, Miller leads the ACC in average (0.435) and OBP (0.534); Miller has not appeared on any of the early 1st-round MLB Mock Draft lists, and College Baseball Daily ranked him as the #58 best college prospect in the preseason; sources say Miller is most likely, a mid 2nd to early 3rd round pick… prospectnation
Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice Pros: He has the potential to be a third-spot hitter in the big leagues, with the ability to hit .300, draw enough walks to compete for on-base titles, and enough power to provide 20-plus home runs annually. Rendon is an above-average third baseman in terms of range, hands, and arm strength. Cons: At 6-0, 190 pounds, he's not the kind of physical specimen most associate with the top position player in a draft. Rendon has had numerous injury problems throughout the last two years, giving some scouts concern about his ability to hold up over a 162-game season. baseballprospectus
Danny Hultzen, LHP, Virginia I'm having a hard time seeing Hultzen as the best player on the board, but under Neal Huntington the Pirates have long considered value relative to cost in their drafts, sometimes preferring to spend less in the first round when they see opportunities to spend their savings on other appealing prospects in later rounds. They're still considering Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon, and I know they've done their due diligence on Dylan Bundy (but are very unlikely to take him). http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft2011/insider/columns/story?page=LawMockDraft1.0&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2fdraft2011%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fpage%3dLawMockDraft1.0
