Draft 14 – JD Davis, Devon Fisher, Nick Gordon, Carl Chester, Brandon Finnegan

1-30-14 - Number 25 on our countdown is Cal State Fullerton junior first baseman and RHP JD Davis. The Elk Grove High School native was a four-year letter winner at Elk Grove High School. He was a two time All-American selection in his junior and senior year with outstanding campaigns which he hit .486 batting average with 8 homers, 60 RBI, 1.80 ERA, 91 strikeouts as a junior and a .505 batting average, 9 homers, 45 RBI, 1.56 ERA, 70 strikeouts. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 MLB Draft. As a freshman, he appeared in 41 games while making five pitching appearances as he hit .229 with 20 RBIs and a team high four home runs. On the mound, he had a 3.52 ERA with three walks and nine strikeouts in 23 innings. He played the summer with the Wisconsin Woodchucks of the Northwoods League as he batted .344 with three home runs and 26 RBIs while posting a 4-0 record with a 2.10 ERA on the mound. His summer was cut short after getting into an auto accident which broken his clavicle and sprained an ankle. http://ht.ly/2DnG2Y

1-27-14 – BP - Positional Preview: High School Catchers - Devon Fisher | C/3B/RHP | Western Branch (Chesapeake, VA) | Commit: Virginia  Height/Weight: 6-foot-1/200 pounds  B/T: R/R  Draft Day Age: 18y 1m  Fisher is solidly built, particularly in the trunk, already showing some in-game pop to the gaps and an ability to really put a charge into the ball when he loads up in BP. He put together an impressive series of offensive showings in Cary during the Tournament of Stars last June before fading some in August at East Coast Pro and then coming back strong in October down in Jupiter. The Virginia commit shows quick hands and a fairly compact swing despite a slight wrap. He is a solid athlete, with a projectable build that should be able the weather the strain of the long pro season behind the plate. He can get choppy in his transfer, but there’s enough arm strength for the catch-and-throw game to play at the next level. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=22662

1-3-14 – TTF Baseball - 21. Tampa Bay Rays — Nick Gordon, SS/RHP, Olympia HS (FL) - A two-way talent with great bloodlines (Tom “Flash“ Gordon is his dad and Dee Gordon is his brother), the 6’-2” right-hander may have a brighter future at short where his strong arm, instincts and athleticism could allow him to stick at a premium position. Offensively, he hits from the left side and projects to a top-of-the-order hitter with speed and a very good approach at the plate. Over 30 games as a junior, he hit .505 with 15 doubles, six triples and 12 stolen bases. Committed to Florida State. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-2/40753#ppGUqI6CbWFvzsPf.99

11-21-13 – BA Top 100 High School Players - 69 Carl Chester OF R/R 5-11 167 Lake Brantley, Longwood, Fla. Miami http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2014-high-school-top-100-with-commitments/

3-20-14 – Cubs Insider - • Brandon Finnegan, Texas Christian University left-hander: Opening eyes by putting up 55 strikeouts against seven walks through his first five starts this season. The Cubs are on the clock. http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/mlb-draft-cubs-identifying-targets-no-4-overall-pick

Draft 14 – Aaron Nola, Sean Newcomb, Michael Gettys, Devon Fisher

1-3-14 – TTF Baseball - 15. Los Angeles Angels — Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU - Few can match the kind of control Nola possesses. The 6’-1” right-hander features a plus, low-90s fastball with nasty sink to it. He offsets his fastball with a deceptive change-up that freezes hitters. As a freshman, he had 89 K/7 BB over 89.2 innings and 40 of those strikeouts were looking. He was lights-out as a sophomore for LSU, going 12-1 over 17 starts with a 1.57 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 122 K/18 BB over 126 innings. His size limits his upside a bit, and he isn’t a power arm, but not many can toss a game like he can. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-2/40753#ppGUqI6CbWFvzsPf.99

12-9-13 – Pine Tar Press  -  12- LHP Sean Newcomb Hartford 6/12/93- He looks to be the 2nd ever Hartford player to go in the first 10 rounds of the MLB draft (Jeff Bagwell, the other) He seems like a pretty safe bet to make that happen too with his mid 90’s fastball and very good slider. (Giants @ 14) http://pinetarpress.com/early-look-2014-mlb-draft/

12-10-13 – TTF – Top 50 HS Players - 4. Michael Gettys OF, Gainesville HS (GA) - The 6’-2”, 200-pound right-hander has all the tools, it’s just a matter of refining them a bit. His arm has been clocked at 100 mph from the outfield, he can run a 6.4/60, and I saw him crush a home run to dead center at Wrigley Field that went halfway up the bleachers, so the power is there. Focusing more on being a hitter this year than a pitcher should help his progress, and he could easily be the first prep player taken off the board. Committed to Georgia. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-top-50/40532#zz88YJZTOG8iEa1Z.99

11-21-13 – BA Top 100 High School Players - 73 Devon Fisher C R/R 6-0 206 Western Branch HS, Portsmouth, Va. Virginia http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2014-high-school-top-100-with-commitments/

Draft 14 – Carlos Rodon, Brian Gonzalez, Scott Blewett, Evan Skoug, Devon Fisher

10-15-13 – Baseball America - 1. Carlos Rodon, lhp, N.C. State: Could have ranked No. 1 in previous two draft classes with a 93-95 mph fastball and premium slider. http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2014-draft-top-50-october-2013-carlos-rodon/

10-25-13  - PG Showcase – LHP Brian Gonzalez (Archbishop McCarthy HS, Miramar, Fla.) - Gonzalez threw three innings from a high three-quarter arm slot, creating good downhill angle on his 87-91 mph heater. He kept lefthanders off balance with a 74-76 curveball, as well as righthanders with his 79-80 changeup. Gonzalez’s changeup featured fastball arm speed and was a swing-and-miss offering when buried down in the zone.  http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/toussaint-wows-evaluators-at-jupiter/

10-28-13 - There are dozens of future big leaguers playing in Perfect Game's 16th annual World Wood Bat Association World Championship. Of the roughly 1,700 players on the 85 teams, perhaps none looks more like a big leaguer than RHP Scott Blewett. He won't turn 18 until April, but Blewett (Baker High, Baldwinsville, N.Y.) already is a sturdy 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds. The Syracuse Sports Zone right-hander has a sound delivery, especially for a teenager with such a big frame, and the ball comes out of his hand well. Blewett opened the game by firing 91-94 mph fastballs and touched 96 one time in the first inning. Even when the St. John's recruit dipped to the upper 80s in the latter half of his outing, he still was able to get outs thanks to the riding life on the pitch. http://ht.ly/qeYJz

10-28-13 - Perfect Game USA ‏@PerfectGameUSA - Amazing #PGTourney by 2014 C Evan Skoug (IL) for the @RedsScoutTeam reached base 16 of 20 plate appearances 7-11 with a 2B and HR!

9-11-13 - Sully’s 2014 Top 100 MLB HS Draft Prospects – 39.Devon Fisher – C, Western Branch (VA) HS http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/sullys-2014-top-100-mlb-hs-draft-prospects/

Draft 14 – Dylan Cease, Jakson Reetz, Devon Fisher, Mike Conforto, Tyler Kolek

8-25-13 – Dylan Cease - Dylan Cease is a 6’2 180 LB RHP out of Milton Georgia and he pitches for Milton High School. He’s arguably the top arm in the class at this point and it really comes down to him and recent BLF post subject Tyler Kolek at the very moment for me anyways. Touki is obviously still on the map but he’s given more cause for concern then these two have at least recently. He’s already gotten his fastball into the high 90s and he’s got one of the fastest arms I’ve seen. Kyle Crick 2011 Draftee and current Giants #1 Prospect is one of the names I’d mention when talking about top arm speed but once Cease joins the minors he’ll be up there. He’s got great movement on the pitch already and with his projection it’s almost scary to think where his velocity could go. http://bigleaguefutures.net/1/2013/08/25/dylan-cease-yet-another-georgia-gem/

8-16-13 - 11th All-American Classic - Jakson Reetz | C/ RHP/OF | Norris HS (Hickman, NE) - eight/Weight: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds B/T: R/R  Draft Day Age: 18 years, 5 months  Commitment: Nebraska - History: Reetz entered the summer as a talented but raw backstop, flashing big athleticism and almost casual actions on the field, belying his loud and impactful tools. In the Metrodome in June, Reetz stood out at the PG National Showcase for his catch-and-throw game, gunning down multiple baserunners and showing sub-2.0 pop times to second, in addition to a couple of hard hit balls, in game. He has built on that showcase throughout the summer, making loud contact with increasing regularity throughout his showcase and tournament stops. Like Reid-Foley and McKinney, Reetz’s Tournament of Stars performance at the end of June bought him a ticket to the USA Baseball 18U Team Trials, and the Nebraska commit continued a successful summer with impressive showings at both the Perfect Game 17U National Championship in July and the Area Code Games last week. - Development: Reetz added another impressing showing to his summer, earning MVP honors for the game. While he struggled some handling the arms while behind the plate, no player had a greater impact offensively. Reetz went 2-for-4 with a long opposite-field double off of hard-throwing Dylan Cease, and added three stolen bases to his output over the course of his four trips to the plate. There is simply no ignoring the growth in Reetz’s game over the past two months, and he’ll get a chance to add to his rapidly expanding resume should he earn a spot on the final USA Baseball 18U squad. His Marucci Elite travel club will be one of the favorites at the final event of the scouting circuit—the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida this October—and, should he attend, Reetz will be one of the most highly scouted catchers in the tournament. He’ll almost certainly enter the spring as the top draft prospect in the Cornhusker State. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=21537

2013 East Coast Pro Showcase Top 50 Prospects    - 28. Devon Fisher – C, Western Branch (VA) HS - Liked Fisher a lot at TOS, but he played even better here at ECP. Really impressive behind the plate and with the bat. http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/sullys-top-50-ecp-prospects/

7-17-13 –  Mike Conforto, OF, Oregon State - Conforto has a strong, sturdy build at 6'1, 215" that looks like it's all muscle.  He's not going to wow you with his tools the way Turner does but he makes hard contact consistently, including a pair of HRs in the Tuesday game.  His bat is his main weapon as he should hit for average that he'll supplement with walks and above average power.  Defensively he's probably relegated to LF.  He's a little thick legged and doesn't have great range nor did he display good arm strength.  That puts a tremendous burden on his bat, but it looks like it's capable of carrying the load. http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2013/07/looking-ahead-to-the-2014-and-2015-mlb-draft-notes-from-the-collegiate-national-team-games/

8-25-13 - It’s Tyler Kolek’s size that makes him standout, but the stuff is just as big. He features a heavy fastball that he can work down in the zone with through a big leg kick. The fastball sat in the mid-90s  while topping out at 96 MPH during the Area Code Games. However, the fastball touched 99 MPH at the Perfect Game All American Classic. While the big velocity receives all the publicity, Kolek also possesses an advanced curveball with depth that can feature nasty two-plane break at times. The curveball comes in anywhere from 77 to 80 MPH, but the vertical break can be inconsistent. The control profile is iffy, but that can be expected from a 17-year-old with special offerings, as he’s still learning how to harness his pitches and get them over for the strikes. Kolek could become the first prep pitcher to be taken off of the board due to his combination of size and power stuff. He’ll also be the first person from Shepherd, Texas to be drafted. http://rontrarianreport.com/2013/08/24/scouting-tyler-kolek-mlb-draft/

Draft 14 – Devon Fisher, Touki Toussaint, Braxton Davidson, Tyler Kolek, Foster Griffin

 

8-20-13  -  LOS ANGELES - The Blue team used a pair of home runs and a five-run first inning to beat the Red team, 10-2, in Game 3 of the 2013 USA Baseball 18U National Team Trials at Dodger Stadium on Monday evening – C   Devon Fisher (Portsmouth, Va.) wasted no time getting acquainted to playing in a major league stadium.  following up RBI hits from Jakson Reetz (Hickman, Neb.) and Scott Hurst (Glendora, Calif.), Fisher launched a two-run home run into the left field seats to give the Blue team a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The catcher followed up the home run with a triple to right center in the bottom of the fourth, finishing the night 2-for-3 with a walk. http://web.usabaseball.com/article.jsp?ymd=20130820&content_id=57577990&vkey=news_usab

 

8-16-13 - 11th All-American Classic -  Player Spotlight: Pitcher - Touki Toussaint | RHP | Coral Springs Christian (Coral Springs, FL) - Height/Weight: 6-foot-2/190 pounds  B/T: R/R  Draft Day Age: 17 years, 11 months  Commitment: N/A  The high-waisted righty struggled to command his offerings in game, but continues to flash some of the best, and most projectable, stuff in the draft class. Toussaint is a scout’s player, with athleticism, physical projection, loud stuff, and natural arm speed – all of which were on display throughout the weekend’s events. There are arms in this class producing more velocity, and bodies offering more projection, but you would be hard pressed to find a combination of present profile and projected upside to match Toussaint’s. Scouting Notes: Electric raw stuff; three-quarters slot; easy and lighting-fast arm; throws the ball downhill better than any pitcher at the event; lost his release early but showed the ability to make quick adjustments; fastball worked 92-94; touched 95; appears much faster; ball really jumps; impossible to touch when he spots it down; command was off in this showing; slow to the plate (1.65 seconds) with runners on; showed slide-step and held velocity; curve was poor early and then started to flash its promise; 72-75 mph with lots of bite; showed a cut-change offering in the mid-80s; more deliberate than curveball; arm speed and present fastball make me think a really, really good changeup is going to develop out of this arm; could end up as complete starter package; very inconsistent but power arm with very high upside. –Jason Parks  Summer Stock: The BP Prospect Team was huddled behind home plate last October for Touki’s big coming out party in Jupiter—a three-inning outing for the Atlanta Blue Jays against defending champs Marucci Elite in which Toussaint fanned nine and showed a plus curve and lively low- to mid-90s fastball, all as a 16-year-old. He finished the tournament with 18 strikeouts over six innings, standing out as one of the top arms at the event.   This summer, Toussaint’s carrying characteristic has been inconsistent command, though the “now” stuff and projection continue to impress evaluators at each step on the circuit. He’s generally been 89-93, touching 94/95 mph, while showing a hard curve that will flash plus, and a low-80s true change. This June he started mixing in a cut-change that runs from the mid- to upper-80s with cutter action, and the pitch has made regular appearances throughout his various outings. It hasn’t been a dominant summer, but for a player who has flashed front-end potential since the age of 16, Toussaint is doing what he needs to on the field to remain in consideration for early first round selection next June. –Nick J. Faleris  http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=21537

 

8-13-13 - The Perfect Game All-American Classic in San Diego - *There aren’t a ton of left-handed bats in this year’s class, but Braxton Davidson (T.C. Roberson High School, N.C.) stood out with easy power and a smooth stroke from the left side. The issue was defensively, as he struggled making throws and I don’t see the athleticism to play right field. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2013/08/thoughts-on-perfect-game-all-american-classic/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

8-14-13 – Through The Fence – Top 50 Prospects – 6. Tyler Kolek, RHP, Shepherd HS (TX) - Just days after I put out my first mock, the 6’-6” right-hander hit 100 mph at the Area Code tryouts. He then sat in the mid-90s at the Perfect Game Nationals with a good feel for a slider that has plus potential. Then, at the Perfect Game All-American Classic, he hit 99 mph, setting a record for the event. His size suggests even more velocity could be coming, and he has great body control considering his frame. He has been timed at 4.8 in the 40, showing great athleticism. Texas is known for producing big, hard-throwing right-handers, but Kolek definitely fits the mold. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-top-50-prospects/36463#mwWwsFxSUZy7YC5V.99

 

2013 East Coast Pro Showcase Top 50 Prospects    - 18. Foster Griffin – LHP, The First Academy (FL) - Big, projectable LHP who is already sitting 91-92 http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/sullys-top-50-ecp-prospects/