Draft 13 – Corey Ray, Eric Jagielo, Reese McGuire, Kevin Ziomek, Phillip Ervin

 

Corey Ray, OF, Simeon HS (IL) - Playing in the same backyard as the Cubs, Ray is a 5’-11”, 190-pound left-hander who is a quick-twitch athlete with very good speed, as well as excellent bat speed. His short, compact swing allows him to make consistent contact and drive the ball to all fields and more power should come as he matures. He has a strong arm, and both his speed and instincts allow him to play all three outfield spots. The weather was brutal for baseball players in Chicago this spring creating many rain outs and cold-weather games. In 15 recorded games, he has hit .381 with nine extra-base hits, nine stolen bases and has drawn 13 walks for a .536 OBP/.643 SLG. He could be available when the Cubs pick at 108. Committed to Louisville. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2013-mlb-draft-25-high-upside-targets-for-chicago-cubs/32522/#MvYdf3hwz57dhWIe.99  

Eric Jagielo is a third baseman right now, but he could end up shifting to first base or a corner outfield spot in the pros because he doesn't have the softest hands or the most accurate throwing arm. Regardless, what Jagielo does really well is hit. He controls the strike zone well, thanks to good pitch recognition, solid hand-eye coordination and plus bat speed. He also projects to hit for plus power. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1600761-ranking-the-10-fastest-rising-2013-mlb-draft-prospects/page/7

 

Before Reese McGuire can think too much about the MLB Draft, he wants to lead Kentwood High School to another state championship. The highly touted catcher helped the Conquerors win the 4A (Washington’s largest classification) title last year, and another trophy would cap an unforgettable senior season. “The season is great,” McGuire told me. “We got first in league, so it was awesome. Our pitching stepped up and everyone has done their part to make the team better.” Even though he’s focused on “the now,” McGuire isn’t afraid to look ahead to the MLB Draft in a few weeks. http://allaroundtim.com/reese-mcguire-ready-for-mlb-draft/

Kevin Ziomek, Vanderbilt - The 6'3" Ziomek drew some early buzz because of a blistering start in which he shut down his opponents and missed a ton of bats.  He hasn't sustained that pace but he's still firmly entrenched as a 2nd round option.  For Cubs fans, there is the obvious connection with minor league pitching coordinator Derek Johnson -- so it would seem the Cubs would know more about Ziomek than any other team. http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2013/05/mlb-draft-2nd-round-the-college-lefties/

 

Phillip Ervin's only chance to play Division I baseball came from Samford, and in three weeks he'll likely be the highest drafted player from the state of Alabama. And if you're in Birmingham and want to see him play up close and in person, this Thursday and Friday is your last chance. http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/05/samfords_phillip_ervin_the_sta.html

Draft 13 – Nick Hurtado, Mark Appel, Kevin Ziomek, FGCU, Kupitka vs Emanuel

This is really sad news.

Corona High School standout 2010 prospect, LHP Nick Hurtado, passed away last night from complications stemming from his 2010 diagnosis of a cancerous tumor found in his left knee.

-Right now, there is no one in the baseball world questioning #4 Stanford (7-2, 0-0) RHP Mark Appel’s decision to not sign last year with Pittsburgh and come back for his senior year. Last night, Appel throw a three-hit complete game shutout against #25 Texas (6-3, 0-0), 2-0. This raised his last two-game stat line to an amazing 18-IP, 1-ER, 6-H, 25-K, 2-BB. Witnesses said that he was in total command of his three pitches and showed a much more aggressive approach to the plate. He has easily vaulted himself back into the top RHP in the draft, maybe the number one pick overall.

-Pitching performance of the Friday Night has to go out to #3 Vanderbilt’s (10-1, 0-0) RP Kevin Ziomek, who simply overwhelmed Illinois-Chicago (3-4, 0-0). The stat line was crazy: 9.0-IP, CG, 0-R, 1-H, 15-K, 3-BB. This makes for 33 strikeouts in 22 innings this season, 26 of which cam in his last two outings (The weekend starter team of Ziomek, Phillip Pfeifer, and Tyler Beede are now 7-0, giving up 5-ER in 48.0-IP, while striking out 62).

-My Cinderella team, #27 Florida Gulf Coast (6-2, 0-0) won again Friday, beating unranked Manhattan (0-4, 0-0), 6-2. It was junior Ricky Knapp that stepped up again, who had a no-hitter through 4.1 and finished an eight inning outing with 7-Ks, 0-ER, and 3-H. His season ERA is now 0.78 with 16-K and 2-BB in 23-IP. Remember, this is a team that has already swept Florida in a series and may not be tested for quite a while.

The featured game Friday night was #1 North Carolina (8-0, 0-0) visiting #12 Rice (6-3, 0-0). It also featured two future projected first round starters,  the Tar Heels’ junior LHP Kent Emanuel (7.0-IP, 1-ER, 8-H, 5-K, 1-BB) and the Owls junior RHP Austin Kubitza (6.2-IP, 1-ER, 4-H, 9-K, 2-BB). The edge went o Kubitza, though the victory went to Emaneul, 2-1.

2013 Draft – Q and A – LHSP – Kevin Ziomek – Vanderbilt

Mack – I’ll thrilled to be talking today with one of the top lefties in the upcoming draft, Vanderbilt’s Kevin Ziomek. Hey Kevin. It seems like we just went through this process a few years ago, doesn’t it? J

Kevin: - Ha, ha, it sure does. Time has really flown by. It's been a great few years so far at Vandy, I'm really excited to see what next spring will be like for us!

Mack – As usual, my first question takes you back to that first day someone put either a ball or bat in your hand. Take us through the steps that led to this day.

Kevin - I have to say I can't tell you too much about my first time with a ball ha! My parents always told me that they always put a baseball in my left hand when I was younger. I will always be thankful to my dad for that!

Mack – I loved the scouting report from PG when you were in high school:

Kevin Ziomek is a 2010 LHP with a 6'2'', 180 lb. frame from Amherst, MA who attends Amherst Regional HS. Lean athletic build, projects well, long arms. Full delivery with full arm circle, fast loose arm, flexible actions. Challenges with 88-91 mph fastball, throws FB to spots. Throws both CB and SL, SL much better pitch at present, power bite at 77 mph, CB has softer spin and rolling break. Shows command. Didn't throw change. Projects very well, especially with further development of breaking stuff. Could explode by next June. Has early draft potential. Good student

Was the competition at Amherst Regional challenging enough?

Kevin - I think whoever wrote that scouting report was being pretty generous! As a kid coming out of the Northeast, I think my experience was a lot different than the kids who play in the south or out in California. We have some good talent up there, but a lot of that talent is spread out and it can sometimes be hard to find the right tournaments and areas with a lot of strong competition. It was definitely a great experience for me to go down to Jupiter and some of the other big tournaments so I could see what competition would be like at the next level. There was definitely some good competition, I probably just didn't experience it on the regular basis that a kid from California might.

Mack – So, summer “travel teams” were very important in your overall assessment?

Kevin - I wasn't necessarily a huge traveler to be honest. I went to some of the bigger tournaments such as PG national and Jupiter, FL but I never really attended much else. In the summer I just played for a local legion team and high school ball during the spring. Other than that the only major tournament I attended was the Area Code Games out in California. I guess I just was fortunate enough to be invited to the right tournaments and had the right coaches see me!

Mack – Last question, Kevin (and thank you for your time). What are your realistic goals this year and how far can we expect Vandy to go?

Kevin - I'm really excited for this year. I think we have a great group of young guys coming in, and there is a good chance they can have an immediate impact. Hopefully we can make another run back to Omaha and bring back a championship to Nashville!

Mack – Thanks Kevin. We’ll check back with you mid-season.