Matthew Railey, Max Pentecost, Ryan Castellani, Michael Chavis, Tyler Beede, Matt Imhof

5-11-14  -  Matthew Railey, OF, North Florida Christian HS (FL) - With his advanced approach, excellent bat speed and developing power, Railey has impressed scouts all spring. At 5’-11” and 200 pounds, he has the classic, sweet left-handed swing and can drive the ball to all fields. A very good athlete despite not having great speed, he has a chance to stick in center field but might end up in left field. His bat is what makes him special, however, and he could go on day one. Through 25 games, he is hitting .443/.532/.785 with 10 doubles, five home runs and just seven strikeouts. Committed to Florida State. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-high-school-players-rise-final-edition/42853#cZ17mE5vsjiSvU18.99

3-16-14 – Cubs Den – Max Pentecost, C, Kennesaw State turned some heads early on with his performance to start the year but has since cooled off a bit, hitting .302/.374/.410 with 3 HR.  On the plus side, he has excelled against tougher competition this year, which is something scouts like to see.  Worthy of a top 4 pick, though?  Probably not, but if he can finish strong and stick at catcher, he will go at least in the top 10. http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2014/03/mlb-draft-update-arms-ahead-of-bats-early-on-but-questions-remain-at-the-top/

3-26-14 – TTF – 10 high school players on the rise — third edition – Ryan Castellani, OF/RHP, Brophy Prep HS (AZ) - The 6’-4”, 200 pound right-hander has been heating up at the plate recently. Over his last four games, he has gone 7-for-11 with two doubles, a triple and two home runs. On the season, he is now up to .391/.500/.783 with six doubles, three triples and two home runs. He has upside as a power-hitting outfielder but he also has an advanced feel for the mound. He can dial his fastball up to 93 mph with late, downward life. He adds a mid-70s curve and a change-up that sits in the 79-83 mph range and both project to above-average pitches down the road. He has good command of his stuff, and there is still room for projection due to his size and easy mechanics. Over 27 innings this season, he has 30 K/10 BB. Committed to Arizona State. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-10-high-school-players-rise-third-edition/42098#CmrUPUJfBWKiV2MO.99

Mi3-17-14 – TTF – 10 High School Players On The Rise – Michael Chavis, 3B, Sprayberry HS (GA) Chavis just continues to mash. The 5’-11”, 190 pound right-hander went 3-for-3 with two more home runs on March 14, upping his total to six over his first 11 games. He is also hitting .656/.738/1.344 with a 2.082 OPS, four doubles and nine stolen bases. He is playing shortstop now, but with his tremendous power, should make a move over to third base where his arm, glove and footwork will play well. Committed to Clemson. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-10-high-school-players-rise-second-edition/41810#OfV5L7GbWgi2Xqtf.99

3-19-14 – TTF – Tyler Beede, RHP, Vanderbilt (2) - Beede has been a regular on this list, and he just seems to keep getting better. In a highly anticipated match-up against Aaron Nola and LSU, Beede may have taken the loss, but he was brilliant in defeat. Over 7.1 innings, he allowed no earned runs on just three hits. He added seven strikeouts to one walk and wasn’t hit hard all night. He again showed his unique ability to miss bats with his four-pitch mix, and the command was once again on point. He now has a 0.84 ERA, 0.62 WHIP with 40 K/6 BB over 32.1 innings, holding opponents to a .128 batting average. Looking like a top-five pick. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-10-college-players-rise-week-5/41905#JeRjl1lAwHFUPJlv.99

3-20-14 – Matt Imhof, LHP, Cal Poly - I really liked Imhof to the Cubs in the second round earlier in the year. The 6’-5”, 220 pound southpaw has the ideal size you want in a frontline starter. The way he has been pitching this season, however, he may not be around when they are on the board at 43. With 55 strikeouts over 35 innings, he leads the nation in K/9 at 14.1. Through his five starts, he has a 1.29 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. He features a low-90s fastball and has solid secondaries to go with a clean, easy delivery. He knows how to mix up his stuff and, at just 20 years old on draft day, will be one of the youngest college pitchers in the draft. http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2014/03/mlb-draft-a-look-at-5-college-arms-for-the-2nd-round/

Clay Casey, Cameron Varga, Matt Imhof, Tyler Beede, Michael Kopech, Luke Weaver

5-12-14  -  Clay Casey, OF, De Soto Central HS (MS) - Few got into a zone quite like Casey did this year — and he’s still in it. Over his last 11 games, he has gone 23-for-32 (.719) with a double, four triples, nine home runs and 27 RBI. On the season, he is now hitting .511/.587/1.136 over 30 games with six doubles, five triples, 13 home runs and exactly 100 total bases. A very good athlete who also stars in football, the 6’-3”, 205 pound right-hander has tremendous power potential to go along with a strong arm in the outfield. He has a patient approach at the plate and has a lot of upside once he focuses full time on baseball. Committed to Ole Miss. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-high-school-players-rise-final-edition/42853#cZ17mE5vsjiSvU18.99

5-18-14  -  Cameron Varga -  I know high school stats can be deceiving, and scouts don’t put a whole lot of stock into them. However, when you have struck out every batter you have faced over your last two starts like Varga has, you should take notice. The 6’-4”, 200 pound right-hander has 31 K/0 BB over his last 10 innings without allowing a hit. In fact, over his last five starts, he has tossed four no-hitters with 68 K/1 BB over 25 innings. With a fastball that sits 91-95 mph and one of the best curveballs in his class — an upper-70s knee buckler that he has great command of, he has been one of the most dominant prep pitchers this spring. His change-up is still developing, but with his athleticism, most believe it will become a quality offering. He is one of the older players in his class but he has a fresh arm as he was a shortstop his first two years of high school in Florida. For the season, he has 110 K/4 BB over 44 innings, allowing one run on 10 hits. Getting a lot of first-round buzz, he is committed to North Carolina.
Read more at http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-five-high-school-players/42931#BrqM3BlCZROcRBlE.99

3-26-14 - For the debut of the Big West Spotlight, I am in fact featuring the star of one of these power schools: Cal Poly pitcher Matt Imhof. Imhof — a 6’5”, 220 lb southpaw with a wicked arsenal—has been phenomenal this season, compiling a 4-1 record with a 1.29 ERA for the 16-3 Mustangs. The junior has also tallied 55 strikeouts in 35.0 IP, tied with TCU’s Brandon Finnegan for first in D1 baseball, and sports a 0.914 WHIP on the year.  His success hasn’t gone unnoticed on the national level, as he has received a National Player of the Week award on three different occasions this season in addition to his three Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week awards, all of them coming from performances in which he tallied 14 or more strikeouts in a game.  http://www.bestcoastbaseball.com/2014/03/big-west-spotlight-matt-imhof-shining.html

3-11-14 – TTF - Tyler Beede, RHP, Vanderbilt (2) - Beede has answered his critics through his first four starts. In his latest start against Winthrop on March 7, he struck out nine to no walks over seven innings, allowing one run on six hits. He is now 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 33 K/5 BB over 25 innings. He is holding opponents to a miniscule .129 batting average. As a sophomore, he had a 5.6 BB/9 ratio over 101 innings. This year, he has a 1.8 BB/9 ratio, showing incredible improvement in his command and responding to the only knock on him by scouts. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-10-college-players-rise-week-4/41715#PjStmsQ7UB5h8BYU.99

3-14-14 – Prospect Insider - Mt. Pleasant’s Michael Kopech has been turning heads this spring and is quickly rising up draftboards. Kopech has a projectable frame and a lively fastball with heavy life. Last summer he flashed impressive stuff, but struggled to repeat his delivery. Although it still has a lot of moving parts, the delivery seems to be more rhythmic, and his curveball also shows enticing potential with sharp break and good depth. http://prospectinsider.com/category/2014-mlb-draft

3-16-14 – BLF –  Luke Weaver, Florida State Seminoles Ace, has seen his fair share of hype surrounding a prospect, Jameis Winston is after all, his teammate and not sure anyone in College sports has gotten the attention he did this year winning the Heisman and all. As a small side note, Jameis Winston came in for 3 IP and notched 7 K against NC State. Coming into this weekend series, Weaver has really run the board in terms of his projection for the draft, I’ve seen anywhere from the 20′s to the top10. Well, on Friday, he met with Rodon for a faceoff and while Rodon was solid, Weaver really took the show with 7K 2BB and only 1 ER over 6.1 IP. In comparison, Rodon had 12 K with 4 BB and 2 ER over 6.2IP. I think it must be my luck, but the past couple of times I’ve seen Rodon, I get excited, as any fan would, to see the top talent in the country and he ends up being just slightly less then his full dominant self. To be fair, This is probably the best performance I’ve got to see of Rodon live, hopefully that’ll change his next time out. But as some scouts have concerns about his command and control getting away from him, time to time, I’ve been unlucky enough to catch those games, it appears almost exclusively. While he has been absolutely dominant at times, and is every bit deserving of the hype he’s received recently, I certainly believe he has some work to do on his command and control. As I mentioned above, it has gotten away from him at times in the past and certainly this year so far, particularly against Notre Dame and FSU, he’s been a little less dominant then you would expect from him. Clearly, the 12 K game is going to catch some attention but I also look at the fact he had the 4 walks and gave up the 2 ER. Can’t be perfect no, but that’s a pretty big in conference game, you’re going to need your ace to have his absolute best stuff. Certainly, I’d take him over Gray and Appel right now, although Gray does put up quite the fight, Zimmer and Gausman for sure.  I’m by far, one of the biggest Appel detractors, placing him 13th in rankings at points last cycle, for Houston fans though, and fans of Appel, you have to get excited about the prospect of a rotation with Appel, Rodon, Cosart, and even Folty if you want to get into that line of thought. NC State 3B Andrew Knizner was one of the younger players on the field who really caught my attention, as a true freshman out of Glen Allen, Va., he showed some skill in the field and at the plate he’s been their best hitter to date, leading the team in batting average as well as RBI and tied for the lead in HR with 2. He’s got 2 errors so far, but with youth on his side I expect him to enjoy some success during his time in the Wolfpack lineup. http://bigleaguefutures.net/1/2014/03/16/luke-weaver-shines-against-rodon-and-wolfpack-beede-strong-as-dores-fall-to-nola-and-tigers/

Cody Reed, Mac Marshall, Mike Papi, Marcus Wilson, Griffin Helms, Matt Imhof

5-12-14  -  Cody Reed, LHP, Ardmore HS (AL) - High school stats can look silly at times. When you have filthy stuff, and play at a small school facing inferior competition, the numbers can get out of control. Such is the case for Reed. Through 77 innings, he has 193 K/12 BB, allowing just 24 hits. To put that into perspective, he is on pace for 501 strikeouts over 200 innings. That would be a record and instant admission into the Hall of Fame. At 6’-2” and 240 pounds, he has been touching 95 mph and adds solid secondary stuff. He is a Vanderbilt commit and they have a good track record of keeping their commits. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-high-school-players-rise-final-edition/42853#cZ17mE5vsjiSvU18.99

3-14-14 - Nathan Rode ‏@NathanRode  - 2014 LHP Mac Marshall (Parkview HS, GA) getting warmed up for #NHSI14. 5 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 10 K tonight

3-6-14 – Prospect Insider - Virginia’s Mike Papi has been the top hitter on one of the nation’s top teams. He is hitting over .400 and has shown advanced pitch recognition skills as well as a quick bat. Although he currently plays first base, he shouldn’t be pigeon-holed into that position in the long run. He is a good enough athlete to handle one of the outfield corners. 

http://prospectinsider.com/category/2014-mlb-draft

3-26-14 – MaxiPreps – Marcus Wilson, Serra (Gardena, Calif.) - Although his team lost 5-3 to Los Alamitos on Saturday, Wilson had a big day in going 3-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs, a double and a home run. He is batting .545 on the season (6 for 11) with two home runs. http://www.maxpreps.com/news/kRbRSgP8z06XdyYf0_JnPg/tyler-kolek,-michael-gettys,-brady-aiken-among-senior-baseball-prospects-off-to-strong-starts.htm

3-12-14 – 10 High School Players on the Rise – Griffin Helms, C/OF, Norcross HS (GA) - Built like a linebacker at 6’-1” and 205 pounds, the right-hander has a mature body and is powerfully built. He is also a very good athlete having been timed at 6.59 in the 60. Defensively, his strong arm (1.85-1.9 pop times) and blocking/receiving skills make him a legitimate catching prospect. Offensively, his bat speed and approach allow him to wait on his pitch and drive it to all fields. Through his first six games, he was hitting .429/.520/.762 with a double, two home runs and six stolen bases. The catching crop is weak this year and Helms could benefit from it. Committed to Kennesaw State. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-10-high-school-players-rise/41773#oFu0m6JRyhOHXIwD.99

3-11-14 – TTF -  Matt Imhof, LHP, Cal Poly (51) - The 6’-5”, 225 pound southpaw just continues to blow away hitters. On March 7 against Seattle, he had 15 strikeouts to three walks over eight shutout innings, allowing four hits. Over four starts, he now has a 1.33 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 41 K/9 BB over 27 innings. He is second in the nation in strikeouts behind TCU southpaw Brandon Finnegan (45) and is third among starters with a 13.7 K/9 ratio. He will only be 20 years old come draft day, making him one of the youngest college players in the draft. His fastball sits in the 89-92 mph range and can touch 94 due to his smooth, effortless delivery. He adds solid secondary stuff and knows how to mix his pitches well. Looking more and more like a first round pick with every outing. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-10-college-players-rise-week-4/41715#PjStmsQ7UB5h8BYU.99

Draft 14 – Michael Cederoth, Kyle Schwarber, Chris Ellis, Cobi Johnson, Matt Imhof

2-26-14 - During his sophomore season last year, Michael Cederoth made 15 appearances — all starts, going 3-9 with a 4.25 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 95.1 innings. He held opponents to a .213 batting average. but walked 48 batters. “It’s almost better for us to just put him in the closer’s role where he can go an inning and you have a chance to use him all three days.” Cederoth has three relief appearances since the switch. Against Loyola Marymount last Tuesday, he walked the first batter, got a double play and then recorded a strikeout. http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2014/02/25/san-diego-state-closer-michael-cederoth-reliever/

3-25-14 – 3.  Kyle Schwarber, Indiana, Height: 6'0", Weight: 230 DOB: 3/5/1993 L/R - Lefty bat, Schwarber is going to get a lot of hype, maybe more than Pentecost.  He might have a better power profile than Max, maybe among the leaders in the class.  But he may not stick at C, he isn't a premium athlete, so you're looking at a move most likely to 1B, and then the bat really has to play.  Still, dingerz attract attention.  Quick!  When does Seattle pick again? There aren't nearly the same number of hyped HS catchers this year.  HS catchers tend to be hyped and then fade at draft-time.  A lot go to school.  I think this was one factor for John Riley - he had to compete not only with classmates but the new HS guys 3 years later, to try and get into the top 200.  The Giants offered the cashish to get in that area, and its a done deal.  Not everybody is going in the top 15, there is too much competition.  For whatever reason, the catchers get weeded out a bit more fiercely. This year there is a lack of hyped HS guys. http://www.yougottalikethesekids.com/2014/03/ten-catchers-in-2014-mlb-draft.html    

2-27-14 – TTF - 10 college players on the rise - Chris Ellis, RHP, Ole Miss (65) - A breakout candidate by several draft experts, the 6’-5”, 210 pound right-hander didn’t come in with much of a track record. As a sophomore, he posted a 5.57 ERA, 2.00 WHIP and 16 K/11 BB over 21 innings. The stuff, however, has always been there, even if the results haven’t. He features a low/mid-90s fastball that he commands better in the low-90s. His change-up is much improved and he adds a solid curveball to round out a classic three-pitch mix. His size, stuff and command have him in talks for the first round and, this year, the results have been there. He tossed a five-hit shutout against Georgia State on Friday striking out four to no walks. He has now started the season with 15 shutout innings as he has become more of a pitcher then thrower. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-10-college-players-rise-2/41299#ldBBF8hRKzmaiy5H.99  

2-11-14 – PG/Florida HS Dream Team – Best Command: Cobi Johnson, Sr. James W. Mitchell - Johnson’s father, Dane, is a pitching coordinator for the Toronto Blue Jays, and he has passed his knowledge on to his son, Cobi. The younger Johnson has a knack for getting and staying ahead of hitters, and fills up the strike zone with all of his pitches. He shows plus control of his fastball in the lower half of the zone, which he is able to execute thanks to using his 6-foot-4 frame to generate sharp downhill plane. He also has a strong feel for his plus hammer curveball, which he throws in any count. http://perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=9372

2-21-14 – Project Insider -  Perhaps the best pitching matchup of the weekend is in L.A. where Cal Poly lefty Matt Imhof and UCLA ace James Kaprielian (class of 2015) face off at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Imhof is considered a Day 1 possibility but more likely an early Day 2 prospect — which is to say round 2 or so. He fanned 14 last Friday versus Kansas State. http://prospectinsider.com/draft-prospect-watch-hoffman-vs-fisher   

Draft 14 – Matt Imhof, Braxton Davidson, Benito Santiago, Alex Verdugo, Justin Smith

2-19 – TTF - 10 college players on the rise - Matt Imhof, LHP, Cal Poly (51) - A guy I was hoping the Chicago Cubs could potentially target with their second-round pick, the 6’-5”, 220 pound southpaw may not last past the first round if he pitches the way he did against 18th ranked Kansas State on Friday. Over seven shutout innings, he allowed just two hits while striking out a career high 14 to three walks. His fastball sits in the 89-92 mph range and can touch 94 due to his smooth, effortless delivery. He adds solid secondary stuff and knows how to mix his pitches well. Imhof will be just 20 years old come draft day, making him one of the youngest collegiate players available. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-10-college-players-rise/41224#Brkvtc4VfkP16udZ.99

3-25-14 – MLB Draft Insider Mock –  18  Braxton Davidson    OF/1B            TC Roberson HS (N.C.)  -  Davidson was outstanding over the summer, and less so over the fall. How he preforms this spring — particularly at the NHSI this next week — will be very big for him and his stock. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2014/03/the-board-2014-volume-ii/ 

2-23-14 - Coral Springs Christian Academy catcher Benito Santiago wakes up every day and tells his mother, Carmen Miranda, that he loves her. His father and namesake — the former big-league catcher — hasn’t been involved in his life in years, but that hasn’t stopped Santiago from becoming a top prospect. Santiago, a 5-10, 175-pound senior, has a scholarship to the University of Tennessee, and CSCA coach Matt Cleveland said scouts have told him his catcher should get selected in the first eight rounds in June’s MLB Draft. http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/21/3949941/coral-springs-christian-academy.html#storylink=cpy

1-3-14 – TTF Baseball - 42. Miami Marlins — Alex Verdugo, LHP/OF, Sahuaro HS (AZ) - One of the better two-way talents available in the 2014 MLB draft, the 6’-1” left-hander has a tough decision on his hands as he excels as both a hitter and pitcher. He can touch 93 mph with his fastball and also adds solid secondaries with a mid-70s curveball and an upper-70s change-up. He has great bat speed and shows raw power. Over 93 at-bats as a junior, he hit .484 with seven home runs, stole 24 bases and drew 25 walks to just three strikeouts. On the mound, he struck out 130 over 65 innings. Committed to Arizona State. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-2/40753#ppGUqI6CbWFvzsPf.99

2-11-14 – PG/Florida HS Dream Team – Best Outfield Arm: Justin Smith, Sr. Bartram Trail - Smith has shown big arm strength from the outfield since the Junior National Showcase in 2011 and it plays very well in right field in game action. He gets on top of his throws, allowing the ball to travel in a straight line to the intended target with no tail. http://perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=9372