Draft Notes 5-23-12 – Tanner Rahier, Alex Young, Conference Championship Games

Tanner Rahler

Tanner Rahier, SS, Palm Desert HS (Calif.) (49) -  Rahier has one of the more interesting stories of this year's prep group in that he doesn't actually play for Palm Desert High School. Instead, he opted to play in a wood-bat travel league and his stock has been on the rise for most of the spring. Rahier most likely won't be able to stay at shortstop -- some say third, some say second is a likely destination. In either place, his ability to hit and grow into hitting for power should fit just fine and his defensive actions could make him an excellent defender in either spot. Rahier's best tool might be his makeup: He plays an all-out, aggressive style that allows him to maximize his skills.

Alex Young

Alex Young, lhp, Carmel Catholic HS, Hawthorn Woods. There are very few high-school prospects around the country that have gone from light area-scout follow to serious national cross-checker material on the strength of a couple of early-season starts, but the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Young has accomplished that this spring. He made the transition from an upper-80s thrower to low-90s pitcher with three quality offerings during the off-season and may now rank as the top high-school lefthander in the entire Midwest, ranging from the Canadian border to the Gulf. The unusually mild Illinois winter and spring weather has given Young plenty of plenty of opportunity for scouts to catch up with him, whereas that might have been a problem in some years.

Arkansas' D.J. Baxendale named SEC Pitcher of the Week 

Miami Peter O'Brien Named to First Team All-ACC Roster 

UGA Alex Wood – 92

Chris Stratton - 91-93, 86-87, 78-79 CV

Vanderbilt Drew VerHagen – 92

SEC Tournament, Game 5, Hoover, AL  - #29 Mississippi 2, #14 Arkansas 0 – Mike Mayers – 7.0-IP, 0-R, 8-K, 1-BB… D.J. Baxendale 6.0-IP, 1-ER, 5-K, 3-BB – 2B Alex Yarbrough – 3-4

Big 12 Tournament, Game 1, Oklahoma City, OK – #28 Oklahoma 1, Oklahoma State 0 – Dillon Overton 7.1-IP, 0-R, 8-K, 0-BB… Andrew Heaney 8.0-IP, CG, Loss, 1-ER, 8-K, 1-BB… 3B Garrett Carey – walk-off home run

ACC Tournament, Game 1, Greensboro, NC – Georgia Tech 5, #1 Florida State 4 – Buck Farmer 6.0-IP, 3-R, 6-K, 5-BB… Scott Sitz 4,2-IP, 4-R, 3-K, 2-BB… CF James Ramsey 3-4, 1-R, 2-RBI, HR… Jake Davies 2-3, 3-R, 4-RBI, 2-HR

Victor Roache‏ -

Hotel chillin until practice AND I get to start playing catch today

Draft 2012 – Rock Rucker, Spencer Edwards, Deven Marrero, Tanner Rahier

Rock Rucker — 6’-5”, LHP, Redan HS (GA) - He is 6’-5”, left handed, his fastball hits 95 mph and he is just starting to commit full time to the mound. Because of that, Rucker’s ceiling is very high, and with a strong senior season on the mound, could find himself in the upper half of the draft. Long and lean, there is still room for added velocity and his curveball projects to a plus pitch. One to keep an eye on this year. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-25-thru-1/15694/  

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/1009/mitchell-traver-highlights-2012-texas-class   8. Spencer Edwards, SS/OF, Rockwall (Texas)   Edwards, who's headed to Austin to play for the Longhorns if he passes on pro ball, possesses oodles of athleticism, which allow him to play shortstop in high school. He may fit better as an outfielder, and is a two-sport star, also serving as a star defensive back and wide receiver in football. He's run 60-yard dashes in under 6.7 seconds and 40-yarders in the 4.4 range. His swing and overall plate skills are a bit raw, but if he focuses on baseball, he could be an everyday player in time.

Deven Marrero / Arizona State / SS : Marrero is a premium defensive shortstop who ranges well to both sides. He has a strong-arm that remains accurate even while throwing on the move. Marrero isn’t much more than an average runner straight ahead but you wouldn’t know it from watching him play shortstop. His hands and reactions are excellent and that helps him overcome his less than spectacular foot speed. At the plate Marrero has plus bat speed and a good-looking swing, but a somewhat aggressive approach, a habit of drifting towards the pitcher and a big leg kick will result in plenty of strikeouts as a pro. The Sun Devil won’t have a lot of over the fence power either but his game is hard contact and he should not be confused with a slap hitter. Marrero has some questions to answer about his offensive profile but I’m still comfortable projecting him as an above average hitter for a shortstop. Even with the question marks the qualities of being a shortstop who can hit some will have him off the board early in July. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2012/01/scouting-the-cape/#more-720  

Tanner Rahier has an incredible work ethic and exhibits outstanding range, quick feet and powerful arm. At the plate, he drives the ball with authority and projects for power. He has also been known to pitch in relief showing a 93 mph fast ball. He is committed to the University of San Diego

Draft 2012 – Dario Pizzano, Tanner Rahier, Taylor Dugas, James Ramsey

http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2012/01/top-30-position-players-in-necbl.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter  4.  Dario Pizzano   OF   North Shore Navigators—Columbia -  Dario had an outstanding summer while patrolling the outfield this year. He hit .365 and was second in the league with 54 hits. He scored 29 runs, knocked in 27 and was tied for first with 12 doubles. He had a great OPS of 1.001 and the SABR nerd in me loves his RC number of 36.391. BA ranked him as the 9th best prospect while PG has him listed at #26 this summer.

34. Tanner Rahier — 6’-2”, SS, Desert HS (CA)  Rahier attends Palm Desert high school but doesn’t play for the team. Instead, he plays for a spring league that uses wood bats to better prepare him for the majors. He is an extremely hard-working player who has a workout regimen Rocky Balboa would be embarrassed by. His arm has been clocked at 93 mph, and his plus-range at footwork make him a legitimate shortstop at the next level. His short, compact swing generates plus-power, and his bat speed allows him to catch up to any pitch, making him a great contact hitter. Has elite speed as he runs a 6.6/60. Overall, the kid has very few holes to his game, and playing in the ABCL has given him a leg up on his peers. The talent is off the charts, but the drive is what really separates him from the rest. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-50-thru-26/15621/

We continue the countdown today at number 17 with Alabama senior Taylor Dugas, The Lafayette, Louisiana, native attended Teurlings Catholic High School where he was a four year starter for head coach Mike Thibodeaux. In his high school career, he batted .518 (176 for 340) with 19 home runs and 159 RBI. His senior season saw him hit .640 (57 for 86) with 10 home runs, 38 RBI, 55 runs, 17 doubles and four triples while being named a Collegiate Baseball High School All-American, LBCA Player of the Year, first-team All-State by the LBCA, and won the Rebel of the Year Award at TCHS. He decided to head out of state to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide. His freshman campaign saw him appear in 56 games (54 starts) as he hit .352 (83-for-236) with two home runs and 27 RBI in 56 games, He was able to lead the Crimson Tide in hits (83), multi-hit games (25) and doubles (20). He was honored at the end up the season by being named a Freshman All-American by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. http://ht.ly/1gG4ic

We continue the countdown today at number 16 with Florida State senior outfielder James Ramsey. The Alpharetta, GA native attended Wesleyan High School where he was a four year starter. He earned All-Gwinnett County and All-Region 6-AA honors in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, he led all Gwinnett County hitters with a .468 batting average and .883 slugging percentage, guiding Wesleyan High School to the 6-AA championship. As a freshman in 2009, he appeared in 45 games making nine starts with seven starts in left field and two more as the DH. He finished the year hitting .296 with three doubles, two home runs, 19 runs scored and 14 RBI in 68 at bats. http://ht.ly/1gHl6Q

Draft 2012: - Duane Underwood, Tanner Rahier, Shaun Cooper, Justin Amlung, Cody Stiles

10-28-11: - http://orioles-nation.com/2011/10/26/wwba-2012-highlights - Duane Underwood (Marietta GA; Pope HS) – An absolute flame thrower that can maintain the speed that ran up to 93-95 mph (touched 98 mph at East Coast Showcase). Does display a bit of effort on the hill leading to thoughts of power relief pitcher.  He throws a curveball that sometimes flashes potential, but is not very consistent offering.  Other than the effort in the throw, there is not much worry about pressure mechanically.  It will depend on his ability to throw three consistent pitches. One of the better fastballs out of the high school rank.

11-15-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6369  - Tanner Rahier (2012 SS, ABD Bulldogs)- The 6-foot-2, 210 pound shortstop really stood out during his third tour of duty at the WWBA World Championship. Rahier not only stood out defensively, but as per usual, put on a show with the bat. Rahier hit .429/.467/1.000 with a pair of triples, a double and a Home Run in 15 plate appearances. The oversized SoCal shortstop invokes the obvious physical comparison to another California product, Troy Tulowitzki. With the size and arm strength that Rahier possesses it would be easy to peg him as a future third basemen. But his speed and athleticism combined with his aggressive high effort fielding actions give him plus range at short in spite of playing at over 200 pounds. Rahier showed his athleticism off by posting a 6.62 60-yard dash time at the 2011 National Showcase. It was no fluke either, as Rahier ran a 6.67 at the California Underclass Showcase in January, a 6.63 at the 2010 West Coast Top Prospect Showcase and a 6.94 at the 2010 California Underclass as a sophomore. Even though he clearly possesses the arm strength to play third (93 mph in the workout at the National Showcase), there is no reason to believe that he will need to move off of shortstop. The only imminent position change for Rahier is that he will give up pitching to become a full-time position player. Rahier's combination of size, speed and power are extremely rare and he compliments his tools with an impressive makeup, hard nosed competitive approach and an obvious passion for the game.

11-15-11: - http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2011/11/top-50-position-players-in-northwoods.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter  - Shaun Cooper   OF   Mankato MoonDogs---Utah  Shaun was, hands down, the best player in all of summer ball this season. He absolutely crushed the ball from day one this summer. He was named the Northwoods League Most Valuable Player and Perfect Game named him as their Summer League Player of the Year. He hit .335/.641/.444 for the MoonDogs. He scored 55 runs, knocked in an amazing 61 rbi's and most impressively, hit 20 home runs. He also managed to steal 15 bases. He was just about the most amazing home run hitter in all of summer league baseball. He won the home run derby and hit an amazing 33 home runs in three rounds. He also hit .333, with 1 home run in the playoffs for Mankato. All in all, he was first in the league in home runs, first in runs batted in and tied for first in runs scored. He also placed third in the league in hits with 81. He was ranked as the 8th best prospect in the league by PG and Baseball America ranked him as the 15th best prospect in the league.

11-16-11: - http://ht.ly/1fGaJz  - We continue the countdown today at number 66 with Louisville redshirt junior RHP Justin Amlung. The 6’0 175 pound righthander comes from Louisville, Kentucky and St. Xavier High School. He was a two year letter winner for coach John Jefferson going 7-1 with a 1.55 ERA and 50 strikeouts as a senior and was 6-3 with a 2.09 ERA and 45 strikeouts during his junior season. After taking a redshirt in 2009, he made 20 appearances (10 starts) going 5-2 with a 4.27 ERA in 65.1 innings during the 2010 season. He ended up striking out 55 batters while walking only 14 and holding opponents to a .286 batting average against.

http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2011/11/16/uncs-cody-stiles-dismissed-from-team  - Cody Stiles was dismissed from UNC baseball team according to multiple media reports in the Chapel Hill area. Stiles was expected to be a key contributor to the UNC pitching staff in 2012. Last season, he went 4-0 in 12 appearances including eight starts while having an ERA of 2.43. As a freshman, he had seven appearances with one start while posting a 4.50 ERA without recording a decision. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 39th round out of J.P. Taravella High School but decided to head to Chapel Hill.

Draft 2012: - Tanner Rahier, Kevin Gausman, Paxton De La Garza, David Dahl, Pat Stover

10-28-11: - http://orioles-nation.com/2011/10/26/wwba-2012-highlights - Tanner Rahier (Indian Wells CA; Palm Desert HS) – Good frame and solid build.  Borderline violent pull swing with solid bat speed, but still remains in control that he can square up at a high rate.  Generates a lot of torque and can drive the ball with power, even with a line drive to ever so slight uplifting swing.  He shows the arm to play at third base with nice footwork setting up for a balanced release.  He will not wow defensively, but should be above average at the hot corner.

11-9-11: - http://diamondprospects.blogspot.com/2011/11/kevin-gausman-draft-profile.html - Kevin Gausman was one of the best prep prospects just two years ago, but he dropped to the 6th round of the 2010 draft and decided to go to LSU. He became the most reliable starter on the staff in his Freshman year and is now a potential Top-10 pick as a draft-eligible Sophomore. With a great K/BB ratio, Gausman shows great command of a mid-90's fastball that runs in on righties. Shaky secondary pitches are one reason Gausman dropped coming out of high school and he has worked hard to improve those pitches. His efforts are paying off as he now possesses a plus curveball and a developing change that projects as above-average. With LSU's talented roster ready to once again make a run at Omaha, a dominant year from Gausman should put him in the Top-5 on draft day.

11-12-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/11/12/paxton-de-la-garza-2012-draft-profile   -  Paxton De La Garza is a shortstop from Coronado High School in Texas. Two traits that everyone I asked about De La Garza came back with were that he has great makeup and plays the game hard. De La Garza’s tools at the plate project well. He has quick hands and a short stroke with some extra base pop. De La Garza demonstrates good plate coverage. He has a recorded 60 time of 6.80. Most project De La Garza as a shortstop at the next level. He is steady in the field and shows good range with a strong arm. Had De La Garza not been injured in the final game of the State 5A Tournament, he would have had more chances to show his skills on the summer showcase circuit. His performance in the spring should be watched closely.

11-15-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6369  - David Dahl (2012 OF, FTB Mizuno/Cardinals Scout Team)- Dahl's talents were obvious this summer, in spite of being sidelined for a portion of it with a bout of mononucleosis. Shortly before taking time off to rest and recover, Dahl was very impressive at the 2011 National Showcase in June. Dahl threw 95 mph from the outfield and posted a blazing 6.49 60-yard dash time, and went 3-for-5 against live pitching, earning a spot in the 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic. The full extent of his abilities appeared likely to be very impressive based on what he was able to do at less than 100%, and in Jupiter Dahl lived up to expectations. Several member of the PG scouting staff in Jupiter expressed that they believe Dahl was the best prospect in attendance. A potential five-tool player, Dahl posted a team best .400 average and .571 on base percentage out of the second spot in a lineup that featured four 2011 PG All-Americans (including Dahl), with several underclassmen who look to be likely candidates for next year's game. The only tool of Dahl's that is not already plus is his power, though he has the bat speed and projectable strength to develop home run power down the road.

11-15-11: - http://www.collegesummerbaseball.net/2011/11/top-50-position-players-in-northwoods.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter  - Pat Stover   OF   Willmar Stingers---Santa Clara   Pat is a big (6-4/210) outfielder from Santa Clara University. He was sixth in the league with a .337 batting average this summer. He scored 23 runs, drove in 25 and walked 20 times as well this summer. He also did not commit an error for the Stingers. Pat spent the summer's of 09 and 2010 with the Waterloo Bucks. He was ranked as the 27th best prospect in the league by Perfect Game.

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.