Jeff Francoeur, Jerry Manuel, A Glove Of Their Own, Gatorade Dumps Tiger... and Intrasquad Pitchers

Jeff Francoeur:


Yes, the former Atlanta Braves star definitely seems at ease in his first spring camp with New York, and eager to see what he can do in a full season with the Mets.

“I’m ready to start and go through a whole year,” Francoeur said. “Not to mention, I’m ready to be on a team that was the Mets of the last three years before last year.”

One of the few bright spots during New York’s dismal 2009 season was the play of Francoeur, who found his form at the plate after he was acquired from Atlanta in July. At the very beginning of spring training, he looks as if he’s ready to pick up where he left off last year. - link

Jerry Manuel:

Manuel made it clear he considered Angel Pagan and Dan Murphy his starters -- good news since underwhelming Gary Matthews is lurking on the roster and rumblings continue the Mets may be tempted to jump -- read: rush -- prospect Ike Davis to the big league roster.

Said Jerry: "Well, in all honesty, there will have to be a physical setback of some sort [for Pagan and Murphy to lose their jobs]. If that happens and we're a little slow or they're a little slow coming back, then we'll have to make some adjustments." Also pleased to hear the high regard Manuel holds young southpaw Jon Niese, who, apparently, is in fact the front runner for the fifth spot in the rotation.- link

A Glove Of Their Own:

In the United States, we are suffering the biggest economic crisis since The Great Depression. In these tough times there are people like Minnie Torres, coach Bob Salomon, A Glove of Their Own, and giants in the baseball industry such as Louisville Slugger, Modell’s, Upper Deck and Rawlings who are still going above and beyond to help children that are less fortunate .

Growing up an impoverished child, Minnie is no stranger to the struggles of making ends meet. Today, as a single mother, she recalls the invaluable lesson once taught by her parents about generosity; it’s not how much you give, but just the act of giving that matters. Her first trip to the Dominican Republic nine years ago proved to be much more than a vacation; it changed her life. Minnie witnessed poverty in a way that would remain etched in her memory. She began by emptying her suitcase and returning to the neighborhood overflowing with need and beautiful children. There she would share all of her belongings and fuel the desire where “paying it forward” would be the both the purpose and the reward of all future trips to the Dominican Republic. Minnie couldn’t help but think about all those bright young eyes having seen the harsh realities of poverty and hunger, yet they had never laid eyes on baseball equipment most of us would deem common. The idea of new equipment even as simple as a brand new baseball was something only on wish lists. The adoration behind your favorite baseball card typical here in the U.S. was something unknown to the children of the Dominican Republic and that was all about to change. Excitement filled the air and proved that the children of the Dominican Republic, for all that they lacked, were not short on the ability to dream - link

Gatorade Dumps Tiger:

Gatorade today became the latest company to end its sponsorship deal with troubled golf icon Tiger Woods.

Gatorade, a unit of PepsiCo, had already pulled its Tiger Woods-branded sports drink in November, and at the time said it had made the decision to do so before the athlete's November 25, 2009 car accident and extramarital affairs became global headline news. The value of Woods' deal with Gatorade was not disclosed. Woods on Feb. 19 issued a much-hyped televised public apology for his actions. So far, Accenture and AT&T have dropped Woods entirely. Others, such as P&G's Gillette and Tag Heuer, have pulled ads featuring the golfer, but have to some extent left the door open to future dealings with Woods. - link

Intrasquad Pitchers:

The pitchers for the intrasquad game Monday are Travis Blackley, R.A. Dickey, Jack Egbert, Clint Everts, Jenrry Mejia, Jon Niese and Tobi Stoner. The Mets play the Braves Tuesday (at Port St. Lucie) and Wednesday (in Orlando), with Nelson Figueroa starting the first game and Fernando Nieve the second. Because Nieve is more versatile than Niese, Niese has a better chance to begin the season in the rotation. Nieve is more likely for bullpen duty.- link

Q&A: - SP - Mike Antonini

Q&A – SP – Mike Antonini:




Mack: Hey Mike, thanks for spending some time with the Mackster. You and I go back to Savannah, but why not first take us back to that wonderful day when you were drafted... tell us about it.



Mike: Draft day I was at home with my mom listening to the draft on the computer. Going through the same situation a year earlier, I wasn't sure what to expect. I just wanted a shot to further my baseball career. A few rounds into the draft my uncle John came over and suggested we go grab some lunch. On our way to lunch my mom called, saying "The METS just drafted you in the 18th round!!" It couldn't have been 5 minutes that we had left the house so we turned around and came back. I started receiving calls and texts from past teammates and coaches who were listening. A couple days later I was on a flight to West Palm to get my career started.



Mack: So, you spend the 2007 season in Kingsport (1-1, 3.71, 1.60) and Brooklyn (0-0, 0.46, 0.92). Pretty incredible WHIP. Did you expect to start off that strong?



Mike: I wasn't sure what to expect. I wanted to prove myself to my teammates and the organization that I belonged. I was confident in my control and many of the Mets pitching philosophies were the same I used in my college career.



Mack: 2008 was a crazy, meteoric year... first Savannah (4-4, 2.71, 1.08, in 13 starts), then on to Lucy (4-0, 1.84, 0.93 in 7 games), and then you finish the season with the B-Mets (1-3, 3.74, 1.29 in 8 starts). Objectively, a little too fast?



Mike: When I found out I was heading to Savannah to start the season my goal was to finish strong in St Lucie. I tried not to think about it much and just focus on what I needed to improve. As the season progressed certain injuries and call ups from Binghamton allowed me the opportunity to finish the season there and it was a big test for me. It all happened very quickly but I felt those doors opened for a reason and believed I belonged and mentally for me believing you belong is half the battle.



Mack: So, we move on to last year and, frankly, you were one of the darlings of spring training. You even pitched in the big intra-squad game against the big boys. Tell us about that and how many butterflies were flying around that day.



Mike: I was definitely a little nervous getting the opportunity to face the "big boys". It was a learning experience for me that I'll never forget. It was fun being around those guys and seeing the work they put in to being successful at the highest level. And YES, I still have that ball... kind of wondered how you even tracked that thing down! Thanks Mack!



Mack: First, let's explain "the ball"... Mike pitched against Carlos Beltran in the first intra-squad game, who put one over the left field wall off him... I was sitting out behind the bullpen BSing with Josh Thole, and noticed no one ran out to get the ball. Then I remembered that the only way you could get it was to have credentials for that area. I quietly got it and gave it to Mike after the outing...

Let's move on to the 2009 season... in your opinion, were you pleased with the end result?



Mike: 2009 had its ups and downs for me. I wasn't pleased with my performance for most of the year. I learned a lot about pitching without having my best stuff. I was able to walk away from last year recognizing that I was still able to compete in those situations. I feel well rested and extremely motivated to begin the 2010 season.



Mack: Last question Mike... anything you want to share with your fans out there in Metland?



Mike: I just want to say thank you for your support, I appreciate it.

From"The Keepers"

27. Mike Antonini – SP – AA –


Antonino’s senior year stats at GC&SU were 7-6, 3.97 in 15 starts, 91.0 IP, 89 H, 19 BB, and 89 Ks.

The Mets selected Antonini in the 18th round (573rd overall) of the 2007 amateur draft out of Georgia College & State University. He has been assigned to Kingsport to kick off his pro career. Antonini is a native of Aston, PA

In 2007, Antonini started the season with Kingsport (1-1, 3.71, 1.06 in 5 appearances, 3 starts), but finished it with Brooklyn (0-0, 0.46, 0.92 in 7 appearances, 2 starts).

In late January 2007, Baseball America ranked Mike as the 26th overall Mets prospect, adding: "Paul loduca caught antonini at brooklyn and proclaimed his changeup big league ready"

Antonini had a meteoric rise in 2008, pitching for Savannah (4-4, 2.71), St. Lucie (4-0, 1.84), and Binghamton (1-3, 3.74), all of which combined for 9-7, 2.77.

In October 2008, Toby Hyde on Mike Antonini: Antonini had a great year, earning his promotions first to St. Lucie and then to Binghamton. The night I saw him in Binghamton, Antonini worked off a fastball that was 87-91, but mostly 88/89. He commanded it to both sides of the plate. He faced a lineup with eight batters who hit from the right side and featured his changeup as his second pitch. It was inconsistent, without great movement and often elevated. He allowed a homerun on an elevated changeup at 83 mph. He was cautious about throwing his slider to the RHH, and with good reason, since it was a little sweeping. Note that once Antonini reached AA, his homerun and walk rates spiked, while his strikeout rate was 6.3 K/9, the lowest of any of his three stops in 2008. Likely 09 Start: AA

From Toby Hyde: Antonini graduated from both full-season A-ball leagues in his first full professional season, and that success from a left-hander counts for something. His fastball is fringe-average from the left side, sitting at 88-89 when I saw him in July. He touched 91, but did not pitch at that velocity. The fastball plays up thanks to good command as he can spot it to both sides of the plate. His changeup is his second pitch, but when he didn’t finish the pitch, it stayed up, and got hit hard in AA. 2008: SAL? Check. FSL? Check. AA? Working on it. Winter ball? No problem. That’s a great year. Projected 2009 Start: AA Binghamton rotation

February 2009: MYOB on: Mike Antonini LHP - drafted in the 18th round, he had a solid year playing at three different levels. He finished with an overall 2.71 ERA. He doesn’t throw hard and he lacks the stuff to be a top of the rotation starter, but he could be an effective back man. Currently pitching in Puerto Rico where his ERA is 3.60 in eight starts. One concern is that he gave up 10 homeruns in 45 innings pitching at AA Binghamton.

Forecast: Antonini seemed to get his game back on track at the end of the 2009 season, and it will be interesting to see if he is: A) sent to AAA to start, B) sent back to AA to start, or C) sent to the pen.

Top 24 Third Basemen in the 2010 MLB Draft

1. Zack Cox – Arkansas – draft-eligible sophomore… 3B tools and excellent bat speed… has had back problems.



7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .388, 7-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game

7-25 fr. www.baseballamerica.com: - The fans and dozens of scouts were treated to strong pitching and a two-hit, two-RBI day by Cotuit third baseman Zack Cox (Arkansas), who was named the game's offensive MVP for the victorious West squad. "What you saw tonight is Zack Cox: Most of his hits are up the middle or the other way," said Roberts, who coaches Cox at Cotuit. "If he has one thing he'd like to do better down the road it's on certain pitches he'd like to turn on them better. But he's what I'd call a country Enos Slaughter. He's a country slasher, and he understands hitting."

8-2: from 6-16 article www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com: A freshman this season, Cox will be draft-eligible as a sophomore in 2010. He has battled a bad back this spring, but seemed to be loosening up and getting into a hitting rhythm as the Razorbacks tore through the postseason. Cox has third-base tools with plenty of bat speed to profile him to produce above-average power down the road. He's shown the ability to catch up to good fastballs and needs to learn to trust his hands to handle offspeed stuff.

9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 8. Zack Cox, 3b Arkansas

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #29 pick overall - Zack Cox, 3B – Arkansas - Cox is a draft eligible sophomore and will have a ton of leverage when it comes to signing. This is why I have him down here to Boston where money is not a problem. I think Cox will eventually sign but the power hitting 3B could go right down to the wire.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 8. Houston Astros – Zack Cox, 3B, Arkansas – (1st 3B picked in draft) - Cox is the best draft-eligible sophomore in the 2010 class, and he’s arguably the best overall hitter in the entire class. A lefty in the box, he’s got plus power and hit tools, but he’s lacking a bit in the pitch recognition and plate discipline departments. The big question he’ll look to answer in the spring is whether he can stick at third base, as some see him as a first baseman with hard hands and below-average third base range. His arm is a plus, so I’d give him every chance to play at third as long as he’s hitting.



10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 13. Zach Cox – 2nd 3Bman on list

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #11 – (1st 3B picked) - Zack Cox

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 18- 3B Zack Cox (2nd 3B on list)

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #7 - Zack Cox, 3B – Arkansas - The Mets have to take the best player available at this point. There farm system is weak and needs everything. Cox is a good start. (1st 3B on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 11.Toronto Blue Jays- Zach Cox, 3B, Arkansas - Cox, a draft eligible sophomore, might just be the best hitter in the draft after Harper. He is a power left handed bat that the Blue Jays need in the system. Some have questions about the defense, but Cox should be able to stay at third base. (1st 3B picked)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 9. San Diego -- Zack Cox, 3B, Univ. of Arkansas (Soph.). Cox could be expensive to pry away from his junior year, but as one of the top pure hitters in the draft (after a breakout summer on the Cape), a successful statistical spring could put him squarely in SDN's sights if he's still on the board.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #14 - Milwaukee Brewers Zack Cox (IF, Arkansas) (2nd 3B on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 10 Athletics Zack Cox 3B NCAA

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 11th Overall – The Toronto Blue Jays - Zack Cox (3B), Arkansas - A draft eligible sophomore, Cox also happens to be one of the top hitters in the college class. Cox has a quick swing that allows him to make contact, but he also has plus power that will allow him to drive the ball out of the park. However, he is a free swinger and will have to improve his plate discipline if he’s to hit for an acceptable average and draw walks. He’s an athletic defender with good hands, range and an arm to play third. Overall, Cox shows quite a bit of potential, and he’ll likely be a solid fit for Toronto (Brett Wallace isn’t a third baseman guys.)

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 11. Toronto Blue Jays- Zach Cox, 3B, Arkansas - Cox, a draft eligible sophomore, might just be the best hitter in the draft after Harper. He is a power left handed bat that the Blue Jays need in the system. Some have questions about the defense, but Cox should be able to stay at third base.



1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #9 Toronto Zack Cox 3B Arkansas 6'0" 215 L,R



1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - #19 Detroit Tigers (just kidding, it’s now the Houston Astros): 3B Zack Cox – Arkansas - It feels almost dirty not giving Detroit a hard throwing high school righthander, especially in a year with plenty of worthy candidates at this spot. Allie and Whitson both could be possibilities, as could college righthanders Hahn, Workman, and Matt Harvey. Luckily, I can now guarantee Detroit won’t be picking a hard throwing righty in this spot. No way, no how. Now I’m looking for players that would make sense for Houston that won’t screw up any picks later in the first round. Zack Cox makes some sense, but the added leverage the draft-eligible sophomore has makes me a little leery of keeping in this spot. LeVon Washington maybe? Could Ed Wade overrule Bobby Heck’s team of scouts and demand a guy like Kevin Jacob here? They’ve had some success with two-way players before, so maybe Bryce Brentz could fit?

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 5. Cleveland Indians – Zack Cox, 3B, Arkansas – This is a tough pick to handicap. The Indians went with a clear best player available pick in 2009 with Alex White, and they paid over slot for the first time in a few years. Some might argue that Cox is just more of the Beau Mills/Lonnie Chisenhall picking from the past, but Cox has the highest upside of any college bat in this draft. His price tag may be a bit high as a draft-eligible sophomore, but I don’t expect him to get much more than slot at such a high pick. This pick could be similar in fashion to picks by Pittsburgh and Baltimore from a year ago, saving some budget money for later rounds. Previously: #8.

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - #19 Houston Astros: 3B Zack Cox – Arkansas - It feels almost dirty not giving Detroit a hard throwing high school righthander, especially in a year with plenty of worthy candidates at this spot. Allie and Whitson both could be possibilities, as could college righthanders Hahn, Workman, and Matt Harvey. Luckily, I can now guarantee Detroit won’t be picking a hard throwing righty in this spot. No way, no how. Now I’m looking for players that would make sense for Houston that won’t screw up any picks later in the first round. Zack Cox makes some sense, but the added leverage the draft-eligible sophomore has makes me a little leery of keeping in this spot. LeVon Washington maybe? Could Ed Wade overrule Bobby Heck’s team of scouts and demand a guy like Kevin Jacob here? They’ve had some success with two-way players before, so maybe Bryce Brentz could fit?



2. Nick Castellanos – Archbishop McCarthy HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – 6-4, 205 –

From: www.baseballfactory.com: - One of the top hitters in the 2010 class, Castellanos generates plus bat speed and has legitmate home run power to all fields. He has a tall, broad-shouldered frame similar to Scott Rolen and makes all the plays at 3B with ease. He projects as a middle-of-the-order hitter at any level. We have seen a lot of Nick as he has attended an Under Armour National Tryout, Dodgertown World Series and played in an Under Armour SE Tournament. He also plays for UA Franchise Team, the All-American Prospects. He has verbally committed to the University of Miami.



8-6: From www.baseballamerica.com: - A strong, solid corner infielder, Castellanos can flat out rake. He has a big frame, and is very athletic for his size. Castellanos has a good feel for the game and has a strong arm from the left side of the diamond.

8-9: from www.baseballamerica.com: - Castellanos was the driving force behind Baseball Factory’s win. He went 4-for-4 with four doubles, three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. He hit the ball to all fields, squared it up and also made a very nice play up the third base line to kick the game off.

8-15: from XMLBScout on www.perfectgame.com: I saw him a couple games in Cary and he showed the ability to make solid contact, however, yesterday he appeared to show better on the way speed and if comparing him to anyone currently in the ML, I'd say Zimmerman 3B with the Nats. John moved up several projection charts for 2010 for sure!!

9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 8. Nick Castellanos, 3b Archbishop McCarthy HS, SW Ranches, Fla.

9-26 from: http://www.baseballrumormill.com: - While Bryce Harper and Jameson Taillon dominated the reports from the USA Baseball 18-and-under team trials, a number of lesser-known players also had good performances which landed them on the roster. Nick Castellanos is currently playing third base, but will likely end up at first base as a professional. Nevertheless, Castellanos' hitting was very impressive, pulling the ball and going to opposite field with equal effectiveness.

9-27 from: http://web.usabaseball.com: The USA Baseball 18U National Team logged a seven-run inning for a third consecutive day in a 14-0 run-rule shutout Sunday against Panama in the third day of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Nick Castellanos knocked in the first run with a single off the center field fence.

9-1 from: www.baseballrumormill.com: - The COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships began this past weekend and the 18-and-under squad from Team USA got off to a very hot 3-0 start with wins over Aruba, Argentia and Panama. Three stars stood out offensively for Team USA: Nick Castellanos: Team USA followed up their 14-0 drubbing of Argentina with an identical 14-0 win over Panama on Sunday. Castellanos was the DH in that game and had an impressive 2 for 4 day with a double, two runs scored and three RBI.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 18. Seattle Mariners – Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) – (3rd 3B picked in draft) - Castellanos is the Bobby Borchering to Kris Bryant’s Matt Davidson. Castellanos has the more advanced approach and better advanced game results than Bryant, but the tools seem to currently rest in Bryant’s favor. Castellanos has a good hit tool with good raw power, and the odds are in Castellanos’ favor in terms of staying at third base. All in all, Castellanos would form a good complement to Seattle’s pick of Nick Franklin in 2009. Makes sense to me.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 3. Nick Castellanos - 1st 3Bman on list

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft #22 – (3rd 3B picked) – Nick Castellanos

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 11- 3B Nick Castellanos (1st 3B on list)

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – Nick Castellanos, 3B - Archbishop McCarthy (FL) - Castellanos has the chance to be power hitter at the next level. His big 6'4 frame provides the projectability to take him this high. His commitment to Miami (FL) may play a factor because I think he could use the college development to go even higher in 2013. (2nd 3B on list)

11-9-9 from www.examiner.com: - Top 15 High School Draft Prospects - 11. Nick Castellanos, 3b
Archbishop McCarthy, SW Ranches, Fla.
College Commitment: Miami - Castellanos is long and athletic with good bat speed and legitimate pull power. (1st 3B on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 17. Tampa Bay Rays- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS(FL) - Castellanos had a big summer to put himself into the mix. He is a pure hitter, and has solid power to all fields. He is a good athlete, and runs well for being 6'4. (2nd 3B picked)

11-18 from www.macksmets.blogspot.com: - 22. 3B Nick Castellanos – the best of a weak crop of third basemen. (1st 3B on list)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 20. Atlanta -- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL). Castellanos has easy plus raw power and one of the prettiest swings in the draft class. The Braves could jump on the power prospect if his bat is still around here.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #22 - Texas Rangers Nick Castellanos (3B, Cooper City, Florida) (3rd 3B on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 17 Rays Nick Castellanos 3B High School

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 21st Overall – The Minnesota Twins - Nick Castellanos (3B), Florida High School - Castellanos is another prep prospect gaining some early traction. Right now, Castellanos is highly regarded for his ability to hit. He shows the ability to make solid contact, and displays a patient approach at the plate. Castellanos also projects to hit for plus power as he fills out. However, there is also a concern that he’ll not be long at third base as he matures, due to the likelihood that he’ll lose speed and range. Still, he is a fairly safe here. It’s difficult to tell where the Twins will go, so Castellanos will slot here for now.

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 17. Tampa Bay Rays- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS(FL)- Castellanos had a big summer to put himself into the mix. He is a pure hitter, and has solid power to all fields. He is a good athlete, and runs well for being 6'4.



1-7-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com : #10 Oakland Athletics: 3B Nick Castellanos – Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) - Arguably the best high school position player in this year’s class winds up joining up with one of baseball’s premier farm systems. Castellanos is the first high school bat off the board for a lot of reasons. He reminds me a lot of Josh Vitters, but with easier to project power potential and a better, more professionally approach at the plate. So, he is like Vitters, a former third overall pick in the draft, but better in the two biggest areas of concern on his game. He’s Super Vitters.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #18 Seattle Nick Castellanos 3B Archbishop McCarthy HS, Fl. 6'4" 200 R,R

1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 18. Los Angeles Angels – Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) – Interestingly enough, I had Castellanos going in this slot when the Mariners owned it back in October. There’s been plenty of speculation that Castellanos has pushed himself into the top ten, but that’s a bit much when the defensive concerns are more present than ever. Castellanos might be a first baseman acting as a third baseman right now, so his plus bat takes a bit of back seat when thinking about drafting prep first basemen. The Angels have multiple early picks, so taking a chance here wouldn’t hurt them too much, as Castellanos could easily hit himself into being an asset anywhere on the diamond. Previously: #18.


3. Kaleb Cowart – Cook County HS (GA) – fastball in 90-92 range.. played every day shortstop but charts out as a pitcher… needs work



9-7: From www.perfectgame.com on the AFLAC games: - very good arm, also position player who plays all out. Have to see him again next year for sure.

9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 17. Kaleb Cowart, 3b/rhp Cook HS, Adel, Ga.

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1.0 – 20th pick overall - Kaleb Cowart, 3B - Cook County HS (GA)

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #23 pick overall - Kaleb Cowart, RHP/3B - Cook County HS (GA) - Cowart is another two-way player and happens to be in Georgia. Atlanta loves local talent and like Justin O'Conner will, Cowart will get a chance to play both sides of the game. He is currently committed to Florida State and their are a lot of Seminole fans hoping he comes there first.

10-27: from www.baseballamerica.com: - Re: The Bo Jackson Five-Tool Championship: - the top three player performances belonged to outfielder Wagner Mateo (Dominican Republic), outfielder Chevez Clarke (Marietta, Ga., HS) and third baseman/righthander Kaleb Cowart (Cook County HS, Adel, Ga.).

10-29 from http://www.baseballrumormill.com: - The 2009 World Wood Bat Association World Championships wrapped up its five day tournament recently in Jupiter, Florida. Chevez Clarke and Kaleb Cowart were two of the standouts from the tool competition. Specifically, Cowart was clocked with a 100-mph reading throwing from right field, clearly dominanting the "arm strength" tool competition. Clarke did not have anything stand out quite as significantly as Cowart, but throughout all five tools submitted arguably the top performance.

*11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #28 - Kaleb Cowart, RHP/3B - Cook County (GA) - Cowart is in a close battle with O'Connor and Brett Eibner of Arkansas for the best two way players in the draft. All three I feel go in the first round and if Cowart gets here the Dodgers have to take him. (4th 3B on list)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 23. Florida -- Kaleb Cowart, RHP/3B, Cook County HS (GA). It isn't clear whether Cowart shows more promise off the mound or at the plate, but both would fit into Florida's profile of big arms and power bats (I like him more off of the mound, right now). (12th RHP on list)

1-11-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 1.4 Kansas City Royals: RHSP Kaleb Cowart – Cook County HS (GA) - The Royals always seem like a wild card at the top of the draft, a team willing to go in whatever direction the available talent dictates. 2010 looks to be a draft top heavy in pitching. Cowart has the greatest likelihood of rising up the draft boards of all the “big name” prep arms this side of the Taillon/Cole duo. The vicious movement he gets on his two offspeed offerings (high-80s slider, low-80s split-fingered change) combined with his plus athleticism make him a solid bet to stave off his prep righty competition and claim a spot in the top ten.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #29 LA Dodgers Kaleb Cowart SS/RHP Cook County HS, Ga. 6'3" 190 B,R

1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 21. Minnesota Twins – Kaleb Cowart, 3B, Cook County HS (GA) – I literally just changed the position for Cowart as I was writing. That’s how talented this kid is. He could easily be a first-round draft pick at either third or on the mound, reminding some observers of Ethan Martin, another Georgia prep product. The Twins took another talented two-way kid in Aaron Hicks the same year, and with the success they think he’s having, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them dip into the prep pool again this year, barring a Kyle Gibson-like fall of a more talented name that’s affordable to this slot. Previously: NR.



4. Kris Bryant – Bonanza HS, Las Vegas

8-19: Jeff Sullivan from the AFLAC Games: - Power is his calling card. He is a giant at the plate, at 6’5,205 and he generates a ton of power in his swing. Bryant went 0-2 with a walk in the game, but the days before is where he shined. It was great to watch him during BP as he makes it look almost too easy to hit for that much power. He has a solid arm across the diamond and should be able to stay at third base as he moves up during his career.

9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 7. Kris Bryant, 3b Bonanza HS, Las Vegas

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #26 pick overall - Kris Bryant, 3B - Bonanza HS (NV) - When you are 6'5, have good range, and hit for power you will find yourself in the first round. This is Kris Bryant. In a draft very weak on corner infield talent Bryant could go even higher than this. Right now he is committed to go to the University of San Diego but I expect to see him in the minor leagues.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 11. Toronto Blue Jays – Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS (NV) – (2nd 3B picked in draft) - It’s tough to predict this pick, along with Padres’, as they’re both in the middle of front office transition, and a GM hasn’t been named. However, teams usually keep a good number of their scouts for at least the next season, so I’m going at least partly off of history. Bryant’s got the power bat Toronto’s been searching for in the minors since Kevin Ahrens hasn’t panned out. He might be a first baseman in the long run, but if Bryant proves he can handle himself with the wood bat before June, teams won’t care. His raw power is that good. He’s probably a first round pick with a good spring, and he might even go higher than this with an offensive explosion.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #43 - Kris Bryant – 4th SS on list

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #25 – (4th 3B picked) – Kris Bryant

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 43- 3B Kris Bryant (4th 3B on list)

*11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #25 - Kris Bryant, 3B - Bonanza (NV) - This is two mock drafts in a row that I have St. Louis taking Bryant. I feel this kid is the real deal and if the Cardinals can do anything to keep him from going to San Diego they got to do it. (3rd 3B on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 24. San Francisco Giants- Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS(NV) - Bryant is a true power hitter. The giants are lacking the big bat in the lower levels, and Bryant would quickly become the best option. He is a fantastic hitter, but the defense is a question. Some think his ultimate destination might be first base. (3rd 3B picked)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 24. San Francisco -- Kris Bryant, 3B/1B, Bonanza HS (NV). The Giants love big bats and Bryant has one of the biggest in the high school ranks.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #32 - Tampa Rays Kris Bryant (3B, Las Vegas Nevada) (4th 3B on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 30 Angels Kris Bryant 3B High School

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 24th Overall – The San Francisco Giants - Kris Bryant (SS/3B), Nevada High School - The Giants have loaded up on pitching these past couple of drafts, but they’ll be out of most of the top prep arms in this draft. While they could go for a quick fix, my guess is that Sabean will continue his newfound appreciation for the draft and add a solid prep. Bryant the opposite of Castellanos. Bryant has the potential to stay at third base, where he shows a strong arm and solid range. He also shows lots of power right now. He isn’t quite the hitter Castellanos is, but overall he’ll provide more value, especially if he’s able to remain at third.

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 24. San Francisco Giants- Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS(NV) - Bryant is a true power hitter. The giants are lacking the big bat in the lower levels, and Bryant would quickly become the best option. He is a fantastic hitter, but the defense is a question. Some think his ultimate destination might be first base.



1-1-9 update: - -Guys with sinking draft stock currently include Kris Bryant, Yasmani Grandal, Drew Pomeranz, and Kevin Keyes. Keyes was never in the class of the other names here, but with his weight balloon and shift to first base, he’s lost a lot of scouting value.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #12 Cincinnati Kris Bryant 3B Bonanza HS, Nv. 6'5" 205 R,R

5. Victor Sanchez – San Diego – 6-2, 180, R/R – was drafted 25th by Cubs in 2007… lots of raw power… 12 HRs as freshman… injured most of sophomore year… shortstop in high school…

7-21: Fr. http://baseballdraftreport.com: - My favorite of that group (of 3Bmen) and minor sleeper come draft day is Victor Sanchez from California.

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: has pop in his bat and body to fill out, 15-20 type HR power, solid ML arm, runs ok, better between the bases, glove can play at 3b, future might be 2b.

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1.0 – 30th pick overall - Victor Sanchez, 3B - San Diego

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 40. Victor Sanchez - 3rd 3Bman on list

10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 3B Victor Sanchez - Sanchez seems like he is getting lost in the shuffle as another formerly highly touted high school prospect who has battled injuries and inconsistency at the college level.

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 25- 3B Vic Sanchez (4th 3B on list)

*11-4 from: www.baseballamerica.com: - Injuries torpedoed San Diego's 2009 season, but the Toreros have good news on the injury front this fall. Junior third baseman Victor Sanchez has fully recovered from the shoulder injury that cut short his sophomore year

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 28.Los Angeles Dodgers- Victor Sanchez, 3B, San Diego - Sanchez was a top prospect in HS too, but he has only improved since going to USD. With a big year, Sanchez will move right up the draft boards. (4th 3B picked)

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 28. Los Angeles Dodgers- Victor Sanchez, 3B, San Diego - Sanchez was a top prospect in HS too, but he has only improved since going to USD. With a big year, Sanchez will move right up the draft boards.



1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #51 Pittsburgh Victor Sanchez 3B San Diego 6'2" 180 R,

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - #27 Philadelphia Phillies: 3B Victor Sanchez – San Diego - As a Phillies fan, I can’t help but wonder if sometimes I lean closer towards wishful thinking than objective analysis when it comes time to making a pick for the hometown team. I probably have no business giving the Phillies a college bat in the first round, but, really, I probably have no business making any of these guesses and you’re still reading all the way down here at pick 27, right?

In order for Sanchez to go in the first he is going to have to put together a big junior year. Now that’s true of just about any guy on the mock, doubly so for any player projected to go here at the back end of the first, but Sanchez is facing a more critical 2010 season than most after missing the majority of the 2009 season with a shoulder injury. He’ll need to build on his strong 2009 start if he wants to showcase his considerable talents. At his best Sanchez displays plus raw power, a good offensive approach, and enough defensive abilities to stick at third long-term.



6. Jedd Gyoko – West Virginia – Junior – 5-10, 195… played SS in 2008… played 3B in 2009 Cape Cod League… hits for average and power… excellent middle fielder in past

7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .294, 8-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game

9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 12. Jedd Gyorko, 3b/2b West Virginia

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 29. Boston Red Sox – Jedd Gyorko, 3B/2B, West Virginia – (4th 3B picked in draft) - Gyorko’s a questionable first-rounder to those that only love pure tools, but his bat is a legitimate first-round weapon in my book. He’s got a plus hit tool and decent raw power, and I think Gyorko could be a solid all-around infielder. Whether he’s a second baseman or third baseman isn’t a big deal, as his bat will play at either spot, but the Red Sox would probably only go for him at the third base spot. He fits perfectly into the Boston style of hitting, and I can easily see a match here.

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia - I’ve gone back and forth on whether to list Gyorko as a second baseman or third baseman, and I think I’ve settled here…for now. He’s got a plus hit tool with some good raw power, and he could turn out to be one of the best hitters from this draft class. He has a college approach to hitting and will be picked on the bat alone. Projected draft position: Late-first to mid-second round.

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #21 – (2nd 3B picked) – Jedd Gyorko

*11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 21- 3B Jedd Gyorko (3rd 3B on list)

11-20 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - ranked the 61st top college player

1-4: named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team as named by a vote of conference coaches: - Player of the Year: Jedd Gyorko, Jr., SS, West Virginia - SS Jedd Gyorko, Jr., WVU -.421 BA, 8 HR, 58 RBIs

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #36 Jedd Gyorko 2B West Virginia 5'10" 195 R,R



7. Tony Thompson –

*11-9-9 from www.baseballdraftreport.com: - The Huskies feature one of the nation’s most intriguing pair of two-way talents in SO RHP/SS Nick Ahmed (2011) and SO RHP/3B Kevin Vance (2011). Ahmed may have been the hotter name over the summer, but Vance’s stuff is currently a touch better. He has similar velocity to Ahmed (normally sitting 90-92 with the FB), but a better overall breaking ball and plus command give him the overall edge.

12-20 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - voted to the 2nd team NCBWA 2010 All-American Team

2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - Second Team - 3B Tony Thompson, Kansas

2-9 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - Kansas Head Baseball Coach Ritch Price announced Tuesday that junior third baseman Tony Thompson will miss the first few weeks of the regular season due to a leg injury suffered in practice last week. Thompson fouled a pitch off his knee in practice last week and sustained a hairline fracture of his left kneecap. His MRI showed no ligament damage, and his x-rays indicated that the kneecap has a hairline fracture, and no other structural damage. Dr. Jeff Randall, KU Team Physician, is confident that Thompson will be completely healthy within 4-6 weeks. He is receiving treatment from Kansas baseball athletic trainer Ken Wainwright on a daily basis.

2-9 from www.baseballamerica.com: - 2010 College Preseason All-Americans 2nd team - 3B Tony Thompson, Kansas Jr. R-R 6-4 219 .389 .442 .753 247 58 96 21 82 1


8. Rod Segedin – (new) –


2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - Third Team - 3B Rob Segedin, Tulane

2-9 from www.baseballamerica.com: - 2010 College Preseason All-Americans - 3rd team – 3B Rob Segedin, Tulane So. R-R 6-3 220 .286 .476 .500 14 3 4 0 4 1


2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 85th



9. Mott Hyde – (new) –



2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 116th


10. Joe Leonard – (new) - Pittsburgh


2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 167th



11. Michael Olt – Univ. of Connecticut – junior… 2009: both ankle and wrist injuries… .301, 8-HR, 40-RBI in only 38 games…

11-11 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 69th top college ballplayer

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 174th



12. Wade Kirkland – (new) –


2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 181st



13. Preston Overbey – (new) – University of Jackson HS (Tenn.) –
2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 185th



14. D.J. Peterson – (new) – Gilbert HS ((AR.)


2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 248th


15. Joey Bergman – College of Charleston senior –

12-5 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: named the 47th top player in the 2010 college season

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 217th


16. Chad Lewis – Marina HS (CA) – 6-2, 190, R/R…

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: one of best power strokes in the tourney, solid ML arm from the corner, moves feet well enough to stay there, reminds me some of Mike Schmidt when I was a kid watching the Phillies.


17. Jake Smith – Alabama – senior – 2009: .359 18-HR 54-RBI…

10-7 from: - www.mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Jake Smith---3B---The senior out of Shannon, AL has been a valuable asset each year but none will be more needed than in 2010. Smith put up huge numbers in '09 and will asked to repeat to make up for the loss of Matthes from the lineup. Smith last year led the team in hitting with a .359 makr and also chipped in a nice 18 HR.

12-20 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - votoed to the 3rd team NCBWA 2010 All-American Team

18. Scott Woodward – Coastal Carolina – 6-1, 200, L/R –



8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: solid player, put himself on the map with solid spring as a freshman in 2008, grades across the board at ave with gamer mentality.

10-19 from www.mlbresource.com - when Coastal Carolina begins it's 2010 season they will know that they can beat teams with their legs. Back for their junior years are speedsters CF Noel Rico (right) and LF Scott Woodward. Rico in 2009 stole 48 bags and Woodward swiped 30 of his own. Not only are the pair covering ground on the bases, but they are tracking down everything that is in the vicinity in the outfield. One AL Scout said "Rico and Woodward remind me of the Tampa Bay Rays outfield because you simply can't get anything to land around them." Both are juniors this season so who knows if this duo comes back in 2011 or will they be trying cover ground in the minor leagues

11-10 from www.rivals.yahoo.com: Just two seasons ago Woodward was one of the nation's biggest names. As only a freshman, the talented third baseman batted .364 with 15 doubles, seven homers and 45 RBIs. He also slugged .533 and had an amazing .540 on-base percentage. Last season, though, as a sophomore, Woodward had injury issues and only played in 41 of Coastal's 63 contests. He batted just .284 with four doubles, a triple, a home run and 19 RBIs. He still managed a .445 on-base percentage. Look for a healthier Woodward to have a huge '10 campaign. Coastal is in business if Woodward returns to his old ways.



19. Joey Kenworthy – Texas Tech – Senior… 5-5, 152, S/R… 2009: .335/.378/.417 in 220 Abs… 17 errors…



20. Ryan Albert – Newport Harbor HS (CA) – 5-11, 170, L/R – raw power… also throws 88-fastball, 76 curve… projects out at third due to his excellent hitting ability…



21. Josh Anderson – Poway HS (CA) – 6-0, 205, R/R – also pitches with 84-87 fastball… well above average tools… but slow…



22. Bryan Soloman – Memorial HS (NJ) – 6-4, 245, R/R – raw power and excellent extension threw contact… also pitches with good command…





23. Matt Perry – Holy Cross – senior… 6-2, 190… 2009: .423, 7-HR, 37-RBI, in 49-G… .491 OBP… named Patriot League Player of the Year

10-24: from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 88th top college player

24. Dan DiBartololeo –WVU junior… 2009: .439, 8-HR, 59-RBI



1-4: named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team as named by a vote of conference coaches: - 3B Dan DiBartolomeo, Jr., WVU -.439 BA, 8 HR, 59 RBIs

Minor League SS, Gary Sheffield, F-Rod's Eyeball, Jefry Marte...and Rushing Escobar

Minor League Shortstops:

want to know that, of two equal players (i.e., same total WAR) one is better defensively, because, maybe I have a pitching staff that induces a lot of balls in play, and my lineup is already equipped with heavy bats.

Similarly, the first thing that I look for when I want information about a player's defensive value is his UZR number; but then, I'd like more details. The Range Runs and Error Runs that compose UZR are something I find really useful. Plus/minus gives also clues on the ability of an infielder moving on either side to make the plays. While I believe the Fielding Bible proprietary system has ground to cover yet in order to be on par with Mitch Lichtman's, I really like to be able to know that J.J. Hardy is excellent going to his left, while Jose Reyes is a wizard on the right side (according to plus/minus data for 2008). - link

Gary Sheffield:

Gary Sheffield still wants to play. Actually, he wants to play a lot. Ten days ago, a source told MLB.com's Bill Ladson that Sheffield was still looking for an everyday job. But ask Jermaine Dye how easy it is for aging sluggers to find jobs these days. Dye is five years younger than Sheffield and hit 17 more homers last year, but he hasn't seen an offer he likes. It is not surprising to see the 41-year-old Sheffield unsigned at this point in the offseason.

His defense is far from passable (-12.7 UZR last year in 500 innings), but he adds value with his bat. Sheffield, who is just 311 hits away from 3000, posted a .276/.372/.451 line in New York last year.

The Mets have not contacted Sheffield, but the slugger told the New York Post earlier in the month that he had "things on the table" from other clubs. Let's take a look at how Sheffield would fit on some MLB rosters, starting in the American League, where he can DH: - link
 

F-Rod's Eyeball:
 
"Francisco Rodriguez took a sick day Thursday. The closer, diagnosed with pinkeye, was told to stay away from the Mets' complex to avoid spreading the contagious condition. K-Rod arrived in camp last week with a bloodshot eye. He's not quite quarantined, though. The closer and his acquaintances went to dine at a local sports bar Thursday night. BEVY OF BACKSTOPS: The Mets have six catchers in camp with major-league experience. And team officials already are fielding inquiries about their availability in trades. Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco should form the major-league tandem, while the Mets likely could fit three catchers at Triple-A Buffalo, since Chris Coste also can play other positions ..." -  link
 
Jefry Marte:
 
Born 6/21/1991 (18 years old) - 3B, NYM -
Which is worse, being a shortstop prospect in the Mets system, or being a third base prospect in the Mets system? Either way, promising young Jefry Marte probably isn't making long-term plans in Brooklyn just yet, despite his high-ceiling talent. Signed as a 16yo International Free Agent, Marte destroyed the GCL at the age of 17, 328/.408/.639. He's a long way off, but he might be the best bat in the system. - link

Rushing Escobar:

Despite the hysteria of last week, he is right on time in his rehab, according to the Mets and, more importantly, according to his representatives. The plan from the beginning was not to rush Escobar. The Mets made that mistake with Freddy Garcia last year. If they had taken their time with Garcia, he would still be a Met. The Mets just didn’t make their Escobar plan clear, which happens with the Mets.
The Garcia mess was a Tony Bernazard special. Once the Mets had pitching woes early in the season last year, they panicked and pushed Garcia north when Bernazard was pushing those buttons. The plan was for Garcia to take his time in Florida, rehab slowly, next thing you knew he was shuffled off to AAA Buffalo, which is a bit cooler than here in Port St. Lucie. Garcia never came around as a Met.  -  link








 

Over-Under Lines, Paxton Appeal, Mets 1st Base, Win or Lose... and Tierney on Mets

Over-Under Lines:

Arizona- 82


Atlanta- 86.5

Baltimore- 72.5

Boston- 94

Chicago C- 83

Chicago W- 82

Cincinnati- 78

Cleveland- 73

Colorado- 83

Detroit- 81

Florida- 81

Houston- 77

Kansas City- 71

LA Angels- 84

LA Dodgers- 84

Milwaukee- 80.5

Minnesota- 82

NY Mets- 81

NY Yankees- 94.5

Oakland- 78

Philadelphia- 92

Pittsburgh- 71

St. Louis- 88

San Diego- 71

San Francisco- 83

Seattle- 83

Tampa Bay- 89.5

Texas- 83

Toronto- 71

Washington- 72  -  link
 

Paxton Appeal:
 
The Kentucky Court of Appeals denied Kentucky pitcher James Paxton's appeal of a circuit court judge's decision to deny a temporary injunction allowing Paxton to play without being subject to an NCAA review.
Paxton's advisor, Scott Boras, is being accused of directly contacting the Toronto Blue Jays on Paxton's behalf to negotiate a contract after the Kentucky right-hander was taken in the first round by the Blue Jays. Such contact would violate Paxton's amateur status under NCAA's regulations and preclude him from playing collegiate baseball. - link

Mets 1st Base:

 -an interesting change in the pecking order today at first base...

Daniel Murphy, Mike Jacobs, and Chris Carter have been taking grounders at first during the time pitchers and catchers had to report...

Now, it's Murphy and Jacobs, with Fernando Tatis and Ike Daivs.

Seems to me that Carter must have been reassigned to the minor league section and his dreams of playing first base in Queens in April aren't on the front burner...

Win Or Lose:

Twenty three years it’s been since the Mets have won it all.

Some years they’ve come so close when they’ve played such good baseball.

In ‘88 it looked good until, Scioscia knocked one o’er the wall.

And in 2000 they were on their way until the #7 train did stall.

In 2006 the Cardinals called, could Willie have been smarter?

It looked like Endy saved the game until Molina hit one farther.

It all came down to Beltran, just one hit would win the game.

But just as “Mighty Casey” struck, Beltran did the same.

So many years of losing I can’t count them on two hands.

In the 60’s “Marvelous Marv” had his head down in the sand.

And after Hodges died, and we hired Yogi Berra.

All good things must come to end and in ‘75 realized our error.

The decade of the ’90s was to be the great unveiling.

With Generation K, Bonilla, Coleman, there could only be clear sailing.

But soon our hopes were dashed and the fans were soon a bailing.

Shea became a morgue to hold the heartbreak of our failing.

And in most recent years, we’ve seen so many come and go.

Art Howe, Lastings, Willie, we hardly got to know.
Our fall from grace in ‘07 and ‘08 was truly a disaster

And in ‘09 our fall towards last could not have come much faster.

But lo, remember ‘69, when Cleon kneeled to catch.

That final out for sure there would never be a match.

And then behold in ‘86, the end was hard to watch.

When a miracle from the heavens let a simple grounder botch.

And now we’re at the crossroads as a brand new decade starts.

Come spring we’re optimistic, if but only in our hearts.

Surely our bats will hit them far and pitchers be a blazing.

Cause there’s no doubt our beloved Mets will surely be amazing.

We pray to the gods that Omar will make all the right moves.

With no division winner, he’ll surely be excused.

We want to win so badly, but do not be confused.

Cause regardless of the outcome, we’re behind you win or lose. - link

Tierney on Mets:

Brandon Tierney goes on to say that he is down on the Mets’ chances because he does not like the Mets starting pitching. Pitching wins, and I whole-heartedly agree. I really respect what Tierney has to say, and I often listen to his show for his opinions. I recommend anyone who has not heard his show to give it a listen when you can. Brandon picks the Mets to finish 4th, while Olney picks the Mets to finish a shocking second. I would love to take a puff of what he is smoking. -   - link

Mosi Tatupu, Shin-Soo Choo, Wilbon on Kornheiser, DIPS & BABIP... and Stephen Stasburg

Mosi Tatupu:

Ok, here we go! Before there was Lofa Tatupu, there was Mosi Tatupu. Before there was Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala, there was Mosi Tatupu. Before there was Junior Seau, there was Mosi Tatupu. Heck, before there was Afa and Sika, there was Mosi Tatupu. The pride of Samoa. Samoans were once known as fierce warriors. Today, they take their aggressions out on the football field. Mosi Tatupu was a fierce warrior. He took his aggressions out on the football field. For 14 seasons, Mosi Tatupu was a fierce warrior for the New England Patriots. If you came up when I came up, Mosi Tatupu was your favorite warrior. Warriors, come out and plaaaaayyyy. - link

Shin-Soo Choo:

The other day Rob Neyer of ESPN discussed a story regarding Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo who is suppose to serve in the Korean military before his thirtieth birthday. This service is for two years and would cut into Choo’s prime. Some pointed out that losing Coo would be a blow to Cleveland, especially since he has an OPS just under .900 for his career wearing an Indians uniform. It doesn’t appear that it will happen since Choo very well may choose to become a US citizen or not return to his homeland. - link

Wilbon on Kornheiser:

Michael Wilbon, on The DanPatrick Show Tuesday, discussed his Pardon the Interruption co-host Tony Kornheiser getting a two-week ESPN suspension for making disparaging remarks about ESPN anchor Hannah Storm on Kornheiser’s local radio show on ESPN’s Washington, D.C., affiliate. “I have never been part of the Bristol culture,” said Wilbon, referring to ESPN’s Connecticut headquarters. “I don’t understand how these things work. I don’t know what is affiliated and what is owned. I have zero idea of these things.” -
link

DIPS & BABIP:

There simply isn't much of a difference between pitchers in their ability to control what percent of balls hit the bat and what percent hit the bat squarely on the center. That makes a lot of sense. The pitcher can control how often the batter misses, whether it's more likely to hit the top of the bat (fly ball) or bottom of the bat (ground ball) based on the trajectory of his pitches. I think that if I went out to the mound in a major-league game, hitters would be able to time my slow offerings right in the center of their bats. They might be a little better at putting their bats on Sidney Ponson's pitches than CC Sabathia's pitches, but when they do, they square it up more often based on whether they are Michael Young or Eric Bruntlett (or whether they happened to guess right), rather than who the pitcher was. Of course, if pitchers were predictable, then their line-drive rate would spike, but it does prove to be true statistically that their line-drive rate shows no persistence when they are trying to avoid tipping their pitches. The fact is if you can miss enough bats to get 10 percent of hitters to strike out, then the other 90 percent will get their bats on the ball right in the center of the bat as often against Sabathia (20.4 percent) as Ponson (19.3 percent).  -  link

Stephen Stasburg:

I expect Strasburg to be in the Nationals' rotation and pitching well by June 1, if not sooner. His unique contract ensures the Nats don't need to play any dodgy games of service time suppression; the Rays got the benefit of a full Evan Longoria season in 2008 for similar reasons, and that worked out great. Strasburg instantly becomes one of the two best players on the team, with enough star power to be the rare player who gooses attendance by himself by dint of the "Dude, let's go see the Nats tonight! Strasburg's pitching!" demographic.


Zimmerman's the real deal. He's still only 25 so there's additional power potential there, which is scary after he cranked 73 extra-base hits last season. He's also a great defender and a worthy challenger to Beefcake McWright for the title of best third baseman in the NL.
I'm not completely sold on Nyjer Morgan. Yes, I'm well aware of the UZR numbers that say that Nyjer Morgan was more valuable than Joe Morgan last season (I'm almost not kidding). I'm just not ready to throw a parade in someone's honor for one year's worth of defensive data. Yes, he looked good in limited playing time in previous seasons, but this was Morgan's first year as a (near-)everyday player. I'm not convinced this is a player who's a lock for nearly 3 wins of value on his defense alone. The fact that he turns 30 this year doesn't inspire confidence either. If I were the Nats, I would have shopped Morgan this off-season after what was likely a career year. The problem is that the teams who will properly identify his great defensive value are also probably intelligent enough to be skeptical of one-year numbers and generally aware of the risk of regression to the mean. So the Nats will be stuck with a cheap defensive whiz who gets on base and steals tons of bases. There are worse fates, even if 2009 was the best we'll ever see from Morgan. - link


 

Francoeur's Optimism, First Week Starters, Ron Darling, Oliver Perez... and Jeff Francoeur

Francoeur’s Optimism:


So the optimism must remain "cautious" at this point. Francoeur did make better contact with the Mets than he had in previous Brave campaigns. His batting average and slugging jumped by leaps and bounds, and he certainly looked aggressive and confident at the plate. If Howard Johnson's work, and Francoer's maturity, can harness the talent into a 25 HR, 90 RBI, .330 OBP type of player, than it is a win all around. Francoeur is never going to get on base a ton--this we know--what we want is for him to get on base "enough" while providing a solid presence in the lower half of the lineup. I am optimistic about that.- link 

First Week Starters:

Ball State JR RHP Kolbrin Vitek – 4 IP 5 H 4 ER 0 BB 2 K

Arkansas JR RHP Brett Eibner 3 IP 2 H 0 ER 0 BB 5 K

Florida State JR LHP John Gast – 6 IP 4 H 2 ER 0 BB 5 K

Georgia Tech JR RHRP Kevin Jacob – 1 IP 1 H 0 ER 0 BB 2 K

North Carolina JR RHP Colin Bates – 7 IP 6 H 3 ER 0 BB 5 K

NC State JR RHRP Russell Wilson – 2 IP 2 H 0 ER 0 BB 0 K

Kentucky JR LHP Logan Darnell – 6 IP 7 H 2 ER 2 BB 6 K

Oregon State JR RHP Greg Peavey – 5 IP 4 H 2 ER 3 BB 4 K

Mississippi JR RHP Trent Rothlin – 6 IP 2 H 1 ER 4 BB 2 K

Duquesne JR RHP Andrew Heck – 6 IP 5 H 1 ER 0 BB 3 K

Virginia Tech JR RHP Jesse Hahn – 7 IP 5 H 0 ER 0 BB 4 K

Oklahoma JR RHP Bobby Shore – 7 IP 5 H 1 ER 1 BB 5 K

UCLA SO Erik Goeddel – 2.2 IP 4 H 0 ER 0 BB 4 K

UNC Wilmington JR RHP Daniel Cropper – 7 IP 5 H 1 ER 0 BB 7 K - link

Ron Darling:

Q: Do you think this is it for Manuel and Omar Minaya if the Mets have a repeat of 2009?

A: I find it extremely in poor taste to talk about someone's future job opportunities. I will say that Jeff Wilpon owns this Mets organization and expects it to be a winner year in and year out. You can argue they competed in 2007 and 2008 after a great 2006. But what happened last season, I know leaves a bitter taste. And a team in New York with that kind of payroll can't afford two bad years. It's a tough town and that's how it goes. link

Oliver Perez:

Oliver Perez threw live batting practice for the first time and elicited raves from Jerry Manuel, who said the reports he received from the coaches were exceptional. “Some people say that was the best that they’ve seen Ollie since we’ve had him,” the manager said. In general, those kinds of statements on the first day of spring training are almost completely worthless. Remember, Butch Huskey once led the Grapefruit League in home runs, and this was just live batting practice. Even Manuel later qualified it by pointing out that Perez has yet to pitch in spring training games, followed by the real thing. - link

Jeff Francoeur:

 I could be completely off base on this, but Francoeur is going to become important at the bottom of the Mets order. He will help David Wright in the locker room, and that arm is no doubt going to save some runs, and probably a game, this season. It’s nice to have some positivity coming out of the Mets these days after three years of dour Willie Randolph, frustrated Billy Wagner, and canned quotes from a majority of the team. This in of itself won’t win a championship, but it most certainly can’t hurt a team that will be under a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed. New York is a tough enough town. All winter the Mets, justifiably so, have been destroyed in the media. Having a great teammate like Jeff Francoeur, who by the way can hit homers and drive in runs, is something all teams want. If he walked 50 more times no one would say a word, but because he doesn’t, there is almost guilt by the statistically inclined to embrace. The only other reason I can think of for this apprehension is his Atlanta roots, which historically has been an issue for Mets fans. I talked about this a couple of weeks ago with respect to Tom Glavine during his tenure.-  link

Top 44 Shortstops in the 2010 Baseball Draft

1. Christian Colon – Cal State Fullerton – excellent defense… only 11 errors as a sophomore… projects out as catcher… handles the bat well… could be best infielder in the draft… toolsy… led the 2008 US National team with 26 hits… hits to all fields… excellent defensive player with strong arm, great hands, and incredible range… excellent power for middle fielder… great bat speed… walked only 7.8% in 2009… drafted in the 10th round in 2007 by the Padres… freshman All-American… hit .352 as sophomore… projected as second baseman.
7/07 fr. www.projectprospect.com: Colon was very highly thought of out of high school, winning the MVP of the Aflac All-American game in 2007, but slid to the 10th round due to a mediocre spring and a strong commitment to the baseball factory in Fullerton. A full-time starter from the day he set foot on campus, Colon managed a .357/.442/.529 line in 2009 with 26 of his 91 hits going for extra bases. Colon shows great contact ability, only whiffing 8.0% of the time last year. Defensively he has a strong arm, solid range and outstanding instincts. Colon has always been seen as a very smart player who maximizes his abilities. While he doesn’t have the raw tools of a Grant Green or Brandon Crawford, Colon looks like a very solid bet to be an average big leaguer.



7/08: Colon became the new USA Baseball National Team (Collegiate) record holder for stolen bases in a game after he tallied four.



7-09: Fr. Keith Law/ www.espn.com : His speed is suspect and that's usually a red flag for playing shortstop, but Law insists that he can play the position at the pro level.

7-13: As of July 13, hitting .400 with a pair of homers and 27 RBIs.



7-14: hit a three-run home run in the fourth to lead Team USA to an 8-4 victory over Japan in game three of the 37th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championships. Also, hit a three-run HR.



7-20: homered in the first inning, scored on a wild pitch in the 8th, and doubled in the 9th, for Team USA win over Team Canada

7-21: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - 2nd Edition - July 21, 2009 by Scouting The Sports http://scoutingthesports.com/?p=3632 - 7. Pittsburgh Pirates - Christian Colon Shortstop Cal State Fullerton - -Even with a deeper class, Colon has all the tools to be the best infielder in 2010. Colon, who participated on the 2008 US National Team and led the team with 26 hits, has incredible bat control and great speed. He hits the ball to all fields and has shown some flashes of power that could develop once he begins to inch closer to the major league level. Colon is the best defender in this class, as he has incredible range, great hands, and a strong arm.

7-23: hit 2-run home run for Team USA in 10-2 win over Team Prince George Axemen



7-24: Colon broke both his tibia and fibula, on his left leg, during a game he played for Team USA against Team Canada. He is expected to be out from 2-3 months.

8-2: from 6-16 article www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com: Colon has special hands defensively and is one of the steadiest defenders in college baseball, making only 11 errors as a sophomore. Some scouts have expressed a desire to move him behind the plate as a pro because his range is fringy at the pro level, and he has a squat body and plenty of arm strength. But Colon has middle-infield actions that are increasingly hard to find at the college level, and handles the bat well, with enough power to demand respect.

8-24 fr. www.baseballamerica.com: - Amidst the kudos for Colon's intangibles and makeup, it's easy to overlook his talent, and his production. A second-team All-American as Cal State Fullerton's sophomore shortstop this spring, Colon ratcheted his game to another level this summer, hitting .362/.459/.617 and leading Team USA in slugging, home runs (five), RBIs (37), runs (31) and stolen bases (24 in 26 attempts). He also drew 11 walks and struck out a team-low six times despite registering a team-high 94 at-bats. For his impressive offensive production—and, yes, for his valuable leadership—Colon is Baseball America's Summer Player of the Year…

8-24 fr. www.baseballamerica.com: - But Colon's summer was cut short in Team USA's penultimate game against Canada. Colon was covering second base on a bunt to third, and he received the throw in plenty of time to get the out and fire a relay to first. But the runner slid hard and late, colliding with Colon's shin. Colon suffered breaks in his fibia and tibia, forcing him to miss the title game of the World Baseball Challenge two days later. Both breaks were clean, and Colon was already walking around 15 days after the surgery, albeit with a limp. He is expected to make a full recovery well before the start of the 2010 season, but he will likely miss all of fall ball.

9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 6. Christian Colon, ss Cal State Fullerton

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – #2 overall pick - Christian Colon, SS - Cal State Fullerton

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #3 pick overall - Christian Colon, SS - Cal State Fullerton - Baltimore seems to love Cal State Fullerton infielders. On top of this Baltimore is stacked with quality pitching, outfielders, and their catcher Matt Wieters. They lack some infield depth and this is great selection to nail down the middle of the Orioles infield in the future.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 4. Kansas City Royals – Christian Colon, SS, Cal State Fullerton- (1st SS picked in draft) – Colon may have broken his leg at the end of Team USA’s season, but that was only after he had established himself as the best all-around position player in the 2010 college class. He’s a good fielder with good instincts, a good hitter, and there’s really nothing he’s bad at. People will whine about his lack of dazzling tools, but Colon’s got a solid toolset with a solid skillset with great makeup, and there’s no reason to think he can’t be an above-average Major League shortstop in relatively short order. Assuming he recovers fully from the broken leg, he’s a top ten pick with a good spring.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #35 – Christian Colon – 2nd SS on list

10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - SS Christian Colon - I guess my lack of love for his game comes from me severely underrating the value of a league average big league shortstop (a rookie mistake on my part, I admit) and also being less than impressed when seemingly every scouting report about Colon begins and ends with talk about his personality, leadership, and the way he makes the most of his average at best tools. No doubt Colon’s makeup is totally off the charts and his defensive chops make him a slam dunk to stick at short professionally, but I tend to focus more on the “average at best tools” part of that discussion than the “personality” and “leadership.” I’m both ready and willing to convinced I’m totally wrong on Colon, but that’s where things stand now. For what it’s worth, I’ve only seen Colon play once since watching him in person in high school, so maybe I’m judging him unfairly based on my limited and outdated memory of his skills. Also, for what it’s worth, I have a scouting buddy who has seen Colon play a ton from his junior year of high school until this past summer and he absolutely loves everything about Colon’s game.

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Christian Colon, Cal State Fullerton - A broken leg won’t keep Colon down, and I think he’ll come back quite effectively for the spring season. He doesn’t really have any plus-plus tools, but he’s a great all-around player and the best middle infield prospect available in the 2010 class. Projected draft slot: Early-first to mid-first round.

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #8 – (1st SS picked) - Christian Colon

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 6- SS Christian Colon (1st SS on list)

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #6 - Christian Colon, SS - Cal State Fullerton - Arizona will jump all over Colon at this spot. With Stephen Drew eligible for free agency in a few years, Colon will be the perfect replacement. (1st SS on list)

11-7-9 from www.mlbresource.com: - Christian Colon, SS Cal State Fullerton - Colon is a spark plug that has a plus bat and outstanding baseball instincts. He is a spark plug type player.

11-18 from www.macksmets.blogspot.com: - SS Christian Colon – yes, he did break his leg a few months ago, but no every day player has the kind of ceiling Colon has and he’s a shortstop to boot. (1st SS on list)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 3. Baltimore -- Christian Colon, SS, Cal St. Fullerton. BAL has gone with arms the past two years with their first pick, but Colon (provided healthy) could be a slot signing that addresses a glaring organizational weakness while providing security by way of excellent plate discipline and defense.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #3 - Baltimore Orioles Cristian Colon (SS, Cal St. Fullerton) (1st SS on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 4 Royals Christian Colon SS NCAA

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 3rd Overall – The Baltimore Orioles

Christian Colon (SS), Cal State Fullerton - Possibly the best college positional players, Colon had an excellent season for the Titans, hitting .357/.438/.529 with 8 homers in 62 games. Colon doesn’t have standout tools but he’s a solid hitter with a good eye and plate discipline. He should draw more than his share of walks and he makes solid contact with the ball. He has average power and speed for the position. Colon is a fundamentally sound fielder with solid instincts and range. There is still some concern that he will probably be a second baseman in the end, but he has the toolset to stay at short. Overall, Colon will probably go third to the Orioles, who could use a shortstop of the future, or a potential successor from Brian Roberts at second. Either way, he would join a promising young core for the O’s. In the event they choose to go with the best overall talent, James Taillon would also go here.

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 3. Baltimore Orioles- Christian Colon, SS, Cal State Fullerton - Colon is the best position player in the draft. The Orioles are pitching heavy, and Colon would be a nice fit in the system. He does everything well, and the Orioles are in need of an impact position player in the system.



1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - 3 Baltimore Christian Colon SS Cal-State Fullerton 6'0" 185 R,R

1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - #11 Toronto Blue Jays: SS Christian Colon – Cal State Fullerton - I’m not quite stubborn/bold enough to put Colon where I really think he’ll wind up in June, so I’ll defer to the experts and keep Colon in the first half of the first round for now. I guess that sort of makes Colon the Drew Pomeranz of position player prospects, huh? Everything I said a few months ago holds up today:

I guess my lack of love for his game comes from me severely underrating the value of a league average big league shortstop (a rookie mistake on my part, I admit) and also being less than impressed when seemingly every scouting report about Colon begins and ends with talk about his personality, leadership, and the way he makes the most of his average at best tools. No doubt Colon’s makeup is totally off the charts and his defensive chops make him a slam dunk to stick at short professionally, but I tend to focus more on the “average at best tools” part of that discussion than the “personality” and “leadership.” I’m both ready and willing to convinced I’m totally wrong on Colon, but that’s where things stand now. For what it’s worth, I’ve only seen Colon play once since watching him in person in high school, so maybe I’m judging him unfairly based on my limited and outdated memory of his skills. Also, for what it’s worth, I have a scouting buddy who has seen Colon play a ton from his junior year of high school until this past summer and he absolutely loves everything about Colon’s game.

I’m totally nuts for maybe possibly almost thinking Gary Brown, Colon’s teammate at Fullerton, is the better pro prospect, right? Brown’s gigantic edge in speed and added pop might just make up for Colon’s clear advantage in both overall defense upside and contact skills, but your mileage might vary.

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 2. Pittsburgh Pirates – Christian Colon, SS, Cal State Fullerton – For all the talk of Jameson Taillon and Anthony Ranaudo, I see the Pirates sticking to their 2009 script, when there wasn’t a clear-cut best player available to them at their selection. All things being equal, they’ll choose the hitter, and Colon’s the best on the board here. There’s a method to their madness, as they were able to add quality arms in Victor Black, Brooks Pounders, Zack Dodson, Zack Von Rosenberg, Trent Stevenson, Colton Cain, and Jeff Inman, while still picking Tony Sanchez a year ago. Previously: #4.

2-25: Jason Churchill of espn.com continues his review of the opening weekend of D1 college baseball play. For more on opening weekend, click here.


• Cal State Fullerton's Christian Colon went 0-for-4, struggling against Pepperdine's Matt Bywater who threw a complete game shutout with 10 Ks, two walks and four hits. Churchill feels that Bywater's questionable velocity does not make him a first-day draft consideration.





2. Yorby Cabrera – Lakeland HS (FL) – 6-3, 195 – verbally committed to Miami… father Tigers’ minor league coach… also a pitcher but projected as a third baseman… FB 94 range… pro arm in the field…

From: www.baseballfactory.com - Cabrera is a physically mature young man with two-way talent. In the infield he shows a quick first step, sure hands and a plus arm. At the plate, he uses strong wrists and hands to generate plus bat speed with pull side power. Although he is more appealing as a position player prospect at this time, Cabrera also throws a low 90s fastball on the mound. He attended a Team One Preview in Floria and played in the Under Armour Fall Tournament as a member of the All-American Prospects – a UA Franchise Team. He has verbally committed to the University of Miami.

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: looks great in a uniform as well, ball off the wood jumps when he makes solid contact, pulls off the ball some, runs well underway, solid ave at the worst, also showed ML arm strength.

8-6: From www.baseballamerica.com: - Cabrera has a pro body and all the tools you look for in a young player. At the plate, he has strong wrists and forearms that generate good bat speed and produce hard line drives. The Miami recruit runs a 6.6-second 60-yard dash with fluid actions and above-average arm strength in the field and on the mound, where he touches 92 mph.

8-17 from www.baseballamerica.com re: AFLAC games - The home run derby was won by Yordy Cabrera (Lakeland, Fla., HS). Cabrera is an older, more mature high schooler whose uppercut, pull-oriented swing enables him to drive the ball deep to left center. He'll be 20 years old a few months after his graduation in 2010.

8-19: Jeff Sullivan from the AFLAC Games: - A physically imposing high schooler, Cabrera is listed at 6’4, 190 pounds. His body looks pro ready already, although he is much older than the other players at the event. Cabrera showed off his power all week long, including hitting eight homers during the first round of the home run derby at the University of San Diego, then hitting five out at PETCO. He hit some monster shots at USD and he makes it look easy. He was dead pull all week and it will be interesting to see how he handles the outside pitch, and if he is able to go the other way with it. He has good bloodlines, as his father is a coach in the Detroit Tigers system.

9-7: From www.perfectgame.com on the AFLAC games: what can you say about this young man? He's much older than the competition he's played against, he should dominate them and the best position for him is probably the outfield corner. Butchered many ground balls in the attempts I saw. On the hill he's just ok, he doesn't repeat velocity/delivery extension consistent enough. Upper cut stroke will get eaten up in pro ball and expose him. Lots of room to get better, but basically, what you see now is what you will get later, in my opinion.

9-5: from Jonathan Mayo’s 8-26 article on www.minors.mlbblogs.com: - Yordy Cabrera showed good power and a nice swing -- it reminded some of Andruw Jones's finish -- though since he's a little older (he'll be 19 1/2 come next year's Draft), he's tougher to evaluate.

9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 12. Yordy Cabrera, ss/rhp Lakeland (Fla.) HS

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – #6 overall pick - Yordy Cabrera, SS - Lakeland HS (FL)

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #6 pick overall - Yordy Cabrera, SS - Lakeland HS (FL) - The Mets have a ton of needs for their farm system at the moment. Fernando Martinez is the crown jewel and 2010 will be his season. I would love to see the Mets go into a full rebuild mode (not sure how that would go over in New York but I think it is needed). The Mets do have a strong core of players in David Wright, Johan Santana, and Carlos Beltran. However, their is not much to surround them unless Jose Reyes goes back to form and Martinez ends up being the real deal. The Mets to me should pattern their plan after Boston's. Build a farm system starting with trades for multiple prospects for guys like Santana or even Wright and then draft good young talent. The Mets then have the financial resources to surround these players with some big money free agents. Right now I think the Mets need to take one step back to move two steps forward. Yordy Cabrera would be a perfect fit as he brings a young athletic infielder who can play all over. He hits for power and would be a great start to a new farm system. He has committed to play college ball at the University of Miami.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 25. St. Louis Cardinals – Yordy Cabrera, SS, Lakeland HS (FL) – (4th SS picked in draft) - Remember what I said about Machado being big? Cabrera’s bigger. That’s why many scouts think Cabrera’s eventually going to outgrow shortstop, where he shows consistently good actions and range. He’s a bit of a hacker at the plate, but he’s got plus tools there, too. He’s fast, too, with a plus arm, so he’s what you might consider a true five-tool player in a relatively weak class for tools. If Cabrera turns out a great senior year, he could be compared favorably to Jio Mier of the Astros, and I see him being a solid first-round pick.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 11th on list – IF/OF Yorby Cabrera

10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - INF/OF/RHP Yordy Cabrera - Something about those draft eligible sophomores always intrigues me. I haven’t talked to many people who think Cabrera will stick at shortstop professionally, but he’s so darn talented across the board that I’d be willing to gamble on him being productive wherever he winds up on the diamond.

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com – Yordy Cabrera, Lakeland HS (FL) Florida always seems to be brimming with prep shortstops, and this year is no different. Some scouts prefer Cabrera to Machado, though Cabrera’s bigger and might be a long-term third baseman. He needs to work on his plate discipline and pitch recognition skills, as he might become the next Miguel Tejada in those areas at the plate without major work. Projected draft position: Late-first to mid-second round.

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #27 – (4th SS picked) - Yordy Cabrera

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 20- SS Yordy Cabrera (3rd SS on list)

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #21 - Yordy Cabrera, SS - Lakeland (FL) - I see Minnesota taking one of three players in this selection with the others being Manny Machado and Derek Dietrich. Cabrera to me right now has more upside and a chance to be a power hitting shortstop or third basemen in the big leagues. (4th SS on list)

11-9-9 from www.examiner.com: - Top 15 High School Draft Prospects - 12. Yordy Cabrera, ss/rhp
Lakeland (Fla.) HS
College Commitment: Miami - A strong and athletic 6-foot-4, 190-pounder, Cabrera offers power potential, good arm strength and sound defensive actions. (3rd SS on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 3. Baltimore Orioles- Christian Colon, SS, Cal State Fullerton - Colon is the best position player in the draft. The Orioles are pitching heavy, and Colon would be a nice fit in the system. He does everything well, and the Orioles are in need of an impact position player in the system. (1st SS picked)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 27.Philadelphia Phillies- Yordy Cabrera, SS, Lakeland HS(FL) - One of the best power displays I've seen from a HS player. During the week of the AFLAC game Cabrera put on a show in the first round at the University of San Diego. He is big, so he might outgrow SS, but either way, his bat is special. (3rd SS picked)

11-18 from www.macksmets.blogspot.com: - 25. SS Yorby Cabrera – many of us had him much higher six months ago, but he’s still a first rounder in a weak draft. (4th SS on list)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 17. Tampa Bay -- Yordy Cabrera, SS/RHP, Lakeland HS (FL). Cabrera has soft hands and the footwork to play up the middle, though he may grow out of the six-spot and into the hot corner -- his bat should play, regardless.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #12 - Cincinnati Reds Yordy Cabrera (3B, Lakeland, FL) (1st 3B on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 18 Mariners Yordy Cabrera SS High School

1-3 from www.perfectgame.com: - Top 2010 HS MIFs. Based on summer performance (PG Natl SC,TOS,Area Code, East Pro SC, Under Armour & AFLAC) and lots of discussions. - Yordy Cabrera6'4 - Aflac and Under Armour All American. The oldest of all the hs mifs(19 this spring)Has bloodlines and size to play in the bigs right now.Won HR Derby at Aflac and hit monster shot at Under Armour game.. Plus bat speed-quick to the ball-big power potential.Good arm strength (also top P prospect) in the inf. Quick with a 6.60 60 /4.40 to first base. solid D actions and great overall tools. Fun to watch.

1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 17. Tampa Bay Rays – Yordy Cabrera, SS, Lakeland HS (FL) – I’m listing Cabrera as a shortstop here, but my speculation is that the Rays would pick Cabrera as a right fielder in this situation. I think they have third base covered, and Cabrera’s not going to stick at short. Come to think of it, I don’t know why I continue to call him a shortstop. Anyway, Cabrera’s bat consistently draws raves, and he’s older than any of his prep counterparts, so the though process is that he’s a bit advanced compared to more risky prep bats available here. This is a good fit for the nearby Rays, who have another first-round pick after this. Previously: #25.

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - #20 Boston Red Sox: SS Yordy Cabrera – Lakeland HS (FL) - Is it too late to change this pick to Rob Brantly? I really wanted to include him in the mock so I could make my Rob Brantly = Derek Norris comp that I’ve been so eagerly waiting to unveil. Oh well. I’ve also heard a completely unsubstantiated rumor that links Boston to Virginia outfielder Jarrett Parker, a player with scouting reports that sort of remind me of a poor man’s Ryan Westmoreland. Justin O’Conner could also be a name that makes sense in this spot. I wouldn’t have matched the Red Sox up with Rey Fuentes last year, so I’m not even sure I’m qualified to comment on this pick any furt…

Anyway, let’s talk Yordy. I have to admit that while he isn’t one of my favorite prep bats in this class, I’d be happy to see my favorite team draft Yordy if given the chance. Why? Come on! Yordy! Who among us could possibly resist rooting for a Yordy? It’s impossible question to answer because nobody has ever even tried. I’m powerless to not root for a Yordy. I’d never buy a jersey of a player from a team I didn’t root for (that’s a lie…I’d never buy a jersey period, regardless of team), but I’d definitely consider getting a snazzy Yordy! t-shirt if/when he makes it to the show AND successfully petitions MLB to allow him to just put Yordy on the back of his jersey.

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 20th Overall – The Boston Red Sox (Compensation For Billy Wagner) - Yordy Cabrera (SS), Florida High School

Cabrera is mentioned with Machado as the top prep shortstop in the 2009 draft class. At the moment, Cabrera shows the ability to play the position, as he shows solid speed and range for the position. He also shows the ability to hit for above average power in the future, especially as he fills out. However, there are some concerns with Cabrera. Some feel that he may lose range and speed as he fills out, requiring a move to third base. He is a fairly large kid, but he has the skills and the arm to do well at third base. My concern is that he doesn’t have great plate discipline, as he’s a bit of a hacker. So strikeouts will likely be a problem as he faces more advanced pitching. All in all, Cabrera projects to be a power hitting third baseman, and he should take off once he improves his discipline and taps into his offensive abilities.

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 27. Philadelphia Phillies- Yordy Cabrera, SS, Lakeland HS(FL) - One of the best power displays I've seen from a HS player. During the week of the AFLAC game Cabrera put on a show in the first round at the University of San Diego. He is big, so he might outgrow SS, but either way, his bat is special.



1-1-9 update: - -Yordy Cabrera probably won’t be drafted with shortstop in mind for his long-term future. That probably doesn’t come as a shock to most people, but I’m finding less and less scouts that want to even give Cabrera a long look at the position, with third base or the outfield being the possible destinations. I like Cabrera’s chances at the hot corner.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #26 Colorado Yordy Cabrera SS Lakeland HS, Fl. 6'2" 195 R,R



3. Manny Machado - Brito HS (FL)

9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 4. Manny Machado, ss Brito HS, Miami

9-27 from: http://web.usabaseball.com: The USA Baseball 18U National Team logged a seven-run inning for a third consecutive day in a 14-0 run-rule shutout Sunday against Panama in the third day of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Tony Wolters and Manny Machado notched three hits apiece.

9/27 from: http://web.usabaseball.com: Bryce Harper and Manny Machado each drove in two runs in a seven-run third inning to lead the USA Baseball 18U National Team to a 14-0 run-rule shutout against Argentina Saturday in Day 2 of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium.

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #18 pick overall - Manny Machado, SS - Brito Miami Private HS (FL) - It has been a long time since the Twins have taken an infielder this high in the draft but this could be the year. It almost seems like a yearly need for the Twins to have a main stay at SS and hopefully Machado can be this guy. If Colon gets here, which is unlikely the Twins could not pass on him.

9-29: From: http://www.baseballrumormill.com – Manny Machado's performance from the 18-and-under trials had a few scouts worried about how his defense would project professionally. While the defensive questions may not have been answered, Machado hit extremely well in the USA's first three games, at least temporarily making scouts forget about possible defensive deficiencies. Against Aruba in the opener, Machado was 3 for 4 with a HR, 2RBI and three runs scored in Team USA's 13-3 win. He followed up that performance with 3 RBI in the USA's 14-0 blanking of Argentina.

9-30: From: http://web.usabaseball.com: - Karsten Whitson, Connor Mason and Kevin Gausman combined on a three-hitter, and an opportunistic offense took advantage of five errors as the USA Baseball 18U National Team remained unbeaten with a 19-0 run-rule shutout of Colombia Monday on Day 4 of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Garin Cecchini made it a 3-0 game with an RBI double. The team then added four more runs in the second on Tony Wolters' two-run double and a two-run home run by Bryce Harper, a towering blast to right field. Team USA erupted for five runs in the fifth on two hits and two Columbia errors, with Brian Ragira's two-run double the big hit in the at bat. Wolters ended up with three RBIs. Harper, Cecchini, Ragira and Kavin Keyes had two apiece. Keyes also had three hits. Harper, Cecchini and Manny Machado each scored three runs.

10-3 from www.baseballrumormill.com: - Manny Machado Dominates 18-And-Under Tournament - The 18-and-under Team USA squad dominated pool play this week at the 2009 COPABE Pan Am "AAA" Championships. After going 3-0 in their first three games this past weekend, Team USA followed those games up with three more wins this week. On Monday Team USA defeated Columbia 19-0, beat Cuba 9-5 on Wednesday and finished up pool play with a 6-3 win over Venezuela on Thursday. While AJ Vanegas and Jameson Taillon led the way with solid pitching performances, it was Manny Machado who stole the show for Team USA. Machado performed well in Team USA's opening games this weekend and finished pool play with an impressive stat line: 435/536/739 with two home runs, nine RBI and nine runs scored in six games. If there are still concerns about Machado's defense, scouts are less likely to care as his bat continues to impress.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 21. Minnesota Twins – Manny Machado, SS, Brito Private HS (FL) – (2nd SS picked in draft) - Machado’s a polarizing player in the scouting ranks, as there’s an argument raging over whether Machado’s a true shortstop or not. It’s not hard to follow either side’s argument. On the plus side, Machado can turn in some plays that look truly middle infielder-esque numerous times over the course of the game. On the minus side, he can sometimes look stiff and show minus hands. In addition, the first thing you notice about him when you watch him is how big he looks for the shortstop position. Not everyone can be Cal Ripken and handle shortstop in the bigs at that size. I’m not putting down his athleticism. It’s solid. So is the arm. But with a Yunel Escobar-like bat wrap and overall questions about his bat, the defense is what’s going to determine his draft slot.

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Manny Machado, Brito Private HS (FL) - Machado’s a big kid for a shortstop, but he’s athletic and shows flashes of being a good defender. He has a bat wrap, but he’s actually hit the ball really well, especially with Team USA, where he was the best hitter on the 18U team. Projected draft position: Mid-first to early-second round.

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #12 – (2nd SS picked) – Manny Machado

10-24 from www.baseballrumormll.com: - top 10 prospects: - 8. Manny Machado, SS (only SS on list), Brito Miami Private HS, FL: Before his play with Team USA at the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships, some scouts were concerned about Machado's defense. While Machado's defense was unremarkable during play, this bat was spectacular. In pool play, Machado hit 435/536/739 with two home runs, nine RBI and nine runs scored in six games.

11-2 from www.thehardballtimes.com: - Manny Machado, SS, 2010, Hialeah, Fla., Royals Baseball Club - I bet he doesn’t get past the first round come June. Machado has a big (6-foot-3), athletic frame with plenty of filling out left. His actions at shortstop were graceful and smooth, and he seemed to have plenty of arm. The exciting thing about Machado is his power potential. His swing was a little long, and he did hack a bit. But he was right on 90-plus mph fastballs, and generates a lot of loft with his long arms and aggressive cuts. If there’s one thing that will get teams excited, it’s a combination of power potential and athleticism at a key position. Check all three boxes for Machado. I am a little concerned, however, about his ability to hit for average. He seems to be a fastball-only hitter right now (a great fastball hitter, but still…), and while his long arms generate power, they also generate a long swing.

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 16- SS Manny Machado (2nd SS on list)

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #22 - - Manny Machado, SS - Brito Private (FL) - Machado provides a nice young infielder to an organization that just put their best infielder in the big leagues with Elvis Andrus. Machado can play both middle positions and gives the Rangers options in case Andrus becomes too pricey. (5th SS on list)

11-9-9 from www.examiner.com: - Top 15 High School Draft Prospects - 4. Manny Machado, ss
Brito HS, Miami
College Commitment: Florida International - A 6-foot-2, 180-pound shortstop with true major-league actions in the field, Machado makes consistent contact at the plate and should develop above-average power. (1st SS on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 21. Minnesota Twins- Manny Machado, INF, Brito Private HS(FL) - Machado has some questions on his bat, and if he can stay at shortstop. In both cases, I trust that he can stay at shortstop even if he is already 6'2. He takes good routes to the ball and is relatively smooth. He hits the ball hard, and can handle fastballs well. (2nd SS picked)

11-18 from www.macksmets.blogspot.com: - 7. SS Manny Machado – another of those stock rising guys, Machado will easily go in the first 15 picks. (2nd SS on list)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 27. Philadelphia -- Manny Machado, SS, Brito Private HS (FL). Philly leans towards projectable and toolsy, and Machado gets a check in both boxes. He could be off the board well before here if he continues to progress through the spring.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #18 - Seattle Mariners - Manny Machado (SS, Miami FLA) (2nd SS on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 28 Dodgers Manny Machado SS High School

1-3 from www.perfectgame.com: - Top 2010 HS MIFs. Based on summer performance (PG Natl SC,TOS,Area Code, East Pro SC, Under Armour & AFLAC) and lots of discussions. - Manny Machado 6'2 -Lean frame- bottom half needs more development. Avg arm strength. 6.81-60 @PG Natl SC. 4.42 to first.Hits ball hard,gets good extenstion. Performed well at TOS and (offensively) for Team USA this fall. Glove is question mark at this point,he has smooth actions that help. All in all very solid. High Potential

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 21. Minnesota Twins- Manny Machado, INF, Brito Private HS(FL) - Machado has some questions on his bat, and if he can stay at shortstop. In both cases, I trust that he can stay at shortstop even if he is already 6'2. He takes good routes to the ball and is relatively smooth. He hits the ball hard, and can handle fastballs well.

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 12th Overall – The Cincinnati Reds - Manny Machado (SS), Florida High School - Regarded to be the best prep shortstop candidate in the draft, Machado is an athletic player should be able to remain at shortstop. He shows a strong arm, solid instincts, and average range, along with a tall and wiry build that also projects well for him to remain at shortstop. He shouldn’t lose too much range as he fills out. However, despite him shown the potential of being a plus defender, Machado can be sloppy, missing the routine play in favor of the spectacular one. His bat also inspires a lot of questions. From the video I’ve seen on him, Machado has a bat wrap at the beginning of his swing, which tends to lengthen his swing a bit. However, he also shows good bat speed, and has shown the ability to hit with Team USA. Overall, Machado will have teams that will have varying degrees of how they rate him. I think he’s going to go here.



1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #25 St. Louis Manny Machado SS Brito Miami Private, Fl. 6'2" 180 R,R

1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 11. Toronto Blue Jays – Manny Machado, SS, Brito HS (FL) – Read the above statements about regime change, then copy and paste them here. The Jays will look for much more high-ceiling talent to help restock a system that’s been suffering from too many years of safe picks and, most recently, unsigned ones. Machado has his question marks, but with a bat that’s gained a little more attention over the fall and some hope of a long-term stay at shortstop, he’s climbed up boards. Previously: #21.


4. Rick Hague – Rice – junior… 6-2, 190, R/R… excellent fielder and capable hitter… great attitude and team player… from the Rice web site: Wayne Graham said -- "We view Ricky Hague as one of the top shortstops in college baseball and expect him to be one of the better hitters around. We expect big things both in the field and with the bat."



7/07 fr. www.projectprospect.com: SS’s Derek Dietrich of Georgia Tech and Rice’s Rick Hague have big time problems making contact, Hague is the only sure bet to stick at short, where he is very, VERY good….

7-23: went 3-4 for Team USA (HR) in 10-2 win against Prince George Axemen

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: smooth fielders, 60 arm, 60 hitter with 50 power, runs ok, 4.28 to 1b, better on the way runner, could be first IF taken in 2010 draft. Playing for team USA also this summer.

9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 10. Rick Hague, ss Rice

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #30 pick overall - Rick Hague, SS – Rice - It never seems like the Dodgers draft in the first round because they usually sign a big free agent but as of right now I think they take the SS out of Rice. Tall and lanky kid built in the Troy Tulowitzki/Bobby Crosby mold.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 22. Texas Rangers – Rick Hague, SS, Rice – (3rd SS picked in draft) - Once again, the Rangers might go with a Texas product in Hague. This pick is protected against a player not signing, so maybe they pick a riskier player here. While I list Hague as a shortstop here, I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone take him as a third baseman after his plus-plus fielding run there with Team USA this summer. He’d be a solid-average, perhaps a bit better, defensive shortstop, though he might slow down a bit too much for the position quickly as a result of his great work ethic in gaining strength. His hitting should be solid, and while he doesn’t have above-average power and pitch recognition, he’s coachable and should improve continually in pro ball. He’s a late first-rounder in most scenarios at this point.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #34 – Rick Hague – 1st SS on list

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Rick Hague, Rice - Hague played third base for Team USA this summer, but he’s probably going to stick at shortstop in pro ball with some improvement. He’s a solid hitter with some work to do with his approach, but he’s got the natural talent to be an above-average hitter from the shortstop position. He might eventually have to move to third base, but he proved he’s an excellent fielder there this summer, so that’s not necessarily a horrible thing. Projected draft slot: Mid-first to early-second round.

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #20 – (3rd SS picked) – Rick Hague

10-21 from www.mlbresource.com: - Blake's Scouting Report - Hague has smooth hands at short for a big guy with outstanding range and a strong enough arm where I can see him staying at SS. I project him to be a plus defender with a chance to be ever better. He has the potential with some added strength to be 20-30 HR hitter in the big leagues but right now I see him as more of a gap-to-gap hitter with 10-15 a year. I could definitely see someone taking Hague earlier than Colon as some may project him more with his body size and power potential. Look for Hague to have his name called early on Day 1 of the draft.

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #20 - Rick Hague, SS - Rice - This draft has a ton of guys at the top that could have people wondering why they weren't drafted higher. Hague could very well be one of them. He is a big shortstop in the Troy Tulowitzki mold but hits left handed. Solid pick for Atlanta. (3rd SS on list)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 25. St. Louis -- Rick Hague, SS, Rice. The Cardinals get back to their comfort zone -- college kids in the first round -- and grab the talented Rice defender with good pop for the position.

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 29 Red Sox Rick Hague SS NCAA

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 30th Overall – The Los Angeles Angels - Rick Hague (SS), Rice - Hague has been a steady talent with the Owls for much of his season. He has hit over .300 over both of his years for the Owls, and has shown a good approach at the plate. He has a simple swing that allows him to make solid contact, and he shows the ability to draw a walk. His power projects to be merely average, though he should hit for plenty of doubles. The question is whether or not he’ll remain at shortstop. He has average range there, but there is a general consensus that he’ll have to move. He played third base for Team USA this summer and showed he’d be a solid fit there, but his bat fits more along the lines of second base. Either way, he should be a solid pick, likely in the sandwich round.



1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #19. - Detroit Rick Hague SS Rice 6'2" 190 R,R

1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 24. San Francisco Giants – Rick Hague, SS, Rice – There’s little that Hague does badly, and the Giants are still looking for someone they can call on to fill their need at shortstop that’s been burning them recently. Drafting for need isn’t always bad, and if Hague has a good spring, he definitely deserves a draft slot this high. Some Rice players choose to use their university name as a bargaining chip, and a fair number actually return to school for a senior year, so that will have to be monitored, but this makes as much sense as any other pick. Previously: #22.


5. Derek Dietrich – Georgia Tech – 6-1, 200, L/R -

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: solid hitter with plus power potential, solid arm strength at least a 60 with good glove, range for SS however still a question, appears more like a power hitting 3b or 2b in pro ball, however he'll have to play his way out of being a SS early in pro ball.

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – #23 overall pick - Derek Dietrich, SS - Georgia Tech

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Derek Dietrich, Georgia Tech - Dietrich is another guy that might be a third baseman, but his position for now is shortstop. He really struggled this summer on the Cape, and there’s a lot of doubt about both his bat and glove. He’s got an average hit tool with average raw power, but he strikes out a lot. He does run the count up, but he ends up striking out just too much. His glove isn’t that good, either, and in all likelihood he’s a third baseman. Projected draft position: Supplemental-first to late-second round.

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #27 - Derek Dietrich, SS - Georgia Tech - Dietrich provides Philadelphia with a quality middle infielder and I think Philly has to take Dietrich or one of the previous shortstops taken if they are available at this spot. This will add nice infield depth. (6th SS on list)

11-27 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 54th top college player for the 2010 season.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #47 Derek Dietrich SS Georgia Tech 6'1" 195 L,R



6. Tony Wolters – Ranco Buena Vista HS (CA) –



8-17 from www.baseballamerica.com re: AFLAC games - Middle infielder Tony Wolters, who was named MVP of the game, is noticeably unimpressive in build and tools, but inevitably impressive in results. Wolters (Rancho Buena Vista HS, Vista, Calif.) looks more like the neighborhood paper boy than a top prospect. Charitably listed at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Wolters has a squat build and possesses no standout tools. As an example, he ran a pedestrian 7.15 60-yard dash in the SPARQ testing at the Area Code Games. Wolters' strengths are subtle. He won't hit 500-foot homers, get down the line in 3.9 seconds, or throw a 95 mph heater. As Leo Durocher once said of Eddie Stanky, "All the little (guy) can do is win." A lefthanded-hitting middle infielder who profiles as a second baseman in pro ball, Wolters is an intelligent hitter with an advanced approach. He ripped an outside 92 mph fastball to left for a hit early in the game. In the ninth, Wolters smartly dropped the bat head down to catch up to a low inside pitch, driving it down the right-field line for a triple which tied the score. Defensively, Wolters reads the ball coming off the bat unusually well, permitting him to add crucial steps to his lateral range. He exhibits quality fielding actions, an accurate arm and the ability to make difficult and routine plays efficiently and without flash.

8-19: Jeff Sullivan from the AFLAC Games: - Wolters was the game’s Most Valuable Player, going 2-4 with an RBI triple to tie the game late. He is a fun player to watch because he is very undersized at 5-10, 165. He does all the small things well, and he has a cannon for an arm across the diamond. Very solid defensive player and can handle the fastball well at the plate. It will be very interesting to see where he ends up in the draft, or if he heads to college next season. He is going to be a special player.

9-5: from Jonathan Mayo’s 8-26 article on www.minors.mlbblogs.com: - He really knows how to play the game. He's got good hands and a strong arm. The only thing that might keep him from being **** down the road is below-average speed, but he could be the type who sticks because of instincts and positioning. At the plate, he should hit for plenty of average, but not a lot of power.

9-7: From www.perfectgame.com on the AFLAC games: - can play either middle inf positions, just works at it, ave at best runner, better quickness, puts the bat on the ball, good eye reads as a hitter, playable arm and 50 fielder. Top 50 HS for sure. Projection 4-7 rounds if he doesn't lean to college next year.

9-26 from: http://www.baseballrumormill.com: - While Bryce Harper and Jameson Taillon dominated the reports from the USA Baseball 18-and-under team trials, a number of lesser-known players also had good performances which landed them on the roster. At 5'10" and only 165 lbs, Tony Wolters is not the ideal size for a major league prospect. However, Wolters showed a solid bat at the trials along with above-average speed. His defense is good enough to allow him to play second base and maybe even shortstop.

9-27 from: http://web.usabaseball.com: The USA Baseball 18U National Team logged a seven-run inning for a third consecutive day in a 14-0 run-rule shutout Sunday against Panama in the third day of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Tony Wolters and Manny Machado notched three hits apiece.

9-30: From: http://web.usabaseball.com: - Karsten Whitson, Connor Mason and Kevin Gausman combined on a three-hitter, and an opportunistic offense took advantage of five errors as the USA Baseball 18U National Team remained unbeaten with a 19-0 run-rule shutout of Colombia Monday on Day 4 of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Garin Cecchini made it a 3-0 game with an RBI double. The team then added four more runs in the second on Tony Wolters' two-run double and a two-run home run by Bryce Harper, a towering blast to right field. Team USA erupted for five runs in the fifth on two hits and two Columbia errors, with Brian Ragira's two-run double the big hit in the at bat. Wolters ended up with three RBIs. Harper, Cecchini, Ragira and Kavin Keyes had two apiece. Keyes also had three hits. Harper, Cecchini and Manny Machado each scored three runs.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 21st on list – MIF Anthony Wolters

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com – Anthony Wolters, Rancho Buena Vista HS (CA) - Wolters is the only major prep prospect in this class that might turn out to be a second baseman in the long-term. He’s got a plus hit tool and is a heady player, and while he isn’t blessed with all the tools of the players listed above, he’s one of the better on-field performers in this class. Projected draft position: Early-second to early-third round.

1-3 from www.perfectgame.com: - Top 2010 HS MIFs. Based on summer performance (PG Natl SC,TOS,Area Code, East Pro SC, Under Armour & AFLAC) and lots of discussions. - Tony Wolters 5'8- Aflac All American. Size dictates 2b all the way but for now tools play at ss.(6.81 60 at PG Natl SC) Smooth actions-good bat speed. Pure bb player.Solid Area Code, hit game tying triple. Was named Aflac MVP. Won Rawlings Golden Glove award in San Diego. Team USA alum. Love the way he plays,brawler. Skys the limit.



7. Marcus Littlewood –- Pineview HS, St. George, Utah –



9-24: From:- http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – #27 overall pick - Marcus Littlewood, SS - Pineview HS (UT)

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #28 pick overall - Marcus Littlewood, SS - Pineview HS (UT) - Utah does not usually feature very good high school talent but Littlewood has slipped through the cracks and could go in the first round. He is a switch hitting middle infielder with smooth hands and a great feel for the game. He as well is committed to go to the University of San Diego.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #76 Philadelphia Marcus Littlewood SS Pineview HS, Ut. 6'3" 190 B,R

1-21 from www.baseballamerica: - The Sunday session permitted position players to grab center stage. Standouts from the class of 2010 included: Marcus Littlewood, ss, Pine View HS, St. George, Utah: BA’s No. 32 high school prospect, Littlewood is an Area Codes and Aflac veteran. Physically mature at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Littlewood profiles as a third baseman at advanced levels. He possesses a fine arm and advanced fielding actions despite taking too many steps prior to releasing his throws.



8. Zach Alvord – South Forsyth HS (GA) – 6-0, 180 –

7-29: From www.baseballfactory.com: - Zach is a two way player at SS and on the mound with a tall, thin frame that does show projection as it continues to physically mature. He does project best at SS where he has a ton of athletic ability. Foot speed is outstanding as indicated by his 6.91 60 time and he utilizes his quick, athletic feet well in coming to get and playing through, displaying plus foot work. At the plate, hitting abilities are superior with outstanding power. Hands are quick and direct, generating bat speeds with a solid feel for the barrel. On the mound, Alvord has abilities. Fastball shows solid arm side run with 2 solid average off speed pitches. He throws strikes and attacks hitters working ahead. Zach has a big upside and future in the game of baseball and will get a lot of attention from the college coach and scouts.

8-6: From www.baseballamerica.com: - Alvord had a great junior year. He hit .336 and, of his 41 hits, 32 of them went for extra bases—16 doubles and 16 home runs. He didn't hit his first single until 12 games into the season. Alvord is athletic with good power for his size.

8-19: Jeff Sullivan from the AFLAC Games: - Alvord is a great shortstop prospect who can really hit the ball. During the week he put on some of the best BP sessions in San Diego. Alvord has a lot of pop in his bat and is one of the best power hitters in the country. He is also a smooth defensive shortstop and it was great to see him taking tips from Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith during the week. Alvord went 0-2 with a walk, but hit the ball hard and far in his second at bat against Peter Tago

9-5: from Jonathan Mayo’s 8-26 article on www.minors.mlbblogs.com: - He played second in this game, but he's got the tools to play short for sure. He can really play defense. He has the chance to be a middle infielder who moves up quickly on draft boards next spring, kind of like Jio Mier did this year.

9-7: From www.perfectgame.com on the AFLAC games: - solid fielder, range is good, runs better on the way, good instincts and puts the ball on the bat. Steady player with an Auburn early verbal, I doubt that comes into to play too much if this young man keeps getting stronger as he has the last 3 years.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #46 - Zach Alford - 5th SSW on list

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com – Zach Alvord, South Forsyth HS (GA) Alvord is a skilled player from Georgia that profiles as a decent shortstop or plus second baseman. He is a very skilled hitter with a plus hit tool and possible plus power, and much of his value is wrapped up in his bat. He has a great chance to rise a lot between now and June, but he needs to keep hitting to attract scouting attention, as he’s not an extremely good athlete. Projected draft position: Early-second to mid-third round.

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 41- SS Zach Alvord (5th SS on list)

1-3 from www.perfectgame.com: - Top 2010 HS MIFs. Based on summer performance (PG Natl SC,TOS,Area Code, East Pro SC, Under Armour & AFLAC) and lots of discussions. - Zach Alvord 6'0 - Aflac and Under Armour All American.Plays for perennial powerhose East Cobb Baseball. Has good plate discipline & hitting ability-solid power potential for mif. Made HR derby at PG Natl SC. Polished infielder w/ plus arm strength. 6.76 60 . 4.38 to first. Tends to be dead pull hitter. Good instincts. Solid tools. High Potential.



9. Chris Bisson (new) –

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 72nd



10. Sean Coyle – (new) - Germantown HS (PA.)

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 84th


11. Josh Rutledge – Alabama –



7/07 fr. www.projectprospect.com: the University of Alabama should have the most talented left side of infield in college next year as SS Josh Rutledge and 3B Ross Wilson both have solid tools with decent power potential.



7-17: went 2-3, 1-R, 1-RBI for Yarmouth-Dennis of the Cape Cod League



10-7 from: - www.mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Josh Rutledge---SS---The captain of the infield is one of the most players that just doesn't have a glaring weakness. He can run, hit, field, and is a leader. He as well as Wilson and perhaps Smith could be high picks in the draft. Last year he hit .305 and I am sure he will improve upon that in 2010.



1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 25th Overall – The St. Louis Cardinals - Josh Rutledge (SS), Alabama - Rutledge is another college shortstop in this class. He’s a terrific defender, and should remain there as a pro. He also shows good speed, and runs the bases well. However, it’s his offensive potential that causes some concern. Rutledge shows some raw power, and will likely hit for average as a pro. But he has a long swing that, when coupled with his mediocre plate discipline, will limit his total value as a prospect. If his future team is able to get him to lay off just a bit, he should be an average regular. Overall, I think he goes here, allowing the Cardinals to add a closer to the majors talent that may finally solve their long standing hole at short.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #60 Oakland Josh Rutledge SS Alabama 6'0" 185 R,R

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 126th



12. Matt Hyde – (new) – Calhoun HS (GA.)

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 116th



13. Garin Cecchini – Barbe HS (LA) – 6-3, 190 –



7-29: from www.baseballfactory.com: - Cecchini is athletic at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. He has good power from the left side of the plate. In the field, he’s fundamentally sound with a good arm, above-average speed and he plays the game hard.

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: looks great in a uniform, live body, should get bigger and stronger with natural maturity, solid HR power to RF, runs well, better underway, ML arm strength and good hands to stay at SS.

8-15: from XMLBScout on www.perfectgame.com: Garin Cecchini, what can you say? Played all out and didn't allow being hit by pitches to slow him down. Can you say "DEDICATION"?!!! Nice projection to play the hot corner eventually in the bigs! Gamer!

9-30: From: http://web.usabaseball.com: - Karsten Whitson, Connor Mason and Kevin Gausman combined on a three-hitter, and an opportunistic offense took advantage of five errors as the USA Baseball 18U National Team remained unbeaten with a 19-0 run-rule shutout of Colombia Monday on Day 4 of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Garin Cecchini made it a 3-0 game with an RBI double. The team then added four more runs in the second on Tony Wolters' two-run double and a two-run home run by Bryce Harper, a towering blast to right field. Team USA erupted for five runs in the fifth on two hits and two Columbia errors, with Brian Ragira's two-run double the big hit in the at bat. Wolters ended up with three RBIs. Harper, Cecchini, Ragira and Kavin Keyes had two apiece. Keyes also had three hits. Harper, Cecchini and Manny Machado each scored three runs.

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 32 -SS Garin Cecchini – (4th SS on list)

11-9-9 from www.examiner.com: - Top 15 High School Draft Prospects - 13. Garin Cecchini, ss
Barbe HS, Lake Charles, La.
College Commitment: Louisiana State - Cecchini has an athletic 6-foot-2, 200-pound build with a smooth lefthanded swing and the defensive tools that profile well at third base. (3rd SS on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 32. New York Yankees- Garin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS(LA) - Cecchini has been flying up the boards. The Yankees have to start thinking of a long term replacement for Derek Jeter. Cecchini will need time to develop in the minors, and by the time he's ready, Jeter might be done. (4th SS picked)

11-18 from www.macksmets.blogspot.com: - 30. SS Garin Cecchini – one of my wild cards, I project him out as a late first rounder. I also like his name. (5th SS on list)

1-3 from www.perfectgame.com: - Top 2010 HS MIFs. Based on summer performance (PG Natl SC,TOS,Area Code, East Pro SC, Under Armour & AFLAC) and lots of discussions. - Garin Cecchini 6'2 -Under Armour All American. Big frame. Solid and smooth mif. Good arm strength. Projects well at 3b also. Classic left handed swing- good pull and lift. Good plate discipline. 6.88 60 .Played good lf for Team USA this fall. Plays the game the right way. High Potential.

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 32. New York Yankees- Garin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS(LA) - Cecchini has been flying up the boards. The Yankees have to start thinking of a long term replacement for Derek Jeter. Cecchini will need time to develop in the minors. He is big, and might out grow the shortstop position.



1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 27. Philadelphia Phillies – Garin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS (LA) – I should probably stop writing about Cecchini as a shortstop now, much like Yordy Cabrera. Cecchini’s long-term home is probably third base, though he would have good tools for that spot. Philadelphia has a noted history of drafting prep bats that are down a little on the refinement side of things, and I’d put Cecchini in that class. He’s got as much natural talent as the next prep, but will need significant work and a large number of minor league at-bats before seeing that natural talent on a Major League field. Previously: NR.

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - #32 New York Yankees: SS Garin Cecchini – Barbe HS (LA) - Always important to end on a high note, and I like this match between team and player. Cecchini is an outstanding athlete with a good arm, above-average speed, and very impressive lefthanded power. If you believe he’ll stick at short, then the Yankees can finally claim to have a worthy successor to Derek Jeter in the pipeline. Robbie Aviles, a New York native, is another name that fits here quite well.

14. Connor Narron – (new0 – Charles B. Aycock HS (NC)

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 129th



15. Jacoby Jones – Richton HS (MS) –



8-6: From www.baseballamerica.com: - Jones is an extremely good athlete that is exciting to watch. With a strong arm and a wirey frame with quick-twitch muscles, Jones has the tools to play multiple positions, including shortstop, third base and center field. He's an above-average runner with a high ceiling and has a verbal commitment to Louisiana State.

1-3 from www.perfectgame.com: - Top 2010 HS MIFs. Based on summer performance (PG Natl SC,TOS,Area Code, East Pro SC, Under Armour & AFLAC) and lots of discussions. - Jacoby Jones 6'3 - Aflac & Under Armour All American. Shows great hitting ability. Had a dbl in Aflac game. Gap to gap potential. Gamer. - Plus speed 6.59 60.Arm strength low avg. Good footwork in field, Athletic with soft hands.Plays hard. High Potential.

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 130th



16. Joel Mckeithan – (new) – T.C. Robertson HS (NC) -

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 148th



17. Chris Triplett –



11-2 from www.thehardballtimes.com: - Chris Triplett, Royals Baseball Club—Athletic, plus defensive 2010 SS with plus speed. Limited power for now.



2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 157th





18. Lonnie Kauppila – (new) – Burbank HS (CA.) -

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 162nd



19. Blake Kelso – Houston – junior… R/R… junior… 2009: played in all 58 games: .335, 16-2B, 3-3B, 2-HR, 23-RBI, 12-SB… played Cape Cod 2009 ball: .260

7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .286, 11-RBI, 14-SB… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game



10-17: from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - voted the 95th top player in college baseball in 2010



2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 198th



20. Kellen Sweeney –

1-3 from www.perfectgame.com: - Top 2010 HS MIFs. Based on summer performance (PG Natl SC,TOS,Area Code, East Pro SC, Under Armour & AFLAC) and lots of discussions. - Kellen Sweeney 6'0-Aflac All American. MLB lineage..Smooth Lefty swing. Quick hands generated plus bat speed. Athletic build. 6.74 60 . Avg arm strength. Good smooth inf actions and instincts. TJ surgery end of summer. He'll be back and ready to go this spring so watch out for this kid.

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 202nd





21. Tyler Cannon – (new) – Virginia -

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 209th


22. Drew Maggi – (new) – Arizona State

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 224th



23. Dickie Thon, Jr. (new) – Academia Perpetio Socorro (PR) -

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 244th


24. Kevin Koziol – (new) – Brother Rice HS (Ill.)

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 251st


25. Mike Antonio – 6-1, 185, R/R –



8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: solid stroke from right side, went with the pitch, showed alley power/extra base type power, eventually will develop 15-20 HR type power, runs well underway, 4.5 home to 1st, a step slow, but is not a clogger, solid arm and glove, to stay at 3b, eventually move to RF or 1b.

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 264th



26. Zack Powers – (new) – Armwood HS (FL.)

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 282nd



27. Chad Lewis (new) – Marina HS (CA,) –

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 283rd


28. Kyle Convissar – (new) – Servena Park HS – (MD.) -

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted


29. Nick DelGuidice – (new) – Florida Atlantic

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 293rd





30. Anthony Rendon - (new) –

2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - First Team - 3B Anthony Rendon, Rice


31. Sean O’Brien – Clearwater HS (FL) –



8-6: From www.baseballamerica.com: - at 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds, O'Brien has a pro body and the makings of five good tools. He has a quiet approach in the batter's box with good balance. He consistently gets the barrel on the ball and hits hard line drives. In the field he is fluid with a strong arm.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #42 – Sean O’Brien – 3rd SS on list

10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - SS Sean O’Brien - I realize I have O’Brien lower than Colon on this list, but I’m not quite sure why. I’m a man who loves upside, and O’Brien’s ceiling is higher than just about any other shortstop in this year’s class. Of course, I’m also a realistic enough fellow who can readily admit that Colon is a much more certain bet to reach his upside than O’Brien.

32. Joey Bergman – College of Charleston – senior- 2009: .452 15-HR 57-RBI

12-20 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com – voted to the 2010 MCBWA 3rd team all-american squad

33. Taijauna Walker –

10-3 from www.baseballrumormill.com: - 2010 MLB Draft Name To Watch: Taijuan Walker - A multi-sport star at California's Yucaipa HS, Taijuan Walker, is flying up the rankings for available prospects in the 2010 MLB draft. At 6'5" and 200 lbs, Walker, a right handed pitcher and shortstop, has a great body for a prospect, especially as a high schooler. As a pitcher, Walker provides everything a scout is looking for in a young prospect: good size, speed and movement in his pitches and a projectable arm slot. Though Walker has only recently been "discovered" as a pitcher, he's been a familiar name to scouts because of his work at shortstop last season, playing alongside Matt Davidson.



34. Brad Miller – Clemson – Sophomore… 6-0, 175… drafted in the 39th round by the Rangers in 2008… batted only .273 as freshman



35. B. A. Vollmuth – (new) –

2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - Third Team - SS B.A. Vollmuth, Southern Mississippi



36. Brandon Drury – Grants Pass HS ( OR) – 6-1, 180, R/R – excellent arm strength… good body control defensively… pure right hand swing…



37. James Harris – Etowah HS (GA) – 6-1, 190, L/R – very athletic… all-around toolsy talent…



38. Jacob May -

9-8: www.pgtracker.com lists as one of the top 10 high school players coming out of Ohio.

39. Kevin Haas – Akron –



10-7 from: - www.mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Kevin Haas---SS---Slick fielding Haas continues to play defensive and hit for a high average. The senior will once again be the leader of the infield and along with Plata and Kordal asked to carry the load that was left when power hitting Matt Roberts left after last season.



40. Ryan Hudson– UT-San Antonio – junior… 2009: .343, 17-HR, 43-RBI, .719 Slug%

10-15 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - ranked as the 96th top college player for the 2010 season

41. Bryce Ortega – Arizona – junior…

10-24 from www.mlbresource.com: - Top Returning Players - Bryce Ortega---SS--- Ortega is a junior this year and returns as the starting shortstop. Hitting .324 with 16 SB shows that Arizona has a true leadoff hitter that will look to spark the Cats this season.



42. Brandon Macias - Kansas… junior…



11-9-9 from www.baseballdraftreport.com: JR SS Brandon Macias (2010), another Kansas infielder with plus arm strength. Macias has very good defensive tools that should play up with as he gains experience playing at the highest level of collegiate ball. He has enough pop in his bat to go along with above-average speed to make him an interesting five-tool player to watch this spring.



43. Mike Lowery – LSU junior…

12-22 fr. http://baseballdraftreport.com: - JR SS Mike Lowery (2010) is out for the year as he recovers from back surgery.

44. Jake Schlander –

1-23-10 from www,baseballdraftreport.com: - JR SS Jake Schlander (2010) can really pick it at shortstop, but his inability to make consistent contact, hit for power, and get on base regularly put a damper on his pro prospects. He’s started since day one at Stanford, putting up lines of .232/.307/.256 and .232/.285/.324 his first two seasons. Those are stunningly bad numbers. However, as mentioned, Schlander can really pick it at shortstop. I mean, he can really pick it. Plus range, flawless hands, strong arm, he has it all. He’s like the John McDonald of the college game. John McDonald is a career .238/.276/.317 hitter in the bigs. John McDonald hit .261/.321/.329 in the minors. John McDonald just signed a two year contract that will guarantee him three million dollars. I won’t say that Schlander will ever be a big leaguer making coin like that, but I do feel comfortable predicting that he’ll be on draft boards either this summer or next. He’ll get a chance to show off his defensive versatility this season as Kenny Diekroeger swipes the starting shortstop job away, a blessing in disguise for Schlander’s pro prospects. Expect a forward thinking front office, maybe Seattle or Boston, to pop Schlander late (round 35+) against all offensive odds before he graduates.