Official Draft Pick Selection/Signing Thread

[battlekow]

This thread will be used to post all draft picks in order of their selection, as well as page-by-page details of the picks, which we will slowly but surely add to in the coming days.

 

Myself or another moderator will update the picks and player profiles. If you have comments/links about a player, please post them in the appropriate discussion thread.

 

Bold indicates player has signed.

 

1a. Clint Coulter, C, Union (WA) High School

1b. Victor Roache, OF, Georgia Southern University

1s. Mitch Haniger, OF, Cal Poly

2. Tyrone Taylor, CF, Torrance (CA) High School

3. Zach Quintana, RHP, Arbor View (NV) High School

4. Tyler Wagner, RHP, University of Utah

5. Damien Magnifico, RHP, University of Oklahoma

6. Angel Ortega, SS, International Baseball Academy (PR)

7. David Otterman, LHP, University of British Columbia

8. Edgardo Rivera, CF, Adolfina Irizarry de Puig (PR) High School

9. Alex Lavandero, RHP, Belen Jesuit (FL) Prep School

10. Anthony Banda, LHP, San Jacinto College

11. Preston Gainey, RHP, United States Naval Academy

12. Eric Semmelhack, RHP, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

13. Alan Sharkey, 1B, Coral Springs (FL) High School

14. Ryan Gibbard, RHP, Lynn University

15. Buck Farmer, RHP, Georgia Tech

16. Adam Giacalone, 1B, Neosho County Community College

17. Alfredo Rodriguez, SS, University of Maryland

18. Hunter Adkins, RHP, Middle Tennessee State

19. Carlos Garmendia, 3B, Monsignor Edward Pace (FL) High School

20. Michael Garza, SS, Georgetown

21. Austin Blaski, RHP, Marietta College

22. Taylor Wall, LHP, Rice

23. Paul Eshleman, C, Cal State San Bernardino

24. Michael Turay, C, Cal State Stanislaus

25. Lance Roenicke, LF, UC Santa Barbara

26. Mark McCoy, LHP, Barnegat (NJ) High School

27. Tyler Duffie, RHP, TCU

28. Martin Viramontes, RHP, USC

29. Bryan Saucedo, 1B, Malvern Collegiate Institute (ON)

30. Jono Armold, RHP, Flagler College

31. Brent Suter, LHP, Harvard

32. Nick Anderson, RHP, Mayville (N.D.) State University

33. Austin Hall, RHP, BYU

34. Tommy Burns, RHP, Don Bosco Prep (NJ) High School

35. Jose Sermo, SS, Bethany College

36. Alex Mangano, C, Southwest Miami (FL) High School

37. Taylor Brennan, SS, Edmonds Community College

38. Chris Shaw, C, Holy Trinity Academy (AB)

39. Derek Jones, CF, St. Marguerite d'Youville (ON) Secondary School

40. Chucky Vazquez, C, American Senior (FL) High School

[battlekow]

ROUND 1a: Clint Coulter - C

6'3", 210, R/R, Union (WA) High School

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/ClintCoulterBaseball.jpg?t=1338872414 http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/ClintCoulterWrestling.jpg?t=1338872773

(Columbian.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORTS:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

When scouts talk about dual sports athletes such as Jameis Winston and Anthony Alford, they are almost always talking about football players. It’s exceptionally rare to find a baseball prospect that comes from a prominent wrestling background. The two sports are diametrically opposed to each other when it comes training and execution, not to mention what constitutes a major injury in baseball is often just a minor distraction in wrestling.

 

Which is a good part of the reason, in addition to the pressure of always having to make weight, that Clint Coulter gave up wrestling after going 39-1 and winning the Washington state high school 189 pound wrestling title as a sophomore.

 

(Author's note: The only other baseball player/wrestler of Coulter’s level I remember over the last two decades is right handed pitcher Ben Grisz, who attended Duke and signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Nationals last year.)

 

Freed from the demands of wrestling, Coulter quickly filled out to his current 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame and is one of the strongest prospects in the 2012 draft class.

 

Coulter’s primary tool is his bat and power potential. He isn’t a quick-twitch athlete and more overpowers the ball with a short, strong fundamental swing than creating whip and superior bat speed. Coulter’s swing stays on plane with the ball for a long time and he’s at his best when he’s driving the ball from gap to gap instead of getting pull happy. He’s shown the ability to stay back and adjust to off speed pitches well and should be able to hit for both average and power at the professional level.

 

Defensively, Coulter’s arm strength grades out as a plus and he makes strong, consistent accurate throws to the bases. The one worry that scouts have concerns Coulter’s agility and quickness behind the plate. He has worked extensively with his high school coach, former Major League catcher Tom Lampkin, in learning the fundamental receiving and blocking skills and is a quick learner and almost obsessively hard worker. Coulter’s bat should be plenty good enough to remain a prospect if he is forced to move to first base.

 

Coulter has said that he patterns his game after Rangers catcher Mike Napoli and that is a very apt comparison, although Coulter is bigger and stronger than Napoli, who was about 6-foot, 190-pounds at the same age. Napoli was a 17th round pick of the Angels out of high school in 2000, although he was a very well-known prospect. But scouts strongly believed that he wasn’t athletic enough to catch and 6-foot right handed hitting first baseman aren’t in great demand. But Napoli worked hard and steadily improved his defense year to year while his bat has fulfilled its projection.

 

Another very fitting comparison would be Giants catching prospect Tommy Joseph. Joseph was a second round pick in 2009, just about where Coulter should hear his name called, with a strong reputation for his powerful swing. Joseph has surpassed all the Giants expectations thus far defensively and is now a starting catcher in AA at age 20.

 

MLB.com:

 

The best player in the Pacific Northwest in 2012, Coulter has the chance to be a good all-around catcher at the next level. Strong and durably built, Coulter has some serious power potential, with the ability to hit the ball out to all fields. He might not be the best pure hitter in the Draft, but he won't let any pitcher get away with a mistake. While he's certainly not a burner, he's not a slug on the basepaths, either. Behind the plate, his arm strength is a plus, but will need to work on his footwork as well as his overall receiving as he progresses. Few doubt he'll get there though, as Coulter gets high marks for his all-out play and his work ethic. It's those intangibles that should make him a good leader from behind the plate at the next level.

 

Baseball Instinct:

 

Considered one of the top catching prospects in the draft class, Coulter is more of a rough draft than a finished piece. He’s a big kid and has hit .402 this high school season but that’s just 42 AB worth of data. He’s 6’3″ and 200 lbs but athletic for his size. His bat has shown above average power but it hasn’t translated into a lot of production.

 

Our Instinct - He may be a better overall prospect with a few years of college experience under his belt. I’m not sold on the bat and he’s not a finished product behind the plate. He may go within the first few rounds, but this isn’t the player profile I go for.

 

The Pick - The first of the double fisted brew picks. Coulter was just outside out top 75 but I knew well enough that a team would reach for him so I had the profile ready to go. I think this is a reach and Brewers backpedaling after losing out on Trahan. But Coulter could be a solid defender. I just think there’s a long way before he’s a polished commodity and by then he may be too big for catcher.

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #48 in Baseball America's Top 500.

 

LINKS:

 

• MLB.com scouting video

[battlekow]

ROUND 1b: Victor Roache - OF

6'1", 230, R/R, Georgia Southern University

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/VictorRoache.jpg?t=1338873346

(bostonherald.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORTS:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

Roache put together a monster sophomore season at Georgia Southern, leading the nation with 30 home runs, the most by an NCAA Division I player in eight years. That was in stark contrast to Roache’s freshman season at Georgia Southern, where he went deep just eight times.

 

The feat was all the more remarkable because of the introduction of the less-potent BBCOR bats into the college game in 2011, which cut home runs almost in half from one year to the next. Additionally, Roache was second in the nation with 84 RBIs and 179 total bases while slugging at a .778 clip. He also jumped his batting average from .252 to .326.

 

Roache showed no signs of a let-up through the first half of the Cape Cod League season last summer and was clearly on pace for the first triple crown in league history. Through 25 games, he was hitting .397-5-24 and stinging the ball with authority. Almost overnight, his production slipped dramatically. He batted just .183 with one homer the rest of the way, and his strikeout pace climbed at an alarming rate. He succumbed on just 13 occasions in his first 25 games; in his final 18 contests, he fanned 31 times. Overall, he hit .316-6-28, but any chance of leading the league in even one of the triple-crown categories slipped away from him.

 

Roache’s uneven performance in summer ball left scouts puzzled. Not only did he hit with impressive power in the first half, but he had a solid approach at the plate and showed all the signs of becoming a complete hitter with his short, compact swing. Though he was prone to muscling balls out of the yard, rather than incorporating more hands and wrists in his swing, he hit every pitch in every direction of the field.

 

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Roache soon became a marked man throughout the Cape league, however, and began to see a steady diet of breaking balls. He began pulling off balls early with increasing regularity, and the more he struggled to make simple contact, the more he began to chase pitches out of the zone, even balls in the dirt. The reasons for his sheer inability to hit breaking balls that accounted for his dramatic drop-off in production are unclear, but the issue was raised if Roache might have been playing with a sore shoulder in the latter half of the summer season.

 

Oddly, just as quickly as Roache’s output dipped overnight last summer in the Cape, he made a similar upsurge in performance from both his freshman year at Georgia Southern to his sophomore campaign, and from the first half of his 2011 season to the second half. A product of a Michigan high school, Roache was hardly recruited by a non-Michigan college and somewhat predictably struggled in his first year facing college pitching. He lacked polish in all phases of his game.

 

Moreover, Roache didn't play summer ball after his freshman year as he spent several months recovering from a broken ankle that required eight screws and a metal plate to be inserted. Needless to say, expectations were low for Roache entering the 2011 college season and he didn’t get off to an especially hot start, homering just six times in his first 25 games. From that point on, he went on a tear, finishing six home runs ahead of his closest pursuer. He was just one of six D-I players to hit at least 20 homers.

 

Roache’s raw power stems mainly from the brute strength in his powerful frame, but scouts attributed his sudden resurgence midway through last season to minor adjustments in his swing, notably in his ability to lay off pitches out of the strike zone or those he couldn’t drive with authority.

 

Beyond his exploits with the bat, Roache shows average tools in the field and on the bases. He should be able to hold his own on an outfield corner, possibly even right field. Though he flashed an average arm most of the spring and summer, about 100 scouts saw him unleash his best throw of the Cape Cod League season from right field in the league all-star game. An average runner, he does not profile as a base stealer.

 

On the basis of his big spring performance at Georgia Southern and stellar showing through the first half of the Cape season, Roache would normally be a solid candidate for the top half of the first round in 2012. But because of his wild inconsistency, his draft worthiness now comes with a degree of risk, and it’s safe to say he will have to prove himself again this spring that he’s a legitimate power hitter.

 

MLB.com:

 

A raw hitter coming out of the Michigan high school ranks in 2009, Roache's years at Georgia Southern have served him well.A strong, physical specimen, Roache has plus bat speed and raw power, with the ability to hit the ball out to all fields. He has a solid approach at the plate, with good pitch recognition and rarely gets cheated. Speed isn't a part of his game, but he's a capable outfielder with enough range and arm to handle an outfield corner at the next level. He certainly looks the part and plays the game hard.There may be some who'll question if he'll hit enough to tap into that power, but it shouldn't be a huge concern. Power in an advanced bat is always highly sought after (see Choice, Michael) and with a good spring, Roache should see him near the top of many Draft boards.

 

Bullpen Banter:

 

One of the areas teams are really pushing to exploit in recent years is what I would call "under-coached players." We are talking here about kids off the beaten path of amateur scouts, showcase circuits and major school recruiting. These are kids who possess physical tools but often haven't played much baseball or been exposed to top level instruction. While obviously a scouting director would prefer a ready made product, the most toolsy players are being scooped up and signed out of high school more and more frequently these days. As a result, many org's are increasingly trying to find raw toolsy kids they hope they can teach the game to. This often means kids from cold weather states or smaller programs like Roache...These kinds of players can deliver a great ROI (return on investment) to teams if they're willing to be patient. Roache is a great illustration of this type of player. Due to flying under the radar in high school he's emerged as one of the toolsier players in the college ranks. There is plenty of reason to think he could continue improving with further coaching.

 

With Roache there will definitely be strikeouts, but also a good portion of patience and power. He should be a legitimate major league right fielder and has the potential to be a middle of the order hitter - though I'm far from certain he will ever get there. Its a cliche, yes, but you really can't teach bat speed like this. Even if Roache doesn't live up to his potential he should still end up one of the most coveted assets in baseball these days: a right handed power bat...Given the light tower power and bat speed, you can see why teams would be all over Roache in a draft that looks a little short on elite position players. Its a shame we won't get much of a chance to see Georgia Southern's games in the spring, but I'm still going to keep close tabs on Victor Roache.

 

Baseball Instinct:

 

Georgia Southern star is 6’1″ and 225 lbs of rock solid OF. Despite the power sapping new BBCOR bats in 2011, Roache hit 30 HR, the most since 2003. He uses a wide stance and excellent bat speed to help generate the power already supplied inside his frame. He’s average defensively and won’t be a liability in RF with his arm as a pro. He broke his wrist and needed 6 screws to put it back together. So there are questions as to if he can rebound.

 

Our Instinct - A power hitting prospect of this magnitude is normally highly sought after. He will however need time to develop his approach at the plate to get the most out of his power in the future. 30+ HR types are few and far between. Plus power with a chance for a near average hitting ability. But again, with the wrist issues and the power profile, this is a gamble.

 

The Pick – The elite power bat in the draft from the college ranks. A broken wrist has sapped his outlook, but the Brewers make a great pick. If he’s healthy… wow. An elite power bat to match up with Ryan Braun again.

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #22 in Baseball America's Top 500.

 

LINKS:

 

• MLB.com scouting video

[battlekow]

ROUND 1s: Mitch Haniger - OF

6'2", 180, R/R, Cal Poly

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/MitchHaniger.jpg?t=1338873596

(sanluisobispo.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORTS:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

An athletic talent in a pro-like 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame, Haniger is a complete package, capable of showcasing all five tools—particularly power and arm strength.

 

Even as he hit just .275-6-27 as a sophomore for Cal Poly, it was evident that Haniger had the natural ability to be a productive offensive player, and he has responded this season by batting .342-12-58, topping the Mustangs in homers and RBIs. He makes consistent, hard contact and his raw power has started to evolve into a legitimate weapon, though is still mostly to the gaps.

 

Haniger spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Cal Poly primarily in right field, but was shifted to center this season. He has playable-enough speed to play in center in college, but will likely return to right field at the pro level, where his strong, accurate arm is well-suited.

 

Projected as a third-to-fourth round talent at the outset of the 2012 season, Haniger has only elevated his draft worth through the course of the spring by becoming more of a factor at the plate, particularly in refining his set-up and staying more balanced throughout his swing path. He has also become more selective in his approach, walking a team-high 34 times vs. 32 strikeouts, and done a better job of both handling and even laying off off-speed stuff that used to tie him up in the past.

 

With his improved, more-selective approach, it has enabled Haniger to make better use of his raw power potential, and he was especially hot in the month of April, when scouts began to see him in a different light and soon upgraded his draft worth to a supplemental first-round consideration in June.

 

Haniger and his family have been down this path before as Mitch was a 31st-round pick of the New York Mets out of a Santa Clara, Calif., high school in 2009, while his older brother Jason, a four-year catcher at Georgia Tech, was drafted in the 19th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008, though didn’t sign at the time and was passed over a year later in the same draft where his younger brother was selected.

 

MLB.com:

 

In a year that is not known for college bats, Haniger's ability to hit with power has many teams intrigued with the Cal Poly outfielder. Strong and muscular, Haniger hits from a wide, open stance with plus bat speed and a slight uppercut that allows him to drive the ball to all fields when he makes contact. He's been doing that more consistently this year, showing improved plate discipline to improve his overall offensive game. There's enough loft and strength where he could hit 25 homers annually at the next level. Not a burner, Haniger is a heady baserunner who picks his spots to run. While he plays center field for Cal Poly, he'll be better suited for right. He has a plus arm and his power certainly profiles well for what teams look for in the position. There's going to be some swing and miss to his game, but the power, his arm and his aggressive style of play give him the chance to be an everyday Major League right fielder in the future.

 

Baseball Instinct:

 

The OF has plus power and a plus arm suited for RF as a pro. While he isn’t going to hit for .300+ AVG he does have a good approach and knows how to use his power by working into good hitters counts. He plays CF for Cal Poly, but is only average there and his arm should make him at least AVG in RF.

 

Our Instinct – Haniger will need to hit for the premium power that he projects to in order to make it as a major league regular. But he should move quickly once signed as there isn’t a lot of development to reach his ceiling as an average OF regular.

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #42 in Baseball America's Top 500.

 

LINKS:

 

• MLB.com scouting video

[battlekow]

ROUND 2: Tyrone Taylor - CF

6'0", 185, R/R, Torrance (CA) High School

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/TyroneTaylor.jpg?t=1338922139

(mbd.scout.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORTS:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

With all due respect to prep quarterbacks Jameis Winston of Alabama and Anthony Alford of Mississippi, Taylor might be the most statistically-impressive football prospect in this year’s baseball class. A running back, he rushed for more than 1,500 yards, caught 25 passes and scored 32 touchdowns on offense in 13 games last fall, while also amassing 190 tackles and four interceptions on defense. But the two-sport standout is a baseball-first athlete and any question about his priority was established last fall when he signed with Cal State Fullerton, a school without a football program. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound righthanded hitter is more quick than fast on the baseball field, and he’ll typically run down the line in 4.1 seconds, but post only average times in the 60-yard dash. Taylor has more power potential and offensive ceiling than most speed-oriented, dual-sport athletes, although he has been inconsistent offensively this spring for scouts.

 

MLB.com:

 

A two-sport standout (he's a running back in football), Taylor has some good raw tools that scouts are bound to be intrigued by. His speed helps him on both sides of the ball, and he profiles as a leadoff type who can steal bases, and as a solid center fielder. There is some debate about what kind of hitter he can be, with some projecting more power to come, and others thinking he'll largely be a gap hitter. It may take some time to come together, but the tools that are there could get the Cal State Fullerton recruit drafted in the early rounds.

 

Baseball America:

 

"Taylor is an athlete—I think he's a good player. A guy that runs a 6.75 (in the 60) with his tools and actions, he fits."

 

Offensively, Taylor displays a compact line-drive swing, and he barreled balls to all fields during batting practice. The Fullerton commit could have a bright future as an on-base-oriented slasher with the ability to be a premium defender.

 

Baseball Prospect Report:

 

Tyrone Taylor is a guy I have seen for three years. Taylor isn’t big or physical enough for power production at this point. He runs enough and throws enough for center field and can put the ball in play, that’s what he’s got going for him in terms of raw skills entering this draft. I’ve heard Hunter Pence offensive comparisons, but I’m not buying. That’s too gaudy of a comp for him. I saw Pence as a rookie and then talked to Biggo for 20 minutes about him after the game one night in the clubhouse in Anaheim in 2007. Pence’s hands were the thing – but Taylor is armsy. Taylor has an easy, fairly effortless swing, but he has trouble with anything hard middle-in and despite some home runs in high school, it’s a level swing tailored for the gap. He’s a straightaway hitter, which is a positive thing. But if you told me he was going to be a power-hitting center fielder, I would say no, and that means he should play college ball if he wants huge money out of the draft. If you told me he was a center fielder who could run slightly above average out of the box and make going first to third look pretty, I’d go for that. But to call him a power-hitting center fielder is incorrectly profiling what he currently is and asks a lot of what he might be. The Pioneer League home runs don’t mean a whole lot to me. He’s a center fielder with OK speed, who needs work in the outfield espescially on balls hit right at him (as do most young center fielders), and has never driven the ball in these showcase things the way, say, a Christian Lopes did all the time. He can make contact, but he’s got a long way to go to prove himself in the larger world.

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #95 in Baseball America's Top 500.

 

LINKS:

 

• MLB.com scouting video
  
• 
  
• Taken with 92nd pick, Taylor must now weigh Cal State Fullerton opportunity vs. signing with Milwaukee

[battlekow]

ROUND 3: Zach Quintana - RHP

5'11", 180, R/R, Arbor View (NV) High School

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/zachquintana.jpg?t=1338941126

(perfectgame.org)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

Quintana’s No. 2-ranked Arbor View High team (31-4) squared off against No. 1 Bishop Gorman (34-2) in the opening-game of the Nevada 4-A playoffs on May 9, and beat the six-time state champion, 9-8. Quintana’s two-way talents were on display as he threw a complete game and also drove in three runs, although he did allow a pair of two-run homers to Bishop Gorman star Joey Gallo. The 6-foot, 190-pound Quintana has a strong, physically-mature and athletic frame, and a quick, live arm with a fastball that was normally in the 88-92 mph range last summer, but has been more consistently in the low-90s and up to 94-95 this spring. He also has a solid mid-70s downer curveball and good feel for an upper-70s changeup. He displays good overall pitchability and commands three pitches, and has the arm speed to add even more velocity. If he was even 2-3 inches taller, Quintana might push to be drafted as high as the second round.

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #190 in Baseball America's Top 500.

 

LINKS:

 

• MLB.com scouting video
  
• Quintana said he plans to sign with Milwaukee as soon as possible, passing on a scholarship from San Diego State

[battlekow]

ROUND 4: Tyler Wagner - RHP

6'3", 195, R/R, University of Utah

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/TylerWagner.jpg?t=1338949567

abc4.com

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

The rangy 6-foot-3, 195-pound Wagner has an explosive arm with a fastball that frequently touches 95 mph and gets on hitters quickly from a three-quarters slot. He also has a second plus pitch in a power slider, giving him two weapons needed to excel as a closer. Wagner had only two saves in 17 appearances in early May, though as his opportunity to close out games was limited. At the same time, Wagner struggles to throw strikes consistently, which led to a 2-5, 3.98 record, while walking 21 and striking out 29 in 32 innings. Had he pitched more like he did in 2011, Wagner might have been a fit as early as the third round, though is still expected to be the state’s top pick.

 

LINKS:

 

• Wagner open to closing or starting

[battlekow]

ROUND 5: Damien Magnifico - RHP

6'1", 195, R/R, University of Oklahoma

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/DamienMagnifico.jpg?t=1338950147

(crimsonandcreammachine.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Magnifico was one of the top unsigned picks in the 2009 draft, spurning a fifth-round offer from the New York Mets, but missed the 2010 season altogether at Howard (Texas) College with a stress fracture in his right elbow, and has spent significant time since trying to get healthy. Though he has essentially been pain-free in his first season at Oklahoma, scouts have some concerns about the four screws that remain in Magnifico’s right elbow. But they understandably have far fewer worries about the power in his electric right arm. Although he has been unable to settle into any kind of consistent, established role this spring with the Sooners while producing a 1-1, 3.86 record with two saves, along with 20 walks and 24 strikeouts in 37 innings—Magnifico has posted unprecedented radar-gun readings, including one game in April when his fastball touched 103 mph, and he threw 24 pitches in triple digits. His last pitch, in the eighth inning, registered at 99. Magnifico has reached at least 100 mph in almost every outing, and does it with relative ease.

 

Perfect Game Bonus Draft Focus Report:

 

If the ability to throw hard was the sole gauge in evaluating pitching prospects, Magnifico would be the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft. Hands down!

 

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound righthander has routinely hit triple digits this spring for Oklahoma, peaking as high as 103 mph. Only two or three other pitchers in this year’s draft class can legitimately claim to have reached 100, and then only in glimpses. Magnifico does it as a matter of routine.

 

In his signature outing of the 2012 season, a non-conference game against Arkansas on April 10, Magnifico touched triple digits 24 times while dispatching the Razorbacks 4-0. In 8-2/3 innings, he walked three, allowed three hits and struck out four. He threw hard from start to finish, with one of his fastballs in the ninth inning registering an electric 101.

 

Despite being able to throw exceptionally hard, Magnifico has struggled to harness his overpowering stuff. In 18 appearances (4 starts) for the Sooners, he is 2-1, 4.01 with two saves; in 43 innings, he has walked 20, struck out 27 and allowed 46 hits.

 

His arm action was very fluid and easy, and when he's at his best he throws strikes almost as a matter of routine with all his pitches. In that regard, he has made an effort to try and take a little velocity off his big fastball in an attempt to throw more strikes.

 

Magnifico was one of the top unsigned picks in the 2009 draft, spurning a fifth-round offer from the New York Mets, but missed the 2010 season at Howard (Texas) College with a stress fracture in his right elbow, and has spent significant time since trying to get healthy. As a red-shirt freshman in 2011 at Howard, he went 3-2, 5.23.

 

Though he has essentially been pain-free in his first season at Oklahoma, scouts have some concerns about the four screws that remain in Magnifico’s right elbow. But they understandably have far fewer worries about the power in his electric right arm. More than anything, he needs a fair chance to pitch on a regular basis, to work through all his issues, and that opportunity should definitely come at the next phase of his career, where development is emphasized over wins and losses.

 

If it all comes together, he could become a dominant big-league pitcher.

 

MLB.com:

 

Just how high can a guy who throws one pitch go in the Draft? We might find out with Magnifico. Granted, the one pitch is a plus plus fastball that consistently touches triple-digits, but it doesn't have much life, making it more hittable than it should be. He throws a slider, but it's below average, and there is some question about his medical, given that he had screws inserted in his elbow when he was in junior college. Still, that arm strength doesn't grow on trees, and a team that thinks it can help Magnifico add a secondary offering may take a shot at turning him into a short reliever.

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #122 in Baseball America's Top 500.

[battlekow]

ROUND 6: Angel Ortega - SS

6'2", 170, R/R, International Baseball Academy (PR)

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/AngelOrtega.jpg?t=1338951043

(perfectgame.org)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

The wiry 6-foot-2, 165-pound Ortega has outstanding actions at shortstop, with easy flowing movements, very soft and flashy hands, and excellence balance through release on his throws. He’s fun to watch play defense and has a nose for the spectacular play. While his glove grades out as well-above average, his raw arm strength is average, although it plays up due to his quick exchange and release. A switch-hitter, it is believed he could progress as a hitter as he continues to add strength to his frame. Like his Puerto Rican teammate Janluis Castro, Ortega has a scholarship to Alabama State and that would appear to be the more-prudent place for him to develop his talent.

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #226 in Baseball America's Top 500.

 

LINKS:

 

• Baseball America: Correa, Big Arms Stand Out At Excellence Tournament (5/2/12)

[battlekow]

ROUND 7: David Otterman - LHP

6'3", 215, R/L, University of British Columbia

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/DavidOtterman.jpg?t=1338955766

(news1130.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

Because of his Canadian upbringing, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Otterman is a little farther behind in his development than the typical college junior, but his arm works well, his delivery is clean and there is plenty of projection left in his big frame. His fastball typically sat in the 88-90 mph range most of the spring, occasionally peaking at 91. He also mixed in a slider, curve and change, and his slider has a chance to be a plus offering in time. Though it plays against NAIA competition, UBC is Canada’s most-recognized intercollegiate baseball program, and Otterman topped the club with a 2.57 ERA and .192 opponent batting average while going 5-3 with 22 walks and 45 strikeouts in 77 innings. More than anything, he needs to refine his command going forward to get the maximum out of his ability.

 

LINKS:

 

• University of British Columbia pitcher David Otterman drafted by Brewers, expects to sign
  
• Thunderbirds ace left-hander impresses Brewers

[battlekow]

ROUND 8: Edgardo Rivera - CF

6'0", 155, L/R, Adolfina Irizarry de Puig (PR) High School

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/EdgardoRivera.jpg?t=1338956241

(perfectgame.org)

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

Rivera was a virtual unknown, even among Puerto Rican scouts, at the beginning of the spring season, and there have even been whispers that one big-league team may have been hiding him out with the goal of slipping him through to the draft sight unseen at major scouting events. That won’t happen now as word of Rivera’s blinding speed leaked out and he was included among other elite Puerto Rican prospects in the Excellence Games in early May. Rivera ran the 60 in a lightning-fast 6.3 seconds at that event and comparisons were immediately made to another former Puerto Rican speedster, Reymond Fuentes, a 2009 first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox. The attending Major League Scouting Bureau immediately slapped an OFP grade of 56 (on a scale of 20 to 80) on Rivera, the second-highest ranking of any player in the 2012 Puerto Rican draft class behind star shortstop Carlos Correa (58). While Rivera’s skills are raw and his resume too short to be drafted where that grade might normally imply, Rivera generated enough interest to have a strong chance of going inside the first five rounds.

 

And from a separate PerfectGame report:

 

Rivera was on virtually no one’s follow list before competing in the Excellence Games in early May, where he ripped off a startling 6.3-time in the 60. He prompted an immediate string of comparisons to Boston Red Sox 2009 first-round Rey Fuentes, a speed-based talent. While Rivera and Fuentes share the same type of raw speed, most scouts are quick to realize that Rivera’s overall skills are too raw at this point to hold up that comparison, perhaps as a result of the very limited exposure he has had against high-level competition. Rivera is a lefthanded hitter with a short, quick swing that is pretty fundamentally sound, although he is unlikely to develop anything more than gap-type power in the future. His blazing speed will no doubt provide him with exceptional range once he improves his routes and jumps on fly balls in centerfield. There is some talk of Rivera being drafted as high as the third round, but the fifth round seems more appropriate, given his late emergence as a prospect.

 

MLB.com:

 

At this point, Rivera is very raw but has definitely shown off his plus speed. He has good range in the outfield, but with an average arm. At the plate, he makes consistent, solid contact with pretty good bat speed. With such a small frame, power won’t be part of his game. Rivera has some mechanical problems, but if teams think that they can smooth them out, he will be an early-round Draft pick.

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #176 in Baseball America's Top 500.

[battlekow]

ROUND 9: Alejandro Lavandero - RHP

6'3", 180, L/R, Belen Jesuit (FL) Prep School

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/th_Alejandro.jpg

(berecruited.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

2011 PG National report:

 

Alex Lavandero is a 2012 RHP/OF with a 6-3 175 lb. frame from Miami, FL who attends Belen Jesuit HS. Very long limbed, slender build, looks taller than list. Very deep arm circle, short stride, needs to lengthen out some, high 3/4's arm slot, loose and smooth out front. Steady 89-91 mph fastball, good downhill angle. Hard downer curveball spin when on top, tends to drop release point and get big softer sweep, nice fade and arm speed on change up. Throws strikes and has an idea, good arm that projects. Good student, verbal commitment to Florida Atlantic

[battlekow]

ROUND 10: Anthony Banda - LHP

6'3", 175, L/L, San Jacinto College

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/AnthonyBanda.jpg?t=1338958371

(sanjacsports.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 11: Preston Gainey - RHP

6'3", 205, R/R, United States Naval Academy

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/JamesGainey.jpg?t=1338959341

(perfectgame.org)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 12: Eric Semmelhack - RHP

6'5", 230, R/R, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/EricSemmelhack.jpg?t=1338959759

(uwmpanthers.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 13: Alan Sharkey - 1B

6'1", 185, L/L, Coral Springs (FL) High School

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/AlanSharkey.jpg?t=1338961968

(coralspringsconnection.wordpress.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 14: Ryan Gibbard - RHP

6'3", 220, R/R, Lynn University

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/RyanGibbard.jpg?t=1338962414

(ncaa.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 15: Buck Farmer - RHP

6'4", 230, L/R, Georgia Tech

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/BuckFarmer.jpg?t=1338962786

(ramblinwreck.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

Perfect Game (Courtesy of and with permission from Patrick Ebert and the folks at PerfectGame.org):

 

Farmer progressed from Sunday to Friday starter this spring at Georgia Tech, and has had to assume even more responsibility of late with injuries to righthanders Luke Bard and Matt Grimes. He has been steady all spring (5-3, 3.34, 59 IP, 74 SO) with a marked uptick in his strikeout ratio from his previous two seasons. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Farmer comes at hitters aggressively with four different pitches from a cross-body, high-three-quarters release point. His fastball is fairly straight at 89-92 mph, and will touch 94 early in games. He throws both a downer curveball around 74 mph, and a big, sweeping slurve at 79, although is still looking for more consistency from both pitches. His best secondary pitch is often his low-80s changeup that can be very effective against lefthanded hitters. Farmer is a durable workhorse capable of throwing consistent strikes and challenging hitters.

 

2011 Cape Cod League top prospect reports:

 

6-3/220 RHP came to league on heels of impressive sophomore season at Georgia Tech (11-3, 2.91, 108 IP, 31 BB/106 SO), but didn’t live up to hype, issue raised how much he wanted to be there; went 2-1, 5.57 in four starts (21 IP, 4 BB/17 SO); still flashed impressive 4-pitch mix with 90-93 FB, topping at 94, advanced feel for CU/SL/CH, though command inconsistent.

 

MLB.com:

 

Georgia Tech's Friday starter has had a very effective college career using a combination of decent stuff and pitchability. Big and strong, Farmer has three usable pitches in his repertoire. He has a Major League average fastball, touching 92 mph, though he can reach back for more on occasion. Farmer's changeup is his best pitch, a future plus offspeed offering. He needs to figure out if his breaking ball should be a slider or curve -- he gets caught in between -- but he's thrown both effectively at times. He has good command, especially of his fastball, and can throw all of his pitches for strikes. Farmer isn't one of the high-end, top-of-the-rotation type prospects in this Draft class, but he does have the chance to be a middle-of-the-rotation type in the big leagues in the future.

 

OTHER LINKS:

 

• MLB.com scouting video

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #117 in Baseball America's Top 500.

[battlekow]

ROUND 16: Adam Giacalone - 1B

6'2", 218, L/R, Neosho County Community College

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/AdamGiacolone.jpg?t=1339130281

(shawneedispatch.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #464 in Baseball America's Top 500.

[battlekow]

ROUND 17: Alfredo Rodriguez - SS

5'11", 165, R/R, University of Maryland

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/AlfredoRodriguez.jpg?t=1339130563

(umterps.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 18: Hunter Adkins - RHP

6'4", 190, R/R, Middle Tennessee State

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/HunterAdkins.jpg?t=1339131014

(goblueraiders.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 19: Carlos Garmendia- 3B

5'11", 160, R/R, Monsignor Edward Pace (FL) High School

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/CarlosGarmendia.jpg?t=1339131579

(perfectgame.org)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 20: Michael Garza - SS

6'0", 200, R/R, Georgetown

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/MikeGarza.jpg?t=1339131826

(guhoyas.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

[battlekow]

ROUND 21: Austin Blaski - RHP

6'3", 200, R/R, Marietta College

 

SCOUTING REPORT:

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/austinblaski.jpg?t=1339132140

(postcrescent.com)

 

NOTES:

 

• Ranked #372 in Baseball America's Top 500.

[battlekow]

ROUND 22: Taylor Wall - LHP

6'2", 195, L/L, Rice

 

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa319/toddecopp/TaylorWall.jpg?t=1339132542

(mvtimes.com)

 

SCOUTING REPORT: