2006-07 DFE Thread - Five Players in Final DFE Class

[colbyjack]

Welcome to the 2006-07 DFE (draft & follow candidates) resource thread. With several junior and community colleges starting their spring season at the end of the month in January, I figured it was time to create a thread fully supplied with links and other handy resources to make it easier for everyone to follow the DFE candidates that are eligible to sign with the Brewers up until a week before this June's draft. Feel free to post comments/updates within this thread.

 

Keep in mind, with the new draft rules and the August 15th signing date to be instituted with the 2007 draft, this will be the last DFE class as the draft and follow process will effectively be eliminated.

 

To view the stories, articles and pictures collected on these players from draft day from here at Brewerfan.net, please visit this thread:

 

Brewerfan.net Draft Day page

 

I want to point out that from my previous draft recap story from last fall, I incorrectly listed LHPs Marc Lewis (Creighton) and David Newmann (Texas A&M) as DFE candidates. Both had Tommy John surgery during their college careers, but neither is a fifth-year senior. Lewis is a true senior that didn't miss any time after having TJ surgery his sophomore year, while Newmann is a redshirt junior after missing 2005 and 2006. Big things are expected particularly for Newmann this year, who has regained his 90-95 heater and could be the Aggies' Friday ace.

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

12. Chad Robinson, RHP (Community College of Southern Nevada)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/chad_robinson.jpg

 

Robinson burst onto the scene with an impressive performance at the 2004 Perfect Game National showcase which followed his sophomore year in high school. Easily pumping a 88-90 mph fastball that had touched 94 and a promising curve to go along with his tall and strong build, Robinson immediately became a player to follow for '06. That led to his selection as an Aflac All-American. Unfortunately he injured his shoulder and had surgery to repair the labrum in his throwing shoulder which caused him to miss the Aflac game, and he only started pitching again late in the spring of 2006. His arm has rebounded well from surgery, already regaining velocity on his fastball touching the low-90s. Robinson also throws a very good changeup and a decent slider, although he has been almost all fastballs since returning from injury. He originally committed to UNLV, although the Brewers convinced him to attend the CC of Southern Nevada so they could continue to follow him via the DFE process.

 

CCSN Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

17. Aaron Tullo, RHP (St. Petersburg College, FL)

 

Tullo had Tommy John surgery and wasn't able to compete during his junior year in high school after turning a lot of heads during an impressive sophomore campaign. That campaign obviously left an impression early on the Brewers, who decided to follow Tullo into this spring after he rebounded well from the surgery last year, returning to throw his fastball in the 90 mph range. Now two years removed from surgery, his head coach at St. Petersburg College, Dave Pano, has told me that Tullo's fastball now touches the 92-94 range, and he is working hard to improve his curveball and changeup as well, of which he didn't throw much last spring given his rehab. He has a tall and strong 6'3", 200 pound frame that could make him an incredibly exciting pitching prospect to follow this spring.

 

St. Petersburg College Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

19. Lee Haydel, CF (Delgado CC, LA)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/lee_haydel.jpg

 

Haydel is an extremely talented overall athlete, whose athletic prowess made him an exciting wide receiver/defensive back recruit for the LSU football team. The Brewers convinced Haydel to put his football career behind him while attending Delgado CC so they could continue to follow him as a draft and follow candidate. Haydel has speed to burn, and was one of the fastest players available for last year's draft. He has a perfect build, with long and rangy limbs that allow for plenty of room for added strength as he matures. His speed gives him exceptional range in centerfield, and he has a slightly above-average throwing arm. While there isn't much power in his swing at this point in time, more could develop, and right now his swing is tailored for contact which allows him to use his wheels to get on base and cause even more problems for opposing teams.

 

Delgado CC Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

20. Mehdi Djebbar, LHP (Seminole State College, OK)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/mehdi_djebbar2.jpg

 

The second of five Canadians the Brewers drafted last June, Djebbar is a relatively raw left-handed pitcher from Quebec. Built relatively short and slender, he has broad shoulders and strong limbs that lend themselves to increased pitching development with time and maturation. His delivery is rather smooth and effortless, and he currently throws in the mid-to-upper 80s with rather good control for such a relatively unpolished pitcher. The Brewers have been following Djebbar for several years now, and expect the velocity on his fastball to continue to increase while also hoping he can find more consistency with his breaking ball and changeup. He is a native Algerian that has only been playing baseball for the past six to seven years.

 

Seminole State College player profile

Seminole State College Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

Google Pitching Video

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

27. T.J. Macy, RHP (Scottsdale CC, AZ)

 

Built tall and strong with a prototypical workhorse frame at 6'4", 205 pounds, Macy has a 84" wingspan which gives him an even greater advantage as a pitcher, releasing his pitches to homeplate several inches closer than the average hurler. He is a very good athlete, excelling at both baseball and basketball in high school, where he starred as a internal force in the paint as a power forward. That natural athleticism leads to excitment towards Macy, who is working hard to repeat his delivery given his big body. He has a power arsenal, which led to 71 strikeouts last spring in 68 innings of work.

 

Scottsdale CC Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

28. Terrell Alliman, OF (CC of Southern Nevada, NV)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/terrell_alliman.jpg

 

Alliman, a native of Waterloo, Ontario, played shortstop for Team Ontario, but is moving to centerfield as he moves on to attend the Community College of Southern Nevada, joining another Brewers DFE candidate, Chad Robinson. Alliman played for the tournament champion Reds Scout Team last fall at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida. He has grown quite a bit over the last couple of years, going from a wiry thin shortstop and turning into a 6'3", 185 pound five-tool outfield prospect. Alliman has very good speed and range that serves him well on the basepaths, although he is still raw tracking fly balls in the outfield given his relative inexperience. He has a quick, slashing bat that could develop more power as he continues to fill out his growing frame.

 

CCSN Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

31. Robert Bryson, RHP (Seminole CC, FL)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/rob_bryson.jpg

 

Bryson is a shorter yet strongly built 6'1", 200 pound right-handed pitcher that posted a 8-1 record his senior year in high school, tossing five complete games with a 1.00 ERA. Over 53 innings of work he struck out 97 and walked only 10, a tribute to the command of his fastball. The velocity on his heater continues to rise, as he was clocked consistently in the 92-93 range last fall. Bryson's secondary pitches need to catch up to the development of his fastball, but the foundation is there for both a solid breaking ball and changeup, and it's only a matter of experience and him becoming more comfortable with those pitches. He'll get that experience against quality competition as a regular starter in a very tough Florida junior college circuit, as he is one of the more exciting names to watch of the DFE candidates.

 

Seminole CC player profile

Seminole CC Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

32. Nicholas Tyson, RHP (Lake City CC, FL)

 

Tyson was a teammate of Robert Bryson on the New Jersey Super 17 travel club. He is a 6'3", 180 pound right-handed pitcher. Like Bryson, Tyson will be a key starter in a very tough Florida junior college conference, and his Head Coach Tom Clark expects Tyson to open the season serving as the staff ace for Lake City Community College, a college the Brewers have mined several tmes before for talent. A tough competitor, he has good command of his fastball, which sits right around 90 mph with plenty of room for added velocity given his athletic, projectable frame, and he has a plus curveball when it is working for him that gives him two legitimate strikeout pitches. Added velocity and a more consistent feel for his curve this spring would make Tyson a likely candidate to sign with the Brewers.

 

Lake City CC Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

36. Clay Jones, C (Shelton State CC, AL)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/clay_jones.jpg

 

Jones is a very good all-around athlete that starred in both football and in baseball in high school. Drew interest from several notable D1 programs as a classic drop-back passer. His arm strength was evident in both sports, as he was an all-state selection as a two-way player, drawing attention for both his arm on the mound and for his arm behind the plate. He was also one of eight high school sluggers invited to participate in a high school home run derby as part of the Southern League All-Star Game last summer. The combination of his arm strength and power potential has the Brewers excited about his abilities as a solid all-around catcher. He is somewhat unrefined, but the tools are there.

 

Shelton State CC Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

38. Todd Fitzgerald, LHP (San Jose CC, CA)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/todd_fitzgerald.jpg

 

Fitzgerald enjoyed a very strong freshman season at San Jose City College, earning a rotation spot with an impressive fall performance. He went 3-3 on the season with a 3.53 ERA and showed his ability to miss bats by striking out 84 batters in 74 innings of work. He's a shorter (5'11", 170 pound) lefty with a solid three-pitch repertoire. His fastball sits in the mid to upper 80s, and he starred as both an outfielder and as a pitcher in high school. He has committed to play for the Cal Bears in 2008 should he not sign this spring or summer.

 

San Jose CC Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

42. Matt Peck, RHP (Cowley College, KS)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/matt_peck.jpg

 

Peck is a 6', 200 pound right-handed pitcher built shorter yet strong, with a compact, no-nonsense delivery. He started last spring rather slow, getting knocked around a little bit, but he settled down about mid-season to finish the year 5-1 with a 4.06 ERA. His fastball sits in the upper-80s, and there is reason to believe that he will add a few ticks as he continues to hone his delivery. Peck also throws a very sharp curveball and a solid changeup, giving him a well-rounded three-pitch repertoire. He throws all three pitches for strikes, and even when he started last season slow he did a good job limiting the damage against him by being stingy giving up bases on balls. Peck could be Cowley College's best pitcher this spring, and he has already committed to Oklahoma State for the 2007-08 school year if he doesn't sign with the Brewers or later in the summer should he be drafted again.

 

Cowley College player profile

Cowley College Baseball Page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

44. Bryan Crosby, 3B (Cleveland State CC, TN)

 

Crosby is an athletic, 6'1", 185 pound third baseman that has played for the East Tennessee Prospects travel team. Despite playing with several nagging injuries his senior year in high school, he still managed to hit .477 while hitting 10 doubles and six home runs. He also has some speed, swiping 12 bags on his way to being named first team All-District. Crosby's bat is by far his greatest tool, displaying a short and quick yet powerful stroke and generating a fair amount of bat speed. Expected to be fully healthy this spring, Crosby could put up some big numbers playing third base full time at Cleveland State.

 

Cleveland State CC Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

45. Matthew Thompson, SS (Eastern Arizona College, AZ)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/matthew_thompson.jpg

 

Thompson has a perfect athletic baseball frame at 6'3", 195 pounds. He starred in both baseball and soccer in high school, showing his balance and coordination in both sports. That natural athleticism along with a strong arm and good range serves him well at shortstop, and his frame generates exciting power potential from a middle infielder. Despite that natural athleticism, almost every facet of Thompson's game is raw, and the Brewers are hoping that everything clicks for him this spring.

 

Eastern Arizona College Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

46. Aaron Johnson, C (Lethbridge CC, Alberta, Canada, playing for Prairie Baseball Academy)

 

Johnson is the fourth player in three years that has played for the Prairie Baseball Academy while attending Lethbridge Community College in Alberta, Canada, and the second catcher. Left-handed hitting catcher Chris Copot was a DFE candidate each of the past two years, while right-handed pitcher Ryan Patterson was followed up until the 2005 draft and outfielder Garrett Regan was followed up until last year's draft. Finding information on these players has always been difficult, as all we know are Johnson's measurables: He is a 6', 190 pound right-handed hitting catcher.

 

Prairie Baseball Academy

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

47. Matthew Coburn, RHP (San Jacinto College, TX)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/matthew_coburn.jpg

 

Coburn has committed to play for pitching-rich TCU in 2008 should he not be signed this year, either by the Brewers or should he re-enter the draft this coming June. The Brewers lost another TCU recruit a few years ago, Jake Arrieta, who profiles to be selected in the first round of the 2007 draft after an impressive showing with Team USA last summer. Coburn has a very strong build at 6'1", 230 pounds and a power arsenal to match, although his stature will definitely draw some concern, so conditioning will always be an issue.

 

San Jacinto College Baseball page

San Jacinto College roster page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

48. Brandon Owens, RHP (Truett McConnell JC, GA)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/brandon_owens.jpg

 

Owens had surgery over the winter to remove three bone spurs in his pitching elbow. This surgery allowed him to avoid Tommy John surgery, and should allow Owens to pitch in some capacity this spring. He currently is on a rehab program, so the likelihood of him signing with the Brewers utlimately depends on how well his arm responds this spring. Owens was his high school team's best pitcher in leading them to the state playoffs as a high school senior, and is a good overall athlete that also starred as a hitter.

 

Truett McConnell College Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

49. Nicholas Spears, SS (San Diego CC, CA)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/nicholas_spears.jpg

 

Spears has a smaller, lithe yet wiry frame with plenty of room to add more muscle as he continues to mature. He has naturally broad yet sloped shoulders, and a high, narrow waist that makes him look like a natural infielder. Spears finest attributes lie on defense, as he shows a strong arm, quick hands, smooth actions and an overall steady glove from the shortstop position. There isn't much power to his swing at this point in time, but he has good bat speed tailor-made for making consistent contact. While he's not a burner and isn't a huge stolen base threat, he is a solid base-runner.

 

San Diego City College Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

50. Ricky Alvernaz, 3B (Cisco JC, TX)

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/ricky_alvernaz.jpg

 

Alvernaz is a live-armed infielder that could serve double-duty at Cisco JC. A good natural athlete, his arm and athleticism profiles well at the hot corner, and he has also seen some time in the outfield during his high school career, playing for the White Rock Titans of the British Columbia Premier Baseball League. Alvernaz has a large 6'3", 190 frame that leads many to believe that he could develop power at the plate to match his arm in the infield. He has good bat speed and can crush good fastballs, but he does struggle to recognize and make contact with offspeed stuff. Alvernaz' conditioning is also somewhat in question, and he could stand to improve his footspeed. He played with fellow DFE canidate Mehdi Djebbar on Canada's junior national team last summer.

 

Cisco Junior College Baseball page

NJCAA Baseball page

 

_____________________________________________________________

[colbyjack]

Many of the teams of the Brewers DFEs have begun their seasons, and a few of their team sites have done a good job keeping their stats up to date even this early in the season. I'm not going to bother updating those stats this early, as they have barely gotten their feet wet, but I just wanted to point that out to the die-hards (I know there's at least one http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif ).

 

Anyway, I missed this from a draft-related chat over at BA several days ago, but there's a nice note from Alan Matthews in response to a question about what players could make the biggest jump up in the draft:

 

On the junior college side, Chad Robinson was up to 94 mph in his first outing of the season at a juco in Nevada. He's a big, physcial righthander who had labrum surgery in high school. He's under control with the Brewers, and could be turning a corner.

 

That is very exciting to hear. We've heard reports of Robinson getting back into the 90s, but hitting 94 in his first outing is very encouraging.

 

Speaking of the CC of Southern Nevada, I'm not sure if they just haven't updated their online roster, but OF Terrell Alliman is not listed despite reports that he transferred there.

[brewmann04]

great news on Chad hopefully the brewers can add him to their Minor league system soon.

[colbyjack]

CCSN has added their stats to their webpage, and while that gives us a chance to see how Chad Robinson is faring so far this season, there is still no sign of Terrell Alliman.

 

Here's a quick update on how some of the Brewers DFEs are faring so far. Keep in mind, this is really, really early, and a few of the players haven't even started their seasons yet.

 

Chad Robinson

0-1, 2.51 ERA, 4 games (2 starts), 2 saves, 14.1 IP, 16 H, 17 K, 5 BB, .281 BAA

No word if Robinson is the team's closer or if he remains a starter.

 

Aaron Tullo

1-1, 1.42 ERA, 2 games, 6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 K, 7 BB

Tullo might be injured, as several of his pitching mates have 5-6 appearances so far.

 

T.J. Macy

0-1, 3.00 ERA, 3 games, 12 IP, 21 K, 5 BB

Macy was part of a no-hitter early this season, and you've gotta love that K rate.

 

Rob Bryson

1-1, 1.46 ERA, 2 games (both starts), 12.1 IP, 5 H, 16 K, 4 BB, .119 BAA

A very nice start all around for Bryson.

 

Nick Tyson

1-2, 7.40 ERA, 5 games (all starts), 21 IP, 28 H, 19 K, 6 BB, 3 HR

Not a very nice start all around for Tyson. The 3 dingers allowed stand out.

 

Bryan Crosby

.250/.471/.250, 12 AB, 4 BB, 4 K, 2 for 3 stolen bases, 4 Es

Only 12 ABs, but nice to see him walking despite not hitting.

 

Matt Coburn

2-0, 3.72 ERA, 5 games, 9.2 IP, 6 H, 11 K, 5 BB

Still a little wild, but he's one of the better San Jacinto pitchers among some big names so far this year.

 

Nicolas Spears

.167/.268/.250, 36 AB, 3 2B, 5 BB, 2 K

Like Crosby, its nice to see him drawing walks despite not getting many hits.

 

Ricky Alvernaz

.250/.400/.250, 20 AB, 0 BB, 1 K, 5 HBP

How do you have a .400 OBP when you're batting .250 and you haven't even drawn a single walk? Get plunked 5 times in 20 ABs.

 

Here's hoping that more schools start to add their stats in the coming weeks.

[colbyjack]

Almost a month since the last update. Again, its hard to get a good read on the DFEs, since the stats of course never tell the entire story, and not all of the teams provide stats. Terrell Alliman still isn't listed under CCSN's stats (he never appeared to have made it there) and Todd Fitzgerald is nowhere to be found for San Jose's stats.

 

Chad Robinson

0-1, 2.84 ERA, 6 games (3 starts), 3 saves, 19 IP, 20 H, 24 K, 9 BB, 0 HR, .267 BAA

Last stat update on 3/3, so these are somewhat old, and while Robinson's ERA went up, he has been harder to hit during that time.

 

Aaron Tullo

1-1, 3.38 ERA, 6 games, 24 IP, 16 H, 24 K, 25 BB

Scratch the injury concern, but strike up the concern about those walks. How can his ERA be under 6.00?

 

T.J. Macy

3-1, 1.43 ERA, 6 games, 37.2 IP, 19 H, 41 K, 14 BB

Based on the numbers, Macy is clearly a power arm to keep an eye on. Unless the stats are wrong, Macy has averaged over 8 innings in his last 3 appearances.

 

Rob Bryson

2-1, 1.75 ERA, 4 games (all starts), 25.2 IP, 14 H, 29 K, 8 BB, 0 HR, .151 BAA

Bryson continues to be one of the more impressive DFEs to follow, although his stats haven't been updated since 3/7. In his last two starts his line is: 13.1 IP, 9 H, 13 K, 4 BB.

 

Nick Tyson

3-2, 5.40 ERA, 11 games (8 starts), 45 IP, 57 H, 40 K, 11 BB, 13 2B, 3 HR

Tyson is still giving up way too many hits, but at least he is starting to give up fewer big hits and the ERA is dropping.

 

Bryan Crosby

.293/.442/.293, 58 AB, 16:15 BB:K, 3 for 4 SBs, 6 E

Still no XBH for Crosby, but his average is starting to creep up.

 

Matt Coburn

2-1, 2.30 ERA, 6 games, 15.2 IP, 10 H, 13 K, 7 BB

Pretty much the same line since the last update.

 

Nick Spears

.262/.340/.286, 42 AB, 1 2B, 5:3 BB:K

Nice to see Spears get his average up, but he only has one XBH.

 

Ricky Alvernaz

.310/.383/.429, 42 AB, 3 2B, 1 3B, 0:5 BB:K

Clearly hitting better with a few doubles mixed in.

 

Mehdi Djebbar

12 IP, 9 K

Incomplete stats from the inconsistent NJCAA pages.

 

Brandon Owens

1 game, 1 IP, 1 K, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB

One perfect inning for Owens so far this year as he bounces back from arm injury.

[Minigoon]

Community College of Southern Nevada pitcher Chad Robinson with another game in.

0-1 record, 3 saves, 7 games, 19 1/3 innings, 20 hits, 6 earned runs, 9 walks, 25 strikeouts, ERA of 2.79.

 

 

Saint Petersburg College pitcher Aaron Tullo with another game in, and 7 more walks.

1-2 record, 7 games, 26 2/3 innings, 18 hits, 14 earned runs, 28 strikeouts, 32 walks, 4.72 ERA.

 

 

Unfortunately, no information on Lee Haydel.

 

 

Seminole State College pitcher Mehdi Djebbar with some more innings pitched, and some amazing numbers.

2-0 record, 23 innings, 18 strikeouts, 4 walks, 14 hits allowed, 1 earned run for an ERA of 0.39!! Remember, he is a lefty and has only been pitching for 6 to 7 years.

 

 

Scottsdale Community College pitcher T.J. Macy with more early season success.

4-1 record, 39 1/3 innings, 44 strikeouts to 16 walks, and an ERA of 1.60.

 

 

Still trying to track down Terrell Alliman.

 

 

Seminole CC pitcher Rob Bryson continues to pitch well.

4-2 record, 7 games, all starts, 1 complete game, 45 1/3 innings, 54 strikeouts, 15 walks, .189 opponent batting average and an ERA of 3.18.

 

 

Lake City CC pitcher Nicholas Tyson still getting hit hard this spring.

3-2 record, 13 games, 9 starts, 54 innings, 46 strikeouts, 16 walks, 70 hits, 31 earned runs, opponents batting average of .303, ERA of 5.17.

 

 

Shelton State CC catcher Clay Jones is off to a good start.

21 games, 26 for 74, 6 doubles, 3 homers, .351 batting average, and a team leading 22 RBI's.

 

 

Lefty Todd Fitzgerald not showing up in the San Jose CC stats. Possible injury?

 

 

Still no stats for Cowley College righty Matt Peck.

 

 

Cleveland State CC third baseman Bryan Crosby with some extra base hits finally.

29 games, 28 for 81, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 3 for 6 in stolen base attempts, .346 batting average and 16 RBI's.

 

 

Eastern Arizona College shortstop Matthew Thompson with some good early numbers.

32 games. 34 for 92, 2 doubles, 5 triples, 1 homer, .370 batting average, and 23 RBI's.

 

 

No stats for Prairie Baseball Academy catcher Aaron Johnson.

 

 

San Jacinto pitcher Matthew Coburn seeing more action.

2-1 record, 10 games, 29 innings, 28 strikeouts, 13 walks, 14 hits, 6 earned runs, and an ERA of 1.86.

 

 

Truett-McConnell JC right hander Brandon Owens has made a few more appearances.

1-1 record, 5 games, 1 start, 9 2/3 innings, 7 strikeouts and 3 walks, no earned runs, and an opponent batting average of .162.

 

 

San Diego CC shortstop Nicholas Spears with a huge jump in his batting average and the extra base hits starting to come.

25 games, 30 for 87, 7 doubles, 1 homer, 16 RBI's, .345/.392/.460.

 

 

Cisco Junior College third baseman Ricky Alvernaz with a few more at bats and a few more hits.

18 games, 15 for 48, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 stolen base, 10 RBI's, .313/.377/.417.

[Minigoon]

Chad Robinson, RHP

1-2, 3.15 ERA, 10 games, 34 1/3 IP, 38 K, 18 BB, 3 saves.

 

ERA up a bit, and walks doubled for Robinson.

 

Aaron Tullo, RHP

1-3, 3.72 ERA, 10 games, 36 1/3 IP, 56 K, 38 BB.

 

Either the NJCAA stats are incorrect, or Aaron struck out just about every batter he faced since the last update.

 

Lee Haydel, CF

Unable to find any stats for Haydel.

 

Mehdi, Djebbar, LHP

3-1, 2.17 ERA, 8 games, 37 1/3 IP, 31 K, 9 BB.

 

Djebbar gave up some runs since the last update, but has still been outstanding this spring.

 

T.J. Macy, RHP

7-2, 1.65 ERA, 65 2/3 IP, 69 K, 19 BB.

 

Macy continues to impress.

 

Terrell Alliman, OF

Alliman appears to have changed his mind. He is playing for the Inter County Terriers instead of the CC of Southern Nevada. The Terriers season starts 4/28.

 

Robert Bryson, RHP

5-2, 2.94 ERA, 12 games, 10 starts, 2 CG, 1 SHO, 1 save, 85 K, 21 BB.

 

Bryson still looking strong this spring.

 

Nicholas Tyson, RHP

No change from the last update.

 

Clay Jones, C

No change from the last update.

 

Todd Fitzgerald, LHP

Fitzgerald is showing on the San Jose CC roster, but has not shown up in their stats all season.

 

Matt Peck, RHP

No stats for Cowley College yet.

 

Bryan Crosby, 3B

.317/.438/.404, 104 AB, 3 2B, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 3 for 6 SB.

 

Average has dropped a bit for Crosby.

 

Matthew Thompson, SS

No change from the last update.

 

Aaron Johnson, C

No information for the Prairie Baseball Academy.

 

Matthew Coburn, RHP

2-1, 1.69 ERA, 12 games, 32 IP, 31 K, 15 BB, 4 saves.

 

Coburn continues his strong spring.

 

Brandon Owens, RHP

1-1, 0.00 ERA, 7 games, 13 IP, 9 K, 5 BB.

 

Owens, working back from an injury, has not allowed an earned run, but still has been credited with a loss.

 

Nicholas Spears, SS

.345/.379/.478, 113 AB, 9 2B, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 4 for 5 SB.

 

Not much of a change from last time for Nicholas.

 

Ricky Alvarnez, 3B

.306/.370/.408, 49 AB, 3 2b, 1 3b, 10 RBI, 1 for 1 SB.

 

Only 1 AB for Alvarnez since last time.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have signed their first draft-and-follow from the 2006 draft class:

 

Link for Nick Tyson photo while active, text follows --

Not that it should be noteworthy, but considering recent threads on the subject, Tyson is African-American...

 

www.courierpostonline.com...002/sports

 

Timber Creek's Tyson signs with Brewers

By KEVIN MINNICK

South Jersey Courier-Post Staff

 

Nick Tyson's dream of playing professional baseball became reality Friday.

 

The first player ever drafted out of Timber Creek High School, Tyson signed with the Milwaukee Brewers and he will report to the team's spring training facility in Maryvale, Ariz., in the next week or so.

 

"I'm very excited. It's been a dream for I don't know how long," Tyson said Saturday from Gainesville, Fla. "All I ever think about is baseball. I'm ready and willing to learn more.

 

"This is something I've been waiting for. I'm excited but it really hasn't hit me yet. I know when I get home, everyone will be excited and that's when my excitement will probably come out. It's just a great experience."

 

A right-hander, Tyson was taken in the 32nd round of last June's draft. Milwaukee selected him as a draft-and-follow and were pleased enough with his progress at Lake City (Fla.) Community College to offer him a contract.

 

"He got real good, real quick," said Charles Alino, the Milwaukee scout who signed Tyson. "With the warm weather and the coaching down here, he worked hard and got a lot better very quickly.

 

"From our reports, he wasn't that great up in the north. He came down here, got some good coaching, worked hard and improved dramatically."

 

Alino said Tyson's fastball was clocked at 92 mph this spring.

 

"I increased my velocity about 2-3 miles per hour and my accuracy got a lot better," Tyson said. "I also got better on my slider. It's breaking better now.

 

"The coaching staff at Lake City has to get a lot of the credit. They pushed me as hard as I needed to be pushed. Our pitching coach knew what he was talking about and I saw the changes that I needed to see."

 

This spring, Tyson led Lake City in innings pitched (99 2/3) and strikeouts (89).

 

***

Here's some reports that our own colbyjack had provided:

 

Tyson was a teammate of Robert Bryson on the New Jersey Super 17 travel club. He is a 6'3", 180 pound right-handed pitcher. Like Bryson, Tyson will be a key starter in a very tough Florida junior college conference, and his Head Coach Tom Clark expects Tyson to open the season serving as the staff ace for Lake City Community College, a college the Brewers have mined several tmes before for talent. A tough competitor, he has good command of his fastball, which sits right around 90 mph with plenty of room for added velocity given his athletic, projectable frame, and he has a plus curveball when it is working for him that gives him two legitimate strikeout pitches. Added velocity and a more consistent feel for his curve this spring would make Tyson a likely candidate to sign with the Brewers.

 

Patrick, you were right on with those comments. But just to show that the scouts are looking at much more than the raw numbers, Tyson's stats this spring hadn't merited many positive notations in this thread.

 

Welcome aboard, Nick!

[colbyjack]

Thanks for sharing/finding that story Mass. That's a great addition to the organization, as Tyson was one of the guys I hoped would work out to open the spring.

 

They have quite a few power arms in this DFE class, so it will be interesting to see how many they end up adding and if that effects their approach in the draft at all (probably not).

[foamboy1]

Who else would you like to see signed, Colby....anyone with "first three round" potential?

[colbyjack]

I really like Rob Bryson, as he and Tyson were both favorites of mine entering the season as they both were very projectable coming out of high school with good yet improving stuff. I believe Bryson will be added once his season is over.

 

It's hard not to like Robinson, but it's hard to get a read on him. I really like the idea of adding the speed of Lee Haydel. There are a couple of other legit power arms in Tullo and Macy. Tullo may have more walks than innings pitched this year, but he's striking out 1.5 batters per inning, and they often say that one's command usually takes longer than one's velocity to recover after having Tommy John surgery, as it appears the velocity has already returned given his strikeout totals.

 

And Djebbar is a smooth lefty that commands the strike zone pretty well, so you know I like him.

 

I felt this was a strong class entering the spring and it seems as though several of these guys stepped up, which could make it one of the team's bigger, and hopefully better, DFE classes, which would be especially gratifying since it's the last year of the process.

[foamboy1]

Thanks...I always appreciate your insight...

[colbyjack]

A great column by my colleague at PG Crosschecker, Allan Simpson, covering the DFE process and some of the names to watch this spring:

 

www.pgcrosschecker.com/dr..._5207.aspx

 

Among the notes...

 

Quote:

---

Among some of the other top draft-and-follows are Meridian (Miss.) CC righthander Jordan Brown (Braves, 21st round), Seminole (Fla.) CC righthander Rob Bryson (Brewers, 31st round), Delgado (La.) CC outfielder Lee Haydel (Brewers, 19th round), San Diego Mesa College righthander Bryan Paukovits (Royals, 44th round) and Lake City (Fla.) CC shortstop Jovan Rosa (Cubs, 22nd round). All are considered possible top five rounders should they re-enter the draft in June.

 

According to scouts, Haydel ranks right behind Latos and Walden as the most desirable draft-and-follow.

 

?He?s very similar to (Tennessee outfielder) Julio Borbon,? said an area scout. ?He?s faster and has a better arm, though is not as big as Borbon. But he has gotten a lot stronger in the last year.?

 

Borbon is expected to be a mid first-round pick in this year?s draft, while Haydel projects as a possible sandwich pick or second-rounder?if he re-enters the draft. He was expected to sign with the Brewers upon the conclusion of his junior college season.

---

 

That's great news concerning Haydel, considering we didn't hear a peep about him all spring. That makes me bummed about the DFE process going away, since you lose this fun info that generates excitement out of no-namers.

 

Haydel's development could be very similar to Manny Parra's a few years ago, and it sounds as though he may get a pretty sizable bonus.

[colbyjack]

Continuing the information from yesterday's post about Allan Simpson's draft notebook, PG Crosschecker has a daily top 10 list, and today's lists the top 10 DFE candidates this spring. The list reinforces the notion that the Brewers will see the DFE put to bed with arguably their strongest class ever:

 

PG Crosschecker Daily Top 10 Lists - Week 13

 

Quote:

---

With the draft-and-follow process being phased out with this year?s draft, we thought we would continue along the same theme and identify the 10 draft-and-follows from the 2006 draft who have emerged as the top prospects this spring, and the most likely to sign before this year?s draft.

 

The players have until May 31, the beginning of the close period, to sign or they will re-enter this year?s draft. In fact, one player, Broward (Fla.) CC outfielder Sergio Morales agreed to terms with the White Sox late last week. The team the player remains under control to is noted, along with the round he was drafted in a year ago.

 

Top 10 Draft-And-Follows

 

1. Matt Latos, rhp, Broward (Fla.) CC -- Padres (11)

2. Jordan Walden, rhp, Grayson County (Texas) CC -- Angels (12)

3. Lee Haydel, of, Delgado (La.) JC -- Brewers (19)

4. Rob Bryson, rhp, Seminole (Fla.) CC -- Brewers (31)

5. Chad Robinson, rhp, CC of Southern Nevada -- Brewers (12)

6. Jordan Brown, rhp, Meridian (Miss.) CC -- Braves (21)

7. *Sergio Morales, of, Broward (Fla.) CC -- White Sox (12)

8. Jovan Rosa, ss, Lake City (Fla.) CC -- Cubs (22)

9. Bryan Paukovits, rhp, San Diego Mesa CC -- Royals (44)

10. Rudy Owens, lhp, Chandler-Gilbert (Ariz.) CC -- Pirates (28)

 

*Has already signed

---

 

Having the third, fourth and fifth best DFE candidates in the nation means the Brewers are in an excellent position to add some electrifying talent to the system before the draft even takes place. More ammo for the organization, and while Jack Z. is far from perfect, his staff certainly deserves a lot of credit for identifying and following this level of talent.

[Minigoon]

TJ Macy has signed a national letter of intent to play for Penn State. Not sure if this completely closes the door on him signing with the Brewers but it does complicate things.

 

www.gopsusports.com:80/pr...ncid=12508

[colbyjack]

Thanks Minigoon. We'll see how that plays out, as it may mean that Macy is looking for a big bonus to keep him from improving his draft stock at a higher level of competition (although Penn State isn't exactly a perennial powerhouse).

 

BA has some notes on Chad Robinson and Lee Haydel in their most recent draft dish. It's for subscribers only, so I'll paraphrase.

 

Robinson hasn't been sharp as some of his teammates, pitching in a wood bat league (I wasn't aware of that). His velocity has returned to his pre-injury form, topping out at 94-95 and sitting in the low-90s.

 

Haydel runs the 60-yard dash in 6.35 seconds (which we knew, but it's a nice reminder as to just how fast this young man is). Scouts weren't sold on him last spring because of his slash-and-dash approach, but he has worked hard to gain strength and is starting to drive the ball more. While raw at the plate, he has improved his recognition of breaking pitches.

[colbyjack]

PG Crosschecker has updated their top 100 draft-eligible prospects today, with Lee Haydel checking in at #88 with this comment:

 

The Brewers will make every effort to sign this draft-and-follow, who has added more power over the last year to go with his top-of-the-scale speed.

[Minigoon]

Quote:

---

Haydel projects as a possible sandwich pick or second-rounder

---

 

Since the Brewers do not have a 2nd round pick this June due to the Suppan signing, it would not surprise me to see them spend a good bonus getting Haydel signed. Remember when they signed Damian Miller, and gave up their 2nd round pick, they drafted Will Inman in the 3rd round and were able to pay a higher bonus to get him signed.

[colbyjack]

They definitely have some extra money to play with, as the Miller instance is a good example. Not only did they pay Inman a little more than slot, but I believe that is also the year they signed Dominicans Pascual and Peralta to something like $750K and $500K bonuses.

[statman0007]

What are the Brewers chances of retaining Haydel, Bryson, and Robinson?

 

It's very exciting to have three highly rated DFE's. Do any of these guys compare to Parra (in status), or was he higher rated then them?

[And That]

Pardon for stepping on toes here as I am nothing of a draft expert, but Haydel is not quite the prospect Parra was. IIRC, Parra could have been a mid-round first, and Haydel is a sandwich guy. The difference between the two is that Parra suddenly found 6 MPH on his fastball and Haydel "only" found some more power.

[colbyjack]

What are the Brewers chances of retaining Haydel, Bryson, and Robinson?

 

I think they're pretty high, just because the Brewers have always signed the DFEs they have wanted to in the past. Some signability issues come into play, such as Tim Smith wanting big money to forego ASU a year ago, but the team in particular knew how good Robinson and Haydel could be, which is why they were both day 1 picks a year ago (and which is why they convinced both of them to take the JC/DFE route).

 

And Toby's absolutely right, none of these players approach Parra status, but I always point out that Parra was a once in a lifetime situation of a guy throwing in the mid-80s that suddenly was touching the mid-90s. However, all three guys have enjoyed a big jump, and Parra's standing in 2002 shouldn't diminish that jump, a jump the Brewers were basically hoping they would make (the entire premise of the DFE process).

[JoeHova]

I really hope the Brewers sign all 3 of these guys. I'm still disappointed that they let Jemile Weeks get away (I know he wasn't a DFE, but still).

[Never Outhustled]

Far and away the most disappointing DFE we lost has to be Hunter Pence.

[Mass Haas]

Far and away the most disappointing DFE we lost has to be Hunter Pence.

 

Technically, we only had that one summer to sign Pence -- he went to a four-year school that fall after he was drafted in June.