Jeff Allison

[ssp]

If only we had a lower pick, I think I'd be more than happy with this guy. In fact I think he's more worthy of the #2 pick than Stauffer would be. The kid averages 93-94 or so I hear, and has hit 97 or so more than once. Plus his line is so unbelievable its not even funny.

118 K to 9 BB!!!!!!!! Whens the last time you seen that, and better yet that 118 K's in only 51 innings. Thats more than 2 K's an inning average. Oh yea, and to top it off he didnt allow a single run on only 7 hits. 7 hits in 51 INNINGS!!!!!!!! That's insane. I just hope the cubs dont add him.

[MassBrew]

Nice article on this kid if interested:

 

www.boston.com/dailyglobe...ess+.shtml

 

And my question in the BA chat last week:

 

Q: Jim Goulart from Assonet, MA and Brewerfan.net asks:

95-97 MPH, 6-0, 0.00 ERA, 102 K's, 7 BB's, 5 HITS Thank you, BA, for noting that Massachusetts RHP Jeff Allison has been the most dominant high school player in the country this year. Mike Jones went at #12 overall to the Brewers in 2001, and having just turned 20, is putting up impressive numbers in the AA Southern League. Could you please compare Allison to the Mike Jones of June 2001? As fluid a motion? As far as drafting RH high school pitchers goes, is it almost always simply a matter of higher risk higher reward? Thanks.

 

A: Allan Simpson: Allison isn't quite as projectable as Jones, because he's a couple of inches shorter, but he has better stuff and command than Jones did at the same stage. Jones continues to develop his curve and change, while Allison has a hammer curve to go with a 95-96 fastball. Allison has put up unbelievable numbers this year, but remember Massachusetts switched to wood bats this year. His mechanics are impeccable, but it goes with the territory that high school pitchers are high risks.

[colbyjack]

MB's been waiting for someone to lead him in http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

 

Allison's situation is rather odd. I don't know if it's because he's not 6'5" with the perfect pitcher's build, but Allison has done nothing but impress people for a couple of years now. Over the past year, he has seen Jared Hughes & Andrew Miller vault ahead of him due to some pretty impressive showing at showcase events & tournaments, only to fall back down after getting hitting around quite a bit during their regular season games. Allison continues to absolutely dominant, and from some of the reports I've heard players don't get much more competetive than Allison. A true gamer.

 

So why isn't he the sure thing that guys like Kerry Wood, Josh Beckett & Gavin Floyd were in past years? Like I said before, it could very well be because he's only 6'2". Plus, everytime you seen someone bring up his stats they always bring up the fact that Massachusetts makes their prep players hit with wood bats. This is an advantage, but who is to say that he wouldn't be just as effective if the competition was using aluminum?

 

And without a doubt it would help if he were pitching in Florida, Texas or California where legends are made. While Massachusetts has churned out it's fair share of prospects, players from the north always seem to have a heck of a lot more to prove than kids from the Sunbelt.

 

As for the #2 pick, tough to take any prep pitcher there, no matter how good they are. Even the aforementioned Josh Beckett has had his troubles staying healthy, and the same goes for Kerry Wood.

 

His mechanics are impeccable...

 

This is the only thing I would question, as I have heard there are some concerns with how he plants his lead foot on his release. A lot of mechanical issues are correctable, so maybe he did indeed correct this.