2008 College Resource Thread

[colbyjack]

More player observations...

 

Stanford vs. Santa Clara

 

Cord Phelps-2B-Stanford

Well proportioned athlete & switch-hitter. Has a nice, level stroke from both sides of the plate. Nothing of his game really stands out, but he's a steady player that hits for average and has a nice eye at the plate. One emailer asked me if he was the second coming of Jed Lowrie to which I answered no, as he doesn't have Lowrie's tools or overall upside, but he could develop into a solid utility player down the road.

 

Jason Castro-C-Stanford

I don't remember being as impressed with Castro's conditioning as I was this time. He's a good looking athlete, with a loose but sturdy frame and good athleticism for a catcher. He's a left-handed hitter with power potential, and has improved his ability to throw runners out (threw two runners out in this game). He has a good eye at the plate but some holes in his swing, but is having a big year after having a big summer on the Cape and is positioning himself as a solid sandwich or second round pick.

 

Sean Ratliff-CF/RF-Stanford

Ratliff has a great athletic body that resembles Jeff Francoeur, and his approach at the plate is similar to Francoeur's in that he doesn't draw many walks and strikes out a lot, often swinging for the fences at the first pitch he thinks he can crush. He's going to have to tone down his swing and adjust his approach to have success at the next level, but the talent is there. He also has a very strong arm, and could be drafted as a pitcher.

 

Brent Milleville-DH/C-Stanford

A big, big fella with a thick lower half and a low waist. It's tough to project him at the next level since he isn't as good physically as the Stanford players listed above, but he can hit the ball a mile when he connects. He hit a grand slam on a low inside fastball in the game I watched, a homer that was hit a mile in the air that carried the same distance.

 

Randy Molina-1B-Stanford

Another big fella, Molina is different from Milleville in that he's more of a contact hitter that likes to go the other way. He hit well in the NWL last summer, and is hitting well this spring. He came to Stanford as one of the nation's top prep hitters, and hasn't really put it together prior to this year. He may have a tough time advancing as a pro if his power doesn't develop, as he's limited to 1B. He hit a 2-run home run and a 3-run double in the game I watched using an easy inside-out swing.

 

Tommy Medica-C-Santa Clara

A great looking athlete similar to Ratliff that played for Team USA last summer. He has very good bat speed and a strong arm behind the plate, and is having a good year so far for the Broncos.

 

Evan LeBlanc-OF-Santa Clara

LeBlanc is having a very good year at the plate, showing a good eye and very good bat speed and the willingness to go with the pitch. He has intriguing power potential, and hit a home run to the right side of straight-away CF on a high outside FB. He has good size and a strong hands that allows him to hit balls deep in the strike zone. He's a confident/cocky player that clearly exudes confidences on the baseball field.

 

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Georgia Tech vs. Wake Forest

 

Eddie Burns-RHP-Georgia Tech

A very tall right-handed pitcher that resembles former Brewers ace Jeff D'Amico with strong limbs and lower half and a high waist. He throws in the 89-90 range and can touch 93. He shows a good but not great mid-70s curve that has just enough bite to miss some bats. There is some deception to his short-arm delivery that he repeats well.

 

Allan Dykstra-1B-Wake Forest

Not much more to report from my previous observations on Dykstra. I think he's going to struggle to hit for average, but is going to walk a ton and can hit the ball a mile when he connects. He's getting pitched around a lot in a weak WF offense, but isn't aggressive enough to punish the mistakes he does see.

 

Derek Dietrich-SS-Georgia Tech

Watch this kid in two years, as we'll be talking about him as a high draft prospect for the 2010 draft. He's a great overall athlete that hits from the left side. He does a good job minimizing his own strike zone with a crouched stance, and has very good loft and extension to his swing that has translated into impressive power production for a freshman. I don't think he's a SS at the next level, but he has a few years to prove me wrong.

 

Luke Murton-OF-Georgia Tech

Yet another big, hulking slugger. The younger brother of Matt Murton, Luke doesn't have the same kind of swing. Luke is all about power with a tall and muscular build, with a barrel chest and thick upper half. His body tapers off as you go down, as he almost has chicken legs given how big he is. He's having a big spring, but he has a very long yet level swing and is going to be prone to striking out. Similar to Randy Molina, I don't know how much power potential this young man has at the next level.

 

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Georgia vs. Florida

 

Gordon Beckham-SS-Georgia

I got to see two games from this big SEC matchup over the weekend, and I actually got a look at some of Beckham's weaknesses. Don't get me wrong, he still had a huge series, but I think his swing is a little too pull-happy when he isn't driving balls to the outfield. A few of his hits that found holes on the left side of the infield likely would have been outs using a wood bat. Still, he has very good bat speed and his bat as I've mentioned before stays in the zone a long time. He can be a very good bad ball hitter, and because of those hitting attributes he reminds me a little of Ryan Braun. He's a durable player that hasn't missed a game during his college career. In game one he hit a single in the first on an outside fastball that found the IF hole that I mentioned before. He ripped an outside FB to RCF for a 2B in the 3rd, was hit by a pitch in the 4th, ripped a breaking ball low and away to LF for a RBI 2B in the 6th and walked in the 8th. In game two he looked human by striking out in the first and also by commiting an error in the same frame. He had another walks and another hit on an outside pitch that found the hole on the left side of the infield. I will say that on those hits through the infield he showed his bat speed by hitting the ball hard enough to be able to get a hit. He also hit a home run late i the game, and overall ee shows a nice transfer defensively and also showed his speed by swiping a couple of bags between the two games.

 

Joshua Fields-closer-Georgia

By far the most impressive outing of anyone I have seen this year. Fields came in during the Friday game in the 8th inning with one out and the bases loaded and promptly struck out the first two batters he faced to get out of a huge jam. Then he struck out the side in the ninth in impressive fashion to finish the game. He was throwing pure gas with an absolutely nasty curveball. It took him only 11 pitches to strike out the side, striking out the first two on only 3 pitches each. He received some very generous calls from the umpire, but still, this young man is virtually unhittable, and as I've been saying for the past few weeks, if Casey Weathers can go 8th overall there's no reason he can't.

 

Trevor Holder-RHP-Georgia

Holder is a good but not great all-around pitcher. He's a good athlete that actually looks like he could be a good hitter. He pounds the bottom half of the strike zone throwing strikes and changing speed while inducing a ton of ground balls. He has a very good changeup and works quickly. He tantalizes batters away before busting them inside, and while he doesn't miss a ton of bats, few hitters hit him hard. He looks to pitch in the 88-91 range with good sink on his fastball, and like Burns, while he doesn't have a big breaking ball, there's enough late bit on it for it to be an effective 2nd or 3rd pitch, depending on how much he throws his changeup.

 

Stephen Locke-LHP-Florida

One scout told me during his prep career that he would take Locke in the first round for his pitchability, savvy and improving stuff. He doesn't look particularly overpowering, but he hits his spots and changes speeds very well. He has a really nice changeup, and did a nice job striking out Beckham in the first inning of game two. He reminds me in size and style to Glendon Rusch since he doesn't have much of a breaking ball.

[colbyjack]

A nice feature on Wichita 3B Conor Gillaspie today (subscribers only):

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/college/on-campus/2008/266010.html

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/cgillaspie08428309.jpg

 

If you read the story, it definitely sounds as though he has a chip on his shoulder (as Aaron Fitt points out), but so did Tim Lincecum when I talked to him, and it seems to successfully motivate him. The story does touch on briefly how Gillaspie isn't a finished product, with some concerns defensively and on the basepaths, but he's always been known as a very heady, instinctive player. I hate to throw out such an unfair name, but his total package reminds me a lot of Wade Boggs. I don't expect anyone to hit that well for that long, but that's just the kind[/b] of player he could be.

 

Anyway, this story reminded me of one I wrote profiling the best summer seasons on the Cape last summer, which of course included Gillaspie:

 

http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/crackthebat/patrick%5Febert/07%5F08%5F09%5Fcream%5Fofthe%5Fcape/

[Never Outhustled]

Wade Boggs is definately an interesting comparison. I was thinking Chase Headly (except without the swicth hitting of coarse). Headly entered the draft with all the same concerns, such as moderate power, range defensively, speed on the bases. Headly outworked those concerns, and I think Gillespie will too.

 

I found it interesting that Gillespie doesn't mind the cold, and almost relishes it. He's a tough kid, but your right Colby, it seems this kid has a major chip on his shoulder, and promotes himself a little too much.

 

At this point, I wouldn't be shocked if the Brewers pulled a suprise (again) and popped Gillespie at #16. I think he is exactly the type of guy they'd like to add to the present lineup, and he should move quickly through the minors.

[colbyjack]

Just so you're aware X, it's Gillaspie.

[colbyjack]

This weekend San Diego and Pepperdine are facing one another, the top two teams in the WCC. This series was circled on the calendar when the schedules were announced last fall, with many looking forward to a matchup on Friday between LHP Brian Matusz and RHP Brett Hunter. Hunter of course is still being held out for precautionary measures, although BA reported yesterday that there is no structural damage in his arm/shoulder, and that he has been feeling really good the past few weeks and should be returning to action soon.

 

Brian Matusz did take the mound, so I'll share my thoughts on him and others here...

 

Brian Matusz-LHP-San Diego

Everyone knows about Matusz, a big, towering lefty with a sturdy frame. In this game he was throwing his fastball 92-94 during his entire 6-inning performance. All of his pitches were working for him on this day, flashing his usual 83-84 CH, 77-81 SL and 74-77 CB. He probably has the nicest, most complete repertoire of any player available for this year's draft. However, he didn't pitch much off of his fastball on Friday, as I'm not sure if he didn't feel comfortable with it or what, but he was throwing a lot of offspeed stuff. He did strike out 9 batters, but he also gave up 10 hits and 5 ER. I've seen him much sharper, and usually when he is he's throwing more fastballs and changeups, and only mixing in his breaking pitches to give batters a little something different to look at. I will say that his changeup continues to be his most effective pitch, which is saying a lot for a LHP that throws 94.

 

Nate Newman-RHP-Peppderine

Newman started the game for the Waves, and while he doesn't have the draft profile of Matusz, he does have some pro potential. He too is a big, sturdy guy, although not as fluid as Matusz on the mound, with a stiff, high leg kick and an odd, jerky pitching delivery. He has a really sharp mid-70s curveball, that he tends to throw too much. His fastball was 87-91, and for the most part he worked away from batters with this pitch. He commanded the pitch alright, but needs to be more aggressive at the next level.

 

Eric Thames-CF-Pepperdine

Thames is now playing CF for the Waves, but he's a LF at the next level. He has grown out an absolutely awesome Fu Manchu mustache that makes him look a little like Jobu from the movie Major League. He didn't have much luck in this game, striking out in his first AB in the first vs. Matusz on a nasty slider and getting hit on the arm by a Matusz FB several innings later, but you can tell the same approach that impressed me earlier in the season is still there, and the bat speed is evident. It's a shame he's not more of a true CF, or at least that he doesn't have a better arm, because his bat deserves to be drafted in the first round.

 

Chase D'Arnaud-SS-Pepperdine

Like Thames, as I reported when I saw Pepperdine play in the Metrodome a few months ago, D'Arnaud looks like a big-leaguer already. The bat speed is there, but the swing is long. He's a Gold Glove caliber third baseman, but I reallly don't see him sticking at SS, with 2B being a possible position for him as a pro, although his arm is so strong it may be somewhat wasted there.

 

Victor Sanchez-3B-San Diego

This young man is going to be talked about quite a bit around these parts two years from now. He has a great athletic body, and he has an aggressive, powerful swing, yet a disciplined eye at the plate, meaning he'll likely draw a lot of walks and strike out quite a bit. But that's alright, because the bat speed and power potential are there for him to be an impact slugger at the next level. I can see why scouts are split about whether or not he'll stick at 3B, but he has the athletic ability to do so, he just needs to put in the work to make it happen.

 

Josh Romanski-DH-San Diego

Romanski is an interesting player, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him return for his senior year should he not be drafted in the top 3-4 rounds (no reason for saying that, just a hunch). He has a good swing, but limited bat speed, but he makes good contact and he has a very disciplined approach that allows him to succeed in situational and clutch opportunities. I still think he goes pro as a pitcher.

[BucEbadger]

Colby can u give me some info on two pitchers i have gotten to watch the last couple of days

 

Kenn Kasparek SP Texas is it true he is coming back from Tommy John and is he finally showing he is healthy?? What kind of stuff does he have as they were saying he has a mid 90s fastball

 

 

Stephen Strausburg SP San Diego State 110 Ks and 10BB what kind of stuff does he have and is he eligible for the draft??

[lonestar]

Last year Logan Forsythe hit .347/.431/.556/.987. He was selected to Team USA and acquitted himself well with wood. This year his slash stats are .311/.431/.483/.914. Can he shift down from 3B in the defensive spectrum? Where does he rank in the draft?

 

Josh Satin had a great year as a redshirt freshman, then didn't do anything until his senior year. Now he's hitting .400/.516/.745/1.261 in one of the toughest hitting environments in college ball. How is his defense? Where does he rank?

 

Blake Stouffer put up a .398/.467/.668/1.155 last year in one of the friendliest hitting environments. He was drafted in the 4th round but returned. This year his line is .271/.407/.395/.802. Whither Blake Stouffer?

[colbyjack]

Kenn Kasparek SP Texas is it true he is coming back from Tommy John and is he finally showing he is healthy?? What kind of stuff does he have as they were saying he has a mid 90s fastball.

 

Kasparek is a monster RHP, as 6'10" or so, with a very good, durable frame. I saw one of his starts earlier this year and he started off strong with good command of his 88-92 FB that can reach the mid-90s on occasion. His breaking ball was dominant at times, but pretty flat at other times. After starting strong he got roughed up a little as his command failed him, which isn't uncommon for a pitcher that had TJ surgery. He's been on follow lists for quite some time now, and his size and stuff is sure to garner him plenty of pro interest. He has settled down this season to put up solid numbers on the year, and he does have a high ceiling.

 

Strasburg is a sophomore and isn't draft-eligible until next year, and he's already receiving some unfair labels as the best college pitcher since Mark Prior. He gets that because he has the complete package: Size, delivery and stuff, which includes a mid-90s FB and hammer curve. At this point in time he's the favorite to go first overall in '09.

 

Last year Logan Forsythe hit .347/.431/.556/.987. He was selected to Team USA and acquitted himself well with wood. This year his slash stats are .311/.431/.483/.914. Can he shift down from 3B in the defensive spectrum? Where does he rank in the draft?

 

Forsythe can hit, and I've profiled him before. He's very Jeff Cirillo-esque, with versatility a good eye and a contact bat. His upside is definitely limited since there's not a whole lot of pop in his bat, but he could hit 30 doubles and 10 or so homers down the road. He's probably limited to either 3B or LF since his arm is fringy as is his IF range, but he's a gamer.

 

Josh Satin had a great year as a redshirt freshman, then didn't do anything until his senior year. Now he's hitting .400/.516/.745/1.261 in one of the toughest hitting environments in college ball. How is his defense? Where does he rank?

 

Satin is a similar prospect to Forysthe in that he's a good prospect, but not great, and the lack of a good to great tool will limit his upside. His defense is fine at 2B, although he's not Gold Glove material. I think he'll go in the 5th-8th round range given the incredibly strong season he's having, possibly 3rd-4th to a team that values statistical production.

 

Blake Stouffer put up a .398/.467/.668/1.155 last year in one of the friendliest hitting environments. He was drafted in the 4th round but returned. This year his line is .271/.407/.395/.802. Whither Blake Stouffer?

 

Whither what? Forsythe, Satin and Stouffer are all appropriately mentioned in the same post, since they are very similar prospects with a very good baseball acumen but limited upside. Stouffer definitely hasn't helped himself this year after his standout '07 season, but he has a gap-to-gap bat with solid contact skills and a good eye with limited power and decent range to stick at 2B.

[fewgoodcards]

colby, do you know why scheppers and putnam didn't pitch this weekend?

[colbyjack]

Sorry fewgoodcards, I didn't hear why Scheppers and Putnam didn't pitch. I'm guessing that was covered somewhere by BA today, either in their top 25 tracker or during their weekly college chat.

 

Onto some more player observations, some of them from more than a week ago (I'm catching up):

 

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Arizona vs. Oregon St.

 

David Coulon-LHP-Arizona

I didn't pay much attention to any of the players past the starting pitchers in this game since I have had a pretty good look at both Arizona's and Oregon State's lineup. Coulon is a pitcher I haven't seen before, and he's a good, not great pro pitching prospect. He has a low 3/4 delivery with good size and a strong/sturdy mid-section and lower half. He commands his mid-to-upper-80s FB pretty well, and there's a little bit of dip to the pitch. He has both a slider that he spikes in the dirt and a CB that he drops into the zone. Neither has much bite to them, but it does give him a fairly well-rounded repertoire. He pitches aggressively and isn't afraid to come inside on RH hitters.

 

Tanner Robles-LHP-Oregon St.

Robles is a freshman, and was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school as a former Aflac All-American and a player I had rated among my top 30 '07 prospects at one point in time last year. He has very good size for a lefty, and creates a fair amount of deception with his delivery in which his ball is kind of delivery from his hip, if that makes sense. He was a little wild, but missed low more than not. Despite being wild he did command his sinking FB pretty well. He needs to tighten up his breaking ball, but he does have a nice looking change that is thrown with the same arm speed and drops off the plate. He did a good job pitching away hitting the outside corner vs. RH hitters, and pitched like a prototypical lefty starter (away, away, away).

 

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Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee

 

Pedro Alvarez-3B-Vanderbilt

Again, I'm to the point this spring where I'm not watching every single player that has significant draft prospects, just the ones I'm more unfamiliar with. I'm plenty familiar with Alvarez, but I wanted to see how he's faring after missing so much time due to a broken hamate bone. He didn't have much of a day at the plate, but he did a nice job lacing a high FB from lefty starter Bryan Morgado to RF for a single in the first inning, showing how quick his bat is and how strong his hands and wrists are. He has a really wide-open stance and is a mirror image of Albert Pujols in the batter's box as a LH hitter. He's not as big and physically imposing as Pujols, but he has a very good approach and overall swing, with the naturally sloped shoulders that all good pure hitters seem to have.

 

Bryan Morgado-LHP-Tennessee

Morgado got roughed up over 4 innings of work, but his stuff was there. He was up to 93 with his FB, although he was missing with that pitch early, although not by much. He has both a CB and a SL, and his slider is a much better pitch at this point in time as his curve lacks bite. I've reported on Morgado earlier this year, and he's definitely a name to watch in the next year or two, as he's a redshirt freshman now that will be draft-eligible as a sophomore in '09.

 

Kentrail Davis-CF-Tennessee

Davis is another guy I've covered this year, despite being a freshman, and is a guy I really, really liked a year ago for his LH bat. He has great bat speed and an excellent approach, and is going to put up some big numbers before it is all said and done. I don't think he sticks in CF long-term, as he doesn't take the best routes and his arm appears to be average at best. It could have been the day, as I seem to remember being more impressed with his CF defense and arm, although that may have been when he was playing a corner. He's going to be a first-rounder in 2010, mark my words.

 

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Mississippi vs. Georgia

 

Gordon Beckham

I've seen Beckham a ton this spring, and he's getting fewer and fewer pitches to hit. He's done a good job for the most part laying off the garbage he's getting, but in this game he was swinging too much at outside stuff trying to pull it. He made solid contact a few times, but went hitless in this game, which was hard to imagine since he's been so dominant in the games I've watched.

 

Cody Overbeck-3B-Ole Miss

Overbeck is having a very good year, with a bat tailored for contact and power to the gaps. He does a good job taking outside pitches tthe other way to RF, and clearly has a sense of what he's doing at the plate. I was surprised to see his BB:K ratio this year (12:36 in 204 AB) because each time I've seen him he's controlled the strike zone incredibly well. He does have 14 HR this spring, but I'm not so sure he has that kind of power as a pro. As an athlete, he's a little on the stiff side, and I'm not sure if he stays at 3B, but he could be an interesting utility type if he's able to find his way to the big-leagues.

 

Scott Bittle-CL-Ole Miss

This is the second time I've seen this year, and he's an intense and fiery short-reliever with a great signature pitch: His cutter. He also has a very nasty slider, and gets a ton of whiffs despite maxing out around 90-91. He struck out 6 batters in 2.2 innings in this contest.

 

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Mississippi St. vs. LSU

 

Jared Mitchell-LF-LSU

This was the first time I got to see Mitchell since he played at the 2005 Aflac All-American Classic. He was one of my favorite players at that event, as I was impressed by just how polished he was at the plate for being a super-athletic, potential two-sport (football) star. He still has a patient eye, and shows a nice, confident presence in the batter's box. He has a good swing path as a LH hitter, and he isn't afraid to take strikes to work deep in the count. He's playing LF now, but should be in CF, and he's been very hot as of late, as has the entire LSU team. He has a little pop in his bat, and was drawing some unfair Carl Crawford comps during his senior year in high school. While unfair, it does give you an idea of this young man's skill set.

 

Blake Martin-LHP-LSU

Martin has good size for a lefty, and a pretty pronounced arm in his delivery. One scout told me last summer when covering the NWL that Martin was Mitch Williams-esque, and I was expecting him to fall off the mound, but I saw what he meant in watching Martin pitch given how violent his arm appears to work. He throws 87-91 with a sinking FB and can be effectively wild. He also showed a promising yet inconsistent 71-74 CB that was nasty at time and incredibly flat at others. I believe he missed a year not too long ago due to injury, so it could be a matter of him still looking to find his command and CB consistency, meaning he could be somewhat of a sleeper.

 

Ricky Bowen-RHP-Mississippi St.

I could believe Bowen pitched as poorly as he did (9 ER in 3.1 innings) because he looked really good. He has a very good, athletic frame similar to Aaron Crow in that he's not overly tall but he's clearly not small. He has very nice, late life on his 87-91 FB, and was even up to 94 in the 2nd inning. He commands the pitch well, and he showed a very nice low-80s changeup and sharp mid-70s curve. He wasn't hit particularly hard, and overall pitched to contact. It may have been a matter of getting too much of the zone, but I really like Bowen's pro potential.

 

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Cal vs. Stanford

 

Jeff Inman-RHP-Stanford

I have not been more impressed with any other player I've seen this spring, outside of maybe Gordon Beckham. I knew plenty about Inman in high school, who was one of the top prep pitchers in the nation, but I hadn't seen him pitch previously. He's a sophomore now, and is going to be a lot more well known by the end of this summer, as I'm guessing his approach is going to allow him to thrive either on the Cape or with Team USA (he didn't pitch last summer). Similar to Bowen, he pitched better than his final numbers (6.2 innings, 5 runs -- 3 ER), and next year when DHonks asks me what pitcher is the most like Ben Sheets, Inman will be my answer. He commands his 90-94 FB extremely well, mixed in a very nasty change in the 79-81 range and also had a very sharp CB in the 77-80 range. He changes speeds and locations very well, and also showed a few nice plays off the mound in which he pounced quickly on balls hit around the mound. He has a nice pitching frame with wiry strong limbs and good proportions, and has a very cool and confident presence in which it seems as though nothing phases him. His FB had some dip to it, and I think his stuff is going to be a lot harder to hit when facing hitters armed with a wood bat.

 

The only problem with him is consistency. Sometimes it seemed as though his armed slowed down, or he lost his release point, or some other mechanical aspect to his delivery that caused him to miss high, caused his curve not to break, etc. This isn't really the reason why he was hit, as most of the contact off of him was off of his best stuff, and he wasn't hit hard, but it's interesting to see a pitcher that impress me so much just have a few lapses over the course of the game. Stanford is known for developing pitchers, and I'm going to guess that they get Inman set straight given the amount of improvement he made from his freshman to sophomore years.

 

Drew Storen-RHP-Stanford

Storen is a reliever at this point in time, but I'm guessing he joins Inman in the starting rotation next year. He has very good sinking life on his 92-93 mph FB, and he has a very nasty low-80s slider, both of which induce a bunch of groundballs and awkwards swings. This is the second time I've had a chance to see Storen, and I think both he could also be a 1st rounder when he's eligible (2010).

 

Jason Castro-C-Stanford

The more I see Castro, the more I like his game. He's a very good looking athlete, and he's a lot more loose of an athlete that you would expect from a catcher. He did a nice job blocking balls in the dirt from both Inman and Storen, and also showed a very strong arm. He has great bat speed and the ball screams off his bat. His bat in this game was geared more for line drives than loft power, but he does have some very good power numbers on the year. It's no surprise Castro is expected to go somewhere in the second half of the first round, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear his name called when the Brewers pick.

 

The Cardinal have a trio of big sluggers in Randy Molina, Brent Melville and Sean Ratliff. I think all three have obvious flaws in their game, but all three have legit pro potential. Molina is built like Brad Nelson with a huge upper body and barrel chest, but he has an opposite field approach and keen eye that actually allows him to hit for average while not having much over the fence power. Melville has light-tower power with a huge swing, and hit a grand slam in this game on a ball that was hit a mile in the air and cleared the fence by 100 feet. Ratliff is the best athlete of the three with the highest pro upside, but he also has a huge swing that needs to be toned down for him to enjoy success at the next level.

 

David Cooper-1B-Cal

Forget about Cooper playing the OF at the next level, as he has stone feet. I think he could be a pretty slick fielding 1B, but don't expect him to leg out many extra base hits. He won't have to the way he consistently hits the ball as hard as he did, as reaching the gaps consistently and lofting ball over the fence shouldn't be a problem. He has very good bat speed and very strong hands and arms. His stance is very similar to Barry Bonds', somewhat crouched over the plate with his hands held out in front of him.

 

Brett Jackson-CF-Cal

Only a sophomore, Jackson is another player I covered last summer in the NWL. He's a very good overall athlete that is having a good year. He has more of a slashing bat but enough size to develop more over the fence power as he matures. He has very good speed, good CF defense and a good enough arm to stick there. He's a name to watch in '09, and could thrive if he's used as a leadoff hitter where his tools would probably serve him best. Players like this always get compared to Steve Finley, but the comp works.

 

I must say that I wasn't too impressed with 2B Josh Satin, who is having a huge year as a senior. I don't see the bat speed and I think he's a little stiff to stay at 2B. Charlie Cutler is a player I have liked for a long, long time, but I don't know where he fits in. While he can play catcher (where he'll need to stick as a pro) he has also played a lot of LF, both this year and in past years (including last summer on the Cape). He has a good line drive bat as a LH hitter, but his level swing will limit his power potential.

 

Whew. That was a lot...I hope you're reading these http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif.

[lonestar]

Shane Peterson, Long Beach State was David Rawnsley's 8th ranked college 1B, figuring to be drafted before #76.

 

THUMBNAIL: Longshot for first round as power just starting to develop; Cavernous Blair Field holds down his power numbers but he's plenty athletic enough for the outfield as well.

 

What kind of OF would Peterson figure to be? Does #76 seem reasonable to you?

 

You named Darin Ruf as a sleeper. He's "only" hitting .351/.485/.546/1.031 this year but you have to love his 42/16/174 BB/K/AB. What do you mean by "sleeper"? Could he handle the move to the OF?

 

Jeremy Hamilton is hitting .433/.531/.745/1.276 with 32/22/157 for Wright State. What are your thoughts?

[colbyjack]

Some college draft tidbits courtesy of BA's John Manuel, including the expected return of Tanner Scheppers and Ike Davis this weekend:

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=276

 

What kind of OF would Peterson figure to be? Does #76 seem reasonable to you?

 

I think Peterson would definitely be limtied in the OF. He's a better overall runner than David Cooper IMO, but he's probably still limited to LF. I understand how Blair Field has been known to surpress power, but I'm just not willing to take that excuse too far. He was striking out at a pretty alarming rate, and the power was pretty absent up until a few weeks ago, although he did hit very well on the Cape. I'm just concerned how much power he's going to hit for as a pro, especially as a LF/1B type with a level, line drive swing.

 

I really like Ruf. I called him a sleeper because I think he could be a steal in the draft, no matter where he's taken. He hit a ton a year ago, and continues to hit well. He has a patient enough enough to draw a bunch of walks since he's getting pitched around quite a bit, and I like that his swing is tailored more up the middle and the opposite way, yet he can still pull a FB with the best of them. He's so slick at 1B I don't know if I would even consider moving him to the OF, but I think despite his large and muscular frame that he has enough looseness and overall athleticism to at least be able to handle a move to LF.

 

Hamilton is another sleeper, and while it's hard to get a good read on his numbers given the level of competition, he did play for Team USA last summer. He's more of a James Loney-type at 1B, who of course was considered a Mark Grace type, although I think Hamilton is a more natural, loose athlete than both of those guys and probably could handle a move to a corner OF spot if that's what you were thinking for him.

[trwi7]

There's a Michigan and Northwestern game on tomorrow night. I know about Putnam from Michigan but I'm not sure if he's pitching. Are there any other prospects that I should be looking for in this game?

[lonestar]

What can you tell me about John Giavotella hitting .358/.486/.632/1.118 with 46/16/190 BB/K/AB for New Orleans? Besides the fact that he's short. How's his defense? About where does he rank?

 

Blake Tekotte missed your Outfield Gap article, CJ. How are his tools and skills? Where does he rank?

 

Could Tekotte or some other college CF be a safer bet in the corner OF than some of the favorites (Darnell, Raben, kieshnick) because of his conbination of hit tool, speed, defense in an Andre Ethier sort of way?

[colbyjack]

Sorry I got to the Michigan question late...SS Jason Christian, 1B Nate Recknagel and DH/RHP Zach Putnam are the most notable pro-eligible prospects. Recknagel is having an absolutely gigantic season, especially picking it up in conference play (24-4 conference mark for the Wolverines). Christian is a 4-tool SS, and Putnam is a projected closer given his sinker/splitter combo.

[colbyjack]

So much for Scheppers returning. Per BA, Fresno State RHP Tanner Scheppers is expected to miss 6 weeks with a stress fracture in his pitching shoulder. Yikes.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/college/?p=407

 

They also note that Putnam is expected to pitch the first game of a DH tomorrow vs. NW.

 

I must say going back to Scheppers that the Brewers might be in a perfect position to take not only one, but two high powered college arms should they choose to make some risky picks, and I would argue this would be a good year to take a few risks. Brett Hunter is the other risky pick I speak of, if he (or Scheppers) were to make it to the team's first pick in the sandwich round.

 

Blake Tekotte missed my OF gap story for a reason, and I actually do like Tekotte. He is very patient, but patient like Jason Tyner was patient...because he's not much more than a singles hitter. He has very good speed and plays good defense, but his upside is definitely limited. He's nothing like Andre Ethier.

 

Giavotella honestly isn't much of a draft prospect. Limited size, limited tools, but full of heart. He wasn't listed among PGCC's top 100 Cape prospects last summer, and he's hit all three years at New Orleans. I can't tell much about him, but usually if you can't find much about on a player there's a reason for it. Unless a team like the A's or Blue Jays falls in love with his numbers, I'm guessing he goes in the 8-15 range based on his production alone.

[colbyjack]

More updates from the weekend games. As the draft approaches, I have less and less time to devote to watching these games, so these reports may become less and less frequent with the conference tourneys and the regionals right around the corner. The good news is that there should be a ton of games to watch on TV between the FSN affiliates and ESPN.

 

------------------------------------------------

 

North Carolina vs. Miami

This game is loaded with talent, pitting the #2 team in the nation (UNC) vs. the #1 team, although those rankings have flip-flopped with the Tar Heels taking two of three games. It's funny in that I've seen a ton of Miami the previous two years, but this was the first time I have been able to catch the Hurricanes this year.

 

Jemile Weeks

Good, patient eye. Great overall athlete. Shorter player with a much leaner frame than Rickie. Has a contact bat, and very good speed and quickness with a very strong arm at 2B.

 

Yonder Alonso

Great approach. Physically imposing. Facially resembles Matt LaPorta. Big-time power to all fields, with great power to LF in particular. Good glove at 1B. I've been all over this guy since his freshman year, as I really think he has the greatest chance of all of the college hitters to hit for average, power and draw a ton of walks.

 

Dennis Raben

Similar stance to Alonso: Wide, open, crouched stance. Again, big-time power, although Raben is more of a pull hitter. Physically resembles Jim Thome. A much better athlete than you would think looking at the guy.

 

Mark Sobolewski

Great natural athlete. Strong hands. Keeps hands out in front in swing. Can hit for contact and power. Hits up the middle and the other way although most of his power is to LF. Draft-eligible sophomore, likely to return to Miami for '09.

 

Ryan Jackson

Jackson rounds out Miami's amazing infield. Arguably the best defensive SS in college baseball. Incredibly smooth, gliding actions with a strong arm. Reminds me of JJ Hardy defensively with a tick more range. Has really improved at the plate this year, a byproduct of pitch recognition and knowing what he can handle and what he can't. He has a very lean build, but does have room to add strength. His power will likely always be limited, but he can hit it to the gaps, and shows a very good eye.

 

Blake Tekotte

Nothing new with Tekotte. A slap and dash hitter with very good speed, a patient eye and a contact bat. Very good OF defense. Power is extremely limited.

 

Enrique Garcia

Miami's starter got roughed up by the Tar Heels. Senior that has always had good stuff, but is somewhat of a 'tweener in that is repertoire is somewhat limited as a starter, but he fares better in the rotation than he has coming out of the bullpen. Good FB command, and a pretty good slurve. He also throws a change/splitter that gives him a legit 3rd pitch.

 

Carlos Gutierrez

Miami's closer. Missed '07 due to TJ. Has a really good pitching frame, and a nice, well-rounded repertoire that may cause him to be groomed as a starter as a pro (he started prior to '07). Good FB command, and very nice sinking movement on FB. Throws both a 2-seamer and a 4-seamer, a CB and a SL. CB isn't a big breaking pitch, but has nice, late biting movement. His slider is a swing & miss pitch in the dirt.

 

Matt Harvey

UNC's starter, only last 1.2 innings in this game. Great size & stuff, but really struggles to command his pitching. Walks way too many batters, but he is always around the zone. Good velocity on FB, great CB, but struggles to throw CB for strikes. FB is straight and hittable. This guy is Daniel Bard part 2, who profiled the exact same way, although Harvey has a lot of time as a freshman to straighten the ship in time for the 2010 draft.

 

Rob Wooten

UNC's setup man. Great FB, CB combo. Probably doesn't have the raw stuff to close, but he could carry his current role as a pro very well, and move fast.

 

I didn't spend a lot of time watching the UNC batters, but catcher Tim Federowicz is draft eligible this year, as he doubles as the team's closer. Good arm strength, good bat speed, but his tools are average across the board. Tim Fedroff has some power potential as a LH hitter, but his body is on the soft side. Dustin Ackley leads off and plays 1B for UNC. He has a very slick glove, a very patient eye and a smooth left-handed stroke. I question how much power he'll hit for as a pro, and I wonder as a RH thrower if he could handle 3B, where his value would be a lot greater. Mark Fleury is a player I really liked coming out of HS, with a strong arm and an equally strong LH stroke. He should get a greater chance to show what he can do next year assuming Federowicz goes to the pros.

 

------------------------------------------------

 

Rice vs. Tulane

 

Bryan Price

Great size and raw stuff, but he really struggles with commanding his FB and CB. FB has great velocity and decent life, and at times he can both drop his breaking ball in for strikes and spike it in the dirt. Physically and facially he resembles Dennis Sarfate, and that's how he pitches as well. I know Price is getting some love as a potential first-rounder, but I think there are a lot more polished pitchers with similar stuff to Price that I would take ahead of him. Great potential, but can he harness his stuff?

 

Cole St. Clair

St. Clair came in the 8th with a runner on and 1 out and promptly walked the first two batters he faced before inducing an inning-ending double play. He then proceeded to strikeout the side in the 9th. His FB looks a lot better now than where it was a few months ago, as he commanded it extremely well and it looked to have a little more giddy-up to it. He didn't throw his CB much, only a few by my count, and didn't command that pitch nearly as well as his FB. Aggressive and fiery on the mound, and has always thrived under pressure situations.

 

Aaron Luna

Rice's LF is red-hot. With a shorter yet stocky strong build that resembles Brian Giles, Luna has pretty good bat speed and is an offensve-first type of player as his glove in LF is probably never going to earn him much recognition. I think there's a good chance Luna returns for his senior year if he's not drafted in the top 3-5 rounds.

 

Diego Seastrunk

The more I watch this guy, the more I fall in love with his game, and the more he reminds me of Terry Pendleton, both physically and based on his stance. He has very good pitch recognition and does an amazing job making contact, even if he's fouling off pitches. Rarely gets fooled, and has great swing mechanics. He's a sophomore and isn't draft eligible until next year, when he could form one of the nation's best left-sides of the IF with Rick Hague.

 

Preston Clairborne

Tulane RHP that came on in relief. Has a herky-jerky, short arm delivery similar to Roger Clemens, and a similar, husky build. Throws gas wiht a good looking slurve. He needs to command his BB better, but the FB life and velocity are there.

 

JP Padron

Big, big fella. Plays 1B for Rice and resembles Gary Sheffield with a similar swing. Has more of a line drive swing than a HR swing, but hits the ball very hard. Limited speed and may be without a defensive home, but could settle into LF at the next level.

 

I didn't spend a lot of time watching him, but keep an eye on Tulane SS Josh Prince heading into next year. He had a big fall practice season, and started the season slow (I think he had an injury that delayed the start of his season). I really like his athleticism and bat speed, as he could be poised for a big '09 season.

[colbyjack]

BA released their All-American teams today, led by player of the year, Buster Posey (no surprise there).

 

Some familiar names of the most recently drafted college players include 2nd team catcher Corey Kemp, 3rd team DH Erik Komatsu and 3rd team utility player Josh Romanski.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/awards/all-america-teams/2008/266324.html