In
the weeks leading up to the draft, Perfect Game will be providing a
detailed overview of each state in the U.S., including the District
of Columbia, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico. These overviews will
list the state's strengths, weaknesses and the players with the best
tools, as well as providing scouting reports on all Group 1 and 2
players as ranked in Perfect Game's state-by-state scouting lists.
Idaho State-by-State List
2011 Idaho Overview
Idaho
Overview:
A
Rarity, Mighty Lewis-Clark State Overshadowed At College Level
It’s
been four years since Lewis-Clark State last won an NAIA World
Series, and this year may represent only the second time in a decade
that the Warriors won’t produce the first draft pick in Idaho. In
fact, two other Idaho college players may be picked this year before
the initial L-C State player is tabbed.
The
Warriors still have a very respectable 41-12 record and as the
permanent host of the event on their Lewiston campus, are a perennial
favorite to win the NAIA national title, something they have
accomplished the remarkable total of 16 times in the last 28 years,
possibly the greatest domination by one team in any college sport.
But
the talent on this year’s team isn’t vintage by Lewis-Clark
State’s lofty standards, and the school is not a lock to produce
even a draft pick in the first 20 rounds—an unheard of development
in the program’s rich recent history. Senior righthander Austin
Pentecost and speedy 24-year-old outfielder Jordan Payne are
considered the team’s best potential drafts.
In
the likely absence of even a mid-round selection from Lewis-Clark
State, hard-throwing Northwest Nazarene righthander Zeb Sneed and
athletic College of Idaho outfielder Izaac Garsez have moved to the
forefront among college players.
Sneed’s
brother Cy was a 35th-round
pick of the Texas Rangers a year ago, and was the only player drafted
from the Idaho high-school ranks in 2011. He is now attending college
at Dallas Baptist. Things won’t change much this year at the prep
level as only one player, Eagle High lefthander Brandon Brown, a
University of Oregon recruit, is given a chance of being drafted.
The
College of Southern Idaho has produced a steady diet of draftable
talent through the years at the junior-college level, and should be
represented again with at least two candidates. Six-foot-7, 190-pound
freshman righthander Gary Koopman hasn't been as dominant as hoped
after showing considerable promise last fall. Sophomore outfielder
Chase Harris enhanced his chances in the draft with a big 2012
season, hitting .407-7-60 with 30 stolen bases to earn Scenic Valley
Conference player-of-the-year honors. Harris flashed average speed,
power and arm strength, but is considered a marginal prospect
overall, and appears destined for a college career in the short term
at New Mexico.
Idaho
in a nutshell:
OVERALL
RATING
(1-to-5 scale): 2.
BEST
COLLEGE TEAM:
Lewis-Clark State.
BEST
JUNIOR-COLLEGE TEAM:
Southern Idaho.
BEST
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM:
Rocky Mountain HS, Meridian.
BEST
OUT-OF-STATE PROSPECT, Idaho Connection:
Kyle Johnson, of, Washington State University (Attended high school
in Coeur d’Alene).
Top
2013 Prospect:
Joe Martarano, 3b, Fruitland HS.
Top
2014
Prospect:
Kolby De Haas, c, Coeur d’Alene HS.
HIGHEST
DRAFT PICKS
Draft
History:
Mike Garman, rhp, Caldwell HS (1967, Red Sox/1st round, 3rd pick).
2006
Draft: Justin
Fuller, ss, Lewis-Clark State University (Dodgers/11th round).
2007
Draft: Beau
Mills, 3b, Lewis-Clark State University (Indians/1st round, 13th pick).
2008
Draft: Kyle
Greene, 3b, Lewis-Clark State University (Diamondbacks/11th round).
2009
Draft: Tyler
Curtis, rhp, JC of Southern Idaho (Marlins/13th round).
2010
Draft: Kawika
Emsley-Pai, c, Lewis-Clark State University (Diamondbacks/10th round).
2011
Draft: Zach
Arneson, rhp, Lewis-Clark State University (Yankees/9th round).
2011
DRAFT OVERVIEW
College
Players Drafted/Signed:
2/2.
Junior
College Players Drafted/Signed:
1/0.
High
School Players Drafted/Signed:
1/0.
TOP
PROSPECTS, GROUPS ONE and TWO
GROUP ONE (Projected
ELITE-Round Draft / Rounds 1-3)
None
GROUP TWO (Projected
HIGH-Round Draft / Rounds 4-10)
1. ZEB SNEED, rhp,
Northwest Nazarene University (Jr.)
Sneed’s
younger brother Cy was drafted in the 35th round a year ago by the Texas Rangers (the only Idaho high-school
player drafted in 2011), but Zeb remained a relative unknown until
last summer while pitching for the Jayhawk League’s Hayesville
Heat, when he caught the attention of Midwest scouts with an electric
arm and a fastball that reached 97. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Sneed
quickly became a marked man in Idaho this spring, as his 92-94
fastball has occasionally reached 95-96 mph. His split-finger
fastball may be his most-dominant pitch, but he rarely throws it
because it has such violent action that no catcher on the Northwest
Nazarene roster could catch it. Though the ball comes easily out of
Sneed’s hand, he has a lot of delivery-related issues and struggles
to throw strikes. As a result, he produced just a 7-4, 5.00 record
this spring with 46 walks and 61 strikeouts in 67 innings. Primarily
a starter in college, Sneed responded better in summer ball when used
in short bursts, and that would appear to be his optimal role down
the road. With a more compact, repeatable delivery, along with more
bulk on his lean frame, scouts say Sneed might reach the high-90s one
day.
2 PROSPECTS TO WATCH
IZAAC GARSEZ, of,
College of Idaho
The College of Idaho
stole some of Lewis-Clark State’s thunder in 1998 (when it was
known then as Albertson College) by winning the NAIA World Series,
and the Coyotes (41-19) could do so again this year as a rare second
Idaho entry in the NAIA national tournament. No player has been more
responsible for the team’s success than Garsez, a senior who hit
.396-8-52 and led the Coyotes in batting, homers, runs (75), triples
(12) and stolen bases (29). He also went 1-0, 1.08 with 11 strikeouts
in eight innings on the mound. Garsez is surprisingly athletic in his
compact 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame, as his bat has strength and
quickness and he throws well enough to settle into right field at the
next level.
AUSTIN PENTACOST,
rhp, Lewis-Clark State University (Sr.)
Lewis-Clark State’s
best potential draft is the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Pentacost, who has
gone 6-3, 2.78 with 38 walks and 66 strikeouts in 74 innings as a
senior starter. He utilizes a fastball that sits at 90-92 mph and
tops at 93, plus a breaking ball and a splitter.