Trying to identify a team of players from the college level that I expect to be drafted higher than where they currently are projected is one of my favorite exercises. A variety of factors go into why a player may be poised to break out in any given year, from previous injuries to newfound opportunities, and how a player embraces those opportunities.

These players aren’t some guarded, well-kept secret, as most of them project to go early in the draft, and everyone has their personal favorites. Position by position, I am going to assemble a team of draft-eligible players that are poised to enjoy breakout seasons on their way to bigger and better things.

Catcher

Tommy Medica, Santa Clara

Medica entered last season as one of the top catching prospects available for the 2009 draft, but a separated shoulder ended his season nine games into the 2009 schedule. Now fully recovered, Medica hopes to reclaim his status as someone that could go in the top three rounds of this year’s draft. He’s a career .361 hitter who finished third in the Cape in batting two summers ago (just behind and ahead of ’09 first rounders A.J. Pollock and Grant Green) with a .352 average, proving he could hit just as well with a wood bat. Medica is also a very good overall athlete who can play almost any position on the field. Obviously his value is higher behind the dish, where his lateral quickness, quick release and accurate arm are natural assets.

First Base

Ryan Cuneo, Delaware

Cuneo has nowhere to go but up after going undrafted after his junior year. While he hit 17 home runs last season, it came at the expense of some of his ability to hit for contact, hitting only .285 versus the .351 average he posted during his sophomore year. His tools are limited, and he’s probably restricted to either first base or left field at the professional level, but he does show good pitch recognition, a level swing and good bat speed that should allow him to enjoy some success at the next level. I was particularly impressed with the way he handled a wood bat last summer on the Cape, hitting .270 with 10 doubles and five home runs. He finished second in the league in extra-base hits, third in RBIs and tied for third in both home runs and doubles. Statistical minded teams that place a greater emphasis on performance should give Cuneo a chance to prove himself.

Second Base

Kolbrin Vitek, Ball State

2009 was very good to this small school, two-way star. Between his spring at Ball State and his summer playing in the Great Lakes League, where he led the league in nearly every offensive category, Vitek posted ‘Nintendo’ numbers. In 343 at-bats, covering 85 games between the spring and summer, he hit .394/.460/.738 with 41 doubles, 10 triples, 19 home runs and 105 RBI while swiping 27 bags in 37 attempts. He also proved to scouts that he has the tools to back up his production, with strong hands and wrists that gives him very good bat speed. He has a strong arm and also shows good foot speed. Third base has been his infield home for most of his college career, but he spent last summer playing second and did well enough to lead scouts to believe that could be his home at the next level. Vitek is a true sleeper who has already put his name in the discussion for the top three rounds, possibly higher depending on what he does for an encore this coming season.

Third Base

Rob Segedin, Tulane

Segedin certainly isn’t going to sneak up on anyone as one of the nation’s finest overall hitters. However, his name may be somewhat of an unknown due to the fact that he missed most of his sophomore year in ’09 due to a lower back injury after leading the Green Wave in hitting his freshman campaign (.322). He did return to the field last summer on the Cape, impressing scouts with his ability to make adjustments and hit the ball hard with a wood bat as a member of the championship Bourne team. He finished eighth in the league in batting (.304), and while power isn’t an evident part of his game right now, many believe there is more to come due to his approach, willingness to take the ball the other way and knack for making consistent, hard contact. A big year and the lack of impact bats available for this year’s draft could allow him to soar up draft boards between now and June.

Shortstop

Tyler Cannon, Virginia

Although Cannon has played the shortstop position during his freshman and junior years for the Cavaliers, and is expected to once again anchor the infield defense this coming season, it was at third base during his sophomore year where I distinctly remember being wowed by his instincts and arm strength. I think those skills also could allow him to succeed as a catcher for a team looking to maximize his versatility. Cannon did hit .351 a year ago and .265 on the Cape last summer, but he has only one home run in each of his first three years in school. Since his power is limited, his versatility may be key at the next level, but for now he’s a big reason why big things are expected from Virginia this spring.

Outfield

Stewart Ijames, Louisville

No player on this list can come close to matching the raw power potential of Ijames, a well-built, physical corner outfielder. It didn’t take him long to make an impression for Lousville, hitting .351 with eight dingers as a freshman, although he missed last year due to a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. He did manage to recover in time to play in the Coastal Plains League last summer, where he picked up where he left off after his freshman year, hitting .282 with 12 home runs. A left-handed slugger, Ijames will be asked to replace some of the offensive production lost when Chris Dominguez began his professional career last summer, and will hit in the middle of a potentially dominant Cardinals order.

Michael Fuda, Rice

A promising two-sport career allowed Fuda to begin his athletic career at Rice as a dynamic receiver and return man for the program’s football team. He has since decided to focus on baseball, and during his first full season last year he proved there is plenty of polish to his game, finishing second to only freshman sensation Anthony Rendon in batting (.359). And Fuda is far from just a burner, as scouts and his own coaches see a lot more power in his swing as he continues to gain experience and refine his swing. His athleticism offers versatility, as he may be drafted as a second baseman, a position he played last summer in the MINK League before his summer was cut short after tearing ligaments in his ankle. As a draft-eligible sophomore this year, Fuda should be fully healthy when Rice opens its season, and is one of the more exciting top-of-the-order hitters in the nation.

Jeff Schaus, Clemson

Perfect Game followers should remember Schaus, who took home MVP honors after his red-hot performance at the 2006 World Championship in Jupiter. Hitting has never been a problem for Schaus, who hit .315 his freshman year and .320 a season ago while managing the strike zone with impressive efficiency (75 walks versus 57 strikeouts in 460 at-bats with the Tigers). His power output increased from three home runs to 13, and he looks to take that progression one step further during his junior year. He is limited as an athlete and may be relegated to either left field or first base as a pro, but his sweet lefty swing is going to give him plenty of opportunities.

Utility

Joe Van Meter, Virginia Commonwealth

Van Meter’s arm strength rivals that of former VCU Ram Brandon Inge, and that tool alone makes him an intriguing prospect with considerable upside yet limited experience. Like Inge, Van Meter also has pop at the plate, with a strong athletic build as a third baseman, but so far his power numbers haven’t come close to matching the gaudy radar gun readings scouts have seen from him the few times they’ve been able to watch him pitch. He also has flashed a potentially dominant curveball, and the sooner he, and more importantly his coaching staff, realize this the more opportunities he will have to show off that arm between now and draft day.

Starting Pitcher

Drew Smyly, Arkansas

Smyly didn’t factor into many decisions a year ago (3-1 record), but he did make 16 appearances as a red-shirt freshman, 14 of which were starts. Coach Dave Van Horn was able to stretch out Smyly’s arm as the season progressed after he missed his first year in college due to Tommy John surgery, and the lefty played a big part of the team’s push to Omaha. He continued his success in the Northwoods League last summer, where he continued to impress observers with a low-90s sinking fastball and his loose, projectable frame. His stature, fastball command and overall repertoire could elicit comparisons to a former Razorback lefty, Cliff Lee.

Jimmy Nelson, Alabama

Armed with an impressive one-two punch, with an upper-80s to low-90s fastball as well as a nasty slider, Nelson has had no problem missing bats during his career. He has bounced between the bullpen and the starting staff in two years at Alabama, and has thrived in his two summers in between. He opened the 2009 season as the team’s closer, but was quickly removed from that role after blowing three saves early in the SEC conference schedule. Nelson has a large and athletic, sturdy frame, and his arm is relatively fresh since he has been previously unable to put all of the pieces together at Alabama. That leads many to believe that the best is yet to come, with plenty of room for increased velocity and even better results, and he should garner more attention as one of the Tide’s weekend starters.

Eric Jokisch, Northwestern

Scouting reports on Jokisch, including those found here at Perfect Game, are frequently quite similar: ‘Knows how to pitch, projects to throw harder.’ That’s usually a good recipe for bigger and better things to come. He posted better numbers his first year in school, when he was named the Big Ten’s freshman of the year, than as a sophomore, but he followed up last year with a strong showing on the Cape (1.36 ERA in eight games). His stuff is solid average for a lefty, sitting in the mid-to-upper 80s with the ability to pitch in the 88-92 range when he is at his best. He also throws a slider and a changeup, and is adept at changing speeds and hitting his spots, much like former Wildcat lefty J.A. Happ.

Relief Pitcher

Bobby Doran, Texas Tech

A transfer from Seward County Community College, Doran offers a huge, intimidating presence on the mound at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds. As you may expect from a player of his size, Doran has seen steady progress on his fastball, touching the 95-96 range when used in shorter stints. He’s relatively new to short relief, being placed in that role last summer on his way to being named the Jayhawk League’s top prospect. The switch may be the perfect fit for Doran, who has struggled with his fastball command,and has also struggled to find the right combination of breaking and off-speed pitches to maximize his potential. Letting him rare back and fire may allow for him to explode as a prospect.

The thoughts and opinions listed here do not necessarily reflect those of Perfect Game USA. Patrick Ebert is affiliated with both Perfect Game USA and Brewerfan.ne, and can be contacted via email at pebert@brewerfan.net.