2. Chevez Clarke, of, Marietta (Ga.) HS (2010)
In an event dominated by pitching and high school seniors, Clarke had seven extra-base hits in five games—including two triples and a homer in his first game. Since he’s a quick-twitch, speed player and those hits weren’t leg doubles, that’s especially impressive. He’s a legit 2010 prospect.
3. Robert Aviles, rhp, Suffern (N.Y.) HS (2010)
Mark his name down. Aviles will be one of the top righthanders in the 2010 high school class if he stays healthy and no one changes his mechanics. He has a perfect leverage/downhill release and throws 90-92 mph now with lots more to come.
4. Tanner Poppe, rhp, Girard (Kan.) HS (2009)
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Poppe was No. 2 (behind WWBA MVP Garrett Gould) on our Kansas state-by-state list of top prospects for 2009, but was notable by his absence from PG Crosschecker’s list of the top 1,300-plus prospects nationally. A couple of Midwest college coaches I talked to in Jupiter had also never heard of him. All that has changed as Poppe threw 93 mph with little effort and projects extremely well. He could become the Tyler Sample (a relatively unknown arm from Colorado who blossomed in his senior year) of the 2009 draft.
5. Justin O’Conner, ss-rhp, Cowan HS, Muncie, Ind. (2010)
When you hit a couple of home runs and throw 92 mph off the mound, you are bound to attract attention. When a PG scout starts talking, and says, “Wow, this kid can really, really play shortstop,” that makes him even more interesting.
6. Shelby Miller, rhp, Brownwood (Texas) HS (2009)
A number of scouts told me that the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Miller wasn’t just the top pitching prospect in Jupiter, but just might be the best 2009 high school pitcher in the country. In separate outings, he touched 94 and had command of three plus pitches. The show he put on in his first appearance—a 9 p.m. game with close to 400 scouts/coaches watching his every move—says something about his composure as well. He was in total control on the mound.
7. Tyler Skaggs, lhp, Venice HS, Santa Monica, Calif. (2009)
I still wonder how you can throw a 68-mph, quality curveball when you’re throwing an 89-92 mph fastball, but the 6-foot-5, 180-pound Skaggs can and does so with feel. His velocity increase from this summer, when he was 86-88, was much discussed among the scouts.
8. Jiovanni Mier, ss, Bonita HS, Pomona, Calif. (2009)
The 6-foot-2, 170-pound Mier was an Aflac All-American and obviously one of the more well-known players in Jupiter. But he’s the type of play
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