California Underclass Showcase

San Bernardino , California, January 20-21, 2007
Top Prospects
RANKINGS & REPORTS BY BLAINE CLEMMENS

Top Ten 2008 Graduates

1. Aaron Hicks, of-rhp, Wilson HS, Long Beach, Calif. Few players in the ’08 class possess the two-way ability that Hicks’ has. He is a switch-hitter with plus bat speed from both sides, a plus plus arm, and plus speed. On the mound he has electric stuff, with a big league curveball and 90+ fastball.

2. Isaac Galloway, of, Los Osos HS, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Galloway hadn’t played much baseball in the last month or so, but even a bit out of baseball shape it is clear that his combination of power, speed, and ease with which he plays rates with the top players in the nation. He has big league tools.

3. Ricky Oropesa, 1b-rhp, Etiwanda HS, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Oropesa has draw dropping power to his game, both at the plate and on the mound. He can leave any part of the yard and make right field look very small. He also has a heavy fastball up to 92 and flashed a power downer curveball.

4. Jake Thompson, rhp, Wilson HS, Long Beach, Calif. Not only does Thompson have a power pitcher’s body, he has a power pitcher’s stuff. Better yet is his ability to pitch with his 89-91 mph fastball on both sides of the plate and understanding of when to go to his put-away breaking ball.

5. Clark Murphy, of-1b, Fallbrook (Calif. ) HS Murphy was not at 100% in this event, nursing a sore quad. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that he has plus power generated with powerful hands and loose wrists. A flick of the bat and he can produce tape measure shots.

6. Chris Amezquita, ss/3b-rhp, Servite HS, La Mirada, Calif. Amezquita has big time two-way abilities. He is a strong, physical hitter with plus bat speed and projectable above average power. He has soft hands, good feet, and a big arm. On the mound he pitches 90-91 and has a sharp breaking ball.

7. Ray Hanson, rhp, Wilson HS, Long Beach, Calif. Long and lanky at 6-foot-8, 195-pounds, Hanson is a prototypical projection right-hander. His arm is loose and works easily, producing an upper-80s fastball that has good life. He has a big, slurvy breaking ball that will continue to improve.

8. Cutter Dykstra, ss, Westlake HS, Thousand Oaks, Calif. At this point Dyktra may rate as the top middle infielder in Southern California. He has solid tools across the board, with the bat being his standout tool at this point. He is an above average runner and plays shortstop with very good feel.

9. Ryan O’Sullivan, rhp-inf, Valhalla HS, El Cajon, Calif. Yet another top two-way player, some like O’Sullivan long term with the bat. On the mound he has an 88-90 mph sinking fastball, tight breaking ball, and feel for pitching. Offensively he drives the ball from gap to gap with developing power.

10. Anthony Gose, of-lhp, Bellflower (Calif. ) HS There are players with more polish than Gose, but not many with his raw tools. He has a plus plus arm (94 from the OF) and above average speed. Even with a banged up shoulder he showed good bat speed. On the mound he sat at 90-91.

Other ’08 Top Prospects, listed alphabetically

Shaun Cooper, mif, Catalina Magnet HS, Tucson, Ariz. Smooth fielder, strong arm, quick bat with gap pop, above average runner, very talented player.

Dmitri DeLaFuente, inf-rhp, South Hills HS, West Covina, Calif. Two-way talent has bat speed, gap power, and a big arm. Pitches 88-90 and 12/6 downer curve.

Anthony Drobnick, rhp, Seattle Prep, Seattle, Wash. Strong bodied with mid-upper 80s heat and a curveball he can go to at any time for outs or strikes.

J.R. Graham, ss-p, Livermore (Calif. ) HS Good SS has a strong arm, quick bat and burst on the bases. Upper 80s heat and downer curve.

Christian Griffiths, c-of, Granite Hills HS, Apple Valley, Calif. Switch-hitter with a short, quick LH stroke, quick exchange and athleticism. Threw 91 from outfield.

Jason Hanson, ss, Sabino HS, Tucson, Ariz. Strong arm and some pop in the bat are his standout tools. Runs well, plays hard, “gamer” type.

Matt Harrison, ss-p, Green Valley HS, Henderson, Nev. Smooth, sure handed infielder, he brings infectious energy everyday. Starting to develop power.

Lucas Herbst, lhp-of, Monterey (Calif. ) HS Polished with feel and command of three quality pitches. Plus outfield instincts and a quick bat.

Dustin Hobbs, rhp-3b, Arbor View HS, Las Vegas, Nev. Mid-80s and sneaky, has a biting curve, struck out seven in 3 IP. Loose arm, strong body, hits too.

Chris Joyce, lhp, Dos Pueblos HS, Goleta, Calif. Quality three pitch mix and excellent pitchability. Mid-80s heat, plus change, can pitch with curve.

Shane Kroker, ss-3b, Westlake HS, Westlake Village, Calif. Smooth defensive player and good hitting tools. Recent growth spurt and still growing, follow closely.

Matt Sisto, rhp-1b, Cypress HS, Anaheim, Calif. Broad and big with a loose arm and lively stuff, fastball up to 88 and can break bats. Good hitter too.

Kyle Skipworth, c-3b, Rubidoux HS, Riverside, Calif. Athletic, left hand hitting catcher with very good bat speed and projectable power. Has a high ceiling.

Brandon Van Dam, rhp-1b, Quartz Hill HS, Lancaster, Calif. Big and strong, built like a power pitcher, with stuff to match. Easy arm produced 88 mph heat.

Eddie Young, mif, Christian HS, El Cajon, Calif. Solid and steady in the field and a good hitter, with a line drive stroke and good bat control.

Top Five 2009 Graduates

1. David Nick, mif-3b, Cypress (Calif. ) HS Polished hitter well beyond his years, it is almost surprising when Nick does not get a hit. With plus bat speed and a sound, quiet approach, he handles all pitches and hits to all fields. Defensively he has smooth actions and good instincts. He runs well too.

2. Brooks Pounders, rhp-3b, Temecula Valley HS, Temecula, Calif. Pounders (6-foot-5, 220-pounds) has a very high ceiling. The ball comes out of his hand effortlessly and he displayed rare command for a young power pitcher. His fastball sat 87-89 (T 90) and both his slider and curveball are high quality pitches.

3. Tony Calhoun, rhp-of, Temecula Valley HS, Temecula, Calif. Calhoun has as live an arm as any ’09 we have seen. His arm action is clean and he doesn’t seem to have to work with real high effort to produce big velocity. He topped at 92 in this event, but has touched 93. His breaking ball flashes above average.

4. Breck Ashdown, 3b/1b-rhp, Foothills HS, Tucson, Ariz. Ashdown (L/R) just looks like a big time power hitter. At 6-foot-4, 190-pounds, he is athletically built and generates easy bat speed. There is some natural lift in his stroke and the ball spins nicely off his bat, resulting in carry. He is solid on defense.

5. Joey Leinweber, mif, Puyallup HS, Edgewood, Wash. He has a future with the bat. His swing is compact and fluid. He has a quiet approach, excellent timing and good bat speed. In back to back at-bats he faced 89 and 91 and made hard contact both times. Soft hands and good feel on defense.

Top Two 2010 Graduates

1. Jake Hernandez, c-utl, Los Osos HS, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Hernandez has a chance to be one of the top all-around catchers in his class. He has plus bat speed, can hit, and has some power potential. Defensively his feet work very well and his arm is strong. With some good coaching, the sky is the limit.

2. Alex Sloan, c, Puyallup (Wash. ) HS Another talented young catcher, Sloan’s calling card is his catch/throw ability, with his arm really standing out. He has a very good exchange and a short release that still allows the ball to shoot out of his hand. Offensively he is a gap to gap contact hitter.