| |
| 292. |
Paul Applebee |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
6-3 |
185 |
UC Riverside |
Upland, Calif. |
Never drafted |
5/17/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Applebee fits the definition of crafty lefthander. He is not flashy or overly physical, but can move a mid- to high-80s fastball around the strike zone almost at will, and keeps hitters off balance with the deception he creates from a slight pause in his delivery as well as his ability to change speeds with all his pitches and locate them effectively to both sides of the plate. Applebee has a polished approach and is adept at mixing in his curve and changeup, both solid secondary pitches. He won't strike out a lot of hitters, but he doesn't give up a lot of hard contact, either. Applebee worked in only three games as a freshman on a strong UC Riverside pitching staff, going 0-0, 20.25, but went 4-1 with a league-best 0.60 ERA that summer in the West Coast League to earn league pitcher-of-the-year honors, and that performance seemed to jump start his career. He went 3-5, 4.46 with 12 walks and 55 strikeouts in 75 innings as a sophomore starter for the Highlanders, had a solid, but unspectacular summer in the Cape Cod League last summer (0-2, 3.09, 44 IP, 10 BB/28 SO), then became UC Riverside's ace this spring. He went 10-2, 3.74 in a staff-high 89 innings while walking 20 and striking out 63.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 293. |
Vinnie Catricala |
3B |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
215 |
Hawaii |
Sacramento, Calif. |
Indians '06 (50) |
10/31/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Even as a drafted player from a prominent California high school, Catricala walked on at Hawaii as a freshman. He earned a scholarship as a sophomore and hit a modest .280-5-39 in the process, but clearly earned his keep this spring as a junior by hitting .349-13-44. He led the Rainbows in batting and on-base average (.447), and with a stronger frame demonstrated the bat speed and leverage in his swing to indicate there may be more power down the road. Catricala's best tool is his bat. He's a marginal defender at third, capable of making the routine plays. His speed is his weakest tool.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 294. |
Ryan Hinson |
3B |
Sr. |
L-L |
6-2 |
235 |
Clemson |
Rock Hill, S.C. |
Pirates '08 (31) |
5/12/1987 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Hinson went 6-2, 2.74 as a sophomore in 2007 and was Clemson's most effective starter-even on a team with four pitchers (Daniel Moskos, David Kopp, Alan Farina and Stephen Clyne) drafted in the first three rounds. Hinson gave every indication he could surface in that elite area himself in 2008, but instead went backwards and fell to the 31st round as he compiled just a 3-5, 4.74 record while bouncing back and forth between a starter and long-relief role. While he improved his control from the previous season (22 walks vs. 39 in 2007), his command became an issue (84 hits in 68 innings in 2008, vs. 72 in 82) as he routinely fell behind in counts and got hit hard. His velocity was also a little short in 2008 at 88-91 mph, and he flashed only an average slider and changeup after showing the makings of a good, crisp overhand curve in the past. His big, powerful frame and clean delivery still hold appeal to teams, and he is often very effective in neutralizing lefthanded hitters. The key for Hinson this spring will be improving the location of his pitches.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): With 85 appearances and nearly 220 innings logged in his career at Clemson, Hinson has been used in almost every role possible on the Tigers pitching staff. He was primarily a set-up man this spring, and went 2-1, 3.76 with 18 walks and 47 strikeouts in 38 innings. Of most significance, he allowed less than a hit an inning as his command improved noticeably. He showed an average fastball that often peaked at 91 mph, but his off-speed stuff still needs refining.--JEFF SIMPSON |
| |
| 295. |
Joey Schoenfeld |
C |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-2 |
200 |
Santiago |
Santee, Calif. |
San Diego State |
6/11/1991 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Schoenfeld was clearly overlooked initially in a banner class of California prep catchers that included Geno Escalante, Cameron Garfield, Josh Leyland, Max Stassi, Richard Stock and Andrew Susac, but his talent started to show through midway through the 2009 spring season, and soon scouts were talking him up as a possible pick in the top 10-12 rounds. Schoenfeld's bat and power potential garnered most of his late attention, but scouts soon saw that he was an above-average athlete for a catcher, with good quickness and agility behind the plate. He still needs to refine his catching skills, but he has the kind of speed and athleticism where he could play a number of positions. He is an aggressive fastball hitter, makes hard contact and has the bat speed and leverage in his swing to project solid-average poweer. He's a strong student, but no longer a lock to attend college at San Diego State with all the late interest teams showered on him.--DAVID RAWNSLEY / ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 296. |
Jake Cowan |
RHP |
So. |
L-R |
6-3 |
175 |
San Jacinto (Texas) |
Roswell, Ga. |
Red Sox '07 (14) |
6/30/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): As an unsigned 14th-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2007 out of a Georgia high school, Cowan enrolled at the University of Virginia admidst high expectations. But he had a difficult first season there-both on and off the field. He struggled to find meaningful innings on a veteran Cavaliers staff and worked mainly in relief, going 2-1, 3.34 with 14 walks and 28 strikeouts in 32 innings. He then missed the early part of the Valley League season while attending summer school at Virginia, but Cowan's arrival gave the Waynesboro rotation an immediate boost and the Generals went on to post the best regular-season record in the league. He went 5-2, 2.45 and limited opposing hitters to a league-best .161 average while striking out 56 in 44 innings. At his best, the lanky, athletic Cowan flashed quality big-league stuff with an explosive fastball at 92-93 mph, along with two breaking balls (a curve and hard slider) and a changeup, and his ability to throw all his pitches for strikes set him apart from all other pitching prospects in the Virginia-based summer league. With his high leg kick, his delivery reminded scouts of Cincinnati Reds righthander Bronson Arroyo. Cowan had a tendency to dominate early and suffer a mid-game lapse, but he made strides last summer with his overall maturity. Rather than return to Virginia for his sophomore year, though, Cowan elected to change gears and ended up transferring to San Jacinto JC, a national junior-college power. San Jac added several other big arms for the 2009 season, yet none with more upside than Cowan, whose fastball peaked at 95 mph in the fall.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Cowan was the best prospect this spring on a talented San Jac pitching staff, but didn't repeat the 94-95 mph velocity he flashed in the fall or play an especially pivotal role as the No. 2-ranked and five-time national champion Gators rolled convincingly into the Junior College World Series. His fastball was mainly in the 87-91 mph range at the start of the season, but it was evident that his delivery and arm action were smooth and easy, and the other pitches in his four-pitch arsenal-a short, quick curve with 12-to-6 break; a hard 79-81 mph slider with three-quarters depth; and a deceptive changeup with late fade-were all advanced offerings. He just needs to improve the strength in his lower half to throw harder more consistently. Cowan developed tendonitis at mid-season that shelved him for several starts, and it took him time to regain his arm strength, but his velocity had returned by the time San Jac entered post-season play. While freshman Tommy Collier topped the Gators staff with 11 wins and was the team's unquestioned ace, Cowan posted a solid 4-0, 1.96 record with 24 walks and 59 strikeouts in 46 innings, and he was a legitimate candidate to go in the top 3-5 rounds.--AS |
| |
| 297. |
Jeremy Toole |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-4 |
240 |
Brigham Young |
Huntsville, Texas |
Royals '06 (41) |
6/17/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Toole began the 2009 season as Utah's best college prospect for the draft, a possible third- to fifth-rounder, after running his fastball into the 95-96 mph range in fall practice. Throwing hard has never been an issue for the big-framed Toole since being drafted out of a Texas high school in 2006, but throwing consistent strikes and a quality breaking ball have and explains why he wasn't drafted again after either season at Alvin (Texas) JC prior to transferring to BYU-though a strained right rotator cuff, incurred a month before the 2008 draft, was a factor a year ago. Toole got himself in much better shape prior to the 2009 season and came out throwing an easy mid-90s, but his velocity tapered off over the second half under the strain of a heavy work load, and his performance and command suffered in the process. He went 5-5, 5.77 with 53 walks and 68 strikeouts in 83 innings as BYU's No. 2 starter. With lingering concerns about the violence in his delivery and the below-average quality of his breaking pitches, both a slider and curve, Toole may be hard-pressed now to crack the first 10 rounds.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 298. |
Aaron Northcraft |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-4 |
210 |
Mater Dei |
Newport Beach, Calif. |
Southern California |
5/28/1990 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Northcraft is a big-framed, athletic pitcher who enjoyed a very strong spring as the No. 1 pitcher for Mater Dei High, winner of the prestigious Anderson Bat National Classic-the nation's most prestigious high-school tournament. His team won four straight games to win the title, and Northcraft was selected the event's most outstanding pitcher. On the season, he went 9-2, 1.06, though struck out only 39 in 66 innings, but walked just 10. He throws from an extended, low three-quarters release point that is intimidating to righthanded hitters and has a big leg kick to start his delivery that provides some deception as well. Northcraft throws unusually hard for a pitcher with his release point, often touching 92-93 mph during a start and pitching consistently in the 88-90 mph area. He also throws a sweeping 77-mph slurve as a breaking ball and will also drop in a mid-70s changeup once in a while. Northcraft's velocity has taken a step forward over the last year and scouts have taken notice.--DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| 299. |
Tucker Barnhart |
C |
Sr. |
B-R |
5-11 |
180 |
Brownsburg |
Brownsburg, Ind. |
Georgia Tech |
1/7/1991 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Barnhart is a switch-hitting catcher with a middle infielder's body and quickness. In fact, Barnhart played primarily shortstop in his early teen years before moving behind the plate, and still plays second and third base at times. There isn't a position on the field that he's not capable of playing, and he even pitches on occasion. He's a baseball rat and scouts applaud his baseball IQ. His athleticism behind the plate is similar to a middle infielder's, and it makes Barnhart one of the top defensive catchers in the country. He is quick at shifting in either direction, and has a very accurate arm and instant release that regularly delivers pop times in the 1.8-second range-and as low as 1.76 at Perfect Game's National Showcase in Minneapolis last June. Barnhart should be able to continue to switch-hit at the upper levels of the game, as he has sound hitting skills and bat speed from both sides of the plate. He has more power and better extension and smoothness from the left side, while his righthanded swing is compact and more line-drive oriented. Brownburg hit .500-11-38 as a junior at Brownsburg High, and is a career .417 hitter and ranks third among career home-run leaders at the school with 25. Brownsburg High has been a state power in Indiana for years, and Barnhart should be one of two products from that school in the 2009 draft-joining Stanford righthander Drew Storen, a former teammate and potential first-rounder.--DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Barnhart had a solid spring, but didn't stand out with the bat like he did in his first three years at Brownsburg High. He hit just .348-3-15. If anything, he just refined his catching and throwing skills. Scouts saw him as a solid-average thrower who swung the bat with authority from both sides, and a player with some power potential despite his small stature. His intangibles-his aptitude, instincts and work ethic-were his biggest selling point. Though his game is solid across the board, Barnhart lacks the projectable high ceiling to go in the early rounds. He projects as more of a 6th-8th rounder, and that may make his signability dicey if he is drafted in that range as his commitment to Georgia Tech is considered a priority.--ANUP SINHA |
| |
| 300. |
Chris Sedon |
2B |
Jr. |
R-R |
5-10 |
170 |
Pittsburgh |
Plains, Pa. |
Never drafted |
11/6/1987 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Last summer's Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League all-star game attracted upwards of 20 scouts, and Sedon picked an opportune time to have a breakout game as he slugged two home runs and a triple. He matched his season output for home runs in the one game alone-even as he was selected the league's MVP. He hit .346-2-15 in 34 regular-season games, spending most of the summer at shortstop. Though he's not overly big and doesn't look the part of a prospect, Sedon can put a charge in a ball as he has exceptionally strong forearms. He also has surprising speed on the bases and range in the field, and routinely got to balls in the hole that other shortstops in the league couldn't. Sedon's arm is also an asset as he was primarily a pitcher in high school, before his lack of size prompted him to switch to the infield. He has a habit of making things happen with his aggressive style of play. Sedon spent his first two college seasons at Lackawanna (Pa.) JC and has transferred to Pittsburgh for his junior year.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Sedon didn't just capitalize on his strong summer season in the ACBL, but he produced substantially better numbers as a junior at Pitt than anyone could possibly have expected. He hit a loud .398-22-62 and stole 19 bases-all team-leading figures. Sedon had an even better season than Jim Negrych (.396-11-60, 6 SB) did as another under-sized Pitt second baseman in 2006, when he became the school's first All-American and was selected in the sixth round of that year's draft by the home-town Pirates. Negrych was Pittsburgh's minor-league player of the year in 2008. Scouts are less confident that Sedon will become the same kind of talent as Negrych as he doesn't have his three-year track record of success and the power Sedon displayed this spring with aluminum may not translate very well to wood at the pro level with the length in his swing. Sedon did an acceptable job of settling in at second after coming in as a shortstop. All his other tools are adequate, but his biggest obstacle at the next level will be overcoming his lack of size.--AS |
| |
| 301. |
Charlie Ruiz |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-1 |
175 |
Long Beach State |
San Leandro, Calif. |
Never drafted |
10/10/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Long Beach State set a dizzying pace in the 2008 draft by having seven players drafted in the first five rounds. It will be a completely different story this year for the Dirtbags as Ruiz stands the best shot of being the team's first draft, and he probably won't be called until late in the first 10 rounds. A transfer from California's Chabot JC, Ruiz stepped in as Long Beach State's closer this year and endured a late-season slump to go 2-2, 3.60 with 11 saves. In 27 appearances covering 25 innings, he walked 13 and struck out 42. Ruiz has four pitches in his repertoire, but used only a fastball that sat at 88-91 mph and topped at 93, and a splitter with good tumbling action at 80-82 mph that was a swing-and-miss pitch and extremely effective when he spotted it low in the strike zone. He flashed a slider and changeup, but both were below-average and largely unnecessary in a closer role.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 302. |
Geoff Baldwin |
1B/LHP |
Sr. |
L-L |
6-5 |
195 |
Grand Junction |
Grand Junction, Colo. |
Nebraska |
11/8/1990 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: When the Major League Scouting Bureau suddenly popped a grade of 56.5 (generally the equivalent of a first-round-talent on its 20-80 scale) on Baldwin in mid-March, there was a mad dash on the part of scouts from every team in the game to check out this kid from remote western Colorado. By all accounts, the grade was inflated as Baldwin proved to be more of a one-dimensional player. Admittedly, he looks like a ball player in his big, country-boy frame and has intriguing raw power potential. But his attempts to hit with wood last summer and fall with the Angels Elite Scout team and at the Area Code Games exposed a long swing-and those memories were too fresh in the minds of scouts who had a previous history with him. It was clear that he had not made sufficient strides to correct that flaw in a matter of just months. Baldwin pitched extensively in his career at Grand Junction High, so it's apparent he has arm strength-even if the tool is largely wasted, so long as he remains at first base. Though he appears to have a sound approach to hitting and commendable hitting mechanics, Baldwin will have to prove he can hit quality pitching for most scouts to buy into him as an elite hitting prospect. It's possible a team could buy into his upside in the first 10 rounds, but he might be better off joining three other Colorado high-school recruits in college at Nebraska.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 303. |
Sam Dyson |
RHP |
So. |
R-R |
6-2 |
195 |
South Carolina |
Tampa |
Nationals '06 (19) |
5/7/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Highly-recruited out of a Florida high school and a 19th-round pick of the Washington Nationals in the 2006 draft, Dyson missed his true freshman season at South Carolina with a torn labrum in his shoulder. He was brought back slowly last year, and led the team in wins while going 8-0, 4.08, but worked only 51 innings. He struck out 44. Considering he was scouted like a second- or third round pick out of high school, Dyson has accomplished much less in two college seasons than expected. But he was also part of a signature recruiting class by South Carolina, and he's really all that remains as premium prospects Nick Fuller (third round) and Lonnie Chisenhall (11th rounder) were both kicked out of school as freshmen for their part in a grand-larceny scheme, and promising JC righthander Jay Brown (18th round) has been sidelined with recrurring arm problems. Though he has not made an impact in college, the highly-athletic Dyson still has a fastball that sits in the 93-97 mph range, and he should finally be ready to turn it loose this spring. He will undoubtedly be one of the hardest throwers in the country. He also shows the makings of a solid curveball. If he can command his stuff better than a year ago, when he walked 28, and maintain his velocity deep into games, Dyson could work his way into the back end of the first round of this year's draft.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Despite rather pedestrian numbers this season, Dyson (9-4, 5.21) firmly entrenched himself as a first-round prospect or possibly a sandwich-round pick, at worst. His superior athletic ability was readily apparent, and he threw his fastball in the 93-96 mph range with life to both sides of the plate. Considering his past health issues, Dyson's arm works free and easy, and his velocity topped at 99 in several outings. Dyson's primary off-speed pitch is a low-80s slider that projects to be at least an average pitch. His changeup remains a work in progress and he will need to be more consistent with his command as he allowed 18 home runs and issued 37 walks in 102 innings. Scouts envision Dyson as a second or third starter at the big-league level, or possibly a top-of-the-line closer.--JEFF SIMPSON |
| |
| 304. |
Tom Lemke |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-8 |
220 |
Northwest Christian |
Phoenix |
Nebraska |
11/5/1990 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Lemke is extra long and lean in his 6-foot-8, 205-pound frame, but hasn't progressed as a pitching prospect as much as some scouts thought he would after he was clocked at 90 mph as a high-school sophomore. At the time, he ranked as the top prep prospect in Arizona for the 2009 draft. But Lemke's looseness, size and smooth arm action still make him easy to like and project. Lemke does a very good job staying tall in his delivery and has an excellent downhill angle to the plate. His 88-90 mph fastball appears "light" at the plate, but he does a good job of spotting and controlling it. He throws a 73-mph curveball as his breaking ball and gets consistent good spin and location on the pitch. Not surprisingly, Lemke is also a standout basketball player and he can also swing the bat. He hit .515 as a junior at Northwest Christian High, while going 10-1, 1.43 on the mound with 108 K's in 63 innings. Both of Lemke's parents attended college at Nebraska and he has taken the unusual route of heading north to play in college.--DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): Lemke did little this spring to enhance his draft value, and most local scouts thought he would be better served to follow through with his commitment to Nebraska rather than entertain draft offers-though the possibility certainly exists that someone could take a run at him inside the first 10 rounds. Lemke has an excellent pitcher's frame and uniquely-appealing upside, but his fastball was mostly in the 87-90 mph range this spring, peaking at 91. His curveball was consistently below-average and scouts universally believed he should scrap the pitch in favor of a slider. Lemke never got totally untracked as he was late coming out for baseball after leading Northwest Christian High to the state 2-A basketball title, and while he promptly ran off 16 straight scoreless innings, he soon leveled off against the better competition he faced down the stretch.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 305. |
Brett Brach |
RHP |
Jr. |
L-R |
6-3 |
185 |
Monmouth |
Freehold, N.J. |
Never drafted |
3/29/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Even with the presence of highly-touted Ryan Buch on the Monmouth staff, Brach was the Hawks ace this spring. He effectively assumed the role from his older brother Brad, who was the career wins and strikeouts leader for Monmouth before being drafted by the San Diego Padres a year ago in the 42nd round. The elder Brach has since excelled as a closer in the minors. Brett went 7-5, 4.78 with 14 walks and 77 strikeouts in 75 innings as a junior for Monmouth, and made big strikes as a prospect this spring by locating all four of his pitches for strikes. He has a live, quick arm and the velocity on his fastball spiked last summer in the Northwoods League. He was a steady 89-91 mph, topping out at 93, with good movement on his boring, four-seam fastball. His slider was also a much-improved pitch this year, but his curve remains a clear fourth pitch in his repertoire.--ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 306. |
Tyson Van Winkle |
C |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-0 |
185 |
Gonzaga |
Vancouver, Wash. |
Astros '08 (39) |
2/2/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Gonzaga walked away with the West Coast Conference title this spring, and there was no player more responsible for the team's success than a healthy Van Winkle. He was a force in the middle of the lineup, leading the Zags with a .362 average and 27 doubles, while hitting five homers and driving in 61 RBIs. He was also a stabilizer behind the plate with his sound catch-and-throw skills, and worked especially well with Zags pitchers, calling his own game and presenting a low target. He had soft hands, blocked balls aggressively and gave his pitchers the confidence to throw balls in the dirt at any time to bury a hitter, knowing that Van Winkle would not let anything get by him. He has limited raw power, but showed more ability to drive balls to the alleys this spring more than at any time in the past. Van Winkle's biggest area of improvement was in simply remaining healthy. He broke his left wrist 14 games into the 2007 season, and was granted a red-shirt. A year later, he was bothered by shoulder inflammation early in the 2008 season, and though he didn't spend much time behind the plate the rest of the year, his bat was still in the lineup in a DH role. He hit .298-3-30, numbers that paled when compared to his 2009 breakout spring.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 307. |
Andy Suiter |
LHP |
Jr. |
L-L |
6-3 |
210 |
UC Davis |
Woodside, Calif. |
Yankees '08 (32) |
6/10/1987 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Suiter has been a puzzle to both scouts and college coaches. He showed immense promise in 2005 coming out of a northern California high school, where he won 32 games in his career and rung up 285 strikeouts in just his final two years-all the while earning three letters in water polo. As a top UCLA recruit, he was so advanced in his development that he became one of the few high-schoolers to pitch in the competitive Northwoods League in the summer following his senior year in high school. And yet Suiter never pitched in two years at UCLA, before transferring to UC Davis for the 2008 season. He contributed a 6-2, 4.61 record in a staff-high 30 relief appearances to the Aggies' surprising run to an NCAA tournament berth and was one of seven players from that team drafted in 2008. But he was the only one who chose not to sign, instead electing to try and improve his worth by returning to UC Davis as a starter. But that experiment failed miserably, and both his 2009 season and that of his team unraveled altogether this spring as he went 0-2, 8.89 with 41 walks and only 22 strikeouts in 26 innings. UC Davis limped home with a 13-42 record. Suiter's inability to repeat his delivery, causing serious command issues, was at the heart of his troubles, much like occurred in his two fruitless seasons at UCLA, but he showed just enough flashes of brilliance to keep scouts coming back. He was occasionally able to run his fastball up to 95 mph and mix in a power curve, and when he located those pitches with efficiency and consistency low in the strike zone, he was nearly unhittable and able to overmatch almost any hitter in the college game. Those occasions were few and far between, but the teams that saw him at his rare best expressed little reluctance to take a run at him in a premium round, while also acknowledging he's a high risk.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 308. |
Matt Montgomery |
RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
185 |
UC Riverside |
Sun City, Calif. |
Never drafted |
7/21/1987 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Montgomery might have been an 8th-12th round pick in the 2008 draft had he not undergone Tommy John surgery in January of that year and taken a red-shirt. Scouts were eager to see how he bounced back this spring. Though he was brought back cautiously and the results weren't overly impressive as he went just 2-2, 4.55 in eight starts for the Highlanders, while walking just eight and striking out 18 in 40 innings, he showed a good feel for four pitches. That included a sneaky-quick fastball in the 87-90 mph range that produced impressive sinking action from his low three-quarters delivery, resulting in a steady stream of ground balls. He also mixed in a curve and slider that were marginal pitches, and a change with good deception that often fooled hitters. None of his pitches are straight, which makes it difficult for hitters to square him up.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 309. |
Hector Hernandez |
LHP |
Sr. |
B-L |
6-1 |
200 |
PR Baseball Acad. |
Caguas, P.R. |
|
2/20/1991 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): A strong-bodied southpaw, Hernandez is the top lefthanded pitching prospect in Puerto Rico. He is especially mature in both his physical development and approach to pitching for a young Puerto Rican prospect. Hernandez throws from a balanced, leg-lift delivery and a high three-quarters release point. He has minimal effort in his release, and is usually able to repeat his release point and keep the ball down in the strike zone consistently. Hernandez' fastball tops out at 90 mph and he maintains his velocity very well. He usually is in the 87-89 mph range and the pitch usually gets late boring action into lefthanded hitters. His best pitch is a low-70s curveball that has hard spin, and excellent two-plane shape and size. He can paint with his curveball, especially to lefthanded hitters, which makes it a potential upper-level strikeout pitch. Hernandez' changeup is a nice third pitch; it has mid-70s velocity with some fading action. Hernandez has a calm, emotion-less demeanor on the mound, but competes well.-DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| UPDATE (5/15): The good news for Hernandez this spring is that he has been healthy and very consistent with his stuff, usually pitching in the upper 80s and showing good command of his secondary pitches. The flip side is that scouts had hoped to see some improvement over the last year in his velocity and arm speed, and that hasn't happened. With a mature body and sound, fundamental mechanics, many scouts are questioning whether Hernandez has hit his peak physically. His present package is very good, but probably not good enough to get Hernandez drafted before the 5th-7th round area.-DR |
| |
| 310. |
Yan Gomes |
3B/1B |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-0 |
203 |
Barry (Fla.) |
Miami |
Red Sox '08 (39) |
7/19/1987 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Gomes, a Miami high-school product, played his first two college seasons at Tennessee. He was eligible for the 2008 draft as a sophomore by the slimmest of margins as he turned 21 on July 19-one day within the allowable 45-day limit of the draft that sophomores are eligible to be selected. Scouts were all over the board all spring on Gomes' draft status. Some saw him in the top 5-8 rounds; some didn't care for him and viewed him more as a 10th- to 15th-rounder, or worse. His detractors won out, and then some, as Gomes tumbled all the way to the 39th round. All phases of Gomes' game came into question. He had plenty of bat speed and upside at the plate for some scouts, but others said he was just a mistake hitter, especially on fastballs over the heart of the plate. His catch-and-throws skills behind the plate were plus tools according to some scouts, while others said he had a long way to go defensively, especially with his footwork, and may eventually end up back at first base. The only real consensus among scouts involved Gomes' speed. He's a below-average runner-a largely irrelevant tool for a catcher. Of most significance, Gomes didn't improve on his performance as a freshman at the plate, hitting .316-5-35. Even on a team with two first-round draft picks in 2007, Gomes narrowly missed leading the Volunteers in home runs and RBIs while hitting .310-8-47 overall. Most disappointing for Gomes was that his power numbers were stagnant as a sophomore. Not only did Gomes not sign after falling in the draft, but he felt a change of scenery would be in his best interests for the 2009 season and he elected to return home to Miami-though his only option was to transfer to a Division II school as the new NCAA Division I transfer rules that went into place effective with the 2009 season prohibited him from transferring to another D-I school without sitting out a year. Rather than move in at catcher or first base at Barry, the two positions he was most familiar with, Gomes instead ended up at third base to start the 2009 season. Most scouts, however, saw that as just a stop-gap measure.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Gomes put together a huge junior season for Barry, and was a primary reason why that team rose to No. 1 in the national D-II rankings in early May. But Gomes' season came to a grinding halt in mid-May, when Barry was unexpectedly eliminated in two straight games at the NCAA Division II South regional. Still, Gomes hit a resounding .405-21-92 and was named the Sunshine State Conference player of the year. He played third base most of the year and showed average tools for the position, but they need to be refined. Gomes' approach at the plate is sound. He's a smart, aggressive hitter though may have some trouble with inside pitches when swinging with wood. Gomes should become a solid pick in the top 10 rounds in June, particularly if teams still see him as a catcher, but he'll most likely go out as a third baseman.-ANUP SINHA / AS |
| |
| 311. |
Erik Castro |
C/3B |
Jr. |
L-R |
6-3 |
210 |
San Diego State |
Fallbrook, Calif. |
Never drafted |
11/13/1987 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: A local high-school product, Castro always showed the ability to hit and play a variety of positions, but all aspects of his game never came together quite like they did this season. He struggled in the field and at the plate as a freshman at Arizona, prompting him to transfer to San Diego State as a sophomore. But he was little better for the Aztecs a year ago as he hit just .259-5-29 with a 22-56 walk-strikeout ratio, while spending most of the season at first base. Castro was a different player as a junior, however-and his timing couldn't have been better. He became the personal catcher for Aztecs ace Stephen Strasburg, and not only excelled in handling Strasburg's elite-level stuff with relative ease, but blossomed at the plate, hitting .391-11-56 and topping his team in average and RBIs. He also displayed vastly-improved plate discipline, reversing his walk-strikeout ratio to 41-37 through San Diego State's first 60 games. Through it all, he became an unexpected beneficiary of all the attention that has been showered on Strasburg, and he has moved from a player that may not have been drafted at all had he maintained his pace through his first two years, to one who could now go as high as the top 5-6 rounds. While he did a solid job of catching Strasburg and displayed a fundamentally-sound approach for catching despite limited time behind the plate, Castro caught for the Aztecs only when Strasburg pitched, and otherwise played third base the rest of the 2009 season. Though he takes an aggressive swing and showed more pull power than in the past, scouts aren't sure he has enough raw power to play on an infield corner on a regular basis. They aren't sure, either, that his near-average arm strength will play on a full-time basis behind the plate, though Castro had a tendency of airing out his arm only when he really needed to. His speed, his weakest tool, is a non-factor no matter where he plays. Castro's versatility will obviously play in his favor, as will his renewed ability to hit, and hit with power on a more consistent basis.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 312. |
Blake Dean |
OF |
Jr. |
L-L |
6-1 |
210 |
Louisiana State |
Crestview, Fla. |
Never drafted |
2/25/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Dean ranks as the best and most disciplined hitter, and the premier power threat on the nation's best college team. He was the driving force at the plate for LSU in 2008, when he hit .373-20-73 overall-and an electrifying .407-7-25 in 13 post-season games for the Tigers. Dean has one of the purest and prettiest swings in the college game, and is an excellent student of hitting. He doesn't strike out often for a player with his aggressive, power-oriented approach-a sign of his feel for the game and ability to make good in-game adjustments. He can carry a team when he's hot, and has a chance to be a significant run producer at the next level. His finest moment as a power-hitting prospect might have come in the summer of 2007 when, as a 180-pound freshman, he was a surprise entrant in the Cape Cod League's Home Run Derby at the all-star game, and more than held his own against some of the league's more-established sluggers who would go on to become top picks in the 2008 draft. The ball generally jumps off Dean's bat and he can drive hard balls to all fields, but his raw power was not in evidence last summer in his second go-around in the Cape League. Arriving late from LSU's appearance in the College World Series, Dean never got untracked when he switched to wood for Wareham, and hit just .243-0-11. He still showed his customary plate coverage and pitch recognition, and his above-average power was evident in BP sessions, but Dean's bat may have been a little slow in game competition after a long college season. More than anything, Dean just seemed to hit in bad luck as many of the balls he hit hard didn't find holes. The bigger issue that Dean needs to resolve is identifying a position. He spent most of 2008, both the spring and summer, in a DH role and has looked shaky defensively on the few occasions he has played in the outfield. Most often, he is relegated to left field, not because of his average speed but more because of a below-average arm-surprising since he was a highly-regarded pitching prospect with a fastball that touched 93 mph at a Florida high school. He now throws with a sidearm, sling-like action. More than anything, he just needs to play one position on a steady basis to work out the kinks.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): A slow start with the bat hampered Dean early this spring, but he came on with a rush late in the year and was hitting .327-14-62, with 42 walks, as LSU entered NCAA play-and it's possible he could match his sophomore numbers if LSU goes deep into the playoffs. He became very home-run conscious early in the season, trying to pull everything with an uppercut swing, with predictable negative results. He particularly struggled staying in against lefthanders. Dean's bat speed and smooth, easy swing hold up well under close scrutiny when he's using the entire field and staying back on pitches-and that's what Dean will be drafted for. He spent the season almost entirely in a DH role as he simply couldn't crack one of the nation's best defensive outfields that featured sophomore whiz Leon Landry in center, and Jared Mitchell (a projected first-rounder this year) and Mikie Mahtook (a projected first-rounder in 2011) on the corners. Dean's arm is his weakest tool, and there's concern on the part of many clubs over the ongoing health of Dean's left shoulder, which has come up clean in previous MRIs but may require surgery at some point in the future.-DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| 313. |
Nick Ciolli |
OF |
Jr. |
L-R |
6-2 |
195 |
Indiana State |
Terre Haute, Ind. |
Never drafted |
12/6/1987 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): One of the rare hitters who seems to swing the bat better with wood than aluminum, Ciolli enjoyed two straight all-star summers in Alaska after batting just .307 and .290 in his first two seasons at Indiana State. He produced a .352 average last summer for the Alaska Goldpanners on the strength of a short, strong stroke from the left side that is well suited to wood. He was picked up by the Kenai Peninsula Oilers to fortify that team's roster for the National Baseball Congress World Series and wound up being the team's top hitter (.444-0-2). Though Ciolli didn't hit a single home run last summer, he has a strong, powerful body and can drive balls to the gaps. Scouts believe his untapped power potential will surface once he learns which pitches he can turn on consistently. He has a sound approach at the plate and is capable of making adjustments from at-bat to at-bat. Ciolli flashes all five tools. He is a solid defender in center field with an adequate arm for the position, but may profile better as a left fielder at the next level. His speed is just average by big league standards, but it plays up because he knows how to use it to his advantage on the bases.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Ciolli followed up his strong summer by hitting .401-5-50 in 2009, by far his best season for Indiana State. He put himself squarely on the map with many area scouts who believe Ciolli can become a productive No. 6-type lefthanded hitter at the big-league level. Some are concerned with his swing and his approach, though, and think that pro-level pitchers will exploit his holes. Defensively, Ciolli isn't suited for center field and will likely move to one of the corners in pro ball. He is expected to go in the 7th-10th round area.-ANUP SINHA |
| |
| 314. |
Nick Santomauro |
OF |
Jr. |
L-R |
6-2 |
195 |
Dartmouth |
North Caldwell, N.J. |
Never drafted |
|
| SCOUTING PROFILE: As a junior at an Ivy League school, Santomauro may be a difficult sign-unless he's picked in an early-enough round to justify buying him out of his final year at Dartmouth. That might be a difficult proposition normally, but Santomauro was selected the Ivy League player of the year and led Dartmouth to its most significant season in 22 years. He topped the Big Green in batting (.372) and the entire Ivy League in conference games only (.473), though he didn't quite match his school-record 11 home-run output that he had in 2008. He finished with eight, while driving in 40 runs. He has above-average power in his lean, loose frame, though it is overly-pronounced to the pull side. The remainder of his tools are at an acceptable level, though he has shown little or no base-stealing prowess with just one stolen base in the last two years combined.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 315. |
Tyler Lyons |
LHP |
Jr. |
B-L |
6-2 |
205 |
Oklahoma State |
Lubbock, Texas |
Never drafted |
2/21/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Lyons has received much less fanfare than Andrew Oliver, the other premium junior lefthander in the Oklahoma State rotation, but he matched Oliver stride for stride in 2008. While Oliver led the Cowboys in strikeouts, 96-92, and had the better ERA, 2.20 to 3.31, Lyons posted considerably more wins, 12 vs. 7, and topped the Big 12 Conference in innings (108) and complete games (4). He also matched Oliver's performance during the summer with USA Baseball's undefeated college-national team. Working in a relief role, he did not allow a run in 11 appearances while winning twice and striking out 17 in 14 innings. Oliver has a slightly-higher profile and is expected to be drafted in the first round in June because his frame is a little more projectable and he throws a little harder, up to 95 mph, but Lyons has his own share of supporters. His fastball tops out at 92 and gets good sinking action coming from more of a low three-quarters arm slot. His breaking stuff and changeup, and his command generally, are all considered superior to Oliver. Lyons, who worked in just 17 innings as an Oklahoma State freshman but struck out 363 batters in his final two years at a Lubbock high school, throws four pitches for strikes, with his curveball considered his most consistent and most advanced. He has a sound delivery and creates good deception with his lower arm angle. While Oliver's status was in doubt for the 2009 season because of his past dealings with an agent, which caused him to be suspended by the NCAA for post-season play a year ago and threatened his participation much of this season until a court ruled in favor of Oliver, Lyons was all set to assume the No. 1 job in the rotation this year for the Cowboys. Oliver's reinstatement has given Oklahoma State possibly the most talented starting duo in the country.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): Lyons' 7-6, 4.07 spring campaign was a significant departure from his breakthrough sophomore season, and scouts were emphatic over the reason: his stuff simply wasn't as good. He pitched at 85-87 mph most of the spring and got by largely because of his advanced pitchability, and the command of his curve and change. There was a feeling in the scouting community that Lyons pitched through a sore elbow much of the spring, especially late in the season when he went almost exclusively to off-speed stuff to get hitters out.-DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| 316. |
Tyler Roberts |
C |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-0 |
226 |
Jones County |
Gray, Ga. |
Meridian (Miss.) CC |
10/25/1990 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Yet another in the many quality high-school catchers in the 2009 draft class, Roberts had a big offensive season at Jones County High-a school that has produced major leaguers Willie Greene, Rico Washington and Rondell White. Greene and White were first-rounders in consecutive drafts in 1989-90, and while Roberts isn't in that rarified range, he has an outside shot of being selected in the first 10 rounds. He hit a robust .584-13-51 this spring while also walking 40 times, but scouts say he actually may have farther to go with his bat than any other area of his game. He tends to muscle the bat head through the hitting zone with his raw, brute strength, but he also has lift in his swing and can drive balls with authority to the gaps. His lack of foot speed is a non-factor at his position, but he is still fairly flexible behind the plate, has soft hands and impresses scouts with his instincts and take-charge approach. He has near-average arm strength, though his lack of quickness and nimble feet often causes him to rush his throws. Roberts' thick lower half hinders his physical projectability, and that factor will most likely keep him from being a premium draft out of high school, but if he ends up in junior college and continues to hit there, he may get some longer looks next spring.-ANUP SINHA / ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 317. |
Josh Zeid |
RHP |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-4 |
215 |
Tulane |
New Haven, Conn. |
Never drafted |
3/24/1987 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Zeid came out of a Connecticut high school in 2005 with outstanding credentials, including pitching for the 2003 USA junior-national team, earning a spot on the 2004 Aflac All-American Team and being selected the Connecticut state player of the year in 2005. His heavy commitment to Vanderbilt was all that stopped him from becoming an early-round draft pick at the time. But for three years, the first two at Vanderbilt and in 2008 after transferring to Tulane, Zeid was largely an after-thought. He threw only a combined 46, mostly-ineffectual innings. Zeid was healthy the entire time but struggled with his secondary stuff and tended to pitch to the middle of the plate with his low-90s fastball. He was given a chance to start early this spring at Tulane, in one last gasp at salvaging his fading career, and largely resurrected his prospect status by going 6-0, 4.01 in 14 starts/69 innings. Though he struck out only 45, Zeid's fastball was consistently in the 92-94 mph range, and would touch 95, though was often pretty straight. The key to his development, aside from improved confidence and a much more mature approach, was the improvement in his secondary stuff. He showed an ability to throw his low-80s slider with some tilt, and that pitch and his 80-mph changeup for strikes. Neither are swing-and-miss pitches, but hitters no longer can lay off them and they provide a different look from Zeid's big fastball.-DAVID RAWNSLEY |
| |
| 318. |
Brandon Jacobs |
OF |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-2 |
230 |
Parkview |
Lilburn, Ga. |
Auburn (FB) |
12/8/1990 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: Jacobs made it known that he was focused more on football than baseball when he began his senior year at Parkview High, a noted Georgia baseball and football prep power. He favored football, even after a big junior season when he hit .518 with seven homers against the strong competition he faced in the northern Atlanta suburbs. But Jacobs was even better last fall on the gridiron, rushing for 1,577 yards and 19 touchdowns. That performance and his preference anyway for football led Jacobs to commit to Auburn in the NCAA early-signing period for football in early February. His initial intention was to play football only in college, but first-year Auburn baseball coach John Pawlowski made it a point to call Jacobs and let him know he also had a spot for him on the Tigers baseball squad. That could provide for an interesting scenario if Jacobs does elect to attend college as new Auburn football coach Gene Chizik has indicated he wants Jacobs to play football only. Though football has always taken precedence with Jacobs, he still has played a good amount of baseball in the spring and summer. He participated in several Perfect Game-sanctioned tournaments and attended the prestigious East Coast Professional Baseball Showcase in Lakeland, Fla., last August. That appearance only fueled the fire for scouts, who began appearing at Jacobs' baseball games in increasing numbers this spring-particularly when he started launching some long home runs with his powerful righthanded swing. Things soon heated up to where teams freely began discussing taking a stab at Jacobs in the first 4-5 rounds of this year's draft-even if it meant buying him away from his football commitment to Auburn. Jacobs didn't shy away from all the attention showered on him-considering the money at stake. Though he is very raw in his approach at the plate, Jacobs has obvious plus raw power in his big frame with a natural lift in his swing. Defensively, Jacobs is probably limited to left field or even first base in the long haul as he was timed in the 60 in a plodding 7.56 seconds last August at the East Coast Showcase, though it's apparent from his prowess as a running back that he's much quicker than that. Football scouts have timed him under 4.5 seconds in the 40. Jacobs does, however, run the risk of getting slower as his already thick and over-developed body will likely get even bigger. Jacobs' arm is his one tool that will always be below-average. But his power bat is immensely intriguing to scouts, and the team that drafts and tries to sign can spread his bonus out over five years because of his two-sport ability, to reduce the financial burden.-ANUP SINHA / ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 319. |
Derek Dennis |
SS |
Sr. |
R-R |
6-3 |
175 |
Forest Hills Central |
Grand Rapids, Mich. |
Michigan |
2/19/1991 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: The lanky, projectable Dennis is an intriguing talent because he's very athletic, but scouts wonder whether he is strong enough yet for the daily grind of professional baseball. He is heavily committed to the University of Michigan, and three years of college baseball may be the more prudent path for him to take in the short term. There's little disputing the talent, though, and scouts say Dennis is probably farther along the development path at the same stage than Louisiana State middle infielder D.J. LeMahieu, a Michigan high-school player of some renown in 2007. Dennis has a good approach at the plate and sound swing mechanics. He generates good bat speed from the right side and projects to become a solid-average hitter with wood in the future. The natural lift and extension in his swing gives him present-day loft power that may project to a plus tool when Dennis fills out and gets physically stronger. He hit .438 with 15 homers in his first three seasons at Forest Hills Central High, and was on an even hotter pace this spring, hitting .519-5-36. Defensively, Dennis moves easily at shortstop and projects an average arm. While he seems like a good bet to stay at shortstop for Michigan if he attends college, Dennis may actually project better at third base in pro ball. His athleticism-most evident on the basketball court as he was a four-year starter and holds several school records-should enable him to slide seamlessly to a new position, if warranted, possibly even the outfield. Dennis is pretty much an average runner, though stole 22 bases this season.-ANUP SINHA |
| |
| 320. |
Charles Thomas |
3B/RHP |
Jr. |
R-R |
6-4 |
245 |
Edward Waters (Fla.) |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
Never drafted |
7/2/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE: The powerfully-built Thomas stands to become the first draft pick from Florida's Edward Waters College-a historically-black, NAIA school. His selection could have historical significance as Edward Waters is the college attended by the late Buck O'Neil, who is legendary for his efforts through the years to advance the cause of African-Americans in baseball. In fact, Edward Waters still plays its games at J.P. Small Park, where players like O'Neil and Satchel Paige once played during the heyday of the old Negro Leagues. Thomas emerged as a prospect a year ago, when he hit .389 with 13 homers, and solidified his status this spring with a solid .366-8-44 season. He has explosive power potential in his big, powerful frame, and has also drawn interest as a pitching prospect on the strength of a fastball that has reached 94 mph in rare appearances on the mound. Most scouts prefer Thomas as a position player, but recognize he may end up at first base down the road because of his lack of mobility at the hot corner.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| |
| 321. |
Jake Locker |
OF |
So. |
R-R |
6-3 |
235 |
Washington (FB) |
Ferndale, Wash. |
Angels '06 (40) |
6/15/1988 |
| SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Locker might have been a first-round draft pick out of a Ferndale, Wash., high school in 2006, as either a pitcher or position player, had he not also been one of the nation's top quarterback recruits. As predicted, he cast his lot with football. He played no baseball in his first two years at Washington, and said at one point that he had no intention of returning to the game. But Locker had a long-standing connection to Brandon Newell, the new coach of the Bellingham team in the West Coast League who doubles as the Milwaukee Brewers' Pacific Northwest area scout. Newell's father once coached Locker's father, the families have remained close through the years and Newell was the only scout who was allowed to do an in-house visit with Locker prior to the 2006 draft. Newell knew then that football was Locker's game, that teams would be wasting their time to draft him-though the Los Angeles Angels still took a stab, in the 40th round. Locker stuck to his guns and flourished on the gridiron as a red-shirt freshman at Washington, setting school records for both rushing (987) and passing yards (2,062) for a freshman. With Newell installed as Bellingham's coach for the 2008 season, and Locker's cousin Brady (a freshman outfielder at Arizona Western JC) and several other players on the roster that he played with growing up, Locker decided to give baseball another shot last summer before he had to report back to football in late July. He played in only 10 leagues games (and several more non-league games) for the Bells, hitting just .273-1-3 and stealing four bases in five attempts, but his raw talent was graphically apparent. His tools were first-round quality almost across the board. Locker didn't pitch at the request of then-Washington football coach Ty Willingham, but Newell (the scout) graded his power at 70, his speed at 80 (he has run the 60 in the past in 6.3 seconds), his arm strength at 70 and his defense at 70 on the standard 20-to-80 scouting scale. Only his hitting ability, rusty from not seeing live pitching in two years, graded out as average. Predictably, Locker's game was erratic. He misplayed or even dropped a number of balls in the outfield, but also displayed excellent range and made a handful of highlight-reel catches. Once clocked at 94-96 mph off a mound, Locker's arm action resembled that of a quarterback. Despite his big frame and rarely getting good jumps, he stole bases almost at will. He also went deep with just one hand still on the bat when fooled by a breaking ball. He hit another ball estimated at almost 450 feet to the opposite field. Even as he struggled at the plate and his swing was a little stiff, he still showed the aptitude to make adjustments from at-bat to at-bat. The competitive approach he displayed said otherwise, but Locker maintained that he played baseball last summer just for fun. Those close to him essentially affirmed it, indicating his chances of playing baseball again, particularly in the spring for the Huskies, were slim. But he also appeared to leave the door slightly ajar, hinting that if he should get hurt playing football during fall or the football team might be able to get by in spring practice without him, he might play. On both those counts, Locker's status remained up in the air as the 2009 baseball season neared. After first tearing a hamstring early in football practice last August, he broke his thumb in the fourth game of the Huskies season and subsequently had surgery that forced him to miss the rest of the 2008 season. Willingham was also relieved of his duties as coach midway through the fall season as the Huskies went on to have a dreadful season, losing all 12 games-setting a school-record of 14 straight extending back to 2007, in the process. New UW football coach Steve Sarkissian left little doubt that he expected to have Locker, the team's best player, on hand for all of spring practice when it began March 31, particularly with the team adopting a new pro-style offensive set. Though Locker's chances of playing baseball for a living are still considered remote, the very real possibility remains that a big-league team, which recognizes his potential Hall of Fame-caliber talent and has an in with him, might break the bank to draft and sign him next June-with Milwaukee and the nearby Seattle Mariners, now under the direction of former Brewers scouting director Jack Zduriencik, the most logical bidders.-ALLAN SIMPSON |
| UPDATE (5/15): With a new football coaching staff in place at Washington on the heels of last year's 0-12 debacle, Locker devoted all his energy this spring to football-and learning an expanded new playbook. He showed no inclination to playing baseball for the Huskies-or even at the pro level in the event he's drafted in June and a big-league club opens its pocketbooks and tries to lure him to baseball. Still, it's almost a given he will be drafted, but in what round, and how extensive negotiations may go, is completely open to speculation.-AS |