Welcome to Perfect Game's first installment of "Crack of the Bat!" My name is Patrick Ebert, and every week I will be presenting a different feature column containing varying opinions on different aspects of both amateur and professional baseball. In future weeks, you may notice that a lot of my stories will have a recurring theme tied to the June amateur free agent draft. This draft greatly fascinates me because there was not much coverage of the event before the inception of the World Wide Web. Still the draft hasn't found a medium with television even though the draft of the WNBA has called many T.V. networks home. While information concerning this draft is easier to find, the options to find such information still are limited. Baseball America is the best in the business when it comes to covering this draft, and Perfect Game USA has always done an excellent job profiling and scouting amateur players. In addition, Major League Baseball's website has done a very good job covering different aspects of the draft, but that coverage usually doesn't start until a month or two before the draft itself.
Some readers may be familiar with my work on Brewerfan.net, a fan-based website devoted to the Milwaukee Brewers. At Brewerfan.net I handle all of the graphic design (by trade I am a graphic artist) in addition to draft coverage, which isn't limited to just the interests of the Brewers. Brewerfan.net is the brainchild of Brian Kapellusch, the site's creator, programmer, webmaster, and president and to whom I owe my eternal gratitude for giving me the platform to share my passion for the game of baseball. The site has enabled me to conduct one-on-one interviews with Brewer farmhands and former Perfect Game players such as Prince Fielder, Tom Wilhelmsen, Brad Nelson, and Lou Palmisano, among other features. You are welcome to visit Brewerfan.net to check out for yourself some of these features and many more by other contributors.
While I may be biased towards my beloved Brewers, my interests in baseball cover the scope of all Major League Baseball teams, the college ranks, semi-pro leagues, and high school baseball. I hope you enjoy my features in weeks to come. You may have read the interview with Atlanta Braves Scouting Director Roy Clark currently on Perfect Game's homepage. If you did, I hope you found it as interesting as I did.
Please note that my opinions stated within these columns do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Perfect Game USA. If you disagree with some of my points, or have any other comments or suggestions for future submissions, I invite you to visit the Perfect Game message boards, or contact me via email at pebert@brewerfan.net
Enough about me...Batter Up!
Two-Way Talents
It's quite common that the best athletes on the baseball diamond are successful both at the plate and on the mound. In fact, it's hard to find a team in which the best athlete on that said team doesn't contribute both ways. However, it isn't common that you find talented two-way players that could be considered a first-round pick in the June amateur free agent draft either as a pitcher or as a positional prospect, not to mention how special a player needs to be to be considered a possible first-round pick in the first place. There are always debates as to where such a player is better suited. In 2002 the Dodgers surprised a lot of people by taking James Loney in the first round as a positional prospect. The Pirates did the opposite the year before, taking John Van Benschoten as a pitcher from the college ranks. Josh Hamilton is probably the last great athlete that could have easily been taken as high as he was (first overall in the 1999 draft) either as a left-handed pitcher or as an outfielder. While Hamilton's career has been derailed, a few times (Hamilton's suspension was recently extended through the 2005 season, but that's a different story for another time), it has nothing to do with his tremendous athletic ability.
The high school draft class for 2005 could offer three very special players, two-way talents that could be considered legitimate first-round picks either on the mound or at the plate. Those three players are Justin Bristow, Sean O'Sullivan and Zach Putnam.
Justin Bristow
At 6'4", 220 pounds, Bristow offers an impressive physical package. He is an amazing overall athlete, the type of player that makes everything look easy. Not only has he starred in baseball, but he also is an accomplished quarterback for Mills Godwin High School in Richmond, Virginia.
Bristow opened the eyes of scouts as a pitcher first, starting his prep career with an impressive 9-0 freshman season. Over his first three years in high school, he has gone 22-2, using a low-90s fastball, a knee-buckling curveball and a solid changeup. Bristow has approached the mid-90s with his fastball, and his athleticism allows him to repeat his smooth and effortless delivery well. His size and athleticism leads many scouts to believe that he could be pitching in the mid-90s with regularity as he continues to mature and hone his craft.
The question is will he be given that chance? Bristow's size and athleticism serves him equally well as a positional prospect, starring as Mills Godwin's and Team USA's starting shortstop over the past several springs and summers. In fact it was his bat that propelled him to be named the MVP on the Team USA Junior National Team during the summer of 2003. He was selected to play in the AFLAC All-American Classic during the summer of 2004, although his time was limited since he severely sprained his wrist the week before at the East Coast Showcase. While he didn't get the chance to pitch in the AFLAC game, and he didn't produce at the plate, he did showcase his powerful arm in the field while playing third base. Listed as a shortstop now, Bristow's size and lack of ideal range will push him to third base at the professional or even the college level (he has committed to play for the Auburn Tigers), again, should he be groomed as a positional prospect. At the plate Bristow's bat offers plenty of power. He makes good, consistent hard contact and drives the ball to all fields.
So, where should Bristow play assuming he's drafted high enough to be playing professional baseball as early as this summer? I think Bristow's bat and overall athleticism will cause him to be drafted as a five-tool third base prospect, and Bristow just might be the best two-way player to come out of high school since the aforementioned Josh Hamilton.
Sean O'Sullivan
If you have ever seen O'Sullivan play baseball, he truly is a man among boys. High school players don't get much stronger or more physically mature than the 6'2", 205 pound slugger/power pitcher. In fact, I have questioned his listed weight of 205 pounds on several occasions, but listed weights and heights should never be taken that seriously.
Playing for Valhalla High School in El Cajon, California, O'Sullivan topped the entire state with 16 home runs last spring. Overall he hit .637 with 50 RBI and 49 runs scored. Given his dominance, it's amazing he was given 16 good pitches to hit over the course of the season, although the talent in Southern California rarely steps down from a challenge, no matter how imposing. O'Sullivan, like Bristow, played for the Team USA Junior National Team, and in fact was the winning pitcher in the Gold Medal Game during the summer of 2003. He also participated in the AFLAC All-American Classic, striking out the side in his only inning of work as a pitcher.
His frame gives him an extremely intimidating presence both on the mound and at the plate. At the plate he uses to size to muscle balls to all parts of the field. He's far from just a home run hitter, as he covers the plate well and makes good adjustments. On the field his arm will play anywhere, and while he currently plays third base, some believe his size may push him to a corner outfield spot.
On the mound O'Sullivan is very aggressive, and he owns the inside half of the plate. He commands his fastball very well, and he mixes in a sharp-breaking curveball that he also can throw for strikes in any count. His arm-action is very clean, and he does a good job keeping his mechanics in check. If there's any knock on O'Sullivan it's that his body is so physically mature, which some may take to mean that he doesn't have any physical projection to get any better.
As much as I like O'Sullivan's power potential, I take his arm and put his fearless demeanor on the mound. He not only has the stuff and the presence, but he really knows how to pitch, using his fastball perfectly to set up his offspeed offerings. If he's not drafted high enough, he could take his two-way talents to San Diego State, where he has committed to play for former San Diego Padres star and future Hall of Famer, Tony Gwynn.
Zach Putnam
Putnam doesn't command the same respect that Bristow and O'Sullivan do physically. Listed at the same height and weight as O'Sullivan (6'2", 205), Putnam looks to be a closer match to those numbers than O'Sullivan does. And while O'Sullivan has a broad, square, powerful frame, Putnam has the sloped shoulders of any great, natural hitter. He joined both Bristow and O'Sullivan on the AFLAC All-American team during the summer of 2004.
When you look up Pioneer High School's (Ann Arbor, Michigan) records, you find Putnam's name. A lot. Highest batting average, on-base average, slugging percentage, hits, extra-base hits, total bases, home runs, stolen bases...everything. He is a true five-tool player, showing his prowess in the field as well with good range, soft hands and a strong throwing arm. Like the two players listed above, should Putnam be drafted as a positional prospect, he likely will find his way to third base, where his bat and arm could make him ideal for the hot corner.
However, the key phrase is "should Putnam be drafted as a positional prospect." Putnam's ability on the mound has a lot of scouts preferring him as a pitcher. You look at his measurables and he throws in the 88-92 range, touching 94, with natural sinking action, he has a sharp curveball, and he throws an advanced changeup. Then, you look at his picture-perfect mechanics and you wonder if he is indeed in high school. He throws his entire repertoire with the same arm action, all of his pitches offer great, late natural movement, he has the natural savvy to know how to change speeds and he commands the strike zone, from top to bottom, inside and out, very well.
Putnam reminds me a lot of another Zach, Zach Greinke, who was a highly touted third-base/right-handed pitching prospect entering his draft year in 2002. Greinke's polish on the mound easily won over his offensive potential, and I believe Putnam's future will hold a similar path. That is, if he can be swayed away from his hometown commitment to the University of Michigan, where he will be given the opportunity to continue to star both ways.
Others
Of course there are plenty of other players that project favorably as two-way players. Ike Davis has drawn interest both as a smooth-hitting first base prospect and as a left-handed pitcher. While his father, Ron, pitched 11 years in the big leagues, Ike's future is as a hitter, as his smooth stroke and natural loft power are too good to pass up.
Buster Posey and Jeremy Hellickson are both of a slighter build, and both star on the mound and at shortstop with wiry actions. Both Posey and Hellickson project better on the mound, with explosive stuff that doesn't seem to match their smallish frames.
Ryan DeLaughter, like Davis, profiles better as a hitter. DeLaughter actually reminds me quite a bit of fellow Texan and current Tigers farmhand Brent Clevlen for his two-way ability. DeLaughter, like Clevlen, will probably end up in right-field for his bat, defense and arm strength.
A name that has been on the radar for quite some time is Southern California's Trevor Bell. Another player that has dominated both ways during his high school career, Bell's path like DeLaughter's likely will continue as a hitter/outfielder with his sweet lefty stroke.
Georgia's Iain Sebastian, like Bristow, O'Sullivan, Davis, Posey, Hellickson and DeLaughter also played in the AFLAC All-American Classic. Sebastian's intriguing raw power potential likely will cause him to be drafted as a first baseman.
Ryan Wood from Virginia could present the toughest choice for scouts. Tall and lean, Wood has graceful and fluid actions both at shortstop and on the mound, and an exciting bat at the plate. With plenty of room to grow into his body, the sky is the limit wherever his future lies.
Colby Rasmus closes off the list of talented two-way players available for the 2005 draft, not that he's the last one worth noting. Scouts watching Rasmus this spring likely will be spending their time trying to decide whether or not they like his five-tool talents as a hitter and outfielder or his 90 mile per hour velocity as a southpaw on the mound.
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.net, and can be contacted via email at pebert@brewerfan.net.