The state of Georgia has always been rich with baseball talent, usually falling just below the big three (California, Florida and Texas) when it comes to the amount of players that are selected in the June Amateur Free Agent Draft.

Last year in particular we saw two players (Matt Wieters and Jason Heyward) taken among the top 14 overall picks, with four more (Josh Smoker, Nathan Vineyard, Charlie Culberson and Danny Payne) selected in the sandwich round.

This year is no different, with a pair of shortstops with the same last name, Beckham (no relation), headlining the Georgia crop of talent available for this year’s draft.

The Beckham’s

Both Tim Beckham, a prep shortstop from Griffin, and Gordon Beckham, the Georgia Bulldogs’ star shortstop, could very well be taken in the top five overall selections. Tim is a legitimate candidate to go first overall to the Rays, while Gordon could be in that same conversation the way he’s been swinging the bat this spring.

Tim Beckham is a prototypical shortstop, with the easy, natural graceful actions that often define the best of the best at the position. He’s drawn comparisons to the Upton brothers, more often to B.J. than Justin, for his athletic prowess, and for his ability to hit for average and power. I’ve also heard the name Derek Jeter thrown out when comparisons are being handed out, most likely for Tim’s future potential to both stick at the position defensively and for his potential to be a perennial all-star with the bat.

His skills have been on display at the highest degree playing with and against the most notable high school players in the country. He was named the MVP of the Aflac All-American Classic last summer, driving in three runs in the game which included the decisive run in the ninth inning which propelled the East squad to victory, while also performing at a high level at several other national events over the course of the summer and into the fall.

Adding to his athletic abilities is his makeup, as he receives high marks for his willingness to learn, lead and desire to win. That six-tool combination should carry him far.

Gordon Beckham’s stock is soaring with a Golden Spikes type of season that has helped carry the Bulldogs to a 12-3 SEC conference record which puts them on top of the Eastern division (and the entire conference for that matter), ahead of preseason favorites Vanderbilt and South Carolina.

After Gordon’s hot start opposing teams have started to pitch around him, yet he still manages to crush the ball when he gets a pitch to hit. He’s currently batting .432 with 39 RBI while leading the country with 16 home runs.

He has carried the success over from last summer, in which he led the Cape league in home runs (nine) and RBI (35) swinging a wood bat. Gordon has always had considerable potential in all aspects of the game, but all of the pieces of the puzzle seem to be coming together for him this spring, showing increased patience at the plate while hitting for average and power, stealing bases and playing pretty good defense.

The defense remains the biggest question mark when talking about Gordon’s skill-set, as the jury is still out whether or not he has the ability to remain at shortstop at the professional level. Some seem to think he has more than enough ability to stick there, at least for the short term, and even then those that doubt his future at shortstop believe he could become an asset both offensively and defensively at either second or third base.

And like Tim Beckham, Gordon has the necessary confidence and leadership skills that will make his character attributes become just as valuable as his physical ones in the team clubhouse.

Bulldog Closer

I profiled Gordon Beckham’s teammate, Joshua Fields, a week ago, but I will reiterate that his success so far this year has put him back on track to become a legitimate mid-first-round pick come June. There’s no reason he couldn’t be taken as high as Casey Weathers was a year ago, as he has yet to give up an earned run and has 10 saves in 18 appearances.

Most importantly, Fields’ nasty stuff has returned to the level that made him a projected first-round pick as he entered the 2007 college baseball season, and his mid-90s fastball and nearly unhittable breaking ball gives him two pitches that could be getting out batters at the Major League level today.

Prep Tools

Three high school players from the Peach State, in addition to Tim Beckham, are also in the mix for the first round.

People have known about Ethan Martin’s (Toccoa, GA) power at the plate for quite some time, and while those same people have also known that he has an equally strong arm as a pitcher, he is starting to draw some legitimate pro interest this spring by pitching in the low-to-mid-90s with a hammer of a curveball.

Despite his promise on the mound, it’s hard for me to envision a team taking him as anything other than a powerful third base prospect that has the tools to become a prototypical third baseman. He shared the home run derby title at the Aflac All-American Classic with Destin Hood, and travels with the esteemed East Cobb program, which has a lot to do with the overall success of the talent that hails from the state of Georgia.

Martin’s East Cobb and Aflac All-American teammates Michael Palazzone (Marietta) and Xavier Avery (Decatur) have tools that are close to matching Martin’s.

Palazzone has arguably the best curveball in the class, and he also has shown a natural sense in pitching at a very young age, mixing in a low-90s fastball and polished changeup to his repertoire. He carved up hitters at the Jupiter World Championship last October after doing the same over the summer showcase circuit. The biggest question about Palazzone is his delivery, which is fairly violent, and has garnered a few comparisons to the one that Tim Lincecum employs.

Avery’s game is highlighted by his world-class speed, and then some, registering the fastest time ever in the 60-yard dash (6.17) at last summer’s Perfect Game National showcase. A tremendous overall athlete, Avery has the tools to do more than just run, showing a pretty good eye at the plate and promising overall offensive potential. His athleticism has made him an equally exciting recruit in football, as he has committed to the University of Georgia, but most seem to think if he’s drafted where he should be (first or second round) that he will pursue baseball.

When you combine Martin’s power with Avery’s speed and Palazzone’s curveball, you have three of the best overall tools in the entire 2008 draft class.

Other Georgia preps that could factor into the early rounds include a pair of multi-tooled outfielders. Atlanta’s Jay Austin is an exciting five-tool prospect that also has thrown in the 90s off the mound as a left-handed pitcher, while Brennan May of Fayetteville has one of the more exciting combinations of power and speed in the country.

The top pitchers after Palazzone include Cecil Tanner, a towering righty of Waycross, fellow righty Zeke Spruill of Marietta, who may possess one of the more electric sliders in this year’s draft class, and big, polished lefty Grayson Garvin of Suwanee, who has a polished repertoire and overall approach to pitching.

Cartersville catcher Taylor Hightower, an Aflac All-American, has power at the plate to match his powerful arm from behind it.

Rounding out the most notable high school players from Georgia is Chase Davidson of Alpharetta. A left-handed slugger that has played third base and the outfield, he profiles best at first base, and his natural, raw power is amongst the best among 2008 draft-eligible candidates.

College arms

As part of my college preseason columns, I noted how Georgia Tech’s pitching staff may carry them this spring more so than their usual potent offense, and before entering conference play in the always tough ACC, that for the most part was true.

Their Friday and Saturday starters are eligible for this year’s draft, towering lefty David Duncan and tall righty Eddie Burns. Despite their size neither one is a true power pitcher, but scouts love their projectability. Duncan usually sits in the upper-80s, mixing in a solid four-pitcher repertoire, while Burns is a sinker-slider pitcher who is able to induce ground balls while reaching back to touch the 92-93 range when he needs a strikeout.

Yellow Jackets closer Chris Hicks is among the nation’s leaders in saves with eight in 17 appearances. While Hicks has very good stuff, which includes a fastball that peaks in the mid-90s, and a splitter that he spikes in the dirt which can draw some pretty ugly swings, he has the tendency to struggle with command.

While Georgia Tech has plenty of young positional players to look forward to in future drafts, powerful outfielder Luke Murton, the younger brother of former Yellow Jacket Matt, could draw early round interest for his power bat and arm, which may make him a natural fit for right field at the next level. While Murton has had problems making consistent contact in the past, he has responded with a very solid season this spring.

While Gordon Beckham and Joshua Fields are the more notable members of the 2008 Georgia Bulldogs, all three of their weekend starters have been integral to this spring’s success, and all three are eligible for this year’s draft.

Trevor Holder pitches on Friday for the Bulldogs, and has the greatest pro potential, using a low-90s fastball, slider and a very good changeup to record the majority of his outs. Fellow righty Stephen Dodson pitches in the 87-92 range with considerable sink on his heater, while lefty Nathan Moreau is also known more for his pitching moxie than for his raw, pure stuff.

The overall success of the Bulldogs bullpen, which arguably has been the biggest part of their success this spring, could also improve the draft stock of relievers Will Harvil and Nick Montgomery.

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.