In the weeks leading
up to the draft, Perfect Game will be providing a detailed overview
of each state in the U.S., including the District of Columbia, as
well as Canada and Puerto Rico. These overviews will list the
state's strengths, weaknesses and the players with the best tools, as
well as providing mini-scouting reports on all Group 1 and 2 players.
Alaska Overview:
Alaska’s
Limiting Factors: Remote Location, Harsh Climate, Small Population
Considering the state’s
harsh climate, remote location and sparse population, Alaska has
produced its fair share of baseball talent through the years. There
were a total of 12 players with Alaskan roots taken in the draft in
the seven-year period from 2004-2010, ranking Alaska 46th
among the 50 states.
Just like in 2010,
though, there are no Alaska high-school prospects this year that are
expected to be drafted. The closest the state will come to a drafted
player is University of Oregon righthander Kellen Moen, a Juneau
high-school product from 2007 who will not only be selected, but
possibly in the top 10 rounds.
In Alaska’s
undistinguished baseball-draft history, just two high-school players
have ever been selected in the first 14 rounds—one being former
Duke basketball star and future NBA player Trajan Langdon. He
accepted a $200,000 bonus from the San Diego Padres as a sixth-round
pick in 1994 out of an Anchorage high school, and went on to play
just a handful of minor-league games in that organization.
Though no player is
expected to be drafted this year, the three most-identifiable
draft-eligible Alaska high-school players appear to be West Anchorage
High’s Adam Manzer, a surprisingly-athletic 5-foot-9 catcher who
hit .490 and .483 the last two seasons; 6-foot-3 West Valley High
righthander Tim Ballard, the state’s best pitching prospect; and
Dimond High pitcher/infielder Cory Clevenger, the state’s most
polished all-around player.
Alaska began crowning
state-championship teams in baseball in 2000, and this year’s
eight-team final was scheduled for June 3-5.
Alaska in a
Nutshell:
STRENGTH: None.
WEAKNESS:
Draftable talent.
OVERALL RATING
(1-to-5 scale): 1.
BEST HIGH SCHOOL
TEAM: Juneau-Douglas High.
BEST OUT-OF-STATE
PROSPECT, Alaska Connection: Kellen Moen, rhp, University of
Oregon (attended high school in Juneau).
TOP 2012 PROSPECT:
No candidate.
TOP 2013 PROSPECT:
No candidate.
HIGHEST DRAFT PICKS
Draft History:
Brian Montalbo, rhp, Dimond HS, Anchorage (2000, Braves/4th round).
2006 Draft: E.B.
Crow, rhp, Sitka HS (Giants/23rd round).
2007 Draft: None
selected.
2008 Draft: Chris
Aure, lhp, North Pole HS (Pirates/15th round).
2009 Draft: None
selected.
2010 Draft: None
selected.
TOP PROSPECTS,
GROUPS ONE and TWO
None