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 scouting reports on all Group 1 and 2
players as ranked in Perfect Game's state-by-state scouting lists.
Contributing:
David Rawnsley
Maryland State-by-State List
2011 Maryland Overview
Maryland
Overview:
Maryland
Draft Drought Nearing an End
Maryland
had no college or high-school players drafted in the first 10 rounds
in either 2010 or 2011, and that scenario will likely be repeated
this year.
But
that drought should end in 2013 as a rapidly-improving University of
Maryland baseball program should begin to make its presence felt in
the draft by then, and the state has a top young high-school talent
on the way in outfielder Matthew McPhearson, who is already projected
to go in the top 2-3 rounds.
Despite
missing the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament again this season,
Maryland made a statement early in the 2012 season that it is a
program to be reckoned with in the future as it beat eventual
Pacific-12 Conference champion UCLA in two of three games on Opening
Weekend, on the Bruins home turf. The Terrapins eventually won 11 of
their first 12 games against a strong non-conference schedule, before
getting a reality check when the ACC season started. They promptly
lost their first five conference games and went 10-20 overall in
league play.
At
least Maryland had a winning overall record at 32-24, something no
other Maryland Division I college could claim in 2012. Collectively,
the state’s other D-I schools went 89-234, including a 1-53 mark by
Coppin State. In 2011, the state’s seven Division I schools were
119-238 overall; in 2010, they were 117-242.
Though
the Terrapins, under second-year coach Erik Bakick, have showed clear
indications of becoming one of the most-competitive college teams in
the mid-Atlantic region in the near future, beginning as early as
2013, the school’s impact on the draft this year should be limited.
Several seniors are expected to be targeted any time after the 15th round, like righthander Sander Beck and shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez,
who were both unsigned 2011 draft picks.
Maryland’s
high-school crop, meanwhile, is thin again on draftable talent, but
has a noteworthy name in Gilman School first baseman Ryan Ripken, son
of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken. He may end up being taken as a
late-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles, but it’s much more likely
that he will end up in college at South Carolina.
Maryland
in a nutshell:
STRENGTH:
University of Maryland players.
WEAKNESS:
Draftable high-school talent.
OVERALL
RATING (1-to-5 scale): 1.
BEST
COLLEGE TEAM: Maryland.
BEST
JUNIOR-COLLEGE TEAM: Harford.
BEST
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: James M. Bennett HS, Salisbury.
BEST
OUT-OF-STATE PROSPECT, Maryland Connection: Branden Kline, rhp,
University of Virginia (Attended high school in Frederick).
Top
2013 Prospect: Matthew McPhearson, of, Riverdale Baptist HS,
Hyattsville.
Top
2014 Prospect: K.J. Hockaday, 3b, University of Maryland.
HIGHEST
DRAFT PICKS
Draft
History: Harold Baines, of, St. Michaels HS (1977, White Sox/1st round, 1st pick).
2006
Draft: Matt Sweeney, c, Magruder HS, Rockville (Angels, 8th round).
2007
Draft: Brett Cecil, lhp, University of Maryland (Blue Jays/1st round, 38th pick).
2008
Draft: L.J. Hoes, of, St. John’s College Prep (Orioles/3rd round).
2009
Draft: Branden Kline, rhp, Johnson HS, Frederick (Red Sox/6th round).
2010
Draft: Adam Kolarek, lhp, University of Maryland (Mets/11th round).
2011
Draft: K.J. Hockaday, ss, Carroll HS, Bel Air (Orioles/14th round).
2011
DRAFT OVERVIEW
College
Players Drafted/Signed: 6/3.
Junior
College Players Drafted/Signed: 0/0.
High
School Players Drafted/Signed: 1/0.
TOP
PROSPECTS, GROUPS ONE and TWO
None
5
PROSPECTS TO WATCH
SANDER
BECK, rhp, University of Maryland (Sr.)
At
6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, with a fastball at 90-93 mph, Beck has the
frame and raw arm strength of a pro pitcher. Control issues as a
junior at Maryland (2-5, 5.59, 58 IP, 50 BB/58 SO) hurt his draft
chances in 2011, though he was still selected in the 33rd-round
by the Baltimore Orioles. The O’s watched Beck closely as he
returned for a second summer to play for the Maryland Orioles, a team
they sponsor in the local Cal Ripken Collegiate League, but elected
not to sign him, even as Beck went a much-improved 3-1, 2.25 over the
summer with 14 walks and 41 strikeouts in 32 innings. Hopeful that he
might carry over that performance into his senior year at Maryland,
Beck was consistently 91-92 mph and flashed a plus slider this
spring, while going 6-2, 2.87 with 27 walks and 42 strikeouts in 53
innings. Though there was a notable improvement from 2011, Beck
continued to have some issues with his command, particularly in his
early role as a Friday starter, and was eventually installed as a
mid-week starter.
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