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:
Allan Simpson
Michigan State-by-State List
2011 Michigan Overview
Michigan
Overview:
Prepsters
Alleman, Hill Show Considerable Promise On Mound
The
presence of high-school pitchers Justin Alleman and Evan Hill could
make it a special 2012 draft class for Michigan, but it may take
three years for anyone to take notice. Alleman, a righthander, and
Hill, a lefthander, are both projectable and athletic, and show good
present-day stuff along with great overall potential. Both pose
signability difficulties, however, with each looking for early-round
money to sway them away from commitments to Michigan State and
Michigan, respectively.
Those
schools have promising recruiting classes, made up largely of
home-grown talent, although the decision by Michigan to not renew the
contract of 10-year coach Rich Maloney could jeopardize the college
intentions of some of the Wolverines incoming recruits.
In
addition to Alleman, Michigan State has commitments from notable
local products like outfielder Cam Gibson (son of Spartans legend
Kirk Gibson, now manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks) and righthander
Alex Rapanos. Michigan’s recruiting class includes shortstops
Travis Maezes and Jacob Cronenworth, and righthander Cam Wysocki, in
addition to Hill. All of these players have the potential to be
drafted as they rank among the top 10 prep prospects in the state,
but most are expected to attend college.
Michigan
State ended a two-year drought for the state by receiving an at-large
bid to this year’s NCAA tournament, but Michigan never recovered
from a disastrous 2011 season, when it went 17-37 (7-16 in the Big
Ten), by going only 22-33 (8-15 in conference), leading to the
departure of Maloney.
Central
Michigan (34-19) was the only other Division I college in Michigan to
post a .500 record overall, and appropriately the Chippewas will join
Michigan State as the top college contributors in Michigan to this
year’s draft.
Michigan
in a nutshell:
STRENGTH:
In-state recruiting classes.
WEAKNESS:
High-end talent.
OVERALL
RATING (1-to-5 scale): 2.
BEST
COLLEGE TEAM: Michigan
State.
BEST
JUNIOR-COLLEGE TEAM:
Grand Rapids.
BEST
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Brother
Rice HS, Birmingham.
PROSPECT
ON THE RISE: Evan Hill, lhp, Mt. Pleasant HS. In
the minds of some scouts, Hill has emerged as the top prospect in
Michigan, though his improvement this spring may not be reflected in
the draft as he is considered highly unsignable if he is not taken in
the first round. At 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Hill is athletic and has
an effortless delivery. He also has a solid feel for three pitches,
including a high-80s fastball that occasionally tops at 90-91 mph.
WILD
CARD: Torsten Boss, of/3b, Michigan State University. Based
on an uneven performance last summer in the Cape Cod League, Boss
entered the 2012 season with more questions than answers. Most scouts
agree that he has addressed concerns over his bat as he has shown the
ability to catch up to high-end fastballs this spring, but there are
still issues where he will play in the field. If a team believes he
can hold his own at third base, that will enhance his value
significantly.
BEST
OUT-OF-STATE PROSPECT, Michigan Connection:
Victor Roache, of, Georgia Southern University (Attended high school
in Ypsilanti).
Top
2013 Prospect: Mike
O’Neil, of, University of Michigan.
Top
2014 Prospect:
Matt Ruppenthal, rhp, Brother Rice HS, Bloomfield Hills.
HIGHEST
DRAFT PICKS
Draft
History: Mark Mulder,
lhp, Michigan State U. (1998, Athletics/1st round, 2nd pick).
2006
Draft: Dan O’Brien,
lhp, Western Michigan University (Blue Jays/8th round).
2007
Draft: Jeff Fischer, rhp,
Eastern Michigan University (Rockies/10th round).
2008
Draft: Ethan
Hollingsworth, rhp, Western Michigan University (Rockies/4th round).
2009
Draft: Daniel Fields, ss,
University of Detroit Jesuit HS (Tigers/6th round).
2010
Draft: Ryan LaMarre, of,
University of Michigan (Reds/2nd round).
2011
Draft: Trent Howard, lhp,
Central Michigan University (Orioles/7th round).
2011
DRAFT OVERVIEW
College
Players Drafted/Signed:
11/10.
Junior
College Players Drafted/Signed:
1/1.
High
School Players Drafted/Signed:
9/1.
BEST
TOOLS
Best
Athlete: Torsten
Boss, of/3b, Michigan State University.
Best
Hitter: Torsten Boss,
of/3b, Michigan State University.
Best
Power: Torsten Boss,
of/3b, Michigan State University.
Best
Speed: Pat Biondi, of,
University of Michigan.
Best
Defender: Ryan Jones, 2b,
Michigan State University.
Best
Velocity: Justin Alleman,
rhp, Holt HS.
Best
Breaking Stuff: Zach
Cooper, rhp, Central Michigan University.
Best
Pitchability: Tony
Bucciferro, rhp, Michigan State University.
TOP
PROSPECTS, GROUPS ONE and TWO
GROUP ONE (Projected
ELITE-Round Draft / Rounds 1-3)
None
GROUP TWO (Projected
HIGH-Round Draft / Rounds 4-10)
1. EVAN HILL, lhp,
Mt. Pleasant HS
Hill has been rising
quickly up draft boards this spring as scouts have taken a keen
liking to his extremely projectable 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame and a
fastball that has sat consistently in the upper-80s while touching
90-91 mph. His curve and changeup also show promise, and like
righthander Justin Alleman, the player he leapfrogged late in the
spring to become Michigan’s No. 1 prospect, he is expected to throw
consistently harder as he continues to fill out his lean, athletic
frame. Hill, like Alleman, is also considered a very tough sign, and
may actually be more likely of the two to honor his commitment to
Michigan if he is not a premium pick, possibly anything but a
first-rounder. With Hill pitching for the Wolverines and Alleman for
Michigan State, Michigan could produce a pair of premium college arms
three years from now, if both pitchers continue to progress as
expected.
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