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.
Indiana State-by-State List
Indiana
Overview:
Lots
of Talent in Indiana in 2009-10, Lots of Question Marks in 2011
Indiana
has been a major source of talent in the last two drafts, producing a
total of four first-round picks and two sandwich selections.
The
2009 draft saw four Indiana college players selected among the top 46
picks, including three from Indiana University: righthander Eric
Arnett (No. 26), catcher Josh Phegley (No. 38) and lefthander Matt
Bashore (No. 46). Notre Dame outfielder A.J. Pollack (No. 17) was the
first player taken.
That
haul didn’t even begin to address righthander Drew Storen, a
Stanford signee who played his high-school baseball in Brownsburg,
Ind. He was the 10th pick overall in 2009, and became the
first player in that class to surface in the big leagues.
A
year ago, the first-rounders included Ball State’s Kolbrin Vitek
(No. 20) and Muncie prep product Justin O’Conner (No. 31), both
significant two-way talents. Moreover, the state kicked in with two
second-rounders, as well, in Indiana State righthander Jacob Petricka
(No. 63) and Ball State righthander Perci Garner (No. 77).
Not
only will Indiana not produce that kind of talent this year, but
there’s no clear consensus on the identity of the top 2-3 prospects
in the state. The leading candidates to go off the board first all
bring something of significance to the table, but they all have a
notable weakness as well. That has caused scouts to evaluate them all
in varying ways, leading to a variety of different opinions on their
draft worth.
Consider
Indiana power-hitting outfielder Alex Dickerson. He has generally
been considered the top college prospect in the state since hitting
.419-24-75 and winning the Big Ten Conference triple crown as a
sophomore.
But
Dickerson’s production at the plate slipped noticeably this season,
to .367-9-49. Much of the falloff can be attributed to the change in
bat standards at the college level, and by teams pitching around him
more extensively, but some scouts have openly wondered if his swing
is geared more towards aluminum. They also saw Dickerson wave through
a lot of below-average fastballs this spring.
The
6-foot-3, 225-pound California product can still put a charge in a
ball with the best in the college ranks, but Dickerson must hit, and
hit with power in order to justify an early-round selection as the
rest of his tools (arm, speed, defense) are considered below average.
Dickerson saw extensive time at DH in his Indiana career, and may
need to improve his defensive skills even in left field just to avoid
ending up at first base.
A
second college outfielder, Valparaiso’s Kyle Gaedele, has the look
of a big leaguer in his athletic 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame, and will
flash all five major-league tools. He has also excelled in summer
competition in each of the last two summers, while using wood.
But
Gaedele remains a puzzle to scouts, who say his baseball skills don’t
quite measure up to his tools.
He
has impressive power, but it stems mostly from his inclination to
muscle balls out of the yard rather than being a by-product of raw
bat speed. Gaedele also struggles to recognize breaking balls, a
prime factor in his striking out 50 times this spring. And while
Gaedele has shown the ability to play center field with his
impressive speed, he doesn’t consistently get good jumps on balls,
and his arm strength is better suited for a corner position.
Still,
Gaedele has his share of supporters who are sold on his athleticism
and raw power, and could be selected as early as the sandwich or
second rounds. More and more scouts, however, have seen the flaws in
his game and have downgraded him to a third- or fourth-rounder.
At
the high-school level, the same dilemma exists. Six-foot-1, 240-pound
Lawrence Central High righthander Christian Montgomery has been
acknowledged as the top prospect in his class for the better part of
two years because of his combination of a big frame, power arm and
advanced feel for pitching. But as the 2011 draft nears, Montgomery
may no longer even be the best pitcher on his own high-school team.
Montgomery
has simply not been the same pitcher this spring as he has in the
past. He appears to have a different delivery and arm slot, and his
fastball, which once topped consistently in the mid-90s, often dipped
into the high-80s. His breaking stuff and command also haven’t been
as sharp.
Still,
Montgomery could end up becoming the first Indiana prep player
drafted because he has expressed little or no interest in attending
college, while all of his primary competitors appear locked in on
playing baseball in college. He could earn the No. 1 nod almost by
default.
The
mixed reviews that Dickerson, Gaedele and Montgomery have received
this spring don’t bode well for Indiana producing another high-end
talent in this year’s draft, and has actually opened the door for
other prospects to emerge as the best potential drafts in the state.
On
the college side, Notre Dame senior righthander Brian Dupra and
Indiana junior lefthander Blake Monar are the top candidates to
leapfrog Dickerson and/or Gaedele, and they would do so mostly on
their merit as both pitchers have enjoyed solid 2011 seasons.
The
6-foot-3, 200-pound Dupra, who was drafted in the 10th
round a year ago, has always had a superior arm, but he also had a
career 6.40 ERA entering this season. His fastball has been the same,
steady 92-94 mph, topping at 95, but he has refined a couple of minor
mechanical flaws in his delivery while learning to utilize his raw
stuff more efficiently. Dupra went just 3-7 as a Friday starter for a
23-29 Notre Dame team, but more telling were his 29 walks and 93
strikeouts in 105 innings. With his improved performance, he could
become one of the top senior signs in the entire draft.
Monar
climbed up draft boards all spring with a solid bounce-back year
after injuring his shoulder in his first start of 2010, and missing
the balance of the season. He went 6-3, 3.52 for the Hoosiers and
impressed scouts with his ability to spot his fastball, which peaked
at 92 mph, along with his breaking ball and changeup.
Six-foot-5
Indiana State junior righthander Colin Rea is another pitcher
projected to go in the top 10 rounds, but it is unlikely he will be
one of the first players picked. He made significant strides as a
prospect at his third school in three years, impressing scouts with a
fastball up to 94 and a mid-80s slider. It’s possible he may have
even better secondary stuff and mechanics than Petricka, who was a
second-rounder from the same school a year ago.
The
well-traveled Rea spent his freshman season in college at Northern
Iowa in 2009, and transferred to St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC when that
program was disbanded. With former Northern Iowa coach Rick Heller
landing at Indians State, he quickly re-connected with Rea.
The
6-foot, 195-pound Cathedral High lefthander Dillon Peters has made
the most of his opportunities this spring to evolve quickly into the
top prep prospect in Indiana. Peters has been a standout since his
freshman year and entered the year with a 29-2, 0.67 record, along
with 344 strikeouts in 205 innings. One of his losses came in the
2010 state-championship game, when he lost 1-0 in nine innings to
Carroll High, despite striking out a tournament record 16.
Peters
has continued to pitch at a high level this season with a fastball
that sits at 92, and peaks at 94, and his ability to throw three
pitches for strikes. But his chances of possibly going in the top 2-3
rounds, where his talent warrants, are in doubt as teams are
skeptical of his small frame and heavy college commitment to Texas.
Montgomery's
teammate at Lawrence Central High, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound
righthander Jared Ruxer, topped out at 93 mph this spring. Scouts
were impressed with Ruxer’s frame, delivery and stuff.
Indiana
in a Nutshell:
STRENGTH:
College outfielders.
WEAKNESS:
Signable high-school talent.
OVERALL
RATING (1-to-5 scale): 2.
BEST
COLLEGE TEAM: Indiana.
BEST
JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAM: Vincennes.
BEST
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Cathedral HS, Fishers.
PROSPECT
ON THE RISE: Blake Monar, lhp, Indiana University. Monar
suffered a serious shoulder injury in his first start a year ago, and
there were concerns that his career may be in jeopardy. But he has
rebounded nicely this spring with impressive command of three
pitches, including a low-90s fastball.
PROSPECT
ON THE DECLINE: Christian Montgomery, rhp, Lawrence Central HS,
Indianapolis. Montgomery has been the top prospect in his class
through most of his high-school career in Indiana, but his delivery,
stuff and command have not been up to par this season.
WILD
CARD: Dillon Peters, lhp, Cathedral HS, Fishers. His
slight frame and firm college commitment to Texas are obvious
drawbacks to his going in the top two or three rounds, but no one is
more deserving of being selected with the top pick in the state. He
throws three pitches for strikes, including a fastball up to 94 mph.
BEST
OUT-OF-STATE PROSPECT, Indiana Connection: Alex Meyer, rhp,
University of Kentucky (attended high school in Greensburg).
TOP
2012 PROSPECT: Brad Schreiber, rhp, Purdue University.
TOP
2013 PROSPECT: Zac Ryan, rhp, Andrean HS, Valparaiso.
HIGHEST
DRAFT PICKS
Draft
History: Andy Benes, rhp, U. of Evansville (1988, Padres/1st round, 1st pick); Brian Bullington, rhp, Ball State U.
(2002, Pirates/1st round, 1st pick).
2006
Draft: Preston Mattingly, ss, Evansville Central HS (Dodgers/1st round, 31st pick).
2007
Draft: Jarrod Parker, rhp, Norwell HS, Bluffton (Diamondbacks/1st round, 9th pick).
2008
Draft: Josh Lindblom, rhp, Purdue U. (Dodgers/2nd round).
2009
Draft: A.J. Pollock, of, U. of Notre Dame (Diamondbacks/1st round, 17th pick).
2010
Draft: Kolbrin Vitek, 2b/rhp, Ball State U. (Red Sox/1st round/20th pick).
BEST
TOOLS
Best
Hitter: Alex Dickerson, of, Indiana University.
Best
Power: Alex Dickerson, of, Indiana University.
Best
Speed: Kyle Gaedele, of, Valparaiso University.
Best
Defender: Kyle Gaedele, of, Valparaiso University.
Best
Velocity: Brian Dupra, rhp, University of Notre Dame.
Best
Breaking Stuff: Dillon Peters, lhp, Cathedral HS, Fishers.
TOP
PROSPECTS, GROUPS ONE and TWO
GROUP ONE (Projected
ELITE-Round Draft / Rounds 1-3)
1. ALEX DICKERSON,
of, Indiana University (Jr.)
One of top
hitters/power threats in draft (47 HR/181 RBI in career);
speed/defense/arm all below average.
2. DILLON PETERS,
lhp, Cathedral HS, Fishers
Undersized
LHP; big arm, 90-94 mph, sharp CU/+CU, 36-3 career record, 258 IP/447
SO, Texas signee.
GROUP
TWO (Projected HIGH-Round Draft /
Rounds 4-10)
3. KYLE GAEDELE, of,
Valparaiso University (Jr.)
Impressive 6-4/220
frame, appears to have all five tools, but enigma to scouts as skills
rarely play up to tools.
4. CHRISTIAN
MONTGOMERY, rhp, Lawrence Central HS, Indianapolis
Power
arm in 6-1/240 frame; FB 89-92/T-94, but flashed more velo in past,
upper-70s CU, throws strikes.
5. BRIAN DUPRA, rhp,
Notre Dame (Jr.)
Performed up to talent
as college SR (105 IP/29 BB/93 SO); mixed pitches better, FB steady
90-94, +
SL/CH.
6. BLAKE MONAR, lhp,
Indiana University (So.)
Only 3 IP in 2010
because of shoulder in jury; ++ feel for pitching, FB 88-91, + CU is
SO pitch, 6-3, 3.52.
7. MAX KUHN, ss/2b,
Zionsville Community HS, Zionsville
Compares
to ex-West Virginia IF Jedd Gyorko (SD/2nd
round, 2010), powerful RH bat,
fair speed/defender.
8. COLIN REA, rhp,
Indiana State University (Jr.)
Well-traveled 6-5/205
RHP has arm strength (FB peaks at 94, 85 SL), easy delivery, solid
secondary pitches.
9. JERRICK SUITER,
rhp/c, Valparaiso HS
3-sport
standout, + strong (6-4/215), fast arm; will benefit from pitching
only, 90-93 FB, good spin on CU.