Draft Reports: Prospects 201-250

2014 Perfect Game MLB Draft preview content


Top 500 Prospect Reports:

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201. Cameron Bishop, lhp, Brea-Olinda HS
R-R, 6-4/210, Brea, Calif.
College Commitment: UC Irvine

Bishop isn't just new to the MLB Draft radar, he's relatively new to pitching. Bishop didn't throw a single inning at Brea-Olinda High School as a junior in 2013, but was their ace as a senior in 2014. He struck out 67 over his 57 innings of work, and though his inexperience showed up in his 29 walks, he has the kind of arm speed and tailing action on his fastball that has reached as high as 94 mph to draw significant draft interest despite the short track record. He was a name that circulated amongst area scouts during the preseason before he announced his presence emphatically by working 89-91 at the MLSB pre-season showcase in Compton with plus movement on his fastball. His breaking ball is still a work in progress with sweeping 1-to-7 break at 72-74 mph, but his changeup is more advanced than would be expected for a pitcher with his track record. That pitch shows good tailing action to the arm side at 80-82, though he's used both secondary pitches sparingly this spring.


202. Gage Hinsz, rhp, West HS
R-R, 6-5/210, Billings, Mont.
College Commitment: Oregon State

When looking at a prospect like Hinsz, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First is the limited mileage on the right arm of the future Beaver, as there is no high school baseball in the state of Montana. The second is how well the 6-foot-5 Hinsz still projects, both physically and in regards to performance as he gains more experience on the mound and innings under his belt. With long lean limbs and room to fill, Hinsz shows a quick, full arm circle with nice use of his lower half to generate downhill plane on his pitches. He worked at 88-90 mph and frequently touched 91 in an outing with the Langley Blaze in Arizona early this spring, and it's likely there is more velocity in the arm given how early in the season it was and how easy the arm action is. He works his curveball in the mid-70s, showing 11-to-5 shape with occasional late break when he is able to stay on top of the pitch. Hinsz exhibits all the ingredients for a pitcher who appears to be ready and able to make the next step in terms of velocity, sooner rather than later.


203. Logan Webb, rhp, Rocklin HS
R-R, 6-2/180, Rocklin, Calif.
College Commitment: Cal Poly

When roughly 50 scouts gathered for a northern California high-school game May 10 between Granite Bay and Rocklin, all were there ostensibly to see Granite Bay righthander Mitch Hart, a potential third- to-fourth-rounder in this year’s draft. But Webb, a previously unheralded righthander, stole the show in outdueling the more-established Hart, 1-0, with a fastball that routinely reached the mid-90s. Almost overnight, Webb became the rage among scouts in the area—“he absolutely came out of nowhere,” said one scout who attended his coming-out game—and they’ve frequented his games in large volumes since. He hasn’t disappointed with a fastball that has continued to hover consistently from 94-96, and has sustained his velocity deep into games. With his new-found status as a potential elite-level prospect, scouts were speculating that Webb could zoom up draft boards and factor into the top 3-4 rounds this year, though others were a little more cautious of going overboard on a young pitcher with a limited history. Webb actually earned more acclaim prior to this spring as a position player, and spent the fall quarterbacking Rocklin’s football team to a playoff berth.


204. Jorge Perez, rhp, Grand Canyon University (JR)
R-R, 6-2/205, Downey, Calif.
Previously Drafted: Never

Long-established baseball powers Arizona and Arizona State continue to cast a foreboding shadow throughout the Grand Canyon state, though neither school, surprisingly, will make an impact in this year’s draft. Perez has upstaged all college players in the state, even as he pulled himself four pitches into an April 10 start and missed the next five weeks with what was reported as shoulder inflammation. A starter prior to his injury, Perez returned briefly in short relief and made three scoreless outings before taking the loss in his final outing of the year when he served up a two-run, ninth inning homer. That setback dropped his record on the year to 1-6, though his 3.43 ERA, along with 12 walks and 38 strikeouts in 63 innings, are more indicative of his ability. Perez’ velocity this spring as a starter was generally only 87-91 mph and he survived mostly on the strength of his superior poise, mound presence and pitchability, but it was routinely at 93-94 both last fall and summer, when he pitched Corvallis to the West Coast League championship. Though he pitched mostly in relief on the summer to give his arm a breather after a taxing sophomore season at Grand Canyon, Perez started the decisive, title-clinching game for Corvallis, winning 1-0 while tossing a route-going two-hitter with no walks. He dominated with a three-pitch mix that included a 79-83 mph slider and 76-78 change, in addition to his overpowering fastball that featured excellent arm-side sink and run.


205. Zack Shannon, rhp/of, Anderson HS
R-R, 6-3/220, Cincinnati, Ohio
College Commitment: Ohio State

Once believed to possess one of the better bats available for the 2014 draft, Shannon's future now appears to lie on the mound thanks to the development of a three-pitch repertoire that includes a low-90s fastball that peaks at 95, a big-breaking curveball and a changeup that falls off the table. He still offers considerable promise offensively as well, and isn't afraid to take aggressive swings at the ball, consistently hitting the ball hard to all parts of the park.

Read Shannon's detailed Draft Focus profile here.


206. Harrison Musgrave, lhp, University of West Virginia (JR)
L-L, 6-1/205, Bridgeport, W.V.
Previously Drafted: Phillies ’13 (33)

Musgrave had a breakout 2013 campaign following Tommy John surgery, in what was a draft eligible sophomore year, performing on big stages, and going pitch for pitch with elite draft prospects like Jonathan Gray. It was clear, however, that he wanted to pitch his junior year, and to his credit he’s been fantastic again. With a 2.32 ERA over 100 innings of work, as well as 86 strikeouts and only 20 walks in that span, Musgrave has been one of the most dominant Friday starters in the nation in 2014. The 2013 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year has the stuff to match too, working at 90-94 mph with his fastball and locating a consistently above average changeup that can get him swings and misses. His breaking ball will need development, but this is power lefty arm with a strong track record.


207. Andrew Karp, rhp, West Orange HS
R-R, 6-2/190, Windemere, Fla.
College Commitment: Florida State

Karp was overshadowed somewhat by the depth of high school pitching in Florida but put together a strong spring, going 5-2, 1.42 while only walking seven hitters as compared to 65 strikeouts. He will top out at 93 mph on his fastball from a high three-quarters arm slot and gets good life on the pitch when he goes to a two-seam grip. While Karp’s velocity, movement and command all stand out, he will need to improve his breaking ball at the next level, as he has some stiffness in his release and tends to slow his arm on his low-70s curveball. Perhaps Karp’s most notable achievement this spring was when he was named the Orlando Metro Area’s Scholar Athlete of the Spring for sporting a 4.86 GPA to go with his achievements on the baseball diamond.


208. Jared Miller, lhp, Vanderbilt (JR)
L-L, 6-6/240, Avon, Ind.
Previously Drafted: Never

Miller earned a rotation job this year on Vanderbilt’s deep, vaunted pitching staff—which features Tyler Beede, a projected first-rounder in June, along with the potential for three more first-rounders in 2015—on the strength of his stellar work in a variety of relief roles in the Commodores bullpen as a freshman and sophomore. He pitched well as a starter initially and earned consideration as a potential second- or third-rounder himself, but eventually lost his spot in the rotation with a number of mediocre outings, and his stock in the draft appears to have dipped accordingly. When on his game, Miller had four pitches working, including a fastball at 89-92 mph that topped at 94, and a solid-average slider. He created good deception in his delivery, especially with the angle he creates with his elongated 6-foot-6 frame.


209. Brendan McKay, lhp, Blackhawk HS
L-L, 6-2/205, Beaver Falls, Pa.
College Commitment: Louisville

If dominating performance at the high school level counts for anything, then McKay ranks on the same plateau with the elite prep pitching prospects in this year’s draft. The 6-foot-2 lefty has enjoyed a spectacular four-year career at Blackhawk High, posting a 28-1 record overall while allowing only 13 earned runs. He opened his senior season with the first of his two 20-strikeout games in 2014, and with a 6-0, 0.00 record, along with 98 strikeouts and just eight walks through his first 41 innings, had extended his streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 65—third all-time among high school pitchers. McKay even took time out from his busy high school schedule this spring to temporarily join the Langley Blaze, a high-profile travel team from British Columbia, on its annual spring-training trip to Arizona, and dominated there as well, averaging two strikeouts an inning in games against minor league teams from the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds farm systems. McKay may not have enough raw stuff to justify going in the top two or three rounds as his fastball normally ranges between 89-91 mph, and often dips to 85-87, but he throws strikes and has exceptional feel for his secondary stuff; a nasty curve is his dominant strikeout pitch. If McKay honors his commitment to Louisville, he could well be a dominant two-way player at the college level as he hit more than .400 in his first three seasons in high school, and has excellent strength and lift in his swing.


210. Scott Heineman, 3b, University of Oregon (JR)
R-R, 6-0/205, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Previously Drafted: Never

Heineman appeared to position himself as a solid second- or third-round pick in this year’s draft after coming off an all-star, breakthrough season in the Cape Cod League, where the powerfully-built outfielder swiped a league-best 24 bases, hit .304 and collected 15 extra-base hits. But the injury bug that has hampered his college career at Oregon ended his junior season after just eight games when he was sidelined with shoulder surgery. Heineman had foot surgery almost immediately after enrolling at Oregon in 2011 and also missed the final 34 games of his freshman season for additional surgery on his foot. In his only full season with the Ducks, in 2013 as a sophomore, he hit .278-4-38 with 12 stolen bases, finishing second on the team in homers and RBI. Heineman, whose brother Tyler was an eighth-round pick out of UCLA in 2012, has impressive speed and his powerful, rotational swing enables him to drive balls with authority to all fields. But his natural athleticism stands out above any of his tools, and enables him to play almost any position of the field. He spent the 2013 season, both in college and on the Cape, in right field, but transitioned this season to third base, his freshman position.