2013 Draft: Player Profiles

[OhioBaseball]

I've put together some profiles over the last few weeks in spare time. I get to see many of these players over the summer and late in the college baseball season -- the summer offers lots of opportunities to see guys, so these are my opinions of the guys I've seen. I don't have subscriptions to any service and try not to read them, although I did see BA's top 50 rankings, so if there are wide differences in what I say compared to consensus stuff, that's potentially why.

For most prospects, I made a summary, realistic upside, realistic outcome, and my projected draft position (in a normal draft, not this specific draft). The realistic outcomes are done with the assumption the player develops and becomes a MLB player. I try to give a clear, unbiased opinion on guys, but on some I just have not been able to formulate one yet. I still have other guys I've yet to write about, so I may post those later if I'm able to get the time.



Clint Frazier – OF, Georgia HS – Frazier is a little shortish and smallish to be widely considered a top HS prospect, but his tools are all there right now and very apparent. He’s in peak physical condition, which some lead some to say that there’s not much room for improvement, which I believe to be true, but there doesn’t need to be much improvement. He’s got excellent bat speed and is short to the ball. He may need to clean up his load a little, but its no big issue for someone so young. He’s surprisingly fast and his arm strength is also very good. His defensive tools suggest that he’d make for a good defensive CF’er. I guess the one thing that may come into question is his raw power; he’s not big, but I believe his power plays well even at a corner outfield spot. Most of his power comes from bat speed and being able to square the ball up well, rather than brute strength like someone like Justin Williams. Bottom line is that his game stands out extremely well right now and there’s not a ton of room for improvement, so he’s a guy that should move quickly in the minor leagues.

Summary - A true 5-tool prospect that plays with high energy.

Realistic Upside – Smaller version of Mike Trout. Could bat .330, 30 HR, 40 SB with plus CF defense.

Realistic Outcome – A $0.90 on the dollar version of Mike Trout, bats .300, hits 20 HR, steals 30 and plays at least major league average defense in CF.

Draft Position – Top 3. I’d take #1


Ryne Stanek – RHP, University of Arkansas – Stanek is what top pitching prospects look like, although his body frame is a little slight. I think he compares well to Clay Buchholz, with a slender body frame, excellent arm speed and good offspeed stuff. Stanek can already throw mid 90s – he averages 92-96 mph with his fastball, and I believe he projects to throw even harder as he physically matures. His spins a good, hard curveball and slider and also shows a good change at times. Stanek’s stuff is very good and justifies a very early pick, but his performance last year was not dominant which could be explained by minor injuries down the stretch. Someone with as good of stuff as Stanek should perform better, even in the SEC. He needs to show more pitchability next year. Like Buchholz, he’s got great stuff, but has yet to put it all together.

Summary – High upside, projection and mid 90s heat already, but needs to improve pitchability.

Realistic Upside – Potential to be a weak #1 starter. See the 2010 version of Clay Buchholz.

Realistic Outcome – Modestly more effective version of Clay Buchholz.

Draft Position – Top 3 overall

Mark Appel – RHP, Stanford University – Appel is a strong-bodied, hard throwing RHP with a plus breaking pitch that should get K’s at the MLB level. He can comfortably sit between 92-96mph, and that fastball has some good arm side run. His fastball velocity is easy and his fastball and breaking ball are plus pitches at MLB. I think he also has a good change up. I’ve never liked the stiffness in his delivery (reminds me of Dave Burba), but I don’t think that’ll be an issue for him until he’s around 30 years old (he may begin to have difficulty repeating his delivery). He’s reasonably advanced after taking a big jump from his sophomore year to junior. Shouldn’t take too long to reach the majors, although pitching at Stanford again this year won’t help him develop the way he otherwise could if he were pitching in High A ball professionally.

Summary – Strong, power pitcher that should eat innings and not take long to reach the majors.

Realistic Upside – A strong, dependable #2 starter that could log 210+ innings a year.

Realistic Outcome – Innings eater, weak #2 starter, very strong #3 starter.

Draft Position – Top 3 overall

Sean Manaea – LHP, Indiana State – He’s going to get Chris Sale comps, being a LHP from a small school that blew up on the Cape. Like Sale, Manaea is a long-limbed LHP with a low arm slot, good velocity and a good horizontal, sliding breaking ball. Manaea has a stronger build than Sale, however. I don’t think Chris Sale is a favorable comp, however. Chris Sale had issues as a prospect that he’s overcome; LHP’s with such low arm slots have trouble being effective vs. right handed hitters. Manaea is no prototypical SP prospect, but his stuff is good and Sale found a way to get the depth on his breaking ball to be effective vs. righties b/c he’s able to keep the pitch low. Some that question guys like this say they are injury prone and point out guys like Matt Purke, but I tend to think projecting injury is very difficult if not impossible. I just prefer traditional, higher slot pitchers. Manaea is only an OK athlete – his delivery may be tough to repeat at times, which could present problems for him down the road as he adds weight.

Summary – Untraditional LHP, but very good stuff and very good effectiveness.

Realistic Upside – Chris Sale

Realistic Outcome – A left handed Justin Masterson that can be inconsistent year-to-year, but more ’11 Masterson than ’12.

Draft Position – 6th to 15th overall (I can see him going higher, but it probably wouldn’t be me)


Austin Meadows – OF, Georgia HS – For a baseball player, Meadows has an outstanding combination of size and speed. He’s got a very good, projectable body frame (for which he’s already growing into quite well) and he runs exceptionally well for someone his size. He’s got a very good athletic body and should hold his speed well as he adds muscle. He has very good bat speed and his swing is nice and short to the ball. People will hear this stuff and improperly apply the “5 tool outfielder” label to Meadows b/c he’s such an outstanding athlete. Meadows arm, I believe, is below MLB average. I think it ought to play well in the outfield, but it’d be adequate at best in CF. More importantly, Meadows very much has a line-drive swing. That’s good b/c I believe he’ll be able to bat .300, but my main issue with him is that his very good strength and projection will not translate to HR power that well b/c of his swing plane. I’ve seen him a couple times in HR competitions and while he’s still able to knock some over the fence, he does not have the kind of swing that generates the backspin on the ball that the top HR hitters have. He should do a very good job hitting doubles and triples b/c he’s going to hit a lot of line drives with good authority, but I question his HR power with his swing as it is. Trying to change his swing may result in adverse consequences. I think his swing is an issue.

Summary - Excellent speed and size. Should be a a very good doubles hitter.

Realistic Upside - . 320 hitter, 20 HR, 40 SB, good range in LF or CF

Realistic Upside - .300 hitter, 50 2b, 10-15 HR in LF (Good chance he’s on a team that has a better CF with more arm). I also fear someone tries to change his swing and it screws him up.

Draft Position – 6th to 10th overall


Austin Wilson – RF, Stanford University – Wilson is extremely physical with a lot of raw power, and also has surprisingly good run-throw tools with MLB average speed for the outfield and a plus outfield arm. Wilson has a very athletic build and is BIG. His is not particularly long and he improved on making contact his sophomore season, but he’s not hit all that well at Stanford in his first two years there. I personally believe that there’s a good deal of stiffness in his swing. It’s just not normal to see guys with such huge upper bodies hit will in MLB. Dave Winfield is an exception, and even Stanford product Carlos Quentin has had a good career, but these guys with big, strong upper bodies and wide shoulders do not have prototypical swings (Matt LaPorta is an example). I think he’s vulnerable to good pitching and I don’t see this guy hitting for average in the upper levels of the minors. I see him as a “mistake” hitter that crushes hung curveballs, but gets carved up vs. the Justin Verlanders of the world.

Summary – Awesome raw power tools, surprising running speed but questions with the bat.

Realistic Upside – A healthy Carlos Quentin

Realistic Outcome - .230-.240 hitter, 25-30 HR’s, 10 SB with a big arm in RF

Draft Position – Around 10th overall

Kohl Stewart – RHP Texas HS – Stewart is a very talented RHP that projects as a potential front of the rotation starter. He’s got pretty much all that you could ask for; strong, athletic 6’3” frame, long arms and legs, very quick arm, easy velocity, some looseness to his arm action and he’s demonstrated the ability to spin a plus breaking ball. He can dial up mid 90s; I think he’s got potential to throw harder through maturation and through mechanical enhancements. Potentially a guy that sits 95-96 (could do 100) with a very good curveball. His delivery is very simple right now, there could be more velo when he upgrades his delivery. While very talented, he’s green and will take time to develop. He’s going to command a premium signing bonus b/c of talent and a football scholarship; it’s going to be a high risk/high reward investment b/c there is work to do.

Summary – Very talented RHP. A potential Curt Schilling, but needs refinement and will cost a lot of money.

Realistic Upside – Curt Schilling.

Realistic Outcome – Who knows; he may not even play baseball. Too early to tell.

Draft Position – 6th to 10th overall

Andrew Mitchell – RHP, Texas Christian University – I believe Mitchell is an upside college pitching prospect. He’s 6’3” with a deceptive, short arm stroke in the back (almost like Keith Foulke) with the ability to throw mid 90s fastballs with good downward plane and tail. Mitchell’s got a strong body and throws from a tall arm slot; his stuff reminds me a little of Trevor Bauer’s of 2 years ago b/c he pitches vertically very well and will miss bats. I don’t think Mitchell’s curveball is as good as Bauer’s was, but its still potentially a plus pitch. Mitchell currently struggles with control and wild pitches, which is what keeps him out of top 10 overall talk, but if he comes out this spring throwing strikes, I believe he will certainly get in talk to go early (top 10 without much question).

Summary – High upside pitcher that needs to improve control.

Realistic Upside – A 2 starter that misses bats.

Realistic Outcome – Inconsistent, but at times very effective starting pitcher.

Draft Position – 13th to 18th overall

Brett Morales – RHP, Florida HS – He’s a strong-bodied, athletic RHP that doesn’t offer too much in terms of projection, but he’s got a good, athletic delivery, good arm speed and a good arm slot. I saw him sitting at 92-94mph and I believe he’s potentially got a plus curveball. I was really impressed with the good depth he got on his curveball and believe it will be a strike out pitch professionally. I don’t believe he’s a first flight HS pitching prospect b/c nothing jumps out at you, but he’s a very strong, solid pitching prospect kind of similar to Dillon Howard when he was a HS prospect before the Indians got their hands on him.

Realistic Upside – 2 starter, 200 IP, good strike out totals in the 170-175 range in MLB.

Realistic Outcome – weak 2, strong 3 starter.

Draft Position – 15th to 20th overall


Jonathan Crawford – RHP, University of Florida – Crawford’s value shot up immensely this year, as the 5’11” to 6’0” RHP added a lot of velocity, and consistently threw in the 93-96mph range his sophomore year. He also throws a hard breaking ball – Crawford is already showing plus MLB stuff as a starter right now. He started vs. Carlos Rodon in the Super Regionals last June – both looked like MLB pitchers going vs. college guys. I have to admit, I don’t really know what to think of Crawford right now. He busted onto the scene quickly and he doesn’t strike me as a guy that would legitimately be a good MLB starter, but his numbers were good last year and his stuff is good, too. Don’t know what to think on Crawford, sorry.

Summary – Short RHP, but can pitch and has MLB stuff right now.

Draft Position – 20th overall

Trey Ball III, LHP, Indiana HS – Ball is a very athletic LHP with good pitcher’s proportions. His delivery is very free and loose with very good arm speed. I’ve seen him as high as 93 mph (comfort velo is 89 to 90mph currently), although he projects to throw a few mph higher in coming years. He’s so athletic and his delivery is just what you’d want to see with an arm slot that should allow him to throw four quality pitches in MLB should he develop. You can comp his delivery to other athletic, long limbed LHP’s like Cole Hamels, Mark Mulder – Ball is right there. I think he’s quite raw as a pitcher, however, which may be a function of being a cold weather player. He struggled with control noticeable each time I’ve see him, and that’s going to be something scouts watch closely this spring. Ball has tons of talent to work with – I don’t think he’s going to be an over-powering, LHP, but I can see him comfortably throwing 90-94mph at maturity, with a plus curveball and potential for a change, too – it’s just that he’s quite far from putting it all together.

Summary – Athletic and long-limbed with tons of potential, but raw. Could be a tease.

Realistic Upside – A cross between Cole Hamels and Mark Mulder

Realistic Outcome – There’s such a wide array of outcomes that it’s hard for me to pin down.

Draft Position – Could go as high as 5th overall, or be a guy that falls to later rounds and goes to college (potential overslot bonus guy if he struggles this spring for a team that wants to roll the dice)

Dominic Smith – 1b/RF, California HS – Smith has a very good swing with good extension and easy bat speed. He’s a natural hitter. His best tool is clearly his bat, and I believe he’s got adequate tools to play a corner outfield spot professionally. He’s got the arm strength to play either corner outfield spot, his running ability is average at the MLB level (may slow down as he matures), which may have some scouts put him at 1b in the future. He’s such a smooth, pure hitter that I think his bat will play well enough even at 1b in MLB, although he really doesn’t have the power potential to make him a top 10 hitter at the position in the majors.

Summary – Safe HS hitter with tools to play OF.

Realistic Upside - .300 hitter with 25 HR playing in RF

Realistic Outcome - .280 hitter with 20 HR with good defense at 1b.

Draft Position – 16th to 25th overall

Ian Clarkin – LHP, California HS – I really like Clarkin. He’s a 6’2”, LHP with a good pitcher’s body and a good delivery. He’s got a delivery a lot like Clayton Kershaw’s, and I think he profiles similarly. Clarkin has a high ¾ arm slot with a good arm action. His velocity will run from 88-93mph and there’s some room for more, but he doesn’t strike me as particularly projectable. Clarkin is already showing a good curveball that gets good downward action, and I believe it will be a K pitch in pro ball. I like guys like Clarkin – guys that can pitch vertically, up and down with the fastball and change the batter’s eye level with a downer curveball. Good, young LHP pitching prospect.

Summary – Modestly projectable LHP with a good delivery and good curveball.

Realistic Upside – A poor man’s Clayton Kershaw

Realistic Outcome – A 2 or 3 starter, but closer to a 2 starter.

Draft Position – 20th to 25th overall

DJ Peterson – Util, University of New Mexico – DJ Peterson reminds me of Anthony Rendon of Rice, but with a worse body and materially worse infield skills (outside of Rendon’s injury problems). Peterson is a legitimate hitter for power and for average, in my opinion. He’s a 5’11”, 195 lbs guy with an unathletic body build, but he generates very good bat speed and will drive the ball for extra bases. The problem is that he’s going to be a below average MLB defender at any position. He plays 3b at New Mexico currently – but it’s a stretch to put him there or at 2b. He’s also short, so not ideal at 1b. I don’t think he runs well enough to play LF; he’s also got a the type of body that will probably lose speed as he ages. I think he’s a legitimate hitter, though. With work, you could try him at 2b or 3b but I don’t think he’s got the athleticism to make it at either position.

Summary – A plus hitter with no real defensive position

Realistic Upside – Could turn into a Dan Uggla-like defender at 2b and bat .300 in MLB with 20 HR’s.

Realistic Outcome – Plays in AL and DH’s with some work at 1B occasionally, bats .300 and hits 20 HR’s. Billy Butler-like.

Draft Position – 20th to 30th overall

Karsten Whitson – RHP, University of Florida – I believe Whitson’s stock has dropped since being a top 10 overall pick in the draft two years ago. He’s now physically mature and can throw in the 91-92 mph range with ease and comfort. He’s got a short, quick and deceptive arm stroke in the back, which can give his FB a bit more pop as it sneaks up on hitters. He’s got a MLB average hard slider. His fastball gets good arm side run with some sink. He really struggled last year at Florida and got bumped from the weekend rotation, although competition was stiff and he was battling a minor injury. Frankly, even when he’s healthy, I don’t see overpowering stuff or any projection that’d suggest he’s the stuff is going to improve materially. Good news is that he’s got a good delivery and a strong body that should eat innings, I just don’t see a 1-2 starter here. Even though he was injured last year, his performance was really bad so he needs to show improvement to be a 1st rounder.

Summary – Strong and durable, MLB average stuff already with perhaps a touch higher velo. Needs to improve over last year.

Realistic Upside – 200+ IP, sub 4.00 ERA

Realistic Outcome – MLB 4 starter that can throw 200 IP. May take some lumps at times. Jeremy Guthrie-like.

Draft Position – 25th to 30th overall

Cavan Biggio – 2b/3b, Texas HS – I really like Biggio, perhaps a little irrationally b/c it takes some imagination to see what I think he could become. Biggio’s run and throw tools are not good; his arm is below MLB average and I believe his speed projects to be below MLB average by the time he matures, too. His value comes from his ability to hit. I love Biggio’s swing and his physical projection. His swing is short to the ball with good extension, very good torque. With wood, I believe he’d have nice doubles power right now but not much more. I think Biggio is physically immature now; he’s got a very young face and his body has yet to really get strong yet (he’s got a great frame for a power hitting 2b). When you look at guys like Meadows and Justin Williams – those guys are men already…Biggio is still a teenager but will mature. I don’t see Biggio ever being a good defensive player, but should be adequate at 2b.

Summary – Run-throw tools subpar, but he’s a very projectable power hitting 2b.

Realistic Upside – A young Chase Utley

Realistic Outcome – A 2b that bats .280 with 15 HR’s, no real speed on the bases nor significant defensive value.

Draft Position – 1st supplemental Round. I can see him going to college and being a monster, top 5 pick in 2016.

Colin Moran – 1b/3b, UNC-Chapel Hill – There’s not many good college position prospects in this class. Moran is a very polished hitter that should be able to hit professionally early on. My problem with Moran is that I don’t think he’s strong enough to generate the bat speed to legitimately hit for power that he’ll need to hit for given his lack of defensive abilities that will possibly put him at 1b. He just doesn’t have the natural athleticism nor arm strength to play 3b, or even 2b, and he’s a below average runner making him a bad option for LF. The guy he really reminds me of is Matt Carpenter of the Saint Louis Cardinals – he has no natural position, but is a good hitter with good plate discipline. Those players certainly have value, but spending 1st round picks on those kind of guys is silly b/c there are always similar players available in later rounds.

Summary - Advanced bat, but lacks strength, significant physical projection and defensive tools.

Realistic Upside – Matt Carpenter of the STL Cardinals.

Realistic Outcome – Cannot legitimately play 3b at the MLB level and is forced into 1b/dh and 3b once a week, if he’s able to the strength he needs to hit the ball with authority for extra base hits.

Draft Position – 1st supplemental round to 2nd round


Justin Williams, 3b/OF, Louisiana HS – Williams is just very, very strong and can generate some excellent bat speed. He’s a raw hitter that needs some swing refinement; probably would need a couple years in short-season ball if he signed out of HS. Williams is in “grip it and rip it” mode at the plate that can intimidate some pitchers that aren’t able to exploit his relative rawness at the plate. Williams is already almost fully physically developed; very good athletic build that resembles a cross between a safety and linebacker in football. Given his size, he’s a good runner but I don’t expect much base stealing speed. Defensively, he’s got the skills to play a corner outfield spot or 3b. I think scouts are a little too anxious to move him to the OF already; I think he’s interesting at 3b. He’s potentially a prolific HR hitter, but he needs to become a hitter first and that’ll take some time.

Summary – Excellent raw strength with defensive tools, tons of power potential but quite raw at the plate.

Realistic Upside – Corner OF’er that bats .250 and hits 30 HR’s in MLB.

Realistic Outcome – Corner OF’er that bats .215 and hits 25 HR’s in MLB (full season)

Draft Position – 1st supplemental round


Oscar Mercado – SS, Florida HS – Mercado’s value comes from his defense. He’s a long-legged, athletic infielder with good infield actions and a fast arm that allows him to generate good carry on his throws. He’s tall but should not have a problem playing SS in the major leagues. The problem is at the plate, where he does not swing the bat with authority at all (for an early round talent). He has improved on his strength over the last year, but its still a major issue. The good news is that he’s a good runner, he’s got a projectable body frame and even if he adds 20 lbs of muscle over the next few years he should still be able to handle SS quite well. He’s quite a good athlete but right now you can’t expect much of a hitter – it takes a good deal of imagination to see him as an offensive threat.

Summary – Although projectable, he’s all glove and no bat. Could improve with more strength.

Realistic Upside – Above average defensive MLB SS that is able to hit .250, 5 HR and steal 30 SBs.

Realistic Outcome – A light hitting, defensive-oriented SS, but can add some value with speed offensively.

Draft Position – 1st supplemental round-2nd round


Ivan Wilson – OF, Louisiana HS – I’ve never heard people talk about him and I never heard of him until I saw him in Chicago, but he really stood out to me as a raw power tools prospect. Very big at 6’3”, 225 lbs (estimate) and he’s got a very athletic body build. He’d fit right in as a linebacker at LSU. I was surprised how well he ran (plus at MLB) in the one chance I got to see him run, and his throws had good carry on them. He profiles very well in RF. At the plate, I tend to not like these kind of big upper body guys, but he’s short to the ball, has good bat speed and has the kind of swing that should drive the ball well. There’s a ton of potential with this guy. I’ve never heard of him before seeing him, so I wonder if he’s quite raw at the plate but I didn’t see him look bad in very limited game action. Keep an eye on this guy.

Summary – Very talented, Raw power tool outfielder with surprising speed.

Draft Position – 1st supplemental round (or could be substantially higher…or lower!!)


Corey Knebel – RHP, University of Texas – Knebel has been the closer at Texas the last two years. Basically, he’s got a very quick arm and can throw 96-97mph with good tail and he also throws a good slider – he’s a higher velocity sinker/slider guy from a low arm slot. Scouts will knock on him b/c of his delivery; he’s not smooth and he’s got a very apparent head jerk, but he throws strikes. His sinking fastball is a plus MLB pitch right now. I’d like to see what he can do as a starting pitcher; he may be able to get away with mostly fastballs the way Fausto Carmona can (at times). If he doesn’t make it at SP, he could ascend to MLB quickly into a middle relief role.

Summary – College closer with a nasty, hard sinking fastball

Draft Position – 1st supplemental-2nd round


Erich Weiss – LF/1B, University of Texas – I only mention him b/c I think he's a good later round pick, in my opinion. (Would FAR prefer him in the 3rd to Colin Moran in the 1st) Weiss has a pretty slender build and stands at 6’3” – not a power hitter now, but I believe could work himself into a 20 HR guy in 5 years. I think he’s an advanced hitter that has potential to turn into a Brandon Belt kind of player. He plays 1B right now at Texas, but he runs quite well (a touch more than plus at MLB) and I think could handle LF in MLB. Basically, an advanced college hitter with some projection and running ability that gives him some defensive flexibility.

Summary – Advanced college bat that could move to LF professionally.

Realistic Upside - .290, 20 HR, 10 SB in LF

Realistic Outcome - .280, 12 HR, 10 SB in LF

Draft Position – Late 3rd round/Early 4th Round

[homerawayfromhome]

First thank you for the extensive run down on these guys.

I read somewhere yesterday Frazier throws 98mph from the OF. Frazier is a guy I can see going anywhere from 1-5. Kohl Stewart has reportedly been hitting 98 recently while Crawford 94-96 and Whitson 95-97 have both reportedly been up in velo too.
I'm a Kohl Stewart fan, he has a powerful fastball but also a serious FB commitment to Tx A&M. He will be a hard sign but if he's picked top 10, I think he signs. If he slips he could be one of those over slot pks later into the first / second rds but he is top 10pk IMHO.

[GeronimoSon]

O B wan.. thanks for the listing.. there are a number of listing sites out there that have much of the factual / statistical information you've posted..none provide a "looksie" into the future as a projection.. here's a couple sites that I like:

http://www.coast2coastprospects.com/201 ... ports.html

http://bigleaguefutures.net

http://throughthefencebaseball.com

These sites will have anywhere from a handful of mock draft scouting reports to around 400 named prospects posted by the June draft.. They are a decent source for getting information about guys that get drafted in the mid to late rounds that you wonder: "...WTF is this guy???.."

[elrod enchilada]

Thank you for the hard work of preparing thee reports.

[Rocky55]

Here's a link to Matt Garrioch's MLB Bonus Baby, which has merged with John Sickels Minor League Ball site.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/mlb-bonus-baby

He adds profiles thoughout the time leading to the draft. Expect a hundred or so by June.

[OhioBaseball]

That Bonus Baby site posted a video of Cavan Biggio. Again, I think he's a fantastic prospect. I think it's a real stretch looking at him in the top 10 overall (let alone 5th overall), but I'd consider him there. I love his swing and frame -- the guy is going to be a legit run producing 2b someday.

If some team were willing to throw $1.3-$1.5 million at him in the 1st supplemental round or something, I think it'd be a fantastic signing.

[homerawayfromhome]

Here's a look a Kris Bryant....
http://www.minorleagueball.com/mlb-bonu ... -san-diego

I really like his bat, I think he could easily be a 25-30 hr guy (once he fills out a bit more) that hits .285-.300 with solid D at 1b too.He's the type guy I think the Tribe could snag, look good doing so, get potential under slot type deal and get a rapid return in terms of his development.

[OhioBaseball]

Here's a look a Kris Bryant....
http://www.minorleagueball.com/mlb-bonu ... -san-diego

I really like his bat, I think he could easily be a 25-30 hr guy (once he fills out a bit more) that hits .285-.300 with solid D at 1b too.He's the type guy I think the Tribe could snag, look good doing so, get potential under slot type deal and get a rapid return in terms of his development.

I've never seen Bryant live, but going off those videos I think your assessment of him seems quite reasonable. He should be on the Indians radar screen at #5.

[GeronimoSon]

When you look at Bryant's progression from high school through to the most current videos, it shows that his load and hand position (i.e. hitting mechanics) are superbly cleaned up. He shows average bat speed, which, may become troublesome in the future... Just a guess, from these limited videos, but he seems to be the kind of hitter that will have some amazing streaks.. When he's on.. he should be able to carry a club all by himself.. but when he's not, he's Matt LaPorta/Jhonny Peralta swinging & missing that down & away slider off the plate...

[homerawayfromhome]

@ Geronimo Son, What's your projections / ranking(s) on Kris Bryant?

I think he will be a good 1b at the MLB level once he adds some more strength. That said I don't think the kid has the sexiest swing but could be a solid not spectacular 1b defensively and offensively .285-.300 type hitter with 25 hrs isn't superior type production but solid, and he should be a rather qk mover too IMO. In the 2013 MLB draft discussion I posted Bryant as the 8th best prospect right now, which btw is way early but I think Bryant is a solid 1st Rd pk but I could easily see him sliding particularly in favor of some more high upside guys.

[GeronimoSon]

@ Geronimo Son, What's your projections / ranking(s) on Kris Bryant?

I think he will be a good 1b at the MLB level once he adds some more strength. That said I don't think the kid has the sexiest swing but could be a solid not spectacular 1b defensively and offensively .285-.300 type hitter with 25 hrs isn't superior type production but solid, and he should be a rather qk mover too IMO. In the 2013 MLB draft discussion I posted Bryant as the 8th best prospect right now, which btw is way early but I think Bryant is a solid 1st Rd pk but I could easily see him sliding particularly in favor of some more high upside guys.

With respect to Kris Bryant, I see him as a solid upper first half of the draft kind of player... This could be interpreted as 'safe' or it could be just that he has the skills to be a good major league player. If he's there after # 10, someone is getting a steal. If he's taken before # 10, then someone is reaching..

Here is a view on where I'd rank the current Top Dozen Crop of 2013 prospects coming to the June Rule IV draft (while I'd prefer to separate the pitchers from the position players, that's not the way the world sees this kind of listing):

Number 1: Austin Meadows: This is a stud OF'er.. great at everything he's done..and will do..
Number 2: Clint Hollon: Best arm and projection for this draft. Only his health is at issue..
Number 3: Clint Frazier: It was difficult not putting him # 2, but he's everything you want in a player
Number 4, 5, & 6: Flavor of the month, in any order, beauty is in the eye of the beholder: Appell, Stanek & Manea
(....note: I know it's chickenshit to dump these three guys together, but, it's the only way I see them...)
Number 7: Justin Williams: Still pretty raw, but this kid reminds me SOOO much of a young manny...
Number 8: Kohl Stewart: Has the body type (shoulders and length) & tools to be a FOR SP. Mid upper 90's FB WOW !
Number 9: Austin Wilson: tremendous athletic frame and tools... character guy with a good head on his shoulders..
Number 10: Kris Bryant: Solid top half of the draft kind of player.. Won't stay in the minors very long..
Number 11: Trey Williams: While I'm uncertain of his competition, this kid could be a STEAL taken this late. Great hands
Number 12: Jeremy Martinez: I'll always have an affinity for catchers.. especially good ones like this kid.

FWIW, I'd be thrilled with anyone in the top 8 for the Indians.. My personal favorite could be Hollon..

edit note: misspelling corrected...

[homerawayfromhome]

Clint Hollon is a stud, I lived near for a while, until recently. The only HS arm I like better is Kohl Stewart. They are a close 1,2 as far as HS spects are concerned, but it's way early still too.

Agreed, that Appel, Stanek and Manaea will comp closely together. I like Stanek myself but I think in terms of prospects 1-100 we are talking potential 86, 85.5, 85 IMO. Just my way of saying they'll rate closely, insomuch it's kind of a blur who will be better.

[GeronimoSon]

Clint Hollon is a stud, I lived near for a while, until recently. The only HS arm I like better is Kohl Stewart. They are a close 1,2 as far as HS spects are concerned, but it's way early still too.

Agreed, that Appel, Stanek and Manaea will comp closely together. I like Stanek myself but I think in terms of prospects 1-100 we are talking potential 86, 85.5, 85 IMO. Just my way of saying they'll rate closely, insomuch it's kind of a blur who will be better.

The only reason I pushed Kohl down a wee bit was the arm slot... My reasoning might be a bit archaic, but, it's held true over years of watching & coaching.. There are two basic types of pitchers.. "Tall and Fall" (like Matt Thornton) who repeats his delivery almost perfectly every pitch and then the "Drop and Drive" guys (best ever might be Nolan Ryan).. With Kohl, he's a drop and driver that, so far, doesn't get much out of his lower body. It might be that as he matures and gets coached up, he'll add more velo to his pitches by using his legs more and get better separation with his change up, that I consider to be just average right now. There's no doubt his slider is gonna be a wipe out pitch.. He throws it hard and it breaks late like a cutter but with just a wee bit more movement. In short, it can be devastating or impossible to barrel the ball up on it...

As far as the three (Manea, Stanek & Appel) together. I don't know how you can pick or favor one of the three right now..

[homerawayfromhome]

Those three are all very close in ranking as we said, my reasoning in picking Stanek is pretty simple. I see Appel and Manaea as 'grown men' , but Stanek has the frame to add another 10-15lbs of muscle. IF he does I could see him throwing a bit harder 1-2 mph on his FB. Appel and Manaea have little room and a smaller ceiling for physical growth, while Stanek has some ceiling bc of this projection.

Appel is a guy I can see going straight to high A / AA and needs 1 to 1 and half yrs before he's ready. Truth be told he could move quicker bc he's smart, throws hard and has good stuff. I see him as a strong 2 at best.

Manaea is a funky slot sort of guy, I'm hesitant on him to be honest. He's destroyed the competition in the Cape. He's big, strong throws hard and he's a LHSP. Manaea is another quick mover I could see him pitching on the big league level qkly bc of his stuff and bc he's a Lefty, Manaea probably spends 1 to 1 and half yrs in the minors before he gets bumped up. I could see Manaea becoming a very strong 2 in the future.

Stanek is my favorite of the three. He's tall and slim with the potential to add a little to his fram without hindering himself. He's a sharpe hard throwing righty. I think he could take a little longer than the other two but will also be a qk mover as well. I'd project him 1 and half to 2 yrs away from the bigs upon being drafted. Overall, I could see Stanek as a bit of weak 1 he's not quite an ACE but could help front and lead the rotation IMO.

[ohioteamz]

Bryant to me looks like a front-leg hitter. You just don't see any elite hitters get up on the front leg like that to power the swing. So yes I'd say streaky is best projection unless he cleans that up.

When you say the bat speed is not as nice as you like a big chunk of that how far the hands have to travel before contact. In the one clip I am looking at, he has a check swing, and his hands travelled quite aways before he held up. Many of the elite hitters you see, in their check swing, the hands basically stayed in the proximity of the rear shoulder for a longer time.

That said he's got a helluva frame to work with

[homerawayfromhome]

Here's a look at Clint Frazier... http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/10/ ... azier-of-g

He's easily a top 5 pk next season IMO and could go 1. Regardless, the team drafting him will have a nice spec on their hands.

[Rocky55]

Here's some stuff to add to the pile:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/artic ... entMessage

Some new names in that bunch.

[OhioBaseball]

I agree with most of what was said about Clint Frazier. I don't really see him ever really bulking up too much, though.

Interesting article, Rocky. Interesting about Dominic Smith at C. Seems unlikely that he'd end up there, but I'm sure it got lots of scouts thinking. I think he's a real nice prospect. Speaking of which, I think there are some good players to be had in this draft in the 20th to 40th overall range -- whether it be high school or a couple of college guys. If I were the Indians I'd try to pry away one of those 1st round supplemental picks from some team. I love Cavan Biggio -- I think he's got all of the makings to be a great offensive 2b in MLB. I don't think he's getting much love now b/c he doesn't run or throw, but once he plays professionally the minor prospect junkies (like Sickels, for instance) will love him. Great projectable frame and swing -- he's a stud.

[ohioteamz]

I am really surprised this kid Ryan Kirby isn't getting more interest. USD commit since 10th grade, attends all the big events and just hits. He played for the Evoshield Canes and led them in hitting at the WWBA and this team got to the semi's which meant they were facing good pitching. 1-2 with a walk off of Tyler Danish in the semi-finals and this was the out, a deep shot to CF.




Ground Rule Double at Yankee Stadium a few weeks back.

[GeronimoSon]

Futures game tonight at 8 pm... should have a large group of would be Major Leaguers there for our viewing pleasure...

[Rocky55]

Here's the Bonus Baby profile for one of my main guys, Jan Hernandez. Should be on the radar for the #5 pick.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2013/1/1 ... lorenzo-pr

I think I like this guy as much as OB likes Cavan Biggio.

[OhioBaseball]

Here's the Bonus Baby profile for one of my main guys, Jan Hernandez. Should be on the radar for the #5 pick.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2013/1/1 ... lorenzo-pr

I think I like this guy as much as OB likes Cavan Biggio.

Yeah, Jan Hernandez is a good prospect. I'm surprised he doesn't get more love b/c he can really generate some real bat speed. I don't remember seeing that kind of bat speed when I saw him last summer, but that's an impressive showing. I admit he looks better than my boy Cavan Biggio right now, but I love Biggio's projection.

[Rocky55]

Here's one for daingean:

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2013/2/1 ... h-carolina

[daingean]

Thanks Rocky....HS team mate of my stepson......very good HS pitcher.....lefty that had good control with all his pitches....made weekend rotation at UNC as a freshman and threw a shut out in College WS as a freshman.....was UNC's Friday night starter last year.....he's a player I've been following since he was a Sophomore in HS (threw a no-hitter)...

[Rocky55]

From Klima's site:

http://www.bbprospectreport.com/2013/02 ... more-17056

Kinda guy you have to have scouted I guess. You sure couldn't look at the stats & see anything.

http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml ... OEM_ID=500

He's only a coming Junior so he isn't going to be one of those $5000 8th Round signings.

[Rocky55]

Great timing, right? Here's the scout's scout on Austin Wilson:

http://www.bbprospectreport.com/2013/02 ... more-17272

[daingean]

We faced Dylan Williams (Cass High School) last night. His stuff was very good but I'd say he was comfortably wild. Walked a few and hit a batter. Really started losing his control last night around the 6th inning when we rallied to tie the game (3-3). Big kid with room to add some muscle. Perfect game has him at 92 and his secondary stuff was pretty good for HS. He plays summer ball on Team Elite which also featured Frazier and Meadows. I spent the night manning the concession stand so I was a little far away from the action.

http://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=281022

LSU scout was in attendance.

Edit: Adding article:

[url]ww.daily-tribune.com/view/full_story/18976396/article-Staff-Report-Cass-High-hurler-Dylan-Williams-will-be-traveling-to-the-Metrodome-in-Minneapolis[/url]

[daingean]

We played Redan last night (lost 1-0) and Wesley Jones

http://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=274136

Wesley DH'd last night and went 2-3. The first was a nice line drive to right-center and the other hit was a liner to left center. His other at bat was a deep fly to right (not close to a HR but enough to make our RF back up about 10-15 feet). From what I heard is that he's got a tender arm (unsure if arm or elbow) from pitching. Was told that he will not be pitching any longer as he's an infield prospect. Nice sized kid with broad shoulders and moves well. Has played (a year down) with the ECB Astros/Braves (top team in each age group) so he's had good coaching. Same high school as Brandon Phillips and Chris Nelson:

http://www.championnewspaper.com/news/articles/1600next-in-line-redan%E2%80%99s-jones-working-to-continue-program%E2%80%99s-legacy1600.html

Their pitcher Bradon Baker was the real star of the game for Redan. He went all 7 with only 2 walks (one very late when he was obviously getting tired. He's not a big kid and throws 3 quarter. He's signed with Missouri.

http://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=282072

[Rocky55]

Daingean, I'm interested in knowing if you've seen this kid play. His name is Terry McClure from Riverwood HS in Atl. Played in the 16U PG WS with the East Cobb Astros last summer. There's not much on him around that I can find. A guy I work with heard raves about him from a relative who has seen him play. Here's a short vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu0efkmhseo

Here's his PG page:

http://www.perfectgame.org/Players/Play ... ?ID=227565

The vid is from last August in Chi & he'd just turned 17. The bat looks nice!

This kid is going to still be 17 at the time of the draft. Tons of upside.

So, have you seen him? Any scouting reports?

[daingean]

Daingean, I'm interested in knowing if you've seen this kid play. His name is Terry McClure from Riverwood HS in Atl. Played in the 16U PG WS with the East Cobb Astros last summer. There's not much on him around that I can find. A guy I work with heard raves about him from a relative who has seen him play. Here's a short vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu0efkmhseo

Here's his PG page:

http://www.perfectgame.org/Players/Play ... ?ID=227565

The vid is from last August in Chi & he'd just turned 17. The bat looks nice!

This kid is going to still be 17 at the time of the draft. Tons of upside.

So, have you seen him? Any scouting reports?

I've seen him some but only catching glimpses between games when the Astros were playing but I know his rep. He's been the best player at ECB for his age group for years. People I trust tell me he's got star written all over him. Really overshadowed Jason Heyward's little brother. He does play a year down (while most seniors played 17U last year, he played 16U) but if you are on the Astros you play in all the 18U tourneys. He's at Riverwood this year after being at (I think) at Landmark Christian. He did play on the 16U Astros 2 years in a row which is saying a ton. I don't see him on the 17U Braves roster so that means the 18U Yankees.

I will get to see Stephen Wrenn another good one from ECB this week against Walton. He's in our region so we see him twice a year. Wrenn also has that same reputation. Last year he pitched against us both times so I didn't see him in the OF. He's got a nice bat but didn't see a lot of power. Wrenn is tall, lanky and fast.

[Rocky55]

Daingean, I'm interested in knowing if you've seen this kid play. His name is Terry McClure from Riverwood HS in Atl. Played in the 16U PG WS with the East Cobb Astros last summer. There's not much on him around that I can find. A guy I work with heard raves about him from a relative who has seen him play. Here's a short vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu0efkmhseo

Here's his PG page:

http://www.perfectgame.org/Players/Play ... ?ID=227565

The vid is from last August in Chi & he'd just turned 17. The bat looks nice!

This kid is going to still be 17 at the time of the draft. Tons of upside.

So, have you seen him? Any scouting reports?

I've seen him some but only catching glimpses between games when the Astros were playing but I know his rep. He's been the best player at ECB for his age group for years. People I trust tell me he's got star written all over him. Really overshadowed Jason Heyward's little brother. He does play a year down (while most seniors played 17U last year, he played 16U) but if you are on the Astros you play in all the 18U tourneys. He's at Riverwood this year after being at (I think) at Landmark Christian. He did play on the 16U Astros 2 years in a row which is saying a ton. I don't see him on the 17U Braves roster so that means the 18U Yankees.

I will get to see Stephen Wrenn another good one from ECB this week against Walton. He's in our region so we see him twice a year. Wrenn also has that same reputation. Last year he pitched against us both times so I didn't see him in the OF. He's got a nice bat but didn't see a lot of power. Wrenn is tall, lanky and fast.

I know this is a profiles thread & maybe the discussion should be kept in the draft thread but it really seems like a good year for the team to reach for upside all through the Draft, at least after the 1st pick in case we land Appel, Gray, or Manaea. We signed guys long term on the big club, look pretty good in the low minors, have some young guys up in MLB right now. Might be time to grab all of the young talent we can find right now, while we have time to develop it patiently.

I know that Draft lists don't mean much at this time of the year but the highest I've seen McClure ranked was 87th in a MLB Bonus Baby list. Getting talent like that with a 3rd would be insane.

[daingean]

Daingean, I'm interested in knowing if you've seen this kid play. His name is Terry McClure from Riverwood HS in Atl. Played in the 16U PG WS with the East Cobb Astros last summer. There's not much on him around that I can find. A guy I work with heard raves about him from a relative who has seen him play. Here's a short vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu0efkmhseo

Here's his PG page:

http://www.perfectgame.org/Players/Play ... ?ID=227565

The vid is from last August in Chi & he'd just turned 17. The bat looks nice!

This kid is going to still be 17 at the time of the draft. Tons of upside.

So, have you seen him? Any scouting reports?

I've seen him some but only catching glimpses between games when the Astros were playing but I know his rep. He's been the best player at ECB for his age group for years. People I trust tell me he's got star written all over him. Really overshadowed Jason Heyward's little brother. He does play a year down (while most seniors played 17U last year, he played 16U) but if you are on the Astros you play in all the 18U tourneys. He's at Riverwood this year after being at (I think) at Landmark Christian. He did play on the 16U Astros 2 years in a row which is saying a ton. I don't see him on the 17U Braves roster so that means the 18U Yankees.

I will get to see Stephen Wrenn another good one from ECB this week against Walton. He's in our region so we see him twice a year. Wrenn also has that same reputation. Last year he pitched against us both times so I didn't see him in the OF. He's got a nice bat but didn't see a lot of power. Wrenn is tall, lanky and fast.

I know this is a profiles thread & maybe the discussion should be kept in the draft thread but it really seems like a good year for the team to reach for upside all through the Draft, at least after the 1st pick in case we land Appel, Gray, or Manaea. We signed guys long term on the big club, look pretty good in the low minors, have some young guys up in MLB right now. Might be time to grab all of the young talent we can find right now, while we have time to develop it patiently.

I know that Draft lists don't mean much at this time of the year but the highest I've seen McClure ranked was 87th in a MLB Bonus Baby list. Getting talent like that with a 3rd would be insane.

I know the Indians hired a scout that used to coach at East Cobb (maybe still does). He coached my step-son (pitching coach) and former Indian draft pick. Hope to run into him this summer. I had seen scouts from the Brewers, Phillies, Rangers, Orioles, and Natinals hanging around our field last year (we had a senior ss that is now at Georgia Southern) that was getting scouted. I know of some of the ECB coaches that scout for the Twins and Padres. Unfortunately, I hadn't seen or heard of any Indians scouts there until I heard they hired Andy.

Not that ECB is the best but it is a magnet for all the top programs because of the Perfect Game tournaments. Plus PG will be opening the Field of Dreams park in Emerson in a couple of years. All the top summer teams come to play in the PG tournaments as well as the Connie Mack. I've also seen teams from the Dominican and Puerto Rico play in tourneys here.

[daingean]

http://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=227604

Faced Stephen Wrenn last night. Unfortunately he pitched so I didn't see him in the OF until late in the game and didn't see his arm from the OF. As for pitching, we got up on him 3-0 but the defence and relief pitching failed us as we dropped the game to the top ranked Walton team 6-3. As for pitching, he really looked good after the 3rd inning but only went 5. He's very fast, tall lanky with narrow hips. He went 3-4 with his only out a hard hit liner to third.

He's the leadoff hitter and I'd expect him to be one in pro/college. Speaking with the other guys (some summer ball coaches), I'd rank the ECB 3 prospects we've seen in this order :

Wesley Jones
McClure
Wrenn

[MadThinker88]

Let me know if there are any players in the Northwoods League that need to be checked out. Will do my best to follow through for everyone.