2007 Draft in Review: Part 1
A Retrospective Look at the PEBA's First-Ever First Year Amateur Draft
Sunday, September 27, 2009
António Carbezola – Round 1, Pick 16. 1B – R
With 13 home runs in just 60 at bats in his senior year of high school, Carbezola was a monster power prospect. He struggled as a youngster in his first year of pro ball, batting just .144 and posting a -19.2 VORP. He was sent to short season for the 2008 season, where he showed improvement, but didn't set the world on fire. He did hit 18 doubles and walk 25 times while striking out just 14 times. In 2009 he returned for a second stint at A-ball, somewhat better prepared, and hit 23 doubles and 11 HR while walking 73 times. While his batting average was only .230, he did post a .340 OBP. Scouts still believe he has a world of talent, and he will be just 21 going into next season. The eye and the power are developing; he just needs to work on getting the average up. After three seasons and over 1,000 at bats in the low minors, he needs to have a breakout season soon.
Erik White – Round 2, Pick 16, 40th overall. CL – R
Drafted out of college, White is hard thrower who has put up some very decent numbers in three seasons of pro ball. But scouts have their doubts about how much farther he might go, especially considering the high number of walks (29 in 64 IP) this season at AA. Appears poised to start next season at AAA; he will be 24 at the start of the season and needs to get the walks down.
David Teague – Round 3, Pick 16, 64th overall. SS – L
The 23-year-old Teague has found himself in the Arlington lineup during the final months of the 2009 season. He spent his first two seasons as a pro in A-ball and then skipped AA to go straight to AAA this season. His AAA numbers were fairly impressive: .280/.353, 24 2B, 13 HR in 393 AB for a 27.6 VORP. Scouts don't believe his bat is ready for the PEBA level yet but he has not embarrassed himself, hitting .259 in 43 games. His defense is below average in the middle of the diamond; he would be a better fit at the hot corner. Despite his thin frame, scouts believe his bat speed will lead to at least average power, and he has slightly above average speed on the base paths. His patience at the plate is still lacking; he has struggled against lefties at the PEBA level so far, and some observers think another year of minor league ball wouldn't hurt. But at the moment he appears poised to get OJT at the PEBA level.
Iván Cruz – Round 4, Pick 16, 88th overall. SP – L
After over 300 innings at A-ball, Cruz made the jump to AA this season and seemingly regressed. After walking 51 in 160.2 innings last season, he walked 52 in 83.1 innings this season. He missed time twice with injuries this year. 24 years old going into next season, Cruz will earn the bust tag fairly soon unless he gets it turned it around in a hurry.
Javier Lozano – Round 5, Pick 16. 112th overall. MR – R
Big right-hander who can hit 94 MPH on the gun. Struggled at A-ball in his first season of pro ball but turned things around with a trip to short season ball in 2008. Split the 2009 season between A-ball and AA and overall his numbers were very good, but the walks remain a concern (32 BB in 55 IP total). Has allowed just 1 HR in 3 years of pro ball. Needs to harness the control, and could be in the mix in the Arlington bullpen by 2011 if he does so.
Dan Davis – Round 6, Pick 16, 136th overall. SP – L
After two-plus seasons and 270-plus innings at A-ball, Davis finally made the jump to AA this season and posted numbers that were not too bad (8-6, 2.71). He's a soft-tossing lefty who has to keep the ball down to be successful. He won't strike out many and the control can be an issue at times. Scouts aren't convinced he will ever be much, and he will be 24 early in the next season so time is getting short.
Jason Pugh – Round 7, Pick 16, 160th overall. SP – R
06-21-2009 Was traded by the Arlington Bureaucrats to the Crystal Lake Sandgnats in exchange for MR Brent Cochran.
I like the chance for Pugh to become an end-of-the-rotation starter for Crystal Lake. He will be just 21 going into next season and, after a 6-0, 2.23 mark in 12 starts for the Sandgnats class A affiliate, he looks to be a pitcher on the upswing. Arlington received in return a 27-year-old middle reliever who had spent at least 2-plus seasons at AAA and is borderline PEBA quality.
Larry Brown – Round 8, Pick 16, 184th overall. C – R
Arlington's final selection in the 2007 draft turned into what may be their best prospect, at least according to Baseball America. A bit of a free swinger who may never have much patience, Brown has above average skills behind the plate and has hit very well at the minor league level. Had a 31 game hitting streak in 2007/2008. 24 years old going into next season, there is a very good chance we see him at Arlington very soon.
Overall – Brown with that 8th round selection makes this draft a great success. Carbezola is still young with time to develop. Of the 8 selections, 7 are still in the organization. We're not sold on White, though the numbers so far are hard to argue with. Cruz and Davis are bordering on busts. Dealing away Pugh might haunt the Bureaucrats; the return seems light considering his potential. On the flip side, Teague is contributing at the PEBA level now, Brown is close and Carbezola is still very highly thought of by the scouts and could bust out at any time. Lozano should help in the bullpen before too long.
NOTE: Borealis Vice President of Operations Christopher Rodriguez was kind enough to add his thoughts on Aurora’s 2007 draft class. His comments will be indicated in boldface print.
Todd Hanna – Round 1, Pick 23, 23rd overall. 3B – R
Hanna has shown a very good eye at the plate when healthy. That's the thing: when healthy. Which hasn't been often. He was injured when drafted, but Aurora took the chance. Including that first injury, he now has 5 injuries over 3 seasons. This has many doubting his durability, and he has been dubbed “Cupcake” in some circles. His .392 OBP over his last 3 seasons is sort of impressive, but he has only averaged about 346 at bats per season in that time. He could very well be an on base machine, but he has zero power and well below average speed. His defense is well above average anywhere on the infield. Would probably be at the PEBA level already if he could stay healthy. Still rated as Aurora's best prospect according to Baseball America, though this writer is reluctant to agree with that assessment.
CR: We’re really pleased with where Todd’s at right now. For the second year in a row he was good enough to force us to bump him up a level mid-season, something that our organization is cautious about. Not surprisingly he faced a learning curve at AAA, but his improved performance in August and September indicate to us that he’s making the necessary adjustments. What’s exciting to see is the improved plate discipline. Todd jumped from just 49 walks in ’08 to 88 walks this year. That’s what we want to see out of a future leadoff hitter. I’ve heard the whispers about Todd’s durability; frankly it’s a bunch of hooey. Since the start of 2008 he’s missed a total of 5 weeks worth of in-season game time. There have been no lingering effects from the injuries that cost him his 2007 season (torn bicep, hernia). Of course there’s always going to be some hack trying to stir something up, but Todd’s got too much character to be brought down by that kind of talk. He’s a big part of our plans going forward.
Ronald Elmore – Round 3, Pick 23, 71st overall. RF – L
The 23-year-old Elmore spent the better part of three seasons and over 800 at bats in the low minors before finally getting the call-up to AA late this past season. Hit for a fine average and on base percentage in the low minors, but has been slow to develop anything in the way of power. Has slightly above average speed (he stole 25 bases this past season).
CR: Ron took a big step forward this year. Honestly, I had almost given up on him; I was pestering my dad to trade him away before he lost all his value. But I’ve got to admit; his effort this year really impressed me. We’re seeing good speed from him, good on-base skills, and finally some of that power potential the scouts have been talking about. Still, he’s going to have to do it at AA before I completely buy into his revival. You hear that, Ronnie? You’re not out of my doghouse yet!
Santiago Walker – Round 4, Pick 23, 95th overall. MR – R
Hard thrower will be 24 before throwing his first pitch next season. Low endurance seems to have led to him not accumulating very many innings, just 65.2 IP in three seasons in the minors. 33 BB in those 65.2 IP seems a bit on the high side, and he didn't make to AA until late this past season. His stuff has not quite matched scouts expectations yet, and the troubles with the control need to be harnessed if he is ever to advance any further.
CR: With heat like that, the kid should be in the bigs by now. Obviously we’re disappointed that he’s moved so slowly. Still, you can’t give up on an arm like that too quickly.
Stanton Page – Round 5, Pick 23, 119th overall. 2B – R
09-28-2007 Injured (torn calf muscle), out for 13 months.
10-04-2007 Released by the Aurora organization.
10-09-2007 Signed a 0-year minor league contract with the Bakersfield Bears organization.
Released after suffering a major calf injury which sidelined him for the entire 2008 season, the Bakersfield Bears signed Page and stashed him away. Had a decent season at short season ball for the Bears this year, hitting .259 with a .384 OBP in a part time role. Has a little speed and does the little things well, but is a butcher on defense. Scouts aren't sold that he will ever hit and he will definitely never have anything in the way of power, but he is just 20 so Bakersfield can still hope that he will turn into something.
CR: This guy’s still playing baseball?
Ryan Rayner – Round 6, Pick 23, 143rd overall. RF – L
12-18-2008 Was traded by the Aurora Borealis to the West Virginia Coal Sox, along with C Ching-hsia Chin, C Robun Fujimoto and $666,667, in exchange for C Víctor Salgardo, a 1st round draft pick and a 4th round draft pick.
After 2-plus seasons and about 460 at bats in the low minors, Rayner made the jump to AA earlier this season. To this point he hasn't displayed much promise; he seems to hit for just enough average to leave some glimmer of hope, but really does nothing else well. Chin was certainly the key piece in the deal that also brought Rayner to the West Virginia organization, and as long as Chin continues to develop and eventually realizes his full potential this will have been a deal that works out fairly well for both teams, even if Rayner is nothing more than a career minor leaguer.
CR: Tyler Babcock is a great guy. I did most of the talking on our end when the trade was going down, and he was a pleasure to deal with. He’s got a great family, too. His kid is going to be in a production of Medea this weekend, I think. Talent runs in the family, I guess.
Josh Christensen – Round 7, Pick 23, 167th overall. 2B – R
An impatient hacker at the plate, Christenson has no power but will leg out some extra base hits with his speed. A real burner on the base paths. Plays very good defense and does the little things well. 23 years old, finally made it to AA late in the 2009 season. Has the potential to be a very useful utility infielder at the PEBA level, but nothing more.
CR: Josh is in the same boat as Ron. He took a step forward this year, but I’m going to need to see it at AA before I get all excited. What I’m still not seeing from Josh is the willingness to take a walk. With the kind of speed he’s got, he just needs to focus on getting on base any way he can. That’s going to be the big thing for him to work on next year.
Overall – The Borealis first draft was not a great success, but it wasn't a total failure either. Hanna still has the potential to be a starter at the PEBA level, though it remains to be seen if he can crack the tough Aurora lineup. Elmore seems slow to develop and Walker has control issues that may prevent him from ever reaching the PEBA level. Page was released but not a great loss there. Rayner moved in a deal that may work out okay for both teams. Getting a potential PEBA level utility infielder with their final pick is a plus.
Cary Bond – Round 1, Pick 21, 21st overall. MR – L
After two very good seasons at A-ball, Bond made the jump to AA in 2009. Unfortunately, what also jumped were his walks: 33 in 43.1 IP. Still, his overall numbers were okay (2.91 ERA and 24 saves), but he also had a very lucky BABIP of just .248. Gets a high percentage of ground balls and does very well at keeping the ball in the park, allowing just 2 HR in 114.2 professional innings. A 23-year-old southpaw who throws in the low 90s, he needs to harness the control before he will ever see the back end of a PEBA bullpen.
Héctor Sepúlveda – Round 2, Pick 21, 45th overall. CF – R
It took the 23-year-old Sepúlveda three seasons and over 950 at bats to master A-ball. Not encouraging for a second round pick. Has great speed, can cover a lot of ground in the outfield, and has a plus arm as well. He was old for the level this past season when he hit .306/.402 at A-ball, and scouts presently doubt he will ever have any success at any higher level.
Bobby Flory – Round 3, Pick 21, 69th overall. C – S
Another 23-year-old who has spent three seasons at the A-ball level, he is not faring very well. Flory has batted .231 with a .270 OBP in three seasons at the A level, and has not hit a single home run. He has some decent defensive skills, but no ability to hit at all. Considering his age, it's not a reach to throw the bust label on Flory.
Luis Asconcio – Round 4, Pick 21, 93rd overall. MR – L
Southpaw who throws in the low 90s and has yet to allow a home run at the professional level. Made the jump to AA in midseason this year and has fared very well, posting a 1.75 ERA while saving 5 games and striking out 31 in 25.2 IP. Despite his good endurance, he appears to have been brought along slowly to this point, having pitched just 89.1 innings in 3 seasons at the professional level. Just 20 years old, his stuff appears better than scouts give him credit for. Asconcio appears to be a pitcher worth watching in the Bears organization; he could see a PEBA roster within two to three seasons.
Tim McDaniel – Round 5, Pick 21, 117th overall. SP – R
Had decent (though not spectacular) seasons in his first two years in the low minors. Tore a tricep muscle early in the 2009 season and missed virtually the entire season. Will be 24 going into next season and has yet to get out of the low minors. Our suspicion is he never will. Has good endurance, but tops out in the upper 80s and his stuff is nothing special.
Bill Johnson – Round 7, Pick 21, 165th overall. SP – R
Soft-tosser who gets a lot of ground balls but will be 24 next season and, like his compadre McDaniel, has yet to get out of the low minors. Also much like McDaniel, it's highly doubtful he ever will.
Clayton Louis – Round 8, Pick 21, 189th overall. 3B – S
06-23-2008 Released by the Bakersfield organization.
05-18-2009 Signed a 0-year minor league contract with the Duluth Warriors organization.
Thought so highly of that it took almost a year from his release by Bakersfield for him to catch on with another organization. Has 29 at bats the last two seasons. Will be 24 and still in low minors. A non-prospect.
Overall – The relievers Bond and Asconcio could have a future at the PEBA level, but Sepúlveda and Flory look like busts. No steals were found in the late rounds. Unless Bond and Asconcio really dominate at the PEBA level eventually, this draft will have to be looked back on with disappointment by the Bears organization.
Sergio Vallejo – Round 1, Pick 8, 8th overall. 3B – L
How often would you look at a player who hit .362 average and 44.8 VORP and say bust? Not often, but Sergio might be a case. He will be 24 to start next season and has yet to advance to AA. Outside of hitting for a high average and having a cannon for an arm at the hot corner, he really appears to do nothing else very well. He has no power, no speed and lacks plate discipline. At this point it would not appear that he would have a future at the PEBA level.
Cole Howard – Round 2, Pick 8, 32nd overall. CL – R
Howard only throws in the mid 80s and has just two pitches. In three seasons at A-ball his career WHIP is 1.65 and he appears to be making absolutely no progress with his control. Just 20 years old, so he still has time, but the fact that he appears to be making no progress at all has to be a major concern. Hard to see Howard ever reaching the PEBA level.
Terry Thornton – Round 3, Pick 8, 56th overall. 2B – R
07-14-2008 Was traded by the Canton Longshoremen to the San Antonio Calzones of Laredo in exchange for LF Edmond Cliche.
12-18-2008 Was traded by the San Antonio Calzones of Laredo to the Tempe Knights, along with SP Gary Fisher, in exchange for SP Bill Taylor and C Bob Keller.
The deal Canton made sending Thornton to San Antonio looks like it worked out well for both teams. Canton picked up a serviceable fourth outfielder who offers speed and defense off the bench, while San Antonio was able to flip Thornton in a deal that brought Taylor back to San Antonio and landed them a catcher in Keller who is one of their top prospects at the position. The deal between San Antonio and Tempe, meanwhile, looks heavily skewed towards San Antonio unless Thornton ever comes around. San Antonio landed a good catching prospect and was able to flip Taylor for a pitching prospect, an infield prospect and a third round draft pick. Meanwhile, Tempe was unable to resign Fisher and had to trade him, while Thornton has struggled and is now injured. Thornton does offer some speed and defense, but his bat was no where near ready for the PEBA level after just 354 minor league at bats and it has shown. He batted just .233 this season with a .257 OBP, while walking just 11 times and striking out 76. He is clearly overmatched at the PEBA level.
Graham Hunter – Round 4, Pick 8, 80th overall. LF – L
In his third season at the A level, Hunter finally showed some progress by hitting .300 with 35 doubles. Will be 24 going into next season and has yet to advance to AA. Has no power or speed, and lacks plate discipline. His range in the outfield is rather limited, but he does have a plus arm. Hunter does not appear to have much future and would have to be considered a bust at this point.
Steve Moleyns – Round 5, Pick 8, 104th overall. 3B – R
Will hit singles and strike out. Hit .321 while walking 13 times and striking out 90 at AA this past season. 20 years old, but does nothing well other than hit singles and has absolutely no future in PEBA.
Glen Wallace – Round 6, Pick 8, 128th overall. C – R
Three seasons in the low minors, and Wallace finally took a small step forward this past season, hitting .276 with 9 HR and 70 RBI. Will be 24 next season and will need to make quicker progress at AA. Has average skills behind the plate and scouts believe there is at least an outside chance that he could become a cheap backup catcher at the PEBA level someday.
Carl Douglas – Round 7, Pick 8, 152nd overall. SP – R
Very much on the smallish side at just 5'8” and 175 lbs., the 20-year-old Douglas has struggled in 3 seasons in the low minors. Telling is his two seasons at A-ball, where he has compiled a 7-27, 6.12 mark, walking 117 and striking out 111. Can barely reach the upper 80s with a 3-pitch repertoire. Not hard to realize he has very little future.
Overall – Flipping Thornton to get a 4th outfielder may have helped Canton salvage at least something from this draft, and Wallace has a very slim hope of being a cheap backup catcher someday. Outside of that, there is just nothing Canton can hang their hat on from the 2007 draft.
Stan Gill – Round 1, Pick 12, 12th overall. 3B – S
12-12-2007 Was traded by the Charleston Statesmen to the Duluth Warriors, along with 3B Anastasio Calderón and SP Matt Howard, in exchange for RF Edgardo Sánchez, 1B Fernando López and 3B Steve Henry.
Have to like how this trade seems to have worked out for Duluth, as Gill is rated the 12th best prospect in the PEBA according to Baseball America. They also picked up Matt Howard in the deal, who has at least some outside chance of becoming a back-of-the-rotation innings eater some day. They did give up a very good outfielder in Sánchez, but López has already been released by Charleston and neither he nor Henry appears to have an extremely bright future. Gill is 23 and has yet to really break out in the power department, but when or if he does he could be a real weapon as a switch hitter who scouts believe will have some really good power. His defense is lacking and he has hands of stone, so he will have to hit have value, but his future looks bright.
Mark Doyle – Round 2, Pick 12, 36th overall. C – R
The 23-year-old Doyle finally made the jump to AA this past season after parts of 3 seasons and more than 650 at bats at the low minors. He adjusted well to AA, batting .306 in 147 at bats, but has yet to display the power scouts had projected. With his small size, some observers are left doubting the power will ever materialize. Has good skills behind the plate and has hit for a decent average the last two seasons, but if the power doesn't show up there may not be much else to hang your hat on here. We think at the moment Doyle may project as a decent defensive backup at the PEBA level. For a second round pick, that would make him a bust.
Marvin Williams – Round 3, Pick 12, 60th overall. RF- R
Finally showed some life in his third season in the low minors, batting .294 with 17 doubles and 5 HR in 466 at bats at A-ball, but realistically that's just not very good for a 23-year-old in his third year of pro ball. At this point his bat just doesn’t project enough to get him to the PEBA level, and he really does nothing else that stands out.
Silas Boone – Round 4, Pick 12, 84th overall. SS- R
05-24-2009 Was traded by the Charleston Statesmen to the Tempe Knights, along with MR Steve Wallace, 3B Jeremy Lawrence, CF Mark Young, MR Grant Mullen, CF David LaFrance and a 2nd round draft pick, in exchange for CL Christos Douglass, LF Víctor Martínez and 2B Jorge Rivera.
05-24-2009 Was traded by the Tempe Knights to the San Antonio Calzones of Laredo, along with RF Fernando Garza, in exchange for SS Stephen Everett and CF Tim Eaton.
Traded twice on the same day. The deal between Charleston and Tempe seemed to work well for both teams. Tempe, once they flipped Boone to San Antonio, was able to completely rework their outfield into a more athletic group that fit their large ballpark much better, and they also saved money by getting the younger and cheaper LaFrance and Eaton. For Charleston’s part, they solidified their bullpen and their bench in their quest for a championship. On the San Antonio side of things, bringing in Boone seemed like a must at the time; the infield at the PEBA level was horrid and there was nothing on the horizon in the minor league system. Garza has worked out well as a platoon outfielder, and Boone is making progress at AAA. Boone is a speedy infielder who plays above average defense and has a cannon for an arm. The Calzones are presently undecided as to what his future position will be, though they seem to be leaning towards a long-term move over to second base. Has hit at every level, batting .344 with a .394 OBP in 453 at bats at A-ball, .309/.353 in 433 at bats at AA, .289/.348 in 402 at bats at AAA. Probably gets a full season at AAA before a September call-up to San Antonio next season.
Presently rated the #1 prospect in the Calzones organization, and 42nd overall by Baseball America.
Benedicto Pérez – Round 5, Pick 12, 108th overall. RF – L
05-08-2008 Released by the Charleston organization.
05-25-2008 Signed a 0-year minor league contract with the Reno Tenpinners organization.
06-15-2008 Released by the Reno organization.
07-15-2008 Signed a 0-year minor league contract with the New Jersey Hitmen organization.
09-25-2008 Released by the New Jersey organization.
Has the distinction of being released by three teams in the same season. Has not played in 2009. Has virtually no talent.
Matt Howard – Round 6, Pick 12, 132nd overall. SP – R
12-12-2007 Was traded by the Charleston Statesmen to the Duluth Warriors, along with 3B Anastasio Calderón and 3B Stan Gill, in exchange for RF Edgardo Sánchez, 1B Fernando López and 3B Steve Henry.
Has yet to really wow anyone after three seasons at A-ball, but he is just 20. Scouts think he has fine endurance and will develop enough control to maybe be a back-of-the-rotation type who can eat some innings at the PEBA level. Doesn't throw hard but keeps hitters off balance with a seven-pitch arsenal. Good pickup by Duluth to get him as an afterthought in a deal that also netted them Stan Gill.
Mike Clark – Round 7, Pick 12, 156th overall. SP – R
06-26-2009 Injured (torn rotator cuff muscle), out for 13 months.
09-15-2009 Released by the Charleston organization.
Was making at least a little progress in his second stint at AA this season. Sadly, a torn rotator cuff has probably ended his career.
Juan García – Round 8, Pick 12, 180th overall. MR – R
05-03-2009 Released by the Charleston organization.
06-22-2009 Signed a 0-year minor league contract with the Manchester Maulers organization.
08-01-2009 Injured (herniated disc (back)), out for 5 months.
Has walked 69 while striking out 36 in 157.2 innings at the professional level. That's really about all you need to know.
Overall – The drafting itself was not completely terrible; sort of a mixed bag. Gill and Boone have the potential to become standout infielders, though it will be in other organizations. Doyle and Williams are sort of disappointments, while Howard has an outside chance to someday contribute something at the PEBA level (though it will be in another organization). The Pérez, Clark and García picks look fairly ugly. The trades they made with Gill and Boone both led to talent that is helping the Statesmen in their run through the IL in 2009.
Juan Flores – Round 1, Pick 3, 3rd overall. SP – L
07-19-2009 Was traded by the Connecticut Nutmeggers to the West Virginia Coal Sox, along with SP Tim Higgins, SP Jason Oliver, SP John Gaines, a 1st round draft pick and a 2nd round draft pick, in exchange for SP Hamilton Cole, 2B Tom Kirkland and RF Bernardo Marín.
Taking a page out of the Tempe playbook, Flores was Hancocked to Connecticut after two seasons at A-ball, completely bypassing AA and AAA. The results – 2-5, 4.09, 42 BB and 33 K in 72.2 IP – were not surprising. Traded at the deadline to West Virginia, he was sent by the Coal Sox to AAA, where he walked 31 and struck out 24 in 64.1 IP. Clearly he’s in over his head at the upper levels. A smallish southpaw, he does hit 90 MPH on the gun but lacks the stuff to be dominant. Scouts believe he has the potential to eventually contribute at the back end of a PEBA rotation, but he will be 24 going into next season and West Virginia will have to hope that a turnaround is quick in coming.
Arnold Wilson – Round 2, Pick 3, 27th overall. SP – R
Despite some decent numbers in the low minors, the 23-year-old Wilson has been left to languish in obscurity at short season ball. He only throws in the mid to upper 80s but has great endurance, a six-pitch arsenal, and he pitches smartly. His career numbers at short season (where he spent the second half of 2009) are 5-2, 2.02, with an 0.97 WHIP in 12 starts. At the single A level (where he has spent parts of three seasons) he is 19-14, 2.61, with a 1.25 WHIP. Scouts are not impressed with him, but he has put up some decent numbers and probably deserves a chance to prove himself at the AA level.
Daniel Williams – Round 3, Pick 3, 51st overall. RF – L
Missed his first pro season due to a fractured elbow and has spent the last two seasons at A-ball with rather mediocre results. His best asset is his speed. He has no power to speak of and his defense is rather lacking. Scouts think he may have the potential to be a reserve outfielder at the PEBA level someday, but that is about his ceiling. Will be 24 going into next season, so he'll need to make progress soon if he is even to reach that meager prediction.
Ricardo López – Round 4, Pick 3, 75th overall. 1B – L
His first season of pro ball in 2007 was nothing to write home about, but he fared very well in 2008 when he repeated the A-ball level, batting .331 with 41 2B. Advanced to AA this season, he batted .276 with 31 2B. Has done well at finding the gaps so far, but has yet to develop any of the moderate home run power that scouts think he may have. Will be 24 going into next season, so he needs to turn a corner soon in the power department. Scouts believe he may eventually contribute at the PEBA level as a bottom-tier starting first baseman.
Tom Harris – Round 5, Pick 3, 99th overall. 3B – R
Has made slow progress in three seasons at A-ball and will be 24 next season. Has some speed, but the defense has been subpar despite the fact that he has a cannon arm, and his offense is not projected by scouts to get much better. May make it to AA someday, but that is probably his ceiling.
Leonard Parks – Round 6, Pick 3, 123rd overall. MR – R
06-07-2009 Released by the Connecticut organization.
06-15-2009 Signed a 0-year minor league contract with the Canton Longshoremen organization.
Doesn't throw hard but has decent endurance and gets ground balls. Hasn't been given much of a chance to show anything, just 49 innings in 3 seasons of professional ball. Doesn't project to be anything more than minor league filler, now in the Canton organization.
Raúl Medina – Round 7, Pick 3, 147th overall. MR – R
06-23-2008 Released by the Connecticut organization.
06-29-2008 Signed a 0-year minor league contract with the New Orleans Trendsetters organization.
Tall right-hander who throws hard, brushing the gun at 95 MPH on occasion. He was never given much of an opportunity in the Connecticut organization, pitching just 11.1 innings in two seasons. Has poor endurance and his control suffered this season with the move back to A-ball, but he did save 20 games while posting a 2.30 ERA. Will be 24 going into next season and has a lot of work to do. Hard to see him ever getting past AA, but why a hard thrower like Medina was never allowed an opportunity to show what he could do in the Connecticut organization remains a mystery.
Jake Barker – Round 8, Pick 3, 171st overall. CF – L
05-06-2009 Injured (ruptured disc (back)), out for 12 months.
Barker never showed much in very limited at bats in three seasons at A-ball. Scouts love his defense and like his speed, but his skills with the bat were rather limited and he projected best as possibly a very weak fifth outfielder someday. A ruptured disk in his back potentially threatens his career; it is highly unlikely that he ever returns from that, much less returns and becomes a prospect.
Overall – The best hope that Connecticut will see some return from the first draft is López, and maybe Williams is a dark horse to contribute something. Other than that, returns from that first draft look rather bleak. They did do rather well to package Flores in a deal that netted some return. But on the whole, this will be regarded as a rather poor draft by the Nutmeggers.