2014 Draft Outlook: High School Players (Part 1)
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Matt Thurman – SS – R – Great range on the infield, but he’s a bit rough around the edges defensively. His speed is slightly below average and he lacks power. Additionally, he is not adept at doing the little things and lacks motivation to get better. He does show a decent eye at the plate and has posted consistent batting averages and OBP. His numbers alone should get him a look in the middle rounds, though this writer is a bit down on the overall package.
Joe Brock – CF – L – Good speed and decent defense will get him a look very late in the draft. Doesn’t show much ability to hit and will likely be out of the game in a few short seasons.
Curt Brown – C – R – Has never gotten an at bat at the high school level, has a noodle for an arm and is quite likely to go undrafted.
Dave Coley – MR – R – Good stuff; 93 MPH heat. A little weak in the control department, but took huge stride forward as a junior. Worth watching his development as a senior.
Scott Francis – C – R – Scouts don’t fawn over this San Antonio native, but he has posted solid numbers in three seasons. The 34 2B, 7 HR, 52 RBI last season whets the appetite a little, but the 13 BB against 51 K is cause for concern. Strong arm behind the plate is a plus. Statistics suggest that maybe the scouts have him a bit underrated. Worth watching in his senior season.
J.J. Griffin – SP – R – Rather mundane numbers his first three seasons, but has three pitches, hits 92 MPH on the gun, has the stamina to eat a lot of innings and is a rare right-hander who excels at holding runners. His makeup is definitely a concern, but solid numbers in his senior season should get him a look somewhere in the middle rounds.
Jack MacLaine – CL – R – Rather lackluster numbers his first three seasons, but hits 93 MPH on the gun with three pitches. Scouts like this native of Arlington, TX enough that someone will probably give him a look in the middle rounds, but his lack of heart and small size will have some teams passing him by.
John Robinson – LF – R – Has enough speed and defense to get a look near the very end. Don’t expect much.
Roberto Reyes – SP – L – Reyes was converted to a starter last year and it will be interesting to see if he progresses in the role in his senior season. He can bring heat at up to 96 MPH, but his two-pitch arsenal and lack of stamina hinder him. He lasted less than 5 IP per start last season, and his K/BB ratio and ERA both took a hit. Scouts like his arm, but his limitations probably send him back to the bullpen as a professional.
Bobby Sellers – 2B – R – A touch of speed, no defense, no bat – absolutely nothing to get excited about.
Richard Kelly – 3B – R – Has shown some ability to hit for average and has some gap power, but really not much to get excited about. He has a strong arm but lacks much else in the way of defensive skills. Some team may take a flyer on him late, but hard to see him being much more than filler.
Lou Kirkpatrick – LF – R – Nice combination of speed and power. His range in the outfield probably limit him to a corner spot, but he is fairly sure-handed. The big hole in his game is the one in his swing; he tends to be a hacker. Should get drafted somewhere in the middle of the first day, though his senior season numbers will probably go a long way towards determining just where he lands.
Bob Turley – C – R – This native of Winnipeg has excellent skills behind the dish and enough of a bat that he should get a look somewhere in the middle rounds. He shows excellent power to the gaps but tends to be a free swinger. His numbers have been fairly consistent over his three seasons thus far.
Bob Wilson – SP – R – 94 MPH on the gun with three plus pitches. A bit weak on the stamina, but has enough ability to eventually be a backend starter. Strikeout rates have been decent. Good size and work ethic will make him worth a look in the middle rounds.
Ed Boerboom – SP – R – 93 MPH on the gun with four rather average pitches. Good stamina, very intelligent. Needs work on his control, but there is enough ability there that he looks like he should get a look early on the second day.
Dan Hudson – SP – L – Has been mostly a reliever to this point, but it looks as if Brophy Prep will convert him to starter for his senior season. 92 MPH on the gun with three rather mediocre pitches and not much stamina. As a professional, he will probably stand a better chance of success as a lefty specialist. Scouts think enough of him that he should get a look somewhere in the middle rounds.
Germán Martínez – C – R – Average ability behind the plate. Very few at bats thus far – hard to tell much from the small sample of statistics, though his eye at the plate might be better than scouts give him credit for. Runs the bases well for a catcher and does the little things. Scouts don’t think much of his potential with the bat, but his overall package suggests he should get a look somewhere around the 12th round; someone will take a flyer on him.
Cullen McDonald – SP – L – Crafty southpaw who barely clips 90 MPH on the gun. Four lackluster pitches. Has good stamina, holds runners well and keeps the ball in the park. On the smallish side, but scouts think he has enough ability that he should get a look somewhere in the middle rounds.
Charlie Tucker – RF – L – A fairly solid though not spectacular all-around outfield prospect. Enough speed to swipe a bag occasionally, good eye at the plate and should hit for a decent average, though probably with slightly below average power. Really needs to work on his hands in the outfield. Probably projects into the third or fourth round.
Ernesto Velázquez – LF – L – Has the ability to steal a bag on occasion and his defense is better than average. Made the most of his limited at bats last season while batting .314. He certainly seems like the type of player some team will take a flyer on early on the second day.
Doug White – 1B – R – Has 6 HR in 42 AB over three seasons. Isn’t getting much playing time, but the limited numbers suggest there is some talent there. Has the defensive skill to be a plus fielder at the hot corner someday. No speed. Scouts project at least average power, with some scouts projecting him to have plus power. The lack of playing time has scouts’ opinions rather dampened on his overall ability, however. Look for a team to take a flyer on him early on the second day.
Danny Kelley – SP – R – Projects as a really awful pitcher right now. Would have to have a big senior season to change most opinions.
Jorge Murrillo – 2B – S – Good ability with the glove could lead him to playing either middle infield position. Not much speed or power, but looks to be consistent enough with the bat that he probably projects as a utility infielder. Some scouts even project that he will hit enough to be a bottom-tier starter in the PEBA someday. Conventional wisdom would have him getting a look near the end of the first day.
Ron Parker – MR – L – Hard-throwing southpaw who couldn’t find the plate if he was standing on it.
Wayne Prior – SP – R – Hits 93 MPH with four average pitches. Good movement on his pitches gets him lots of ground balls. His small stature may keep some teams away, but scouts like him enough that he probably gets a look in the latter half of the first day.
Jesús Lemus – 3B – R – At bats were limited in his first two seasons, but performance as a junior suggests he can hit for a decent average and the bat might be a bit better than scouts give him credit for. Still, they doubt he will hit for much power, and his speed is just enough to get him into trouble on the base paths. His hands of stone have him better suited to a corner infield spot, while his lack of power says “middle infield” and his lack of speed says “minor league filler”.
Alonso Ramírez – MR – L – If you’re desperate for a southpaw to inflate your minor league bullpen ERA, this is your guy.
Will Garner – 2B – R – The speed is very good. The defense is below average. The plate discipline is atrocious. Despite consistent batting averages, the lack of plate discipline makes it hard to see that translating to pro ball. Despite the speed, not hard to imagine this guy going undrafted.
Leonard Miller – CF – R – Excellent speed, at least some power and passable defense make Miller a likely late first day choice.
Ryan Sims – SP – R – A workman-like soft-tossing right-hander, he has displayed good control and has enough going for him that some scouts project a back of the rotation future could be possible. Look for him to be selected near the backend of the bonus rounds, maybe mid-4th to mid-5th round.