2014 Draft Outlook: High School Players (Part 3)
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Burt Johnson – SP – R – Good size, throws hard, has good stamina. As a starter, he has real problems with his control, but interestingly, as a reliever during the 2012 season, his control was impeccable. At the moment, he looks like a pitcher who will likely be drafted in the middle part of the second day, but his senior season bears watching. If he could find a way to harness the control and put up numbers similar to his 2012 season, his stock could rise considerably.
Kyle Corrigan – 2B – L – Good speed and defense, some power to the gaps, but has shown almost no ability to hit to this point. Some team could take a flyer on him very late in the draft. Or not.
Jake Gilliam – CF – R – Good speed and covers ground in the outfield. His arm is a bit lacking. Scouts are mixed on his bat; some think he is nothing more than minor league filler, while others suggest he might hit enough to be a regular contributor someday. What this writer likes is the fact that he has consistently shown improvement from season to season, a trend that, if continued into his senior year, could raise his stock going into the draft.
Michael Ladner – SP – R – This kid is huge at 6’9”. Throws in the low 90s with three plus pitches. Has posted consistently solid numbers and improved his K:BB ratio to slightly better than 4-to-1 last season. At the moment, scouts believe him to be the type of talent that might miss the cut for the bonus rounds (rounds 1 to 5), but a solid senior season could have him squeezing into the 4th or 5th round before it is all said and done.
Pat McCain – RF – L – Good speed and projects to have at least a fair eye at the plate. Missed the entire 2012 season with personal issues and missed five weeks of 2013 with a strained quadriceps, so his limited at bats make him a bit of a tough read. He did have a very solid freshman season. If he can return to that form as a senior, it will go a long way towards boosting his draft position. Like his teammate Gilliam, scouts are mixed on McCain, but at least some can see him being a solid contributor someday.
Moon-suk Chang – SP – L – Crafty left-hander; doesn’t throw hard but pitches smart. He’s a bit light on stamina and has just three pitches, suggesting a swingman role might be in his future. He has shown very good control, walking just eight in 64.1 IP last season, and his ERA and WHIP have been rather consistent to this point. Unlikely to ever be a big strikeout pitcher, but his ability to limit the walks should get him a look in the middle rounds.
António Ayala – C – R – This Plano, TX native projects to have at least average power, and his numbers last season suggest a fair eye at the plate. His defensive skills are rated about average, but he’s just 18 and a hard worker, so those skills could improve. His senior season will be worth watching. Teams in need of catching will probably start thinking about this kid in the middle rounds of the draft.
Truman Burke – CL – R – Brings gas at 98 MPH. Struck out 61 in 39 innings while walking just eight last season. A repeat of those numbers as a senior and he will be in the top tier of closers in the draft.
Guillermo Cruz – LF – S – Talentless hack. Likely to go undrafted.
Mike Godwin – 1B – R – Lots of skills with the glove, enough to play anywhere on the infield. So lacking in skill with the bat that he will be playing beer league softball after his high school career concludes.
Jesús López – RF – L – Good speed and terrific arm from the outfield. Has not shown much skill with the bat to this point, but the speed and defense will get a look very late as a potential fifth outfielder type.
Millard Anderson – CF – R – Excellent speed and defense. Solid numbers each of his first three seasons. Scouts rate his bat anywhere from average across the board to borderline future star. His senior season probably dictates how high he goes in the draft, but it’s a solid wager to say he will be off the board before the 4th round concludes.
Kazuhiko Azuma – CL – L – Doesn’t throw hard enough to be a back-of-the-bullpen type – his future is in the middle of the bullpen, at best. His numbers so far have been rather lackluster. Azuma’s scouting reports suggest a draft slot somewhere in the middle part of the second day.
Mike Carlson – SS – R – Can’t hit, can’t field, and his teammates can’t stand him. That’s a lot of “can’t”s. Add one more: Can’t be drafted.
Roberto Castaneda – SS – R – Excellent glove. Weak bat and no speed. If he is drafted at all, it will be somewhere in the final couple of rounds.
Warren Draper – C – R – Good skill behind the dish, but scouts don’t think much of his bat. Unlikely to ever have much power but has hit for excellent average the last two seasons. Replicating those averages next year could boost his stock a little, but it’s hard to see him leaving the board any higher than early on the second day. More likely scenario is middle part of the second day.
Joe Hughes – 2B – L – Has good speed, but that’s about it. The glove is terrible, the bat projects as weak and he has just one AB to this point. Not hard to see him going undrafted.
Marc Phillips – SP – R – Throws hard. And straight. 2-8, 11.19 ERA as a junior. Good stamina. His velocity will probably get Phillips a look on the second day of the draft, but don’t expect much.
Katsunan Sato – SP – L – Crafty lefty with four average pitches, excellent stamina and the ability to get a lot of ground balls. Pitches smart, works hard and displays excellent control, with a better than 4-to-1 K:BB ratio in his career. Overall, he’s not a bad package and should get taken in the latter part of the bonus rounds.
Alan Lane – SS – R – Average defense, average speed and a lousy bat. If he gets drafted at all, it will by accident.
Josh Potter – CF – R – Below average defense, barely adequate speed and a lousy bat. He should not expect the phone to ring draft day.
Phillip Anderson – MR – L – Southpaw who can hit 93 MPH on the gun. Great size but lacks control. Hard throwing lefties always get a chance – his will come in the latter half of the second day.
Phil Echols – 3B – R – Passable defense at the hot corner. Has posted consistently decent numbers and shown a fair-to-plus eye at the plate, something that might bode well for future development. Should have about average power. On the small side, but still stands a decent chance of being drafted late on the first day.
Edgardo Estrada – LF – R – Average defense and barely adequate ability on the base paths. But who cares? He has some monster power potential: 18 HR last season and 31 HR total the last two seasons. His plate discipline is better than average, as well. Hard to see this kid making it past the 4th round.
Matt Gayre – CF – R – Another kid with monster power potential. And he has great speed, great range in the outfield, does the little things well and rarely strikes out. 19 HR, 75 RBI and batted .421 with just 28 K as a freshman in 2011. As a junior: 19 HR, 54 RBI, struck out just 22 times, swiped 10 bags. And, oh yeah, batted .464. Doesn’t make it out of the first round.
Hugh Koch – SP – Soft-tossing right-hander with control issues. Throw in his small stature and the guy is a scout’s worst nightmare.
Ed Madison – SP – R – Soft-tossing right-hander with control issues. Has five pitches, none of which can be thrown for strikes. Filler.
Gary Stanley – CL – R – Hits 96 MPH with the fastball and mixes in an average curveball. Missed most of his junior season with a ruptured tendon in his finger. His senior year will go a long way towards determining his draft position but, at the moment, he looks like he is in the second tier of closers.
Aaron Anderson – SP – L – Southpaw who can hit 93 MPH with three average pitches. Good stamina and a nearly 4-to-1 K:BB ratio in his career. Walked just 12 in 60 IP last season. Stands a good chance of cashing a small bonus check after the next draft.
Benton Hawkins – LF – L – Very good power, but very much a free swinger as well, so scouts question his ability to be an impact player at the higher professional levels. His speed is adequate, but he fails to get good jumps on the ball in the outfield. The power looks nice, but he has some holes in his game that will impact his draft value.
Rusty Peterson – CF – L – Can’t hit, can’t run, can’t field. Should be playing soccer.
Albert Apodaca – C – R – Below average skills behind the plate and rather lackluster ability with the bat. Hard to see him being more than a desperation pick in the middle of the second day for a team in need of catching help.
Soh Yamada – 1B – L – No. Simply, no.