Update: Friday, May 4, 2012.
Haven't gotten out much other than checking out some action in the Carolina League, new Indian affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats.
MLB Puts out their top 100 PROSPECTS for the 2012 MLB DRAFT which is a consensus that Jonathon Mayo, the Scouting Bureau and anonymous scouts throw out there, so don't be surprised to see some of the top 100 names not go in the first 3 rounds in 2012 MLB Draft. A list is just a list, the rest comes down to health physicals and signability information on all the players that clubs are interested in for this MLB Draft with the new CBA in place and bonus slotting being watched very closely by the MLB office.
Top 5 guys right now?
Kevin Gausman - Rhp - LSU
Mike Zunino - C - Florida
Mark Appel - Rhp - Stanford
Byron Buxton - OF - Appling County HS, Georgia (I have not seen him in person before, only UA TV event)
Marcus Stroman, RHP - DUKE
2012 MLB DRAFT ORDER, FIRST ROUND (my predictions below)
1.)Astros - Kevin Gausman, RHP - LSU (New ownership group and GM want an impact player that will move quickly in the system with the Astros and Gausman makes a lot of sense here, even though they love Buxton as well.)
2.)Twins - Mike Zunino, C - Florida
3.)Mariners - Mark Appel, RHP - Stanford
4.)Orioles - Byron Buxton, OF - Appling County HS, GA
5.)Royals - Marcus Stroman, RHP - Duke
6.)Cubs - Michael Wacha RHP - Texas A&M
7.)Padres - Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco U
8.)Pirates - Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico HS Academy, PR
9.)Marlins - Lance McCullers, RHP - Jesuit HS, Tampa FL
10.)Rockies - Courtney Hawkins, OF, Carroll HS, Corpus Christi, TX
11.)Athletics - Deven Marrero, SS - Arizona State
12.)Mets - Albert Almora, CF, Mater HS, FL
13.)White Sox - Zach Eflin, RHP, Hagerty HS, FL
14.)Reds - Ty Hensley, Santa Fe HS, Oklahoma
15.)Indians - Andrew Heaney, LHP - Oklahoma St
16.)Nationals - Tyler Naquin, OF - Texas A&M
17.)Blue Jays - Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS, LA
18.)Dodgers - Max Fried, LHP - Harvard-Westlake HS, CA
19.)Cardinals (from Angels for Pujols) - Chris Beck, RHP, Georgia Southern
20.)Giants - Lucas Sims, RHP - Brookwood HS, GA
21.)Braves - Richie Shaffer, 3B, Clemson
22.)Blue Jays (failed to sign Beede) - Steve Piscotty, RHP/3B/OF, Stanford
23.)Cardinals - Jake Barrett RHP - Arizona State
24.)Red Sox - Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi St
25.)Rays - Stryker Strahan, C-OF - Acadiana HS, Lafayette LA
26.)Diamondbacks - Ty Buttrey, RHP, Providence Catholic HS, Charlotte NC
27.)Brewers (from Tigers for Fielder) - Walker Weicker, RHP - Olympia HS, Orlando FL
28.)Brewers - Dylan Baker, RHP, Western Nevada CC (Dominating with fb in mid 90's and a late bloomer, hailing from Alaska)
29.)Rangers - Travis Jankowski, OF - Stony Brook
30.)Yankees - Lucas Giolito, RHP - Harvard-Westlake HS
-31-Red Sox (Papelbon)
-32-Twins (Cuddyer)
-33-Padres (Heath Bell)
-34-Athletics (Willingham)
-35-Mets (Reyes)
-36-Cardinals (Pujols)
-37-Red Sox (Papelbon)
-38-Brewers (Fielder)
-39-Rangers (Wilson)
-40-Phils (Madson)
-41-Astros (Barmes)
-42-Twins (Kubel)
-43-Cubs (Ramirez)
-44-Padres (Harang)
-45-Pirates (Doumit)
-46-Rockies (Ellis)
-47-Athletics (DeJesus)
-48-White Sox (Buerhle)
-49-Reds (Hernandez)
-50-Blue Jays (Francisco)
-51-Dodgers (Barajas)
-52-Cardinals (Dotel)
-53-Rangers (Oliver)
-54-Phils (Ibanez)
-55-Padres (Sandwich pick failed to sign Austin)
-56-Cubs (Pena)
-57-Reds (Cordero)
-58-Blue Jays (Rauch)
-59-Cardinals (Edwin Jackson)
-60-Blue Jays (Jose Molina)
Took in the NHSI tourney in Cary the past two days, very nice event put on by USA and the guys at B.A., Conor & Nathan.
Toolsy guys to see for upcoming draft and follows the next few years as well and got to visit and see some old timers from years gone by, Paul Snyder and Bob Gebhardt, among the distinguished scouts in attendance and numerous scouting bosses and new people I have no clue who they are!
Top prospect seen, of course, LHP, Max Fried, Harvard-Westlake HS, California, 6'3 1/2 and 175 lean stringbean, reminds me of a young former Phil, Mark Davis, rail thin body, room to fill out, ran a 4.2 from left side of plate on Wednesday, playing RF for HWHS, can stroke the ball the other way, decent hitter, but his shot is on the hill as a lefty. Showed slighlty above average velocity at times, most fb were 90, sometimes leaving fb out over the plate giving up a long hard dinger to 1b for Parkview HS, Lilburn Ga, Matt Olson in the 4th, Maxy had the cb rolling out there at times it was a hard hammer and times a roller, depending on his release point, stretch times were 1.4 to 1.6, needs work in the stretch, command was good and overall arm strength is apparent, stamina isn't bad, future looks bright for this string bean who should fill out to 6'5 200 in time, would project him to go quickly being a lefty with his stuff right now, does show some 82-84 straight changes and cuts the fb for slider effect 82-84 which he hung out to dry for Olson to stroke over the RCF fence. Has college commitment but doubtful many clubs picking in the 1st round will pass on his arm, thin upper body may be of concern to some, but with more strength and natural maturity, bring this kid along slowly and he should endure up the ladder. Project 1-3 rounds for this lefty!
RHP, 2014 follow, Jack Flaherty, 6'3 190, R/R, 86-88 fb for Harvard-Westlake on Wednesday, knows how to pitch, used mostly the fb and cut some fb for slight slider effect and straight changes, went the 7 inning distance and fields position, at the plate has some bat strength and is just 16, so time to follow next 2 years. Like his makeup and committment on the diamond.
C, Jeremy Martinez, Mater Dei HS, Ca, 5'10 190 R/R, can still rake, has enough defensive presence and skills to keep an eye on for 2013, ball jumps off his bat, good discipline at the plate, throwing arm is at least average and knows what he's doing overall as a receiver, lifted on some low pitches causing a couple of skipped passed balls on Wednesday 3/28, not a great runner, but not a clogger either, reminds me of a poor man's Yadier Molina. Good bat speed and pop. 2013!
OF, Ty Moore, Mater Dei HS, Ca, 6'1 185 L/R, gamer with instincts and aggressiveness, showed good bat speed even with loopy start up to swing, the bat goes to the ball well and he stings the ball, runs very well on the way, ran 4.2 from left side and showed solid arm from RF and enough speed to move to CF or play any OF position at the next level. Potential 4-8 round guy, who could come on quickly as he physically matures and tones down a bit in pro ball. College in picture as well!
Mater Dei has a nice little program where the kids really swing the bats and 2015 follow, Brandon Perez, 6' and 170 R/R, can rake it and runs ok for his age, 11/01/96, throws ok and has good actions as a fielder, might be reaching physical maturity now, but he's got game currently, definitely follow him.
Russell County, Alabama had a nice club with a couple of follows and potential draft in Auburn recruit, Darius "Rock" Rucker, nice lefty power with solid stroke, played RF and pitched, has arm strength, runs ok on the way, not a burner. SS, Anfernee Grier is a nice 2013 pocket follow.
American Heritage HS has a nice club as well, Lopez can play "D" but will need college seasoning before getting pro ball shot, unless a club wants to hold onto and develop him for 4 years plus. Nice actions in the field and presence.
Oxford HS, Alabama, Tucker Simpson pitched 3/28 was up to 91, long armer, cb from different slot, hung some pitches that got hit hard by Am Heritage on Wed, this big kid appears headed to school unless someone gives him a generous shot, 6'7 and 230-240 range some pop in his bat, long swing and plays solid first sack "D".
Parkview HS, Lilburn Ga, nice 2013 follow in CF, Josh Hart, L/L, 6'0 slightly taller and athletic 175/180 build with plus speed out of the box and decent contact ability and plate presence, 1B Matt Olson has a nice level swing, stroked a dot to RCF for HR off Fried on Thursday, 3/29, pitched on 3/28, over the top guy was up to 88 with his FB, not a pitcher for me, good defensive 1b guy with pop, college bound unless someone takes an early flyer on him in the 2012 MLB draft, also 6'5 1/2 200 lb, Catcher, Jarrett Freeland for Parkview has nice solid arm strength for a big kid got rid of the ball decently and pegged a runner off 1st in the 4th inning vs Westlake on 3/29, he's a 2013 and 2014, LHP, Mac Marshall with good spin on cb and velo up to 88 with FB only 16 years old, loose with decent delivery, fb pretty true for most part, a bit long with delivery, but worth a follow next couple of years.
RHP-3b, Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas NV, 6'4 1/2 200 L/R, nice arm strength and power potential, stroke was loopy and struggled vs mediocre pitching, on the bump fb up to 94-95 very true and hittable, breaking ball was a mess on the day, committment to LSU, college might be the best bet for this kid unless someone wants to develop this young man for the next 4-5 yrs and have him committ to pitching and being a potential closer, at best for me a 13-20 round guy based on what I saw on 3/29, 2012 grad.
CF, Johny Sewald, Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, 5'11 160 L/R, a gamer and worth following after his collegiate career, showed smooth running out of the box and quick stroke at the plate with enough arm for CF, 2012 guy, someone may draft him based on his showing at this HS event.
RHP, Lucas "LUKE" Sims, Brookwood HS, Snellville GA, 6'1 190, R/R, smooth righty with good arm speed and velo was up to 94, most were 91-92, some late tail in vs RHH and hard break on cb 74-76 and fade away change at 80-84 with decent control on the day 3/28, had no-no going until weak grounder infield hit in 6th, was 88-92 last year when I saw him, should fill out and get better in pro ball, may have moved himself into early round talk with showing day 1 at NHSI. Like his approach and presence on the hill.
OF, Courtney Hawkins, Carroll HS, Corpus Christi TX, 6'2 210, R/R, level short stroke as hitter with plus power and solid ave runner, shows plus arm from the OF, was up to 93 on hill with max effort as pitcher, competes and appears to be composed on hill since first seeing him 2 years ago at the TOS in Cary, would say he made an impression with his bat today and arm strength and savvy beating Gulliver Prep 1-0, for me a 1-3 round guy who could be another Vernon Wells type with a better arm at this stage, already 18 years of age and college committment, I doubt he sees college unless his advisor screws up his negotiations. 270 type hitter with 15-25 type HR power and ability to steal 20 bases at ML level.
RHP, Ryan Burr, Highlands Ranch HS, Colo, 6'4 210, R/R, tall righty with some softness in lower body, reminds me of a poor man's Kerry Wood, shows decent arm speed, was up to 91 on the bump most fb very hittable and true, defense didn't help him on the day and the ball seemed to have eyes when contact was made by Brookwood HS hitters on 3/28, did show nice tilt and break on cb that was 74-78, command on day was so-so, again didn't miss many bats, has college committment to fall back on, has some projection, long armer with looseness but easy to read and predictable, will need to work on deception and delivery with pro instructor in order to advance in pro ball, otherwise a 13-20 round guy for me at best for 2012.
3/16/2012
RHP, Marcus Stroman, Duke, 5'9 185, R/R, a beast on the hill with an electrifying arm, plus arm speed and nasty slider that's plus, though there isn't much depth to the pitch, it's a swing and miss pitch when he's on top of it, threw some straight changes vs the Hurricanes and got some guessing quite often through 7 innings before I had to leave, "K" was up to 94 on the jugs for me and was consistenlty 91-92 throughout the 7 innings and 80-85 on the slide piece, command of the three pitches was very good on the day, he's put himself into the first round for certain, signability won't really be an issue, not with this kind of arm out there with good stamina and surprising durability, also a sub 7, 60 runner and adequate at the plate as a hitter, 240 type hitter not much power, I'd say he's a top 15 guy right now for the first for 2012!
C, Pete O'Brien, Miami, 6'4 220 R/R, showed his arm off which is plus, still not the quickest cat behind the dish, but he can start in pro ball there and can do a quality job, maybe not an All-Star guy, but he will get to the show as a hitter and receiver, shows plus power, on the day had 2 scratch singles off Stroman, one off a 93 mph fb middle of the plate, was 1.9 on a few pop times. 260 type hitter with 15-25 type HR frequency power, 60 arm, 50 field, 45 fringy range and frames ball well to be effective at pro level. Senior bargainability, still would take him in top 5 rounds!
SS, Stephen Perez,Miami, played 2b on the day, still not much of a hitter, scrap type hitter, 220-240, 2-3 type HR power, runs solid average, not a base stealing threat, knows how, shows plus arm strength at times, mostly average arm and average range, nice movement to his left, not as quick to his right.
OF, Dale Carey, CF for Miami, good follow for 2013, has arm strength, plus runner, average power, still needs to improve eye at plate and balance, plays plus "D".
RHP, Eric Ericson, Miami for me, someone will give him a chance, not a prospect for me, but he'll pitch in OB to help someone fill out a roster spot
CF,Will Piwnica-Worms, Duke, a scrappy player who lays it all out there, shows level swing and balance as a hitter with 5-8 Type HR Power to LF alley, runs solid average, at times a tad better at 4.25, throwing arm 40/45, Range 55, glove 50, will go as far as his bat takes him, 250-260 type forecast hitter in OB. At 6'2 220, R/R, this kid has some surprising tools that may get to the next level and make some noise, 8-12 round type, he could get over-drafted with exposure of Stroman on the club, lots of looks from execs!!
3/12/2012
CF, Ronnie Richardson, U of Central Florida, listed at 5'8 180 and R/R, CF with very good speed but stiff actions including throwing motion and hitting motion will limit any success this player has at the next level, a plus runner, 4.15 from RH hitters box, throws 90 on the bump and has a solid ML arm from CF, chases balls down well in gaps and charges balls aggressively in the field, at the plate, a stiff short stroke with minimal power, he must rely on his speed and contact ability to be a solid offensive performer, for me he's a 20/30 hitter, 20/20 power, 60 runner, 50 arm and 55 fielder, best chance as a 8-12 round guy. I'd pass but someone will draft him. 22 yrs old
3/6/2012
RHP, Walker Weickel, Olympia HS, Orlando FL, 6'5 1/2 190, strapping tall righty with a sharp downer cb and slightly better than average fb, fb topped out at 93 on the day, consisently 89-91 from 1st inning to 7th inning vs Lakeland Highland HS, had double digit punch outs from my record, and showed decent command when he didn't rush on the day, several scouts in attendance, guestimate would be close to 80 scouts and a GM for a NL club from the NL East. I've seen Weickel for 3 years now and he's basically the same kid velocity wise and build wise, in time he should fill out a bit more, project to 6'6 220 lbs easily, from upper 3/4 arm slot and slight across the body delivery, has good leverage and extension to the plate, and works within himself - good coaching from his father and Randy O'Neal, certainly and he'll rise quickly in a system that will allow him time to move up the ladder and not rush this young man, stamina has gotten a lot better since he was 16 and should only get better, some comparisons to Nasty Jack McDowell former Stanford/White Sox ace. Showed a couple of changeups that were pitchable at the pro level, but still needs some polish on. Definite first round ability, has a commitment to college, but is open to professional baseball from what I gathered at the game.
OF, Jesse Winker, Olympia, Orlando, 6'2 210 L/L, not a fan, what you see is what you get and he certainly has the body and fits the uniform well and the ball will jump off his bat, but true turn around power and alley power vs ML velocity is not there for me, arm is average and speed is a touch below average, suited for a Corner position in the OF or 1b eventually, for me a late round guy, but someone will take him early and over project on him.
Future IF, Nick Gordon from Olympia HS, son of Flash Gordon, this kid has a dynamite arm and very good speed just like his brother and is a 2014 so time to wait on him. 5'10 150, 4.2 out of the box, 55/60 arm, some bail out on the cb at the plate, solid glove and range in the field with first step quickness.
2/29/12 -
SS, Steve Nyisztor, Louisburg College (NC) 6'4 1/4 210 R/R, long, slender build, greyhound type, runs very well, better between the bases, just under 4-4 on the turn, throws well once set up from hole at SS, throws do carry with some zip, 50 arm, 50 glove, 50 range, bat however for me needs work, not much progress since Summer of 2010, has some length in his swing with a loop from set up to launch, slight upper cut, drilled 2 singles on the day on mid 80's fbs, in BP showed some alley power to LF, potential 8-12 HR type and 220/240 batting ave type hitter, not going to be known for his glove, will go as far as bat takes him, at best for me 8-12 round type guy, he'll probably be an overdraft based on past performance and tools
3b, Zach Houchins, Louisburg College, (NC), 6'2 1/2 190, R/R, strong build, room to fill out to 210 in time, shows alley power to RF & LF, doubles guy with occ HR threat, 8-12 type HR frequency, shows solid 55 arm from 3b, made move to position after last year at SS for LC, runs well underway, 4-4 out of box, 6-8 60 guy typically in the past, glove is solid for corner, range to left is good, to right a bit tentative at times, stabs at the ball to bag side, he's been drafted before, shows actions and potential bat to be a 13-20 round type guy once again, projects for me to be a fringe guy, backup at ML level due to ability to play several positions and has plus arm strength and ball jumps off bat with power potential, hands at plate a bit noisy, tracks breaking pitch well enough to get some hits vs ML caliber type fb/pitcher
Didn't get to see Cox on the day, Cody Cox for me is a bit soft, has the projectible frame and build as a Righty with fb up to 92 and downer type cb that can be loopy at times and off the table other times, should be a nice 10-12 round type, command is 45-50, change in development stages still, delivery with loose arm from upper 3/4, slight cross of body and rush to first base side, fields position ok,, aggressive with fb and throws strikes, backs off a bit when hit solidly by opponents, 6'5 190 build with some upside, compare to Kris Benson type body but a bit stronger at this stage
This page is dedicated to the memory of some great mentors in my life, baseball people who are still in the game or once were before joining the "Angels in the Heavens".
Marti Wolever, a great friend of mine, current Scouting Director for the Phillies, Marti and I shared many good stories and ran into each other in the field many times, Marti is always very classy and willing to share family stories and memories. One of the smartest baseball men in the game, you will never meet a better evaluator in the game like Marti!
Gene Baker, late former Pirates scout among several teams Gene either played for or worked for along the way, one of his best friends was "Buck" O'Neil. Living near the Quad Cities, Gene was another man who was always kind to me and often shared great stories of his years playing baseball before the Civil Rights movement, Gene signed former ML pitcher, Bill Sampen, among severl players for the Pirates years ago.
Elmer Gray, last seen still working as a scout, Elmer ran paths with me scouting former Northwest Omaha HS star, Gregg Olson in 1985, when Elmer was the scouting boss with the Pirates at the time. Elmer also worked for the Reds and is one of the sharpest men you will ever meet!
Dale McReynolds, a long time scout with several ML Teams and at one time was also a scouting director, Dale always had the time to talk with me and share some wisdom from time to time. Among Dale's former ML players he signed was Steve Howe and Bob Welch, both from Michigan universities. We miss you Mac!
Bill is still around and he was inducted into a scouting hall of fame, Bill currently writes columns for his local paper back in Columbia, Missouri. "Clarkie" always was able to speak his mind and has been a great influence on me over the years and we stay in touch every year! Clarkie, is also known as the "world traveler" and he lifts weights for competition even after some hip and knee surgeries along the way!
"Buck" O'Neil, one of the finest gentlemen who was ever in the game of baseball, "Buck" played and managed in the Negro Leagues and he shared some great memories and stories with me one day in my first year as a "bird dog", when he came to Ralston, Nebraska for a HS baseball tourney which featured future ML relieve, Gregg Olson formerly of the Orioles. Buck is in the Hall of Fame!
Dave Karaff, a great guy who is responsible for the finding of Albert Pujols from Maplewoods College in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Dave was always nice to me and shared some great stories with me about his former years as a coach too!
Ellsworth Brown, known to us as "Brownie", great man who worked until his 90's with the Twins of all ML teams, he signed former ML stars, Kirby Puckett and Bill Madlock. Brownie was a great mentor to many of us when we were just cutting our teeth as scouts back in the day, so to speak! Often bringing his wife, Mabel with him to ball games, she would crochet or knit while Brownie sat back in his lawn chair to catch a HS game somewhere is rural Illinois where I often ran into him.
Tony Lucadello, former ML scout with the Phillies, Tony "Luc" was another great mentor to many scouts back when and he was responsible for signing over 30 former ML players, some who are now in the Hall of Fame, Mike Schmidt for one and he also signed Fergie Jenkins once upon a time ago! I first met Tony in 1988 at a Great Lakes All-Star game in South Bend, Indiana and I shared with him my late father's love for the Phillies, whom Tony had worked for, and how it was an honor to have met one of the greatest baseball scouts of all time. Tony was a very modest man and he loved working in the field as a scout!
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Update: Friday, May 4, 2012.
Haven't gotten out much other than checking out some action in the Carolina League, new Indian affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats.
MLB Puts out their top 100 PROSPECTS for the 2012 MLB DRAFT which is a consensus that Jonathon Mayo, the Scouting Bureau and anonymous scouts throw out there, so don't be surprised to see some of the top 100 names not go in the first 3 rounds in 2012 MLB Draft. A list is just a list, the rest comes down to health physicals and signability information on all the players that clubs are interested in for this MLB Draft with the new CBA in place and bonus slotting being watched very closely by the MLB office.
Top 5 guys right now?
Kevin Gausman - Rhp - LSU
Mike Zunino - C - Florida
Mark Appel - Rhp - Stanford
Byron Buxton - OF - Appling County HS, Georgia (I have not seen him in person before, only UA TV event)
Marcus Stroman, RHP - DUKE
2012 MLB DRAFT ORDER, FIRST ROUND (my predictions below)
1.)Astros - Kevin Gausman, RHP - LSU (New ownership group and GM want an impact player that will move quickly in the system with the Astros and Gausman makes a lot of sense here, even though they love Buxton as well.)
2.)Twins - Mike Zunino, C - Florida
3.)Mariners - Mark Appel, RHP - Stanford
4.)Orioles - Byron Buxton, OF - Appling County HS, GA
5.)Royals - Marcus Stroman, RHP - Duke
6.)Cubs - Michael Wacha RHP - Texas A&M
7.)Padres - Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco U
8.)Pirates - Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico HS Academy, PR
9.)Marlins - Lance McCullers, RHP - Jesuit HS, Tampa FL
10.)Rockies - Courtney Hawkins, OF, Carroll HS, Corpus Christi, TX
11.)Athletics - Deven Marrero, SS - Arizona State
12.)Mets - Albert Almora, CF, Mater HS, FL
13.)White Sox - Zach Eflin, RHP, Hagerty HS, FL
14.)Reds - Ty Hensley, Santa Fe HS, Oklahoma
15.)Indians - Andrew Heaney, LHP - Oklahoma St
16.)Nationals - Tyler Naquin, OF - Texas A&M
17.)Blue Jays - Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS, LA
18.)Dodgers - Max Fried, LHP - Harvard-Westlake HS, CA
19.)Cardinals (from Angels for Pujols) - Chris Beck, RHP, Georgia Southern
20.)Giants - Lucas Sims, RHP - Brookwood HS, GA
21.)Braves - Richie Shaffer, 3B, Clemson
22.)Blue Jays (failed to sign Beede) - Steve Piscotty, RHP/3B/OF, Stanford
23.)Cardinals - Jake Barrett RHP - Arizona State
24.)Red Sox - Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi St
25.)Rays - Stryker Strahan, C-OF - Acadiana HS, Lafayette LA
26.)Diamondbacks - Ty Buttrey, RHP, Providence Catholic HS, Charlotte NC
27.)Brewers (from Tigers for Fielder) - Walker Weicker, RHP - Olympia HS, Orlando FL
28.)Brewers - Dylan Baker, RHP, Western Nevada CC (Dominating with fb in mid 90's and a late bloomer, hailing from Alaska)
29.)Rangers - Travis Jankowski, OF - Stony Brook
30.)Yankees - Lucas Giolito, RHP - Harvard-Westlake HS
-31-Red Sox (Papelbon)
-32-Twins (Cuddyer)
-33-Padres (Heath Bell)
-34-Athletics (Willingham)
-35-Mets (Reyes)
-36-Cardinals (Pujols)
-37-Red Sox (Papelbon)
-38-Brewers (Fielder)
-39-Rangers (Wilson)
-40-Phils (Madson)
-41-Astros (Barmes)
-42-Twins (Kubel)
-43-Cubs (Ramirez)
-44-Padres (Harang)
-45-Pirates (Doumit)
-46-Rockies (Ellis)
-47-Athletics (DeJesus)
-48-White Sox (Buerhle)
-49-Reds (Hernandez)
-50-Blue Jays (Francisco)
-51-Dodgers (Barajas)
-52-Cardinals (Dotel)
-53-Rangers (Oliver)
-54-Phils (Ibanez)
-55-Padres (Sandwich pick failed to sign Austin)
-56-Cubs (Pena)
-57-Reds (Cordero)
-58-Blue Jays (Rauch)
-59-Cardinals (Edwin Jackson)
-60-Blue Jays (Jose Molina)
Took in the NHSI tourney in Cary the past two days, very nice event put on by USA and the guys at B.A., Conor & Nathan.
Toolsy guys to see for upcoming draft and follows the next few years as well and got to visit and see some old timers from years gone by, Paul Snyder and Bob Gebhardt, among the distinguished scouts in attendance and numerous scouting bosses and new people I have no clue who they are!
Top prospect seen, of course, LHP, Max Fried, Harvard-Westlake HS, California, 6'3 1/2 and 175 lean stringbean, reminds me of a young former Phil, Mark Davis, rail thin body, room to fill out, ran a 4.2 from left side of plate on Wednesday, playing RF for HWHS, can stroke the ball the other way, decent hitter, but his shot is on the hill as a lefty. Showed slighlty above average velocity at times, most fb were 90, sometimes leaving fb out over the plate giving up a long hard dinger to 1b for Parkview HS, Lilburn Ga, Matt Olson in the 4th, Maxy had the cb rolling out there at times it was a hard hammer and times a roller, depending on his release point, stretch times were 1.4 to 1.6, needs work in the stretch, command was good and overall arm strength is apparent, stamina isn't bad, future looks bright for this string bean who should fill out to 6'5 200 in time, would project him to go quickly being a lefty with his stuff right now, does show some 82-84 straight changes and cuts the fb for slider effect 82-84 which he hung out to dry for Olson to stroke over the RCF fence. Has college commitment but doubtful many clubs picking in the 1st round will pass on his arm, thin upper body may be of concern to some, but with more strength and natural maturity, bring this kid along slowly and he should endure up the ladder. Project 1-3 rounds for this lefty!
RHP, 2014 follow, Jack Flaherty, 6'3 190, R/R, 86-88 fb for Harvard-Westlake on Wednesday, knows how to pitch, used mostly the fb and cut some fb for slight slider effect and straight changes, went the 7 inning distance and fields position, at the plate has some bat strength and is just 16, so time to follow next 2 years. Like his makeup and committment on the diamond.
C, Jeremy Martinez, Mater Dei HS, Ca, 5'10 190 R/R, can still rake, has enough defensive presence and skills to keep an eye on for 2013, ball jumps off his bat, good discipline at the plate, throwing arm is at least average and knows what he's doing overall as a receiver, lifted on some low pitches causing a couple of skipped passed balls on Wednesday 3/28, not a great runner, but not a clogger either, reminds me of a poor man's Yadier Molina. Good bat speed and pop. 2013!
OF, Ty Moore, Mater Dei HS, Ca, 6'1 185 L/R, gamer with instincts and aggressiveness, showed good bat speed even with loopy start up to swing, the bat goes to the ball well and he stings the ball, runs very well on the way, ran 4.2 from left side and showed solid arm from RF and enough speed to move to CF or play any OF position at the next level. Potential 4-8 round guy, who could come on quickly as he physically matures and tones down a bit in pro ball. College in picture as well!
Mater Dei has a nice little program where the kids really swing the bats and 2015 follow, Brandon Perez, 6' and 170 R/R, can rake it and runs ok for his age, 11/01/96, throws ok and has good actions as a fielder, might be reaching physical maturity now, but he's got game currently, definitely follow him.
Russell County, Alabama had a nice club with a couple of follows and potential draft in Auburn recruit, Darius "Rock" Rucker, nice lefty power with solid stroke, played RF and pitched, has arm strength, runs ok on the way, not a burner. SS, Anfernee Grier is a nice 2013 pocket follow.
American Heritage HS has a nice club as well, Lopez can play "D" but will need college seasoning before getting pro ball shot, unless a club wants to hold onto and develop him for 4 years plus. Nice actions in the field and presence.
Oxford HS, Alabama, Tucker Simpson pitched 3/28 was up to 91, long armer, cb from different slot, hung some pitches that got hit hard by Am Heritage on Wed, this big kid appears headed to school unless someone gives him a generous shot, 6'7 and 230-240 range some pop in his bat, long swing and plays solid first sack "D".
Parkview HS, Lilburn Ga, nice 2013 follow in CF, Josh Hart, L/L, 6'0 slightly taller and athletic 175/180 build with plus speed out of the box and decent contact ability and plate presence, 1B Matt Olson has a nice level swing, stroked a dot to RCF for HR off Fried on Thursday, 3/29, pitched on 3/28, over the top guy was up to 88 with his FB, not a pitcher for me, good defensive 1b guy with pop, college bound unless someone takes an early flyer on him in the 2012 MLB draft, also 6'5 1/2 200 lb, Catcher, Jarrett Freeland for Parkview has nice solid arm strength for a big kid got rid of the ball decently and pegged a runner off 1st in the 4th inning vs Westlake on 3/29, he's a 2013 and 2014, LHP, Mac Marshall with good spin on cb and velo up to 88 with FB only 16 years old, loose with decent delivery, fb pretty true for most part, a bit long with delivery, but worth a follow next couple of years.
RHP-3b, Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas NV, 6'4 1/2 200 L/R, nice arm strength and power potential, stroke was loopy and struggled vs mediocre pitching, on the bump fb up to 94-95 very true and hittable, breaking ball was a mess on the day, committment to LSU, college might be the best bet for this kid unless someone wants to develop this young man for the next 4-5 yrs and have him committ to pitching and being a potential closer, at best for me a 13-20 round guy based on what I saw on 3/29, 2012 grad.
CF, Johny Sewald, Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, 5'11 160 L/R, a gamer and worth following after his collegiate career, showed smooth running out of the box and quick stroke at the plate with enough arm for CF, 2012 guy, someone may draft him based on his showing at this HS event.
RHP, Lucas "LUKE" Sims, Brookwood HS, Snellville GA, 6'1 190, R/R, smooth righty with good arm speed and velo was up to 94, most were 91-92, some late tail in vs RHH and hard break on cb 74-76 and fade away change at 80-84 with decent control on the day 3/28, had no-no going until weak grounder infield hit in 6th, was 88-92 last year when I saw him, should fill out and get better in pro ball, may have moved himself into early round talk with showing day 1 at NHSI. Like his approach and presence on the hill.
OF, Courtney Hawkins, Carroll HS, Corpus Christi TX, 6'2 210, R/R, level short stroke as hitter with plus power and solid ave runner, shows plus arm from the OF, was up to 93 on hill with max effort as pitcher, competes and appears to be composed on hill since first seeing him 2 years ago at the TOS in Cary, would say he made an impression with his bat today and arm strength and savvy beating Gulliver Prep 1-0, for me a 1-3 round guy who could be another Vernon Wells type with a better arm at this stage, already 18 years of age and college committment, I doubt he sees college unless his advisor screws up his negotiations. 270 type hitter with 15-25 type HR power and ability to steal 20 bases at ML level.
RHP, Ryan Burr, Highlands Ranch HS, Colo, 6'4 210, R/R, tall righty with some softness in lower body, reminds me of a poor man's Kerry Wood, shows decent arm speed, was up to 91 on the bump most fb very hittable and true, defense didn't help him on the day and the ball seemed to have eyes when contact was made by Brookwood HS hitters on 3/28, did show nice tilt and break on cb that was 74-78, command on day was so-so, again didn't miss many bats, has college committment to fall back on, has some projection, long armer with looseness but easy to read and predictable, will need to work on deception and delivery with pro instructor in order to advance in pro ball, otherwise a 13-20 round guy for me at best for 2012.
3/16/2012
RHP, Marcus Stroman, Duke, 5'9 185, R/R, a beast on the hill with an electrifying arm, plus arm speed and nasty slider that's plus, though there isn't much depth to the pitch, it's a swing and miss pitch when he's on top of it, threw some straight changes vs the Hurricanes and got some guessing quite often through 7 innings before I had to leave, "K" was up to 94 on the jugs for me and was consistenlty 91-92 throughout the 7 innings and 80-85 on the slide piece, command of the three pitches was very good on the day, he's put himself into the first round for certain, signability won't really be an issue, not with this kind of arm out there with good stamina and surprising durability, also a sub 7, 60 runner and adequate at the plate as a hitter, 240 type hitter not much power, I'd say he's a top 15 guy right now for the first for 2012!
C, Pete O'Brien, Miami, 6'4 220 R/R, showed his arm off which is plus, still not the quickest cat behind the dish, but he can start in pro ball there and can do a quality job, maybe not an All-Star guy, but he will get to the show as a hitter and receiver, shows plus power, on the day had 2 scratch singles off Stroman, one off a 93 mph fb middle of the plate, was 1.9 on a few pop times. 260 type hitter with 15-25 type HR frequency power, 60 arm, 50 field, 45 fringy range and frames ball well to be effective at pro level. Senior bargainability, still would take him in top 5 rounds!
SS, Stephen Perez,Miami, played 2b on the day, still not much of a hitter, scrap type hitter, 220-240, 2-3 type HR power, runs solid average, not a base stealing threat, knows how, shows plus arm strength at times, mostly average arm and average range, nice movement to his left, not as quick to his right.
OF, Dale Carey, CF for Miami, good follow for 2013, has arm strength, plus runner, average power, still needs to improve eye at plate and balance, plays plus "D".
RHP, Eric Ericson, Miami for me, someone will give him a chance, not a prospect for me, but he'll pitch in OB to help someone fill out a roster spot
CF,Will Piwnica-Worms, Duke, a scrappy player who lays it all out there, shows level swing and balance as a hitter with 5-8 Type HR Power to LF alley, runs solid average, at times a tad better at 4.25, throwing arm 40/45, Range 55, glove 50, will go as far as his bat takes him, 250-260 type forecast hitter in OB. At 6'2 220, R/R, this kid has some surprising tools that may get to the next level and make some noise, 8-12 round type, he could get over-drafted with exposure of Stroman on the club, lots of looks from execs!!
3/12/2012
CF, Ronnie Richardson, U of Central Florida, listed at 5'8 180 and R/R, CF with very good speed but stiff actions including throwing motion and hitting motion will limit any success this player has at the next level, a plus runner, 4.15 from RH hitters box, throws 90 on the bump and has a solid ML arm from CF, chases balls down well in gaps and charges balls aggressively in the field, at the plate, a stiff short stroke with minimal power, he must rely on his speed and contact ability to be a solid offensive performer, for me he's a 20/30 hitter, 20/20 power, 60 runner, 50 arm and 55 fielder, best chance as a 8-12 round guy. I'd pass but someone will draft him. 22 yrs old
3/6/2012
RHP, Walker Weickel, Olympia HS, Orlando FL, 6'5 1/2 190, strapping tall righty with a sharp downer cb and slightly better than average fb, fb topped out at 93 on the day, consisently 89-91 from 1st inning to 7th inning vs Lakeland Highland HS, had double digit punch outs from my record, and showed decent command when he didn't rush on the day, several scouts in attendance, guestimate would be close to 80 scouts and a GM for a NL club from the NL East. I've seen Weickel for 3 years now and he's basically the same kid velocity wise and build wise, in time he should fill out a bit more, project to 6'6 220 lbs easily, from upper 3/4 arm slot and slight across the body delivery, has good leverage and extension to the plate, and works within himself - good coaching from his father and Randy O'Neal, certainly and he'll rise quickly in a system that will allow him time to move up the ladder and not rush this young man, stamina has gotten a lot better since he was 16 and should only get better, some comparisons to Nasty Jack McDowell former Stanford/White Sox ace. Showed a couple of changeups that were pitchable at the pro level, but still needs some polish on. Definite first round ability, has a commitment to college, but is open to professional baseball from what I gathered at the game.
OF, Jesse Winker, Olympia, Orlando, 6'2 210 L/L, not a fan, what you see is what you get and he certainly has the body and fits the uniform well and the ball will jump off his bat, but true turn around power and alley power vs ML velocity is not there for me, arm is average and speed is a touch below average, suited for a Corner position in the OF or 1b eventually, for me a late round guy, but someone will take him early and over project on him.
Future IF, Nick Gordon from Olympia HS, son of Flash Gordon, this kid has a dynamite arm and very good speed just like his brother and is a 2014 so time to wait on him. 5'10 150, 4.2 out of the box, 55/60 arm, some bail out on the cb at the plate, solid glove and range in the field with first step quickness.
2/29/12 -
SS, Steve Nyisztor, Louisburg College (NC) 6'4 1/4 210 R/R, long, slender build, greyhound type, runs very well, better between the bases, just under 4-4 on the turn, throws well once set up from hole at SS, throws do carry with some zip, 50 arm, 50 glove, 50 range, bat however for me needs work, not much progress since Summer of 2010, has some length in his swing with a loop from set up to launch, slight upper cut, drilled 2 singles on the day on mid 80's fbs, in BP showed some alley power to LF, potential 8-12 HR type and 220/240 batting ave type hitter, not going to be known for his glove, will go as far as bat takes him, at best for me 8-12 round type guy, he'll probably be an overdraft based on past performance and tools
3b, Zach Houchins, Louisburg College, (NC), 6'2 1/2 190, R/R, strong build, room to fill out to 210 in time, shows alley power to RF & LF, doubles guy with occ HR threat, 8-12 type HR frequency, shows solid 55 arm from 3b, made move to position after last year at SS for LC, runs well underway, 4-4 out of box, 6-8 60 guy typically in the past, glove is solid for corner, range to left is good, to right a bit tentative at times, stabs at the ball to bag side, he's been drafted before, shows actions and potential bat to be a 13-20 round type guy once again, projects for me to be a fringe guy, backup at ML level due to ability to play several positions and has plus arm strength and ball jumps off bat with power potential, hands at plate a bit noisy, tracks breaking pitch well enough to get some hits vs ML caliber type fb/pitcher
Didn't get to see Cox on the day, Cody Cox for me is a bit soft, has the projectible frame and build as a Righty with fb up to 92 and downer type cb that can be loopy at times and off the table other times, should be a nice 10-12 round type, command is 45-50, change in development stages still, delivery with loose arm from upper 3/4, slight cross of body and rush to first base side, fields position ok,, aggressive with fb and throws strikes, backs off a bit when hit solidly by opponents, 6'5 190 build with some upside, compare to Kris Benson type body but a bit stronger at this stage
This page is dedicated to the memory of some great mentors in my life, baseball people who are still in the game or once were before joining the "Angels in the Heavens".
Marti Wolever, a great friend of mine, current Scouting Director for the Phillies, Marti and I shared many good stories and ran into each other in the field many times, Marti is always very classy and willing to share family stories and memories. One of the smartest baseball men in the game, you will never meet a better evaluator in the game like Marti!
Gene Baker, late former Pirates scout among several teams Gene either played for or worked for along the way, one of his best friends was "Buck" O'Neil. Living near the Quad Cities, Gene was another man who was always kind to me and often shared great stories of his years playing baseball before the Civil Rights movement, Gene signed former ML pitcher, Bill Sampen, among severl players for the Pirates years ago.
Elmer Gray, last seen still working as a scout, Elmer ran paths with me scouting former Northwest Omaha HS star, Gregg Olson in 1985, when Elmer was the scouting boss with the Pirates at the time. Elmer also worked for the Reds and is one of the sharpest men you will ever meet!
Dale McReynolds, a long time scout with several ML Teams and at one time was also a scouting director, Dale always had the time to talk with me and share some wisdom from time to time. Among Dale's former ML players he signed was Steve Howe and Bob Welch, both from Michigan universities. We miss you Mac!
Bill is still around and he was inducted into a scouting hall of fame, Bill currently writes columns for his local paper back in Columbia, Missouri. "Clarkie" always was able to speak his mind and has been a great influence on me over the years and we stay in touch every year! Clarkie, is also known as the "world traveler" and he lifts weights for competition even after some hip and knee surgeries along the way!
"Buck" O'Neil, one of the finest gentlemen who was ever in the game of baseball, "Buck" played and managed in the Negro Leagues and he shared some great memories and stories with me one day in my first year as a "bird dog", when he came to Ralston, Nebraska for a HS baseball tourney which featured future ML relieve, Gregg Olson formerly of the Orioles. Buck is in the Hall of Fame!
Dave Karaff, a great guy who is responsible for the finding of Albert Pujols from Maplewoods College in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Dave was always nice to me and shared some great stories with me about his former years as a coach too!
Ellsworth Brown, known to us as "Brownie", great man who worked until his 90's with the Twins of all ML teams, he signed former ML stars, Kirby Puckett and Bill Madlock. Brownie was a great mentor to many of us when we were just cutting our teeth as scouts back in the day, so to speak! Often bringing his wife, Mabel with him to ball games, she would crochet or knit while Brownie sat back in his lawn chair to catch a HS game somewhere is rural Illinois where I often ran into him.
Tony Lucadello, former ML scout with the Phillies, Tony "Luc" was another great mentor to many scouts back when and he was responsible for signing over 30 former ML players, some who are now in the Hall of Fame, Mike Schmidt for one and he also signed Fergie Jenkins once upon a time ago! I first met Tony in 1988 at a Great Lakes All-Star game in South Bend, Indiana and I shared with him my late father's love for the Phillies, whom Tony had worked for, and how it was an honor to have met one of the greatest baseball scouts of all time. Tony was a very modest man and he loved working in the field as a scout!
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Haven't gotten out much other than checking out some action in the Carolina League, new Indian affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats.
MLB Puts out their top 100 PROSPECTS for the 2012 MLB DRAFT which is a consensus that Jonathon Mayo, the Scouting Bureau and anonymous scouts throw out there, so don't be surprised to see some of the top 100 names not go in the first 3 rounds in 2012 MLB Draft. A list is just a list, the rest comes down to health physicals and signability information on all the players that clubs are interested in for this MLB Draft with the new CBA in place and bonus slotting being watched very closely by the MLB office.
Top 5 guys right now?
Kevin Gausman - Rhp - LSU
Mike Zunino - C - Florida
Mark Appel - Rhp - Stanford
Byron Buxton - OF - Appling County HS, Georgia (I have not seen him in person before, only UA TV event)
Marcus Stroman, RHP - DUKE
2012 MLB DRAFT ORDER, FIRST ROUND (my predictions below)
1.)Astros - Kevin Gausman, RHP - LSU (New ownership group and GM want an impact player that will move quickly in the system with the Astros and Gausman makes a lot of sense here, even though they love Buxton as well.)
2.)Twins - Mike Zunino, C - Florida
3.)Mariners - Mark Appel, RHP - Stanford
4.)Orioles - Byron Buxton, OF - Appling County HS, GA
5.)Royals - Marcus Stroman, RHP - Duke
6.)Cubs - Michael Wacha RHP - Texas A&M
7.)Padres - Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco U
8.)Pirates - Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico HS Academy, PR
9.)Marlins - Lance McCullers, RHP - Jesuit HS, Tampa FL
10.)Rockies - Courtney Hawkins, OF, Carroll HS, Corpus Christi, TX
11.)Athletics - Deven Marrero, SS - Arizona State
12.)Mets - Albert Almora, CF, Mater HS, FL
13.)White Sox - Zach Eflin, RHP, Hagerty HS, FL
14.)Reds - Ty Hensley, Santa Fe HS, Oklahoma
15.)Indians - Andrew Heaney, LHP - Oklahoma St
16.)Nationals - Tyler Naquin, OF - Texas A&M
17.)Blue Jays - Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS, LA
18.)Dodgers - Max Fried, LHP - Harvard-Westlake HS, CA
19.)Cardinals (from Angels for Pujols) - Chris Beck, RHP, Georgia Southern
20.)Giants - Lucas Sims, RHP - Brookwood HS, GA
21.)Braves - Richie Shaffer, 3B, Clemson
22.)Blue Jays (failed to sign Beede) - Steve Piscotty, RHP/3B/OF, Stanford
23.)Cardinals - Jake Barrett RHP - Arizona State
24.)Red Sox - Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi St
25.)Rays - Stryker Strahan, C-OF - Acadiana HS, Lafayette LA
26.)Diamondbacks - Ty Buttrey, RHP, Providence Catholic HS, Charlotte NC
27.)Brewers (from Tigers for Fielder) - Walker Weicker, RHP - Olympia HS, Orlando FL
28.)Brewers - Dylan Baker, RHP, Western Nevada CC (Dominating with fb in mid 90's and a late bloomer, hailing from Alaska)
29.)Rangers - Travis Jankowski, OF - Stony Brook
30.)Yankees - Lucas Giolito, RHP - Harvard-Westlake HS
-31-Red Sox (Papelbon)
-32-Twins (Cuddyer)
-33-Padres (Heath Bell)
-34-Athletics (Willingham)
-35-Mets (Reyes)
-36-Cardinals (Pujols)
-37-Red Sox (Papelbon)
-38-Brewers (Fielder)
-39-Rangers (Wilson)
-40-Phils (Madson)
-41-Astros (Barmes)
-42-Twins (Kubel)
-43-Cubs (Ramirez)
-44-Padres (Harang)
-45-Pirates (Doumit)
-46-Rockies (Ellis)
-47-Athletics (DeJesus)
-48-White Sox (Buerhle)
-49-Reds (Hernandez)
-50-Blue Jays (Francisco)
-51-Dodgers (Barajas)
-52-Cardinals (Dotel)
-53-Rangers (Oliver)
-54-Phils (Ibanez)
-55-Padres (Sandwich pick failed to sign Austin)
-56-Cubs (Pena)
-57-Reds (Cordero)
-58-Blue Jays (Rauch)
-59-Cardinals (Edwin Jackson)
-60-Blue Jays (Jose Molina)
Took in the NHSI tourney in Cary the past two days, very nice event put on by USA and the guys at B.A., Conor & Nathan.
Toolsy guys to see for upcoming draft and follows the next few years as well and got to visit and see some old timers from years gone by, Paul Snyder and Bob Gebhardt, among the distinguished scouts in attendance and numerous scouting bosses and new people I have no clue who they are!
Top prospect seen, of course, LHP, Max Fried, Harvard-Westlake HS, California, 6'3 1/2 and 175 lean stringbean, reminds me of a young former Phil, Mark Davis, rail thin body, room to fill out, ran a 4.2 from left side of plate on Wednesday, playing RF for HWHS, can stroke the ball the other way, decent hitter, but his shot is on the hill as a lefty. Showed slighlty above average velocity at times, most fb were 90, sometimes leaving fb out over the plate giving up a long hard dinger to 1b for Parkview HS, Lilburn Ga, Matt Olson in the 4th, Maxy had the cb rolling out there at times it was a hard hammer and times a roller, depending on his release point, stretch times were 1.4 to 1.6, needs work in the stretch, command was good and overall arm strength is apparent, stamina isn't bad, future looks bright for this string bean who should fill out to 6'5 200 in time, would project him to go quickly being a lefty with his stuff right now, does show some 82-84 straight changes and cuts the fb for slider effect 82-84 which he hung out to dry for Olson to stroke over the RCF fence. Has college commitment but doubtful many clubs picking in the 1st round will pass on his arm, thin upper body may be of concern to some, but with more strength and natural maturity, bring this kid along slowly and he should endure up the ladder. Project 1-3 rounds for this lefty!
RHP, 2014 follow, Jack Flaherty, 6'3 190, R/R, 86-88 fb for Harvard-Westlake on Wednesday, knows how to pitch, used mostly the fb and cut some fb for slight slider effect and straight changes, went the 7 inning distance and fields position, at the plate has some bat strength and is just 16, so time to follow next 2 years. Like his makeup and committment on the diamond.
C, Jeremy Martinez, Mater Dei HS, Ca, 5'10 190 R/R, can still rake, has enough defensive presence and skills to keep an eye on for 2013, ball jumps off his bat, good discipline at the plate, throwing arm is at least average and knows what he's doing overall as a receiver, lifted on some low pitches causing a couple of skipped passed balls on Wednesday 3/28, not a great runner, but not a clogger either, reminds me of a poor man's Yadier Molina. Good bat speed and pop. 2013!
OF, Ty Moore, Mater Dei HS, Ca, 6'1 185 L/R, gamer with instincts and aggressiveness, showed good bat speed even with loopy start up to swing, the bat goes to the ball well and he stings the ball, runs very well on the way, ran 4.2 from left side and showed solid arm from RF and enough speed to move to CF or play any OF position at the next level. Potential 4-8 round guy, who could come on quickly as he physically matures and tones down a bit in pro ball. College in picture as well!
Mater Dei has a nice little program where the kids really swing the bats and 2015 follow, Brandon Perez, 6' and 170 R/R, can rake it and runs ok for his age, 11/01/96, throws ok and has good actions as a fielder, might be reaching physical maturity now, but he's got game currently, definitely follow him.
Russell County, Alabama had a nice club with a couple of follows and potential draft in Auburn recruit, Darius "Rock" Rucker, nice lefty power with solid stroke, played RF and pitched, has arm strength, runs ok on the way, not a burner. SS, Anfernee Grier is a nice 2013 pocket follow.
American Heritage HS has a nice club as well, Lopez can play "D" but will need college seasoning before getting pro ball shot, unless a club wants to hold onto and develop him for 4 years plus. Nice actions in the field and presence.
Oxford HS, Alabama, Tucker Simpson pitched 3/28 was up to 91, long armer, cb from different slot, hung some pitches that got hit hard by Am Heritage on Wed, this big kid appears headed to school unless someone gives him a generous shot, 6'7 and 230-240 range some pop in his bat, long swing and plays solid first sack "D".
Parkview HS, Lilburn Ga, nice 2013 follow in CF, Josh Hart, L/L, 6'0 slightly taller and athletic 175/180 build with plus speed out of the box and decent contact ability and plate presence, 1B Matt Olson has a nice level swing, stroked a dot to RCF for HR off Fried on Thursday, 3/29, pitched on 3/28, over the top guy was up to 88 with his FB, not a pitcher for me, good defensive 1b guy with pop, college bound unless someone takes an early flyer on him in the 2012 MLB draft, also 6'5 1/2 200 lb, Catcher, Jarrett Freeland for Parkview has nice solid arm strength for a big kid got rid of the ball decently and pegged a runner off 1st in the 4th inning vs Westlake on 3/29, he's a 2013 and 2014, LHP, Mac Marshall with good spin on cb and velo up to 88 with FB only 16 years old, loose with decent delivery, fb pretty true for most part, a bit long with delivery, but worth a follow next couple of years.
RHP-3b, Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas NV, 6'4 1/2 200 L/R, nice arm strength and power potential, stroke was loopy and struggled vs mediocre pitching, on the bump fb up to 94-95 very true and hittable, breaking ball was a mess on the day, committment to LSU, college might be the best bet for this kid unless someone wants to develop this young man for the next 4-5 yrs and have him committ to pitching and being a potential closer, at best for me a 13-20 round guy based on what I saw on 3/29, 2012 grad.
CF, Johny Sewald, Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, 5'11 160 L/R, a gamer and worth following after his collegiate career, showed smooth running out of the box and quick stroke at the plate with enough arm for CF, 2012 guy, someone may draft him based on his showing at this HS event.
RHP, Lucas "LUKE" Sims, Brookwood HS, Snellville GA, 6'1 190, R/R, smooth righty with good arm speed and velo was up to 94, most were 91-92, some late tail in vs RHH and hard break on cb 74-76 and fade away change at 80-84 with decent control on the day 3/28, had no-no going until weak grounder infield hit in 6th, was 88-92 last year when I saw him, should fill out and get better in pro ball, may have moved himself into early round talk with showing day 1 at NHSI. Like his approach and presence on the hill.
OF, Courtney Hawkins, Carroll HS, Corpus Christi TX, 6'2 210, R/R, level short stroke as hitter with plus power and solid ave runner, shows plus arm from the OF, was up to 93 on hill with max effort as pitcher, competes and appears to be composed on hill since first seeing him 2 years ago at the TOS in Cary, would say he made an impression with his bat today and arm strength and savvy beating Gulliver Prep 1-0, for me a 1-3 round guy who could be another Vernon Wells type with a better arm at this stage, already 18 years of age and college committment, I doubt he sees college unless his advisor screws up his negotiations. 270 type hitter with 15-25 type HR power and ability to steal 20 bases at ML level.
RHP, Ryan Burr, Highlands Ranch HS, Colo, 6'4 210, R/R, tall righty with some softness in lower body, reminds me of a poor man's Kerry Wood, shows decent arm speed, was up to 91 on the bump most fb very hittable and true, defense didn't help him on the day and the ball seemed to have eyes when contact was made by Brookwood HS hitters on 3/28, did show nice tilt and break on cb that was 74-78, command on day was so-so, again didn't miss many bats, has college committment to fall back on, has some projection, long armer with looseness but easy to read and predictable, will need to work on deception and delivery with pro instructor in order to advance in pro ball, otherwise a 13-20 round guy for me at best for 2012.
3/16/2012
RHP, Marcus Stroman, Duke, 5'9 185, R/R, a beast on the hill with an electrifying arm, plus arm speed and nasty slider that's plus, though there isn't much depth to the pitch, it's a swing and miss pitch when he's on top of it, threw some straight changes vs the Hurricanes and got some guessing quite often through 7 innings before I had to leave, "K" was up to 94 on the jugs for me and was consistenlty 91-92 throughout the 7 innings and 80-85 on the slide piece, command of the three pitches was very good on the day, he's put himself into the first round for certain, signability won't really be an issue, not with this kind of arm out there with good stamina and surprising durability, also a sub 7, 60 runner and adequate at the plate as a hitter, 240 type hitter not much power, I'd say he's a top 15 guy right now for the first for 2012!
C, Pete O'Brien, Miami, 6'4 220 R/R, showed his arm off which is plus, still not the quickest cat behind the dish, but he can start in pro ball there and can do a quality job, maybe not an All-Star guy, but he will get to the show as a hitter and receiver, shows plus power, on the day had 2 scratch singles off Stroman, one off a 93 mph fb middle of the plate, was 1.9 on a few pop times. 260 type hitter with 15-25 type HR frequency power, 60 arm, 50 field, 45 fringy range and frames ball well to be effective at pro level. Senior bargainability, still would take him in top 5 rounds!
SS, Stephen Perez,Miami, played 2b on the day, still not much of a hitter, scrap type hitter, 220-240, 2-3 type HR power, runs solid average, not a base stealing threat, knows how, shows plus arm strength at times, mostly average arm and average range, nice movement to his left, not as quick to his right.
OF, Dale Carey, CF for Miami, good follow for 2013, has arm strength, plus runner, average power, still needs to improve eye at plate and balance, plays plus "D".
RHP, Eric Ericson, Miami for me, someone will give him a chance, not a prospect for me, but he'll pitch in OB to help someone fill out a roster spot
CF,Will Piwnica-Worms, Duke, a scrappy player who lays it all out there, shows level swing and balance as a hitter with 5-8 Type HR Power to LF alley, runs solid average, at times a tad better at 4.25, throwing arm 40/45, Range 55, glove 50, will go as far as his bat takes him, 250-260 type forecast hitter in OB. At 6'2 220, R/R, this kid has some surprising tools that may get to the next level and make some noise, 8-12 round type, he could get over-drafted with exposure of Stroman on the club, lots of looks from execs!!
3/12/2012
CF, Ronnie Richardson, U of Central Florida, listed at 5'8 180 and R/R, CF with very good speed but stiff actions including throwing motion and hitting motion will limit any success this player has at the next level, a plus runner, 4.15 from RH hitters box, throws 90 on the bump and has a solid ML arm from CF, chases balls down well in gaps and charges balls aggressively in the field, at the plate, a stiff short stroke with minimal power, he must rely on his speed and contact ability to be a solid offensive performer, for me he's a 20/30 hitter, 20/20 power, 60 runner, 50 arm and 55 fielder, best chance as a 8-12 round guy. I'd pass but someone will draft him. 22 yrs old
3/6/2012
RHP, Walker Weickel, Olympia HS, Orlando FL, 6'5 1/2 190, strapping tall righty with a sharp downer cb and slightly better than average fb, fb topped out at 93 on the day, consisently 89-91 from 1st inning to 7th inning vs Lakeland Highland HS, had double digit punch outs from my record, and showed decent command when he didn't rush on the day, several scouts in attendance, guestimate would be close to 80 scouts and a GM for a NL club from the NL East. I've seen Weickel for 3 years now and he's basically the same kid velocity wise and build wise, in time he should fill out a bit more, project to 6'6 220 lbs easily, from upper 3/4 arm slot and slight across the body delivery, has good leverage and extension to the plate, and works within himself - good coaching from his father and Randy O'Neal, certainly and he'll rise quickly in a system that will allow him time to move up the ladder and not rush this young man, stamina has gotten a lot better since he was 16 and should only get better, some comparisons to Nasty Jack McDowell former Stanford/White Sox ace. Showed a couple of changeups that were pitchable at the pro level, but still needs some polish on. Definite first round ability, has a commitment to college, but is open to professional baseball from what I gathered at the game.
OF, Jesse Winker, Olympia, Orlando, 6'2 210 L/L, not a fan, what you see is what you get and he certainly has the body and fits the uniform well and the ball will jump off his bat, but true turn around power and alley power vs ML velocity is not there for me, arm is average and speed is a touch below average, suited for a Corner position in the OF or 1b eventually, for me a late round guy, but someone will take him early and over project on him.
Future IF, Nick Gordon from Olympia HS, son of Flash Gordon, this kid has a dynamite arm and very good speed just like his brother and is a 2014 so time to wait on him. 5'10 150, 4.2 out of the box, 55/60 arm, some bail out on the cb at the plate, solid glove and range in the field with first step quickness.
2/29/12 -
SS, Steve Nyisztor, Louisburg College (NC) 6'4 1/4 210 R/R, long, slender build, greyhound type, runs very well, better between the bases, just under 4-4 on the turn, throws well once set up from hole at SS, throws do carry with some zip, 50 arm, 50 glove, 50 range, bat however for me needs work, not much progress since Summer of 2010, has some length in his swing with a loop from set up to launch, slight upper cut, drilled 2 singles on the day on mid 80's fbs, in BP showed some alley power to LF, potential 8-12 HR type and 220/240 batting ave type hitter, not going to be known for his glove, will go as far as bat takes him, at best for me 8-12 round type guy, he'll probably be an overdraft based on past performance and tools
3b, Zach Houchins, Louisburg College, (NC), 6'2 1/2 190, R/R, strong build, room to fill out to 210 in time, shows alley power to RF & LF, doubles guy with occ HR threat, 8-12 type HR frequency, shows solid 55 arm from 3b, made move to position after last year at SS for LC, runs well underway, 4-4 out of box, 6-8 60 guy typically in the past, glove is solid for corner, range to left is good, to right a bit tentative at times, stabs at the ball to bag side, he's been drafted before, shows actions and potential bat to be a 13-20 round type guy once again, projects for me to be a fringe guy, backup at ML level due to ability to play several positions and has plus arm strength and ball jumps off bat with power potential, hands at plate a bit noisy, tracks breaking pitch well enough to get some hits vs ML caliber type fb/pitcher
Didn't get to see Cox on the day, Cody Cox for me is a bit soft, has the projectible frame and build as a Righty with fb up to 92 and downer type cb that can be loopy at times and off the table other times, should be a nice 10-12 round type, command is 45-50, change in development stages still, delivery with loose arm from upper 3/4, slight cross of body and rush to first base side, fields position ok,, aggressive with fb and throws strikes, backs off a bit when hit solidly by opponents, 6'5 190 build with some upside, compare to Kris Benson type body but a bit stronger at this stage
This page is dedicated to the memory of some great mentors in my life, baseball people who are still in the game or once were before joining the "Angels in the Heavens".
Marti Wolever, a great friend of mine, current Scouting Director for the Phillies, Marti and I shared many good stories and ran into each other in the field many times, Marti is always very classy and willing to share family stories and memories. One of the smartest baseball men in the game, you will never meet a better evaluator in the game like Marti!
Gene Baker, late former Pirates scout among several teams Gene either played for or worked for along the way, one of his best friends was "Buck" O'Neil. Living near the Quad Cities, Gene was another man who was always kind to me and often shared great stories of his years playing baseball before the Civil Rights movement, Gene signed former ML pitcher, Bill Sampen, among severl players for the Pirates years ago.
Elmer Gray, last seen still working as a scout, Elmer ran paths with me scouting former Northwest Omaha HS star, Gregg Olson in 1985, when Elmer was the scouting boss with the Pirates at the time. Elmer also worked for the Reds and is one of the sharpest men you will ever meet!
Dale McReynolds, a long time scout with several ML Teams and at one time was also a scouting director, Dale always had the time to talk with me and share some wisdom from time to time. Among Dale's former ML players he signed was Steve Howe and Bob Welch, both from Michigan universities. We miss you Mac!
Bill is still around and he was inducted into a scouting hall of fame, Bill currently writes columns for his local paper back in Columbia, Missouri. "Clarkie" always was able to speak his mind and has been a great influence on me over the years and we stay in touch every year! Clarkie, is also known as the "world traveler" and he lifts weights for competition even after some hip and knee surgeries along the way!
"Buck" O'Neil, one of the finest gentlemen who was ever in the game of baseball, "Buck" played and managed in the Negro Leagues and he shared some great memories and stories with me one day in my first year as a "bird dog", when he came to Ralston, Nebraska for a HS baseball tourney which featured future ML relieve, Gregg Olson formerly of the Orioles. Buck is in the Hall of Fame!
Dave Karaff, a great guy who is responsible for the finding of Albert Pujols from Maplewoods College in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Dave was always nice to me and shared some great stories with me about his former years as a coach too!
Ellsworth Brown, known to us as "Brownie", great man who worked until his 90's with the Twins of all ML teams, he signed former ML stars, Kirby Puckett and Bill Madlock. Brownie was a great mentor to many of us when we were just cutting our teeth as scouts back in the day, so to speak! Often bringing his wife, Mabel with him to ball games, she would crochet or knit while Brownie sat back in his lawn chair to catch a HS game somewhere is rural Illinois where I often ran into him.
Tony Lucadello, former ML scout with the Phillies, Tony "Luc" was another great mentor to many scouts back when and he was responsible for signing over 30 former ML players, some who are now in the Hall of Fame, Mike Schmidt for one and he also signed Fergie Jenkins once upon a time ago! I first met Tony in 1988 at a Great Lakes All-Star game in South Bend, Indiana and I shared with him my late father's love for the Phillies, whom Tony had worked for, and how it was an honor to have met one of the greatest baseball scouts of all time. Tony was a very modest man and he loved working in the field as a scout!
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