1. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice
Rendon is the best college hitter in the draft since Evan Longoria back in 2006, in fact he is the most accomplish college hitter in quite sometime. His combination of power and patience at the plate is rare, he has above-avg power to all fields and lays off tough pitches with the best of them, in fact he could stand to be more aggressive with pitches in the zone. His last two summers have been cut short by two fluke injuries and his junior season has been far from his standards due to injuries to his shoulder, new bats and teams not pitching to him. Despite the injuries Rendon is ranked as the number one player on the board, the only concern would be his shoulder but there hasn't been information made public about the extent of the injuries and its long term effect. He projects as a .300 hitter with 25-30 HR and gold glove defense at third.
2. Dylan Bundy, RHP, Owasso (Okla.) HS
With a 6'1 frame, mid 90s heat and polish beyond his years there is not much not to like about Bundy. HS pitchers tend to be risky propositions but Bundy has the goods to be the best pitcher taken in the 2011 draft. His FB ranges from 94-97 and has touched the upper 90s including 100MPH this spring. He has an easy, clean delivery that he repeats very well thanks to his athleticism, he throws a curve, cutter and change-up to go along with his fast ball, both the curve ball and cutter get plus grades while his change up is just avg but useable. There were concerns about his pitch counts early but his pitch could have been normal this year. His price tag is steep but he's worth it.
3. Danny Hultzen, LHP, UVA
Hultzen was considered a polish lefty with avg stuff prior to his junior year, he started the season in spectacular fashion and scouts started to flock in to find out that his stuff was much improve. He now sits 92-93 with his FB, plus for a lefty, and reaches the mid 90s when he needs it. His command of his FB is considered the best in this draft, he also commands an above-avg change up and a slider. Hultzen is in consideration for the #1 pick because of his polish.
4. Gerrit Cole, RHP, UCLA
Cole has the 6'4 frame to be a power pitcher, he sits in the upper 90s, touching 98-99 in the 8th inning of his last outing, including a 101 reading. He also has a hard biting slider and a power change up. He struggles with his command and some scouts question his ability to be a starting pitcher long term because of his delivery. His ceiling is of a front line starter if he can clean up his delivery as he has been doing and improve his command. Earlier in the year Cole was the #1 player on many boards then hit a rough stretch but ended on a high note, as I said earlier hitting 98-99 multiple times in the 8th inning.
5. Trevor Bauer, RHP, UCLA
Bauer has been performing as the best college pitcher this year, with 8 consecutive complete games and 9 overall on the season. He's not all stats as he also has one of the better arms in the draft, which include a mid 90s FB, plus biting curve ball and above-avg change up. His delivery is reminiscent of Tim Lincecum's, who he patterns his game after, and gives him deception but scouts question if it will lead him to an injury. Scouts also question his pitch counts and he is and avid long toss fanatic which some clubs don't like. Other question how well he's gonna translate to pro-ball since he is a strike out pitcher that gets hitter to chase pitches out of the zone which he may have trouble doing at the higher levels. Bauer is a workout junkie and has a unique workout that he credits for him being able to a lot of pitches, he doesn't believe in pitch counts.
6. Bubba Starling, OF, Gardner-Edgerton HS, Gardner, KS
Starling is the athlete a lot of organizations look for, he has above-avg speed, power and plus arm. He has a fluid swing at the plate but it gets long at times and he'll need time adjusting to pro-ball. He hasn't faced top competition in the Kansas City high school ranks but he performed well in the summer circuit. Starling is also a Nebraska football commit so his price tag is steep.
7. Francisco Lindor, SS, Montverde (Fla.) Academy
Lindor is one of the youngest player in the draft, if not the youngest, but he plays beyond his years. High school SS are not always certain to stay at the position but Lindor is considered to be a plus defender at the position and he has the frame to add muscle and not lose much of a step, he has the fluid actions and tremendous hands that scouts look for in SS. At the plate Lindor has a compact stroke from both sides and has a knack for making contact. Lindor's power is a question mark but some scouts think he should able to grow into a bit more power while never being a big part of his game.
8. Matt Barnes, RHP, Uconn
Barnes is the best prospect from the northeast and with good reason. His FB ranges from 92-96 while touching the upper 90s add his 2-seamer, cutter and sharp biting curve ball and he has the repertoire of a power pitcher. He has the frame to add more muscle once he gets into a pro program. Barnes doesn't have a lot mileage in his arm which scouts like.
9. Archie Bradley, RHP, Broken Arrow (Okla.) HS
Bradley is another power arm in the 2011 draft. His fastball sits in the mid 90s and touched the triple digits multiple times this spring. His curve ball is rated as the best in the draft and it has sharp biting action. He started slow this spring with his command for all his pitches wavering in and out but he got hot late. He is also a HS QB committed to the University of Oklahoma on a football/baseball scholarship but is generally considered a better pitching prospect than QB.
10. Sonny Gray, RHP, Vanderbilt
Gray has one of the better curve balls in the draft, a sharp biting pitch that he sets up with his 90-95 MHP fast ball. His other pitches specially his change up has taken steps forward and now is a usable pitch when used off his fast ball. He is short so some scouts question whether he'll hold up in a full season and see his FB/CB combination as ideal for a late inning relieve. thats said Gray is one of the better athletes in the draft, has a clean delivery and the stuff to be a front-line starter he'll get a chance to prove scouts wrong.
Rendon is the best college hitter in the draft since Evan Longoria back in 2006, in fact he is the most accomplish college hitter in quite sometime. His combination of power and patience at the plate is rare, he has above-avg power to all fields and lays off tough pitches with the best of them, in fact he could stand to be more aggressive with pitches in the zone. His last two summers have been cut short by two fluke injuries and his junior season has been far from his standards due to injuries to his shoulder, new bats and teams not pitching to him. Despite the injuries Rendon is ranked as the number one player on the board, the only concern would be his shoulder but there hasn't been information made public about the extent of the injuries and its long term effect. He projects as a .300 hitter with 25-30 HR and gold glove defense at third.
2. Dylan Bundy, RHP, Owasso (Okla.) HS
With a 6'1 frame, mid 90s heat and polish beyond his years there is not much not to like about Bundy. HS pitchers tend to be risky propositions but Bundy has the goods to be the best pitcher taken in the 2011 draft. His FB ranges from 94-97 and has touched the upper 90s including 100MPH this spring. He has an easy, clean delivery that he repeats very well thanks to his athleticism, he throws a curve, cutter and change-up to go along with his fast ball, both the curve ball and cutter get plus grades while his change up is just avg but useable. There were concerns about his pitch counts early but his pitch could have been normal this year. His price tag is steep but he's worth it.
3. Danny Hultzen, LHP, UVA
Hultzen was considered a polish lefty with avg stuff prior to his junior year, he started the season in spectacular fashion and scouts started to flock in to find out that his stuff was much improve. He now sits 92-93 with his FB, plus for a lefty, and reaches the mid 90s when he needs it. His command of his FB is considered the best in this draft, he also commands an above-avg change up and a slider. Hultzen is in consideration for the #1 pick because of his polish.
4. Gerrit Cole, RHP, UCLA
Cole has the 6'4 frame to be a power pitcher, he sits in the upper 90s, touching 98-99 in the 8th inning of his last outing, including a 101 reading. He also has a hard biting slider and a power change up. He struggles with his command and some scouts question his ability to be a starting pitcher long term because of his delivery. His ceiling is of a front line starter if he can clean up his delivery as he has been doing and improve his command. Earlier in the year Cole was the #1 player on many boards then hit a rough stretch but ended on a high note, as I said earlier hitting 98-99 multiple times in the 8th inning.
5. Trevor Bauer, RHP, UCLA
Bauer has been performing as the best college pitcher this year, with 8 consecutive complete games and 9 overall on the season. He's not all stats as he also has one of the better arms in the draft, which include a mid 90s FB, plus biting curve ball and above-avg change up. His delivery is reminiscent of Tim Lincecum's, who he patterns his game after, and gives him deception but scouts question if it will lead him to an injury. Scouts also question his pitch counts and he is and avid long toss fanatic which some clubs don't like. Other question how well he's gonna translate to pro-ball since he is a strike out pitcher that gets hitter to chase pitches out of the zone which he may have trouble doing at the higher levels. Bauer is a workout junkie and has a unique workout that he credits for him being able to a lot of pitches, he doesn't believe in pitch counts.
6. Bubba Starling, OF, Gardner-Edgerton HS, Gardner, KS
Starling is the athlete a lot of organizations look for, he has above-avg speed, power and plus arm. He has a fluid swing at the plate but it gets long at times and he'll need time adjusting to pro-ball. He hasn't faced top competition in the Kansas City high school ranks but he performed well in the summer circuit. Starling is also a Nebraska football commit so his price tag is steep.
7. Francisco Lindor, SS, Montverde (Fla.) Academy
Lindor is one of the youngest player in the draft, if not the youngest, but he plays beyond his years. High school SS are not always certain to stay at the position but Lindor is considered to be a plus defender at the position and he has the frame to add muscle and not lose much of a step, he has the fluid actions and tremendous hands that scouts look for in SS. At the plate Lindor has a compact stroke from both sides and has a knack for making contact. Lindor's power is a question mark but some scouts think he should able to grow into a bit more power while never being a big part of his game.
8. Matt Barnes, RHP, Uconn
Barnes is the best prospect from the northeast and with good reason. His FB ranges from 92-96 while touching the upper 90s add his 2-seamer, cutter and sharp biting curve ball and he has the repertoire of a power pitcher. He has the frame to add more muscle once he gets into a pro program. Barnes doesn't have a lot mileage in his arm which scouts like.
9. Archie Bradley, RHP, Broken Arrow (Okla.) HS
Bradley is another power arm in the 2011 draft. His fastball sits in the mid 90s and touched the triple digits multiple times this spring. His curve ball is rated as the best in the draft and it has sharp biting action. He started slow this spring with his command for all his pitches wavering in and out but he got hot late. He is also a HS QB committed to the University of Oklahoma on a football/baseball scholarship but is generally considered a better pitching prospect than QB.
10. Sonny Gray, RHP, Vanderbilt
Gray has one of the better curve balls in the draft, a sharp biting pitch that he sets up with his 90-95 MHP fast ball. His other pitches specially his change up has taken steps forward and now is a usable pitch when used off his fast ball. He is short so some scouts question whether he'll hold up in a full season and see his FB/CB combination as ideal for a late inning relieve. thats said Gray is one of the better athletes in the draft, has a clean delivery and the stuff to be a front-line starter he'll get a chance to prove scouts wrong.
0 comments:
Post a Comment