Headfirst slide into cooperstown

Soo…. With all the announcements of MLB draft trying to gather enough steam to bring itself out of obscurity I thought I would do my part by trying to show you all the information that is available for the first round possible draftes…Now don’t get me wrong I generally don’t ever watch the NFL draft, and I would follow the NBA draft when … well… we still had our team…Those Oklahoma BANDITS!!!

Anyways … enough complaining aside, I think it’s great that fans become fimilar with the drafting of Major League Baseball clubs just like they are with the NBA and NFL. These are our players of the future and what we hope to build our franchise on, they should understand and know whats before them. Not to say they don’t understand everything going on right now but I think with the lack news coverage on it, those kids being drafted don’t really appreciate the emphasis that is being put on them. Just throwing out the thought … I could be completely off and I’m sure someone that stumbles across the blog would complete disagree and point out the years of drafting players and their development.


Here’s the top 15 for now…

---Steven Strasburg RHP San Diego State, 6’4 220
#1 pick in the draft … no brainer.. let not beat a dead horse.


------------------------ Dustin Ackley 1B/OF North Carolina, 6’1 184
I like Dustin Ackley… Let me say this again… I like Dustin Ackley… I want the Mariners to draft Dustin Ackley… I know the tommy john surgery is alittle scary but this guy can HIT … A LEFT HANDED BAT w/ Awesome bat speed yeah his power isn’t awesome and developed….YET!!!!!
But, he’s still 20 plenty of time to cultivate that power … let’s send ‘em to SAFECO!!

Scouting Reports
http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2009/3/20/801937/looking-at-dustin-ackley
http://www.collegebaseballprospects.net/2008/01/dustin-ackley.html
http://metalbatbaseball.blogspot.com/2008/06/dustin-ackley.html
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=ackley
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/A/Dustin-Ackley.shtml



------------------------ Tyler Matzek LHP HS California
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=matzek
http://coreyjro.com/2009/04/16/mlb-draft-tyler-matzek/
http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71077
http://www.aflacallamerican2008.com/tylerMatzek.asp
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/2009/3/24/809481/request-tyler-matzek
http://www.prospectinsider.com/view/stephen-strasburg...-insanity/?PHPSESSID=8d6af450af26845d9fb13113f4a757a4


------------------------ Grant Green SS Southern California 6’3 180
A great athletic ball player that is able to
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=green
http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70531
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/G/Grant-Green.shtml
http://baseballbeginnings.com/2009/04/14/grant-green-report/#more-425
SS, Grant Green, USC, 6'3 190, R/R, solid glove and plus arm strength, hit well in the Cape and appears to have room to fill out further in pro ball. He's not a Troy Tulowitzki, but he's better all around, 10-15 type HR power with better speed on the way.



------------------------ Andrew Oliver LHP Oklahoma State
I’ve heard some great things about Oliver … there are some people that think he maybe the 2nd best pitcher in the draft behind Strasburg. But with all the legal issues surrounding him he may vary well drop and Alex White/Matthew Purke may take his place in the order.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/O/Andrew-Oliver.shtml
http://www.okstate.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=200&ATCLID=746629
http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayerProfile.do?playerId=868&draftId=7

LHP, Andrew Oliver, Oklahoma St, 6'3 215, strong armed lefty with a plus FB and very competitive nature.

The issues of Andrew Oliver in college with his “Advisors” http://bleacherreport.com/articles/27446-the-andy-oliver-saga
http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2008/07/14/andy-oliver-update/



------------------------ Alex White RHP North Carolina
Ackley’s team mate Alex White who has been a hot prospect for the past year as a possible future #1 starter.
http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2008/12/31/cbb-top-50-countdown-number-3-alex-white-north-carolina/
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=white
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/W/Alex-White.shtml

RHP, Alex White, UNC, 6'3 200, power arm and hard slurve with AA command, consistency has been his only drawback. Also talk whether he has enough stamina to go 6-7 innings per gm or best equipped as a set up or short man out of the pen. For me, you have to give him a shot at the rotation until he proves otherwise. 95 fb this fall!


------------------------ Matthew Purke LHP HS Texas

I kinda think Purke maybe the Aaron Crow of this years draft. A lot of talent but may decline a contract for college. I guess we’ll see…
http://baseball.uaallamerica.com/pub/athlete/Matthew-Purke
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=purke
http://www.prospecttube.com/video/matthew-purke
http://www.aflacallamerican2008.com/matthewPurke.asp

LHP, Matt Purke, Klein HS Tx, 6'3 180, said to have put on a few more lbs to help with stamina and strength, smooth with electric arm and upside, fb moves well around in the zone and his breaking stuff will only get better with more exposure in pro ball.


------------------------ Donovan Tate OF HS Georgia
From the sounds of it he has the skills to be either a football player or a baseball player. This may drop his stock into the 10-30 range … but he has the tools to be a ball player
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=tate
http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=378
http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayerProfile.do?playerId=867&draftId=7

Kieth Law -Cartersville High School centerfielder Donovan Tate is the top prep position player in this draft, a superior athlete who projects to have plus tools in all five categories. The son of former NFL running back Lars Tate, Donovan is often compared to the Upton brothers, B.J. and Justin, who were the best high school position players in their respective drafts, but Tate doesn't have the same explosive talent or potential to speed to the majors as the Uptons did as high school seniors.

http://wearesc.com/news/story.php?article=874
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/shared-blogs/ajc/cfbrecruit/entries/2008/04/27/football_or_bas.html
OF, Donovan Tate, Carterville HS GA, 6'3 205, R/R, very good athlete with excellent straight away running speed, strength in his upper body and quick hands as a hitter, he'll need to make adjustments with mechanics in pro ball and he needs to be more decisive, meaning, does he want to play professional baseball? Does he want to play football? Etc., he says the right things, but to me, he's not commital which would worry me if I was a scouting boss of a ML team. Other than that question, he's got the tools to be a very good professional baseball player.


------------------------ Kyle Gibson RHP Missouri
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=gibson
http://saberscouting.com/2008/03/25/kylegibsonreport/
http://projectprospect.com/article/2009/03/09/kyle-gibson-scouting-report
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/G/Kyle-Gibson.shtml



------------------------Aaron Crow RHP Missouri/Independent League
Crow was picked by the Nationals with the ninth pick last year, of course they couldn’t sign him (but it’s going to be different with Strasburg (*rolls eyes*)
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2008/reports.jsp?content=crow
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/C/Aaron-Crow.shtml
http://www.big12hardball.com/2009/4/12/832214/
http://saberscouting.com/2008/03/28/aaroncrowmechanalysis/
http://projectprospect.com/article/2008/03/09/aaron-crow-scouting-report


------------------------Kentrail Davis OF Tennessee

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayerProfile.do?playerId=874&draftId=7
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/Players/D/Kentrail-Davis.shtml
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=davis
OF, Kentrail Davis, Tenn, 5'9 1/2 195, L/L, solid bat, plus speed, near ave arm solid enough for any OF position and competes. He's made strides since his HS days in Alabama. Has lots of probs with breaking balls, but adapts, which is a key in getting to the next level.
Kentrail Davis, Tennessee
Davis, a left-handed hitter, is a terrific athlete who could have played college football at the Division I level. A draft-eligible sophomore, Davis (5-9, 200) has extra leverage, meaning he likely will be a difficult sign, particularly with Scott Boaras as his advisor. Davis features 6.6-second speed over 60 yards. His history of working summers pouring cement for his dad helped make him extremely strong for his size. He has plus raw power and above average bat speed, despite a swing that isn’t as smooth as it could be. Davis draws comparisons to Kirby Puckett. Davis, who has an average arm, last season went 13-44-.330 .435 .583. Davis batted .292 with runners in scoring position.


------------------------Shelby Miller RHP HS Texas
http://prospectinsider.com/view/draft-prospect:-shelby-miller,-rhp
http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayerProfile.do?playerId=873&draftId=7

Keith Law, Brownwood (Texas) High School right-hander Shelby Miller, No. 10 in my preseason rankings of draft-eligible players, made his first regular-season start of the year Thursday in front of a healthy crowd of scouts, including at least seven scouting directors. Miller showed excellent stuff with a good delivery but struggled with his command.
RHP, Shelby Miller, Brownwood HS, Tex, 6'3 195, I've only seen him on film, I will get to see him this spring though and I'll update then thereafter.


------------------------Jacob Turner RHP HS Georgia
http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayerProfile.do?playerId=872&draftId=7
http://baseball.uaallamerica.com/pub/athlete/Jacrob-Turner
http://mlbdraftsource.wordpress.com/draft-prospects/jacob-turner/
http://www.prospecttube.com/video/jacob-turner
http://www.aflacallamerican2008.com/jacobTurner.asp
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=turner


------------------------ Jared Mitchell OF Louisiana State

Yet another two sport star … I must admit those type of players tend to worry me because you never know what they are going to end up choosing. He is suspected to declare for the 2010 NFL draft … that’s what I hear.. we’ll see.
http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayerProfile.do?playerId=516&draftId=4
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/Transactions/M/Jared-Mitchell.shtml
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/Jared-Mitchell.shtml

Jared Mitchell, LSU
A 10th-round pick of the Twins out of high school, Mitchell (6-foot, 185) bats and throws left-handed. A wide receiver on the Tigers football team, Mitchell started five games last season and caught 13 passes for 143 yards. A tremendous athlete who moved from center to left last season, Mitchell has a flair for making highlight reel catches. He is the premier combination of speed and defense among draft-eligible outfielders. Mitchell hits to all fields and has a quick bat. Last season Mitchell went 6-29-.297 .363 .469 with 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts, although he is still learning the art of stealing a base. He scored 44 runs, had 10 doubles and one triple. His 49 strike outs in 175 at bats are a concern. Mitchell has 6.35-second speed over 60 yards, but a below average arm. Mitchell has raw power and adjusts fairly well but scouts question whether he has more aptitude for baseball or football.


------------------------Mike Minor LHP Vanderbilt
http://vanderbilt.scout.com/a.z?s=189&p=9&c=2&cid=856229&nid=4198644&fhn=1
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/Transactions/M/Michael-Minor.shtml
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=minor


------------------------ Brett Jackson OF California

http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2008/12/19/cbb-top-50-countdown-number-13-brett-jackson-california/


Brett Jackson, California
Jackson (6-2, 210) is a left-handed-hitting center fielder. Jackson has a strong arm and plus speed, with enough range to stick in center. He posted a line of 4-14-.238 last summer in the Cape Cod League. At Cal, he went 4-40-.307 with 12 stolen bases. Jackson has yet to turn potential into performance, but scouts drool at his ability and athleticism. He is raw on the base paths.


------------------------Mychal Givens RHP/SS HS Florida
http://baseball.uaallamerica.com/pub/athlete/Mychal-Givens
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/feb/29/sp-5-questions-with-mychal-givens/
http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayerProfile.do?playerId=875&draftId=7
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=givens

Jason A. Churchill -High School pitchers are typically two-way players. On off days, they'll play in the field, many times shortstop or center field, and then head back to the mound. Plant (Tampa, Fla.) High School's Mychal Givens is no exception, playing shortstop when he isn't reaching the mid-90s with his fastball.
SS, Mychal Givens, Plant HS, Tampa, 6'0 180, R/R, Shawon Dunston type arm, solid glove, well abv ave running speed and 250-280 type hitter with enough power to make an impact offensively. On the bump he's still in need of polish, however you can't deny his arm strength and the flashes of fb up to 98 mph, mostly 93-95. Kiki Jones any one? 1989 LA Dodger former #1!



---------------------------------------------------------------More INFO




The scouting reports given below all links were pulled from this web page

http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=3981057681




---------------------------------------------------------------MOCK DRAFT BOARDS


http://www.mymlbdraft.com/MLB-Mock-Draft-2009



http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/4/28/857704/2009-amateur-draft-mock-3-round-one
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/4/24/851583/2009-amateur-draft-mock-2-round-two
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/4/22/848774/2009-amateur-draft-mock-2



---------------------------------------------------------------MLB ’09 Draft info


I gathered a lot of my info from the following sites. .. big props to their writers for doing the foot work and passing it on!!

http://fantasybullpen.com/minor-leagues/2009-mlb-draft-top-21-prospects/
http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/5918557/13779939
http://www.sportscity.com/2009-MLB-Mock-Draft
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp
http://dcprosportsreport.com/mockdraftdatabase/mlb.html
http://www.mymlbdraft.com/MLB-Mock-Draft-2009
http://natsfarm.com/2009/04/17/baseball-america-mid-season-draft-rankings/






I maybe doing some more research with the Mariners having 4 picks in the draft .. I’ll go over some of the different players that they may have a shot at …

Jason Churchill did something similar but it kind of left me wanting more…