colbyjack

Here's our Draft Pack report on Kirby: Nathan Kirby – LHP Height/Weight: 6-2/185 Bats/Throws: L/L Birthdate: Nov. 23, 1993 College: Virginia Hometown: Midlothian, Va. Projected Draft Round: 1 The key word when it comes to Nathan Kirby is polish. A pitcher with a pedigree of winning at the University of Virginia, Kirby is a pitcher that will be ready to make a rapid ascension to the big leagues when he arrives in professional baseball. Scouts know exactly what Kirby is going to give them start to start, and not surprisingly he’s been his consistently dominant self through his first six starts in 2015. Kirby has a 1.16 ERA and has struck out a whopping 54 batters through his first 38 2/3 innings of work. The 6-foot-2 lefthander has looked very much the part of top of the first round draft choice this spring, starting with the lively 91-94 mph fastball that first put him on the map. Beyond raw velocity, there is deception in Kirby’s delivery, as well was as late running action on the fastball. The fastball is only the beginning of the story for Kirby, however. Kirby’s changeup is a pitch that has taken a major step forward this spring. We’ve seen Kirby dominate with his breaking ball in the past, but his changeup has been nearly its equal in 2015. In fact, he has been so effective with it that he’s reminded many scouts of a past Virginia ace, Danny Hultzen. Through the early part of many outings, Kirby has shown a heavy diet of changeups, but by the middle innings of games, Kirby’s advanced, deep arsenal gets fully unveiled. While Kirby has a slower curveball he’ll throw now and then at 78-80 mph, what he relies upon heavily is his sharp, above average 81-86 mph slider. It’s a slider with outstanding vertical depth, and when he’s on top consistently it’s a true swing and miss offering. And, his 84-86 mph changeup, as well as his command of it, has been exceptional throughout the spring. In terms of track record and pure stuff, it’s hard to top Kirby if you are stacking him up against other college arms. His stuff will allow him to miss bats at the next level, and the only thing to keep an eye on will be just how repeatable his mechanics will be. There are some moving parts to his arm action, and at times he commands his secondary pitches better than his fastball. He’ll need to prove willing to be more aggressive with his fastball as a professional as well. It’s easy to nitpick a pitcher of this caliber, however, and despite these small issues, Kirby is an extremely safe bet to be a middle of the rotation big league starter.

I disagree that the Brewers not taking a college arm is a sign of a rebuild. They may be doing that anyway, but wouldn't last years' pick been more indicative of this if any such inference could be taken by any one pick?

How about Michael Brantley for Clark?

Brewers fans should be happy with this pick as many to most never expected to make it there. One of the best pure hitters in the draft and he has some speed to boot. Here's his PG report: Trenton Clark – OF Height/Weight: 6-0/200 Bats/Throws: L/L High School: Richland Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas Travel Team: D-BAT Commitment: Texas Tech Projected Draft Round: 1 The sample size is growing larger and larger for Trenton Clark. The north Texas outfielder can flat out hit. And not only is he incredibly consistent about squaring up the baseball, the lefthanded hitter appears to have a complete offensive package of tools and skills. The evidence line reads as follows. Clark hit .458-10-34 as a high school junior. He then dominated the Tournament of Stars as a previously unheralded prospect, then hit .565 with three home runs and 10 walks for the USA National 18u team. This spring he's off to a .550-1-5 start in five games, with 11 walks against two strikeouts. Clark's patience and vision at the plate immediately stand out when you watch him play over a multi-day period. He's not afraid to work counts, is loathe to swing at anything he can't square up and treats a walk with the enthusiasm most hitters treat a line drive in the gap. It would be a big surprise if he wasn't a high on-base performer at the next level. Clark's speed is also impactful. He regularly runs in the 4.0 to 4.1 range from the left side and boosts his average with a steady flow of infield hits. He's also already shown that he's practiced in the art of bunting and will bunt for a base hit if given the opportunity. Although he has obviously shown home run power, that is one area of his offensive package that most scouts will likely only grade out as big league average. Part of that reason relates to swing plane and his swing approach, which is more line drive/gap oriented. The other is that Clark has a very unusual split hand grip on the bat that is hard to even describe, let alone quantify as being able to produce consistent lift against high level pitching. The last part of Clark's overall package, his defensive ability, is also solid. His speed obviously plays well in the outfield and he has a solid average throwing arm, if not a tick above average. He'll likely be able to play all three outfield positions as needed over the next decade unless he slows down significantly. Add that all up and you have a player who increasingly looks like a solid first rounder come June. Plus some video (I don't know how to embed in these posts anymore):

With all due respect, there's nothing lazy about Chris Betts. And he has one of the best arms behind the plate for this year's draft.

A player's draft stock never rises and falls that quickly based on one performance, at least not in one game at the end of the season. He was throwing darts at 91-94 and inducing really weak contact the first three innings before he started to leave the ball up in the zone. He still showed enough the rest of the season to be taken plenty early. Who was the player pegged to be the Brewers' pick last year? I guess I'll be a little surprised if they take a college arm, more so because they rarely take the player most people project them to. However, just because you're rebuilding doesn't mean you don't take college arms. Funkhouser is still plenty good, as is Ponce.

For those interested in seeing Jon Harris for themselves, he'll be pitching for Missouri State on ESPN at 3:30 CT. Tune in if you have a chance as he's been carving batters up all spring. And if you want to see a couple of top guys for next year, watch the Virginia/Maryland game at 3pm on ESPN U. Mike Shawaryn (probably my favorite arm for 2016) will be facing UVa's Connor Jones.

LouisEly, you've got it on Thompson. We had one of our guys see him 2 weeks ago and said he's not a third baseman. He doesn't have the arm to stick there first and foremost, and may not even open his pro career at the position. Eye Black, I'm with you on Kevin Newman. We have him rated as more of a 3rd-round prospect, as do other scouts/directors/crosscheckers we've spoken with. However, there are others who still like him for the first round. That said, I think the ESPN crew (nothing against them) has somewhat taken the report on him and ran with it more than other resources has. I would be surprised, and disappointed, to see the Brewers take him. Garrett Whitley is an incredibly athlete NE kid who hasn't had a ton of exposure at national events. So while he's loaded with tools he does have to prove he can hang with the big boys on a daily basis. Plummer on the other hand is a very polished left-handed hitter. He's an ok overall athlete and is very, very patient at the plate (almost to a fault). His arm will limit him to LF.

Allard could get there, but I still see someone taking the chance with him. The back issue isn't supposed to threaten his success long-term (or even relatively short-term for that matter). He was getting legitimate pub as a top 3-5 overall pick before that occurred. Todd, I only mentioned Fulmer because we've seen shorter RHPs fall before, Sonny Gray being the most obvious and recent to come to mind. Just for kicks I put together a little plan if I were the Brewers scouting director and some of the players I would target in the top 10 rounds: First pick, #15, assuming the following are gone: Rodgers, Tate, Swanson, Bregman, Cameron, Allard, Happ, Tucker, Jay, Benintendi Targets: Jon Harris (probably will be gone as Todd noted), Walker Buehler, Phil Bickford Watch for in case they fall: Funkhouser, Nikorak Others: Chris Betts, Tyler Stephenson, Cody Ponce, Austin Smith Take him if he’s there: Carson Fulmer The balance of talent favors pitching at this spot, and considering the draft isn't as deep with high impact arms, I'd probably focus on getting one with the first picks and load up on bats later. #40 Pick Potential Options, hitters: Nick Shumpert, Eric Jenkins, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Tyler Nevin, Chris Shaw Pitchers: Dakota Chalmers, Drew Finley, Brett Lilek, Nolan Watson, Tristan Beck Watch for: Naylor, Mike Soroka, Demi Orimoloye (Canadians) I like the bats that I have listed better than the arms, and for those looking to fill some obvious holes in the system, Blankenhorn and Nevin would do that at third base while Shaw would provide some much needed power from the left side. #55 Pick Options/favorites: Taylor Ward, Jalen Miller, Jahmai Jones, Mitchell Hansen, Josh Naylor, Bryce Denton, Travis Blankenhorn Again, I like the bats better here. I mentioned Blankenhorn earlier, who I think is a big sleeper in this draft and may not be available at pick #55. Naylor has huge left-handed power and is a little Prince-esque at a similar stage of his career. #90 Pick Options: Trey Cabbage, Christin Stewart, Javier Medina, Jonas Wyatt, Daniel Reyes Take him if he’s there: Kyle Cody Cody has been pitching better as of late, but he's still a wildcard since the pieces have taken a while to come together for him. Javier Medina is a very interesting arm with advanced pitchability and his stuff has taken a big turn upward this spring. Cabbage is a left-handed slugger that plays 3B. #121 Pick Options: Wesley Rodriguez, Jackson Kowar, Alexis Omar Diaz, Max Wotell, Parker McFadden, Patrick Sandoval, Logan Allen, Grayson Long, Nolan Kingham, Luke Shilling, Mitchell Traver, Jeff Degano Wesley Rodriguez keeps getting better on the mound, approaching triple digits this spring. Patrick Sandoval is a LHP with one of the better curveballs available for the draft. Mitchell Traver is a personal fave with some medical concerns as he had TJ surgery prior to his freshman year and this is his first, full healthy season with TCU as a redshirt sophomore. 5th-7th: Isiah Gilliam (171), Casey Hughston (188), Breckin Williams (196), Daniel Salters (264), Jason Goldstein Save money for: DJ Wilson (225), Matt Vierling (229), Riley Thompson (269), Kyle Ostrowski (465) There's plenty to like with Gilliam, Hughston, Williams, Salters and Goldstein, although each does have their flaws. Williams is the lone pitcher of that group, a potential future closer that has enjoyed great success for Mizzou. The "save money for" would be scenarios in which the Brewers got creative with their cap space early to save some money for one of these players that could go to college if not drafted earlier than this. Salters and Goldstein are both catchers, as Goldstein in particular could have a long MLB career, even as a backup, for his defense alone. 8th-10th: Connor McKay, Bobby Poyner, Cole Peragine, Sikes Orvis, Tyler Peitzmeier, Matthew Crownover All college seniors, but again, each has some talents that could at the very least cause each of them to enjoy short yet productive stints in the big leagues. Poyner and Peitzmeier are lefties that could be bullpen specialists. McKay has been hampered by injuries at Kansas, but like Traver, is now fully healthy and is enjoying a big year. Crownover is a pitchability lefty that is bound to get some Jamie Moyer comps. Sikes Orvis is a big bopper that is mostly a 1B/DH type.

Todd, I take Allard of that group. But he won't be there. Funkhouser is a maybe at this point in time, and if he is you have to give that serious consideration. I'm not a big fan of Kaprielian. He has good stuff, but he's a college pitcher IMO and I see him getting hit hard at the next level. Upper-80s/low-90s FB for the most part although he can get up to 93-94 and sometimes 95, but it's straight, and he doesn't have good enough secondaries for my tastes. Tyler Jay is getting legitimate top 10 overall attention right now, and things have really heated up with Benintendi. I would expect either of them there. In fact, here's the list of players I don't expect falling: Brendan Rodgers, Dillon Tate, Dansby Swanson, Daz Cameron, Kolby Allard, Ian Happ, Tyler Jay, Andrew Benintendi. Could be there: Carson Fulmer, Walker Buehler, Kyle Funkhouser, Mike Nikorak, Jon Harris. If any of those guys are there it would be hard to pass on them. Jon Harris is really getting positive reports and is growing on me. He's one of those guys in this draft that you just have a feeling is going to make people wonder how he fell past the top 3-5 picks in a few years (and he may not fall that far). One guy I like more and more every time I get to see some video of him and read some of the reports I have access to is Phil Bickford. Great extension and arm angle, good athlete with incredible natural movement on his fastball, even when it's sitting 90-91 (and he can dial it up to 97-98).

Trout's situation was a little different. He was injured the summer before his senior year and missed out on a lot of the national showcase events, including our own. Because of that you didn't get to see his timed speed, him taking BP with the best players in the nation, playing in live games against the top arms across the nation, etc., and therefore the body of work wasn't as full. I want to say we (PG) had him rated as the 6th or 8th HS player in the nation going into the draft, and obviously that was off given how good (and how quickly) he became. While it's a pitcher, I remember Jack Z. pointing to Mark Rogers' relatively "fresh" arm being from the Northeast being a plus. You can craft these arguments in any way to make certain things sound like a positive. You have guys from the sun belt states that play year round and are well known commodities when the draft rolls around and you can point to their experience and exposure playing with an against the best players in the country. Then, just as easily, you can say they've pitched too much, have too many innings accumulated, etc. There's examples both ways to make an argument that both ways are the way to go, meaning, every situation is still unique and you simply have to do your homework and trust your scouts to make the right picks. I've recently heard that Matuella and Aiken could both slide out of the first round (and possibly further as a result). Another name I want to bring up given the number of people looking for the idea third baseman given the relative dearth of such players in our system: Travis Blankenhorn. Pennsylvania kid, good, not great measurables, and a very good, polished LH hitter. He's excelled in football and basketball as well, has a strong arm, runs well and has a strong yet still projectable frame to add more strength. I spoke with one of our own scouts internally about why he isn't ranked/considered higher than what he is as his entire resume and body of work suggests a player that should be a slam-dunk for the first round. I still like the idea of Chris Betts and I don't think anyone here would (or at least should) be disappointed if his name is called for the Brewers.

I like Tyler Jay, but IMO he's only an option at 15 if you believe he's a starter, much like Nick Howard from Virginia was last year. I do believe Jay has the requisite pitches to be a good starter, and he has a relatively low mileage arm if you're into that kind of thing. Newman is getting a lot of buzz this year and could be taken within the top 5 overall picks. I agree with your assessment Nate about his power, although I've read from others that his swing is currently geared the way it is for the college game, to put the ball in play, etc., and that more power could come with adjustments. I'm not sure if I buy that. However, his speed and defense are two of the big reasons he is being discussed in that range, as no team is going to take a projected second baseman that high, unless he's Chase Utley.

DHonks, Betts, as noted by Austin & Todd, has a very keen eye at the plate. Ian Happ, although I'm not sure he gets to the Brewers' pick, is another extremely polished hitter that takes a ton of pitches. Todd also mentioned Trenton Clark and Nick Plummer, a pair of high school outfielders with very different skill-sets/tools that also display an advanced knowledge of the strike zone. Like Happ, Clark likely doesn't get to the Brewers' pick, but 15th is right around where Betts should go. I'm not as high on Plummer as others, as some put him in the 10-20 range but I see him as more of a late first to second round pick. I don't think Nikorak gets to the Brewers pick as he's been dealing early in his season (up to 97) and could be taken ahead of Kolby Allard, who was previously believed to be the top prep pitcher before a back injury shut him down (although he may still pitch before the draft). Daz Cameron, who was once believed a favorite to go first overall in this year's draft, could very well be available when the Brewers pick. If you like catchers, Taylor Ward of Fresno State and Georgia prepster Tyler Stephenson are both gaining momentum. Cornelius Randolph and Ke'Bryan Hayes both could be options at third base if you're anxious to fill that need, but 15 is a little rich for both of them (but not inconceivable since they both could go between the Brewers first two picks). A Brewers' fan astutely brought up Tennessee prep slugger Trey Cabbage in a recent email, another option at third base in the 2-5 round range. Kyle Cody isn't really a first round option anymore. Bad command and was recently bumped out of Kentucky's weekend starting rotation. Jonathan Harris of Missouri State has really moved up this spring to take his place. Cody Ponce is another pitcher that isn't frequently mentioned but is a legit power arm.

It's going to be an incredibly strong draft class, especially for pitchers, both in college and high school. I'd go into more details, but we've talked about this subject quite frequently in our work over at Perfect Game.

Sorry I missed this before. TJ Alexander is probably a 1B prospect, as if you took the time to visit the link Mass provided above his arm strength doesn't stand out and neither does his speed. His size does, as does his left-handed bat, as he get incredible extension and offers intriguing power potential. I haven't seen him in almost two years, so I can't speak to how much he's progressed. He could have some Denson-type upside, as I know how hopeful/excited a lot of fans here continue to be about his future given his age/tools/development.

I'm not sure if you remember my comments on Medeiros prior to last year's draft (and after), but his stuff is so unique I truly believed his success early in his professional career would have a lot, if not everything, to do with how the organization handles him in regards to catching. I don't think I've ever seen a young pitcher with so much movement on three distinct pitches, and his slider, when at it's best, is really an 80-grade pitch. So, hearing you type what you did makes me optimistic about his development this season, especially since he was skipped past Helena, which worried me (for all of the early high school draftees on the T-Rats roster actually). Medeiros is an incredible talent, but it's also important not to shatter his confidence by not only pushing him up too fast, but by pairing him with a catcher that has no clue how to handle his unique stuff. And maybe it's not so much about the catch but the catching approach/philosophy as noted. And TheCrew is right, lower arm angles usually do not bode well for pitchers. However, as long as the pitcher is loose and athletic enough, like Medeiros is, it's nowhere near the concern. However, I do agree with you DHonks in that his delivery is very reminiscent of Randy Johnson's.

On Aiken, if he does have TJ, I don't see the Brewers getting involved with that kind of player. That said, they showed a more aggressive approach with their picks last year, but I see a team with multiple early picks (earlier than the Brewers first 2 picks) being more likely to take the risk on an injured pitcher like the Blue Jays did last year with Jeff Hoffman.

One of our scouts (Jheremy Brown) was at Dillon Tate's start yesterday and provides his report + video here: http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=11022 And you can access all of the videos of college players our scouts have taken so far this spring, a list that will be continually updated: http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=11016

If you haven't heard Brady Aiken threw only 14 pitches today for IMG Academy. We had one of our scouts at his game who provides notes and video of his performance: http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=11017

I don't, sorry. I did when it was first told to me a few weeks ago, but I'm sure this story will re-surface this spring. If I get the names again I'll try to remember to share them here. Tate is legit. He was already highly ranked coming into the season, but yes, his transition to starter has really elevated his draft stock. Super athletic, easy arm + easy velo and 3 pretty good pitches highlighted by his mid-90s fastball that has touched as high as 98 this spring. We have several notes on Tate in our weekend recap features. Another name to keep an eye on is Mitchell Traver. Big kid, like 6-7, 230 or so. Missed almost all of his first two years in college due to TJ surgery during his freshman year at TCU. He's had back-to-back dominant outings and is expected to be moved up to Friday's start this week against USC. Pitches downhill with a 93-94 fastball that touches higher to go along with a hard-biting breaking ball and an improving changeup. And his command has been solid (I think he's only allowed 1-2 walks in 16-18 innings so far this spring). If you're able to look past the injury past he has the ingredients as a legit top 5-10 overall pick, and obviously how he fares the rest of the way will be critical in how teams view him. Big-time upside as a big, power arm. Oh yeah, and he's a Packers fan. I believe he was born in Wisconsin before moving to the Houston area.

Abreu and Collins are both sophomores and aren't eligible until 2016. As for Aiken, keep in mind the Astros have to get his permission to draft him again, and it's safe to say that Aiken will say no based on how the Astros handled that. In addition, Aiken's agent, Casey Close, represents something like 6 of the top 10 guys, of which I'm sure they'll be telling the Astros, who have 2 picks in the top 10, not to bother with any of them. That definitely left a sour taste in a lot of people's mouths, and that's putting it lightly.

narwal, read this. Bickford has a special fastball regardless of the radar gun reading: http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=10880 TheCrew07, thanks for sharing that. Montgomery has definitely targeted some big arms while with the D-Backs.

I haven't read the whole thread, but here are some reports on the players included in this trade from BP and PG: Sardinas from the 2009 PG National Showcase: Luis Sardinas is a free agent SS with a 6'0'', 150 lb. frame from Puerto Ordan, Venezuela who attends Zulai HS. Very lean, loose build. Very easy infield actions, glides effortlessly, very loose sure hands, quick release charging, arm strength presently short. Switch-hitter, busy load, run and slash swing, short to ball, good extension out front, handles the bat head, quick out of box, battled hard vs. Jameson Taillon. BP report on Rangers top prospects after 2012 season: 5. Luis Sardinas Position: SS DOB: 05/16/1993 Height/Weight: 6’1’’ 150 lbs. Bats/Throws: B/R Drafted/Acquired: International free agent, 2009, Venezuela 2012 Stats: .291/.346/.356 at Low-A Hickory (96 games) The Tools: 6+ potential hit; 6 arm; 7 glove; 7 run What Happened in 2012: Finally healthy, Sardinas started to live up to his amateur hype, advancing to a full-season level and finishing the year as one of the youngest prospects in the Arizona Fall League. Strengths: Very good athlete; shows a fluid swing from both sides of the plate; very contact oriented, but good bat speed and line-drive ability; hit tool has easy plus potential; 7 run; true shortstop; plus glove, with ultra smooth actions; plus arm; plus overall profile at position. Weaknesses: Has had trouble staying on the field; slight frame/narrow; has been unable to add much weight/strength to frame; left-handed swing is more slappy/produces less punch; might be empty average hitter. Overall Future Potential: 6; first-division player Explanation of Risk: High risk; injury history with both shoulders; limited professional record. Fantasy Future: Has the potential to hit for a high average and steal bases; profiles as a true shortstop at the highest level. The Year Ahead: It often gets forgotten that Sardinas has an even better defensive profile than fellow J2 classmate Jurickson Profar, with slick actions and a very strong arm. He’s been sidetracked with assorted injuries, but a healthy Sardinas is a serious player and he could be ready for another step forward in 2013. People will pay to watch this kid pick it at short, and if he can add some much needed strength and stability to his frame, his easy and fluid swing can pack a little more punch and give him another dimension at the plate. Major league ETA: 2015 From BP after 2013 season: 4. Luis Sardinas Position: SS DOB: 05/19/1993 Height/Weight: 6’1” 150 lbs. Bats/Throws: B/R Drafted/Acquired: International free agent, 2009, Venezuela Previous Ranking: #5 (Org), #86 (Top 101) 2013 Stats: .259/.286/.311 at Double-A Frisco (29 games), .298/.358/.360 at High-A Myrtle Beach (97 games) The Tools: 7 run; 6 arm; 6 glove; 6 potential hit What Happened in 2013: After several years of developmental setbacks and struggles, Sardinas was finally able to build on a strong season with another strong season, finishing the year in Double-A and flashing all the tools that made him one of the premier signings back in 2009. Strengths: Slick defender at shortstop; arm is easy plus; actions are smooth and easy; impact potential; run is plus-plus; contact ability from both sides of the plate; excellent bat-to-ball ability; good plan of attack at the plate. Weaknesses: Limited physical projection (strength); narrow hips/shoulders; injury history leads to durability concerns; well below-average power; slick defender, but lack of focus can lead to casual errors; work ethic and intensity have been questioned. Overall Future Potential: 6; first-division player Realistic Role: Low 5; second-division player/utility Risk Factor/Injury History: Moderate risk; injuries to both shoulders on resume Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: The speed is the distinguishing factor here, but despite a strong fantasy profile, his lack of any semblance of pop (four homers in 262 career minor-league games) will keep a bit of an anchor on his upside. He’s also slightly team dependent as his profile is way more valuable at the top of a lineup than the bottom. The Year Ahead: Sardinas held his own in his 29-game Double-A sample, and a return trip to the level will answer more questions about the overall quality of his bat. Based on conversations with other teams, Sardinas is a highly coveted prospect, mostly on the back of his legit plus defensive profile at short. Add to the mix his plus-plus speed and his contact ability from both sides of the plate and you get a promising player, one who could become a 1980s throwback type, a la Tony Fernandez. Major league ETA: 2015 Sardinas, PG Before They Were Pros series: Rougned Odor – 2B, Luis Sardinas – SS Every year a handful of top international prospects make it to the States to play in select Perfect Game events and further showcase themselves to the scouting community. In 2009, young Venezuelan infielders Rougned Odor and Luis Sardinas were among them. Each played at the 2009 Perfect Game National Showcase and Odor stayed around to play in the WWBA 17u and 18u National Championships as well. Sardinas had turned 17-years-old in May and his age fit squarely into the 2010 draft class he was playing with at the Metrodome. Odor was eight months younger, though, and would have been a member of the 2011 class if he attended a high school in the United States. Despite the age difference, Odor was clearly the more polished player at the time both offensively and defensively. His lefthanded bat and his overall skills stood out more than his athleticism. Here is the report filed after the National Showcase: Left handed hitter, straight stance, good balance, busy hands, simple swing approach, good bat speed, smooth extension out front, line drive plane, squares it up well, hard contact, gap power. Smooth and easy infield actions, quick first step, works through the ball well, charges aggressively, good arm strength with carry, footwork still developing. Nice looking young athlete with skills. The PG scout notes from the 17u and 18u National Championships were just as enthusiastic: Can really play defense, strong arm, great actions at SS, aggressive hitter, quick hands, some pop, good balance and patience, big prospect if he gets stronger Sardinas had a very slender and physically immature build at 6-foot, 150-pounds. He ran a 6.83 sixty and had a slashing swing from the left side that got him out of the box quickly enough to run a 3.96-second home-to-first time. His righthanded swing had more strength to it at that time, although his highlight of the showcase might have been squarely lining a 95 mph fastball from Jameson Taillon up the middle for a hit. Sardinas’ easy middle infield actions also stood out. Here is his report from the National: Very lean, loose build. Very easy infield actions, glides effortlessly, very loose sure hands, quick release charging, arm strength presently short. Switch-hitter, busy load, run and slash swing, short to ball, good extension out front, handles the bat head, quick out of box, battled hard vs. Jameson Taillon. In retrospect, and looking at just their showings in the United States, Odor looked like the better prospect at the time. He wasn’t the defender at shortstop that Sardinas was, but he still was a middle infield athlete with skills. His bat however, was better than Sardinas', and he had a quiet maturity to his game that was easy to notice. Sardinas had the build and athleticism to project and dream on but had further to go despite being the older player. At the time the Rangers clearly thought Sardinas the better prospect and signed him for a $1.5 million bonus. Odor signed his first professional contract for a relatively modest $425,000. Both look like very sound investments today. – David Rawnsley Knebel BP report after 2013 season: 5. Corey Knebel Position: RHP DOB: 11/26/1991 Height/Weight: 6’3” 195 lbs Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: 1st round, 2013 draft, University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX) Previous Ranking: NA 2013 Stats: 0.87 ERA (31 IP, 14 H, 41 K, 10 BB) at Low-A West Michigan The Tools: 7 FB; 7 potential CB What Happened in 2013: Knebel wasted little time after signing, shoving in the Midwest League before making a nine-game cameo in the Arizona Fall League. Strengths: Big fastball; delivered on steep plane; velocity works easy in the 93-97 range; power pitch; hard curve can be true hammer; thrown in the low 80s with big snap and depth; can turn over decent cambio; late-innings approach/mentality. Weaknesses: Makeup concerns; emotions can get the better of him; fastball lacks big movement; can flatten out when he works up; more control than command. Overall Future Potential: High 5; late-innings reliever (closer) Realistic Role: 5; late-innings reliever (setup) Risk Factor/Injury History: Low risk; mature arsenal Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: The leader in the clubhouse for Tigers’ closer of the future, Knebel could be an impact reliever at the major-league level and soon. The slider should keep him racking up strikeouts, but with his value being so role dependent (and the Tigers’ willingness to reach outside the organization to fill the closer role), he shouldn’t be high up on your dynasty draft boards. The Year Ahead: Knebel is a natural late-innings arm, with a power arsenal and aggressive approach to execution. The makeup should be a legit concern, as immaturity has been a red flag since his college days. But the stuff is there to develop into a major-league caliber closer, and if he can channel his emotions without losing the intensity he brings to the table, he could move fast and contribute to the major-league team in 2014. Major league ETA: Late 2014 PG Knebel pre-draft report in 2013: 50. COREY KNEBEL, rhp, University of Texas (Jr.) It’s very possible to follow the greater fortunes of the Texas Longhorns baseball program by looking at the snapshot of their closer and top prospect, Corey Knebel. In 2011, the Longhorns went 49-19 and Knebel was the best reliever in the country as a freshman, going 3-2, 1.13 with 19 saves, only allowing 40 baserunners in 55 innings while being used in an expanded traditional closer’s role. In 2012, with Texas fighting weekly to earn a NCAA tournament berth, Knebel was ridden hard, going 4-5, 2.08, with 7 saves while throwing an eye opening 73 innings, and he even started three games. In 2013, with Texas struggling to a 22-20 record and an NCAA berth increasingly less likely, Knebel has thrown only 36 innings, going 3-3, 2.75, with 7 saves, while striking out 46 hitters and allowing only 24 hits. Moving on from the team aspect, Knebel has solidified his draft standing among the scouting community this spring and could be a first round pick to a team that is looking for immediate return on their investment. His fastball has generally stayed in the 94-98 mph range all spring, with a powerful low-80s curveball that is a plus secondary pitch. While there has been past speculation that Knebel could develop as a starter if given a chance, despite his somewhat high effort delivery, the reason that most scouts don’t go in that direction is because Knebel simply has a closer’s mindset, with no fear of any situation and a hunger to get the ball every day possible.

Next year's draft isn't a very good one for catching, as there are only 3 ranked among our top 100 prospects for next year, and two of them (Wyatt Cross at 79 and Garrett Wolforth at 98) are closer to 100 than where the Brewers pick. Chris Betts, who Todd mentioned earlier, may be a good overall fit for the Brewers. He's not as impressive defensively as Cross, who is one of the best prep catchers defensively to ever come out of the draft, and Wolforth, who has a big-time arm, but he's good enough to stick there for the foreseeable future. His calling card is his left-handed bat with exciting power potential and overall offensive upside. That said, Cross would be an interesting pick for either their comp pick or their second rounder. While he's not as polished at the plate as Betts, his size and swing from the left hand side of the plate give him intriguing upside for the position, and as alluded to, his defense is not going to slow his development. High school catchers of course are one of, if not the most risky draft demographic, in the first round. Although I wouldn't narrow my pick to any one position, I do agree that catcher is a system-wide need (except for at the very top of course).

I'm not trying to take anything away from these reports, but scouts meet with all of the top players during the winter offseason. If the Brewers weren't visiting with the likes of Kyle Molnar and Alonzo Jones they would have some serious problems with their scouting staff. I know some area scouts have a quota of home visits they have to make during the winter months, since there isn't much else to do, as it gives the scouts an excellent opportunity to get a feel for the player off of the baseball field (and their families).