4/26/10

DRAFT: - Kevin Munson, Mark Blackmar, Jake Thompson, Blake Barnes... and Adam Plutko

Kevin Munson:

4-23 from: link  - RHP, James Madison University - Munson's 95-97 MPH heater and nasty slider give him overpowering stuff, though a high-effort delivery and concerns about his durability will likely confine him to relief as a pro. He's done great in that role this spring, with a 0.76 ERA and a 51/17 K/BB in 35 innings for James Madison, allowing only 18 hits with six saves. He is a first-day option for any team looking to add a power arm to their farm system relief corps.

Mark Blackmar:

RHP, Carroll HS, Corpus Christi - 4-21 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/21/1433461/casing-the-states-texas-part-one#storyjump  - Blackmar is actually a solid two-way prospect, but it's looking more and more like he's going to have a better career as a pitcher. What's interesting is that both of Blackmar's parents have made a career out of golfing, his father being Phil Blackmar, a winner of a few PGA events over the course of his career. This Blackmar is fairly new to pitching, having started just last year, but he's come a long way in a short time. He uses a fastball that now sits 87-89, bumping 91-92, and he's getting stronger and more refined with each outing. He has one of the best cutters in the entire prep class, and he pairs that with a fringe-average curveball and changeup. He already has a pretty mature body for strength, so the fact that he's fairly advanced with his pitching is a big strength. He profiles as a solid back-end starter, and even though he's without a major college scholarship so far, he will likely be a late sign for a bigger program. For now, he has a junior college commitment, and he's likely to head to college to continue to learn how to pitch. Projected Draft Range: 10th-20th Round

Jake Thompson:

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/4/23/1437780/25-additional-pitching-prospects  - RHP, Long Beach State University - Thompson has been one of the brighter spots for the 16-17 Dirtbags , though his 4.76 ERA and 50/16 K/BB with 59 hits in 57 innings are just okay, but he's always had a very good arm, with a 90-96 MPH fastball, solid changeup, and erratic-but-promising breaking stuff. This is another guy who hasn't received as much notice as he perhaps deserves, but looks like a candidate for late in the second round or the third round. He might go a notch higher to a team with multiple picks.





Blake Barnes:

RHP, Howard JC - 4-21 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/21/1433461/casing-the-states-texas-part-one#storyjump  - Barnes was a part of the special 2009 Howard squad that went 63-1 and won a national championship. One of only a handful of returnees, he was looking to build on a solid freshman campaign, though he went undrafted due to a desire to return to school for another run at the national championship. However, Barnes went down early in the year with tendinitis, and he just returned to action last week. Before the injury, his velocity was slightly down from the low-90s he's used to throwing, and his command was below-average, making him incredibly hittable, though his control was still solid. His pitches were simply catching too much of the plate. In his return, he seemed to come back to form, throwing 7 strong innings, striking out 11 and allowing only an unearned run. His stuff profiles as a back-end starter, as he adds in a solid-average breaking ball that profiles well for pro ball. He's signed on to play for Oklahoma State next year, and the odds went up that he'll land there when he passed time with the injury. However, he's a solid junior college option for a team looking for signable arms in the late single-digit rounds. Projected Draft Range: 7th-12th Round

Adam Plutko:

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/4/23/1437780/25-additional-pitching-prospects  - RHP, Glendora HS, Upland, California - Overshadowed by other high school pitchers, Plutko throws 88-92 MPH but should get faster as he fills out. He has a good curve but needs to improve his changeup. A UCLA commitment and his relatively rawness compared to other preps could hurt his stock, but if deemed signable he could go late in the second round or in the third.

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