4/25/10

Revised Ranking: Top 25 Third Basemen in 2010 MLB Draft

1. Zack Cox – Arkansas – draft-eligible sophomore… 3B tools and excellent bat speed… has had back problems.



7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .388, 7-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game

7-25 fr. www.baseballamerica.com: - The fans and dozens of scouts were treated to strong pitching and a two-hit, two-RBI day by Cotuit third baseman Zack Cox (Arkansas), who was named the game's offensive MVP for the victorious West squad. "What you saw tonight is Zack Cox: Most of his hits are up the middle or the other way," said Roberts, who coaches Cox at Cotuit. "If he has one thing he'd like to do better down the road it's on certain pitches he'd like to turn on them better. But he's what I'd call a country Enos Slaughter. He's a country slasher, and he understands hitting."

8-2: from 6-16 article www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com: A freshman this season, Cox will be draft-eligible as a sophomore in 2010. He has battled a bad back this spring, but seemed to be loosening up and getting into a hitting rhythm as the Razorbacks tore through the postseason. Cox has third-base tools with plenty of bat speed to profile him to produce above-average power down the road. He's shown the ability to catch up to good fastballs and needs to learn to trust his hands to handle offspeed stuff.

9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 8. Zack Cox, 3b Arkansas

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #29 pick overall - Zack Cox, 3B – Arkansas - Cox is a draft eligible sophomore and will have a ton of leverage when it comes to signing. This is why I have him down here to Boston where money is not a problem. I think Cox will eventually sign but the power hitting 3B could go right down to the wire.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 8. Houston Astros – Zack Cox, 3B, Arkansas – (1st 3B picked in draft) - Cox is the best draft-eligible sophomore in the 2010 class, and he’s arguably the best overall hitter in the entire class. A lefty in the box, he’s got plus power and hit tools, but he’s lacking a bit in the pitch recognition and plate discipline departments. The big question he’ll look to answer in the spring is whether he can stick at third base, as some see him as a first baseman with hard hands and below-average third base range. His arm is a plus, so I’d give him every chance to play at third as long as he’s hitting.



10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 13. Zach Cox – 2nd 3Bman on list

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #11 – (1st 3B picked) - Zack Cox

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 18- 3B Zack Cox (2nd 3B on list)

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #7 - Zack Cox, 3B – Arkansas - The Mets have to take the best player available at this point. There farm system is weak and needs everything. Cox is a good start. (1st 3B on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 11.Toronto Blue Jays- Zach Cox, 3B, Arkansas - Cox, a draft eligible sophomore, might just be the best hitter in the draft after Harper. He is a power left handed bat that the Blue Jays need in the system. Some have questions about the defense, but Cox should be able to stay at third base. (1st 3B picked)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 9. San Diego -- Zack Cox, 3B, Univ. of Arkansas (Soph.). Cox could be expensive to pry away from his junior year, but as one of the top pure hitters in the draft (after a breakout summer on the Cape), a successful statistical spring could put him squarely in SDN's sights if he's still on the board.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #14 - Milwaukee Brewers Zack Cox (IF, Arkansas) (2nd 3B on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 10 Athletics Zack Cox 3B NCAA

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 11th Overall – The Toronto Blue Jays - Zack Cox (3B), Arkansas - A draft eligible sophomore, Cox also happens to be one of the top hitters in the college class. Cox has a quick swing that allows him to make contact, but he also has plus power that will allow him to drive the ball out of the park. However, he is a free swinger and will have to improve his plate discipline if he’s to hit for an acceptable average and draw walks. He’s an athletic defender with good hands, range and an arm to play third. Overall, Cox shows quite a bit of potential, and he’ll likely be a solid fit for Toronto (Brett Wallace isn’t a third baseman guys.)

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 11. Toronto Blue Jays- Zach Cox, 3B, Arkansas - Cox, a draft eligible sophomore, might just be the best hitter in the draft after Harper. He is a power left handed bat that the Blue Jays need in the system. Some have questions about the defense, but Cox should be able to stay at third base.



1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #9 Toronto Zack Cox 3B Arkansas 6'0" 215 L,R



1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - #19 Detroit Tigers (just kidding, it’s now the Houston Astros): 3B Zack Cox – Arkansas - It feels almost dirty not giving Detroit a hard throwing high school righthander, especially in a year with plenty of worthy candidates at this spot. Allie and Whitson both could be possibilities, as could college righthanders Hahn, Workman, and Matt Harvey. Luckily, I can now guarantee Detroit won’t be picking a hard throwing righty in this spot. No way, no how. Now I’m looking for players that would make sense for Houston that won’t screw up any picks later in the first round. Zack Cox makes some sense, but the added leverage the draft-eligible sophomore has makes me a little leery of keeping in this spot. LeVon Washington maybe? Could Ed Wade overrule Bobby Heck’s team of scouts and demand a guy like Kevin Jacob here? They’ve had some success with two-way players before, so maybe Bryce Brentz could fit?

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 5. Cleveland Indians – Zack Cox, 3B, Arkansas – This is a tough pick to handicap. The Indians went with a clear best player available pick in 2009 with Alex White, and they paid over slot for the first time in a few years. Some might argue that Cox is just more of the Beau Mills/Lonnie Chisenhall picking from the past, but Cox has the highest upside of any college bat in this draft. His price tag may be a bit high as a draft-eligible sophomore, but I don’t expect him to get much more than slot at such a high pick. This pick could be similar in fashion to picks by Pittsburgh and Baltimore from a year ago, saving some budget money for later rounds. Previously: #8.

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - #19 Houston Astros: 3B Zack Cox – Arkansas - It feels almost dirty not giving Detroit a hard throwing high school righthander, especially in a year with plenty of worthy candidates at this spot. Allie and Whitson both could be possibilities, as could college righthanders Hahn, Workman, and Matt Harvey. Luckily, I can now guarantee Detroit won’t be picking a hard throwing righty in this spot. No way, no how. Now I’m looking for players that would make sense for Houston that won’t screw up any picks later in the first round. Zack Cox makes some sense, but the added leverage the draft-eligible sophomore has makes me a little leery of keeping in this spot. LeVon Washington maybe? Could Ed Wade overrule Bobby Heck’s team of scouts and demand a guy like Kevin Jacob here? They’ve had some success with two-way players before, so maybe Bryce Brentz could fit?

3-10 from: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2010/03/10/ranking-the-razorbacks-10-draft-prospects - Zack Cox, 3B/2B (5/9/89) - Cox, has a relatively short track record in college ball. He opened a lot of eyes last summer in the Cape Cod League but he's still a guy who put up a well-below-average strikeout rate during his first season with the Razorbacks (28.9% over 225 PA). Steve Carter analyzed Cox's swing for me before I got my first glimpse of him. Carter pointed out how Cox's swing was largely driven by his shoulders and front side. He noted that such a swing would leave a hitter in a poor position to adjust to breaking balls. Cox took more than a few ugly swings -- like the one to the right -- against breaking balls last weekend. A solid defender at third base -- he's below-average at second -- Cox has made a lot of progress over the last year. He appears to be making a conscious effort to adjust his swing and approach in hopes of making more contact than last season. To date this has resulted in fewer strikeouts and more contact but a decline in power. Cox is much more balanced than he was in high school and as a freshman. He didn't take any swings where his back leg flew out behind him as shifted his weight, something he's done in the past. I was impressed with the opposite-field power I saw from him during batting practice. And he has a pretty good eye to go with some patience. He just has more adjustments to make than I'd want from a guy who I was thinking of spending a million dollars on. Right now, I wouldn't touch Cox in the first round. But his elite bat speed and potential to play solid defense at third base still make him one of the 100 draft-eligible talents in the nation.

4-2 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=2050 - Zack Cox, 3b, Arkansas - "Cox is another one who's going to have to hit. He's certainly not your prototype at second base or third base—I've seen him at both spots this year. Some of his stuff has gone a little bit backwards for him since high school. His arm strength has gone a little backwards, but he's always going to be a fringy fielder. His hands are fine, balls hit to him are OK, he's got slow feet, his range should be good enough for third base. The thing that I can't figure out with him is he goes out and hits .260 with 15 home runs or whatever for Arkansas last spring and then he goes out to the Cape and hits .340 with no power and now he comes back this year and what's he hitting? [.414/.516/.606 with nine extra-base hits.]"He's strong, he's a real strong kid. You watch him in BP and he can launch balls. But it seems like he has to make a tradeoff. Either he's going to hit for power or he's going to hit for average and I'm not certain that he can do both. The thing that concerns me about his swing is that he has a lot of head movement in his swing. He starts off with his head upright—a fairly standard look—but when he's actually making contact, his left ear's touching his shoulder. He's figured it out against college pitching, but I'm concerned about as he gets more advanced. I think he is going to hit and he's a good prospect, but we'll see how everything goes signability-wise and how all that plays into it. But he's a hard-working kid, good kid, that can swing the bat a bit and I think he'll play third base enough to stick there."

4-15 from http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_midseason_thirdbase.html - Zack Cox, Sophomore, Univ. of Arkansas entered the season as the top rated bat on the PnR Top 300 and has put together a nice first half of the season, doing nothing to lose that ranking. Perhaps most impressive thus far has been how well Cox is hitting good pitching. Courtesy of www.collegesplits.com, through April 9th Cox is doing the bulk of his damage on Fridays and Saturdays, slashing .517/.571/.690 and .483/.571/.724, respectively. He experienced no fall-off as he entered SEC play (through 37 AB, .459/.565/.757) and has shown an ability to control the strikezone and avoid the strikeouts that concerned many entering and through the summer (1.83 BB/SO and a walk every 6.5 PA). The new question for evaluators will be, "Can Cox hit for the power you would expect coming out of the hot corner?" The Razorback third baseman could make their jobs easier by showing some more pop over the next six weeks. You may also start to read rumors of teams thinking about shifting him to second base where power wouldn't be a huge issue.Either way he has solidified himself as a 1st Round talent.

4-20 from: - http://web.goldenspikesaward.com/index.html?page=news_archive&article_id=66 - Zack Cox, a sophomore third baseman for Arkansas, has been red hot during the Razorbacks' 11-game winning streak. Cox has a 12-game hitting streak, and he has registered multiple hits in nine straight games to raise his overall line to .444/.538/.616 with six home runs and 42 RBIs.









2. Nick Castellanos – Archbishop McCarthy HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – 6-4, 205 –



From: www.baseballfactory.com: - One of the top hitters in the 2010 class, Castellanos generates plus bat speed and has legitmate home run power to all fields. He has a tall, broad-shouldered frame similar to Scott Rolen and makes all the plays at 3B with ease. He projects as a middle-of-the-order hitter at any level. We have seen a lot of Nick as he has attended an Under Armour National Tryout, Dodgertown World Series and played in an Under Armour SE Tournament. He also plays for UA Franchise Team, the All-American Prospects. He has verbally committed to the University of Miami.



8-6: From www.baseballamerica.com: - A strong, solid corner infielder, Castellanos can flat out rake. He has a big frame, and is very athletic for his size. Castellanos has a good feel for the game and has a strong arm from the left side of the diamond.

8-9: from www.baseballamerica.com: - Castellanos was the driving force behind Baseball Factory’s win. He went 4-for-4 with four doubles, three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. He hit the ball to all fields, squared it up and also made a very nice play up the third base line to kick the game off.

8-15: from XMLBScout on www.perfectgame.com: I saw him a couple games in Cary and he showed the ability to make solid contact, however, yesterday he appeared to show better on the way speed and if comparing him to anyone currently in the ML, I'd say Zimmerman 3B with the Nats. John moved up several projection charts for 2010 for sure!!

9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 8. Nick Castellanos, 3b Archbishop McCarthy HS, SW Ranches, Fla.

9-26 from: http://www.baseballrumormill.com: - While Bryce Harper and Jameson Taillon dominated the reports from the USA Baseball 18-and-under team trials, a number of lesser-known players also had good performances which landed them on the roster. Nick Castellanos is currently playing third base, but will likely end up at first base as a professional. Nevertheless, Castellanos' hitting was very impressive, pulling the ball and going to opposite field with equal effectiveness.

9-27 from: http://web.usabaseball.com: The USA Baseball 18U National Team logged a seven-run inning for a third consecutive day in a 14-0 run-rule shutout Sunday against Panama in the third day of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Nick Castellanos knocked in the first run with a single off the center field fence.

9-1 from: www.baseballrumormill.com: - The COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships began this past weekend and the 18-and-under squad from Team USA got off to a very hot 3-0 start with wins over Aruba, Argentia and Panama. Three stars stood out offensively for Team USA: Nick Castellanos: Team USA followed up their 14-0 drubbing of Argentina with an identical 14-0 win over Panama on Sunday. Castellanos was the DH in that game and had an impressive 2 for 4 day with a double, two runs scored and three RBI.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 18. Seattle Mariners – Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) – (3rd 3B picked in draft) - Castellanos is the Bobby Borchering to Kris Bryant’s Matt Davidson. Castellanos has the more advanced approach and better advanced game results than Bryant, but the tools seem to currently rest in Bryant’s favor. Castellanos has a good hit tool with good raw power, and the odds are in Castellanos’ favor in terms of staying at third base. All in all, Castellanos would form a good complement to Seattle’s pick of Nick Franklin in 2009. Makes sense to me.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 3. Nick Castellanos - 1st 3Bman on list

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft #22 – (3rd 3B picked) – Nick Castellanos

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 11- 3B Nick Castellanos (1st 3B on list)

11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – Nick Castellanos, 3B - Archbishop McCarthy (FL) - Castellanos has the chance to be power hitter at the next level. His big 6'4 frame provides the projectability to take him this high. His commitment to Miami (FL) may play a factor because I think he could use the college development to go even higher in 2013. (2nd 3B on list)

11-9-9 from www.examiner.com: - Top 15 High School Draft Prospects - 11. Nick Castellanos, 3b
Archbishop McCarthy, SW Ranches, Fla.
College Commitment: Miami - Castellanos is long and athletic with good bat speed and legitimate pull power. (1st 3B on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 17. Tampa Bay Rays- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS(FL) - Castellanos had a big summer to put himself into the mix. He is a pure hitter, and has solid power to all fields. He is a good athlete, and runs well for being 6'4. (2nd 3B picked)

11-18 from www.macksmets.blogspot.com: - 22. 3B Nick Castellanos – the best of a weak crop of third basemen. (1st 3B on list)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 20. Atlanta -- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL). Castellanos has easy plus raw power and one of the prettiest swings in the draft class. The Braves could jump on the power prospect if his bat is still around here.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #22 - Texas Rangers Nick Castellanos (3B, Cooper City, Florida) (3rd 3B on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 17 Rays Nick Castellanos 3B High School

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 21st Overall – The Minnesota Twins - Nick Castellanos (3B), Florida High School - Castellanos is another prep prospect gaining some early traction. Right now, Castellanos is highly regarded for his ability to hit. He shows the ability to make solid contact, and displays a patient approach at the plate. Castellanos also projects to hit for plus power as he fills out. However, there is also a concern that he’ll not be long at third base as he matures, due to the likelihood that he’ll lose speed and range. Still, he is a fairly safe here. It’s difficult to tell where the Twins will go, so Castellanos will slot here for now.

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 17. Tampa Bay Rays- Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS(FL)- Castellanos had a big summer to put himself into the mix. He is a pure hitter, and has solid power to all fields. He is a good athlete, and runs well for being 6'4.



1-7-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com : #10 Oakland Athletics: 3B Nick Castellanos – Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) - Arguably the best high school position player in this year’s class winds up joining up with one of baseball’s premier farm systems. Castellanos is the first high school bat off the board for a lot of reasons. He reminds me a lot of Josh Vitters, but with easier to project power potential and a better, more professionally approach at the plate. So, he is like Vitters, a former third overall pick in the draft, but better in the two biggest areas of concern on his game. He’s Super Vitters.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #18 Seattle Nick Castellanos 3B Archbishop McCarthy HS, Fl. 6'4" 200 R,R

1-15-0 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: - 18. Los Angeles Angels – Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL) – Interestingly enough, I had Castellanos going in this slot when the Mariners owned it back in October. There’s been plenty of speculation that Castellanos has pushed himself into the top ten, but that’s a bit much when the defensive concerns are more present than ever. Castellanos might be a first baseman acting as a third baseman right now, so his plus bat takes a bit of back seat when thinking about drafting prep first basemen. The Angels have multiple early picks, so taking a chance here wouldn’t hurt them too much, as Castellanos could easily hit himself into being an asset anywhere on the diamond. Previously: #18.

3-24 from: http://pnrscouting.com/articles_stockwatch_2010class_10onthrerise_03232010.html - Stock Watch: Ten on the Rise (2010 Draft Class) - Nick Castellanos, SS, Archbishop McCarthy HS (Fla.) (#16 on PnR Preseason Top 300): With the general shortage of true impact college bats in this year's class, the top high school bats could see their value bump-up higher than you might usually see. This means players like Castellanos and Josh Sale (OF, Bishop Blanchet HS (Wa.)) potentially moving-up boards as college hitters fail to establish elite status. Castellanos was our top rated high school bat entering the season, and has hit well in his first thirteen games. Though there isn't much room left for him to rise, he could end-up in the top ten overall selections if he continues to show potential for a plus hit tool and plus power tool, regardless of some of the questions about whether he can stick at third base.

4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL): I think I was a little early to the Castellanos bandwagon, as there wasn’t true scouting consensus about his value entering the spring. Some teams saw him as first round material, while others saw a future first baseman without enough raw power for the position. While the answers about his fielding haven’t been answered definitively, Castellanos has flat-out hit this spring. He is showing an advanced eye, plus raw power, and a plus hit tool, and he should be a middle of the order force in the long run. He’s gone from possible late first rounder to possible mid first rounder, and that’s agreed upon more now than it was a couple months ago.

4-20 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com - Archbishop McCarthy High School, SS - Although Castellanos lacks the defensive acumen to play shortstop professionally, his bat is still strong enough to fit at third base. Castellanos has very strong hands and wrists, so even though he still has an 18-year-old's build, he can generate power now. Whatever team drafts him will likely do so to play third base or even possibly a corner outfielder if necessary. His bat projects to hit for average and power when he reaches his mid-20s.





3. Kris Bryant – Bonanza HS, Las Vegas

8-19: Jeff Sullivan from the AFLAC Games: - Power is his calling card. He is a giant at the plate, at 6’5,205 and he generates a ton of power in his swing. Bryant went 0-2 with a walk in the game, but the days before is where he shined. It was great to watch him during BP as he makes it look almost too easy to hit for that much power. He has a solid arm across the diamond and should be able to stay at third base as he moves up during his career.

9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 7. Kris Bryant, 3b Bonanza HS, Las Vegas

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #26 pick overall - Kris Bryant, 3B - Bonanza HS (NV) - When you are 6'5, have good range, and hit for power you will find yourself in the first round. This is Kris Bryant. In a draft very weak on corner infield talent Bryant could go even higher than this. Right now he is committed to go to the University of San Diego but I expect to see him in the minor leagues.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 11. Toronto Blue Jays – Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS (NV) – (2nd 3B picked in draft) - It’s tough to predict this pick, along with Padres’, as they’re both in the middle of front office transition, and a GM hasn’t been named. However, teams usually keep a good number of their scouts for at least the next season, so I’m going at least partly off of history. Bryant’s got the power bat Toronto’s been searching for in the minors since Kevin Ahrens hasn’t panned out. He might be a first baseman in the long run, but if Bryant proves he can handle himself with the wood bat before June, teams won’t care. His raw power is that good. He’s probably a first round pick with a good spring, and he might even go higher than this with an offensive explosion.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #43 - Kris Bryant – 4th SS on list

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #25 – (4th 3B picked) – Kris Bryant

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 43- 3B Kris Bryant (4th 3B on list)

*11-3 from www.mlbresource.com: 3rd Mock draft – #25 - Kris Bryant, 3B - Bonanza (NV) - This is two mock drafts in a row that I have St. Louis taking Bryant. I feel this kid is the real deal and if the Cardinals can do anything to keep him from going to San Diego they got to do it. (3rd 3B on list)

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 24. San Francisco Giants- Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS(NV) - Bryant is a true power hitter. The giants are lacking the big bat in the lower levels, and Bryant would quickly become the best option. He is a fantastic hitter, but the defense is a question. Some think his ultimate destination might be first base. (3rd 3B picked)

11-20 from www.draftamerica.com: - 24. San Francisco -- Kris Bryant, 3B/1B, Bonanza HS (NV). The Giants love big bats and Bryant has one of the biggest in the high school ranks.

11-23 from www.deepleagues.com: - #32 - Tampa Rays Kris Bryant (3B, Las Vegas Nevada) (4th 3B on list)

12-15 from www.5tooltalk.com: Mock Draft – 1st round: - 30 Angels Kris Bryant 3B High School

1-7-9: Morisato's 2010 MLB Mock Draft - Version 1.0 - 24th Overall – The San Francisco Giants - Kris Bryant (SS/3B), Nevada High School - The Giants have loaded up on pitching these past couple of drafts, but they’ll be out of most of the top prep arms in this draft. While they could go for a quick fix, my guess is that Sabean will continue his newfound appreciation for the draft and add a solid prep. Bryant the opposite of Castellanos. Bryant has the potential to stay at third base, where he shows a strong arm and solid range. He also shows lots of power right now. He isn’t quite the hitter Castellanos is, but overall he’ll provide more value, especially if he’s able to remain at third.

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 24. San Francisco Giants- Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS(NV) - Bryant is a true power hitter. The giants are lacking the big bat in the lower levels, and Bryant would quickly become the best option. He is a fantastic hitter, but the defense is a question. Some think his ultimate destination might be first base.



1-1-9 update: - -Guys with sinking draft stock currently include Kris Bryant, Yasmani Grandal, Drew Pomeranz, and Kevin Keyes. Keyes was never in the class of the other names here, but with his weight balloon and shift to first base, he’s lost a lot of scouting value.

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #12 Cincinnati Kris Bryant 3B Bonanza HS, Nv. 6'5" 205 R,R

4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Kris Bryant, 3B, Bonanza HS (NV): I always seem to be right when it comes to Bryant, and then I second-guess myself. In my second mock draft, I dropped him from mid-first round potential to the latter part of the supplemental first round, then relented and placed him in the beginning of the supplemental first round with my latest mock, citing some scouts thinking that they can make his transition to wood bats easier than is speculated. Well, that feeling has essentially evaporated, which was my gut feeling entering the spring. Bryant still has one of the most projectable hitting frames in this entire class, along with the best raw power, but the ability to hit with wood against quality velocity is really in question. I mean seriously in question. He’s starting to get the label as a metal bat hitter, and that’s something hitters should avoid at all cost. His hitting this spring is very mechanical and raw, and most scouts now think he’ll head to college, trying to elevate his stock for 2013. This isn’t even getting into the defensive questions, where he faces the same issues as Castellanos, putting more pressure on his hitting. It’s a vicious circle.

4-20 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/4/20/1431880/casing-the-states-nevada#storyjump: - 3B, Bonanza HS, Las Vegas - Bryant came into the year as easily the top prospect in the state of Nevada, but that's more up for debate as of mid-April. A San Diego commit, Bryant plays off of a pair of plus tools in his power and his arm, but the rest of his tools are more questionable. He's a below-average runner with below-average range, and there's a growing camp that sees him as a long-term first baseman. At the plate, a lot of scouts have been openly questioning his ability to hit with a wood bat after some struggles over the summer, which have bled into the spring. He struggles to consistently square balls, and he also struggles with pitch recognition, leading to most scouts thinking he'll be a poor pro hitter for average with a ton of strikeouts to boot. Those negatives aside, though, Bryant's raw power is almost unequaled in the prep class, and if it weren't for Bryce Harper being in the state, he'd easily have the Best Power honors for Nevada. Projected Draft Range: 2nd-5th Round





4. Jedd Gyoko – West Virginia – Junior – 5-10, 195… played SS in 2008… played 3B in 2009 Cape Cod League… hits for average and power… excellent middle fielder in past



7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .294, 8-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game

9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 12. Jedd Gyorko, 3b/2b West Virginia

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: 29. Boston Red Sox – Jedd Gyorko, 3B/2B, West Virginia – (4th 3B picked in draft) - Gyorko’s a questionable first-rounder to those that only love pure tools, but his bat is a legitimate first-round weapon in my book. He’s got a plus hit tool and decent raw power, and I think Gyorko could be a solid all-around infielder. Whether he’s a second baseman or third baseman isn’t a big deal, as his bat will play at either spot, but the Red Sox would probably only go for him at the third base spot. He fits perfectly into the Boston style of hitting, and I can easily see a match here.

10-8 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia - I’ve gone back and forth on whether to list Gyorko as a second baseman or third baseman, and I think I’ve settled here…for now. He’s got a plus hit tool with some good raw power, and he could turn out to be one of the best hitters from this draft class. He has a college approach to hitting and will be picked on the bat alone. Projected draft position: Late-first to mid-second round.

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #21 – (2nd 3B picked) – Jedd Gyorko

*11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 21- 3B Jedd Gyorko (3rd 3B on list)

11-20 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - ranked the 61st top college player

1-4: named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team as named by a vote of conference coaches: - Player of the Year: Jedd Gyorko, Jr., SS, West Virginia - SS Jedd Gyorko, Jr., WVU -.421 BA, 8 HR, 58 RBIs

1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #36 Jedd Gyorko 2B West Virginia 5'10" 195 R,R

4-14 from: - http://pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_midseason_secondbase.html - Jedd Gyorko, Junior, West Virginia Univ. had a strong showing on the Cape and has hit reasonably well this year, as well, slashing .359/.452/.725. He has also shown the ability to drive the ball with a strong, stocky trunk, but tends to sacrifice some contact ability when he does so. The biggest shortcoming holding-up his value may be that he doesn't really fit anywhere in the infield (he's a shortstop at WVU). He may lack the arm strength and power profile to play third at the next level, and footwork and range could potentially be an issue at second base. For now, he sticks as a top five second baseman, but he could stand to up his defensive game some in the coming months, including crisper actions at short (particularly in his set-ups and throws). Each player's preseason ranking on this list is in parenthesis, green indicating upward movement, red downward and blue neutral:





5. Victor Sanchez – San Diego – 6-2, 180, R/R – was drafted 25th by Cubs in 2007… lots of raw power… 12 HRs as freshman… injured most of sophomore year… shortstop in high school…

7-21: Fr. http://baseballdraftreport.com: - My favorite of that group (of 3Bmen) and minor sleeper come draft day is Victor Sanchez from California.

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: has pop in his bat and body to fill out, 15-20 type HR power, solid ML arm, runs ok, better between the bases, glove can play at 3b, future might be 2b.

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1.0 – 30th pick overall - Victor Sanchez, 3B - San Diego

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – 40. Victor Sanchez - 3rd 3Bman on list

10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - 3B Victor Sanchez - Sanchez seems like he is getting lost in the shuffle as another formerly highly touted high school prospect who has battled injuries and inconsistency at the college level.

11-2 from www.perfectgame.com: - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 25- 3B Vic Sanchez (4th 3B on list)

*11-4 from: www.baseballamerica.com: - Injuries torpedoed San Diego's 2009 season, but the Toreros have good news on the injury front this fall. Junior third baseman Victor Sanchez has fully recovered from the shoulder injury that cut short his sophomore year

11-17 from www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com: - 28.Los Angeles Dodgers- Victor Sanchez, 3B, San Diego - Sanchez was a top prospect in HS too, but he has only improved since going to USD. With a big year, Sanchez will move right up the draft boards. (4th 3B picked)

2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – www.jjscouting.com - 28. Los Angeles Dodgers- Victor Sanchez, 3B, San Diego - Sanchez was a top prospect in HS too, but he has only improved since going to USD. With a big year, Sanchez will move right up the draft boards.



1-1-9 from www.draftsite.com: - #51 Pittsburgh Victor Sanchez 3B San Diego 6'2" 180 R,

1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - #27 Philadelphia Phillies: 3B Victor Sanchez – San Diego - As a Phillies fan, I can’t help but wonder if sometimes I lean closer towards wishful thinking than objective analysis when it comes time to making a pick for the hometown team. I probably have no business giving the Phillies a college bat in the first round, but, really, I probably have no business making any of these guesses and you’re still reading all the way down here at pick 27, right?

In order for Sanchez to go in the first he is going to have to put together a big junior year. Now that’s true of just about any guy on the mock, doubly so for any player projected to go here at the back end of the first, but Sanchez is facing a more critical 2010 season than most after missing the majority of the 2009 season with a shoulder injury. He’ll need to build on his strong 2009 start if he wants to showcase his considerable talents. At his best Sanchez displays plus raw power, a good offensive approach, and enough defensive abilities to stick at third long-term.



6. Rob Segedin –

2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - Third Team - 3B Rob Segedin, Tulane

2-9 from www.baseballamerica.com: - 2010 College Preseason All-Americans - 3rd team – 3B Rob Segedin, Tulane So. R-R 6-3 220 .286 .476 .500 14 3 4 0 4 1

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 85th

4-4 from - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?q=Y&a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=4361060202&p=3 - “… you ask about Segedin, he's interesting, not very flashy, one dimensional right now, he puts the ball in play and will hit the middle up fb hard and drive it, he's very vulnerable on stuff outside on the corner, his feet are not quick enough for 3b, his glove is fair, best move to 1b, but again he's not nimble, listed at 6'3 220, he's more like 6'1 plus and 225, R/R, solid average arm, had a triple that he needed oxygen on after he got to 3rd. LOL. Also committed 2 errors and made a spectacular play at the hot corner on a liner thanks to his lack of range though. LOL He's a draft eligible soph and does not for me warrant high round consideration and he's a good student, so my guess is he'll pass this year if drafted, get in some summer ab's with wood and convert to another position or concentrate on pitching perhaps.”





7. Mathew Kirkland –



8. Jake Lamb -



9. Tony Thompson –

*11-9-9 from www.baseballdraftreport.com: - The Huskies feature one of the nation’s most intriguing pair of two-way talents in SO RHP/SS Nick Ahmed (2011) and SO RHP/3B Kevin Vance (2011). Ahmed may have been the hotter name over the summer, but Vance’s stuff is currently a touch better. He has similar velocity to Ahmed (normally sitting 90-92 with the FB), but a better overall breaking ball and plus command give him the overall edge.

12-20 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - voted to the 2nd team NCBWA 2010 All-American Team

2-5: from www.collegebaseball360.com: Baseball America Pre-Season All American team: - Second Team - 3B Tony Thompson, Kansas

2-9 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - Kansas Head Baseball Coach Ritch Price announced Tuesday that junior third baseman Tony Thompson will miss the first few weeks of the regular season due to a leg injury suffered in practice last week. Thompson fouled a pitch off his knee in practice last week and sustained a hairline fracture of his left kneecap. His MRI showed no ligament damage, and his x-rays indicated that the kneecap has a hairline fracture, and no other structural damage. Dr. Jeff Randall, KU Team Physician, is confident that Thompson will be completely healthy within 4-6 weeks. He is receiving treatment from Kansas baseball athletic trainer Ken Wainwright on a daily basis.

2-9 from: www.baseballamerica.com: - 2010 College Preseason All-Americans 2nd team - 3B Tony Thompson, Kansas Jr. R-R 6-4 219 .389 .442 .753 247 58 96 21 82 1



4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Tony Thompson, 3B, Kansas: Count this one as unfair, as Thompson has had little time to come back from a knee injury he suffered before the season. After missing the first 19 games of the season, he’s come back slowly. At the plate, he still has good potential, but he’s struggled early on, a result of a lack of baseball repetitions during his time off. He’s not recognizing pitches enough, getting in bad counts and swinging at bad pitches. His current slash line of .229/.349/.429 so far isn’t indicative of his future potential, but it’s just something to be concerned about. The reason he makes this list is the stiffness at third base he’s shown. His hands have never been praised as plus, but simply as solid, and now he’s slipping slowly past that. His range has been below where it was before the injury, and while I expect him to recover most of it, he could easily have reached the point of regression in terms of his size and agility. Some scouts are thinking he might have to be shifted across the diamond, which really puts pressure on his bat, though I do expect his bat to recover. Thompson was considered a second round candidate before his injury, and he’s looking like a 4th-6th round player right now, though I expect some bounce back.











10. Joey Bergman – College of Charleston senior –

12-5 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: named the 47th top player in the 2010 college season

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 217th





11. Joe Leonard – Pittsburgh



2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 167th



3-10-10 from http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/articles/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=2199 - JOE LEONARD, 3b, Pittsburgh - SCOUTING REPORT/Cal Ripken Sr. League: Most times when scouts look at a 6-foot-5, 220-pound third baseman, they are going to think, “This guy has power, I hope the rest of his game is playable.” With Leonard, the opposite is true. The righthanded hitter has a smooth, crisp swing that is geared to high-contact/high-average, but doesn’t produce much lift. He hit .346-0-25 for the O’s this summer. Leonard has 12 home runs in two years as an everyday starter at Pittsburgh, so there is something there to develop. Defensively, Leonard is surprisingly quick and agile for an athlete his size. He has plus arm strength and has been clocked up to 93 mph on the mound. Some CRSL observers likened Leonard defensively to a young Cal Ripken Jr., given his size, arm strength and agile feet. The irony in that comparison is that Leonard’s father, John, was the Baltimore Orioles’ first-round pick in the secondary phase of the January 1982 draft, and pitched briefly in the organization that year – the same year that Ripken won the American League rookie-of-the-year award.

4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Joe Leonard, 3B, Pittsburgh: I received a question about Leonard in a chat about a month ago, and I answered that most of the questions about Leonard aren’t about his defense, but about his bat. He’s started to answer those questions, and his stock has been rising as a result. He’s putting up a strong .432/.496/.649 slash line so far, while continuing to play above-average defense. There’s also hope for continued development in the power department, as he’s still a tall, skinny hitter at the plate, though he’s matured over the last 12 months in his frame. He’s worked hard on his plate discipline, and while he won’t walk anything more than the league average in the pros, he’s not going to swing at everything like he has sometimes in the past. The doubles he hits now will turn into some homers in the future, and while his ceiling looks like a 15-20 home run slugger in his prime, his defense and hit tools are good enough to make him a league average third baseman in the big leagues. He’s looking at a possible 2nd-3rd round selection now, up from the 4th-6th round level he was looking at entering the season.









12. Michael Olt – Univ. of Connecticut – junior… 2009: both ankle and wrist injuries… .301, 8-HR, 40-RBI in only 38 games…

11-11 from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 69th top college ballplayer

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 174th



13. Chad Lewis – Marina HS (CA) – 6-2, 190, R/R…



8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: one of best power strokes in the tourney, solid ML arm from the corner, moves feet well enough to stay there, reminds me some of Mike Schmidt when I was a kid watching the Phillies.







14. Wade Kirkland –

2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 181st





15. Preston Overbey – University of Jackson HS (Tenn.) –



2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 185th











16. D.J. Peterson – Gilbert HS ((AR.)



2-8 from www.pnrscouting.com: - mock drafted 248th





17. Scott Woodward – Coastal Carolina – 6-1, 200, L/R –



8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: solid player, put himself on the map with solid spring as a freshman in 2008, grades across the board at ave with gamer mentality.

10-19 from www.mlbresource.com - when Coastal Carolina begins it's 2010 season they will know that they can beat teams with their legs. Back for their junior years are speedsters CF Noel Rico (right) and LF Scott Woodward. Rico in 2009 stole 48 bags and Woodward swiped 30 of his own. Not only are the pair covering ground on the bases, but they are tracking down everything that is in the vicinity in the outfield. One AL Scout said "Rico and Woodward remind me of the Tampa Bay Rays outfield because you simply can't get anything to land around them." Both are juniors this season so who knows if this duo comes back in 2011 or will they be trying cover ground in the minor leagues

11-10 from www.rivals.yahoo.com: Just two seasons ago Woodward was one of the nation's biggest names. As only a freshman, the talented third baseman batted .364 with 15 doubles, seven homers and 45 RBIs. He also slugged .533 and had an amazing .540 on-base percentage. Last season, though, as a sophomore, Woodward had injury issues and only played in 41 of Coastal's 63 contests. He batted just .284 with four doubles, a triple, a home run and 19 RBIs. He still managed a .445 on-base percentage. Look for a healthier Woodward to have a huge '10 campaign. Coastal is in business if Woodward returns to his old ways.





18. Jake Smith – Alabama – senior – 2009: .359 18-HR 54-RBI…



10-7 from: - www.mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Jake Smith---3B---The senior out of Shannon, AL has been a valuable asset each year but none will be more needed than in 2010. Smith put up huge numbers in '09 and will asked to repeat to make up for the loss of Matthes from the lineup. Smith last year led the team in hitting with a .359 makr and also chipped in a nice 18 HR.

12-20 from www.thecollegebaseballblog.com: - votoed to the 3rd team NCBWA 2010 All-American Team



19. Joey Kenworthy – Texas Tech – Senior… 5-5, 152, S/R… 2009: .335/.378/.417 in 220 Abs… 17 errors…



20. Ryan Albert – Newport Harbor HS (CA) – 5-11, 170, L/R – raw power… also throws 88-fastball, 76 curve… projects out at third due to his excellent hitting ability…



21. Josh Anderson – Poway HS (CA) – 6-0, 205, R/R – also pitches with 84-87 fastball… well above average tools… but slow…



22. Bryan Soloman – Memorial HS (NJ) – 6-4, 245, R/R – raw power and excellent extension threw contact… also pitches with good command…





23. Matt Perry – Holy Cross – senior… 6-2, 190… 2009: .423, 7-HR, 37-RBI, in 49-G… .491 OBP… named Patriot League Player of the Year

10-24: from www.collegebaseballblog.com: - named the 88th top college player

24. Dan DiBartololeo –WVU junior… 2009: .439, 8-HR, 59-RBI



1-4: named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team as named by a vote of conference coaches: - 3B Dan DiBartolomeo, Jr., WVU -.439 BA, 8 HR, 59 RBIs





25. Brett Weibley:



4-7 from: - http://mlbbonusbaby.com - Brett Weibley, 3B, Kent State: Talk about a rough year. Weibley was a converted third baseman entering the spring, someone who had big closer potential. However, he was still expected to be a possible option at third base, too, as there was some potential in his bat. Not only has Weibley struggled with the bat, he’s probably closed the door to any hitting possibility as a pro. He’s started off at a .228/.302/.421 clip, and he’s now a part-time player. In the bullpen, he’s had a solid season, though with a lot of inconsistency, which is to be expected from a new pitcher. He hasn’t been very hittable, but he hasn’t helped himself with his control, as he hits or walks more than a batter an inning. I guess you can put Weibley’s stock down across the board, and I’ve simply chosen to place him in the corner infield section. Once considered a solid hitter, I see a future relief prospect, and that’s a little disappointing. He’s still a solid fielder with a plus arm, but that won’t be enough to make him more than a one-dimensional relief prospect to scouts.

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