Continuing the series begun last week, this post will serve as sort of a closing-down of the offseason, even though it's only July; tomorrow begins the ACC football previews, which we'll intersperse with various other football-type things as August rolls along.
Connor Jones - RHP
Great Bridge HS (VA)
Drafted: 21st round, San Diego Padres (628th overall)
By virtue of being the best prospect in the state of Virginia and a potential top-5-round pick (had he not committed to a school where signability is a legit concern for MLB scouts) Connor Jones is easily the most well-known member of the class. (Jones, by the way, ended up just five picks behind UVA senior Reed Gragnani.)
Jones was named the top player in the state by just about everyone who did that, and was a very legit pro prospect. He throws a 91-93 fastball that's reported by multiple sources to have a very good sinking action, a highly desirable trait for both college aces and pro prospects. His second best pitch: probably his breaking ball, and he'll probably need to work some on his changeup before he's ready to be ace material.
That he dropped all the way to the 21st round is a function of his announcement that he would not sign in the MLB draft, not his talent; Keith Law rated him the 25th-best prospect in the draft and called him one of the draft's "few premium right-handed prep arms." Obvious comparisons to a right-handed Nathan Kirby go here, as Jones has the same pedigree that Kirby did coming in. Kirby's fastball proved awfully flat and hittable once he got to Charlottesville, and he spent the season making some headway on that but never really cracking the starting rotation. In-stone predictions for Jones, therefore, would probably be unwise, but it's fair to assume he'll start off right in the mix for innings, whether as a starter or reliever. And he appears to have the mental makeup and dedication to improve and succeed, so even with Kirby as a cautionary tale, there's no reason not to be excited about the possibilities.
Austin Nicely - LHP
Spotswood HS (VA)
Drafted: 10th round, Houston Astros (287th overall)
Nicely is a hard thrower for a lefty and would've made a solid left-handed addition to the staff, but we'll have to file him in the could've-been category; Nicely signed with the Astros for about a $610,000 bonus, which was more than $400,000 above his slot.
Daniel Pinero - INF
Western Tech. Inst. (ON)
Drafted: 20th round, Houston Astros (587th overall)
The 'Stros only went 1-for-2 with UVA prospects, though, as Pinero didn't sign with Houston. Pinero is a big guy whose 6'6" size will probably put him at first base sooner or later, though he does prefer shortstop. Pinero is a key part of Canada's junior national team, and in the 18U Pan Am championships in 2011, made the all-tournament team as a first baseman.
Perfect Game has a high opinion of Pinero, rating him a 10 of 10 as a prospect and suggesting that he does have the athleticism to play short or third base. They also mention multiple times his line-drive hitting ability, and between that and his "projectable" frame (he's kind of long and skinny and at 6'6", 200, he could add another 20-30 pounds) he has potential to be exactly the kind of extra-bases hitter that BOC likes in the middle of the lineup. Pinero might be in line for a few at-bats here and there as a first baseman in 2014, and might get a shot at third base as well; shortstop is out of the question with Brandon Cogswell around. Long-term, that height probably consigns him to first base, but there's a great possibility he follows in Jared King's footsteps as a top-notch defender there and reliable hitter as well.
Jack Roberts - RHP
James River HS (VA)
Undrafted
Roberts can talk with Ben Carraway about what it'll be like to follow in the footsteps of an accomplished older brother at UVA; he is not only the younger brother of perfect-game tosser Will Roberts, but a high school teammate of Nathan Kirby as well. With a name like Jack Roberts, he's the clear winner of this year's Hard to Google Award, but he's got a fastball that sits around 89-90 and still on its upward trajectory, and made Rawlings's all-region first team in the mid-Atlantic. Also of importance: Roberts was the Richmond T-D's male scholar-athlete of the year this spring.
Righties will be a bit more plentiful on the roster next year than southpaws, and Roberts will find himself in a fight for innings. It probably won't be til 2015 that he starts to be a major part of the mix, but at a minimum during his career he should provide good, solid depth.
Matt Thaiss - C
Jackson Memorial HS (NJ)
Drafted: 32nd round, Boston Red Sox (953rd overall)
Nate Irving handled so much of the catching load that it's plain he'll do the same next year, and it's not really even clear that he'll leave after the 2014 season as a junior. With Robbie Coman looking like a decent bet for heir apparent, it's possible Matt Thaiss might have to wait a little while for his chance.
Might not be smart to bet against him either, though. Thaiss's MLB scouting report described him as an "elite defensive catcher" and "has an advanced understanding of the game and plays aggressively." High praise for a prep draft prospect. Thaiss hit in high school for a relatively low average (in the .300s) as compared to a lot of high schoolers that routinely reach the .400s and .500s, but had decent power and went on a rampage in this spring's Carpenter Cup, which is a Philadelphia all-star tournament that pits regional all-star teams from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware against each other. Thaiss doesn't have much of a path to the lineup as a freshman, but that MLB report is very encouraging and, if it pans out that way, will give Thaiss a clear path to eventually grabbing the starting role.
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As a whole, this recruiting class doesn't need to carry the water for the future the way the past couple have done; the way the numbers have been shaking out means we're in a small cycle for this year and will probably see a much bigger class in 2014-15. But there's not much filler here. Connor Jones provides the star power, there's good pitching depth with guys like Adam Bleday and Jack Roberts, and I really like each of the position players' potential to work their way into the starting lineup in the future.
Don't be too worried, this year or any year, about the lack of high-level draftees. UVA has cemented a nasty reputation among MLB teams as a black hole of signability. Guys like Connor Jones drop from the 1st round to the 21st. Players that might be drafted in the mid-20s just aren't bothered with. It took a signing bonus of roughly 450% of the recommended slot to pry Austin Nicely away, and at this point, when a player says before the draft that he's not going to sign, teams take him at his word. It makes draft position a fairly unreliable indicator of our incoming talent level. It's not huge, so this isn't a class I'm over the moon about, but I like it.
Showing posts with label baseball recruiting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseball recruiting. Show all posts
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
2012 baseball recruiting, part 3
So I've let this series drag on a bit, but here is the final third of the incoming baseball recruiting class. Best part: it's completely intact, at least as far as MLB is concerned. Not a single one of our players was even drafted, a statistic that gets an assist from Nathan Kirby's voluntary withdrawal. Early returns on the new draft slotting system and earlier deadline are a big positive for college baseball.
David Rosenberger - LHP
Allentown Central Catholic HS (PA)
Undrafted
You always love those players for whom UVA is the dream school. David Rosenberger attended a camp at UVA four years ago - before his freshman year in high school - and wanted to be a Hoo ever since. A southpaw, Rosenberger capped his high school career by being named all-state in Pennsylvania.
A well-deserved honor: he struck out nearly two batters per inning (96 Ks in 56 IP) and set a personal best as a junior by striking out 19 in one game. A tendinitis-shortened junior year saw him strike out 70 in 34 innings(!) and rack up a 0.80 ERA; he topped that his senior year with an ERA of 0.50. Rosenberger isn't a hard thrower; his fastball "touches 89" which means it's really in the 85-86 range, but Perfect Game rates him highly and speaks well of his change-up and curve, noting that he maintains his arm speed well (essential for a good change) and that his "fastball has life." (It had better, if it only sits 85.)
As a lefty who doesn't light up the radar gun, Rosenberger will probably be saddled with the "crafty" label at some point. I'm torn on whether his future is the rotation or the bullpen; it can be tough for a guy without really overpowering stuff to last two or three times through the order. Then again, he probably has pretty good stuff if he can strike out 19 in a game and average two per inning. Even in high school that is something. And Whit Mayberry doesn't have a wicked-ass fastball either, but he knows like hell how to locate. I could see Rosenberger fitting into any number of roles from Saturday or Sunday starter to closer, and doing them well.
Josh Sborz - RHP
McLean HS (VA)
Undrafted
You know I'm gonna brag on my Tigers during baseball season, and here is another prospect with a Tigers connection; Josh Sborz's older brother Jay was a hotshot prospect in the Tigers' system for a while. I won't tell you about the part where he appeared in one major league game and left baseball with a 67.50 ERA.
Very little chance of that happening to Josh at Virginia. Sborz was the Virginia Group AAA Player of the Year - yes, beating out Nathan Kirby - as he's a dangerous two-way player. Sborz throws a 90+ fastball and has two excellent off-speed pitches, and at the plate, has homered 20 times in his career. Sborz is a big, big guy, standing 6'4", and plays first base when not pitching.
Jared King will be a tough one to knock off his first base perch, as he's a strong hitter and sterling fielder, but Sborz will be in the mix for that role as soon as 2013, and of course, he's one of the top moundsman prospects in the class. He and Kirby make up the top two in that regard. Sborz could push for a spot in the rotation this coming spring, and might get one of those early-season midweek starts that the coaches like to use to evaluate their arms. By 2013 and 2014, he and Kirby could be the next Danny Hultzen-Tyler Wilson combo on Fridays and Saturdays. Not to peg expectations too high.
Cameron Tekker - RHP
Cuthbertson HS (NC)
Undrafted
Tekker won't have a lot of adjustment to do in getting to college, at least in one respect. The other neat thing about him: he might be the hardest thrower in the class, with a fastball that reaches 93. Tekker is a tall (6'3") well-built right-hander, and might have something to say about pre-ordaining Josh Sborz as the second part of any 1-2 punches.
Tekker is also a versatile player; he's a good hitter with a little pop, and plays the outfield, and was used both as a starter and in relief for his high school team. His future is almost certainly as a pitcher, though. His ERA this season: a sparkling 0.39, and he recorded a few saves along the way to go with his wins as a starter. There's a good chance he makes his way sooner or later to the starting rotation at UVA, but he also has the mentality to come in from the pen whether in long relief or as the closer and slam the door. The only thing: he'll need education on the ironclad rule about keeping your trap shut when a no-hitter is in progress.
Brandon Waddell - LHP
Clear Lake HS (TX)
Undrafted
I always hate to give anyone the short shrift, but it happens every year; Waddell is the guy in this class where there isn't much out there on him. He's a soft-tossing lefty whose fastball tops out at 85, and he did make all-district in the Houston area - as a first baseman. That said, his bat likely is not college-caliber, and it's as a pitcher where he'll make his bread. But he's a dead-certain lock for the bullpen, and has an uphill battle. He's got a good slider but a "mostly straight" fastball (Perfect Game's assessment) and is probably a future LOOGY or one-inning specialist.
Scott Williams - C
Conestoga HS (PA)
Undrafted
Here's a guy who's been to the top and bottom already. Williams won a state championship with his Conestoga team last spring as a junior - and then missed his whole senior year with an injury. It's not even a guarantee he'll be in playing shape for the fall.
However, when healthy, he's an excellent hitter and very good defensive catcher. He and Robbie Coman will eventually have a pretty good battle for the second spot behind Nate Irving, and catcher is a place where the #2 guy will always see some playing time. Williams is probably the superior defensive catcher, with a pop time (glove to glove on a stolen-base attempt) of 1.88, outstanding for a high school junior. He has probably a slight edge with the bat, but Coman comes to us from Florida where the competition is stronger.
Regardless of how the competition turns out, though, it's great that we're having one. You have to admit, as thoroughly awesome as Keith Werman is, it's not ideal to have your neutron-sized second baseman as your backup catcher. Between Coman and Williams we're sure to have a solid option on days when Irving is getting a rest, and both of these catching prospects have enough potential that they can ensure Irving doesn't get too comfortable in the starting job.
David Rosenberger - LHP
Allentown Central Catholic HS (PA)
Undrafted
You always love those players for whom UVA is the dream school. David Rosenberger attended a camp at UVA four years ago - before his freshman year in high school - and wanted to be a Hoo ever since. A southpaw, Rosenberger capped his high school career by being named all-state in Pennsylvania.
A well-deserved honor: he struck out nearly two batters per inning (96 Ks in 56 IP) and set a personal best as a junior by striking out 19 in one game. A tendinitis-shortened junior year saw him strike out 70 in 34 innings(!) and rack up a 0.80 ERA; he topped that his senior year with an ERA of 0.50. Rosenberger isn't a hard thrower; his fastball "touches 89" which means it's really in the 85-86 range, but Perfect Game rates him highly and speaks well of his change-up and curve, noting that he maintains his arm speed well (essential for a good change) and that his "fastball has life." (It had better, if it only sits 85.)
As a lefty who doesn't light up the radar gun, Rosenberger will probably be saddled with the "crafty" label at some point. I'm torn on whether his future is the rotation or the bullpen; it can be tough for a guy without really overpowering stuff to last two or three times through the order. Then again, he probably has pretty good stuff if he can strike out 19 in a game and average two per inning. Even in high school that is something. And Whit Mayberry doesn't have a wicked-ass fastball either, but he knows like hell how to locate. I could see Rosenberger fitting into any number of roles from Saturday or Sunday starter to closer, and doing them well.
Josh Sborz - RHP
McLean HS (VA)
Undrafted
You know I'm gonna brag on my Tigers during baseball season, and here is another prospect with a Tigers connection; Josh Sborz's older brother Jay was a hotshot prospect in the Tigers' system for a while. I won't tell you about the part where he appeared in one major league game and left baseball with a 67.50 ERA.
Very little chance of that happening to Josh at Virginia. Sborz was the Virginia Group AAA Player of the Year - yes, beating out Nathan Kirby - as he's a dangerous two-way player. Sborz throws a 90+ fastball and has two excellent off-speed pitches, and at the plate, has homered 20 times in his career. Sborz is a big, big guy, standing 6'4", and plays first base when not pitching.
Jared King will be a tough one to knock off his first base perch, as he's a strong hitter and sterling fielder, but Sborz will be in the mix for that role as soon as 2013, and of course, he's one of the top moundsman prospects in the class. He and Kirby make up the top two in that regard. Sborz could push for a spot in the rotation this coming spring, and might get one of those early-season midweek starts that the coaches like to use to evaluate their arms. By 2013 and 2014, he and Kirby could be the next Danny Hultzen-Tyler Wilson combo on Fridays and Saturdays. Not to peg expectations too high.
Cameron Tekker - RHP
Cuthbertson HS (NC)
Undrafted
Tekker won't have a lot of adjustment to do in getting to college, at least in one respect. The other neat thing about him: he might be the hardest thrower in the class, with a fastball that reaches 93. Tekker is a tall (6'3") well-built right-hander, and might have something to say about pre-ordaining Josh Sborz as the second part of any 1-2 punches.
Tekker is also a versatile player; he's a good hitter with a little pop, and plays the outfield, and was used both as a starter and in relief for his high school team. His future is almost certainly as a pitcher, though. His ERA this season: a sparkling 0.39, and he recorded a few saves along the way to go with his wins as a starter. There's a good chance he makes his way sooner or later to the starting rotation at UVA, but he also has the mentality to come in from the pen whether in long relief or as the closer and slam the door. The only thing: he'll need education on the ironclad rule about keeping your trap shut when a no-hitter is in progress.
Brandon Waddell - LHP
Clear Lake HS (TX)
Undrafted
I always hate to give anyone the short shrift, but it happens every year; Waddell is the guy in this class where there isn't much out there on him. He's a soft-tossing lefty whose fastball tops out at 85, and he did make all-district in the Houston area - as a first baseman. That said, his bat likely is not college-caliber, and it's as a pitcher where he'll make his bread. But he's a dead-certain lock for the bullpen, and has an uphill battle. He's got a good slider but a "mostly straight" fastball (Perfect Game's assessment) and is probably a future LOOGY or one-inning specialist.
Scott Williams - C
Conestoga HS (PA)
Undrafted
Here's a guy who's been to the top and bottom already. Williams won a state championship with his Conestoga team last spring as a junior - and then missed his whole senior year with an injury. It's not even a guarantee he'll be in playing shape for the fall.
However, when healthy, he's an excellent hitter and very good defensive catcher. He and Robbie Coman will eventually have a pretty good battle for the second spot behind Nate Irving, and catcher is a place where the #2 guy will always see some playing time. Williams is probably the superior defensive catcher, with a pop time (glove to glove on a stolen-base attempt) of 1.88, outstanding for a high school junior. He has probably a slight edge with the bat, but Coman comes to us from Florida where the competition is stronger.
Regardless of how the competition turns out, though, it's great that we're having one. You have to admit, as thoroughly awesome as Keith Werman is, it's not ideal to have your neutron-sized second baseman as your backup catcher. Between Coman and Williams we're sure to have a solid option on days when Irving is getting a rest, and both of these catching prospects have enough potential that they can ensure Irving doesn't get too comfortable in the starting job.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
2012 baseball recruiting, part 2
We continue the series profiling the incoming freshman baseball class with a name that's familiar even to casual fans of the team.....
Nathan Kirby - LHP
James River HS (VA)
Undrafted - ineligible
There hasn't been this much hype around a UVA pitching prospect since Branden Kline, some three years ago. Give Brian O'Connor credit: he not only knows how to find pitching aces, he knows how to find pitching aces with what MLB scouts call "signability issues" and what UVA fans call "keep your goddam hands off our prospects thank you very much."
As a left-hander, though, Kirby will probably draw his comparisons to Danny Hultzen. That's immediately unfair, as Hultzen is the best ballplayer to ever suit up in Charlottesville, but Kirby was projected to go as high as the first round of the draft; he's not gonna be able to avoid expectations. Despite that, Kirby was dead set on going to college; he went so far as to refuse to submit to the MLB drug testing and medical examination requirements, thus making him not only unsignable, but ineligible.
Kirby brings a fastball that sits 90-91 mph and can touch 93; you'd expect that a college strength and conditioning program will bring that heat up to a consistent 93 by the time he's a junior. He's got a plus curve and is developing a change-up; this latter pitch will be the difference between a good pitcher that can turn in six solid innings, and a great one that makes you giggle like a schoolgirl as a parade of helpless souls trudges back to the dugout. Once Hultzen had developed that change piece and really learned to command it, he liked to pitch exclusively fastball-curve the first time through the batting order and then unleash the changeup the second time through. It made fools out of people. Expect similar tactics from Kirby. He told the Times-Dispatch that he "can't wait to be at the bottom of the food chain again," a high schooler's way of saying he's looking forward to honing his skills under the tutelage of college coaches; if things go as they should, though, he'll be the apex predator in no time.
Joe McCarthy - OF
Scranton HS (PA)
Undrafted
Joe McCarthy is not the first baseball man to share his name with an infamous senator, which makes him this year's winner of the Hard To Google Award. Haven't had this much trouble looking up a player since we had a player in the 2010 class named David Mixon (who never made it to UVA); there happened to be a minor-leaguer of the same name, and Mixon attended a high school called Prairie, which was totally unhelpful.
Let's hope McCarthy doesn't end up the same way; this is a guy with unholy athleticism. Standing 6'3" and 230 pounds, McCarthy was a power forward in basketball, a running back and quarterback in football, and a .500 hitter in baseball. This kid was practically Scranton's entire athletic program. Two years ago, as a sophomore in hoops season, he was an "unassuming role player" who came into the starting lineup cold and scored 10 and blocked three shots in a district tournament game.
But McCarthy isn't coming to play for Tony Bennett. Later that sophomore year, when baseball season rolled around, McCarthy batted over .600. He's also a standout pitcher, with a 1.65 ERA his senior year, although he's coming to UVA to hit. He can certainly do that: McCarthy has always hit for an outstanding average, and has good power in his swing. He probably won't crack the lineup immediately, as there is some established talent ahead of him in the outfield, but as a left-handed bat it wouldn't surprise me to see him get some pinch-hitting chances early on. Not a stretch at all to envision him growing into a role as the season wears on, similar to how Brandon Cogswell did, and has "starter" written into his future at some point.
Trey Oest - RHP
Durant HS (FL)
Undrafted
I have to root just a little harder for Trey Oest; his granddad played a short time for the Tigers back in 1960, and Oest plays his summer ball for a team run by Detroit fan favorite Chet Lemon. I'm a sucker for trivia like that. And Chet Lemon was awesome.
Oest is a righty pitcher with good size, standing 6'3", and he throws a fastball that's improved from the high 80s to topping itself out in the low 90s. Perfect Game's scouting report from last year states: "Upper 80's fastball, topped at 89 mph, mostly straight. Good bite and spin on 12/6 curveball. Good command from the windup, inconsistent release point from the stretch. Has shown a workable change up in the past." The guy had offers from the big instate schools (Miami and UF both offered) so to pull a player out of the state of Florida with that pedigree is an impressive coup.
With Oest, you get the impression of a pitcher that needs refining before he's a candidate to crack the rotation, but has a chance to contribute right away from the pen. Consider Whit Mayberry, who got spot chances to start during his first two years but made most of his appearances in relief before moving full-time to the rotation as a junior. I can see a similar path for Oest, who doesn't dominate games the way, say, Nate Kirby does, but does have excellent control (only nine walks in 44 innings, against 52 strikeouts, as a senior.)
George Ragsdale - SS
North Port HS (FL)
Undrafted
Gotta commend BOC for his work in the state of Florida this year. We've already profiled the quality potential of Trey Oest and Robbie Coman, but the prize of the state for UVA's class is infielder George Ragsdale. Ragsdale is the only UVA commit to make Rawlings' first-team all-Florida, a list which is heavily populated by FSU, Miami, and UF commits.
It so happens Ragsdale is also a teammate of Oest's on Chet Lemon's Juice - yes, that's the name of the summer team. He's a smooth, compact-swinging hitter (and is one of the rare baseball prospects with a YouTube video, even if it's only 30 seconds and only shows a couple swings) who is a little skinny but oozes potential that should be realized when he grows into his frame. He's listed as a shortstop because it's either that or center field for high school's best position players, but the scouting reports I've read all project him as a third baseman. That puts him squarely in the mix for playing time next year; with Stephen Bruno off to the pros, third base is up in the air. Colin Harrington could move there, as could Kenny Towns or Nick Howard; Howard might pitch, though, and Harrington could stay in right field, and who knows where Reed Gragnani will end up....you get the picture. Ragsdale will be one of the players to watch in this year's Orange and Blue World Series in the fall, as a strong showing could move him closer to the front of the line for third base duties.
Nathan Kirby - LHP
James River HS (VA)
Undrafted - ineligible
There hasn't been this much hype around a UVA pitching prospect since Branden Kline, some three years ago. Give Brian O'Connor credit: he not only knows how to find pitching aces, he knows how to find pitching aces with what MLB scouts call "signability issues" and what UVA fans call "keep your goddam hands off our prospects thank you very much."
As a left-hander, though, Kirby will probably draw his comparisons to Danny Hultzen. That's immediately unfair, as Hultzen is the best ballplayer to ever suit up in Charlottesville, but Kirby was projected to go as high as the first round of the draft; he's not gonna be able to avoid expectations. Despite that, Kirby was dead set on going to college; he went so far as to refuse to submit to the MLB drug testing and medical examination requirements, thus making him not only unsignable, but ineligible.
Kirby brings a fastball that sits 90-91 mph and can touch 93; you'd expect that a college strength and conditioning program will bring that heat up to a consistent 93 by the time he's a junior. He's got a plus curve and is developing a change-up; this latter pitch will be the difference between a good pitcher that can turn in six solid innings, and a great one that makes you giggle like a schoolgirl as a parade of helpless souls trudges back to the dugout. Once Hultzen had developed that change piece and really learned to command it, he liked to pitch exclusively fastball-curve the first time through the batting order and then unleash the changeup the second time through. It made fools out of people. Expect similar tactics from Kirby. He told the Times-Dispatch that he "can't wait to be at the bottom of the food chain again," a high schooler's way of saying he's looking forward to honing his skills under the tutelage of college coaches; if things go as they should, though, he'll be the apex predator in no time.
Joe McCarthy - OF
Scranton HS (PA)
Undrafted
Joe McCarthy is not the first baseball man to share his name with an infamous senator, which makes him this year's winner of the Hard To Google Award. Haven't had this much trouble looking up a player since we had a player in the 2010 class named David Mixon (who never made it to UVA); there happened to be a minor-leaguer of the same name, and Mixon attended a high school called Prairie, which was totally unhelpful.
Let's hope McCarthy doesn't end up the same way; this is a guy with unholy athleticism. Standing 6'3" and 230 pounds, McCarthy was a power forward in basketball, a running back and quarterback in football, and a .500 hitter in baseball. This kid was practically Scranton's entire athletic program. Two years ago, as a sophomore in hoops season, he was an "unassuming role player" who came into the starting lineup cold and scored 10 and blocked three shots in a district tournament game.
But McCarthy isn't coming to play for Tony Bennett. Later that sophomore year, when baseball season rolled around, McCarthy batted over .600. He's also a standout pitcher, with a 1.65 ERA his senior year, although he's coming to UVA to hit. He can certainly do that: McCarthy has always hit for an outstanding average, and has good power in his swing. He probably won't crack the lineup immediately, as there is some established talent ahead of him in the outfield, but as a left-handed bat it wouldn't surprise me to see him get some pinch-hitting chances early on. Not a stretch at all to envision him growing into a role as the season wears on, similar to how Brandon Cogswell did, and has "starter" written into his future at some point.
Trey Oest - RHP
Durant HS (FL)
Undrafted
I have to root just a little harder for Trey Oest; his granddad played a short time for the Tigers back in 1960, and Oest plays his summer ball for a team run by Detroit fan favorite Chet Lemon. I'm a sucker for trivia like that. And Chet Lemon was awesome.
Oest is a righty pitcher with good size, standing 6'3", and he throws a fastball that's improved from the high 80s to topping itself out in the low 90s. Perfect Game's scouting report from last year states: "Upper 80's fastball, topped at 89 mph, mostly straight. Good bite and spin on 12/6 curveball. Good command from the windup, inconsistent release point from the stretch. Has shown a workable change up in the past." The guy had offers from the big instate schools (Miami and UF both offered) so to pull a player out of the state of Florida with that pedigree is an impressive coup.
With Oest, you get the impression of a pitcher that needs refining before he's a candidate to crack the rotation, but has a chance to contribute right away from the pen. Consider Whit Mayberry, who got spot chances to start during his first two years but made most of his appearances in relief before moving full-time to the rotation as a junior. I can see a similar path for Oest, who doesn't dominate games the way, say, Nate Kirby does, but does have excellent control (only nine walks in 44 innings, against 52 strikeouts, as a senior.)
George Ragsdale - SS
North Port HS (FL)
Undrafted
Gotta commend BOC for his work in the state of Florida this year. We've already profiled the quality potential of Trey Oest and Robbie Coman, but the prize of the state for UVA's class is infielder George Ragsdale. Ragsdale is the only UVA commit to make Rawlings' first-team all-Florida, a list which is heavily populated by FSU, Miami, and UF commits.
It so happens Ragsdale is also a teammate of Oest's on Chet Lemon's Juice - yes, that's the name of the summer team. He's a smooth, compact-swinging hitter (and is one of the rare baseball prospects with a YouTube video, even if it's only 30 seconds and only shows a couple swings) who is a little skinny but oozes potential that should be realized when he grows into his frame. He's listed as a shortstop because it's either that or center field for high school's best position players, but the scouting reports I've read all project him as a third baseman. That puts him squarely in the mix for playing time next year; with Stephen Bruno off to the pros, third base is up in the air. Colin Harrington could move there, as could Kenny Towns or Nick Howard; Howard might pitch, though, and Harrington could stay in right field, and who knows where Reed Gragnani will end up....you get the picture. Ragsdale will be one of the players to watch in this year's Orange and Blue World Series in the fall, as a strong showing could move him closer to the front of the line for third base duties.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
2012 baseball recruiting, part 1
So normally I update the football recruiting board on Wednesdays, but last week's action just about cooled down any near-future updates to that puppy. So instead it's the perfect time to hit up our annual baseball update. In three parts, here are mini-profiles on the incoming freshmen.
Robert Bennie - OF
Stroudsburg HS (PA)
Undrafted
UVA got an athletic one out of Pennsylvania when Bennie committed last summer; he not only plays shortstop and center field for Stroudsburg (the usual locations for a team's best player), but was also the conference MVP this past season in football, where he was a two-way player as a (primarily running) quarterback and defensive back.
Baseball is his sport, though, and Brian O'Connor recruited him to UVA as an outfielder. He hit .550 as a junior and .452 as a senior, has moderate power, and as you'd expect from a running quarterback and defensive back, also has good basestealing speed.
The Hoos have a surplus of good options in the outfield next year: Derek Fisher has a death grip on left field, center field could be manned by either Brandon Downes or Mitchell Shifflett, and right field is probably Mike Papi, Reed Gragnani, or Colin Harrington. So any outfielder in the incoming class (and there aren't many) isn't likely to be factor in 2013. Bennie has a decent shot to be the center fielder of the future, though - his speed and contact hitting make him a possible top-of-the-order hitter with a little development.
Tyler Carrico - RHP
James River HS (VA)
Undrafted
The best story of the draft class - maybe the best story of any recent draft class. Carrico goes to something of a UVA feeder school; he's teammates with superstar recruit Nathan Kirby (to be profiled a little later) as well as Jack Roberts - brother to Will and another future Hoo in the 2013 class. But that's not why he accepted a scholarship offer from Brian O'Connor before O'Connor was finished with his sentence.
Both his parents are UVA grads, but that's not why either. Carrico broke his back playing football during his freshman year, and while he was in the hospital recovering from his first of three surgeries, his 11-year-old brother had surgery of his own to remove a (fortunately benign) tumor the size of a softball from his chest; the UVA baseball team rallied to the support of their occasional batboy and helped speed his recovery. So it wasn't a tough decision for the older brother to act on that scholarship offer when it came.
That broken back is an obvious reason major league teams never even came close to giving Carrico a sniff in their draft process; he never really even got off the bench much his junior year until he pitched his team to the regional championship last year. In a sport where colleges routinely recruit and offer sophomores, Carrico was a late bloomer indeed.
The feel-good-itude of the story probably ends there, for now anyway. Carrico will have a long road to playing time in college. He still pitches with pain in his back. He brings a high-80s fastball and a very solid curve, but nothing else that's reliable; he'll be strictly on bullpen duty as long as he has only two pitches. Carrico's back history will probably ensure he doesn't get enough attention from MLB to consider leaving early, so he'll likely be a four-year player. He could follow a career track similar to Justin Thompson, who pitched well in scarce appearances as a freshman and sophomore, appeared reliably out of the pen as a junior, and became the closer as a senior; that would be a best-case scenario.
Robbie Coman - C/RHP
Park Vista HS (FL)
Undrafted
Primarily a catcher, Coman also throws off the mound in relief for his high school team, and is occasionally thought of as a possible college pitching prospect - but only occasionally. His mid-to-high-80s fastball and OK stuff probably won't translate as well to college, especially when he's really a much better catching prospect anyway.
After his senior year this year, Coman was named to the 8A all-state team in Florida, no small feat in that state. He's a guy who doesn't stand out in any one particular area, but still does everything very well; you could say well-rounded. The scouting reports all give an impression of a guy with good polish and well-developed skills, but with a little lower of a ceiling.
Nate Irving basically put the starting catching job on lockdown this year by hitting .279 with a good batting eye. But he's not invulnerable either; he fields his position well but could stand to do a better job throwing out baserunners (though his percentage is partially the fault of our pitchers, who mostly didn't do very well holding people on base.) And the depth chart at catcher is so thin that the second catcher was Keith Werman, so Chace Mitchell (who only got seven at-bats all season) is probably not the answer as Irving's backup. Fortunately, there are two catching prospects coming in the fall, and Coman is one. Playing time is available if he brings what the coaches want to see. Coman is also versatile enough to play some corner infield if need be, but he can help this team best behind the plate; he'll get a shot to earn the innings behind the plate that Werman had in 2012.
Kevin Doherty - LHP
Our Lady of Good Counsel HS (MD)
Undrafted
Yep, back to the OLGC well. Doherty is the ace pitcher at one of the DC area's better baseball schools. I hate to use the word "soft-tossing lefty" because it implies a certain kind of pigeonhole but Doherty is kind of a soft-tossing lefty. BOC has actually loaded this class up with left-handers, so Doherty might have a hard time standing out.
However, he's also proven himself a big-gamer. This April, near the end of Good Counsel's season and on senior day, Doherty took the ball against St. John's and pitched a complete-game shutout that ended St. John's 20-game winning streak. Doherty struck out 11, walked none, and struck out the side in the final inning to preserve Good Counsel's 1-0 win. He's not one of the really high-profile recruits in the class, but that might be the best game any of them have ever pitched. Doherty's also not a bad hitter, compared to some other pitchers.
This year's starting rotation left a few question marks; it was respectable but not really what you'd call dominant, and Branden Kline of course is off to professional pastures. Everyone will be looking to Nathan Kirby to fill that spot, but the door is open a crack for some new blood to earn a role. Doherty's initial spot is most likely the pen, and he probably won't be in the regular bullpen rotation as a freshman, instead having to fight his way in. The most likely effect of all these southpaws in the class is really (and hopefully) that one or two of them emerge as a good enough bullpen option that Kyle Crockett can take his talents to the weekend rotation.
Robert Bennie - OF
Stroudsburg HS (PA)
Undrafted
UVA got an athletic one out of Pennsylvania when Bennie committed last summer; he not only plays shortstop and center field for Stroudsburg (the usual locations for a team's best player), but was also the conference MVP this past season in football, where he was a two-way player as a (primarily running) quarterback and defensive back.
Baseball is his sport, though, and Brian O'Connor recruited him to UVA as an outfielder. He hit .550 as a junior and .452 as a senior, has moderate power, and as you'd expect from a running quarterback and defensive back, also has good basestealing speed.
The Hoos have a surplus of good options in the outfield next year: Derek Fisher has a death grip on left field, center field could be manned by either Brandon Downes or Mitchell Shifflett, and right field is probably Mike Papi, Reed Gragnani, or Colin Harrington. So any outfielder in the incoming class (and there aren't many) isn't likely to be factor in 2013. Bennie has a decent shot to be the center fielder of the future, though - his speed and contact hitting make him a possible top-of-the-order hitter with a little development.
Tyler Carrico - RHP
James River HS (VA)
Undrafted
The best story of the draft class - maybe the best story of any recent draft class. Carrico goes to something of a UVA feeder school; he's teammates with superstar recruit Nathan Kirby (to be profiled a little later) as well as Jack Roberts - brother to Will and another future Hoo in the 2013 class. But that's not why he accepted a scholarship offer from Brian O'Connor before O'Connor was finished with his sentence.
Both his parents are UVA grads, but that's not why either. Carrico broke his back playing football during his freshman year, and while he was in the hospital recovering from his first of three surgeries, his 11-year-old brother had surgery of his own to remove a (fortunately benign) tumor the size of a softball from his chest; the UVA baseball team rallied to the support of their occasional batboy and helped speed his recovery. So it wasn't a tough decision for the older brother to act on that scholarship offer when it came.
That broken back is an obvious reason major league teams never even came close to giving Carrico a sniff in their draft process; he never really even got off the bench much his junior year until he pitched his team to the regional championship last year. In a sport where colleges routinely recruit and offer sophomores, Carrico was a late bloomer indeed.
The feel-good-itude of the story probably ends there, for now anyway. Carrico will have a long road to playing time in college. He still pitches with pain in his back. He brings a high-80s fastball and a very solid curve, but nothing else that's reliable; he'll be strictly on bullpen duty as long as he has only two pitches. Carrico's back history will probably ensure he doesn't get enough attention from MLB to consider leaving early, so he'll likely be a four-year player. He could follow a career track similar to Justin Thompson, who pitched well in scarce appearances as a freshman and sophomore, appeared reliably out of the pen as a junior, and became the closer as a senior; that would be a best-case scenario.
Robbie Coman - C/RHP
Park Vista HS (FL)
Undrafted
Primarily a catcher, Coman also throws off the mound in relief for his high school team, and is occasionally thought of as a possible college pitching prospect - but only occasionally. His mid-to-high-80s fastball and OK stuff probably won't translate as well to college, especially when he's really a much better catching prospect anyway.
After his senior year this year, Coman was named to the 8A all-state team in Florida, no small feat in that state. He's a guy who doesn't stand out in any one particular area, but still does everything very well; you could say well-rounded. The scouting reports all give an impression of a guy with good polish and well-developed skills, but with a little lower of a ceiling.
Nate Irving basically put the starting catching job on lockdown this year by hitting .279 with a good batting eye. But he's not invulnerable either; he fields his position well but could stand to do a better job throwing out baserunners (though his percentage is partially the fault of our pitchers, who mostly didn't do very well holding people on base.) And the depth chart at catcher is so thin that the second catcher was Keith Werman, so Chace Mitchell (who only got seven at-bats all season) is probably not the answer as Irving's backup. Fortunately, there are two catching prospects coming in the fall, and Coman is one. Playing time is available if he brings what the coaches want to see. Coman is also versatile enough to play some corner infield if need be, but he can help this team best behind the plate; he'll get a shot to earn the innings behind the plate that Werman had in 2012.
Kevin Doherty - LHP
Our Lady of Good Counsel HS (MD)
Undrafted
Yep, back to the OLGC well. Doherty is the ace pitcher at one of the DC area's better baseball schools. I hate to use the word "soft-tossing lefty" because it implies a certain kind of pigeonhole but Doherty is kind of a soft-tossing lefty. BOC has actually loaded this class up with left-handers, so Doherty might have a hard time standing out.
However, he's also proven himself a big-gamer. This April, near the end of Good Counsel's season and on senior day, Doherty took the ball against St. John's and pitched a complete-game shutout that ended St. John's 20-game winning streak. Doherty struck out 11, walked none, and struck out the side in the final inning to preserve Good Counsel's 1-0 win. He's not one of the really high-profile recruits in the class, but that might be the best game any of them have ever pitched. Doherty's also not a bad hitter, compared to some other pitchers.
This year's starting rotation left a few question marks; it was respectable but not really what you'd call dominant, and Branden Kline of course is off to professional pastures. Everyone will be looking to Nathan Kirby to fill that spot, but the door is open a crack for some new blood to earn a role. Doherty's initial spot is most likely the pen, and he probably won't be in the regular bullpen rotation as a freshman, instead having to fight his way in. The most likely effect of all these southpaws in the class is really (and hopefully) that one or two of them emerge as a good enough bullpen option that Kyle Crockett can take his talents to the weekend rotation.
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