The DDT - Draft Day 1 thread

[TheHurl]

Hollon's full PG profile

 

Position: RHP

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195

Bats/Throws: R-R

Birthdate: Dec. 24, 1994

High School: Woodford County

City, State: Lexington, Ky.

Travel Team: Kentucky Baseball Club

Commitment: Kentucky

Projected Draft Round: 1S-2

 

As recalled in an earlier Draft Focus, Southern California shortstop Chris Rivera was the first player to hold the number No. 1 ranking in the Perfect Game 2013 class rankings. The second player to ascend to the top spot was Kentucky right handed pitcher Clinton Hollon.

 

Hollon, a 2012 Perfect Game All-American, is currently ranked 13th in the PG rankings.

 

Hollon’s top ranking was completely justified back in 2011, as he was touching velocities with his fastball that are only now being matched almost two years later by his peers in the 2013 class such as Kohl Stewart, Carlos Salazar and Hunter Harvey. Pitching for Kentucky Baseball Club at the 2011 WWBA 17u National Championship, Hollon topped out at 96 mph with a hard spinning 79 mph curveball and good overall command and mechanics. He topped out at 97 mph in Lakeland, Fla. at the 2011 East Coast Professional Showcase and came back and threw outstanding at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter in October, again topping out at 96 mph from a low effort delivery with a potential plus curveball.

 

At that point, however, Hollon was far from a complete pitcher. He was used mostly in relief during the summer and fall and his velocity was of the reliever/showcase variety. Due to the shortness of his outings on the big stages, he also didn’t really have an opportunity to work in different pitches, although he would occasionally flash a changeup and even a rare slider. He even looked like a future reliever, with a thick core and thighs. But in a class that at that point featured literally no one else with a present fastball, Hollon stood out as the top pitcher.

 

The irony is that in 2012, when he dropped the dozen places in the rankings, Hollon was actually a much better pitcher and a better professional prospect.

 

The improvements were across the board and came with the opportunity to start and work deep into pitch counts. Much of the basis for the improvements were based on simple maturation and being a year older. Hollon’s body leaned out and lengthened and he looked to be in tremendous shape. His warm up routines and on-mound demeanor were much more detailed and confident and he looked to be enjoying himself more. And given the chance to start and throw deep into games he showed that he could pitch with a three or even four pitch mix.

 

Perhaps the highlight of Hollon’s 2012 year came in Peoria, Arizona on July 26 pitching for the East Cobb Braves at the inaugural Perfect Game 17u World Series. Here’s the blog I wrote after the game, with a comparison to fellow top prospect and PG All-American Kohl Stewart:

 

East Cobb Braves RHP and PG All American RHP Clinton Hollon threw 5 very effective innings yesterday in a win over the previously undefeated Team Northwest. He was a little shaky at the beginning, working out of a bases loaded no out jam in the first inning, but settled down and only threw 55 pitches in those 5 innings.

 

Hollon's fastball was steady at 92-94 mph, with lots of 94s. He had very good boring life on his fastball when he worked it to the bottom half of the strike zone and will break plenty of bats when he learns to power the ball downhill and inside to right handed hitters more often. He threw a power curveball in the 75-78 mph range that was very good at times and hung up in the zone at others, probably about a 60/40 split. He also threw a couple of 85 mph change ups with very good late life that is a very promising pitch. All in all he showed a maturity on the mound that was very impressive and was worthy of his ranking of the top right handed pitching prospect in the country.

 

I asked an American League cross checker after the game who he liked better, Hollon or Kohl Stewart, as he had seen Stewart, also for the first time, the previous day. He went with Stewart by the slimmest of margins, noting that the 6-3/200 Stewart (who was also 92-94 with a slider that graded out pretty much the same as Hollon's curveball) had the more projectable body and the ball left his hand a bit easier. I went with Hollon by the same slim margin, giving him the edge based on his dramatically improved pitchability over the last year and the better life on his fastball and change up (although this put Hollon at the advantage of having my having seen Hollon pitch 4-5 times previously but not Stewart).

 

So it was a toss up. Both young men have outstanding arms and big futures and are very deserving of their PG rankings and All-American status.

 

Unforunately, Hollon’s season came to an end the next week when he had to be pulled from his appearance at the East Coast Professional Showcase after one inning of work with what was later diagnosed as tendonitis in his elbow. He was forced to miss both the PG All-American Classic and the WWBA World Championship, but the conservative rehab approach seems to have been successful, as Hollon threw outstanding at the 2013 Perfect Game Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase in February and has got off to a solid start in his recently opened high school season.

 

So while the visions of a mid- to upper-90s power right hander that existed two years ago haven’t come to fruition, Hollon is realistically in a better position today than where he was then. He has a true starting pitcher’s repertoire with a 91-94 mph fastball with great life, a power curveball, a very lively changeup and a promising slider that he hasn’t really thrown much. He throws easily and he throws strikes. The future is indeed looking very bright.

 

 

Perfect Game events attended:

 

2010 WWBA 2011 Grads or 17u National Championship

2010 WWBA 2013 Grads or 15u National Championship

2010 Ohio Valley Showcase

2010 WWBA Underclass World Championship

2011 Jr National Showcase

2011 WWBA 2012 Grads or 17u National Championship

2011 WWBA 2013 Grads or 16u National Championship

2011 Ohio Valley Showcase

2011 WWBA World Championship

2012 National Showcase

2012 WWBA 2013 Grads or 17u National Championship

2012 17U Perfect Game World Series

2012 Perfect Game All-American Classic Presented by Rawlings

2013 Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase

 

 

Clinton Hollon (No. 2 Purple) pitches the first two innings against the Maroon squad at the 2012 Perfect Game National Showcase

[Deadpool]

Pg:

 

 

 

klaw:

 

 

Love it... scouting report #1: power slider, scouting report #2: plus curve.

[TheHurl]

Didn't the Pirates do this last year too...just keep taking tough sign overslot guys without ever pooching picks.

[Slade]

Wasn't even on my radar to be honest. But another high ceiling arm that can throw hard. I like this tweet.

 

Chris Crawford ‏@CrawfordChrisV 1m

 

I'm pretty sure the Blue Jays have officially taken a "look, take our money or don't, we like 2014 more anyway" approach to the draft.

 

That's fair we've been hearing for a while the Jays don't really find anyone that enamoring in this draft.

[ace3113]

Love it... scouting report #1: power slider, scouting report #2: plus curve.

 

I've seen him pitch on the vidoes at the PG website. It's definitely a slurvy breaking ball.

[mitchf]

I was hoping we'd add some high-upside bats to the system. Kind of disappointed that we took two high-school arms with our only picks before 75.

If AA is able to see another draft, the priority should be to lower every prep arm about 10 spots in their rankings.

[ace3113]

If Bickford really does want 3mm as has been reported, how the heck are we going to pay Hollon too? I guess we give them a price and are willing to walk away and take the pick in next years better draft.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Did We draft Usain Bolt yet? How about Tyson Gay? GSP is a great athlete with no baseball ability. Swoop in and get him with lur 3rd rounder

[ace3113]

Frank Thomas ordering a little Danish.

[Angrioter]

Tyler Danish awful delivery bro

[GD]

Ugh, depressing draft day.

[GD]

Tommy Lasorda is drunk as f***.

[Angrioter]

Tommy Lasorda is drunk as f***.

 

f*** you

 

Tony LaSorda is great (10% dominican)

[GD]

Well f***, there goes Mercado. Amazing pick as usual by the Cards. I guess there's at least a small chance Unroe makes it to us now.

[Angrioter]

Oscar Mercado look like "life of pi" boy

[GD]

YOU HAVE TO BE s***ing ME.

 

Every f***ing divisional opponent - EVERY f***ING ONE - has stolen a pick from us. f***.

[mitchf]

It's kind of sad that I have absolutely no belief in anything the Blue Jays do. I can't even be bothered to defend these picks. Two pitchers that were unquestionably overdrafted.

 

If the O/U for combined innings pitched for these two over their Blue Jays careers was 200, I'd take the under.

[TheHurl]

Great looking draft for the Rays.

[ace3113]

I hate you Tampa!

[kgm1]

God damn Shaw , Constantly losing the satelite including during the Jays pick .

[TheHurl]

Guy committed two years ago...just can't see him signing. But who knows. I do love the Thong Song so I have to like a Sisco pick

[mitchf]

The Hockey draft is awesome, with all the deals and rumours, keeps you on your toes.

The best parts? It's easy to differentiate between elite and average prospects and most importantly poorly ran organizations don't always ruin their draftees.

[dineke]

Drafts: NFL > NBA > NHL > WNBA > MLB

[ace3113]

Oscar Mercado look like "life of pi" boy

 

[mitchf]

drafts: Nfl > nba > nhl > mlb

nhl>nfl>nba>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>cfl>nll>>>>>mlb

[imsorry4beatinU]

drafts: Nfl > nba > nhl > wnba > mlb

 

nfl>nhl>mlb>nba

[TheHurl]

Don't completely understand Bobby Wahl dropping...easy sign great makeup. Yes he'll be a reliever but he'll be moving quickly. It's not like he doesn't have the stuff, throwing 104 K's with a low 90's FB as a starter but then in the showcases in the summer hit 97 often as a reliever

[KingKat]

Will Clark totally schooled everyone on how to do a player presentation. Clear enunciation, sustained eye contact until the end, total pro.

[GD]

Gosuke Katoh is kinda an amazing name.

[ace3113]

Yankees draft anime character. lol