2014 MLB Draft: An Early Look

[GD]

Really like this kid. Right now for me at 9/11 I want some combination for Hoffman, Freeland, Holmes, Gordon, or maybe Toussaint.

 

I really don't want to go double pitcher in the first.

 

Hoffman, Holmes, Newcomb, Gordon, Jackson, Conforto, Zimmer are my guys, with Gatewood being a possibility if we wanted to save money (if he would go under slot if we reached).

[ace3113]

I really like this Keaton Mckinney highschooler, throws strikes,has a huge frame a ton of projectability.

 

 

Yeah, he's really impressive. IMO, best changeup in the entire draft (with all due respect to Aaron Nola). That changeup is a thing of beauty.

 

[ace3113]

I really don't want to go double pitcher in the first.

 

Hoffman, Holmes, Newcomb, Gordon, Jackson, Conforto, Zimmer are my guys, with Gatewood being a possibility if we wanted to save money (if he would go under slot if we reached).

 

I don't want to either, but if we're going strictly BPA at the spot, it's likely to be a pitcher. I wouldn't mind Gordon, Zimmer, or Jackson though. I don't have a good feel for our new scouting director yet, but remember he took almost all pitchers last year.

[ace3113]

Old article from the Cape Cod League that's wasn't been posted before, but contains some of the prospects of interest.

 

Cape Cod League Top 30 Prospects

 

Chatham and Falmouth each won 26 games in the regular season to win their respective Cape Cod League divisions, but Orleans and Cotuit were hotter in the playoffs. The Firebirds overcame a sluggish start to win 16 of their final 20 games (counting the postseason) before getting swept by the Kettleers in the best-of-three finals. Lefthander Christian Cecilio (San Francisco) threw six scoreless to earn the win in the championship game, and Dons teammate Bradley Zimmer won postseason MVP honors, largely on the strength of his three-hit, two-RBI first game against Orleans.

Zimmer highlighted a solid group of position-player prospects in the Cape League. The circuit featured a fairly deep supply of power hitters, athletes and skilled middle infielders, but it lacked surefire stars, and the pitching crop was thin. Scouts agreed that top prospect Jeff Hoffman was the only likely top-five overall pick candidate in the league.

“I thought you had a lot of guys that were fourth- to 10th-round guys there,” a National League crosschecker said. “And a handful of guys that were top three rounds.”

“It was less than spectacular,” another crosschecker said. “Pretty much average fastball velocity was the norm at the all-star game, as opposed to the big, big velocity we’re used to.”

 

1. Jeff Hoffman, rhp, Hyannis (Jr., East Carolina): Hoffman made a name for himself last summer in the Cape, touching 95 mph in the all-star game and ranking seventh on this list. He showed flashes of brilliance during an uneven sophomore spring at ECU, then firmly established himself as a strong candidate to be drafted inside the top five overall picks in 2014 with a strong four-start tour through the Cape this summer.

 

Hoffman is still filling out his gangly 6-foot-4, 183-pound frame, but at his best he works in the 94-97 mph range and touches 98, though some scouts have seen him top out around 94 in other outings. He lacks pinpoint command of his fastball but is capable of working both sides of the plate, usually with good downhill plane. Hoffman’s 12-to-6 curveball can be a wipeout pitch at 79-84 mph, earning some plus-plus grades from scouts. His mid-80s slider can be a little flat at times, but it is another major weapon when it’s on. He also flashes an average changeup with fade and bottom.

“When he locates his fastball, it’s pretty tough,” Hyannis coach Chad Gassman said. “He’ll be sitting 96-97 in the sixth, seventh inning—it’s almost like his velocity jumps later in the game. The thing about him is he’s made to be a starter. It’s free and easy, hardly any effort in there, and he really has an idea of how to be efficient when he needs to be.”

 

4. Bradley Zimmer, of, Cotuit (Jr., San Francisco): Zimmer is lean, athletic and projectable just like his older brother Kyle, a former USF star righty who was the No. 5 overall pick in 2012. He came to Cotuit after a stint with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team.

Zimmer’s true five-tool potential is rare in this draft class, but most of his tools need refinement. He’s a slightly above-average runner who covers plenty of ground in right field and can fill in in center, and his arm is above-average. His swing has some length, and he needs to get stronger in order to unlock his power potential. Some scouts consider his swing plane too flat to project more than average power down the line, but his work ethic earns him the benefit of the doubt for others.

“He’s tough as nails, and he loves to play the game,” Cotuit coach Mike Roberts said. “He’s got it all, except right now power. That’s the tool they’re not seeing; you’ve got to project that, and it will come. He’s a gap guy now, but he’ll learn to turn on the ball and hit 20 in the big leagues.”

 

5. Derek Fisher, of, Harwich (Jr., Virginia): After two strong seasons at Virginia and a good summer in the Cape, Fisher heads into his junior year as one of the best bats in the 2014 draft class. He showed off a mature plate approach this summer, hitting .333 with more walks (25) than strikeouts (19). He has a balanced, simple lefthanded swing that produces frequent hard line-drive contact to all fields, but particularly from gap to gap. His pitch recognition is good, and he hangs in admirably against lefties. He projects as a plus hitter, and most scouts think he’ll hit for solid-average to plus power even though he did not hit any home runs this summer.

Fisher is a below-average defender with a below-average arm, thanks in part to poor throwing mechanics. He spent the bulk of his sophomore season serving as a DH, and he’ll be confined to left field in pro ball. He flashes slightly above-average speed but doesn’t always show it, and he figures to be a fringy runner as he matures physically.

 

6. Erick Fedde, rhp, Yarmouth-Dennis (Jr., Nevada-Las Vegas): Fedde followed up his second straight solid season for UNLV by going 3-1, 2.35 with 26 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 innings for Y-D, before joining Team USA for a pair of outings. Fedde stood out for his combination of stuff, command and size. His heavy fastball sits comfortably in the 90-93 mph range, touches the mid-90s, and could even get a bit firmer as he fills out his 6-foot-4, 175-pound frame.

He aggressively attacks the zone with his heater and a power slider, which can reach the mid-80s. He can overthrow his slider at times, causing it to flatten out, but it shows good tilt when it’s on. He also has the makings of a solid changeup.

“He comes in with intent,” an AL crosschecker said. “He’s definitely a guy that kind of separated himself from some of those other guys.”

 

7. Kyle Freeland, lhp, Hyannis (Jr., Evansville): Freeland had an uneven sophomore year at Evansville, but he dominated during an all-star summer in the Cape League, going 3-2, 2.25 with 48 strikeouts and four walks in 40 innings. His quick arm and loose 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame suggest he has projection remaining, and he already works at 89-93 mph and touches 94. Freeland does have some effort in his delivery, but scouts think he has a decent chance to stick as a starter in pro ball because of his promising three-pitch mix.

 

Freeland’s slider eats up lefthanded hitters, rating as a solid-average to plus offering when it’s on. He also can back-foot the pitch effectively to righties, and his fringy changeup is inconsistent but should become another weapon against righties in time. Freeland needs some refinement, but loose, athletic lefties with his combination of arm strength and stuff are always in demand.

 

8. Max Pentecost, c, Bourne (Jr., Kennesaw State): Pentecost’s athleticism and bat potential got him drafted in the seventh round by the Rangers out of high school, but he had Tommy John surgery in April of his senior year and wound up at Kennesaw State, where he has been a solid performer in two seasons as an everyday regular. He elevated his stock this summer by hitting .346/.424/.538 with six homers and 29 RBIs to capture Cape League MVP honors.

 

“I thought he was a great hitter—his hands fly through the zone,” Falmouth coach Jeff Trundy said. “He can make those adjustments because his hands are so doggone good.”

 

Pentecost has a wiry-strong 6-foot-1, 190-pound build and a smooth line-drive swing from the right side. He projects as a 55 hitter with a chance for average power, and he also runs very well for a catcher, with 50 to 55 speed. Pentecost’s bat is his calling card, but he has a chance to become an adequate defensive catcher in time. He flashes average arm strength but sometimes produces below-average pop times. One scout describes him as “a little hyper behind the plate,” suggesting he needs to calm down to make his actions smoother.

 

9. Sean Newcomb, lhp, Wareham (Jr., Hartford): A bout with mononucleosis sidelined Newcomb for a chunk of the summer and caused his velocity to fluctuate upon his return, but he flashed tantalizing ability. At his best, he works at 90-94 mph and touches 95-96 with solid control.

 

“He’ll be up into the mid-90s, and he’s 6-5, 240 with a good delivery, and can pitch,” an AL area scout said. “He’s a four-pitch lefty with size, velocity and secondary stuff, and he’s got upside.”

 

Newcomb’s secondary stuff is a work in progress, but he has the makings of three average offspeed pitches. His curveball is usually below-average now, but occasionally he stays on top of it and flashes a good one. His circle changeup and slider are similarly inconsistent, and he flies open in his delivery at times, but it’s easy to dream on him.

 

23. Casey Gillaspie, 1b, Falmouth (Jr., Wichita State): Gillaspie’s older brother Conor was the Cape Cod League MVP in 2007 and has become the White Sox’ everyday third baseman. Casey, a burly 6-foot-4, 238-pound masher, is a much different player than his smaller, more athletic brother. Gillaspie has hit 19 home runs over his first two seasons at Wichita, and he led the Cape with eight long balls this summer, to go along with a .321/.402/.521 line.

 

A switch-hitter, Gillaspie is better from the left side than from the right and has huge raw power from both sides. His power tool is ahead of his hit tool, as one scout called him a “medium bat speed guy” who struggled against fastballs in the 90s. He can punish mistakes and mid-80s heat, and he showed the ability to make some adjustments in the second half of the summer, as his batting average shot upward.

 

Scouts who like Gillaspie think he can become an average hitter with plus power, but he has his detractors. Gillaspie is a poor runner who has worked hard to become a passable defender at first base. But his power bat will have to carry him.

 

30. Sam Coonrod, rhp, Yarmouth-Dennis (Jr., Southern Illinois): Coonrod has a huge arm but is still learning how to pitch. He went 3-6, 4.29 as a sophomore in SIU’s rotation this spring, then posted a 4.86 ERA in 17 innings for Y-D. Coonrod tantalizes scouts with a 95-97 mph fastball, but he has a tendency to overthrow and to get deep in his legs, causing both his heater and his slider to flatten out. If he can learn to work downhill more consistently, he has a chance to be very good. He flashes a solid slider, but the pitch lacks tilt more often than not. His delivery, stuff and lack of command suggest his future is in the bullpen in pro ball, but he has the arm strength to be an impact reliever if he can put it all together.

[ace3113]

The Canadian Justin Upton? Eligible for the 2015 draft.

 

 

Demi Orimoloye

OF

6'4" 225 lbs

R/R

6.57 seconds (60YDD) 88 mph (Outfield)

 

Big athletic frame with present strength and more to come, easy athlete to dream on. Ran 6.57 in the sixty at the PG Junior National, shows arm strength in the outfield, on line accurate throws, still developing routes and jumps. Right handed hitter, has strength in his swing, upper cut swing plane, rises up during swing creating head movement to go with swing plane, has bat speed and big power potential but will have to make mechanical adjustments before the next level. Top level athlete who could really develop with time and patience.

 

[Greg] Hamilton touted Orimoloye as someone who runs well for his size and has plus power in his bat.

 

"Demi is a special athlete," he said. "You don't see that combination of speed, athleticism, strength and power very often.

[KingKat]

The Canadian Justin Upton? Eligible for the 2015 draft.

 

 

Ball just explodes off the bat. I like.

[GD]

When is he slated to go?

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

Where is Nola expected to go ? First round?

[GD]

Where is Nola expected to go ? First round?

 

Somewhere between pick #5-15.

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

They say he is quite polished and the best control pitcher! Would he be considered a faster or safer bet to reach the majors quick? Ground baller type?

[ace3113]

When is he slated to go?

 

I think PG has him rated in the top 20.

[ace3113]

I'll check my files but I know who you're talking about. I really like him. He reminds me of Phil Ervin. I think one of the criticisms of him is that he doesn't profile well in centerfield despite his speed, and that he's not a prototypical corner outfielder despite his power. The critiques don't really make sense to me. lol

[ace3113]

Scouting report.

 

2013 Tournament of Stars Notes from Don Olsen:

 

A kid I nickname “Granite”. He is built, strong as an ox, and might be the first that I truly think body wise gives off a bit of Bo Jackson. Approach is a bit passive aggressive. Good rotational swing and compact path, good bat head control, drives it to all fields and can square up on velocity. Good inside/out approach, turns on mistakes. Loud contact and ball jumps off the bat. First step burst and ton of fast twitch ability, speed is plus to plus-plus. Good arm strength and carry could compact a bit to improve accuracy. Range and first step cover a great deal of ground, true CF prospect. He is a 5 tool player who is developing power.

[ace3113]

Also, anyone who wants the scouting reports from BA just PM me your email. I got you covered already Spanks.

[GD]

How is Fedde ranked higher than Zimmer on that list?

[ace3113]

Got anything on D.J. (Donald) Peters, Ace?

 

I have this, from posted earlier in the thread. But I cannot find much from elsewhere on the internet.

 

 

 

Huge guy. 6'6' 220lb mammoth

 

Couldn't find anything on Peters on either my BA or PG scouting notes, which mostly has the top 100 guys. I did find a few things online though. He's kind of like a right handed Rowdy Tellez at the plate.

 

 

 

DJ Peters

Position: Outfield / First Base

Height / Weight: 6-6 / 215

Bats / Throws: R / R

High School: Glendora High School

Hometown: Glendora, Calif.

Travel Team: ABD Diplomats

Commitment: Cal State Fullerton

Most hitters with the length of limbs that Peters possesses have a very difficult time maintaining control over those levers throughout their swing, but Peters is an outlier in that regard. He has very good body control to his swing and shows exceptional feel for the barrel. With a short, balanced swing with good extension and bat speed, Peters is likely to hit for a high average at the next level and can also drive the ball with authority when the opportunity presents itself, giving him exciting offensive potential.

 

DJ Peters the ideal teammate

 

Fifty-one hopeful future Major League Baseball stars will take the field August 11th at Petco Park in San Diego for the 2013 Perfect Game All-American Classic presented by Rawlings. Of those 51, 11 are from California. Amongst those 11 Californian ballplayers is DJ Peters, the 37th ranked prospect nationally and one of the bigger guys that will be taking the field.

 

“It feels great. It’s a very big blessing,” Peters said. “You play this game to be the best and to play with the best and I’m lucky enough to be picked out of 50 kids out of the whole country to play in the All-American Classic.

 

“It finally hit me when I filled out all the paperwork that I’m a Perfect Game All-American now and I’m gonna be playing at Petco Park, one of the nicest parks in the MLB. (I’m gonna be) playing on TV, playing with the 50 best guys in my class.”

 

Peters’ doesn’t sit back and watch his baseball career blossom into the bright future it’s becoming. He works hard at the game and it’s always on his mind.

 

“Ask anybody, ‘what’s one word to describe DJ Peters? -- Baseball’,” Peters explained. “I love that people know that about me and I won’t stop working until I reach my goals.”

 

The 6-foot-6, 215-pound Peters would wake up at 6 a.m. to go to the gym to work out and run. Then it was more baseball as soon as the school day was over, hitting for hours before retiring for the day to take care of schoolwork.

 

“His work ethic is eat, sleep, and drink baseball,” said Arcadia Astros coach Sean O’Leary, who is coaching Peters for the first time this year.

 

“Sometimes it’s a grind and if you really love it you’ll make it a priority and that’s what I did,” said Peters. “It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s all paying off right now.”

 

That hard work landed him in Minneapolis, Minn. for Perfect Game’s National Showcase; the event that Peters believes got him a spot in the All-American Classic. It was in the Metrodome where Peters recorded a 6.92 second 60-yard dash and threw 86 mph from the outfield.

 

“The National Showcase was an experience in my life that I’ll never forget. Playing in the Metrodome -- so much history in that place,” Peters said. “I heard that that’ll probably be the last event in the Metrodome and I feel very blessed and honored to be able to see the last event.”

 

Peters tries not to let the big stage get to him in any way, the modest star is cool and collected when he steps out on the diamond, or at least he tries to be. The National Showcase was no different.

 

“I wanted to go out there, hit the ball, relax, and basically just have fun. I was nervous the first day, but when I dipped my feet in the water I got used to it very well and I loved it,” Peters said. “Baseball is a game of failure, we all know that. If you don’t have fun, why play? You gotta love it.”

 

This Californian is the type of player every coach wants, but not every coach gets. He has rare baseball talent and even better character. That is already evident to O’Leary.

 

“He’s very humble, plays the game hard, respects the game, and is a very good teammate,” O’Leary said. For a guy with his talent and ability he doesn’t have an ego, he doesn’t act like he’s better than everybody else.”

 

“The best thing about him is just who he is as a person,” O’Leary continued. “For example, I have a kid with autism on my team too and he can’t play high school baseball and that’s like DJ’s little buddy. DJ looks after him and takes care of him. I think that says a lot for a kid that’s 17 years-old and has that compassion and heart for kids with autism and stuff like that.”

 

Once you talk to Peters it’s easy to see that he truly loves the game. That has become evident to everyone who knows him or even has just had brief conversations with him. That baseball passion has been lit for almost 12 years, ever since he first picked up the game when he was six-years-old.

 

“(My grandfather) got me a glove and a bat and we just hit in the backyard and I loved it, so he signed me up for a local Little League and I’ve loved it ever since then,” said Peters. “All my worries go away when I play the game that I love.”

 

This summer must be pretty worry-free then for Peters, who has occupied his time since the National Showcase with more baseball. He attended a showcase in Arizona for the Junior Olympics, was part of the Area Code tryouts, and has been playing some travel ball with the Arcadia Astros.

 

“I’ve been pretty busy, but I love baseball. It’s what I do,” Peters said. “I just can’t wait to get down to San Diego.”

 

When Peters arrives in San Diego he will be reunited with some of the other California players he has played with before: Jack Flaherty, Marcus Wilson, Alex Jackson, and Scott Hurst. Hurst, in fact, lives just three miles down the road from Peters and they are longtime friends.

 

There are many more guys Peters hasn’t played with in the past and he is eager to take the field with the best 2014’s in the country. “It’ll be a lot of fun playing with the guys I usually don’t play with,” Peters said.

 

Soon enough, those players in San Diego will get a firsthand look at the type of ballplayer and person DJ Peters is. His talent, and even more importantly his character, will continue to bring Peters future success. Coach O’Leary wouldn’t disagree with that statement.

 

“Very rarely do you get a kid like DJ.”

[ace3113]

From the PG Nation Showcase via BP:

 

D.J. Peters (OF/1B, Glendora HS (Glendora, CA) enjoyed a loud offensive weekend, routinely squaring up the ball while seeking out fastballs and handling solid velocity. He stays balanced through his swing and creates good leverage out of a large, but projectable, frame. He projects to plus playable power as he continues to add strength, and his approach and mechanics could provide an adequate base for a solid hit tool as well. In addition to his in-game and workout performances, Peters finished second in Saturday night’s Rawlings Home Run Challenge.

 

Could be a good late round pick and sign who we throw a lot of money at like Tellez and Brentz.

[theblujay]

What do you guys think of Derek Hill?

[ace3113]

What do you guys think of Derek Hill?

 

Elite level defender in centerfield already for a high school player. Everything else you have to project for now.

[ace3113]

 

 

[Angrioter]

[ace3113]

King can you post the mock please.

[raBBit]

King can you post the mock please.

 

I second this.

[ace3113]

Keith Law has us taking Touki Toussaint at 9 and Jeff Hoffman at 11.

 

Pick 9:

 

Analysis: The Jays would love Nick Gordon, but there seems to be no way he runs the gauntlet from Minnesota to Colorado without someone taking him. They're clearly the high team on Toussaint and have been rumored all spring to be on prep arms.

 

Pick 11:

 

Analysis: Hoffman was one of the top three arms in the draft until he underwent Tommy John surgery recently. The hot rumor of the week has the Jays using their second first-rounder on Hoffman, signing him for a little less than the recommended bonus for this draft slot (he can't exactly go back into next year's draft, as he would barely be back on a mound by next May), and use the savings on their next pick at 50.

[Frenchsoup]

I really don't like touki, to much of a project. I also noticed in the one video of him his velocity was decreasing quite a bit at the end of the inning and this was his only inning of work.

[SpeedyGose]

Don't love taking two arms in the first 11 picks. So volatile...

 

Crossing my fingers that Gordon somehow falls

[Angrioter]

Don't love taking two arms in the first 11 picks. So volatile...

 

Bats:

1-Alex Jackson (top-4)

2-Gordon (top-5 guy)

3-Zimmer (top-8)

4-Conforno

5-Turner

6-Schwarber

7-Chavis/Gatewood

[Frenchsoup]

Here is touki, he starts the inning off at 94-95 and mid to end of the inning is at 90-91 with no control of the fastball at all. There's no way you can take this guy with your top pick.

 

[Angrioter]

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

If Gordon is gone I like Hoffman,Nola or Freeland for our two picks we have! Just not sure which two? Any thoughts?