TOP 30 Prospects 2014 draft - Law/Crawford

[leaffie]

Didn't know whether this should have been under the prospects thread or not. But here it is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 30 prospects for 2014 draft

 

October, 24, 2013

Oct 24

 

10:00

 

AM ET

 

By Keith Law & Christopher Crawford | ESPN.com

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Carlos RodonJeremy Brevard/USA TODAY SportsN.C. State's Carlos Rodon is the clear-cut No. 1 draft prospect as of now.

The summer showcase season is over and other than a few major fall high school events and some college fall ball, most of the year's amateur baseball activity is behind us. It's a solid class for pitchers who throw hard, with a lot of exciting high school arms and a handful of quality college starters, but is light on position players, especially at catcher and shortstop.

 

Here's our first ranking of the players for next year's draft, focused just on player quality with no consideration of where they might be drafted.

 

1. Carlos Rodon, LHP | N.C. State

Owner of perhaps the best amateur's slider in recent memory, Rodon is a power lefty with present stuff and a strong track record of missing bats (184 strikeouts in 132 innings last spring). He brings ace potential to a draft that lacks much of that kind of impact.

 

2. Jeff Hoffman, RHP | East Carolina

He popped for scouts in the Cape Cod League this summer, moving up boards with a very sudden velocity spike that jumped him ahead of almost all other college arms, but he has never shown the kind of dominant performance that Rodon has, and has to show he can hold this stuff for a full season.

 

3. Alex Jackson, C | Rancho Bernardo HS (San Diego)

He’s more likely to end up in right field than behind the plate, but Jackson has elite bat speed and above-average power potential to all fields.

 

4. Jacob Gatewood, SS | Clovis (Calif.) HS

Boasting enormous raw power, Gatewood has one of the highest upsides among prep hitters this year, but has to show he's got the hit tool to make the power play and will likely end up at third base in pro ball.

 

5. Braxton Davidson, OF | T.C. Roberson HS (Asheville, N.C.)

Davidson may have the most offensive upside of any hitter in the class, thanks to a plus hit tool and the ability to drive the ball to all parts of the ballpark.

 

6. Grant Holmes, RHP | Conway (S.C.) HS

Few pitchers were as impressive as Holmes was this summer, showing off a mid-90s fastball that is complemented with a plus breaking ball and an average change.

 

7. Brady Aiken, LHP | Cathedral Catholic HS (San Diego)

Aiken is the top prep lefty in the class, sitting in the low 90s with an average-to-plus curveball, very good deception from his delivery, and little effort to get to that velocity.

 

8. Tyler Kolek, RHP | Shepherd (Texas) HS

Kolek doesn’t offer much in terms of projection and some scouts worry about his already massive 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame, but a fastball that will touch triple-digits and a curve that will flash plus also has some scouts salivating.

 

9. Justus Sheffield, LHP | Tullahoma (Tenn.) HS

The younger brother of Vanderbilt freshman and former Red Sox draft pick Jordan Sheffield, Justus is a good athlete who brings low-90s velocity from a strong 6-foot frame and flashes three off-speed pitches with promise.

 

10. Sean Newcomb, RHP | Hartford

A fastball that will touch 97 mph along with a plus slider and average change could see Newcomb shoot up draft boards, though he will face inferior competition all spring, which will make it hard for scouts to get a great read on him.

 

11. Max Pentecost, C | Kennesaw State

It’s a weak catching crop this year, but with above-average power and improving receiving skills Pentecost is not just a "best of a bad group" option.

 

12. Nick Gordon, SS/RHP | Olympia HS (Orlando)

Son of Tom Gordon and half-brother of current Dodger infielder Dee, Nick is a two-way prospect who plays a solid shortstop with good bat speed but little power, and also can sit in the low 90s as a potential power relief prospect who probably lacks the height to stay a starter in pro ball.

 

13. Alex Verdugo, OF/LHP | Sahuaro HS (Tucson, Ariz.)

Another two-way prospect, Verdugo has outstanding feel for hitting with a quick, direct left-handed stroke and above-average running speed, but is also up to 92 already off the mound from the left side and could go either way at this point.

 

14. Derek Fisher, OF | Virginia

Fisher possesses above-average to plus offensive tools across the board, though consistency has been an issue over his first two years in Charlottesville.

 

[+] EnlargeTyler Beede

AP Photo/Mark HumphreyBeede is likely to be a rare two-time first-round pick.

 

 

15. Trea Turner, SS | N.C. State

Turner has elite speed and should be able to stick at shortstop, but there might not be much offensive upside.

 

16. Erick Fedde, RHP | UNLV

Fedde was up to 95 this summer with Team USA and showed good tilt on a low-80s slider, but needs to fill out his 6-foot-4, 165-pound frame and tighten up his changeup to help him miss more bats.

 

17. Brad Zimmer, OF | San Francisco

The brother of Royals 2012 first-round pick Kyle; Zimmer is a good enough athlete to play center field and has some power projection in his left-handed bat.

 

18. Tyler Beede, RHP | Vanderbilt

Beede was a first-round pick out of high school but didn't sign with the Blue Jays after a disagreement over a medical question; he has since picked up several mph on his fastball but lost a grade or more of control in the process.

 

19. Jeren Kendall, OF | Holmen (Wis.) HS

The breakout star of this year's New Balance Area Code Games, Kendall is a four-tool player, lacking only power at this point, with good feel for hitting for a kid from a cold-weather state.

 

20. Luis Ortiz, RHP | Sanger HS (Fresno, Calif.)

Ortiz has a very quick arm with an easy low-90s fastball and some feel for a low-80s slider, coming from a three-quarters arm slot, with a projectable 6-foot-3 frame.

 

21. Brandon Finnegan, LHP | TCU

Left-handers who will touch 98 mph with feel for pitching generally don’t last long on draft day, but Finnegan’s diminutive size and somewhat violent delivery raise some red flags.

 

22. Dylan Cease, RHP | Milton (Ga.) HS

Cease has top-10 velocity, with a fastball in the mid-90s, but his secondary stuff isn't there yet and there's some violence in his delivery as well.

 

23. Mac Marshall, LHP | Parkview HS (Lilburn, Ga.)

Parkview HS, outside of Atlanta, has produced first-day picks in each of the past two years, and Marshall has a chance to be the third with a low 90s fastball along with a curveball and change that will both flash plus.

 

24. Michael Cederoth, RHP | San Diego State

Cederoth may be the hardest thrower in the class -- it's either Cederoth or Louisville closer Nick Burdi -- but awkard mechanics and average-at-best secondary pitchers have most believing he’s a high-leverage reliever in the end.

 

25. Aaron Nola, RHP | LSU

Nola pounds the strike zone with a low-90s fastball and comes from a low three-quarters slot (nearly sidearm) that makes it tough for right-handers to see the ball, although only a few MLB starters work from a slot that low.

 

26. Scott Blewett, RHP | Baker HS (Baldwinsville, N.Y.)

The northeast's best high school prospect has a solid-average fastball and good spin on a two-plane curveball, needing to smooth out his arm stroke for better command and future health.

 

27. Touki Toussaint, RHP | Coral Springs (Fla.) Christian Academy

There’s no denying Toussaint’s talent -- a fastball that can get up to 95 and a hammer of a curveball -- but there’s also no denying that too often he has no idea where those pitches are going.

 

28. Jakson Reetz, C | Norris HS (Hickman, Neb.)

The best prep catcher in a weak overall catching class, Reetz has strong hands and good coverage on the outer half with average throwing times to second and good athleticism behind the plate.

 

29. Michael Gettys, CF/RHP | Gainesville (Ga.) HS

No prospect improved his stock more than Gettys over the summer, though his 70-grade speed and plus raw power are useless if he can’t hit, which is still up for debate.

 

30. Ti’Quan Forbes, SS | Columbia (Miss.) HS

Forbes is one of the youngest prospects in the class and looks like he’ll be able to stick at shortstop with average offensive projection.

[GD]

Wrong subforum, but I'm liking Gatewood, Aiken, Kolek, Sheffield, Beede (lel), Fisher and Turner around 10 and 11. Hopefully Hill or Morgan will slip to our next pick.

 

Really like this draft class.

[GD]

I bet we take this guy.

 

Haha, I could see that, but I see someone more to our liking:

 

29. Michael Gettys, CF/RHP | Gainesville (Ga.) HS

No prospect improved his stock more than Gettys over the summer, though his 70-grade speed and plus raw power are useless if he can’t hit, which is still up for debate.

 

High riser, fast, toolz, no hit tool.

[theblujay]

Kolek please

[DuckDuckGose]

Wrong subforum, but I'm liking Gatewood, Aiken, Kolek, Sheffield, Beede (lel), Fisher and Turner around 10 and 11. Hopefully Hill or Morgan will slip to our next pick.

 

Really like this draft class.

 

Gareth Morgan as an under-slot guy with our 2nd round pick could make some sense if AA decides to go big with his two firsts. Otherwise I think you'll have to hope he falls to the third for the Jays to land him.

[GD]

Gareth Morgan as an under-slot guy with our 2nd round pick could make some sense if AA decides to go big with his two firsts. Otherwise I think you'll have to hope he falls to the third for the Jays to land him.

 

He's Canadian so I could see AA taking that approach, and at the same time I could see him falling to the early third. I'd really like him.

[ace3113]

Bolded the players who interest me from that list.

 

1. Carlos Rodon, LHP | N.C. State

Owner of perhaps the best amateur's slider in recent memory, Rodon is a power lefty with present stuff and a strong track record of missing bats (184 strikeouts in 132 innings last spring). He brings ace potential to a draft that lacks much of that kind of impact.

 

2. Jeff Hoffman, RHP | East Carolina

He popped for scouts in the Cape Cod League this summer, moving up boards with a very sudden velocity spike that jumped him ahead of almost all other college arms, but he has never shown the kind of dominant performance that Rodon has, and has to show he can hold this stuff for a full season.

 

3. Alex Jackson, C | Rancho Bernardo HS (San Diego)

He’s more likely to end up in right field than behind the plate, but Jackson has elite bat speed and above-average power potential to all fields.

 

4. Jacob Gatewood, SS | Clovis (Calif.) HS

Boasting enormous raw power, Gatewood has one of the highest upsides among prep hitters this year, but has to show he's got the hit tool to make the power play and will likely end up at third base in pro ball.

 

5. Braxton Davidson, OF | T.C. Roberson HS (Asheville, N.C.)

Davidson may have the most offensive upside of any hitter in the class, thanks to a plus hit tool and the ability to drive the ball to all parts of the ballpark.

 

6. Grant Holmes, RHP | Conway (S.C.) HS

Few pitchers were as impressive as Holmes was this summer, showing off a mid-90s fastball that is complemented with a plus breaking ball and an average change.

 

7. Brady Aiken, LHP | Cathedral Catholic HS (San Diego)

Aiken is the top prep lefty in the class, sitting in the low 90s with an average-to-plus curveball, very good deception from his delivery, and little effort to get to that velocity.

 

8. Tyler Kolek, RHP | Shepherd (Texas) HS

Kolek doesn’t offer much in terms of projection and some scouts worry about his already massive 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame, but a fastball that will touch triple-digits and a curve that will flash plus also has some scouts salivating.

 

9. Justus Sheffield, LHP | Tullahoma (Tenn.) HS

The younger brother of Vanderbilt freshman and former Red Sox draft pick Jordan Sheffield, Justus is a good athlete who brings low-90s velocity from a strong 6-foot frame and flashes three off-speed pitches with promise.

 

10. Sean Newcomb, RHP | Hartford

A fastball that will touch 97 mph along with a plus slider and average change could see Newcomb shoot up draft boards, though he will face inferior competition all spring, which will make it hard for scouts to get a great read on him.

 

11. Max Pentecost, C | Kennesaw State

It’s a weak catching crop this year, but with above-average power and improving receiving skills Pentecost is not just a "best of a bad group" option.

 

12. Nick Gordon, SS/RHP | Olympia HS (Orlando)

Son of Tom Gordon and half-brother of current Dodger infielder Dee, Nick is a two-way prospect who plays a solid shortstop with good bat speed but little power, and also can sit in the low 90s as a potential power relief prospect who probably lacks the height to stay a starter in pro ball.

 

13. Alex Verdugo, OF/LHP | Sahuaro HS (Tucson, Ariz.)

Another two-way prospect, Verdugo has outstanding feel for hitting with a quick, direct left-handed stroke and above-average running speed, but is also up to 92 already off the mound from the left side and could go either way at this point.

 

14. Derek Fisher, OF | Virginia

Fisher possesses above-average to plus offensive tools across the board, though consistency has been an issue over his first two years in Charlottesville.

 

15. Trea Turner, SS | N.C. State

Turner has elite speed and should be able to stick at shortstop, but there might not be much offensive upside.

 

16. Erick Fedde, RHP | UNLV

Fedde was up to 95 this summer with Team USA and showed good tilt on a low-80s slider, but needs to fill out his 6-foot-4, 165-pound frame and tighten up his changeup to help him miss more bats.

 

17. Brad Zimmer, OF | San Francisco

The brother of Royals 2012 first-round pick Kyle; Zimmer is a good enough athlete to play center field and has some power projection in his left-handed bat.

 

18. Tyler Beede, RHP | Vanderbilt

Beede was a first-round pick out of high school but didn't sign with the Blue Jays after a disagreement over a medical question; he has since picked up several mph on his fastball but lost a grade or more of control in the process.

 

19. Jeren Kendall, OF | Holmen (Wis.) HS

The breakout star of this year's New Balance Area Code Games, Kendall is a four-tool player, lacking only power at this point, with good feel for hitting for a kid from a cold-weather state.

 

20. Luis Ortiz, RHP | Sanger HS (Fresno, Calif.)

Ortiz has a very quick arm with an easy low-90s fastball and some feel for a low-80s slider, coming from a three-quarters arm slot, with a projectable 6-foot-3 frame.

 

21. Brandon Finnegan, LHP | TCU

Left-handers who will touch 98 mph with feel for pitching generally don’t last long on draft day, but Finnegan’s diminutive size and somewhat violent delivery raise some red flags.

 

22. Dylan Cease, RHP | Milton (Ga.) HS

Cease has top-10 velocity, with a fastball in the mid-90s, but his secondary stuff isn't there yet and there's some violence in his delivery as well.

 

23. Mac Marshall, LHP | Parkview HS (Lilburn, Ga.)

Parkview HS, outside of Atlanta, has produced first-day picks in each of the past two years, and Marshall has a chance to be the third with a low 90s fastball along with a curveball and change that will both flash plus.

 

24. Michael Cederoth, RHP | San Diego State

Cederoth may be the hardest thrower in the class -- it's either Cederoth or Louisville closer Nick Burdi -- but awkard mechanics and average-at-best secondary pitchers have most believing he’s a high-leverage reliever in the end.

 

25. Aaron Nola, RHP | LSU

Nola pounds the strike zone with a low-90s fastball and comes from a low three-quarters slot (nearly sidearm) that makes it tough for right-handers to see the ball, although only a few MLB starters work from a slot that low.

 

26. Scott Blewett, RHP | Baker HS (Baldwinsville, N.Y.)

The northeast's best high school prospect has a solid-average fastball and good spin on a two-plane curveball, needing to smooth out his arm stroke for better command and future health.

 

27. Touki Toussaint, RHP | Coral Springs (Fla.) Christian Academy

There’s no denying Toussaint’s talent -- a fastball that can get up to 95 and a hammer of a curveball -- but there’s also no denying that too often he has no idea where those pitches are going.

 

28. Jakson Reetz, C | Norris HS (Hickman, Neb.)

The best prep catcher in a weak overall catching class, Reetz has strong hands and good coverage on the outer half with average throwing times to second and good athleticism behind the plate.

 

29. Michael Gettys, CF/RHP | Gainesville (Ga.) HS

No prospect improved his stock more than Gettys over the summer, though his 70-grade speed and plus raw power are useless if he can’t hit, which is still up for debate.

 

30. Ti’Quan Forbes, SS | Columbia (Miss.) HS

Forbes is one of the youngest prospects in the class and looks like he’ll be able to stick at shortstop with average offensive projection.

[ace3113]

Wrong subforum, but I'm liking Gatewood, Aiken, Kolek, Sheffield, Beede (lel), Fisher and Turner around 10 and 11. Hopefully Hill or Morgan will slip to our next pick.

 

Really like this draft class.

 

Aiken reminds me of Max Fried or a poor man's Clayton Kershaw. He's also one of the most decorated and polished high school pitchers in the class despite being one of the youngest (17 until after draft day).

 

Sheffield's stuff is so much like Ricky Romero's (that's meant as a compliment).

[GD]

Aiken reminds me of Max Fried or a poor man's Clayton Kershaw. He's also one of the most decorated and polished high school pitchers in the class despite being one of the youngest (17 until after draft day).

 

Sheffield's stuff is so much like Ricky Romero's (that's meant as a compliment).

 

I would certainly like Aiken.

 

I hadn't seen that. I don't think I wanted to, either.