2007 MLB Draft: Round 1

Players signed indicated in Bold

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Pick Overall Team Player Position School State
1 1 TB David Price lhp Vanderbilt TN
Price entered his junior season as the best amateur player in the country and reinforced his reputation with a third dominant season. He has the complete portfolio of athleticism, stuff, makeup and a proven track record. He posted a 0.43 ERA with 151 strikeouts in 65 innings as a high school senior and would have been a high-round pick if it hadn't for signability questions. The Dodgers made a run at signing him after drafting him in the 19th round in 2004, but Price stuck to his Vanderbilt commitment and stepped into the rotation right away, earning Freshman All-America honors. Price attends Vanderbilt on a financial scholarship, rather than a baseball ride, and he is lauded for his positive, team-first attitude. He took two tours with USA Baseball's college national team, including a 5-1, 0.20 stint in 2006 when he led Team USA to a gold medal in the World University Games in Cuba and was named Summer Player of the Year. His fastball/slider/changeup repertoire is unmatched among amateurs. He pitches at 90-91 mph, but the late life, arm-side run and finish of his fastball make it a weapon. He can dial it up to 95, seemingly whenever he needs to. His slider touches 87 with hard, late, sharp bite, grading as a 70 pitch on the 20-80 scale. His changeup is deceptive, and a third plus pitch. He spots all three of his pitches to all four quadrants of the strike zone, adds and subtracts and carves up hitters with efficiency and ease. His arm action and delivery are excellent. Price was an honorable mention all-Tennessee selection in basketball in high school, an indication of his athletic ability, which helps him field his position well and repeat his delivery. He profiles, conservatively, as a No. 2 starter, while some scouts see him as a true No. 1. The Devil Rays are expected to make him the top pick.
2 2 KC Michael Moustakas ss Chatsworth (Calif.) HS CA
No premium draft pick had a better season than Moustakas, who had one of the great careers in California high school history. The nephew of former Mets hitting coach Tom Robson, Moustakas tightened up his body between his junior and senior seasons, stepping up his conditioning as he healed completely from a hairline ankle fracture sustained during a scrimmage football game as a high school junior. He was the starting quarterback at Chatsworth as a freshman and has a bazooka for an arm--his fastball sat in the low 90s early in the year in relief roles and hit 97 mph in April. His power arm isn't his best tool though, as Moustakas' quiet, quick hands, polished approach and strength at the plate produce light-tower power and a smooth swing he repeats easily. Earlier in the year, scouts wondered about his defensive position--he's Chatsworth's shortstop but will move immediately as a pro. Most believe third base would be the first natural spot and others dreamed of his arm behind the plate, but most agree now that it doesn't matter. His bat will play at any spot, even first base, though it would be a shame to waste that arm there. The only complicating factor was his commitment to Southern California--he and Robert Stock would become an unrivaled pair of two-way players--and representation by Scott Boras. The combination clouds his signability, but not his impressive ability.
3 3 CHC Josh Vitters 3b Cypress (Calif.) HS CA
Vitters' older brother Christian was a solid prospect who had an excellent career at Fresno State. While Christian was a 10th-round pick, Josh figures to go nine rounds higher. He entered last summer as one of the top hitters in the class, then blew to the top of the heap while dominating at the Area Code Games, doubling three times at the Aflac Classic and earning MVP honors at the Cape Cod Classic. While Vitters has solid defensive and running tools, that's not what earned him such accolades--his bat did. He has tremendous feel for getting the fat part of the bat to the ball, and with his tremendous bat speed and barrel awareness, he drives the ball more consistently than any hitter in the class. Scouts describe him as the rare righthanded hitter with a pretty swing, and he's shown the ability to handle different velocities and different styles of pitching with ease. Vitters' his hand-eye coordination and ability to make contact are almost too good, because at times he swings at pitches he should let pass, rather than waiting for one he can punish with his all-fields power. While his hands and footwork at third are sound, he tends to misread hops, and defense doesn't come easy to him. His bat should play at any position, however. His only speed-bump this spring was a bout with pneumonia that caused him to miss two weeks, but he was still considered a near-lock to be picked in the first five spots overall.
4 4 PIT Daniel Moskos lhp Clemson SC
A Greenville, S.C., native, Moskos moved to California with his family, but returned to his roots to attend Clemson. He posted a 5.40 ERA in 21 relief appearances as a freshman, then inherited the Tigers' closer role as a sophomore and showed potential. He ranked as the No. 3 prospect for USA Baseball's college national team last summer, when he amassed 35 strikeouts and a stingy 0.86 ERA in 21 innings. With feel for three potentially plus pitched, he moved into Clemson's rotation near midseason and profiles as middle of the rotation starter in the big leagues. Stocky and compact, Moskos pounds the zone with a 91-95 mph fastball that bumped 97 out of the bullpen. He has a wipeout slider that has been up to 87 and also shows a more conventional curveball that he tends to use earlier in the count, just to keep hitters off balance. His changeup has fade, and he mixed all four of his pitches extremely well. Moskos has solid-average command of all of his stuff. He lacks projection and doesn't hold runners well. He joins Ross Detwiler and David Price as the cream of an especially strong crop of lefthanders in this year's draft.
5 5 BAL Matthew Wieters c Georgia Tech GA
Like Price, Wieters' strong college commitment was the only reason he wasn't drafted in the first two rounds in 2004. A talented two-way player who flashed 90 mph heat and plus-plus raw power at his suburban Charleston, S.C., high school, Wieters is well on his way to fulfilling the lofty projections on his bat. He's batted in the heart of Georgia Tech's batting order and served as the closer since arriving on campus. He ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Cape Cod League in 2006 and was a first-team Preseason All-American this year. While his size has been used as a knock on his defensive ability, one national crosschecker said Wieters was the best defensive catcher he'd seen as an amateur since Charles Johnson, and another said only Joe Mauer was better among the amateurs he'd scouted. Wieters has soft hands, good footwork and well-above-average arm strength, as evidenced by the 96 mph heat he has shown from the mound. Despite his size, he shows an ability to handle low strikes and receives quietly. He's not as vocal on the field as prototypical catchers. Wieters is the most polished hitter in the draft class. He commands the strike zone, displaying patience and pitch recognition. When he gets his pitch, he can use his plus bat speed to pull it out of the park, or keep his hands inside it and line it to the opposite field. A natural righthanded hitter, his swing is shorter from the right and he tends to work up the middle more as a righthanded hitter. He prefers to pull and has more power from the left. He could post averages near .280 with 30-homer potential in the big leagues. If the Devil Rays take Price No. 1, the Royals could take Wieters second, but he could slide out of the top 10 if the money adviser Scott Boras reportedly will seek is perceived as exorbitant.
6 6 WAS Ross Detwiler lhp Missouri State MO
The Marlins made Brett Sinkbeil the highest-drafted player in Missouri State history when they selected him 19th overall in 2006, but his record will likely last for only a year. Detwiler could go as high as No. 2 overall to the Royals and should last no more than 10 picks at the most. Though he packs just 175 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame, Detwiler has the leverage and whip-like arm speed to consistently deliver 92-95 mph fastballs. He also throws a hard spike curveball at 78-81 mph, and sometimes will drop his arm angle to give it more sweeping break against lefthanders. His changeup has shown improvement this spring. Detwiler hasn't been able to put on weight yet has been durable. After starring in the Cape Cod League and with Team USA last summer, he endured a trying junior season, winning just four times in his first 12 starts due to a lack of offensive and defensive support. He was finishing strong, however, striking out a career-high 14 in a mid-May start that his bullpen blew for him in the ninth inning.
7 7 MIL Matthew LaPorta 1b Florida FL
LaPorta led the nation in home runs as a sophomore in 2005, slugging 26 to set a school record. His power binge continued during that summer, when he anchored the heart of the order for Team USA's college national squad. His junior season was another story. He strained an oblique muscle in February, missed 13 games and never got untracked. The Red Sox drafted him in the 14th round last June, but he stuck to his bonus demands, reportedly $1 million, and returned to Gainesville for his senior season, with outstanding results. His .579 on-base percentage led the nation, as did his 1.432 on-base plus slugging. He has improved his approach and kept his hands inside the ball better this year, making better contact, and his plus-plus raw power remains a game-changing tool. When he gets his arms extended, he can launch balls out to all parts of the park. He's a below-average defensive player who is relegated to first base as a professional, but could be taken in the top half of the first round this year nonetheless. His adviser is Scott Boras, which can always be a factor in where a player goes.
8 8 COL Casey Weathers rhp Vanderbilt TN
Weathers was a light-hitting junior-college outfielder when he and a teammate climbed atop a mound one day after practice to see how hard they could throw. Weathers hit 92 mph, and his days in the outfield were over. He transferred to Vanderbilt and has flourished in the back of the bullpen for college baseball's best team, routinely blowing 96-97 mph gas. He was summoned from the Alaska League last year and joined USA Baseball's college national team's bullpen. He establishes his fastball early in counts, will elevate it late in counts and pitches to both sides of the plate. His delivery is generally fine, though his arm action occasionally gets long, which prevents him from getting on top of his pitches and leads to erratic command and hanging sliders. His slider has touched 91, and when he stays through the pitch upon release, it has hard, three-quarter tilt with power. He's been durable in his brief pitching career, and his two-pitch mix (he also has a changeup) could allow him to close in the majors. As a senior, he should sign quickly and won't make it out of the first round.
9 9 ARI Jarrod Parker rhp Norwell HS, Ossian, Ind. IN
Parker pitched for Team USA's junior national squad that won a silver medal in the World Junior Championship in Cuba last September. He has blown away scouts and hitters all spring, warming up for his initial start at 93-94 mph and hitting 97 with his first official pitch of the season. He touched 98 in that game and has continued to do so since, often working at 95-96. Just 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, Parker generates his exceptional velocity with an unbelievably quick arm. One scouting director says he has the best arm action of any high school pitcher in the draft, and he has drawn comparisons to a righthanded version of Scott Kazmir and to Tim Lincecum. Parker doesn't have Lincecum's untouchable curveball, but he does have a power curve with good depth and has shown a mid-80s slider. He hasn't needed it much against inferior high school competition, but Parker also has flashed an average to plus changeup. He didn't allow a run until his sixth start or an earned run until his seventh. A Georgia Tech recruit, he should go in the first half of the first round, perhaps to the Braves at No. 14.
10 10 SF Madison Bumgarner lhp South Caldwell HS, Hudson, N.C. NC
In terms of physical features, arm slot and velocity, Bumgarner could be considered a lefthanded version of Phillippe Aumont. He pitches with less effort and has better fastball command than his Canadian counterpart. But the knock on Bumgarner is the lack of a true secondary pitch. He pitches off his best weapon, a 92-94 mph fastball that has been up to 97 this spring. It has late life and finish. He has tried multiple grips and shapes with his breaking ball, and at times has flashed a fringe-average pitch that has tilt and late snap at 81 mph. Like Aumont, Bumgarner throws from a low three-quarters release point, which he doesn't repeat well, and that makes achieving downward action on his breaking ball difficult. His changeup is a below-average pitch that should improve when and if he throws it more often. Because of his size, athleticism and velocity, Bumgarner is a surefire first-rounder. The club that believes he can come up with a true breaking ball down the line could pop him as early as 10th or 11th overall.
11 11 SEA Phillippe Aumont rhp Ecole Du Versant, Gatineau, Que. QC
Canada's national baseball program is well organized, and it is beginning to bear more fruit. The physically imposing Aumont--6-foot-7 and 225 pounds--is the country's best prospect since Adam Loewen. Aumont made a name for himself when he appeared in a high school all-star game in Cape Cod and the East Coast Showcase last summer. He made an impressive showing against the Tigers' extended spring training squad in April, touching 96 mph from a low three-quarters arm slot that can be devastating for righthanded hitters. Aumont flashes an occasionally plus slider at 80-82, though his arm slot makes it difficult for him to stay on top of the pitch. His velocity has vacillated during the spring, and his mechanics are raw, but he's athletic and has pitched well in front of a handful of scouting directors and should be drafted among the top 20 picks. Aumont now lives with guardians, and while he is reluctant to discuss his parents or his past with the media, he has been forthcoming with teams that are interested in him as a potential first-rounder.
12 12 FLA Matt Dominguez 3b Chatsworth (Calif.) HS CA
Dominguez entered the season competing for top prospect honors in Southern California, especially after leading USA Baseball's junior national team with two homers and 11 RBIs at least year's World Junior Championship. He was quickly passed as a prospect by his teammate, Mike Moustakas, this spring, however, and his stock was falling toward the bottom of the first round as the draft approached. The problem isn't tools, but rather adjustments. Dominguez has the tools to hit, with quick hands that he should learn to trust. Instead, he gets on his front foot too early, and to compensate he has tinkered with his approach--a bat wrap, rocking back with his hands, or setting up in a wide-open stance and diving at the ball. He has the bat speed and raw power potential that none of it is probably necessary, but the club that drafts Dominguez and signs him away from his Cal State Fullerton commitment will need to adjust his hitting mechanics. His other tools are excellent, particularly defensively, where he's drawn comparisons to Ryan Zimmerman. Dominguez has a well-above-average arm, and with his supple hands and quick release, it plays as well as Moustakas' 80 arm. He does everything easily defensively and is a solid runner.
13 13 CLE Beau Mills 1b/3b Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) ID
Scouts are trained to focus on the process--the how--rather than the results. In Mills' case, though, the results must be mentioned. After two years at Fresno State when he hit 36 home runs, Mills transferred to NAIA Lewis-Clark State. Fresno State suspended him due to academic shortcomings in 2006, and Mills decided to join LCSC after playing for coach Ed Cheff in the summer in the Alaska League. He led the league in home runs (seven) and RBIs (33). The son of ex-big leaguer Brad Mills--now the Red Sox' bench coach--has proceeded to dominate inferior competition. He hit his school-record 31st home run in LCSC's 54th game, and his on-base plus slugging percentage was approaching 1.600. Mills generates well-above-average power thanks to a leveraged, balanced swing and excellent strength; the ball jumps off his bat to all fields. Defense is another matter. A shoulder injury limited him to DH last summer, and Mills' arm is still a bit tight (leading to more DH appearances) and grades as below-average. He works hard at his defense, and his hands and footwork could make him a fringe-average third baseman eventually, though most scouts believe he'll be below-average. His bat should play at first base, but it would play even better at third. In a year with few impact college bats, Mills stands out and figures to go high, no matter which infield corner he plays.
14 14 ATL Jason Heyward of Henry County HS, McDonough, Ga. GA
Along with Brackman, Heyward has as much upside as any player in the draft. He possesses a rare blend of strong tools and feel for all phases of the game. He draws physical comparisons to Fred McGriff, while his tools are similar to Willie McCovey's and his approach is comparable to Frank Thomas'. Heyward's father played basketball at Dartmouth and his uncle played basketball for John Wooden at UCLA. He led McDonough High to the school's first state championship in baseball as a junior, when he was used as a center fielder, first baseman and pitcher. He'll play right field as a professional, where he's a solid-average defender with average arm strength. He's an average runner. His plate discipline and pitch recognition are outstanding, though some scouts left his games frustrated that he wasn't more aggressive. He rarely misses his pitch, and he shows above-average bat speed and a willingness to use the whole field. He has plus-plus raw power. Heyward will need to lower his hands in his set-up to improve his ability to get backspin on balls, helping his power translate into more home runs.
15 15 CIN Devin Mesoraco c Punxsutawney (Pa.) HS PA
As strong as this year's high school class was considered at the outset of the season, it got even better when high school righthanders Jarrod Parker and Nevin Griffith and Mesoraco came out of the gate showing better tools and ability than they had last summer and fall. Griffith and Mesoraco appeared in showcases, but they didn't show impact potential until this spring, and Mesoraco has been the biggest riser of them all. An arm injury led to Tommy John surgery when he was a sophomore, and he was relegated to DH duties as a junior. His arm strength has slowly returned, and this spring he has shown a 70 arm with quick, efficient releases. Defensively, Mesoraco compares favorably to 2001 Angels first-rounder Jeff Mathis, with athleticism serving as the foundation of an agile, quick-twitch player who receives and blocks exceptionally well. He shows above-average bat speed and 50-55 power at the plate. He's a solid-average runner, too, rounding out a legitimate five-tool package that probably won't make it out of the first round.
16 16 TOR Kevin Ahrens 3b Memorial HS, Houston TX
The best high school hitter in another strong year in Texas, Ahrens repeatedly draws comparisons to Chipper Jones. That holds up on several levels, as Ahrens is a switch-hitter with power and a high school shortstop who will have to move to third base at the next level, whether that's at Texas A&M or in pro ball. More of a gap-to-gap hitter in the past, Ahrens has gotten stronger and started to turn on his power at the World Wood Bat Championship last fall, hitting a game-winning triple in the quarterfinals and a game-winning homer in the semis before his Houston Heat lost in the championship game. He's proficient from both sides of the plate, with a sound approach and little effort in his swing. The only thing lacking in Ahrens' game is speed, as he's a below-average runner. Though he still sees himself as a shortstop, he'll definitely have to shift to the hot corner, where his plus arm and soft hands will be assets. In a tremendous year for high school third basemen, Ahrens could be a bit of a steal in the late first round or early supplemental first round.
17 17 TEX Blake Beavan rhp Irving (Texas) HS TX
Beavan set the tone for a dominant senior season last summer, when he threw an 11-strikeout shutout against Cuba--in Cuba--during the quarterfinals of the World Junior Championship. The ace of Team USA and Baseball America's 2006 Youth Player of the Year, Beavan allowed two earned runs in 11 starts this spring, including an 18-whiff perfect game and a 15-strikeout one-hitter in the playoffs. He has pitched at 91-96 mph with his fastball all spring, and some scouts believe his hard slider may be his best pitch. His 6-foot-7, 210-pound frame adds to his intimidating presence, and it's tough for righthanders to dig in when he drops down to a lower three-quarters arm angle. Beavan's mechanics are the only thing that give scouts pause about him. He has some recoil and effort in his arm action, and he often stays too upright and doesn't finish over his front side. He also tips his pitches at times by varying his arm slot. Despite those concerns, Beavan has been durable and should go in the middle of the first round. He committed to Oklahoma but won't be a tough sign.
18 18 STL Peter Kozma ss Owasso (Okla.) HS OK
There may not be a true middle infielder drafted in the first round this year, but Kozma is as good a candidate as any. He impressed scouting directors when his team made a swing through Florida in late March, and he had a three-homer game in an Oklahoma 6-A playoff contest. Kozma has no true standout tool, but he also has no glaring weakness. He grades out as average to slightly above-average in every tool except power, and he does have pop. His instincts help him play above his physical ability at bat, on the bases and in the field. He has good plate coverage and uses the entire field, projecting as a future No. 2 hitter in a big league lineup. Coming into the spring, some scouts questioned whether he'd be a long-term shortstop, but he has no doubters now. A Wichita State recruit, Kozma draws raves for his consistency and energy as well.
19 19 PHI Joseph Savery lhp Rice TX
Area scouts have projected Savery as a 2007 first-rounder since he came out of Lamar High in Houston three years ago. He was the top two-way player in the state, but it would have taken a $1 million bonus to dissuade him from following Jeff Niemann's path from Lamar to Rice. As with Niemann in 2004, Savery hasn't been 100 percent in his draft year following offseason surgery. He didn't pitch for the Owls last June, then had minor surgery to shave down a bone growth in the back of his shoulder that was causing some fraying in his labrum. Savery has taken a regular turn in the Rice rotation this spring, but he has been less than dominant, as his 44-30 K-BB ratio through 68 innings would attest. Savery's velocity was improving in early May, as he was showing a 90-94 mph fastball for a couple of innings and still touched 90 after 100 pitches. In his initial starts this season, he worked more often at 85-89 mph. His changeup is a plus pitch, and his hard, slurvy curveball can get strikeouts when it's on, though he hasn't used it as much as in the past. Savery has continued to pull double duty for the Owls, playing first base and leading the club with a .353 average and 43 RBIs through 52 games. Once he regains full health, he could take off after he focuses his energy and efforts on pitching. The recent litany of Rice pitching prospects who have needed surgery after turning pro concerns scouts, but Savery could be a steal if he slides into the second half of the first round.
20 20 LAD Chris Withrow rhp Midland (Texas) Christian HS TX
Withrow first boosted his stock last summer at the Texas Scout Association showcase, and he has continued to rise up draft boards this spring. He has a projectable 6-foot-3, 195-pound body and plenty of present velocity. He was reaching 93-94 mph as the draft approached and consistently pitching at 88-92 mph. He has a clean delivery, no surprise for someone whose father Mike pitched at Texas and reached Double-A in the White Sox system. Mike is also his pitching coach at Midland Christian High. Withrow doesn't always finish his curveball, but it's a promising pitch with bite and has improved this spring. He should get drafted high enough to pass up the opportunity to attend Baylor, but if he does go to college he'll be a two-way player. He has some hitting ability and the athleticism to play an outfield corner.
21 21 TOR Jonathan Arencibia c/1b Tennessee TN
Shortly after Julio Borbon broke his ankle in the preseason, Tennessee's next best hitter, Arencibia, pulled a muscle in his back and was forced out of the lineup until mid-March. He ranked with Borbon among USA Baseball's college national team's top prospects last summer after leading the team with nine home runs in 121 at-bats. Power has long been his calling card. The Miami native tied Alex Rodriguez' Westminster Christian High career record for home runs with 17 and was drafted by the Mariners in the 17th round in 2004. A potential first-rounder entering the season, Arencibia struggled offensively and behind the plate upon returning to the lineup. He's an aggressive hitter with plus power to all fields. His swing gets long and he tends to have too much of an uppercut stroke. The verdict is out on whether he'll stay behind the plate as a pro. His receiving skills are rudimentary at best, and his footwork prevents him from getting off better throws despite solid-average to plus arm strength. His stock has slipped, but he won't make it out of the second round.
22 22 SF Tim Alderson rhp Horizon HS, Scottsdale, Ariz. AZ
Alderson has had a high profile for awhile, and he has handled pressure well throughout his career. He was on the mound when USA Baseball's junior national team lost to Korea in the gold-medal game of the World Junior Championship last September, but he thrived with the team, striking out 12 in eight innings without allowing an earned run. In mid-May, he threw a complete game to help Horizon High win the Arizona 5-A championship, as he allowed 13 hits in a 9-6 victory but still struck out 13. (It was the second state-title victory of his career, as he also went five innings for a victory as a sophomore.) Pitching exclusively out of the stretch, Alderson repeats his mechanics, and they allow him to fill up the strike zone, to the tune of a 34-inning streak without a walk this season. It's unheard-of command for a 6-foot-7 prep pitcher. In one May start, he threw 61 strikes out of 72 pitches. However, Alderson goes full tilt on pretty much every pitch, lands hard on his front leg and gets little extension in his delivery. Scouts are split on his future role, but most consider him a reliever even though he already has two plus pitches and throws both for strikes in routine fashion. Most contend he would not hold up physically or mechanically as a starter over 200 innings, yet his stuff is so good at present--90-92 mph fastball that touches 94, 78-80 mph curveball and the makings of an average changeup--that they hesitate to recommend changing what makes him so attractive now. His stuff and track record say
23 23 SD Nick Schmidt lhp Arkansas AR
Schmidt was a second-team Preseason All-American, but he has since bypassed such pitchers as Jake Arrieta and Wes Roemer who rated ahead of him. He doesn't have wow stuff, but he's a big, durable lefthander who has been a No. 1 starter in the rugged Southeastern Conference since he was a freshman. His stock took a mild hit last summer, when his stuff was down a notch with Team USA. That was mostly the result of being tired after working 117 innings as a sophomore at Arkansas, but it didn't stop Schmidt from winning the championship game at the World University Games in Cuba--a tribute to his competitive nature. He was a workhorse again this spring, exceeding 100 innings before the end of the regular season. Schmidt pitches off an 88-92 mph fastball and backs it up with a solid changeup and curveball. While he doesn't have a swing-and-miss pitch, he does a fine job of using his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame to drive his pitches down in the strike zone. He won't be a No. 1 starter but should become a good No. 3 for the club that gets him toward the end of the first round.
24 24 TEX Michael Main rhp/of Deland (Fla.) HS FL
Baseball America's top 15-year-old in the nation in 2004, Main looked like a can't-miss prospect even before he could drive. Tendinitis in his rotator cuff cost him most of his junior season, but he recovered to lead DeLand High to the state final four and did so again this year. He has a lightning-quick arm that generates 97 mph heat, but more importantly he has learned how to pitch this spring. Even Main's jaw-dropping velocity wasn't enough to get outs when he got knocked around in a start at the Aflac Classic and other high-profile events last summer. This year, he has kept his fastball down in the zone, where it has lots of late movement. Main shows solid-average command presently, as well as the ability to spot this two-plane breaking ball where he wants it. His changeup has above-average run and sink. Main's slight build and lively repertoire make him comparable to Tim Hudson, but some teams see him as a safer pick as an outfielder. He's a 70 runner with good bat speed, and has even shown an ability to make contact from both sides of the plate. He's more likely to be drafted in the first round as a pitcher, however.
25 25 CWS Aaron Poreda lhp San Francisco CA
Poreda wasn't on the radar screen in high school; he focused more on football as a defensive end/tight end. He did pitch a bit, even tossing a no-hitter, but was awkward and had suspect arm action. In three seasons at San Francisco working with pitching coach Greg Moore, however, he has developed into a first-round candidate and one of the nation's hardest-throwing lefthanders. Poreda works off the fastball almost as much as UC Riverside's James Simmons (No. 47), and like Simmons, it's his only above-average pitch. While his fastball was flat and 89-90 mph in his 2007 opener, he has been consistently in the low 90s since then, touching 96-97 and regularly hitting 94. He throws plenty of strikes (though he lacks true command), and with his 6-foot-6, 240-pound frame, he should prove durable. He doesn't pitch as downhill as he should at his size, in part because of his low three-quarters arm slot. Poreda's arm action and lower slot make his breaking ball a fringe-average pitch at best, though it has improved. He has the makings of a changeup but hasn't thrown it much, sticking to his fastball. He had experimented with a higher slot to aid his breaking ball, but the move cost his fastball some of its late life and was back to his old slot.
26 26 OAK James Simmons rhp UC Riverside CA
Simmons was a high school teammate of San Diego's Josh Romanski, a sophomore lefty and the Toreros' No. 2 starter. Simmons has been UC Riverside's ace since his freshman season in 2005, when he won at Oregon State but was academically ineligible at midseason. He followed a good sophomore season by dominating the Cape Cod League last summer, posting a 1.18 ERA. Simmons has worn the label of ace even more comfortably as a junior, winning a much-hyped duel with Cal State Fullerton rival Wes Roemer in late April, when he pumped up his fastball to 93 mph. Usually, Simmons sits at 89-90 mph, but he commands the fastball better than anyone else in college baseball in 2007. Scouts give him 60 or even 70 grades (on the 20-80 scale) for his command. He pitches off the fastball, both a sinking two-seamer and firmer four-seamer, and works all quadrants of the strike zone. Some scouts don't like his secondary pitches as anything but fringe-average, but his slider and particularly his changeup find some takers. His slow curveball needs significant improvement. His toughness and above-average makeup endear him to all scouts. Simmons will go as high in the draft--and as far as a pro--as his fastball command takes him.
27 27 DET Rick Porcello rhp Seton Hall Prep, West Orange, N.J. NJ
The top pitcher in the long awaited, much anticipated high school Class of 2007, Porcello was tabbed as a can't-miss prospect by the time he was a 15-year-old on the showcase circuit. His maternal grandfather, Sam Dente, played shortstop in the majors, appearing in the 1954 World Series with the Indians. Porcello has shown steady improvement during his prep career, and was pitching at his best heading down the stretch, tossing a seven-inning perfect game for the nation's No. 1 high school team in May. He's long, lean, athletic and projectable with a clean delivery. His fastball sits at 93-95, touching 98. He holds his velocity deep into outings. He throws a tight curveball at 74-76 and a harder, sharp-breaking slider at 80-82. He shows feel for his changeup. He can spot his fastball to both sides of the plate, and mixes his pitches effectively. He tends to finish his delivery across his body, and if he improved his extension, his stuff could have better life, which would make him profile as a true top-of-the-rotation pitcher. He still is likely to be the first high school pitcher selected.
28 28 MIN Ben Revere of Lexington (Ky.) Catholic HS KY
A few months after Revere starred as a defensive back, receiver and kick returner on Lexington Catholic's 3-A state championship football team as a junior, he won a state championship with the baseball team. His father John played football and baseball at Eastern Kentucky, and his brother J.R. played both sports at Georgia Southern, winning a I-AA national title as the Eagles' quarterback in 2000. A four-year starter in baseball, Revere has a career .487 batting average and a state-record 27 triples. He has struck out 19 times in 433 high school at-bats. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder opened eyes at last year's East Coast Showcase when he turned in the best 60-yard-dash of the event (6.28 seconds) and showed some pop at the plate. While his speed is his best tool, Revere has a sound approach at the plate and a knack for turning on fastballs and pulling them with authority. He gets good extension in his swing and projects for average power as a pro. He needs to refine his bunting and use the whole field more effectively. Revere's speed could allow him to become a plus defender in center field, but presently he makes mistakes that he can usually outrun. He needs to improve his reads and could take better routes to the ball. He has a below-average arm. Revere is considered signable in the top five rounds, and should easily find a suitor by then.
29 29 SF Wendell Fairley of George County-Lucedale (Miss.) HS MS
Although Fairley's athletic ability and talent were recognized early, he has been somewhat of a mystery to most scouts because he split time between football (as a wide receiver) and baseball in high school. He also never showed interest in playing in showcases. Fairley's tools are unquestioned. He shows ability to hit for average as well as plus power, and his quick lefthanded stroke allows him to pull balls out of the park or line them to left field. He's a plus runner with solid-average arm strength and defensive ability that play perfectly in center field. He's just scratching the surface of his potential, and could develop into a player in the mold of Carl Crawford. As a 19-year-old father, his makeup has been analyzed closely, and he faced charges this season--which were later dropped--for his part in a school-bus prank on a 16-year-old teammate. Because of his limited baseball experience, he's somewhat of a wild card, but because of his tools he could be taken as early as the back of the first round.
30 30 NYY Andrew Brackman rhp North Carolina State NC
As an awkward 6-foot-7 16-year-old at Cincinnati's Moeller High, Brackman wasn't considered a top 50 prospect in baseball or basketball. His basketball game blossomed as a senior, and when N.C. State offered him a chance to play both sports, he eagerly accepted. A bout with tendinitis assured he wouldn't be drafted highly enough out of high school to buy him out of college, and after giving up basketball as a sophomore (he had thrown just 77 innings in his first two years at N.C. State), he's begun to come into this own. Now a legitimate 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, his upside is considerable. His athleticism helps him repeat his delivery, but he struggles with his balance and release point, leading to erratic command, especially of his secondary stuff. He touched 99 mph in the Cape Cod League in 2006 and again during an early-season outing in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and he pitches at 94 with exceptional plane. His mid-80s spike-curveball is filthy. Brackman's changeup was the pitch that had improved the most this spring, and grades as a third potential plus offering. He's still unrefined, but even without the polish, Brackman shouldn't slide out of the top 10 picks.

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