Florida Marlins

Players signed indicated in Bold

Round Overall Player Position School State Bonus
1 18 Chad James LHP Yukon (Okla.) HS Okla. $1,700,000
James spent the offseason on a stringent conditioning program, and his hard work will pay off when he gets selected in the first round in June. After pitching in the high 80s and showing a mediocre curveball last year, he has gotten noticeably stronger. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder now routinely sits at 90-92 mph and touches 95 with his fastball. While his curveball needs more consistency, it's close to a plus pitch at times. He continues to have success with a changeup that ranks as one of the best among this draft's high schoolers. James has some minor delivery issues, but he's so athletic that he should be able to make those tweaks with ease. His brother Justin was a fifth-round pick out of Missouri by the Blue Jays in 2003. Chad has committed to Oklahoma State, but his stock continues to rise, making it unlikely he'll make it to college.
2 66 Bryan Berglund RHP Royal HS, Simi Valley, Calif. Calif. $572,500
Berglund was little known until a local all-star game last December, when he enjoyed a breakout performance and rocketed up draft boards. Berglund is a Swedish citizen who has picked up the American national pastime. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range, and his secondary pitches well developed for a prep pitcher. His slider has the makings of a plus pitch, but his best current offering is his changeup, which shows both deception and late drop. Berglund's velocity takes tails off as he progresses through a game, slipping down to 86-87 mph by the third or fourth inning, and he leans too much on his fastball, two problems that should be solved by simple maturity and development. Berglund's projectable 6-foot-4 build, with his three legitimate pitches, make him attractive enough that he probably won't follow through on his commitment to Loyola Marymount.
3 97 Marquise Cooper OF Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif. Calif. $345,000
Marquise Cooper is a speedy 17-year-old who has been clocked at 6.4 seconds in the 60-yard dash. He’s smallish and strong, and was a linebacker in football despite not being a huge player. He's still raw and his bat is a work in progress.
4 128 Dan Mahoney RHP Connecticut Conn. $222,300
Connecticut righthander Dan Mahoney is the clear-cut No. 2 prospect in lower New England behind Eric Smith, but scouts have been exasperated all spring by how difficult he has been to see, as the Huskies use him in a middle relief role. A 16th-round pick by the Yankees out of Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass., in 2007, Mahoney dominated as a closer in the New England Collegiate League last summer, ranking as the circuit's No. 2 prospect. He has a projectable 6-foot-4, 204-pound frame and a quick arm that produces fastballs up to 94 mph, though the pitch can be flat. He also flashes an above-average 76-78 mph curveball with sharp 11-to-5 break and an average or slightly better changeup. Sometimes he impresses scouts with his aggressive approach, but other times he's tentative and struggles with his command. There are questions about Mahoney's delivery, as he has a wrist wrap and often struggles to repeat his release point. A club that managed to get a few good looks at Mahoney could take him in the top six rounds, and he is believed to be signable as a draft-eligible sophomore.
5 158 Chase Austin SS Elon N.C. $155,000
The Southern Conference had a strong season, with two regional teams and four others than won at least 30 games. Elon won the conference with a veteran lineup full of juniors and seniors. The team's top junior is Chase Austin, who has played all over the infield but mostly at third base. He's athletic, runs well and has shown a consistent ability to get the barrel of the bat to the ball. Scouts question whether his power will translate to wood.
6 188 Dustin Dickerson 1B Baylor Texas
Dickerson projected as a possible second-round pick coming out of high school in 2006, but signability concerns dropped him to the Nationals in the 15th round. Scouts loved his sweet lefthanded swing but didn't like the adjustments he made at Baylor, as he spread out his stance and became more of an opposite-field hitter. He batted just .303 with seven homers in his first two seasons. Dickerson started pulling more pitches again this year, maximizing the strength in his 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame. He led the Bears with a .377 average, fashioned a 24-game hitting streak and hit 10 homers. He has a patient approach at the plate and makes consistent contact. Though he's reasonably athletic and runs well for his size, most of Dickerson's value lies in his bat. A high school third baseman, he moved to first base at Baylor and is only an adequate defender. His offensive potential could get him drafted as high as the third round.
Dickerson agreed to a $150,000 bonus with the Marlins on July 11 and played in 46 games at short-season Jamestown. However, his deal was voided on Oct. 11, making him a free agent.
7 218 Josh Hodges RHP Ingomar HS, New Albany, Miss. Miss. $125,000
A Northeast Mississippi JC recruit, Hodges hails from New Albany, Miss., a town of fewer than 10,000 in northern Mississippi. He's a physical 6-foot-7, 235-pound righty who hit 92-94 mph in high school but was hard to scout because of his relatively remote location and small school success.
8 248 Stephen Richards LHP Arkansas Ark. $125,000
Lefthanded Stephen Richards is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound reliever, and his stuff is good enough to get him drafted between the sixth and 10th rounds. His slider is a legitimate out pitch, and he sets it up with an 88-91 mph fastball. Going into the College World Series, he was 5-1, 1.09 with nine saves and 48 strikeouts in 33 innings.
9 278 Jobduan Morales C Jose S. Alegria HS, Dorado, P.R. $70,000
Jobduan Morales played third base most of the year, but can also play catcher. He needs to work on his body as it's very soft, which may cause him to end up at first base. That said, he's one of the best bats on the island this year with some pop from the left side.
10 308 Matt Montgomery RHP UC Riverside Calif. $80,000
Montgomery first garnered attention in 2007, when he posted a 5-1, 2.96 record for UC Riverside. He took an injury redshirt in 2008 and struggled in 2009, going 2-2, 4.55. Big and physical at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he drew draft interest based on the flashes of brilliance he showed two years ago. He's a sinker/slider pitcher who usually operates in the high 80s.
11 338 Chris Wade SS Kentucky Ky. $150,000
12 368 Kyle Jensen OF St. Mary's Calif. $100,000
Teams looking for college bats were having to look harder than usual this year. One option is St. Mary's outfielder Kyle Jensen. He was a skinny 6-foot-2, 180-pound lefthanded pitcher in high school, with an ordinary mid-80s fastball. Now a slugging righthanded-hitting outfielder, he has grown into a powerful 6-foot-4, 230-pounder. Jensen enjoyed a sensational 2008 season, belting 13 home runs while hitting .421 to lead the West Coast Conference. He also was productive in the Alaska League, hitting .265 for Mat-Su. His 2009 encore wasn't quite as impressive, as he swung for the fences more. He wound up at .286 with 58 strikeouts in 213 at-bats. Scouts love Jensen's huge raw power but are concerned about his contact rate. Some scouts think his high strikeout numbers came because he was pressing, though he does have holes in his swing. Despite his bulk, Jensen has excellent speed—-6.7 seconds on the 60-yard dash. He played both corners in college but profiles better in left, with a solid-average arm and acceptable defensive skills. He could go out as high as the third round despite his poor season.
13 398 Tyler Curtis RHP JC of Southern Idaho Idaho
The top prospect in the region is at Southern Idaho, a junior college in Twin Falls. Righthander Tyler Curtis is 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, with a loose arm and a fastball in the 89-91 mph range, touching 94. His secondary stuff still needs work, but his breaking ball improved from last year to this year. He used to throw a slower knuckle-curve and has since scrapped that grip for a traditional curveball. His arm speed improved and he got more aggressive with the pitch. Curtis will need to watch his conditioning, as he's already a slow-twitch guy—runners stole 25 bases in 29 attempts against him this season.
14 428 Sequoyah Stonecipher OF Grossmont (Calif.) JC Calif.
A showcase and Area Code veteran in high school, Stonecipher hasn't ever generated much scouting excitement because of his lack of big tools. He improved after leaving the San Diego program and playing juco ball. He hit .355 with 17 homers this spring, and may now draw some draft attention in the double-digit rounds, thanks to his bat.
15 458 Chad Cregar OF Western Kentucky Ky.
Outfielder Chad Cregar, who didn't sign as a 47th-round pick of the Cubs last year, hit 40 homers in two seasons at Western Kentucky after spending two years at Northwest Mississippi CC. The 6-foot-3, 221-pounder has an unorthodox approach and pulls everything, but his lefthanded power is undeniable. He's an adequate defender at left field or first base.
16 488 David Peters C Lakewood (Calif.) HS Calif. $100,000
17 518 Brent Keys OF Simi Valley (Calif.) HS Calif.
18 548 Brett Bukvich LHP Mississippi Miss.
Senior lefty Brett Bukvich, a fifth-year senior who's already 23, is more notable for his size (6-foot-3, 237 pounds) and older brother (ex-big leaguer Ryan). He competes hard and is lefthanded, and he tends to get hammered when he doesn't hit his spots because of his fringy stuff.
19 578 Erick Carrillo RHP Cal State San Bernardino Calif.
20 608 Rand Smith OF Appalachian State N.C.
21 638 A.J. Ramos RHP Texas Tech Texas
22 668 Terrence Dayleg SS Western Kentucky Ky.
23 698 Tommy Peale RHP Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) Idaho
Senior righthander Tommy Peale has below-average stuff, but fills up the strike zone and could get a shot.
24 728 Mike Brady SS California Calif.
25 758 Sean Teague RHP Southern Polytechnic State (Ga.) Ga.
26 788 Brent Weaver 3B Oklahoma City Okla.
First baseman Brent Weaver was the NAIA player of the year after hitting .419 with 37 homers, the second-most in NAIA history. It was a remarkable end to a six-year college career. The Brewers drafted as a pitcher in the 38th round in 2003 out of Midwest City (Okla.) HS, where he was a teammate of Matt Kemp. He pitched at Oklahoma State in 2004, but tore his labrum and underwent two shoulder surgeries. After redshirting in 2005, he blew out his elbow that fall and needed Tommy John surgery. Weaver missed all of 2006 and spent 2007 at Rose State (Okla.) JC before transferring to Oklahoma City, where the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder hit 61 homers in two years. He's 24 and ancient for a college player, but his righthanded power should buy him the opportunity to play pro ball.
27 818 Nate Simon 2B Pepperdine Calif.
28 848 Holden Sprague RHP Fresno State Calif.
29 878 Jared Eskew LHP Cal Poly Calif.
30 908 Harold Brantley OF Connecticut Conn.
31 938 Joey O'Gara RHP Indiana Ind.
32 968 Dallas Hord C Missouri State Mo.
33 998 Tom Buske RHP Minnesota Minn.
34 1028 Isaac Morales LHP Cal State Los Angeles Calif.
35 1058 Tyler Topp RHP Long Beach State Calif.
36 1088 Kaleth Fradera RHP Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Gurabo, P.R.
37 1118 Alex Glenn OF Henry County HS, McDonough, Ga. Ga.
38 1148 Kevin Johnson LHP Cincinnati Ohio
39 1178 Noah Perio SS De La Salle HS, Concord, Calif. Calif. $150,000
40 1208 Mitch Patito RHP Patriot HS, Riverside, Calif. Calif.
41 1238 Darnell Sweeney SS American Heritage HS, Plantation, Fla. Fla.
42 1268 Jordan Poyer OF Astoria (Ore.) HS Ore.
The Northwest is full of athletic outfielders who also play football. Jake Locker aside, there's Kyrell Hudson in Vancouver, Wash., and then two more in Oregon. Astoria High outfielder Jordan Poyer, like Hudson, plans to play both baseball and football at Oregon State. He was a high school quarterback and is listed at cornerback on the Beavers' football roster. His father played college football, and his mother played college softball. At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, he's a little taller than Hudson but isn't wound as tight. Poyer doesn't quite have Hudson's speed, strength or arm, but has more natural actions as a baseball player—he's a little leaner and looser. He has a buggy-whip swing, with some power. If he has good predraft workouts, he could end up as a single-digit pick.
43 1298 Donovan Gonzales RHP Twentynine Palms (Calif.) HS Calif.
44 1328 Kenny Giles RHP Rio Grande HS, Albuquerque N.M.
New Mexico rarely has high school players selected in the draft. Aside from Walla, there are a few interesting players, but most will likely end up in college. Righthander Kenny Giles is the younger brother of Josh, who played in the Rangers system. Giles showed good velocity this spring, sitting 91-92 mph, and has touched 94 in the past. He throws only a fastball and changeup now and has dealt with tendinitis this spring.
45 1358 Zach Hurley OF Ohio State Ohio
46 1388 Nick Ammirati C Seton Hall Prep, West Orange, N.J. N.J.
47 1418 Cody Miller C River Valley HS, Yuba City, Calif. Calif.
48 1448 Ryan Gibson LHP Yukon (Okla.) HS Okla.
49 1478 Alan Williams LHP Meridian (Miss.) CC Miss.
50 1508 Adam Kam 1B Douglas HS, Parkland, Fla. Fla.

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