2005 Draft: Best Tools

A rundown of the best tools in the 2005 draft

By Jim Callis
May 26, 2005

COLLEGE PLAYERS

BEST ATHLETE
1 John Mayberry, 1b, Stanford (24)
2 Ryan Braun, 3b, Miami (14)
3 Troy Tulowitzki, ss, Long Beach State (4)

BEST FIVE-TOOL TALENT
1 Stephen Drew, ss, Camden/Atlantic (8)
2 Alex Gordon, 3b, Nebraska (2)
3 Troy Tulowitzki, ss, Long Beach State (4)

BEST PURE HITTER
1 Alex Gordon, 3b, Nebraska (2)
2 Stephen Drew, ss, Camden/Atlantic (8)
3 Ryan Zimmerman, 3b, Virginia (9)

BEST POWER HITTER
1 Jeff Clement, c, Southern California (15)
2 Alex Gordon, c, Nebraska (2)
3 John Mayberry, 1b, Stanford (24)
4 Ryan Braun, 3b, Miami (14)
5 Jeff Larish, 1b, Arizona State (170)

BEST STRIKE-ZONE JUDGMENT
1 Alex Gordon, 3b, Nebraska (2)
2 Chase Headley, 3b, Tennessee (128)
3 Jacoby Ellsbury, of, Oregon State (25)

FASTEST BASERUNNER
1 Jacoby Ellsbury, of, Oregon State (25)
2 Trevor Crowe, of, Arizona (29)
3 Ryan Braun, 3b, Miami (14)
4 Tyler Greene, ss, Georgia Tech (40)
5 Josh Copeland, of, Pittsburgh (117)

BEST ARM STRENGTH/Position Player
1 Troy Tulowitzki, ss, Long Beach State (4)
2 Ryan Zimmerman, 3b, Virginia (9)
3 Cliff Pennington, ss, Texas A&M (27)

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER
1 Ryan Zimmerman, 3b, Virginia (9)
2 Taylor Teagarden, c, Texas (26)
3 Jacoby Ellsbury, of, Oregon State (25)
4 Troy Tulowitzki, ss, Long Beach State (4)
5 Drew Butera, c, Central Florida (180)

BEST FASTBALL
1 Mark McCormick, rhp, Baylor (22)
2 Craig Hansen, rhp, St. John’s (10)
3 Joey Devine, rhp, North Carolina State (35)
4 Mike Pelfrey, rhp, Wichita State (5)
5 Matt Torra, rhp, Massachusetts (23)

BEST BREAKING BALL
1 Craig Hansen, rhp, St. John’s (10)
2 Tim Lincecum, rhp, Washington (72)
3 Wade Townsend, rhp, Driippings Springs, Texas (18)
4 Luke Hochevar, rhp, Tennessee (6)
5 Matt Torra, rhp, Massachusetts (23)

BEST COMMAND
1 Cesar Ramos, lhp, Long Beach State (33)
2 Matt Torra, rhp, Massachusetts (23)
3 Jered Weaver, rhp, Long Beach (7)

CLOSEST TO MAJORS
1 Craig Hansen, rhp, St. John’s (10)
2 Alex Gordon, 3b, Nebraska (2)
3 Joey Devine, rhp, North Carolina State (35)

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS

BEST ATHLETE
1 Justin Upton, ss/of, Cheaspeake, Va. (1)
2 C.J. Henry, of, Oklahoma City (20)
3 DeSean Jackson, of, Long Beach (159)

BEST FIVE-TOOL TALENT
1 Justin Upton, ss/of, Chesapeake, Va. (1)
2 Cameron Maybin, of, Asheville, N.C. (3)
3 Andrew McCutchen, of, Fort Meade, Fla. (11)

BEST PURE HITTER
1 Justin Upton, ss/of, Chesapeake, Va. (1)
2 Andrew McCutchen, of, Fort Meade, Fla. (11)
3 Brandon Snyder, c, Westfield, Va. (28)

BEST POWER HITTER
1 Henry Sanchez, 1b, San Diego (31)
2 Cameron Maybin, of, Asheville, N.C. (2)
3 Jordan Danks, of, Round Rock, Texas (35)
4 Mike Durant, 1b, Berkeley, Calif. (160)
5 Colby Rasmus, of, Phenix City, Ala. (30)

BEST STRIKE-ZONE JUDGMENT
1 John Drennen, of, San Diego (32)
2 Jay Bruce, of, Beaumont, Texas (12)
3 Justin Smoak, 1b, Goose Creek, S.C. (95)

FASTEST BASERUNNER
1 Justin Upton, ss/of, Chesapeake, Va. (1)
2 Andrew McCutchen, of, Fort Meade, Fla. (11)
3 DeSean Jackson, of, Long Beach (159)
4 C.J. Henry, of, Oklahoma City (20)
5 Cameron Maybin, of, Asheville, N.C. (3)

BEST ARM STRENGTH/Position Player
1 Paul Kelly, ss/rhp, Flower Mound, Texas (68)
2 Justin Upton, ss/of, Chesapeake, Va. (1)
3 Ryan Mount, ss, Chino Hills, Calif. (56)

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER
1 Justin Upton, of, Chesapeake, Va. (1)
2 Ivan DeJesus, ss, Guaynabo, P.R. (107)
3 Justin Sellers, ss, Huntington Beach, Calif. (194)
4 Cameron Maybin, of, Asheville, N.C. (3)
5 Andrew McCutchen, of, Fort Meade, Fla. (11)

BEST FASTBALL
1 Craig Italiano, rhp, Flower Mound, Texas (52)
2 Chris Volstad, rhp, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (16)
3 Ryan Tucker, rhp, Temple City, Calif. (61)
4 Mark Pawelek, lhp, Springville, Utah (17)
4 Trevor Bell, rhp, La Crescenta, Calif. (57)

BEST BREAKING BALL
1 Bryan Morris, rhp, Tullahoma, Tenn. (42)
2 Chaz Roe, rhp, Lexington, Ky. (34)
3 Michael Bowden, rhp, Aurora, Ill. (38)
4 Aaron Thompson, lhp, Houston (59)
5 Jeremy Hellickson, rhp, Des Moines (69)

BEST COMMAND
1 Chris Volstad, rhp, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (16)
2 Aaron Thompson, lhp, Houston (59)
3 Jeremy Bleich, rhp, Metairie, La. (97)

CLOSEST TO MAJORS
1 Justin Upton, of, Chesapeake, Va. (1)
2 Andrew McCutchen, of, Fort Meade, Fla. (11)
3 Mark Pawelek, lhp, Springville, Utah (17)