Draft Report Cards: American League East

By Jim Callis
October 23, 2006

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Best Pro Debut: The first high school position player drafted, 3B Billy Rowell (1) met every expectation by hitting .328/.415/.503. RHP Josh Faiola (24), who features a sinker/slider combo, bounced back after a subpar spring, and he posted a 0.97 ERA and 37 strikeouts in as many innings.

Best Athlete: INF Tyler Henson (5) quarterbacked his high school football team to a 14-0 record and an Oklahoma state title, and he pitched and won the state championship game for the baseball squad. He also started at point guard in basketball. On the diamond, he has plus speed, arm strength and shortstop actions, and there's also pop in his bat.

Best Pure Hitter: Rowell has a simple, fluid swing and drives the ball to the gaps. 2B Ryan Adams (2) was one of the best-hitting middle infielders in the draft and might have snuck into the supplemental first round had he not been bothered by severe hamstring problems.

Best Raw Power: Rowell has well-above-average raw power and the skill and know-how to translate it into home runs. Draft-and-follow 1B Chris Vinyard shared the New York-Penn League homer crown with eight.

Fastest Runner: Henson is a step quicker than OF David Cash (40).

Best Defensive Player: Blake Davis (4) is a steady shortstop with quick hands, feet and actions. He's also a solid line-drive hitter who can steal an occasional base.

Best Fastball: RHP Brent Allar (14) has the most pure arm strength, topping out at 96-97 mph, but didn't pitch much at Texas Christian in the spring because he couldn't find the strike zone. He made some progress with his control after signing but still has a ways to go. RHP Pedro Beato (1) is right behind him, pitching from 90-96 mph, and throws a lot more strikes. LHP Zach Britton (3) has more velo than most southpaws at 92-93 mph.

Best Breaking Ball: Beato had an 84-85 mph slider, but the Orioles wanted him to reduce his five-pitch repertoire and had him scrap it. His 78-82 mph curveball is a power breaker that grades out as well-above-average when it's on.

Most Intriguing Background: Cash's father Dave was an all-star second baseman and is Baltimore's first-base coach. 1B Anthony Martinez (11) began his college career as a quarterback at Virginia. OF Isaiah Stanback (45) accounted for 14 touchdowns in his first seven games as Washington's quarterback this fall before a foot injury ended his season. Baltimore still controls the rights to Stanback, who hasn't played baseball since high school, because he's a fifth-year senior.

Closest To The Majors: Brett Bordes (9), because he's a lefty reliever with a tough 88-91 mph sinker. Lefties went 2-for-47 (.043) against him in pro ball, with 15 whiffs and 27 grounders. Rowell will advance rapidly for a high school hitter.

Best Late-Round Pick: Cash, who hit much better in the Cape Cod League this summer than he did at Florida during the spring. Martinez is also interesting because he has power and good athleticism for a 6-foot-3, 240-pounder.

The One Who Got Away: The Orioles were willing to give draft-eligible sophomore lefthander Tony Watson (17) third- or fourth-round money, but he opted to return to Nebraska. He's still projectable at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, and currently works at 88-92 mph.

Assessment: Rowell and Beato have huge ceilings, a nice way to start any draft. Baltimore's focus on athletes was obvious, as the top five position players it signed all played shortstop as amateurs.

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BOSTON RED SOX

Best Pro Debut: LHP Kris Johnson (1) and RHPs Justin Masterson (2) and Bryce Cox (3) all posted sub-1.00 ERAs. Masterson had a 33-2 K-BB ratio in 32 innings, while Cox did most of his dominating in high Class A. Submarining RHP Josh Papelbon (48) had a 1.86 ERA, 13 saves and a 36-6 K-BB ratio in 29 innings.

Best Athlete: OF Ryan Kalish (9) had the opportunity to play quarterback at Virginia if he hadn't turned pro. He's the best pure athlete in this crop, while OF Jason Place (1) offers the best combination of power and speed. SS/3B Kris Negron (7) does the best job of translating his athleticism to the diamond at this point.

Best Pure Hitter: Kalish has a pretty lefthanded stroke and didn't swing and miss at a single pitch in high school this spring. Boston originally took OF Josh Reddick (17) as a draft-and-follow, then signed him after he homered and doubled against Team USA in summer competition.

Best Raw Power: Balls just explode off the bat of 1B Lars Anderson (18), who led California high schoolers with 15 homers in the spring. With his simple approach and short stroke, he should hit for average as well. C/1B Ty Weeden (16) showed tremendous power to all fields at the 2005 Area Code Games. Place also has well above-average power potential. The Red Sox wanted to add power to their system, and they spent $2.545 million to sign this trio.

Fastest Runner: Negron and Kalish have plus speed. Draft-and-follow OF Matt Sheely is faster than both of them.

Best Defensive Player: Boston believes Negron can stay at shortstop, and he has the tools and actions to do well at second or third base if needed.

Best Fastball: RHP Daniel Bard (1) usually pitched from 93-96 mph in college, and when he reported to instructional league after signing late he had one sequence where he threw 99, 100 and 99 again. Cox works at 93-94 mph and tops out at 96-97 with tremendous run and sink. RHP Jordan Craft (13) occasionally touches 96, while RHP Caleb Clay (1), an outfielder before 2006, and Masterson both can reach 94.

Best Breaking Ball: Cox' mid-80s slider has so much lateral break that catchers struggle to hold onto it.

Most Intriguing Background: If not for his baseball responsibilities, LHP Dustin Richardson (5) would have made Texas Tech's basketball team as a walk-on in ESPN's reality show "Knight School." Papelbon's older brother Jonathan is Boston's all-star closer, and his twin Jeremy signed with the Cubs as a 19th-rounder in June. Unsigned RHP Kyle Snider's (10) brother Brian is a former Athletics first-rounder who played in Double-A this year, while Weeden's brother Brandon pitches in the Royals system. Unsigned 1B Chad Gross' (26) father Kevin pitched in the majors and was his high school coach, while RHP Richie Lentz' (19) dad Mike was the No. 2 overall pick in the June 1975 draft.

Closest To The Majors: Cox, because of his stuff and his role as a reliever. If the Red Sox decide to put Masterson in the bullpen, he'll advance quickly, but the plan is to use him as a starter for now.

Best Late-Round Pick: Anderson, then Weeden. In the non-big-money division, it would be Reddick and Craft.

The One Who Got Away: Boston still controls the rights to prime draft-and-follows Snider and LHP Brandon Belt (11). The Red Sox never got close financially to signing slugging 1B Matt LaPorta (14), who returned to Florida for his senior year.

Assessment: After depleting their system through callups and trades, the Red Sox took a big step toward restocking it with this draft. They addressed their biggest shortcoming (home run power) while also adding athletes and power arms.

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NEW YORK YANKEES

Best Pro Debut: Despite a 90-94 mph fastball and a hard slider, RHP George Kontos (5) went 3-10, 5.29 at Northwestern during the spring. The Yankees simplified his delivery, which improved his command, and he went 7-3, 2.64 with 82 strikeouts in 78 innings during the regular season before winning the clinching game of the short-season New York-Penn League playoffs. Counting the NY-P postseason, RHP Tim Norton (7) didn't allow an earned run in his final 30 innings. He throws a 90-93 mph fastball and a quality changeup. RHP Nick Peterson (12), who has a solid fastball/slider combination, had a 1.93 ERA, 14 saves and 53 strikeouts in 37 NY-P innings.

Best Athlete: OF Seth Fortenberry (11), who just needs to make better contact to tap into his offensive potential. OF Colin Curtis (4) has average tools across the board.

Best Pure Hitter: 3B/SS Mitch Hilligoss (6) or Curtis. Hilligoss won the Big Ten Conference batting title with a .404 average in 2005 and finished second with a .386 mark last spring.

Best Raw Power: The Yankees concentrated more on finding players who can hit now and will worry about developing their power later. Curtis stands out the most with his average pop.

Fastest Runner: Fortenberry has plus speed. He has been clocked at 6.5 seconds in the 60 and 4.1 seconds from the left side of the plate to first base.

Best Defensive Player: New York envisions Curtis as a Mark Kotsay-type center fielder whose instincts allow him to play above his tools. Chris Kunda (19) was named the Pacific-10 Conference defensive player of the year while playing second base, then ably moved to shortstop as a pro.

Best Fastball: The Yankees gave above-slot seven-figure bonuses to RHPs Joba Chamberlain (1) and Dellin Betances (8), both of whom usually pitch at 92-94 mph and can reach back to get to 97. Betances may throw harder as he fills out his 6-foot-8, 210-pound frame and refines his mechanics.

Best Breaking Ball: Both Betances and RHP Mark Melancon (9) can throw a nasty curveball, with Melancon's more consistent. Melancon might have been a first-round pick had he not injured his elbow late in the spring.

Most Intriguing Background: At No. 41 overall, Chamberlain is the highest-selected Native American in draft history. RHP Casey Erickson's (10) uncle Roger once pitched for the Yankees. RHP David Robertson's (17) brother Connor plays in the Athletics system, as does C Brian Baisley's (24) brother Jeff, the 2006 low Class A Midwest League MVP. RHP Zach McAllister's (3) father Steve is a crosschecker with the Diamondbacks.

Closest To The Majors: RHP Ian Kennedy (1) doesn't have the pure stuff of the other pitchers mentioned in this report card, but it's good enough when combined with his command and moxie. If he's healthy, Melancon could have an edge because he's a reliever.

Best Late-Round Pick: Though RHP Daniel McCutchen (13) drew a 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, the Yankees were enthused by his sinker, which topped out at 95 mph, and his curveball.

The One Who Got Away: LHP Del Howell (18) took his 90-92 mph fastball to Alabama. LHP Eric Erickson (43), now at Miami, reminds some scouts of Jeremy Sowers.

Assessment: After years of playing the draft conservatively, the Yankees are flexing their financial muscle and scooping up talent. They paid above-slot bonuses to Kennedy, Chamberlain, Curtis, Betances and Melancon, and this should be their best draft in a while.

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TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

Best Pro Debut: 3B Evan Longoria (1) was the consensus best hitter in the draft and lived up to that billing, batting .315/.360/.597 while reaching Double-A. RHP Erik Walker (20) can throw his slider for strikes at will, and he posted a 0.48 ERA and 53-6 K-BB ratio in 38 innings. OF Desmond Jennings (10) hit .277 and led the Rookie-level Appalachian League with 48 runs and 32 steals. C Nevin Ashley (6) topped the Appy in OBP (.440) and made the league all-star team.

Best Athlete: Jennings originally signed with Alabama's football team before becoming a junior college all-America wide receiver at Itawamba (Miss.) CC, leading the nation with 6.75 catches per game in 2005. SS Shawn O'Malley's (5) speed made him a dual threat as a wide receiver and defensive back for his high school football team. RHP Heath Rollins (11) also played center field at Winthrop and ran a 6.5-second 60-yard dash.

Best Pure Hitter: In a draft lacking in position players, Longoria was considered the one sure bet to hit .300. He has a smooth swing, quick hands and plenty of bat speed.

Best Raw Power: The Devil Rays projected Longoria as a 20-25 homer threat, but they may have to revise that total upward after he bashed 18 homers in his first pro summer. OF Quinn Stewart, signed before the draft as a fifth-year senior free agent, finished second in the NCAA Division I home run race with 23 during the spring, then hit six more in pro ball.

Fastest Runner: Jennings can run the 40 in 4.45 seconds, giving him top-of-the-line speed on baseball's scouting scale. O'Malley is nearly as quick.

Best Defensive Player: O'Malley covers a lot of ground at shortstop and has reliable hands, topping Appy League shortstops with a .963 fielding percentage.

Best Fastball: RHP Josh Butler (2) pitches from 91-95 with his fastball when he's fresh. The Devil Rays shut him down for two months with a mild case of biceps tendinitis, but he returned at the end of the summer.

Best Breaking Ball: RHP Alex Cobb (4) throws a true 12-6 curveball. Walker has a good slider, as does RHP Ryan Reid (7), who throws his at 84-85 mph and buries it under the hands of lefties.

Most Intriguing Background: Unsigned OF Leon Johnson (29), a former Arizona state 100-meter champion who recently returned from a two-year Mormon mission to Siberia, is the brother of Elliot Johnson, one of the Rays' best infield prospects. RHP Tyree Hayes' (8) father Charlie and unsigned OF Candy Maldonado's (46) dad Candy each won World Series rings at the end of lengthy big league careers. 3B Jimmy Mayer's (30) father Bob is an Indians area scout.

Closest To The Majors: Longoria could open 2007 in Triple-A and may claim Tampa Bay's third-base job before the end of his first full season.

Best Late-Round Pick: Jennings. LHP Ryan Owen (16) has ordinary stuff, but competes hard and throws strikes from a variety of arm angles.

The One Who Got Away: The Devil Rays thought RHP Nick Fuller (3) would sign, but he took his power repertoire to South Carolina. LHP Mikie Minor (13), who went to Vanderbilt, also could be a premium draft pick in three years.

Assessment: In 2005, former team president Vince Naimoli and GM Chuck LaMar insisted on since-injured Wade Townsend in the first round and ruined an agreement with third-rounder Bryan Morris, who went in 2006's first round to the Dodgers. Tampa Bay's new regime didn't interfere with R.J. Harrison's first draft as scouting director, and he added another elite hitting prospect to the game's most talented farm system.

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TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Best Pro Debut: OF Travis Snider (1) was the MVP and No. 1 prospect in the Appalachian League, batting .325/.412/.567 and leading the league in slugging. RHP Pat McGuigan's (27) ability to locate his slider allowed him to record nine saves with a 1.65 ERA and a 32-5 K-BB ratio in 27 innings.

Best Athlete: OF Adam Calderone (23) and Chris Emanuele (26) are similar, late-rounders with plus speed, line-drive bats and good defensive skills.

Best Pure Hitter: The Blue Jays were one of several teams that considered Snider the best high school hitter in the draft. He has no obvious weakness at the plate, as he hangs in well against lefthanders and stays back on breaking balls.

Best Raw Power: Snider has the size (6 feet, 220 pounds), strength and bat speed to launch tape-measure home runs on a consistent basis.

Fastest Runner: Toronto didn't sign any blazers. Calderone and Emanuele are above-average runners.

Best Defensive Player: C Brian Jeroloman (6) slumped terribly at Florida this spring, which is why the Jays were able to draft him as low as they did. He did continue to play quality defense, however, and threw out 42 percent of basestealers in his pro debut. He has good receiving and blocking skills to go with his arm strength. SS Jonathan Diaz (12) is this crop's best middle infielder. Both need to show more with the bat, as Jeroloman hit .241 in his debut and Diaz batted .200.

Best Fastball: RHP Brandon Magee (4), a senior sign, not only throws 90-94 mph, but he gets a lot of life on his fastball and uses his 6-foot-5 frame to throw on an extreme downward plane. RHP Graham Godfrey (34) can match Magee's velocity.

Best Breaking Ball: Magee's 81-84 mph slider is often a plus pitch. Midwest area scouts are kicking themselves for not doing a better job of gauging his signability in 2005. Godfrey has the best curveball.

Most Intriguing Background: 2B Scott Campbell (10), who played at Gonzaga, is the first New Zealander ever drafted. SS Jonathan Fernandez' (48) father Tony was a five-time all-star, four-time Gold Glover and one of the greatest players in franchise history. SS Cole (9) and 2B Justin Figueroa (42) could have given the Jays an all-twin double-play combination, but neither signed. They're the sons of former big leaguer Bien Figueroa, who manages high Class A Frederick in the Orioles system. Nondrafted free agent RHP Drew Taylor's father Ron pitched for 11 years in the majors and is Toronto's team doctor.

Closest To The Majors: The Blue Jays will push Magee because he's already 23, and he'll be able to handle it. Snider should be one of the first high school bats from the '06 draft class to reach the big leagues.

Best Late-Round Pick: Godfrey dropped because of questionable signability as a draft-eligible sophomore but turned pro for $200,000. RHPs Chase Lirette (16) and Kyle Ginley (17) also received six-figure bonuses in later rounds. Lirette's splitter can be nasty.

The One Who Got Away: Cole Figueroa (9) was headed to St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC, which would have allowed the Jays to control his rights, but they lost him when he changed course and went to Florida. He has true shortstop tools and bat speed from the left side.

Assessment: For the first time under general manager J.P. Ricciardi, the Blue Jays spent their first-rounder on a high school player. They tried to compensate for lacking second- and third-round picks by spending later in the draft on Godfrey, Lirette, Ginley and 2B Jonathan del Campo (20).

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