American League Draft Report Cards
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Best Pro Debut: OF Matt Angle (7) hit .301 for short-season Aberdeen and ranked second in the New York-Penn League with 34 stolen bases. 3B Tyler Kolodny (16) ranked in the top five in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in on-base and slugging percentage during his .318/.406/.530 debut. OF Kraig Binick (27) was an Appalachian League all-star and hit .301/.396/.449 overall in 272 at-bats with 15 stolen bases.
Best Athlete: Matt Wieters (1) is as athletic as any catcher, and was an outstanding two-way player at Georgia Tech in his first two seasons. He hit 96 mph off the mound, and the Major League Scouting Bureau at one time had a higher grade for him as a pitcher than as a hitter.
Best Pure Hitter: Wieters can handle velocity and trusts his hands to stay back on breaking balls.
Best Power Hitter: While Wieters has 25-homer potential, 1B Joe Mahoney (6) produces top-of-the-scale raw power from a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame. The Orioles are working to help him simplify how his swing, which has too much going on.
Fastest Runner: Angle is an above-average runner with good instincts, but OF Calvin Lester (36) is a true burner with 70 speed.
Best Defensive Player: Wieters has premium arm strength and the agility to be a well-above-average catcher despite his big 6-foot-5 frame.
Best Fastball: With Wieters catching, RHP Jake Arrietta (5) earns the honor, touching 95 and pitching comfortably in the 91-93 mph range. RHP John Mariotti (18) surprised the Orioles by showing a heavy low-90s sinking fastball, with more velocity than he had in college.
Best Secondary Pitch: RHP Tim Bascom (4) had one of the best changeups by a righthanded pitcher in the draft, and his slider also is the best of this draft class.
Most Intriguing Background: The Padres drafted Bascom in the sixth round in 2006 and had him signed, but Bascom didn't pass his physical due to a knee injury. Central Florida then declarerd him ineligible for having negotiated a contract, leaving Bascom to pitch in the independent South Coast League leading up to the draft. 2B Eric Perlozzo (35) is the son of ex-O's manager Sam Perlozzo.
Closest To The Majors: Wieters got a $6 million bonus to make it to the majors, not to thrill the fans in Frederick.
Best Late-Round Pick: Kolodny, a grinder with energy who can hit, and Binick.
The One Who Got Away: RHP Dan Klein (24), an athletic high school quarterback with a good breaking ball and projectable 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame, chose to attend UCLA.
Assessment: Even with solid finds such as Angle, Bascom and Kolodny, the Orioles' efforts will be judged by Arrietta and Wieters, in whom $7.1 million is invested.
BOSTON RED SOX
Best Pro Debut: After giving up five runs in his pro debut, LHP Nick Hagadone (1S) threw 23 consecutive scoreless innings, allowing just eight hits and seven walks while striking out 32. Not only did he show the quality fastball and slider the Red Sox knew he had, but he also flashed a plus changeup.
Best Athlete: From a pure physical standpoint, it's OF Kade Keowen (9). He's a 6-foot-6, 230-pounder with plus raw power, arm strength and speed. SS Will Middlebrooks (5) does a better job of translating his athleticism into baseball production. Middlebrooks, who had NFL potential as a punter, is another big athlete at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds.
Best Pure Hitter: 1B Anthony Rizzo (6), who signed for $325,000, reminds the Red Sox of another first baseman whom they gave above-slot money last year—Lars Anderson. Rizzo has a good approach and performed well with wood bats on the high school tournament and showcase circuit.
Best Power Hitter: Rizzo not only has considerable raw power, but it's usable power. He rates an edge over Middlebrooks, and Boston projects that 1B David Mailman (7) and 2B Ryan Dent (1S) will hit 15-20 homers on an annual basis.
Fastest Runner: Dent can get from the right side of the plate to first base in 4.1 seconds. Both Dent and 2B Kenneth Roque (10) are well-above-average runners once they get going.
Best Defensive Player: While most teams projected Middlebrooks as a third baseman in the mold of Cal Ripken Jr. and Scott Rolen, the Red Sox believe he has a chance to stick at shortstop. He has good actions and body control, and plenty of arm, as he was clocked up to 95 mph as a high school pitcher. C Peter Gilardo (45) has a plus-plus arm.
Best Fastball: Hagadone works consistently at 92-94 mph. RHP Chris Province (4) has a nastier fastball at times, sitting at 91-92 mph and touching 95 with good life and downward plane, but he doesn't throw strikes consistently. RHP Brock Huntzinger (3) peaks at 95 and pounds the bottom of the strike zone.
Best Secondary Pitch: Hagadone's hard slider.
Most Intriguing Background: Middlebrooks and C Mike Bourdon (41) both were recruited by college football programs as quarterbacks. Bourdon, who didn't sign, is at Fairfield—which doesn't have a football program.
Closest To The Majors: Hagadone. He may start 2008 in low Class A to avoid the launching pad at high Class A Lancaster, but he's on the fast track.
Best Late-Round Pick: LHP Drake Britton (23) pitched himself out of the first two rounds with an inconsistent spring, but he signed for $700,000 after pitching in the low 90s during the summer. RHP Austin Bailey (16) has plus velocity, a hard slider and plenty of mound presence.
The One Who Got Away: Coming back from Tommy John surgery, RHP Scott Green (15) pitched just 18 innings at Kentucky in the spring. He showed enough in the Cape Cod League this summer to get an $800,000 offer from Boston, but he returned to the Wildcats in hopes of becoming a first-round pick.
Assessment: The Red Sox' draft wasn't as splashy or expensive as their 2006 effort, but they still hauled in some talent. They were delighted to get Hagadone and Dent with their top two picks in the sandwich round, and Middlebrooks was a borderline first-rounder who dropped because of signability.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX
Best Debut: LHP Aaron Poreda (1) ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Rookie-level Pioneer League after winning all four of his decisions and striking out 48 in 46 innings. SS Sergio Miranda (13) jumped straight to low Class A Kannapolis and shored up the middle infield while batting .301/.397/.380 overall. Nondrafted free agent 3B C.J. Retherford hit four homers in just 57 at-bats this spring for Arizona State, then hit 13 with Great Falls while leading the Pioneer League with 30 doubles.
Best Athlete: Poreda was a high school football player as a tight end/defensive end. OF Lyndon Estill (8), a football safety and quarterback in high school, is raw but has a strong, 6-foot-5, 215-pound body reminiscent of a young Bobby Bonilla.
Best Hitter: OF Jimmy Gallagher (7) hit a league-record .423 last summer in the Coastal Plain League, and when he gets in a rhythm, he makes his high-hands, upright stance work for him, producing line drives to all fields. He hit .332/.418/.534 at Great Falls.
Best Power: Estill played in a wood-bat junior-college league and has present strength and power that showed through as an amateur.
Best Runner: The White Sox didn't sign a burner, but Estill and Gallagher are solid-average runners.
Best Defensive Player: Paiml isn't flashy at shortstop, but he makes all the routine plays with smooth hands, good footwork and an accurate, solid-average arm.
Best Fastball: The deepest spot in the Sox' draft class starts with top pick Poreda; some of the Great Falls' game reports had him touching 100 mph. He pitches at times at 95-97, giving him the edge on RHP Johnnie Lowe (6), who sits 92-95. RHP Leroy Hunt (4) doesn't match Lowe's velocity but has excellent sinking life on his 90-93 mph heater.
Best Secondary Pitch: RHP John Ely (3) has more than enough fastball at 91-93 mph, but his changeup is a plus-plus pitch that he sinks and commands, throwing it for strikes any time in the count.
Most Intriguing Background: The White Sox drafted a slew of players with dads who played big league ball and have organization ties, such as Oney Guillen (36), son of manager Ozzie Guillen. The best prospect of the bunch is righthander Grant Monroe (38), an excellent shooter in basketball and projected two-way player at Duke.
Closest To The Majors: Poreda, even though his secondary pitches need work. Ely has enough stuff and poise to move quickly.
Best Late-Round Pick: Charlie Shirek (23) had a nightmare season at Nebraska, but his stuff was back to normal in the summer in the M.I.N.K. League and in his brief stint with the White Sox. He's shown a plus fastball, touching 96, with a solid average slider. RHP Henry Mabee (19), who profiles as a middle reliever, has shown an average 89-92 mph fastball and throws a solid power curve.
One That Got Away: Athletic SS Brian Guinn (10) should start as a freshman at California, while RHP Ryan Sharpley (34) joined his brother, a football quarterback, at Notre Dame.
Assessment: In Duane Shaffer's last draft before being let go by the organization, the White Sox stocked up on power arms and are extremely excited about Poreda's upside, considering how late in the first round they got him. A system in need of impact bats, though, got little help.
CLEVELAND INDIANS
Best Pro Debut: LHP Heath Taylor (10) didn’t allow a home run and posted a 2.35 ERA in 57 innings for short-season Mahoning Valley; his ERA would have ranked fourth in the league had he qualified, but he was 2 1/3 innings shy. Scrappers LHP reliever Garrett Rieck (29) also allowed no homers and walked just four with a 2.00 ERA in 36 innings.
Best Athlete: The Tribe tried to get more athletic, leading them to draft OF Adam White (9), a former prep wrestler and football star who's learning to switch-hit to take advantage of his 80 speed. OF Bo Greenwell (6) was an oustanding prep football player, which caused him to fly under the radar a bit as a baseball prospect.
Best Pure Hitter: 3B/1B Beau Mills (1) hit .261/.337/.424 with 20 doubles overall and finished the year in high Class A. He has a feel for hitting and smells RBI situations.
Best Power Hitter: Mills, who set Lewis-Clark (Idaho) State records with 38 homers and 123 RBIs while leading the Warriors to another NAIA championship.
Fastest Runner: White has work to do offensively but is an 80 runner. He hit .260/.362/.361 for Mahoning Valley with 22 steals in 30 attempts.
Best Defensive Player: Mills' old Warriors teammate, SS Mark Thompson (8), has above-average speed and range. Some scouts thought he profiled better in center field as an amateur, but the Indians are confident he can handle short. C Michael Valadez (26) has a plus arm and athleticism behind the plate.
Best Fastball: RHP Dallas Cawiezell (40) signed as a summer follow after dominating the summer collegiate Northwoods League and flashed 96 mph in 13 innings for Mahoning Valley. LHP T.J. McFarland (4) touched 93 mph as an amateur.
Best Secondary Pitch: McFarland has shown a plus power breaking ball at times; the Indians call it a slider with two-plane break. Rieck's best pitch is his plus changeup.
Most Intriguing Background: Mills' father Brad is the Red Sox' bench coach and was the strikeout victim when Nolan Ryan broke Walter Johnson's career record. Greenwell's dad Mike had 1,400 hits for the Red Sox from 1985-'96. The father of RHP Joey Mahalic (32), who has a projectable fastball and athleticism, played linebacker at Notre Dame and spent four years in the NFL in the mid-1970s.
Closest To The Majors: Mills may need time to hone his defense at third base thanks to shoulder surgery in 2006. RHP Jonathan Holt (5) has fringe-average velocity but should move quickly due to his above-average command and movement on his fastball.
Best Late-Round Pick: The strength of Cleveland's draft came after the 10th round, with quality arms such as Caviezell, Mahalic and converted catcher RHP Daniel Morales (14). But OF Matt Brown (13) has the most all-around ability of the group, showing five average tools.
The One Who Got Away: The Indians made serious runs at LHP Cole St.Clair (7), who returned to Rice, and 3B/OF Matt Hague (11), who transferred to Oklahoma State. They also liked OF Bobby Coyle (19), a prep teammate of first-round picks Matt Dominguez (Marlins) and Mike Moustakas (Royals) at Chatsworth (Calif.) High. He's at Arizona.
Assessment: The success of this draft depends more on late-round picks than any other, as most of Cleveland's power arms arrived in the double-digit rounds. It also hinges in part on Mills, who could be a steal at 13 if he can play third base.
DETROIT TIGERS
Best Debut: SS Danny Worth (3), known for his glove, debuted in the high Class A Florida State League and finished the year in the Double-A Eastern League playoffs; counting playoff games, he went 13-for-31 for Erie. LHP Charlie Furbush (4) went 6-1, 2.34 in 62 innings, most of them at low Class A West Michigan, with a 69-14 K-BB ratio. OF Justin Henry (9) hit .340 for Oneonta in the short-season New York-Penn League.
Best Athlete: SS Cale Iorg (6) spent two years on a Mormon mission in Portugal but came back looking much like the middle-of-the-diamond talent he was as a freshman in Alabama back in 2005. An excellent prep football player, LHP Casey Crosby (5) was an all-state wide receiver, but OF Landell Taylor (13) had signed a football scholarship to play wide receiver at Oklahoma. Area scout Steve Taylor knew he really wanted to play baseball and the Tigers signed him for $110,000.
Best Hitter: Henry has a line-drive, opposite-field approach. Hitting from the left side with plus speed, he at worst should be a versatile reserve.
Best Power: Iorg has five-tool potential, though he could be several years away from tapping into his power. Taylor has above-average raw power as well, even less developed.
Fastest Runner: OF Kyle Peter (34), from Division II Washburn (Kan.), is a 70 runner who hits from the left side. He has limited baseball experience.
Best Defensive Player: Scouts describe Worth as a smooth, instinctive shortstop with good hands and an accurate arm.
Best Fastball: RHP Rick Porcello (1) was sitting in the 94-97 mph range with his fastball, while Crosby was bumping 95. RHP Brandon Hamilton (2) runs his fastball up to 96, and it sits in the low-to-mid 90s.
Best Secondary Pitch: Porcello has an excellent hard, power slider that he throws in the low 80s. Hamilton's power curve is thrown just as hard.
Most Intriguing Background: Iorg's dad Garth and uncle Dane played in the big leagues, while brother Eli is an Astros farmhand. The Tigers drafted five players with big league relatives: Porcello, grandson of Sam Dente; 2B Colin Kaline (25), grandson of Tigers Hall of Famer Al; 1B Wade Lamont (29), son of longtime big league coach Gene; SS Shawn Roof (33), son of ex-big leaguer Gene; Matt Robertson (42), brother of Tigers lefthander Nate; and RHP Richard Zumaya (43), brother of Tigers reliever Joel. Kaline and Robertson did not sign.
Closest To The Majors: Worth. Furbursh rediscovered some velocity late this summer, touching 92 after hitting 93-94 mph last summer in the Cape Cod League, and could be fast-tracked.
Best Late-Round Pick: Athletic LHP Matt Hoffman (26) got $175,000 to forego his Oklahoma scholarship; he's touched 92 mph. OF Chris White (12) has a feel for hitting that would have fit in well had he gone to Long Beach State.
One That Got Away: RHP Barret Loux was fulfilling some of the projection his 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame features this summer, sitting at 92-95 mph with his fastball. He's at Texas A&M.
Assessment: In Porcello, the Tigers got one of the highest-ceiling players in the draft for the fourth straight season, despite picking 27th. If Crosby and Iorg come through on their talent, the Tigers will have had a tremendous effort.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Best Pro Debut: 1B Clint Robinson (25) led the Rookie-level Pioneer League with 66 RBIs while batting .336/.388/.593 and slugging 15 homers. RHP Matt Mitchell (14) led the Rookie-level Arizona League in ERA and ranked fourth in strikeouts (72); teammate LHP Danny Duffy (3) ranked sixth in K's (63) despite pitching just 37 innings and posted a 1.45.
Best Athlete: A Utah baseball recruit, OF Hilton Richardson (7) has a long, lanky body with some present strength and blazing speed. RHP Keaton Hayenga (31), like Richardson, was an excellent prep basketball player in Washington state; Hayenga was an all-state choice. OF David Lough (11), a 70 runner with a solid bat, was a third-team all-Ohio prep soccer player.
Best Pure Hitter: Most scouts like his power better, but SS Mike Moustakas (1) has the smooth, compact stroke to hit for average as well as power.
Best Power Hitter: Moustakas has 80 raw power and set California high school records for single-season (24) and career (52) home runs this spring.
Fastest Runner: The Royals loaded up on speed. Richardson covers 60 yards in 6.5 seconds, but OFs Adrian Ortiz (5) and Patrick Norris (16) are both 80 runners. Norris gets to first base in 3.8 seconds from the right side and was learning to switch-hit in instructional league.
Best Defensive Player: 3B Fernando Cruz (6) needs to add some first-step quickness as he moves from shortstop to third, but he has the arm, hands and reactions to be a plus defender. C Sean McCauley (12) has a knack for game-calling and good athleticism. His plus arm delivers 1.9-second times to second base.
Best Fastball: Moustakas topped out at 98 as a high school closer. Duffy and RHP Sam Runion (2) have hit 95 mph since signing, and both have good life; Runion has more projection. RHP Mitch Hodge (4) hits 94.
Best Secondary Pitch: Moustakas at times threw a two-plane slider. Among actual pitchers, Duffy (with both a curveball and slider) and Mitchell (changeup, curve) have solid-average secondary stuff, which Mitchell commands better.
Most Intriguing Background: Moustakas, the 2007 High School Player of the Year, is the nephew of former big league hitting coach Tom Robson. Cruz was home-schooled and petitioned the commissioner's office successfully to enter the draft a year early.
Closest To The Majors: Moustakas. The Royals intend to try him at shortstop, even if his range is a step shy. Only a position switch might slow him down.
Best Late-Round Pick: Hayenga got a $300,000 bonus because of his athleticism, projectable 6-foot-4, 195-pound body and three-pitch mix that includes a fastball reaching 91 mph. Shoulder surgery in the spring allowed him to fall to the 31st round.
The One Who Got Away: RHP Zach Kenyon (9) touched 91 in the summer but wasn't ready for pro ball yet, so he headed to Iowa.
Assessment: Moustakas might be the best hitter and best pitcher the Royals took, but the organization acquired needed pitching depth. This draft offers more possibilities in the late rounds than usual in the form of talents such as McCauley, Hayenga and Lough.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Best Pro Debut: LHP Michael Anton (12) led the Rookie-level Arizona League in strikeouts with 82 in 62 innings and struck out seven more in seven innings with Rookie-level Orem. RHP Mason Tobin (16) went 4-1, 2.08 between the AZL and Orem and allowed only one homer in 56 innings. 3B Jay Brossman (36) hit the game-winning homer for Orem in the Pioneer League title game and batted .346/.388/.474 for the Owlz.
Best Athlete: Unsinged OF Pat White (27) is West Virginia's starting quarterback; the Angels drafted him in the fourth round out of high school in 2004. Nondrafted free-agent RHP Jonathan Plefka, at 6-foot-9, played basketball at James Madison and for Bobby Knight at Texas Tech.
Best Pure Hitter: Brossman is a solid hitter who is more of a grinder than a top-shelf prospect. DH Justin Bass (21) has a sound swing and hit .275 despite needing arm surgery; he could end up at second base or left field.
Best Power Hitter: OF Trevor Pippin (4) has raw power potential from the left side and resembles Todd Hollandsworth overall. He struggled mightily in his debut, hitting .188/.269/.203.
Fastest Runner: SS Andrew Romine (5) and OFs DeAndre Miller (24) and Terrell Alliman (43) are above-average runners.
Best Defensive Player: Orem manager Tom Kotchman called Romine the best defender he's coached, and Kotchman in the last seven years has managed the likes of Brandon Wood, Alberto Callaspo and Erick Aybar. Romine's strong, accurate arm, plus range and nimble feet make him a 70 defender.
Best Fastball: Draft-and-follow signee Jordan Walden, who hit 100 for Orem in the playoffs, is the hardest-throwing Angels newcomer. Among '07 draftees, RHP Jon Bachanov (1s) hit 96 mph when at his best this spring. The Angels shut him down in August with a tender elbow.
Best Secondary Pitch: Anton's plus changeup has screwball action. LHP Trevor Reckling (8) throws a curveball so good, the Angels limited him to one per outing in instructional league so he would work on other pitches.
Most Intriguing Background: Anton pitched two seasons at Virginia Military Institute, but a car accident in December 2004 caused him to struggle on the field and in the classroom. He didn’t pitch on any team for two years, but after moving to Arizona to live with his relocated mother, he was working out with Angels farmhand Jesse Smith and caught the attention of Angels scout John Garcio. Bass' father Kevin played 14 seasons in the big leagues, primarily for the Astros. Romine's dad Kevin played in the big leagues, and brother Austin was drafted in the second round by the Yankees. Unsigned C Matt Scioscia (41), attending Notre Dame, is the son of Angels manager Mike.
Closest To The Majors: Tobin has plus command of his 89-92 mph fastball, a slider than can be a plus pitch and a development changeup.
Best Late-Round Pick: Tobin.
The One Who Got Away: Got a minute? RHP Matt Harvey (3) was the highest-drafted player who didn't sign and attended college; he's at North Carolina. LHP Tanner Robles (14) and RHP Martin Viramontes (11) were highly-touted recruits at Oregon State and Loyola Marymount.
Assessment: The Angels were disappointed by the players they failed to sign, and Bachanov's injury add to the disappointing early returns. However, Walden has a first-round arm, and second-day selections such as Anton, Reckling and Tobin have promise.
MINNESOTA TWINS
Best Pro Debut: OF Ben Revere (1) got off to a running start in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, batting .325/.388/.461 with 21 steals, leading the league with 46 runs and 10 triples. OF Ozzie Lewis (21) was old for the Rookie-level Appalachian League and dominated, earning MVP honors while hitting .323/.375/.523 with nine homers and 50 RBIs. RHP Dan Berlind (7) was a GCL all-star after hit 6-2, 1.93 effort.
Best Athlete: Revere led his baseball and football teams (as a defensive back, wide receiver and return specialist) to state championships as a senior. OF Angel Morales (3) is a lean, graceful athlete with strength, coordination and speed. OF Andrew Schmiesing (11) missed instructional league to finish his football career as a receiver at Division III St. Olaf (Minn.). He's tied for the school's career lead in touchdown receptions.
Best Pure Hitter: The Twins wouldn't have picked Revere where they did if they didn't believe he could hit. He has a quick bat to go with his quick feet, and they even project him to hit for average power.
Best Power Hitter: C/1B Danny Rams (2) would have gone toward the top of the first round if teams were convinced he could catch, because he had as much raw power as any drafted player. He'll need to refine his approach after going homerless in his first 97 pro at-bats.
Fastest Runner: Revere was the fastest runner in the draft, timed at 6.28 seconds over 60 yards at his best.
Best Defensive Player: Morales and Revere project as plus defenders in center field, but Morales' arm is at least one grade better, if not more.
Best Fastball: RHP Charles Nolte (24) has flashed 96 mph gas; he sits 90-93 mph. He could throw harder more consistently as he gets further away from Tommy John surgery and fills out his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. RHP Mike McCardell (6) is more consistent currently, sitting in the 90-92 mph range with life and command.
Best Secondary Pitch: McCardell, who was a two-way player and primarily a closer in college, has a second potential plus pitch in his slider.
Most Intriguing Background: C Danny Lehmann (8), a potentially plus defender behind the plate, is the nephew of reality TV star Duane Chapman, a.k.a. "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Schmiesing, who started every game during his college baseball career at St. Olaf, followed the football footsteps of his father Mike, drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1969 (seventh round). RHP Blair Erickson (10) is the NCAA's career saves leader with 53, even though he lost his closer role early in the 2007 season.
Closest To The Majors: Erickson will move quickly if he regains his low-90s fastball he flashed as a freshman at UC Irvine.
Best Late-Round Pick: Nolte or Schmiesing.
The One Who Got Away: The Twins wanted to sign RHP Nate Striz (5), a power arm with mid-90s heat, but couldn’t keep him from attending North Carolina.
Assessment: The Twins bucked the consensus in taking Revere so high. They did so in several other instances but like the upside of one of the game's youngest draft classes.
NEW YORK YANKEES
Best Pro Debut: 2B Justin Snyder (21) led the short-season New York-Penn League in hits (87), on-base percentage and runs (68) while batting .335/.459/.477. 3B/1Bs Brandon Laird (27) and Braedyn Pruitt (14) ranked among league batting leaders in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and NY-P, respectively; Laird hit .339/.367/.577 with eight homers, while Pruitt batted .347/.458/.447.
Best Athlete: RHP Andrew Brackman (1) averaged 7.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 2005-2006 for North Carolina State's basketball team, and with mobility and a decent touch at close to 7 feet tall, he probably could stick as a reserve in the NBA. OF Taylor Grote (5) was a three-year starter at wide receiver for The Woodlands (Texas) HS and is an all-around athlete.
Best Pure Hitter: The Yankees paid big money to 3B Bradley Suttle (4), who got a $1.3 million bonus, and SS Carmen Angelini (10), who got $1 million, primarily because of their offensive polish.
Best Power Hitter: The consensus held that C Austin Romine (2) was further ahead defensively than offensively; the Yankees see it the other way, hoping to tidy up rough receiving edges but banking on his above-average raw power.
Fastest Runner: Grote's above-average speed is the best of the lot; speed was not an emphasis of the class.
Best Defensive Player: Romine has a plus-plus throwing arm and should be an above-average defender eventually. Angelini's smooth and instinctive in the middle infield and the best present defender.
Best Fastball: Brackman has touched 100 mph in the past and at times pitches in the upper-90s. He had Tommy John surgery within days of signing a major league contract that included a $3.35 million bonus. He could pitch next year in Hawaii Winter Baseball and isn't expected to make his full-season minor league debut until 2009.
Best Secondary Pitch: Brackman's spike curveball is an out pitch. RHP Nick Chigges (13) used the tight spin and feel for his curveball to strike out 62 in 55 NY-P innings. RHP Ryan Pope (3) has a solid-average changeup, if not a tick above, with late life.
Most Intriguing Background: Between his size, hoops past and Tommy John surgery, Brackman has plenty going on. Laird followed his older brother Gerald, now the Rangers' catcher, at Cypress (Calif.) JC. 1B Luke Murton (40, unsigned) likewise followed older brother and Cubs outfielder Matt by going to Georgia Tech.
Closest To The Majors: Suttle's polished college profile often fits well. A healthy 2B Damon Sublett (7), a lefthanded hitter with speed, also could move quickly in a utility role.
Best Late-Round Pick: Snyder or Laird; Snyder's more complete and polished, but Laird has the higher ceiling.
The One Who Got Away: The Yankees made runs at RHPs Greg Peavey (24) and Drew Storen (34), who will face each other for at least two seasons in Pacific-10 Conference play at Oregon State and Stanford.
Assessment: The Yankees continue to be more aggressive in the draft and spent money on players they believe in, like Brackman. They also to forge a new path. Players like Angelini, Laird, Sublett and Suttle don’t fit the "Yankee profile" as future stars, but they are all ballplayers who can hit.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Best Pro Debut: 1B Danny Hamblen (10) ranked second in the short-season Northwest League in RBIs (62) and fifth in doubles (21) and hit .275/.365/.494 with 11 home runs. RHP James Simmons (1) held his own in 30 innings in the Double-A Texas League, posting a 3.94 ERA. RHP Andrew Carignan (5) fanned 19 in 13 innings and posted a 2.03 ERA at low Class A Kane County.
Best Athlete: OFs Corey Brown (1s) and Grant Desme (2) both have all-around tools. Brown was recruited as a wide receiver in high school. Unsigned OF/2B Gary Brown (12) was the bst athlete the A's drafted.
Best Pure Hitter: 1B Sean Doolittle (1s) reminds scouts of the likes of Dave Magadan and James Loney as a first baseman who will hit for average but not premium power. He has excellent plate discipline and an advanced approach, and the A's expect him to improve now that he no longer has to pitch as he did at Virginia.
Best Power Hitter: Brown and Hamblin tied for fourth in Division I this spring with 22 homers, and both hit 11 for Vancouver. Desme was keeping pace with 15 before a May wrist injury and has the most usable power of the group.
Fastest Runner: SS Michael Richard (11) is a well-above-average runner who stole 76 bases overall between Prairie View A&M and Vancouver.
Best Defensive Player: Doolittle could be a Gold Glover at first base with smooth actions and agility around the bag.
Best Fastball: Carignan and RHP Sam Demel (3) pitch at 92-94 and at times can touch 96; both profile as back-of-the-bullpen power arms despite the fact neither is taller than 6-feet. Simmons doesn't throw as hard, though in shorter outings he bumps 93-94. However, his 89-90 mph heater with UC Riverside featured 70 command.
Best Secondary Pitch: Demel has a plus slider and a changeu that at times has excellent late sink. Simmons' commands his changeup as well as his fastball. LHP Aaron Jenkins (22) produces a hellacious curveball from his 5-foot-8, 180-pound frame.
Most Intriguing Background: Brown's younger brother Dylan played with him at Oklahoma State and could be a top prospect for the 2009 draft. Unsigned LHP Daniel Schlereth (9) is the son of ex-NFL player and current TV analyst Mark Schlereth. The A's drafted two sons of ex-big leaguers: RHP Brent Lysander (16), whose father Rick spent three seasons with the Twins in the '80s; and unsigned RHP Trent Abbott (36), son of Paul, who won 17 games for the Mariners in 2001.
Closest To The Majors: Simmons, with Carignan and Demel close behind.
Best Late-Round Pick: Jenkins could be a lefty specialist with his curveball. RHP Lee Land (28) went to three colleges in three seasons but impressed in the Cape Cod League this summer, at times pitching at 92-94 mph, and signed as a summer follow.
The One Who Got Away: Brown would have livened up this draft class considerably with his 80 speed and pure athleticism. He's at Cal State Fullerton. Schlereth and fellow LHP Eric Berger (8), who missed the spring recovering from Tommy John surgery, returned to Arizona and should be part of a powerhouse pitching staff.
Assessment: Oakland went back to what it does well—drafting college players—and did well from that pool. The organization's needs an infusion of impact talent, though, and this draft class didn't provide that.
SEATTLE MARINERS
Best Pro Debut: LHP Nick Hill (7), Army's all-time wins leader in college, dominated the short-season Northwest League, giving up just three extra-base hits and posting a 0.51 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 35 innings for Everett. Hill set up closer RHP Aaron Brown (9), who went 2-1, 1.95 with six saves and a 49-15 K-BB ratio in 37 innings. RHP Jake Wild (26) struck out 76 in 56 innings in the Rookie-level Arizona League, including 14 in the championship game.
Best Athlete: OF Denny Almonte (2) had a rough debut, hitting .145/.226/.197. The Mariners will be patient because he has a wiry, athletic body, with raw power, above-average speed and plus range in center field.
Best Pure Hitter: 3B Matt Mangini (1S) finished the year in high Class A because of his polished approach and line-drive swing. He won the Cape Cod League batting title in 2006 and makes consistent hard contact.
Best Power Hitter: OF Joe Dunigan (3) has above-average bat speed to go with good size, though he remains raw after three years at Oklahoma.
Fastest Runner: Almonte and OFs Danny Carroll (3) and James McOwen (6) are all above-average runners underway.
Best Defensive Player: Almonte has elicited comparisons to Devon White for his easy range and closing ability in center field. C Jeff Dunbar (11) has excellent athleticism for the position, and 70 arm strength.
Best Fastball: RHP Phillippe Aumont (1) touches 96 mph and lives at 89-93 mph with heavy sink when he's at his best.
Best Secondary Pitch: Aumont's slider can be hard (low 80s) and dirty at times, but he needs to stay on top of it from his low-three-quarters arm slot. LHPs Hill and Donnie Hume (8) have above-average changeups that help them attack righthanded hitters.
Most Intriguing Background: Hill is the highest-drafted Army player ever. RHP Brodie Downs (23) was the oldest player drafted at 27 (he's now 28). He became a land surveyor after graduating from high school in 1997, but was seen by Rangers scout Butch Metzger playing for the Ceres (Calif.) Coyotes, his adult recreational league team. Metzger told Downs he was throwing 94 mph, and Downs decided to give baseball a shot at Modesto (Calif.) Junior College, where he went 6-4, 2.55 with 101 strikeouts in 98 innings. In his debut, the Mariners pushed him aggressively, and he went 3-1, 2.49 in 25 innings.
Closest To The Majors: Downs already has reached Triple-A; only one '07 draftee, Nationals LHP Ross Detwiler, advanced farther this year. Mangini's bat should put him on the fast track.
Best Late-Round Pick: Downs and Wild. Wild commanded an 89-93 mph fastball in the AZL and has some projection left at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds.
The One Who Got Away: RHP Cole Cook (36), at 6-foot-6, 200 pounds and already touching 90 mph, could be a high pick after three years at Pepperdine.
Assessment: The Mariners signed just eight position players, as opposed to 21 pitchers. Chief among those pitchers was Aumont, who didn't make his debut but was a pleasant surprise when he fell to the Mariners at No. 11 overall. In an organization that likes to push prospects more than most, Almonte and Aumont may have the most upside in the class but may need the most time.
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Best Pro Debut: OFs Reid Fronk (7) and Emeel Salem (6) were short-season Hudson Valley's top hitters. Fronk started late after helping North Carolina to a runner-up finish in the College World Series and posted a .961 OPS; Salem ranked among New York-Penn League leaders in batting, runs (41) and steals (28) while hitting .311/.384/.436.
Best Athlete: OF D.J. Jones (11) fits the organization's calling card–toolsy outfielders and was an excellent high school football player due to his speed and strong build. Besides outstanding makeup and stuff, LHP David Price (1) has excellent athleticism for a pitcher.
Best Pure Hitter: Fronk and C/1B Stephen Vogt (12) both control the strike zone and have advanced approaches at the plate to go with solid lefthanded swings. Vogt was primarily a catcher at NAIA Azusa Pacific, where he was an All-American, but played some outfield this summer and took to it well.
Best Power Hitter: Fronk has solid-average power and led North Carolina in home runs this spring, but the class lacks a masher. Draft-and-follow OF K.D. Kang (15, 2006) has better bat speed, a high finish and above-average raw juice.
Fastest Runner: Jones and Salem are above-average runners. Draft-and-follow OF Michael Ross (35, 2006) is a 70 runner.
Best Defensive Player: Salem's, instincts, speed and solid arm suit him well in center field; 3B Greg Sexton (10) impressed Hudson Valley's coaches with his hands and arm strength. Draft-and-follow C Mark Thomas (22, 2006) has excellent agility behind the plate and a bazooka for an arm.
Best Fastball: Price commands his fastball in the 90-93 mph range and can go get 95 whenever he wants.
Best Secondary Pitch: Price's hard (87 mph), two-plane slider overmatched college hitters. The Rays considered RHP Will Kline (2) to have one of the draft's best changeups and see similarities between him and big leaguer James Shields.
Most Intriguing Background: Price was the 2007 College Player of the Year whose only defeat came in a regional-ending loss to Michigan. Kang is a Korean immigrant who recruited himself to Atlanta's Parkview High, playing pickup games on the school's field, where he was discovered by the coaching staff. His parents (who have since moved back to Korea) have business interests in Atlanta, and Kang knew about Parkview's program through the career of alumnus Jeff Francoeur.
Closest To The Majors: Price signed a major league deal. It wouldn't be a shock to see him in St. Petersburgh in 2008.
Best Late-Round Pick: Jones' athleticism and Auburn commitment prompted a $330,000 bonus. The Rays gave RHP Joseph Cruz (30) $100,000 because he has a projectable 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame and throws 92-94 mph at times.
The One Who Got Away: RHP Ryan Turner (22) has thrown 94 mph at times and is the grandson of Royals scout (and longtime high school coach) Gerald Turner. He's at Arkansas after missing much of the spring with mononucleosis.
Assessment: Price could make this draft special on his own. Kline and RHP Nick Barnese (3) could give the game's top farm system even more pitching depth. The Rays are just as excited about their drafts-and-follow such as Kang, Ross, Thomas and OF Justin Reynolds (31, 2006), another toolsy outfielder.
TEXAS RANGERS
Best Pro Debut: RHP Michael Main (1) struck out 34 in 28 innings over two levels and went 8-for-30 as a hitter in the Rookie-level Arizona League. LHP Ryan Falcon (29) dominated in a middle relief role for short-season Spokane, posting a 62-6 K-BB ratio and 2.68 ERA in 47 innings. Spokane closer RHP Andrew Laughter (10) had a 32-4 K-BB ratio with 11 saves and 2.03 ERA. RHP Evan Reed (3), a college closer, went 1-1, 1.91 in 11 games (eight starts) between Spokane and low Class A Clinton.
Best Athlete: Main's fast-twitch athleticism made him a possible first-rounder as both a switch-hitting center fielder and a pitcher. OF Julio Borbon (1s) has strength and speed, and the Rangers considered Borbon and Main two of the draft's top athletes overall.
Best Pure Hitter: Borbon struggled all spring playing catchup after breaking his ankle in January. At his best, he generates excellent bat speed. 3B Matt West (2) hit .301 in his debut and has good hands, but the Rangers aren't sure what they have in him after he was suspended 50 games for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs testing program.
Best Power Hitter: OF/1B Mitch Moreland (17) won the Cape Cod League's home run derby in 2006 and lost in the finals in '07. A two-way player at Mississippi State, the Rangers figure his above-average raw power will play better now that he's given up pitching.
Fastest Runner: Borbon and Main are 70 runners on the 20-to-80 scale.
Best Defensive Player: Borbon can refine his routes and has a below-average arm but projects to be an excellent center fielder.
Best Fastball: Main has touched 97 mph; he and fellow prep RHPs Blake Beavan (1) and Neil Ramirez (1s) all pitch at 92-94 mph and flash 96s. Beavan has the best fastball control of the group. Reed threw in the 94-96 range as a college closer.
Best Secondary Pitch: Some scouts considered Beavan's two-plane slider a better pitch than his fastball. Main's curveball is a hard breaker with power, and Ramirez also throws a sharp breaking ball.
Most Intriguing Background: West is the highest-drafted player to be suspended for PEDs in his debut season. Unsigned RHP Drew Pomeranz (12) is the younger brother of Cardinals prospect Stuart; he's attending Mississippi. Unsigned C Ben Petralli (47) is the son of ex-Rangers catcher Gino; he's at Oral Roberts.
Closest To The Majors: RHP Tommy Hunter (1s) thrived when moved into a relief role at Alabama. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder is far more athletic than he looks, has live stuff in a low-90s fastball and power slurve, and pounds the strike zone.
Best Late-Round Pick: RHP Josh Lueke (16) jumped straight to Clinton from Division II Northern Kentucky. His fastball touched 95 mph in a relief role, but he's still learning to miss bats with his breaking ball.
The One Who Got Away: Texas wasn't as sorry to lose speedy IF Garrett Nash (4) as it was about Pomeranz or RHP John Gast (5), who will recover from Tommy John surgery at Florida State. Nash is at Oregon State.
Assessment: The Rangers organization had a good second half, and the draft was part of it as Beavan, Borbon and Ramirez signed close to the Aug. 15 deadline. This class yields most of the organization's high-ceiling arms, plus a potential star in the middle of the field in Borbon.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Best Pro Debut: LHP Brett Cecil (1s) earned top prospect honors in the short-season New York-Penn League, working as a starter after closing in college at Maryland. He posted a 1.17 ERA in 62 innings (counting playoffs) with 69 strikeouts. A pair of former small-college stars, LHP Brian Letko (19) and RHP Jimmy Dougher (24), dominated the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, finishing 1-2 in ERA at 1.50 and 1.56.
Best Athlete: OF Eric Eiland (2) is a four-tool athlete (below-average arm) who was an all-state safety at Houston's Lamar High. He had significant Division I football recruiting interest.
Best Pure Hitter: SS/3B Kevin Ahrens (1) has a feel for his swing from both sides of the plate and controls the strike zone. He may have pressed in his debut in a lineup full of fellow high draft picks and hit just .230/.339/.321.
Best Power Hitter: C J.P. Arencibia (1) slammed nine homers for Team USA as a college sophomore and has above-average raw power to all fields. 2B John Tolisano (2) led the GCL in home runs (10) despite hitting just .246, and has strength and loft in his swing.
Fastest Runner: Eiland covers 60 yards in just under 6.5 seconds and is a 70 runner. SS Steve Condotta (12) and 2B Daron Mastroianni (16) both run above-average as well.
Best Defensive Player: A pure defender, SS Justin Jackson (1s) has natural infield actions, excellent hands an a strong arm. He could be even better as he becomes more efficient with his footwork.
Best Fastball: RHP Alan Farina (5) dominated in the NY-P playoffs, striking out 12 in five innings while reaching 95 mph. Cecil ran his heater up to 93-94 mph even as a starter.
Best Secondary Pitch: Cecil's hard 85-87 mph slider was one of the best breaking balls in the draft. Farina also has shown a plus slider. LHP Brad Mills (4) has good arm speed on his plus changeup.
Most Intriguing Background: Tolisano was home-schooled and was Baseball America's top 14-year-old in 2003. RHP Trystan Magnuson (1s), one of four Canadians the Jays signed, walked on at Louisville and helped lead the Cardinals to the College World Series as a closer. He comes from a hockey family that features great uncle Keith Magnuson, who had an 11-year NHL veteran.
Closest To The Majors: Cecil and Farina would move quickly if left in the bullpen, but both are going to be given a chance to start, making Magnuson the best choice.
Best Late-Round Pick: Mastroianni has exceptional energy and can hit. 3B Brad Emaus (11) has a higher profile and started to tap into his raw power with three homers in Auburn's championship run.
The One Who Got Away: The Jays stopped drafting after just 30 rounds and signed the first 21 players they picked. RHP Matt Thomson (22) took his three-pitch mix to be part of San Diego's top-rated recruiting class.
Assessment: The Blue Jays had 10 of the first 175 picks in the draft and hope they restocked a depleted farm system. Moreover, they took more chances due to their extra picks, taking five high school products in the first six rounds. In the previous five drafts since general manager J.P. Ricciardi arrived, they'd drafted one--their top prospect, 2006 first-rounder Travis Snider. Now they have to develop these younger players.
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BALTIMORE ORIOLESBest Pro Debut: OF Matt Angle (7) hit .301 for short-season Aberdeen and ranked second in the New York-Penn League with 34 stolen bases. 3B Tyler Kolodny (16) ranked in the top five in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in on-base and slugging percentage during his .318/.406/.530 debut. OF Kraig Binick (27) was an Appalachian League all-star and hit .301/.396/.449 overall in 272 at-bats with 15 stolen bases.
Best Athlete: Matt Wieters (1) is as athletic as any catcher, and was an outstanding two-way player at Georgia Tech in his first two seasons. He hit 96 mph off the mound, and the Major League Scouting Bureau at one time had a higher grade for him as a pitcher than as a hitter.
Best Pure Hitter: Wieters can handle velocity and trusts his hands to stay back on breaking balls.
Best Power Hitter: While Wieters has 25-homer potential, 1B Joe Mahoney (6) produces top-of-the-scale raw power from a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame. The Orioles are working to help him simplify how his swing, which has too much going on.
Fastest Runner: Angle is an above-average runner with good instincts, but OF Calvin Lester (36) is a true burner with 70 speed.
Best Defensive Player: Wieters has premium arm strength and the agility to be a well-above-average catcher despite his big 6-foot-5 frame.
Best Fastball: With Wieters catching, RHP Jake Arrietta (5) earns the honor, touching 95 and pitching comfortably in the 91-93 mph range. RHP John Mariotti (18) surprised the Orioles by showing a heavy low-90s sinking fastball, with more velocity than he had in college.
Best Secondary Pitch: RHP Tim Bascom (4) had one of the best changeups by a righthanded pitcher in the draft, and his slider also is the best of this draft class.
Most Intriguing Background: The Padres drafted Bascom in the sixth round in 2006 and had him signed, but Bascom didn't pass his physical due to a knee injury. Central Florida then declarerd him ineligible for having negotiated a contract, leaving Bascom to pitch in the independent South Coast League leading up to the draft. 2B Eric Perlozzo (35) is the son of ex-O's manager Sam Perlozzo.
Closest To The Majors: Wieters got a $6 million bonus to make it to the majors, not to thrill the fans in Frederick.
Best Late-Round Pick: Kolodny, a grinder with energy who can hit, and Binick.
The One Who Got Away: RHP Dan Klein (24), an athletic high school quarterback with a good breaking ball and projectable 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame, chose to attend UCLA.
Assessment: Even with solid finds such as Angle, Bascom and Kolodny, the Orioles' efforts will be judged by Arrietta and Wieters, in whom $7.1 million is invested.
BOSTON RED SOX
Best Pro Debut: After giving up five runs in his pro debut, LHP Nick Hagadone (1S) threw 23 consecutive scoreless innings, allowing just eight hits and seven walks while striking out 32. Not only did he show the quality fastball and slider the Red Sox knew he had, but he also flashed a plus changeup.
Best Athlete: From a pure physical standpoint, it's OF Kade Keowen (9). He's a 6-foot-6, 230-pounder with plus raw power, arm strength and speed. SS Will Middlebrooks (5) does a better job of translating his athleticism into baseball production. Middlebrooks, who had NFL potential as a punter, is another big athlete at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds.
Best Pure Hitter: 1B Anthony Rizzo (6), who signed for $325,000, reminds the Red Sox of another first baseman whom they gave above-slot money last year—Lars Anderson. Rizzo has a good approach and performed well with wood bats on the high school tournament and showcase circuit.
Best Power Hitter: Rizzo not only has considerable raw power, but it's usable power. He rates an edge over Middlebrooks, and Boston projects that 1B David Mailman (7) and 2B Ryan Dent (1S) will hit 15-20 homers on an annual basis.
Fastest Runner: Dent can get from the right side of the plate to first base in 4.1 seconds. Both Dent and 2B Kenneth Roque (10) are well-above-average runners once they get going.
Best Defensive Player: While most teams projected Middlebrooks as a third baseman in the mold of Cal Ripken Jr. and Scott Rolen, the Red Sox believe he has a chance to stick at shortstop. He has good actions and body control, and plenty of arm, as he was clocked up to 95 mph as a high school pitcher. C Peter Gilardo (45) has a plus-plus arm.
Best Fastball: Hagadone works consistently at 92-94 mph. RHP Chris Province (4) has a nastier fastball at times, sitting at 91-92 mph and touching 95 with good life and downward plane, but he doesn't throw strikes consistently. RHP Brock Huntzinger (3) peaks at 95 and pounds the bottom of the strike zone.
Best Secondary Pitch: Hagadone's hard slider.
Most Intriguing Background: Middlebrooks and C Mike Bourdon (41) both were recruited by college football programs as quarterbacks. Bourdon, who didn't sign, is at Fairfield—which doesn't have a football program.
Closest To The Majors: Hagadone. He may start 2008 in low Class A to avoid the launching pad at high Class A Lancaster, but he's on the fast track.
Best Late-Round Pick: LHP Drake Britton (23) pitched himself out of the first two rounds with an inconsistent spring, but he signed for $700,000 after pitching in the low 90s during the summer. RHP Austin Bailey (16) has plus velocity, a hard slider and plenty of mound presence.
The One Who Got Away: Coming back from Tommy John surgery, RHP Scott Green (15) pitched just 18 innings at Kentucky in the spring. He showed enough in the Cape Cod League this summer to get an $800,000 offer from Boston, but he returned to the Wildcats in hopes of becoming a first-round pick.
Assessment: The Red Sox' draft wasn't as splashy or expensive as their 2006 effort, but they still hauled in some talent. They were delighted to get Hagadone and Dent with their top two picks in the sandwich round, and Middlebrooks was a borderline first-rounder who dropped because of signability.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX
Best Debut: LHP Aaron Poreda (1) ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Rookie-level Pioneer League after winning all four of his decisions and striking out 48 in 46 innings. SS Sergio Miranda (13) jumped straight to low Class A Kannapolis and shored up the middle infield while batting .301/.397/.380 overall. Nondrafted free agent 3B C.J. Retherford hit four homers in just 57 at-bats this spring for Arizona State, then hit 13 with Great Falls while leading the Pioneer League with 30 doubles.
Best Athlete: Poreda was a high school football player as a tight end/defensive end. OF Lyndon Estill (8), a football safety and quarterback in high school, is raw but has a strong, 6-foot-5, 215-pound body reminiscent of a young Bobby Bonilla.
Best Hitter: OF Jimmy Gallagher (7) hit a league-record .423 last summer in the Coastal Plain League, and when he gets in a rhythm, he makes his high-hands, upright stance work for him, producing line drives to all fields. He hit .332/.418/.534 at Great Falls.
Best Power: Estill played in a wood-bat junior-college league and has present strength and power that showed through as an amateur.
Best Runner: The White Sox didn't sign a burner, but Estill and Gallagher are solid-average runners.
Best Defensive Player: Paiml isn't flashy at shortstop, but he makes all the routine plays with smooth hands, good footwork and an accurate, solid-average arm.
Best Fastball: The deepest spot in the Sox' draft class starts with top pick Poreda; some of the Great Falls' game reports had him touching 100 mph. He pitches at times at 95-97, giving him the edge on RHP Johnnie Lowe (6), who sits 92-95. RHP Leroy Hunt (4) doesn't match Lowe's velocity but has excellent sinking life on his 90-93 mph heater.
Best Secondary Pitch: RHP John Ely (3) has more than enough fastball at 91-93 mph, but his changeup is a plus-plus pitch that he sinks and commands, throwing it for strikes any time in the count.
Most Intriguing Background: The White Sox drafted a slew of players with dads who played big league ball and have organization ties, such as Oney Guillen (36), son of manager Ozzie Guillen. The best prospect of the bunch is righthander Grant Monroe (38), an excellent shooter in basketball and projected two-way player at Duke.
Closest To The Majors: Poreda, even though his secondary pitches need work. Ely has enough stuff and poise to move quickly.
Best Late-Round Pick: Charlie Shirek (23) had a nightmare season at Nebraska, but his stuff was back to normal in the summer in the M.I.N.K. League and in his brief stint with the White Sox. He's shown a plus fastball, touching 96, with a solid average slider. RHP Henry Mabee (19), who profiles as a middle reliever, has shown an average 89-92 mph fastball and throws a solid power curve.
One That Got Away: Athletic SS Brian Guinn (10) should start as a freshman at California, while RHP Ryan Sharpley (34) joined his brother, a football quarterback, at Notre Dame.
Assessment: In Duane Shaffer's last draft before being let go by the organization, the White Sox stocked up on power arms and are extremely excited about Poreda's upside, considering how late in the first round they got him. A system in need of impact bats, though, got little help.
CLEVELAND INDIANS
Best Pro Debut: LHP Heath Taylor (10) didn’t allow a home run and posted a 2.35 ERA in 57 innings for short-season Mahoning Valley; his ERA would have ranked fourth in the league had he qualified, but he was 2 1/3 innings shy. Scrappers LHP reliever Garrett Rieck (29) also allowed no homers and walked just four with a 2.00 ERA in 36 innings.
Best Athlete: The Tribe tried to get more athletic, leading them to draft OF Adam White (9), a former prep wrestler and football star who's learning to switch-hit to take advantage of his 80 speed. OF Bo Greenwell (6) was an oustanding prep football player, which caused him to fly under the radar a bit as a baseball prospect.
Best Pure Hitter: 3B/1B Beau Mills (1) hit .261/.337/.424 with 20 doubles overall and finished the year in high Class A. He has a feel for hitting and smells RBI situations.
Best Power Hitter: Mills, who set Lewis-Clark (Idaho) State records with 38 homers and 123 RBIs while leading the Warriors to another NAIA championship.
Fastest Runner: White has work to do offensively but is an 80 runner. He hit .260/.362/.361 for Mahoning Valley with 22 steals in 30 attempts.
Best Defensive Player: Mills' old Warriors teammate, SS Mark Thompson (8), has above-average speed and range. Some scouts thought he profiled better in center field as an amateur, but the Indians are confident he can handle short. C Michael Valadez (26) has a plus arm and athleticism behind the plate.
Best Fastball: RHP Dallas Cawiezell (40) signed as a summer follow after dominating the summer collegiate Northwoods League and flashed 96 mph in 13 innings for Mahoning Valley. LHP T.J. McFarland (4) touched 93 mph as an amateur.
Best Secondary Pitch: McFarland has shown a plus power breaking ball at times; the Indians call it a slider with two-plane break. Rieck's best pitch is his plus changeup.
Most Intriguing Background: Mills' father Brad is the Red Sox' bench coach and was the strikeout victim when Nolan Ryan broke Walter Johnson's career record. Greenwell's dad Mike had 1,400 hits for the Red Sox from 1985-'96. The father of RHP Joey Mahalic (32), who has a projectable fastball and athleticism, played linebacker at Notre Dame and spent four years in the NFL in the mid-1970s.
Closest To The Majors: Mills may need time to hone his defense at third base thanks to shoulder surgery in 2006. RHP Jonathan Holt (5) has fringe-average velocity but should move quickly due to his above-average command and movement on his fastball.
Best Late-Round Pick: The strength of Cleveland's draft came after the 10th round, with quality arms such as Caviezell, Mahalic and converted catcher RHP Daniel Morales (14). But OF Matt Brown (13) has the most all-around ability of the group, showing five average tools.
The One Who Got Away: The Indians made serious runs at LHP Cole St.Clair (7), who returned to Rice, and 3B/OF Matt Hague (11), who transferred to Oklahoma State. They also liked OF Bobby Coyle (19), a prep teammate of first-round picks Matt Dominguez (Marlins) and Mike Moustakas (Royals) at Chatsworth (Calif.) High. He's at Arizona.
Assessment: The success of this draft depends more on late-round picks than any other, as most of Cleveland's power arms arrived in the double-digit rounds. It also hinges in part on Mills, who could be a steal at 13 if he can play third base.
DETROIT TIGERS
Best Debut: SS Danny Worth (3), known for his glove, debuted in the high Class A Florida State League and finished the year in the Double-A Eastern League playoffs; counting playoff games, he went 13-for-31 for Erie. LHP Charlie Furbush (4) went 6-1, 2.34 in 62 innings, most of them at low Class A West Michigan, with a 69-14 K-BB ratio. OF Justin Henry (9) hit .340 for Oneonta in the short-season New York-Penn League.
Best Athlete: SS Cale Iorg (6) spent two years on a Mormon mission in Portugal but came back looking much like the middle-of-the-diamond talent he was as a freshman in Alabama back in 2005. An excellent prep football player, LHP Casey Crosby (5) was an all-state wide receiver, but OF Landell Taylor (13) had signed a football scholarship to play wide receiver at Oklahoma. Area scout Steve Taylor knew he really wanted to play baseball and the Tigers signed him for $110,000.
Best Hitter: Henry has a line-drive, opposite-field approach. Hitting from the left side with plus speed, he at worst should be a versatile reserve.
Best Power: Iorg has five-tool potential, though he could be several years away from tapping into his power. Taylor has above-average raw power as well, even less developed.
Fastest Runner: OF Kyle Peter (34), from Division II Washburn (Kan.), is a 70 runner who hits from the left side. He has limited baseball experience.
Best Defensive Player: Scouts describe Worth as a smooth, instinctive shortstop with good hands and an accurate arm.
Best Fastball: RHP Rick Porcello (1) was sitting in the 94-97 mph range with his fastball, while Crosby was bumping 95. RHP Brandon Hamilton (2) runs his fastball up to 96, and it sits in the low-to-mid 90s.
Best Secondary Pitch: Porcello has an excellent hard, power slider that he throws in the low 80s. Hamilton's power curve is thrown just as hard.
Most Intriguing Background: Iorg's dad Garth and uncle Dane played in the big leagues, while brother Eli is an Astros farmhand. The Tigers drafted five players with big league relatives: Porcello, grandson of Sam Dente; 2B Colin Kaline (25), grandson of Tigers Hall of Famer Al; 1B Wade Lamont (29), son of longtime big league coach Gene; SS Shawn Roof (33), son of ex-big leaguer Gene; Matt Robertson (42), brother of Tigers lefthander Nate; and RHP Richard Zumaya (43), brother of Tigers reliever Joel. Kaline and Robertson did not sign.
Closest To The Majors: Worth. Furbursh rediscovered some velocity late this summer, touching 92 after hitting 93-94 mph last summer in the Cape Cod League, and could be fast-tracked.
Best Late-Round Pick: Athletic LHP Matt Hoffman (26) got $175,000 to forego his Oklahoma scholarship; he's touched 92 mph. OF Chris White (12) has a feel for hitting that would have fit in well had he gone to Long Beach State.
One That Got Away: RHP Barret Loux was fulfilling some of the projection his 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame features this summer, sitting at 92-95 mph with his fastball. He's at Texas A&M.
Assessment: In Porcello, the Tigers got one of the highest-ceiling players in the draft for the fourth straight season, despite picking 27th. If Crosby and Iorg come through on their talent, the Tigers will have had a tremendous effort.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Best Pro Debut: 1B Clint Robinson (25) led the Rookie-level Pioneer League with 66 RBIs while batting .336/.388/.593 and slugging 15 homers. RHP Matt Mitchell (14) led the Rookie-level Arizona League in ERA and ranked fourth in strikeouts (72); teammate LHP Danny Duffy (3) ranked sixth in K's (63) despite pitching just 37 innings and posted a 1.45.
Best Athlete: A Utah baseball recruit, OF Hilton Richardson (7) has a long, lanky body with some present strength and blazing speed. RHP Keaton Hayenga (31), like Richardson, was an excellent prep basketball player in Washington state; Hayenga was an all-state choice. OF David Lough (11), a 70 runner with a solid bat, was a third-team all-Ohio prep soccer player.
Best Pure Hitter: Most scouts like his power better, but SS Mike Moustakas (1) has the smooth, compact stroke to hit for average as well as power.
Best Power Hitter: Moustakas has 80 raw power and set California high school records for single-season (24) and career (52) home runs this spring.
Fastest Runner: The Royals loaded up on speed. Richardson covers 60 yards in 6.5 seconds, but OFs Adrian Ortiz (5) and Patrick Norris (16) are both 80 runners. Norris gets to first base in 3.8 seconds from the right side and was learning to switch-hit in instructional league.
Best Defensive Player: 3B Fernando Cruz (6) needs to add some first-step quickness as he moves from shortstop to third, but he has the arm, hands and reactions to be a plus defender. C Sean McCauley (12) has a knack for game-calling and good athleticism. His plus arm delivers 1.9-second times to second base.
Best Fastball: Moustakas topped out at 98 as a high school closer. Duffy and RHP Sam Runion (2) have hit 95 mph since signing, and both have good life; Runion has more projection. RHP Mitch Hodge (4) hits 94.
Best Secondary Pitch: Moustakas at times threw a two-plane slider. Among actual pitchers, Duffy (with both a curveball and slider) and Mitchell (changeup, curve) have solid-average secondary stuff, which Mitchell commands better.
Most Intriguing Background: Moustakas, the 2007 High School Player of the Year, is the nephew of former big league hitting coach Tom Robson. Cruz was home-schooled and petitioned the commissioner's office successfully to enter the draft a year early.
Closest To The Majors: Moustakas. The Royals intend to try him at shortstop, even if his range is a step shy. Only a position switch might slow him down.
Best Late-Round Pick: Hayenga got a $300,000 bonus because of his athleticism, projectable 6-foot-4, 195-pound body and three-pitch mix that includes a fastball reaching 91 mph. Shoulder surgery in the spring allowed him to fall to the 31st round.
The One Who Got Away: RHP Zach Kenyon (9) touched 91 in the summer but wasn't ready for pro ball yet, so he headed to Iowa.
Assessment: Moustakas might be the best hitter and best pitcher the Royals took, but the organization acquired needed pitching depth. This draft offers more possibilities in the late rounds than usual in the form of talents such as McCauley, Hayenga and Lough.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Best Pro Debut: LHP Michael Anton (12) led the Rookie-level Arizona League in strikeouts with 82 in 62 innings and struck out seven more in seven innings with Rookie-level Orem. RHP Mason Tobin (16) went 4-1, 2.08 between the AZL and Orem and allowed only one homer in 56 innings. 3B Jay Brossman (36) hit the game-winning homer for Orem in the Pioneer League title game and batted .346/.388/.474 for the Owlz.
Best Athlete: Unsinged OF Pat White (27) is West Virginia's starting quarterback; the Angels drafted him in the fourth round out of high school in 2004. Nondrafted free-agent RHP Jonathan Plefka, at 6-foot-9, played basketball at James Madison and for Bobby Knight at Texas Tech.
Best Pure Hitter: Brossman is a solid hitter who is more of a grinder than a top-shelf prospect. DH Justin Bass (21) has a sound swing and hit .275 despite needing arm surgery; he could end up at second base or left field.
Best Power Hitter: OF Trevor Pippin (4) has raw power potential from the left side and resembles Todd Hollandsworth overall. He struggled mightily in his debut, hitting .188/.269/.203.
Fastest Runner: SS Andrew Romine (5) and OFs DeAndre Miller (24) and Terrell Alliman (43) are above-average runners.
Best Defensive Player: Orem manager Tom Kotchman called Romine the best defender he's coached, and Kotchman in the last seven years has managed the likes of Brandon Wood, Alberto Callaspo and Erick Aybar. Romine's strong, accurate arm, plus range and nimble feet make him a 70 defender.
Best Fastball: Draft-and-follow signee Jordan Walden, who hit 100 for Orem in the playoffs, is the hardest-throwing Angels newcomer. Among '07 draftees, RHP Jon Bachanov (1s) hit 96 mph when at his best this spring. The Angels shut him down in August with a tender elbow.
Best Secondary Pitch: Anton's plus changeup has screwball action. LHP Trevor Reckling (8) throws a curveball so good, the Angels limited him to one per outing in instructional league so he would work on other pitches.
Most Intriguing Background: Anton pitched two seasons at Virginia Military Institute, but a car accident in December 2004 caused him to struggle on the field and in the classroom. He didn’t pitch on any team for two years, but after moving to Arizona to live with his relocated mother, he was working out with Angels farmhand Jesse Smith and caught the attention of Angels scout John Garcio. Bass' father Kevin played 14 seasons in the big leagues, primarily for the Astros. Romine's dad Kevin played in the big leagues, and brother Austin was drafted in the second round by the Yankees. Unsigned C Matt Scioscia (41), attending Notre Dame, is the son of Angels manager Mike.
Closest To The Majors: Tobin has plus command of his 89-92 mph fastball, a slider than can be a plus pitch and a development changeup.
Best Late-Round Pick: Tobin.
The One Who Got Away: Got a minute? RHP Matt Harvey (3) was the highest-drafted player who didn't sign and attended college; he's at North Carolina. LHP Tanner Robles (14) and RHP Martin Viramontes (11) were highly-touted recruits at Oregon State and Loyola Marymount.
Assessment: The Angels were disappointed by the players they failed to sign, and Bachanov's injury add to the disappointing early returns. However, Walden has a first-round arm, and second-day selections such as Anton, Reckling and Tobin have promise.
MINNESOTA TWINS
Best Pro Debut: OF Ben Revere (1) got off to a running start in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, batting .325/.388/.461 with 21 steals, leading the league with 46 runs and 10 triples. OF Ozzie Lewis (21) was old for the Rookie-level Appalachian League and dominated, earning MVP honors while hitting .323/.375/.523 with nine homers and 50 RBIs. RHP Dan Berlind (7) was a GCL all-star after hit 6-2, 1.93 effort.
Best Athlete: Revere led his baseball and football teams (as a defensive back, wide receiver and return specialist) to state championships as a senior. OF Angel Morales (3) is a lean, graceful athlete with strength, coordination and speed. OF Andrew Schmiesing (11) missed instructional league to finish his football career as a receiver at Division III St. Olaf (Minn.). He's tied for the school's career lead in touchdown receptions.
Best Pure Hitter: The Twins wouldn't have picked Revere where they did if they didn't believe he could hit. He has a quick bat to go with his quick feet, and they even project him to hit for average power.
Best Power Hitter: C/1B Danny Rams (2) would have gone toward the top of the first round if teams were convinced he could catch, because he had as much raw power as any drafted player. He'll need to refine his approach after going homerless in his first 97 pro at-bats.
Fastest Runner: Revere was the fastest runner in the draft, timed at 6.28 seconds over 60 yards at his best.
Best Defensive Player: Morales and Revere project as plus defenders in center field, but Morales' arm is at least one grade better, if not more.
Best Fastball: RHP Charles Nolte (24) has flashed 96 mph gas; he sits 90-93 mph. He could throw harder more consistently as he gets further away from Tommy John surgery and fills out his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. RHP Mike McCardell (6) is more consistent currently, sitting in the 90-92 mph range with life and command.
Best Secondary Pitch: McCardell, who was a two-way player and primarily a closer in college, has a second potential plus pitch in his slider.
Most Intriguing Background: C Danny Lehmann (8), a potentially plus defender behind the plate, is the nephew of reality TV star Duane Chapman, a.k.a. "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Schmiesing, who started every game during his college baseball career at St. Olaf, followed the football footsteps of his father Mike, drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1969 (seventh round). RHP Blair Erickson (10) is the NCAA's career saves leader with 53, even though he lost his closer role early in the 2007 season.
Closest To The Majors: Erickson will move quickly if he regains his low-90s fastball he flashed as a freshman at UC Irvine.
Best Late-Round Pick: Nolte or Schmiesing.
The One Who Got Away: The Twins wanted to sign RHP Nate Striz (5), a power arm with mid-90s heat, but couldn’t keep him from attending North Carolina.
Assessment: The Twins bucked the consensus in taking Revere so high. They did so in several other instances but like the upside of one of the game's youngest draft classes.
NEW YORK YANKEES
Best Pro Debut: 2B Justin Snyder (21) led the short-season New York-Penn League in hits (87), on-base percentage and runs (68) while batting .335/.459/.477. 3B/1Bs Brandon Laird (27) and Braedyn Pruitt (14) ranked among league batting leaders in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and NY-P, respectively; Laird hit .339/.367/.577 with eight homers, while Pruitt batted .347/.458/.447.
Best Athlete: RHP Andrew Brackman (1) averaged 7.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 2005-2006 for North Carolina State's basketball team, and with mobility and a decent touch at close to 7 feet tall, he probably could stick as a reserve in the NBA. OF Taylor Grote (5) was a three-year starter at wide receiver for The Woodlands (Texas) HS and is an all-around athlete.
Best Pure Hitter: The Yankees paid big money to 3B Bradley Suttle (4), who got a $1.3 million bonus, and SS Carmen Angelini (10), who got $1 million, primarily because of their offensive polish.
Best Power Hitter: The consensus held that C Austin Romine (2) was further ahead defensively than offensively; the Yankees see it the other way, hoping to tidy up rough receiving edges but banking on his above-average raw power.
Fastest Runner: Grote's above-average speed is the best of the lot; speed was not an emphasis of the class.
Best Defensive Player: Romine has a plus-plus throwing arm and should be an above-average defender eventually. Angelini's smooth and instinctive in the middle infield and the best present defender.
Best Fastball: Brackman has touched 100 mph in the past and at times pitches in the upper-90s. He had Tommy John surgery within days of signing a major league contract that included a $3.35 million bonus. He could pitch next year in Hawaii Winter Baseball and isn't expected to make his full-season minor league debut until 2009.
Best Secondary Pitch: Brackman's spike curveball is an out pitch. RHP Nick Chigges (13) used the tight spin and feel for his curveball to strike out 62 in 55 NY-P innings. RHP Ryan Pope (3) has a solid-average changeup, if not a tick above, with late life.
Most Intriguing Background: Between his size, hoops past and Tommy John surgery, Brackman has plenty going on. Laird followed his older brother Gerald, now the Rangers' catcher, at Cypress (Calif.) JC. 1B Luke Murton (40, unsigned) likewise followed older brother and Cubs outfielder Matt by going to Georgia Tech.
Closest To The Majors: Suttle's polished college profile often fits well. A healthy 2B Damon Sublett (7), a lefthanded hitter with speed, also could move quickly in a utility role.
Best Late-Round Pick: Snyder or Laird; Snyder's more complete and polished, but Laird has the higher ceiling.
The One Who Got Away: The Yankees made runs at RHPs Greg Peavey (24) and Drew Storen (34), who will face each other for at least two seasons in Pacific-10 Conference play at Oregon State and Stanford.
Assessment: The Yankees continue to be more aggressive in the draft and spent money on players they believe in, like Brackman. They also to forge a new path. Players like Angelini, Laird, Sublett and Suttle don’t fit the "Yankee profile" as future stars, but they are all ballplayers who can hit.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Best Pro Debut: 1B Danny Hamblen (10) ranked second in the short-season Northwest League in RBIs (62) and fifth in doubles (21) and hit .275/.365/.494 with 11 home runs. RHP James Simmons (1) held his own in 30 innings in the Double-A Texas League, posting a 3.94 ERA. RHP Andrew Carignan (5) fanned 19 in 13 innings and posted a 2.03 ERA at low Class A Kane County.
Best Athlete: OFs Corey Brown (1s) and Grant Desme (2) both have all-around tools. Brown was recruited as a wide receiver in high school. Unsigned OF/2B Gary Brown (12) was the bst athlete the A's drafted.
Best Pure Hitter: 1B Sean Doolittle (1s) reminds scouts of the likes of Dave Magadan and James Loney as a first baseman who will hit for average but not premium power. He has excellent plate discipline and an advanced approach, and the A's expect him to improve now that he no longer has to pitch as he did at Virginia.
Best Power Hitter: Brown and Hamblin tied for fourth in Division I this spring with 22 homers, and both hit 11 for Vancouver. Desme was keeping pace with 15 before a May wrist injury and has the most usable power of the group.
Fastest Runner: SS Michael Richard (11) is a well-above-average runner who stole 76 bases overall between Prairie View A&M and Vancouver.
Best Defensive Player: Doolittle could be a Gold Glover at first base with smooth actions and agility around the bag.
Best Fastball: Carignan and RHP Sam Demel (3) pitch at 92-94 and at times can touch 96; both profile as back-of-the-bullpen power arms despite the fact neither is taller than 6-feet. Simmons doesn't throw as hard, though in shorter outings he bumps 93-94. However, his 89-90 mph heater with UC Riverside featured 70 command.
Best Secondary Pitch: Demel has a plus slider and a changeu that at times has excellent late sink. Simmons' commands his changeup as well as his fastball. LHP Aaron Jenkins (22) produces a hellacious curveball from his 5-foot-8, 180-pound frame.
Most Intriguing Background: Brown's younger brother Dylan played with him at Oklahoma State and could be a top prospect for the 2009 draft. Unsigned LHP Daniel Schlereth (9) is the son of ex-NFL player and current TV analyst Mark Schlereth. The A's drafted two sons of ex-big leaguers: RHP Brent Lysander (16), whose father Rick spent three seasons with the Twins in the '80s; and unsigned RHP Trent Abbott (36), son of Paul, who won 17 games for the Mariners in 2001.
Closest To The Majors: Simmons, with Carignan and Demel close behind.
Best Late-Round Pick: Jenkins could be a lefty specialist with his curveball. RHP Lee Land (28) went to three colleges in three seasons but impressed in the Cape Cod League this summer, at times pitching at 92-94 mph, and signed as a summer follow.
The One Who Got Away: Brown would have livened up this draft class considerably with his 80 speed and pure athleticism. He's at Cal State Fullerton. Schlereth and fellow LHP Eric Berger (8), who missed the spring recovering from Tommy John surgery, returned to Arizona and should be part of a powerhouse pitching staff.
Assessment: Oakland went back to what it does well—drafting college players—and did well from that pool. The organization's needs an infusion of impact talent, though, and this draft class didn't provide that.
SEATTLE MARINERS
Best Pro Debut: LHP Nick Hill (7), Army's all-time wins leader in college, dominated the short-season Northwest League, giving up just three extra-base hits and posting a 0.51 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 35 innings for Everett. Hill set up closer RHP Aaron Brown (9), who went 2-1, 1.95 with six saves and a 49-15 K-BB ratio in 37 innings. RHP Jake Wild (26) struck out 76 in 56 innings in the Rookie-level Arizona League, including 14 in the championship game.
Best Athlete: OF Denny Almonte (2) had a rough debut, hitting .145/.226/.197. The Mariners will be patient because he has a wiry, athletic body, with raw power, above-average speed and plus range in center field.
Best Pure Hitter: 3B Matt Mangini (1S) finished the year in high Class A because of his polished approach and line-drive swing. He won the Cape Cod League batting title in 2006 and makes consistent hard contact.
Best Power Hitter: OF Joe Dunigan (3) has above-average bat speed to go with good size, though he remains raw after three years at Oklahoma.
Fastest Runner: Almonte and OFs Danny Carroll (3) and James McOwen (6) are all above-average runners underway.
Best Defensive Player: Almonte has elicited comparisons to Devon White for his easy range and closing ability in center field. C Jeff Dunbar (11) has excellent athleticism for the position, and 70 arm strength.
Best Fastball: RHP Phillippe Aumont (1) touches 96 mph and lives at 89-93 mph with heavy sink when he's at his best.
Best Secondary Pitch: Aumont's slider can be hard (low 80s) and dirty at times, but he needs to stay on top of it from his low-three-quarters arm slot. LHPs Hill and Donnie Hume (8) have above-average changeups that help them attack righthanded hitters.
Most Intriguing Background: Hill is the highest-drafted Army player ever. RHP Brodie Downs (23) was the oldest player drafted at 27 (he's now 28). He became a land surveyor after graduating from high school in 1997, but was seen by Rangers scout Butch Metzger playing for the Ceres (Calif.) Coyotes, his adult recreational league team. Metzger told Downs he was throwing 94 mph, and Downs decided to give baseball a shot at Modesto (Calif.) Junior College, where he went 6-4, 2.55 with 101 strikeouts in 98 innings. In his debut, the Mariners pushed him aggressively, and he went 3-1, 2.49 in 25 innings.
Closest To The Majors: Downs already has reached Triple-A; only one '07 draftee, Nationals LHP Ross Detwiler, advanced farther this year. Mangini's bat should put him on the fast track.
Best Late-Round Pick: Downs and Wild. Wild commanded an 89-93 mph fastball in the AZL and has some projection left at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds.
The One Who Got Away: RHP Cole Cook (36), at 6-foot-6, 200 pounds and already touching 90 mph, could be a high pick after three years at Pepperdine.
Assessment: The Mariners signed just eight position players, as opposed to 21 pitchers. Chief among those pitchers was Aumont, who didn't make his debut but was a pleasant surprise when he fell to the Mariners at No. 11 overall. In an organization that likes to push prospects more than most, Almonte and Aumont may have the most upside in the class but may need the most time.
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Best Pro Debut: OFs Reid Fronk (7) and Emeel Salem (6) were short-season Hudson Valley's top hitters. Fronk started late after helping North Carolina to a runner-up finish in the College World Series and posted a .961 OPS; Salem ranked among New York-Penn League leaders in batting, runs (41) and steals (28) while hitting .311/.384/.436.
Best Athlete: OF D.J. Jones (11) fits the organization's calling card–toolsy outfielders and was an excellent high school football player due to his speed and strong build. Besides outstanding makeup and stuff, LHP David Price (1) has excellent athleticism for a pitcher.
Best Pure Hitter: Fronk and C/1B Stephen Vogt (12) both control the strike zone and have advanced approaches at the plate to go with solid lefthanded swings. Vogt was primarily a catcher at NAIA Azusa Pacific, where he was an All-American, but played some outfield this summer and took to it well.
Best Power Hitter: Fronk has solid-average power and led North Carolina in home runs this spring, but the class lacks a masher. Draft-and-follow OF K.D. Kang (15, 2006) has better bat speed, a high finish and above-average raw juice.
Fastest Runner: Jones and Salem are above-average runners. Draft-and-follow OF Michael Ross (35, 2006) is a 70 runner.
Best Defensive Player: Salem's, instincts, speed and solid arm suit him well in center field; 3B Greg Sexton (10) impressed Hudson Valley's coaches with his hands and arm strength. Draft-and-follow C Mark Thomas (22, 2006) has excellent agility behind the plate and a bazooka for an arm.
Best Fastball: Price commands his fastball in the 90-93 mph range and can go get 95 whenever he wants.
Best Secondary Pitch: Price's hard (87 mph), two-plane slider overmatched college hitters. The Rays considered RHP Will Kline (2) to have one of the draft's best changeups and see similarities between him and big leaguer James Shields.
Most Intriguing Background: Price was the 2007 College Player of the Year whose only defeat came in a regional-ending loss to Michigan. Kang is a Korean immigrant who recruited himself to Atlanta's Parkview High, playing pickup games on the school's field, where he was discovered by the coaching staff. His parents (who have since moved back to Korea) have business interests in Atlanta, and Kang knew about Parkview's program through the career of alumnus Jeff Francoeur.
Closest To The Majors: Price signed a major league deal. It wouldn't be a shock to see him in St. Petersburgh in 2008.
Best Late-Round Pick: Jones' athleticism and Auburn commitment prompted a $330,000 bonus. The Rays gave RHP Joseph Cruz (30) $100,000 because he has a projectable 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame and throws 92-94 mph at times.
The One Who Got Away: RHP Ryan Turner (22) has thrown 94 mph at times and is the grandson of Royals scout (and longtime high school coach) Gerald Turner. He's at Arkansas after missing much of the spring with mononucleosis.
Assessment: Price could make this draft special on his own. Kline and RHP Nick Barnese (3) could give the game's top farm system even more pitching depth. The Rays are just as excited about their drafts-and-follow such as Kang, Ross, Thomas and OF Justin Reynolds (31, 2006), another toolsy outfielder.
TEXAS RANGERS
Best Pro Debut: RHP Michael Main (1) struck out 34 in 28 innings over two levels and went 8-for-30 as a hitter in the Rookie-level Arizona League. LHP Ryan Falcon (29) dominated in a middle relief role for short-season Spokane, posting a 62-6 K-BB ratio and 2.68 ERA in 47 innings. Spokane closer RHP Andrew Laughter (10) had a 32-4 K-BB ratio with 11 saves and 2.03 ERA. RHP Evan Reed (3), a college closer, went 1-1, 1.91 in 11 games (eight starts) between Spokane and low Class A Clinton.
Best Athlete: Main's fast-twitch athleticism made him a possible first-rounder as both a switch-hitting center fielder and a pitcher. OF Julio Borbon (1s) has strength and speed, and the Rangers considered Borbon and Main two of the draft's top athletes overall.
Best Pure Hitter: Borbon struggled all spring playing catchup after breaking his ankle in January. At his best, he generates excellent bat speed. 3B Matt West (2) hit .301 in his debut and has good hands, but the Rangers aren't sure what they have in him after he was suspended 50 games for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs testing program.
Best Power Hitter: OF/1B Mitch Moreland (17) won the Cape Cod League's home run derby in 2006 and lost in the finals in '07. A two-way player at Mississippi State, the Rangers figure his above-average raw power will play better now that he's given up pitching.
Fastest Runner: Borbon and Main are 70 runners on the 20-to-80 scale.
Best Defensive Player: Borbon can refine his routes and has a below-average arm but projects to be an excellent center fielder.
Best Fastball: Main has touched 97 mph; he and fellow prep RHPs Blake Beavan (1) and Neil Ramirez (1s) all pitch at 92-94 mph and flash 96s. Beavan has the best fastball control of the group. Reed threw in the 94-96 range as a college closer.
Best Secondary Pitch: Some scouts considered Beavan's two-plane slider a better pitch than his fastball. Main's curveball is a hard breaker with power, and Ramirez also throws a sharp breaking ball.
Most Intriguing Background: West is the highest-drafted player to be suspended for PEDs in his debut season. Unsigned RHP Drew Pomeranz (12) is the younger brother of Cardinals prospect Stuart; he's attending Mississippi. Unsigned C Ben Petralli (47) is the son of ex-Rangers catcher Gino; he's at Oral Roberts.
Closest To The Majors: RHP Tommy Hunter (1s) thrived when moved into a relief role at Alabama. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder is far more athletic than he looks, has live stuff in a low-90s fastball and power slurve, and pounds the strike zone.
Best Late-Round Pick: RHP Josh Lueke (16) jumped straight to Clinton from Division II Northern Kentucky. His fastball touched 95 mph in a relief role, but he's still learning to miss bats with his breaking ball.
The One Who Got Away: Texas wasn't as sorry to lose speedy IF Garrett Nash (4) as it was about Pomeranz or RHP John Gast (5), who will recover from Tommy John surgery at Florida State. Nash is at Oregon State.
Assessment: The Rangers organization had a good second half, and the draft was part of it as Beavan, Borbon and Ramirez signed close to the Aug. 15 deadline. This class yields most of the organization's high-ceiling arms, plus a potential star in the middle of the field in Borbon.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Best Pro Debut: LHP Brett Cecil (1s) earned top prospect honors in the short-season New York-Penn League, working as a starter after closing in college at Maryland. He posted a 1.17 ERA in 62 innings (counting playoffs) with 69 strikeouts. A pair of former small-college stars, LHP Brian Letko (19) and RHP Jimmy Dougher (24), dominated the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, finishing 1-2 in ERA at 1.50 and 1.56.
Best Athlete: OF Eric Eiland (2) is a four-tool athlete (below-average arm) who was an all-state safety at Houston's Lamar High. He had significant Division I football recruiting interest.
Best Pure Hitter: SS/3B Kevin Ahrens (1) has a feel for his swing from both sides of the plate and controls the strike zone. He may have pressed in his debut in a lineup full of fellow high draft picks and hit just .230/.339/.321.
Best Power Hitter: C J.P. Arencibia (1) slammed nine homers for Team USA as a college sophomore and has above-average raw power to all fields. 2B John Tolisano (2) led the GCL in home runs (10) despite hitting just .246, and has strength and loft in his swing.
Fastest Runner: Eiland covers 60 yards in just under 6.5 seconds and is a 70 runner. SS Steve Condotta (12) and 2B Daron Mastroianni (16) both run above-average as well.
Best Defensive Player: A pure defender, SS Justin Jackson (1s) has natural infield actions, excellent hands an a strong arm. He could be even better as he becomes more efficient with his footwork.
Best Fastball: RHP Alan Farina (5) dominated in the NY-P playoffs, striking out 12 in five innings while reaching 95 mph. Cecil ran his heater up to 93-94 mph even as a starter.
Best Secondary Pitch: Cecil's hard 85-87 mph slider was one of the best breaking balls in the draft. Farina also has shown a plus slider. LHP Brad Mills (4) has good arm speed on his plus changeup.
Most Intriguing Background: Tolisano was home-schooled and was Baseball America's top 14-year-old in 2003. RHP Trystan Magnuson (1s), one of four Canadians the Jays signed, walked on at Louisville and helped lead the Cardinals to the College World Series as a closer. He comes from a hockey family that features great uncle Keith Magnuson, who had an 11-year NHL veteran.
Closest To The Majors: Cecil and Farina would move quickly if left in the bullpen, but both are going to be given a chance to start, making Magnuson the best choice.
Best Late-Round Pick: Mastroianni has exceptional energy and can hit. 3B Brad Emaus (11) has a higher profile and started to tap into his raw power with three homers in Auburn's championship run.
The One Who Got Away: The Jays stopped drafting after just 30 rounds and signed the first 21 players they picked. RHP Matt Thomson (22) took his three-pitch mix to be part of San Diego's top-rated recruiting class.
Assessment: The Blue Jays had 10 of the first 175 picks in the draft and hope they restocked a depleted farm system. Moreover, they took more chances due to their extra picks, taking five high school products in the first six rounds. In the previous five drafts since general manager J.P. Ricciardi arrived, they'd drafted one--their top prospect, 2006 first-rounder Travis Snider. Now they have to develop these younger players.
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