Nick Adenhart

Adenhart came into the season as the No. 1 player in this year's high school class and looked every bit the part until May. As a 16-year-old last summer, Adenhart helped the Maryland Orioles to the 21-and-under All-American Amateur Baseball Association title. He also outdueled Florida prep standout Eric Hurley at the Perfect Game/Baseball America World Wood Bat Championship last October in a matchup that attracted 200 scouts. Those accomplishment made Adenhart Baseball America's Youth Player of the Year in 2003, and he roared out of the chute in 2004 with a seven-inning perfect game in his first start, followed by a 13-strikeout one-hitter. He went 5-1, 0.91 with 85 strikeouts in 38 innings and was a lock for the top half of the first round when he left a May start in the first inning with arm discomfort. An examination by Dr. James Andrews led to a recommendation that Adenhart have Tommy John surgery. He continued to DH for his high school team and planned to have the operation in June. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Adenhart has a projectable body with lots of room for added weight. He has a whiplike arm action from a high three-quarters slot. His fastball sits in the 90-94 mph range with soft tailing action, while his curve has sharp downer action. He also has command and good feel for a changeup. Some scouts have said his motion, which features a stiff front side, could lead to future arm trouble. He sometimes overthrows and loses his release point, and sometimes lands slightly across his body and on his heel, which can be easily corrected. Some scouts also question Adenhart's competitiveness and said he didn't challenge hitters enough. His injury makes it more likely he'll honor a commitment to North Carolina and pitch there after possibly sitting out next season, but a team will definitely take a shot at him at some point in the draft. The betting is it will be the Orioles, who have an especially close relationship with him and were prepared to spend the eighth pick in the draft on him.