Tim Melville

A number of teams don't like to take high school righthanders early in the draft, and that bias may be all that stands in the way of Holt High producing a first-round pitcher for the second straight year. Holt High grad and Missouri State product Ross Detwiler went sixth overall in 2007, and while Melville won't go that high, he's the top high school arm for 2008. Melville hasn't pitched as well as he did last summer, when he tore up the showcase circuit, with his velocity slightly down and his curveball losing some tightness. He struggled in his first two starts but was throwing better as the draft approached, operating from 91-94 mph with his fastball and flashing a plus curve on a more regular basis. Melville is a very athletic 6-foot-5, 210-pounder who could be a star third baseman at the college level. He repeats his stress-free delivery with ease, allowing him to fill the strike zone. As a pro, he'll have to throw more two-seam fastballs and changeups. Melville probably won't follow through on his commitment to North Carolina unless he somehow falls out of the first round, and that would be an upset.