Tommy Pham

While Las Vegas has exploded in population, its status as a baseball hotbed has receded a bit in recent years. Pham is the best of a thin crop this year, and ranks as both the best hitting prospect and best pitching prospect in Nevada. Scouts and college coaches are split on which position suits him best, though Pham has been clear in discussions with scouts and the press that he prefers to hit. On the mound, he has more present ability despite his inexperience, showing easy velocity in the 90-92 mph range and a feel for a slider that could be a plus pitch. Offensively, he won't stay at shortstop in pro ball, and his bat may allow him to move either to third, to take advantage of his arm strength, or to second. He reminded one scout of the Diamondbacks' Scott Hairston for his strong frame, the way the ball jumps off his bat--and his seeming indifference to playing defense. He's an above-average runner who can cover 60 yards in 6.7 seconds. Questions about Pham's maturity--he wavered on his college choice, orally committing to Arizona before signing with Cal State Fullerton--should not be enough to drop him out of the first five rounds.