Chris Archer

Few players made greater strides in the past 12 months than Archer. A virtual unknown nationally in the spring of 2005, Archer emerged as the quintessential late bloomer last year after going 11-2, 1.09 as a junior. He then tossed two scoreless innings after a last-minute invitation to the East Coast Showcase last summer before throwing lights-out this high school season. In the process, he orally committed to North Carolina State before signing with Miami, yet has given scouts every indication that he would prefer to sign and begin his professional career. Archer's best pitch is a sharp slider that he throws in the 78-81 mph range on two planes. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range but has a tendency to be a bit flat. Still, the athletic Archer has a live arm, a good overall feel for pitching and impressive confidence without a hint of arrogance. He has struggled with his command on occasion, which can be attributed to minor kinks in his delivery, but his body projects incredibly well, particularly with his easy arm action.