Chris Bootcheck

Bootcheck surfaced in early May as a favorite to be the first college player drafted. The teams picking in the top five or six positions began having uneasy feelings about him as he didn't consistently dominate anybody--though he was 9-0, 3.42 on the season. They also questioned his makeup, wondering if he's tough enough to stand up to the challenge of being a No. 1 or 2 starter. There's little else not to like about the 6-foot-5, 195-pound righthander. His slender build will enable him to add weight and increase his velocity from its present 90-92 mph. He projects to have four solid pitches, with a cut fastball his best now.