Bren Spillane

Spillane has had as good a season, statistically, as anyone in the country thanks to some hot streaks where he seemed impossible to retire. Spillane had five separate multi-home run games, including a three-home run, four-hit game against Southern Illinois. His .426/.524/.973 slash line ranks first in the nation in slugging percentage and top 10 in both on-base percentage and batting average. His 20 home runs is also among the best in the country. And while it's easy to project 25-plus home run power for Spillane, scouts are much more worried about his hitting ability. Even with his .426 batting average this year, scouts are hesitant to call Spillane a future average hitter. His swing has some length to it and there is a lot of swing and miss to his game, as he's striking out in 25 percent of his plate appearances. Still, Spillane has plus-plus raw power with the strength to hit the ball out to all fields. With a metal bat, even mishits by Spillane carry. He plays first base at Illinois because the Illini have a very good set of outfielders, but he projects better in the outfield than he does at first, where his footwork needs work and he's below-average defensively. He's an above-average runner with enough speed to handle a corner outfield spot and he has a plus arm. Spillane doesn't have much of a track record--he barely played as a freshman and missed time as a sophomore because of injuries--but his outstanding junior season cannot be ignored. Iowa's Jake Adams posted similar numbers in the Big 10 last year and lasted to the Astros in the sixth round because of his lack of athleticism. Spillane should go higher because he can run, and his prodigious power could push him into the third or fourth round.