Nicky Delmonico

Delmonico comes from a baseball family. His father Rod was Tennessee's head coach for 18 seasons until 2007, and his brother Tony hit .374 for Florida State's 2008 College World Series team before embarking on a pro career with the Dodgers. Tony moved to catcher as a pro, and Nicky also has a chance to catch. Scouts aren't completely sold on his defensive ability, but he has the body and arm strength for the position. Delmonico is maxed out physically at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and is 19 years old. He had a tough spring, hitting six home runs but disappointing scouts with his lack of impact offensively. His value is in his bat, and his swing has become more stiff in the last year, perhaps as a result of a nagging back injury he had from lifting weights. Some scouts consider his swing mechanical, while others believe he just lost bat speed due to draft pressure and trying too hard. Those who believe in Delmonico believe his above-average instincts, plus arm and adequate receiving skills will keep him behind the plate, making him an above-average offensive player for the position if his bat bounces back. He's signed to Georgia.