Emeel Salem

Salem, a two-time all-SEC selection, had an outstanding junior season last year, but he is as serious about his schoolwork as he is baseball and opted to return to campus after being drafted by the Orioles in the 10th round in 2006. He led Tide regulars in batting (.357), on-base percentage (.442), stolen bases (23) and walks (30) while starting in every game for the second year in a row. He graduated with a 3.9 GPA in management and Spanish and has been a mainstay on academic honor rolls throughout his career. He's a throwback player who provides energy and emotion to his team. His best tools are above-average speed and defensive ability in center field. Salem makes consistent contact and can drive balls from gap to gap, but ultimately he probably won't have enough offensive upside to profile as an everyday major leaguer. A bevy of teams would love to give him the opportunity, however, and he should be drafted once again near the 10th round, or perhaps earlier if a team is looking for a quality senior sign.