5 Tool Talk - Draft-Related Baseball Notes

High School Notes 3-17-11

College baseball is significantly easier to follow from afar than the college game, but there are some notes of interest concerning some of the top high school pitchers in the game as the season progresses.

Archie Bradley

Bradley has looked good so far this spring, including a solid performance in Florida as part of the Blue Devil Classic. He and teammate Mason Hope (another high interest draft eligible RHP) combined for a no-hitter in Bradley’s previous appearance for Broken Arrow High School. He reportedly has been sitting in the 92-94 range with his fastball and has looked sharp.

Dylan Bundy

Bradley’s crosstown rival and friend Dylan Bundy (Owasso High School) also has a no-hitter to his credit this season, and is also off to a very good start. He’s sitting in the 94-96 range with his fastball, and his breaking ball has been filthy so far this year.

Daniel Norris

Norris’ season began on Wednesday, and he enjoyed a spectacular performance, striking out 15 without giving up a hit in 6.2 innings of work. The left-hander’s fastball reportedly was 95-96 in that outing.

Robert Stephenson

Armed with one of the quickest arms of any 2011 draft-eligible player, Stephenson continues to pitch well, opening the season with back-to-back no-hitters while touching 97 with his fastball and throwing an impressive breaking ball.

Taylor Guerrieri

Guerrieri has also touched 97 multiple times this year, working in the 93-96 range while throwing a really nasty slider. He may have improved his stock more than any other player eligible for this year’s draft so far this season, and may be considered for the top 10-15 overall picks.

Joe Ross

While I don’t have reports on how hard he is throwing, I have heard from multiple sources that Ross is throwing the ball extremely well so far this season. The younger brother of current Oakland A’s RHP Tyson Ross, Joe has put his name in the conversation among the prep pitchers likely to go in the first round come June.

Javier Baez

I recognize that Baez is not a pitcher, but he has solidified his position as a first-round target this spring, and may even be looked at among the top 10-15 overall picks as one of the best positional players available, high school or college. Extremely versatile, Baez could (and has) play just about anywhere on the field, and he's a legitimate five tool talent. Early in the season his team faced Francisco Lindor’s, a game, according to reports, that drew in excess of 100 talent evaluators.

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Dandy Dozen

SP	Andrew Gagnon	Well rounded RHP w/ good size, repertoire
SP	Erik Johnson	Big bodied RHP with good FB/CB combo
SP	Deshorn Lake	Live-armed RHP with sharp breaking ball
CL	Nick Maronde	Lived-armed LHP tough to catch up to
C	Nick Delmonico	May not be C long-term, big body, LH bat
1B	Zach Wilson	Aggressive hitter can put sting in ball
IF	Sean Trent	Well built hitter with pop, speed, arm
3B	Dante Bichette, Jr.	Clone of father with big build, power
SS	Austin Nola	Steady D' at shortstop, improving strength
OF	Nick Martini	Good all around player with patient eye
OF	Shon Carson	Shorter, well built 2-sport speedster
OF	Granden Goetzman	Fast riser w/ exciting power/speed combo

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Analyzing Amateur Baseball Talent as it pertains to the MLB Draft