6/7/2010

Top Draft Picks Promise Quick Returns

First Players Taken Expected to Make an Impact Soon

In recent years, and in a reaction counter to the high-flying free agency trend, baseball has gotten a lot more financially savvy. More and more, teams are focusing their personnel efforts on finding, securing and locking up the most talented young players before they become too expensive. As such, MLB's annual first-year player draft has become more of a game of identifying which young talents will be able to provide a return on investment soonest, rather than those who might have the highest upside at a later date.

The top picks made in this year's draft certainly bear this out, as there's a strong, strong emphasis on What Can You Do For Us Soon?    

Vegas's own Bryce Harper was (surprise) the number one pick of the 2010 Draft.

Most of the players selected in the first round were already being tracked here at Scouting Book, so a link to the appropriate prospect page is provided wherever possible.

1. Bryce Harper, C/OF
There's not much more to say about Bryce Harper that hasn't already been reprinted hundreds of times. The young phenom is... (More)

2. Jameson Taillon, RHP
A monster power arm from Texas via Quebec, young Jameson Taillon is a very high-ceiling righthander who has already... (More)

3. Manny Machado, SS
A graduate of Team USA's championship squad, Miami's Manny Machado is a powerful well-rounded player who was recognized...(More)

4. Christian Colon, SS
A textbook shortstop from Puerto Rico, Christian Colon is a plus contact hitter with good speed, excellent baseball... (More)

5. Drew Pomeranz, LHP
The latest junior ace from Ole Miss, lefty Thomas (Andrew) Pomeranz is probably the best lefty of the 2010 draft class... (More)

6. Barret Loux, LHP
Texas A&M's ace in 2009 and 2010 and a Big Twelve All-Star, righthander Barret Loux...(More)

7. Matt Harvey, RHP
Matt Harvey is a tall righthander from Mystic, Connecticut who pitched his college ball at UNC, where a few tweaks to his... (More)

8. Delino DeShields, 2B
The junior Delino is a shorter, stronger, faster and very righthanded version of his father. Which is to say...(More)

9. Karsten Whitson, RHP
Karsten Whitson is a teenage pitching prospect who might have the highest ceiling of any of the 2010 draft class part... (More)

10. Michael Choice, OF
A thickly-built, wide-framed power bat from Texas who moves pretty well for his size, Mike Choice is a player destined... (More)

11. Deck McGuire, RHP
Blessed with a name that would be right at home in a Steve McQueen movie, Georgia Tech's Deck McGuire is a bulldog... (More)

12. Yasmani Grandal, C
A switch-hitting Cuban catcher with a powerful right arm, Miami's Yasmani Grandal looks to be the premium catcher of the 2010... (More)

13. Chris Sale, LHP
Thanks to his very tall stature, Florida's Chris Sale can throw a 94mph fastball on a downward plane despite beginning... (More)

14. Dylan Covey, RHP
Righthander Dylan Covey is a polished pitcher with a fastball that can touch 96mph with good motion and natural sink...(More)

15. Jake Skole, RHP
A talented outfielder who committed to Georgia Tech in both football (safety) and baseball before being drafted by the Texas Rangers...(More)

16. Hayden Simpson, RHP
Hayden Simpson is a prototypical college ace from a lesser-known Division II school. He works with a 92-94mph fastball...(More)

17. Josh Sale, OF
Josh Sale (pronounced 'Sully', more or less) is a powerful Samoan motherslugger from Seattle who just keeps getting bigger... (More)

18. Kaleb Cowart, RHP
The 2009-10 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, Kaleb Cowart is a switch-hitting two-way player that the Angels seem... (More)

As always, as scouting reports and first-hand accounts of these players flood in, you're likely to see them zipping all over our always-changing Prospect Rankings.

   

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