5/22/2009

Arms Dominate Draft Choices

Strasburg and Others Will Go Early

It's been a few years since there's been as clear a #1 pick as this year's Stephen Strasburg, the 100mph wunderkind who everyone's grandmother knows is destined for Washington in the upcoming Amateur Draft. But there's no real consensus on who the rest of the best prospects are.   

Strasburg and his max-effort ears will be first off the board, but who's the real best prospect?

Most of the players drafted this June won't ever sniff big-league baseball, and half of them will be out of baseball altogether by this time next year. But some of these players are future stars and deserve to be considered along with today's talented minor leaguers, and this season, most of the hottest prospects are pitchers.

Here's a quick look at our Top 10 Draft Prospects, and where they rank in our overall prospect rankings today. It's tough ranking players before they've ever thrown a pro pitch, but here at Scouting Book, we chew up 'tough' for breakfast.

These rankings are fluid: as these players sign and are evaluated by pro staffers, they'll certainly move up and down our lists, and once we all get a look at their first pro assignments, they'll move even more than that. But for now, here's where we rank the top 10 prospects in the 2009 draft class. Keep in mind that this isn't the order that they'll be selected, since we're not factoring in signability concerns or team need. This is the order they're ranked in right now, in terms of how likely they are to contribute to a major league team in a big way... and how much they'll bring to the table when they do.

1. Stephen Strasburg
Of the last 10 pitchers to be drafted at number one, exactly zero have ended up as top-tier MLB pitchers. (The jury's still out on last year's version of Strasburg, lefty David Price, but look at the rest of the #1 picks and weep.) Of course, if anyone can defy the odds and turn out great, it's the man formerly known as 'Slothburg' for his sloppy, lazy play... a thing of the past, we hope.  More on Strasburg >

2. Grant Green
The best position player in the draft, Green is a power hitting shortstop with leadership charisma. While Strasburg will get all the press, it's the guys like Green and Ackley who could actually help teams sooner.  More on Green >

3. Tyler Matzek
A young pitcher who's zoomed up the charts this season, Matzek could settle into a long career in San Diego or Atlanta... or a shorter one in Chicago.  More on Matzek >

4. Dustin Ackley
A masher in the Travis Snider mold, Ackley can play either corner outfield position, though he's more likely to end up and first base or even DH in the near future.   More on Ackley >

5. Zack Wheeler
Atlanta is said to covet this 95mph flamethrower from their own backyard.  More on Wheeler >

6. Mike Leake
A crafty pitcher with four major league ready pitches, though none of them are overpowering.  More on Leake >

7. Aaron Crow
Perhaps Mr. Crow and his legion of expensive advisors will find a more appropriate suitor this time around? Crow didn't look so great during his year of 'vacation', but most scouts think he's still a top-flight guy.  More on Crow >

8. Alex White
The UNC righthander has grinder written all over him. A less-than-stellar showing in 2009 has him slipping down draft lists, but he's healthy and has the tools to excel.  More on White >

9. Tanner Scheppers
The Pirates couldn't sign him last year; who will land him this time around?  More on Scheppers >

10. Kyle Gibson
Aaron Crow's rotation mate lacks the radar gun power but brings more guile, smarts and a healthier attitude than Crow.  More on Gibson >



We'll have much more on these players, and the other standouts from the draft, as June rolls past.






   


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