Draft update

[blackmax]

We can start with this: They won't offer him $15 million over four years.  If only because he can't get to the bigs as fast as Strasburg, whoever signs him will have to get a discount.

[BuccoFla]

Keith Law

Will the Nationals tab Harper?

    "The Washington Nationals are on the clock for the first pick in the 2010 Rule 4 draft, and Harper is sort of staring them in the face. They need impact players of any stripe, and Harper has the highest ceiling of any candidate for that first pick. There isn't a high school bat good enough to challenge Harper for the top spot at this point, and I'm not even sure who an eventual challenger might be in this crop. There are several high-ceiling high school right-handers, but in 45 years no team has taken a prep righty first overall, and I don't see the Nationals taking on that kind of risk or long-term project over Harper."

[BuccoFla]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=law_keith&id=4982431



Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Ranaudo injury puts stock in question

Right-hander Anthony Ranaudo started the year as one of, if not the top college starting pitchers in the class, ranking No. 2 on the preseason Top 50. But he's made just one start due to elbow soreness, missing the last two weeks, and the school announced earlier this week that the 6-foot-7 ace will miss another week.

"Although Anthony felt it was much improved, he was still experiencing some of the same symptoms when he threw the ball today," head coach Paul Mainieri told the Times Picayune Monday. "Therefore, we're going to wait another week before deciding when he will return. We were hopeful he could pitch this weekend against Kansas, but we're not going to put him on the mound until he feels 100 percent. We'll evaluate Anthony's condition again at this time next week."

The question now becomes centered around more than just when Ranaudo can return but how this early-season bout with soreness in his throwing elbow impacts his draft stock. One area scout opines that even though it's not his job to make medical decisions, he'd be wary of tabbing a pitcher with such elbow concerns anywhere in the top half of the first round.

"[The draft] is such a roll of the dice as it is," he explained. "Adding to the risk of paying a pitcher at least a couple million bucks when you know he's had a history of this ... it just doesn't make a lot of sense."

But let's paint a scenario of the next three months and assume Ranaudo is back to form, showing no signs of pain or discomfort in the elbow with high-end results to go with the healthy joint. How big of a risk is he then?

"Still a risk, because TJ risks, our doctors tell us ... it's about wear and tear, not a one-time freak thing. The injury, the tears, they build up over time. But here's the thing -- not every sore elbow is caused by the main ligament (the ulnar collateral ligament) that causes the [Tommy John surgery], and not every one of those that is causing the pain results in surgery. Just hope the kid gets back on the mound soon, for his own sake."

There's a chance that Ranaudo indeed puts the condition behind him, rolls through the SEC and into the Regionals and College World Series, flashing his plus stuff and showing why he was once considered a top-five talent in this year's class. But there's also a chance none of that will matter.

"I guess it just depends on the organization," one former GM said. "If you're in a position to take a small chance on a big return, you might take him and hope the proper handling is enough. Some of the clubs that don't like to spend money in the first place may not even consider it."

AROUND THE DIAMOND

• Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal singled twice and walked in five plate appearances Tuesday, improving to .325/.491/.425 for the season, but has yet to show the power he did a year ago when he hit 16 home runs and smacked 11 doubles.

• Louisville first baseman Phil Wunderlich's early-season hot streak has added a stop on the trail of a few area scouts, and the left-handed hitting junior didn't disappoint those in attendance Tuesday. He hit home runs five and six and is hitting .388/.436/.878 with 11 extra-base hits, three walks and four strikeouts in 12 games. He's also showing some athleticism with his four steals in as many attempts and by stretching a double into a triple earlier this season.

• Texas-Arlington outfielder Michael Choice hit his fifth home run of the year Tuesday versus TCU, raising his line to .400/.528/.900 in 11 games. He's tallied three doubles and a triple to go with his five round-trippers, and he's drawn 12 walks against 11 whiffs.

• Texas Tech right-hander Chad Bettis, who surrendered seven earned runs in six innings versus TCU Friday despite fanning nine, went the final two frames Tuesday to pick up his first save. He struck out four and gave up a hit and a walk.

• LSU's Micah Gibbs went 2-for-3 with his third home run of the year, and outfielder Leon Landry fell a home run shy of the cycle, with one base on ball, in four trips to the plate. Gibbs is hitting .452/.511/.738 with six extra-base hits, while Landry is up to .415/.490/.634 with a 6-3 BB/K ratio and six steals.

• Middle Tennessee State's Byrce Brentz singled and homered in six plate appearances Tuesday and is hitting nearly .500 in his last seven games. For the year, the potential first off the board in June's draft is hitting .380/.466/.640 with three homers and eight walks. Brentz will face a solid Tennessee pitching staff Wednesday afternoon.

• Prep arm Tyler Shreve is in a bit of trouble after assaulting his now former coach but will continue to play for ABD Academy to keep his name in the draft mix. According to Keith Law, while Shreve has a chance to go top three rounds if he throws well between now and the draft, this incident may just increase the chances that Shreve goes to Utah and comes out a first-rounder in 2013.

[BuccoFla]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=mlb_draft&id=4984747



Thursday, March 11, 2010
Digging the longball: big hitters for 2010

We talked earlier this season about the 2008 draft and the plethora of bats that went in the first round; most are on the cusp of a big-league job just two years later, including Buster Posey, Brett Wallace and Justin Smoak -- with Gordon Beckham already hanging onto a starting spot. But that kind of talent does not exist in this year's class, which may be the biggest reason the Top 10 may ultimately consist of as many as eight arms.

"It's both," said one area scout. "There are a lack of college hitters and some pretty good arms with power stuff, especially the high school stock. That will make for an interesting first 10-15 picks, because some clubs just don't like to take the teenage pitcher that high."
But since the hitter comes with less risk and clubs often prefer the bat over the arm, I polled a handful of talent evaluators to come up with the best power-hitting college bats in the class, and below I have broken them down by position.

First Base
Andy Wilkins, Arkansas; Christian Yelich, Westlake HS (Calif.); Hunter Morris, Auburn; Cody Hawn, Tennessee

Third Base
Zach Cox, Arkansas; Nick Castellanos, Archbishop McCarthy HS (Fla.); Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia; Chad Lewis, Marina HS (Calif.); Kris Bryant, Bonanza HS (Nev.); Stetson Allie, St. Edward HS (Ohio); Derek Dietrich, Georgia Tech; Ross Wilson, Alabama; Rick Hague, Rice

Catcher
Bryce Harper, College of Southern Nevada; Cameron Rupp, Texas; Jake Hernandez, Los Osos HS (Calif.); Blake Forsythe, Tennessee

Outfield
Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee State; Austin Wilson, Harvard-Westlake HS (Calif.); Josh Sale, Bishop Blanchett HS (Wash.);

Brentz and Harper are among the Top 10 in our preseason top 50 and aren't likely to move very far from their current rankings despite the vast changes we expect in the coming weeks. Wilkins has yet to prove his numbers can translate -- scouts doubt the swing -- and Brentz has the misfortune of playing the majority of his schedule versus conference foes that don't provide the kind of pitching matchups necessary to erase any doubts about the big numbers he's producing.

A couple of names I was expecting to hear did not get mentioned: Virginia Tech's Austin Wates and Virginia's Jarrett Parker. Wates is a legit first-round talent, but Parker is all over the map, depending on who you ask. One area scout said "he's interesting, but nothing jumps out at you, and certainly not the hit tool. It's still a little unrefined for me."

Rupp's presence is intriguing as well, with a scout calling him "a possible sleeper for the Top 40 picks," and the prep outfielders Wilson and Sale could both crack the top 10, but are certainly first-rounders in terms of talent.

The abundance of third baseman is both curious and unsurprising, due to the shortstops and second baseman that don't profile as ideal defenders at their natural positions, but the one area scout I spoke to about Castellanos says he's probably a first baseman, but the bat is good enough and he could play right field as a pro, too.

Forsythe may have problems sticking at catcher and his bat may come up a little short as a first baseman and like Rupp, Hawn got a strong vote for being among the underrated in the draft. The same scout wanted to make a special mention for Oregon State's Stefan Romero, a potential first-day pick "with above-average power and a good idea."

The telling statement of the process came from an agent's assistant and former AL scout.

"It's a down year, but strangely it plays right in with the way clubs are valuing skills. The guys that can hit some, but also play their position well are being evaluated as complete players. The one-dimensional players aren't top-tier guys much anymore, even if the power grades very high."

On the Diamond

• Speaking of Brentz, the right fielder had two more home runs Wednesday to get to five for the year, all in the past five games. He's hitting .389/.468/.741 with nine extra-base hits heading into a weekend series with Louisiana-Monroe.

• Virginia's Parker fanned twice but hit a three-run home run -- his first of the year -- but has been uninspiring at .348/.426/.565 with seven extra-base hits and a 4-9 BB/K ratio in 12 games. There's talk that teammate Dan Grovatt is catching up to him. Grovatt, a junior outfielder, is hitting .378/.483/.489 with four extra-base hits and a 9-3 BB/K ratio. Both are left-handed hitters, and it's Parker's 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame that intrigue scouts beyond his results.

• Redlands East Valley left-hander Griffin Murphy mowed down nine batters -- six by way of strikeout -- and left with a 7-0 lead after three perfect frames. Murphy sat 89-91 mph with his fastball, which is above-average for a southpaw, 80-81 with a change and in the mid-70s with his curveball.

• The slate of prep games picks up quite a bit this week, including Blanchett's Sale and Pine View HS (Utah) shortstop Marcus Littlewood.

[BuccoFla]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2010/03/the_draft_plot_thickens.html?wprss=nationalsjournal




The Nationals' draft plot thickens

For a while now, I've harbored a deep suspicion the Nationals would ultimately use their No. 1 overall draft pick this June on someone other than 17-year-old catcher Bryce Harper. It was an educated hunch, based on a few facts:

1. Multiple scouts have told me he had not separated himself from the rest of the elite class of No. 1 contenders, the way Stephen Strasburg did a year ago.

2. Some scouts have said they don't project Harper as a catcher, long-term.

3. Harper is being advised by Scott Boras, and has more negotiating leverage than Strasburg did a year ago, since Harper has the option of going back into the draft up to three more times if he doesn't reach a deal with the team that picks him.

4. I read this feature on Harper, who temporarily ended his media blackout to tell the Las Vegas Review-Journal that, at one point earlier this year, he was "second-guessing" his decision to speed up his draft timetable by taking the GED and starting his college career early. Normally, I would applaud such honesty and defend Harper to anyone who wanted to question his "makeup" based on that quote. But when we're talking about $10 million-$20 million at stake, I'd say those questions are fair.

5. The Nationals aren't rich in position-player prospects, but they do have a catcher-of-the-future in Derek Norris, widely regarded as one of the top catching prospects in baseball.

6. If the Nationals truly believe they can contend in 2011, as it appears they do, it would make sense to take a more advanced, older prospect, particularly a pitcher.

So if not Harper, then whom? As of a couple of weeks ago, my money would have been on LSU right-hander Anthony Ranaudo -- but that was before Ranaudo was sidelined with elbow soreness that still has not subsided. If Ranaudo returns healthy and effective, he could come back into the No. 1 picture, but teams are understandably wary of elbow injuries when it comes to first-round picks, let alone overall No. 1s. (Little-known fact: As a high schooler out of Connecticut, Ranaudo was picked in the 11th round of the 2007 draft by the Texas Rangers, whose east coast crosschecker -- and a guy who pushed for the Rangers to pick Ranaudo -- was Doug Harris, now the Nationals' director of player development.)

One other drawback regarding Ranaudo: He's also being advised by Boras.

Beyond Ranaudo, the top draft-eliglble pitching prospect is said to be Texas high schooler Jameson Taillon. Two problems there: No high school right-hander has ever been taken with the first overall pick. And Taillon is being advised by the Hendricks brothers, who were responsible for the Aaron Crow fiasco in 2008.

Meanwhile, the next-best collegiate pitching prospect is said to be Georgia Tech righty Deck McGuire, who, aside from having a great baseball name, also owns a 2-0 record, 0.82 ERA and 25-to-3 ratio of strikeouts to walks this season.

On the other hand, to bring this post full-circle, perhaps we're guilty of trying to outthink ourselves here. Perhaps the answer is staring us in the face. Here is Harper's stat line through his first 20 games at the College of Southern Nevada: .408 ave., 6 HR, 20 RBI, .500 OBP, .831 SLG. (And that's with a wooden bat, mind you.)

Oh, and Harper has also been playing some center field -- which, we're fairly certain, the Nationals' scouting department is well aware of.

It's gotta be Harper.

But check back with me in a couple of weeks.

By Dave Sheinin  |  March 12, 2010; 11:00 AM ET

[ECBucs]

The most surprising part of the story from Nats journal is that the Nats think they can contend in 2011.

I don't see that happening without them getting every break in the book and the odds are long on that.

[BuccoFla]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=mlb_draft&id=4988974




Friday, March 12, 2010
Upton still No. 1 in 2005 draft pool

One of the more entertaining things we draft geeks talk about is, well, the past. So, as the weather gets better and the season really gets going, let's look back a few years and re-draft with all the hindsight and lack of financial responsibility we have for the selections.

I got a head start on the class of 2005 when I started asking talent evaluators which direction they'd go in the Top 10 if they could use all the information they have today to make the decision. Using the input of five scout types, here's what I came up with from that draft. The first name is the redraft, the second name is the actual pick made five years ago.

1. Justin Upton, SS | Upton
2. Troy Tulowitzki, SS | Alex Gordon, 3B
3. Ryan Braun, 3B | Jeff Clement, C
4. Jay Bruce, RF | Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
5. Brian Matusz, LHP | Braun
6. Andrew McCutchen, CF | Ricky Romero, LH
7. Colby Rasmus, CF | Tulowitzki
8. Zimmerman | Wade Townsend, RHP
9. Clay Buchholz, RHP | Mike Pelfrey, RHP
10. Matt Garza, RHP | Cameron Maybin, CF

Others that were mentioned include Mat Gamel, Josh Bell, Jeremy Hellickson -- all third-round picks that year. Matusz, also a third rounder in '05, didn't sign and went on to be the No. 4 overall pick in 2008. Buchholz was a supplemental round pick.

I scanned the first 10 rounds of the draft results and I couldn't find a glaring omission, though I think you can argue the order, of course. But there were a lot of good players in that draft, and it clearly went well beyond the Top 10.

"It was one of the better drafts in recent memory," one special assistant said. "I think this year, we have some kids that have a chance to be special, but the depth of stars, no. 2005 was great."

Now, on to this year's class ...

Around the Diamond

• Clemson's Kyle Parker, the school's starting quarterback as well as starting right fielder, went 3-for-5 with his fifth home run of the year and added a walk and a strikeout. The right-handed hitting Parker offers a plus arm and good raw power, but one scout thinks Parker's baseball career is just getting started, so there might be more projection left in his game if he turns his focus solely on the diamond. He's hitting .405/.510/.786 with a BB/K ratio of 8-6 after having problems with contact a year ago.

• Pepperdine's sophomore-eligible right-hander Cole Cook went the distance Thursday, beating East Carolina and right fielder Devin Harris 5-3. Cook fanned eight and yielded three runs on eight hits. He walked three and boasts a 26-8 K/BB ratio in three starts.

• Fullerton State's Christian Colon continues to struggle, going 0-for-4 in a 5-0 loss to Fresno State Thursday. One NL area scout says "I think he's starting to press a bit, not being as selective. I'm not worried too much at this point, though." Colon is hitting .205 with just two extra-base hits.

• Jacksonville State's Todd Cunningham tripled in four at-bats versus Michigan State, his third three-bagger of the year, and is hitting .353/.431/.765 with 12 extra-base hits in 11 games.

• Jedd Gyorko singled and walked twice to get to .333/.434/.556 with six extra-base hits and eight walks. He's fanned just five times in 53 plate appearances despite West Virginia's 4-7 record.

• Jameson Taillon, the top prep prospect and potentially a Top 5 pick, struggled Wednesday night, allowing six runs on eight hits. He did fan 11, and walked just two, but couldn't get out of the sixth inning, prompting The Woodlands head coach Ron Eastman to say "Jame-o didn't have his best stuff tonight. He left a few pitches up." Taillon's fastball always has velocity, but it's getting hit, possibly because the 6-foot-6 righty is overthrowing it, which robs the pitch of movement, as Keith Law wrote after seeing Taillon in February. Of course, better command would help, too.

• Harvard-Westlake High School (Calif.) outfielder Austin Wilson finally got something to hit after being pitched around so often in recent games, hitting a two-run home run in a blowout win in a semifinal game of the Easton Tournament.

• Upland High School (Calif.) right-hander Scott Frazier tossed a no-hitter with 18 strikeouts Tuesday. Frazier has been clocked in the 89-91 mph range while touching as high as 92. He offers a curveball and change as well, but more than one talent evaluator has mentioned long arm action as a downside. Frazier is a Pepperdine commit.

• Alison Niguel High School (Calif.) catcher Stefan Sabol went 0-for-3 with a walk Tuesday and is 3-for-12 with a homer on the season.

• Addison Reed, San Diego State's right-hander out of Los Osos High School in California -- same as prep catcher Jake Hernandez, one of the Top 50 prospects in this class -- went seven strong versus Alabama-Birmingham, allowing just one hit and striking out seven -- five swinging. He retired the first 15 batters he faced and walked just once. The 6-foot-3, 215 pounder is 3-1 with a 2.36 ERA and a shiny 30-7 K/BB ratio in four starts.

• Cal outfielder Mark Canha, who may profile as first baseman in pro ball, went 3-for-4 with his second home run of the season and owns a .308/.417/.487 with seven walks and six strikeouts. To stick his nose into the Top 100, Canha will have to show more power in games.

[Dignan]

I got a head start on the class of 2005 when I started asking talent evaluators which direction they'd go in the Top 10 if they could use all the information they have today to make the decision. Using the input of five scout types, here's what I came up with from that draft. The first name is the redraft, the second name is the actual pick made five years ago.

1. Justin Upton, SS | Upton
2. Troy Tulowitzki, SS | Alex Gordon, 3B
3. Ryan Braun, 3B | Jeff Clement, C
4. Jay Bruce, RF | Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
5. Brian Matusz, LHP | Braun
6. Andrew McCutchen, CF | Ricky Romero, LH
7. Colby Rasmus, CF | Tulowitzki
8. Zimmerman | Wade Townsend, RHP
9. Clay Buchholz, RHP | Mike Pelfrey, RHP
10. Matt Garza, RHP | Cameron Maybin, CF

Others that were mentioned include Mat Gamel, Josh Bell, Jeremy Hellickson -- all third-round picks that year. Matusz, also a third rounder in '05, didn't sign and went on to be the No. 4 overall pick in 2008. Buchholz was a supplemental round pick.

I can never understand this bias towards the most recently drafted player.  I would definitey pick McCutchen over Matusz right now.  I might even take him over Bruce, but at least that's a reasonable debate.

[Dale Berras Stash]

I got a head start on the class of 2005 when I started asking talent evaluators which direction they'd go in the Top 10 if they could use all the information they have today to make the decision. Using the input of five scout types, here's what I came up with from that draft. The first name is the redraft, the second name is the actual pick made five years ago.

1. Justin Upton, SS | Upton
2. Troy Tulowitzki, SS | Alex Gordon, 3B
3. Ryan Braun, 3B | Jeff Clement, C
4. Jay Bruce, RF | Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
5. Brian Matusz, LHP | Braun
6. Andrew McCutchen, CF | Ricky Romero, LH
7. Colby Rasmus, CF | Tulowitzki
8. Zimmerman | Wade Townsend, RHP
9. Clay Buchholz, RHP | Mike Pelfrey, RHP
10. Matt Garza, RHP | Cameron Maybin, CF

Others that were mentioned include Mat Gamel, Josh Bell, Jeremy Hellickson -- all third-round picks that year. Matusz, also a third rounder in '05, didn't sign and went on to be the No. 4 overall pick in 2008. Buchholz was a supplemental round pick.

I can never understand this bias towards the most recently drafted player.  I would definitey pick McCutchen over Matusz right now.  I might even take him over Bruce, but at least that's a reasonable debate.

Agreed.  I think Matusz is slightly overhyped.  His stuff is good not great and having command doesn't always translate well.
People just "can't quit" Bruce, either.  I would take McCutchen over him.  He may not have the absolute peak that Bruce may have, but he won't have the lows either.

[ECBucs]

on the list I would take Zimmerman and Braun over Am.

They got to the majors and performed quicker with power and are only 3 years older.

Although I'm very happy with Andrew.  I think he is better than Bruce and Andrew will be an All Star.

[BuccoFla]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100311&content_id=8760682&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[SpacePirate]

This will be very interesting for the future of the Pirates if he continues to do well, Harper is picked #1 overall, and Taillon is there at #2 (and Bentz and the other college bats struggle).

The Pirates absolutely NEED impact talent -- especially pitchers.  I think $6 million gets this guy in the fold.

[BuccoFla]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=mlb_draft&id=4992442



Saturday, March 13, 2010
If not Harper, who is No. 1?

Bryce Harper is still the consensus top talent in the 2010 class, but we've certainly heard more about him not being the No. 1 pick than we have about legitimate alternatives. As Keith Law said yesterday, "if Harper isn't No. 1, who is?"

It's the best way to put it right now, as LSU right-hander Anthony Ranaudo remains sidelined by elbow soreness and almost a half-century of history rages against top prep prospect Jameson Taillon. Even if the Washington Nationals were to reach with the top pick, it's unclear who might make sense.

If we eliminate the possibility that the Nationals take a high school pitcher -- if they do, Taillon remains the top candidate -- the rest of those expected to challenge for the Top 10 haven't done much in the season's first three-plus weeks to separate themselves from the rest of the first round, with the possible exception of Georgia Tech right-hander Deck McGuire.

The top college bats in the class after Harper -- Bryce Brentz, Zach Cox and Austin Wates -- aren't getting the kind of praise thrust upon them to be locks for the first 10 picks, let alone as a potential No. 1 pick, if Washington looks to save money by passing on the top talent.

"There really isn't that second one," said one club's assistant scouting director. "Last year there were a couple that could have gone there, and usually there's a nice battle between a few legit guys -- which is why [the Nationals] will take [Harper] and sign him."

If Washington does pass on Harper, that's when things could get interesting, because -- would Pittsburgh take him at No. 2? Would Baltimore at No. 3 having Matt Wieters as their catcher? If you believe teams draft for positional need and that the small-market clubs would pass on Harper, he could fall all the way to the New York Mets at No. 7.

Among those capable of moving up into slot No. 2 for the Pirates include OF Austin Wilson and RHPs Karsten Whitson and A.J. Cole, as well as McGuire, who ranked No. 4 on the Preseason Top 50.

"We anticipate Washington taking the No. 1 player, and right now that player is Bryce Harper," said one west coast crosschecker, whose clubs drafts outside the top five. "I've seen him, what, four or five times, but late in the game I think I'll be on other players. He's not getting to us, and he shouldn't get to Pittsburgh, either. A lot would have to happen for that to be justifiable."

Around the Diamond

• Right on queue, Harper hit his seventh home run of the season Friday and finished a double-header with two hits, a walk and two strikeouts. He leads the CSN Coyotes in all major categories, including average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, doubles, home runs and bases on balls.

• LSU's Leon Landry hit his first home run of the season in a loss to Kansas, the Tigers' first of the season. Landry's blast came in a five-run seventh that got them to within two runs.

• The class of 2011 is going to be dominated by college pitching. Check this out: While Virginia's Danny Hultzen was throwing six shutout frames for Virginia against Florida State, Texas right-hander Taylor Jungmann was striking out 17 Iowa Hawkeyes in 7 1/3 innings, and UCLA's Gerrit Cole later punched out 15 against Corpus Christi.

• Florida State's Tyler Holt couldn't touch Hultzen, going 0-for-4, while highly-ranked Louisville, led by 2B and senior-sign Adam Duvall and first baseman Phil Wunderlich, who combined for a .400 average and a 1.200 OPS, had problems hitting Ole Miss lefty Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz struck out 12 over 6 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and an earned run. It was the most telling performance of the night, as Pomeranz threw well against a legit opponent, and his breaking ball led the way, according to one scout in attendance.

• Arkansas 3B Zach Cox singled three times versus Milwaukee, but where's the corner power? The left-handed hitting sophomore-eligible has but three extra-base hits in 53 at-bats. Howevever, he is making consistent contact, which was one of the concerns surrounding his draft stock coming into the season.

• McGuire tossed a three-hit shutout for the Yellow Jackets, fanning eight, walking two and yielding just one run. In four starts, the right-hander is 3-0 with a 0.87 ERA and a 33-5 K/BB ratio in 31 frames. He's allowed 21 hits, though 16 have been singles and none has left the yard.

• Kentucky's Logan Darnell went eight strong, striking out six and walking a pair. He's surrendered three extra-base hits in 29 innings, but as one area scout said, "Let's see what he can do when the big boys come to town," referring to the SEC schedule, which starts for the Wildcats next week when Darnell and Mississippi's Pomeranz are scheduled to go toe-to-toe.

• Christian Colon broke out of a slump, singling three times and swiping his fourth base of the year. His line still remains poor, but as the weather warms up, his bat should as well. Colon is still a Top-30 pick, according to an AL West club's area scout. "If we picked No. 30 and he was there, I can't imagine who else would be there that we'd like more," he said.

• Texas A&M right-hander Barret Loux, who came into the season as a potential Top-100 pick, struck out 11 of 22 batters faced Friday versus Washington State. He walked two and gave up only five hits, but was pulled because of pitch count, as his defense and deep counts helped him reach 111 pitches in 5 1/3 innings.

• Miami and Virginia Tech were each shut out, but both Austin Wates and catcher Yasmani Grandal finished with two hits.

[81omar]

    Brentz had a disappointing day yesterday, 4 K's in 5 AB's. Just when I was getting high hopes for him. McGuire has to be ahead of Ranaudo at this point,3 straight missed starts cant be helping his stock

[slider]

The class of 2011 is going to be dominated by college pitching. Check this out: While Virginia's Danny Hultzen was throwing six shutout frames for Virginia against Florida State, Texas right-hander Taylor Jungmann was striking out 17 Iowa Hawkeyes in 7 1/3 innings, and UCLA's Gerrit Cole later punched out 15 against Corpus Christi.

This is the part that I think will interest the Pirates.  Maybe it pushes NH towards picking a position player this June knowing that he should be able to pick up a pretty good college pitcher in next years draft.  I still like Taillon, but it wouldn't surprise me to see another less touted guy with pick #2.

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