
Top 20 Prospects (cont.)Posted: Monday February 25, 2008 3:58PM; Updated: Monday February 25, 2008 3:58PM 11. Shooter Hunt, RHP, Tulane
Hunt is a good example of how crucial it is for a pitcher to have command over his fastball. This wasn't an issue last spring, his first at Tulane, when he walked a mere 30 batters in 99.2 innings. Over the summer, Hunt played in the heralded Cape Cod League and walked 20 batters in 36.1 innings. If Hunt can spot the fastball, his slider and change are good enough to make him one special pitcher. 12. Cody Satterwhite, RHP, Ole MissTwo years ago, Satterwhite was one of the most heralded freshman in this 2008 class thanks to an illustrious high school career. The big right-hander became the Rebels closer early on, and for two years, has been strong in that role. With Ole Miss possessing the best team of Satterwhite's career, however, he has been moved back to the rotation. Coaches report his nasty curveball won't lose much bite nor his fastball much velocity in the transition. 13. Dennis Raben, OF, MiamiBetween Alonso, Raben and honorable mention Jemile Weeks, the Hurricanes have the best three-four-five hitters in the nation. Raben is an interesting player, who didn't really blossom until grabbing a wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer. A two-way player, Raben has an electric arm, but his ability to hit left-handed pitching remains a question mark. 14. Brandon Crawford, SS, UCLAMany scouts believe there is a large discrepancy between the player Crawford is now and the player scouts believe he may one day be. On paper, he strikes out far too often and has never shown enough production to warrant a first-round pick. However, scouts see a fabulous arm, good speed, enough range to play shortstop and some pop in his bat. Five-tool shortstops don't grow on trees, so if Crawford shows any development, he'll get a large pay day. 15. Josh Fields, RHP, GeorgiaIt was evident on Friday -- as Fields came into close the Bulldogs season-opening upset of top-ranked Arizona -- that the old Josh Fields is back. This is the Fields of 2006, the Fields of a 1.80 ERA and 0.94 WHIP; not the Fields of 2007 with many blown saves, a 4.46 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. The good Fields is nasty, with a fastball above the mid 90s and a slider that right-handed hitters don't have a prayer to hit. He's back, baby. 16. Brett Wallace, 1B, Arizona StateA year ago, Wallace had a season that Ted Williams would be envious of, crushing the Pac-10 to the tune of .404/.484/.687. Wallace is probably the draft's purest hitter, a slugger that has very few weaknesses and rarely expands his zone. The problem is that he'll be relegated to DH very soon, as his 250-pound frame and lack of athleticism don't foretell Gold Gloves. 17. Ryan Perry, RHP, ArizonaIn each of his first two seasons at Arizona, Perry pitched 34 innings in the Wildcats bullpen. The results were ugly -- 28 earned runs his freshman season, 24 his sophomore year. So why does he rank so high? Because when one of his teammates pulled out of the Cape Cod League, Perry went and turned the head of every scout with a 97 mph fastball and hints of a good slider. He's a reliever, ultimately, but he has the potential to be an elite closer with that kind of velocity. 18. Jordan Danks, CF, TexasDanks -- whose brother, John, is a starter for the White Sox -- made Longhorns fans forget about Drew Stubbs in a hurry. Interestingly enough, Danks has much in common with the former top 10 pick. Both have leadoff profiles with patient approaches, fabulous baserunning and good defense. Both showed great batting practice power, though Danks has struggled to show it in games. The nation's best baserunner, however, doesn't need to hit home runs to have value. 19. Buster Posey, C, Florida StateAn elite high school pitcher and shortstop, Posey converted to catcher a year ago. Scouts believe the transition was Posey's destiny, as the fantastic athlete has been a natural behind the plate. While he's a bit rough around the edges, Posey's arm and actions both are pluses for a catcher. Plus, he's always been a good contact hitter with enough gap power to hit 30-40 doubles. In a draft light on catchers, Posey will go high. 20. Tanner Scheppers, RHP, Fresno StateIf Crow and Perry were the biggest risers from summer baseball, Scheppers was the star of fall ball. A good recruit that has been compared to former Bulldog Matt Garza, Scheppers began to prove the comparison is accurate when the team returned for fall practice in August. Suddenly, Scheppers was throwing in the low-to-mid 90s with a sharp slider. However, we didn't know if the results were fictionalized until Saturday, when Scheppers allowed four hits, walked zero and struck out 10 in his opening 7-inning win over UC Davis. Helium alert. HONORABLE MENTIONScott Green, RHP, Kentucky: At 6-foot-8, the Wildcat has great size, slider, and is finally healthy. Roger Kieschnick, OF, Texas Tech: Similar to Raben, big left-handed slugger with prototypical RF profile. Zach Putnam, RHP, Michigan: Very athletic two-way player with one of the nation's nastiest sinkers. Aaron Weatherford, RHP, Mississippi State: Closer that has touched the high 90s in the past with good breaking ball. Jemile Weeks, 2B, Miami: Rickie's brother is faster and players better defense than the Brewer. 2 of 2 | |||||||
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