Posted on 26 April 2009
H/W: 6-2 200 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 1/21/87
The Giants selected the former UCLA Bruin in the 4th round of the 2008 draft. After a junior season that saw him hit .302 with 7 HR 51 RBI and 11 SB, he has turned up his production a notch as a member of the San Jose Giants by hitting .395 with 3 HR 8 RBI and 10 runs scored in his first 12 games. Crawford has good size and strength for a shortstop with excellent pull power and above average speed. He had some problems with getting pull happy as a collegiate player, and he is currently averaging about a strikeout per game with San Jose. Defensively, Crawford has decent range and good arm strength, though there are some concerns that he has apexed physically and may lose a step or two in the next few seasons. Last season's struggles with the Bruins seemed to affect his confidence on both offense and defense, but his quick start this season serves as evidence that he has put that behind him and is allowing his natural abilities to dictate his performance. He is a heady player who competes well and carries a cerebral approach to all aspects of his game.
2009 Projection: Crawford should play most or all of the season at High-A San Jose alongside mega-talents like Buster Posey, Angel Villalona, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Alderson, Connor Gillaspie, and Nick Noonan. Crawford has enough talent and polish to be a starting shortstop at the major league level within the next two seasons, but there is still some work to do. His strikeout rate is too high and he has yet to show an ability to put up a respectable BB/K ratio since he first set foot on UCLA's campus. The grind of a major league season has multiple periods of highs and lows and there has already been criticism of his ability to play with a high level of confidence during slumping periods. If he can move beyond this, he is a 15-20 HR hitter with double digit steal potential. Currently, Emmanuel Burriss is the only viable SS prospect ahead of him on San Francisco's organizational depth chart and current Giants SS Edgar Renteria really has just two or three more productive seasons left. Crawford is someone to watch in an organization that is rapidly becoming one of baseball's best and brightest.
Key Brandon Crawford Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/699
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/719
- 2008 Donruss Prime Cuts Auto #/249
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket SP Auto
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Posted on 21 February 2009
H/W: 5-11 150 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 4/22/88
The son of 19 year MLB veteran Tom Gordon got off to a blazing start to his professional career, hitting .331 with 2 HR 27 RBI 18 SB and 45 runs scored in 60 games. World class speed is Gordon's best weapon, as his 6.35 time in the 60 yard dash makes him the fastest player in the L.A. Dodgers organization. Gordon slashes line drives through holes and down lines which, combined with his advanced bunting skills and plate discipline, makes him a game changing, top of the order hitter. Gordon's excellent speed allows for him to cover a wide range on the left side of the infield and his strong arm allows for him to make throws from deep in the hole. Gordon is built like his father, which means that he should never become a big power hitter, but there is some projectibilty in his sinewy frame for more XBH power to develop. The upside for Gordon to be an impact player is far from being reached. With his bloodlines, athleticism, and considerable makeup, Devaris is one of the more intriguing prospects to watch in 2009.
2009 Projection: The superb numbers that Gordon put up at Ogden earns him a promotion to Low-A Great Lakes to start the season. Ogden has served as a hitter friendly environment for several years and many a player has suffered markedly poorer numbers in seasons following. Gordon should buck that trend. His exceptional hand-eye coordination and blazing speed makes him averse to prolonged slumps. Watch the XBH numbers this season. Gordon will never be a double digit HR hitter, but his ability to drive more balls into the gaps will allow for him to get into scoring position more often. Also, expect the SB numbers to rise dramatically this season to be at or near the top of all of MILB in 2009. Gordon has the potential to be one of the best leadoff hitters in all of the minor leagues in '09 and beyond.
Key Devaris Strange-Gordon Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto
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Posted on 14 February 2009
H/W: 5-11 185 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 6/24/89
The Rangers' 2nd round pick signed just before the deadline in August and has yet to throw a single professional pitch. Ross features a 92 MPH fastball that has lively movement and sharp control. His slider and changeup show some promise as well, but they are still in their developmental stages. Though small in stature, Ross is a big time competitor who employs a bulldog mentality each time he takes the mound. Ross is quite athletic and agile on the mound, but his smallish size could affect his stamina as a starter. Going forward, he needs to establish better command and movement from his two offspeed pitches and put on 10-15 lbs. of muscle in order to remain a starter.
2009 Projection: The Rangers have the luxury of taking their time with Robbie as their system is loaded with high upside arms. With that in mind, it seems most suitable for Ross to start the season at extended spring training before heading to short season Spokane in June. Texas is bubbling with young southpaws (Derek Holland, Neil Ramirez, Martin Perez, Kasey Kiker). Ross has time to develop, but the challenge to distinguish himself from the group is a daunting one. Watch to see how deep into starts he goes and how well he controls the strike zone at the lower levels. If he struggles to command his off speed stuff, he may find himself becoming a reliever down the line.
Key Robbie Ross Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Exclusive Auto
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1499
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Posted on 11 January 2009
H/W: 5-11 170 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 8/10/90
The Houston Astros used their 2nd round pick of the '08 draft to select this 1st team All-American OF out of Atlanta. Austin was widely regarded as the speediest player in the draft and an elite prep football player. Despite his small frame, Jay belted 15 HR and 52 RBI during his senior season. Things didn't go so well during his debut professional season at Greenville where he hit an anemic .198 with just 6 XBH and 14 SB in 24 attempts. Offensively, Austin is extremely raw with sub-par plate discipline (19 BB/69 K) and several mechanical flaws in his swing. Austin has some extreme defensive upside, as his world class speed and strong throwing arm plays well at any OF position. The Astros farm system has been ravaged in recent years by trades, losses of draft picks, and dubious draft selections. The upside for Austin is extremely high, but he will need to overcome several developmental obstacles if he wishes to separate himself from the rest of the underachieving pack.
2009 Projection: Austin, despite his slow start, will likely get a taste of Low-A ball. The Astros are hoping an offseason of hard work and good instruction will help to iron out some of the technical deficiencies in Austin's game. Don't be shocked if the Astros send him back to extended spring training if Jay struggles in the early going. Given his considerable upside, Austin will be handled with care and thoroughness. Look at the BB/K rates early on as well as the XBH. If he can make improvements in these numbers, Austin could quickly vault the glut of mediocre OF prospects (Eli Iorg, Collin DeLome, Mitch Einertson, Jordan Parraz, etc..). That, however, is by no means a foregone conclusion.
Key Jay Austin Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Playoff Prime Cuts Auto #/249
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/249
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1499
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
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Posted on 01 January 2009
H/W: 6-3 195 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 10/4/89
The Red Sox shelled out an over slot $3 million to lure the two sport Sarasota HS star away from a University of Tennessee football scholarship. Kelly struggled at the Red Sox GCL affiliate before having some success at short-season Lowell. Kelly is a superb athlete with a big frame that should comfortably add more bulk in the future. Defensively, the son of former Yankee infielder Pat Kelly has above average range and a rocket arm that will play well at the major league level. The biggest question mark with Kelly's skill set right now is his bat. His size and strength projects that he will develop more power as he matures, but his productive sample size is too small to give an effective gauge at this time. There is loads of promise and potential in this young shortstop, and it will be exciting to see how it all plays out.
2009 Projection: Kelly has 130 professional AB's under his belt, but he may start the '09 season at extended spring training before heading back to Lowell. The Red Sox are chocked full of high upside SS prospects which affords them the opportunity to be more patient with Kelly. Keep tabs on his weight this spring, as it is quite likely that he will add some muscle over the next couple of years. Although they are quite happy with current SS Jed Lowrie, the Red Sox are aching for more power production from the 6-hole. Kelly's power production is an integral piece to his development. He has exhibited poor plate discipline thusfar and will need to shore up that area if he wants to vault over the likes of Yamaico Navarro and Argenis Diaz as the future Fenway shortstop.
Key Casey Kelly Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1199
- 2008 Razor Exclusive Auto
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Posted on 31 December 2008
H/W: 6-2 205 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 11/11/86
The Nationals failed to sign the University of Missouri hurler which means that he will re-enter the draft in 2009 and will likely be a top-5 pick. Crow was arguably the best college pitching prospect in the draft last season after compiling a perfect 13-0 record with a 2.34 ERA and 127 K's in 107 IP. Crow flashes three dominant pitches including a 93-96 MPH fastball with good late movement, a hard and heavy slider that touches 87 MPH, and a fading changeup that has the makings of an out pitch down the road. Crow is incredibly poised and competitive on the mound, attacking hitters by changing speeds and locations effectively. Additionally, his lean and strong frame should allow for him to build good stamina to be a frontline pitcher in a big league rotation. There is a minor mechanical glitch in his delivery that limits his ability to extend through his pitches, but a moderate amount of refinement should help him to overcome this. All told, Crow is an elite pitching prospect and could rise up to the #2 or #3 spot of next June's draft.
2009 Projection: The biggest thing to watch with Crow, of course, is where he will end up after the '09 draft. Regardless of where he is, he is the prototypical fast track player. Well polished, good poise and control of his stuff, Crow should move quickly through whichever team's farm system he ends up in.
Key Aaron Crow Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/699
- 2008 Razor Exclusive Auto
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Posted on 07 December 2008
H/W: 6-1 210 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 5/9/86
Schlereth pitched briefly at two stops as a reliever after signing with the D'backs. The early returns had to please Arizona as Daniel surrendered just 2 runs on 6 hits in 12 innings while striking out 20. Schlereth has a lively 93-95 MPH fastball and a heavy curveball that has good 12 to 6 tilt to it. Additionally, Schlereth features a changeup that is another potential above average pitch. Schlereth pitches with a bulldog mentality that would suit him well in a closing role. Many prognosticators believe, however, that Schlereth's eventual role will be as a situational lefty due to his occasional lack of command.
2009 Projection: Schlereth is thought to be close to MLB ready, so it would be no surprise to see him skip over Low-A ball and head right to High-A Modesto. Watch to see how the Diamondbacks organization decides to develop Schlereth. If he gets opportunities to close games, watch to see how effective he is in that role. Though relievers do not tend to elicit the same demand that starting pitchers and position players do, Schlereth's best hobby value will be realized as a closer rather than a set up or middle relief pitcher.
Key Daniel Schlereth Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/570
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Posted on 07 December 2008
H/W: 6-6 240 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 9/23/86
Frederickson is a big, strong southpaw who pitched at two levels after being drafted in the 2nd round by the Brewers. He compiled a 0-1 record with a 5.06 ERA and a disappointing 31 BB/34 K's in 32 innings. Frederickson has a lively fastball that sits at 90-92 MPH, but touches 95 MPH occasionally. He also has a potentially wicked slider that has good two plane movement but is inconsistent. Frederickson's stock rose considerably prior to the draft as many scouts were enamored with his strong projectible frame and good southpaw velocity. The biggest knock on Evan is his lack of control on the mound. Much of this can be attributed to the mechanical glitches in his delivery, which a good pitching instructor could work with Frederickson to iron out. The Brewers moved Frederickson to the bullpen last season and it seems prudent to project him staying there as a future power lefty arm.
2009 Projection: Frederickson will likely pitch the majority of his season where he struggled last year, at Low-A West Virginia. The Brewers drafted a bunch of college arms in the first few rounds of last year's draft, affording them the luxury of developing Frederickson more carefully. There's lots to like about his physical attributes, but the command of his pitches is a little bit more difficult to project. Watch this closely next season. Also keep an eye on what role he pitches in with Milwaukee. If he starts finishing games and shows that he can dominate hitters, he could be a sleeper for a closer position down the road. Given his rawness, though, there is just too many uncertainties about his MLB future.
Key 2008 Evan Frederickson Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/922
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Posted on 05 December 2008
H/W: 6-2 185 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 9/8/90
Philadelphia's affinity with young, athletic OF's continued with the selection of Collier in the 1st round of the '08 draft. Collier has wiry strength that is thought to develop above average power in future seasons, though it did not manifest itself in his brief GCL stint. Collier did hit well, though, batting .271 with 19 RBI and 5 SB in 37 games. Collier also demonstrated solid plate disicpline earning a 17 BB/28 K ratio. Collier has average arm strength, but enough speed to play CF, though he mainly played RF in high school and during his first minor league season. The biggest question mark with Collier right now is his rawness. He has intriguing tools and quite a bit of strength, but he is quite unrefined in all aspects of his game at this time.
2009 Projection: The Phillies have the luxury of taking their time in developing Collier given the depth of quality OF in their organization. From a physical standpoint, there is much to like about him, but projectability does not always lend itself to productivity. Expect Collier to begin the '09 season at extended spring training before heading to Mahoning Valley in June. Keep an eye on the development of his power numbers (not only HR, but his doubles and triples as well). If he can develop more power without giving ground to his BB/K ratio, Collier's stock will rise considerably.
Key Zach Collier Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2008 Donruss Threads By the Letter Auto #/280
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/217
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Posted on 05 December 2008
H/W: 6-3 210 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 9/22/86
Gutierrez was a surprise '08 1st round pick by the Twins. He was converted to a closer by the University of Miami after returning from Tommy John surgery. During this time the former Hurricane ace developed a lively fastball that can hit 95 MPH with heavy sink. This pitch alone allowed him to have a successful debut at High-A Fort Myers, going 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA and 19 K's in 25.2 IP. He forced 2.56 ground outs per flyout as well.
Gutierrez exhibits good control of his fastball, but the biggest detractor to his game is the lack of a second pitch. The Twins seem optimistic that they can work with him to establish a breaking ball to work well with his very good fastball. Given the high level of success the Twins have enjoyed in developing pitchers, there is reason to be optimistic for this to happen. Gutierrez has a strong and athletic frame that should make him a fine late inning power arm at the major league level.
2009 Projection: Gutierrez had a successful but brief stint at Fort Myers, but he may find himself there again to begin the '09 season. The Twins have been working hard with him to develop his second pitch. Gutierrez seems best fit to be a late inning pitcher who can use his hard sinker to induce groundball outs with runners on base. While this is valuable for a big league club, the middle reliever roles holds no value to collectors. Regardless, watch to see if he continues to pitch in a closing role for either Fort Myers or AA New Britain.
Key Carlos Gutierrez Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/202
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Posted on 04 December 2008
H/W: 6-1 195 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 4/27/89
Hewitt's stock rose considerably prior to the 2008 draft as scouts witnessed his exciting assortment of tools. Hewitt was drafted 24th overall by the Phillies and signed quickly. Philadelphia sent him to their GCL affiliate where he struggled in 33 games hitting just .195 with 1 HR 17 RBI 2 SB and a raw 7 BB/55 K ratio. Hewitt has as much athleticism as anyone in the draft and his strength shows promise of future power development as he matures and refines his skills. Defensively, Hewitt has some good tools but they profile better in the OF than at SS. His good range and strong arm should play well in CF. The biggest caveat with Hewitt is his extreme rawness. He played ball in the northeast against lesser competition. Hewitt lacks the plate discipline and overall fluidity to his game that found in other 1st round prospects. This makes Hewitt a classic example of a high risk, high upside prospect that could either catch fire or flame out in future seasons.
2009 Projection: The Phillies have a glut of athletic and projectible OF talents in their system. This allows them to take their time developing Hewitt into an MLB player. Hewitt should spend time at extended spring training before joining the Phillies at short season Williamsport in June. Keep an eye on his BB/K numbers and his extra base hits. Also watch to see if the Phillies try to develop him as a SS. With the depth of OF talent in Philiadelphia's farm system, Hewitt's ability to stay at SS will increase the odds of him progressing to Philadelphia. Regardless of his position, he is a long way from Citizen's Bank Ballpark.
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The Giants selected the former UCLA Bruin in the 4th round of the 2008 draft. After a junior season that saw him hit .302 with 7 HR 51 RBI and 11 SB, he has turned up his production a notch as a member of the San Jose Giants by hitting .395 with 3 HR 8 RBI and 10 runs scored in his first 12 games. Crawford has good size and strength for a shortstop with excellent pull power and above average speed. He had some problems with getting pull happy as a collegiate player, and he is currently averaging about a strikeout per game with San Jose. Defensively, Crawford has decent range and good arm strength, though there are some concerns that he has apexed physically and may lose a step or two in the next few seasons. Last season's struggles with the Bruins seemed to affect his confidence on both offense and defense, but his quick start this season serves as evidence that he has put that behind him and is allowing his natural abilities to dictate his performance. He is a heady player who competes well and carries a cerebral approach to all aspects of his game.
