Round Overall Player Position 4 126 David Nick SS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BA: Cypress High in Orange County is a top-notch program that has recently produced first-rounders Scott Moore (2002) and Josh Vitters (2007). Nick doesn't figure to be drafted quite that high, but he is an outstanding player nonetheless. A 6-foot-2 high school shortstop, Nick will probably move to second base in pro ball. He doesn't have the arm, hands or actions to hold down shortstop beyond college, but second should be a perfect fit. Nick is an excellent all-around athlete, with one of the most interesting batting stances seen in years. Eschewing modern hitting theory, he stands dead still at the plate, with his feet spread and the bat held above his back shoulder. Motionless as the pitch comes in, he turns on the ball by whipping the bat and snapping his wrists violently at the last instant. No one would be foolish enough to compare a high schooler to Joe DiMaggio, but Nick's swing is a near copy. And it gets results. Nick is a line-drive hitter, and the ball screams off his bat when he squares a pitch up. The only concern with Nick is that his terrific quickness will at times cause him to pull off the ball too soon, imparting topspin to the ball. As a professional, Nick profiles as an offense-oriented second baseman with average defensive skills, above-average speed, average power, and potentially well-above-average hitting skills. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- pgcrosschecker: SCOUTING PROFILE (3/1): Nick compares favorably to middle infielder Nick Noonan, a supplemental first-round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2007 out of a southern California high school. The obvious difference is that Nick is a righthanded hitter. Neither player has a singular tool that stands out, but both players have exceptional makeup and feel for the game. Noonan's relatively modest arm strength quickly led to his moving to second base in the pros, and the same scenario will likely happen with Nick. Overall defensively, the only thing keeping Nick from being a high-level shortstop is his arm strength as he moves very easily to both sides and has soft, easy hands. He also has 6.56-second speed in the 60. Nick's hitting mechanics and swing plane are as smooth as you are likely to see in a righthanded hitter, and he almost looks at times like he should be lefthanded. He keeps his hands very quiet, yet has plenty of rhythm and load with his body, creating a quick and consistent cut that drives the ball all over the park. As a junior at Cypress High, he hit .453-6-38 and also drilled 12 doubles and six triples. He also played second base last summer for USA Baseball's junior national team, hitting .267-0-5 at the World Junior championship for the silver medalists. Nick doesn't have true home-run power right now in his slender, middle-infielder's frame, but that could come with time.-DAVID RAWNSLEY UPDATE (5/15): Nick was seen extensively by scouts early in the spring, but the pressure slacked off by the middle of the spring and scouts indicated that Nick was rarely cross-checked in the second half of the spring-not a good sign for a potential top-5 round pick. There is continued concern over Nick's future position. He doesn't have the arm strength for shortstop and there are questions whether he will ever fill out his narrow frame and develop the power necessary to play other positions. Another factor is Nick's age. He is only three months older, for instance, than USC junior Robert Stock, and will be draft-eligible again in 2011 if he was to attend UCLA.-DR --

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