http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/4/22/849248/interesting-college-hitters-for Interesting College Hitters for 2009 Draft by John Sickels on Apr 22, 2009 We are about five weeks away from the 2009 draft, and no one really seems to have a good handle on what is going on. San Diego State ace Stephen Strasburg is the class of the draft, but after him the talent level drops quickly. There is decent depth in college pitching (which we will talk about soon), but college hitters are in shorter supply. The high school ranks have the usual mixture of projectable arms and toolsy athletes, but there are no Joe Mauers, Josh Becketts or Justin Uptons available this year who clearly stand out as the absolute best available. Everything is in flux, though overall it looks like there is more depth in pitching than in hitting. Today we will begin our look at some hitters with a good chance to go in the early rounds. Players are listed alphabetically. This is NOT intended to be a comprehensive draft preview, and I will have more guys to talk about later. Today's report covers nine hitters. Tomorrow we'll do another nine. Dustin Ackley, 1B-OF, North Carolina Ackley is a pure hitter with developing power. Although playing first base this year, scouts say he has enough athleticism to play the outfield, perhaps even center field. He's hitting .395/.505/.716 for North Carolina, excellent numbers in context. His strike zone judgment is very good (34 walks, 20 strikeouts in 162 at-bats). He could go just about anywhere in the first round after Strasburg, depending on his bonus demands. Kentrail Davis, OF, Tennessee A tremendous athlete, the draft-eligible sophomore may have the best pure tools of any college player in the draft, but is still putting his game together. He's hitting .297/.428/.525 this year, which isn't too good for his context. He's shown the willingness to take a walk, but his strikeout rate is also high. He is still more tools guy than baseball player, but he won't have a cheap pricetag. Like Ackley, he could go just about anywhere in the first round, or perhaps fall out of it altogether if he asks for too much money. Chris Dominguez, 3B, Louisville Hitting .340/.450/.613 with 10 homers, Dominguez has made huge strides with his strike zone judgment and has refined his previously hack-type approach at the plate. He still strikes out (33 in 150 at-bats), but his walk rate is much higher this year. He's also stolen 15 bases in 19 attempts. His defense at third remains an issue (.888 fielding percentage this year) and there is still some concern about what his batting average and contact rates are going to look like against better pitching. He was drafted in the fifth round as a sophomore by the Rockies last year, but will likely go in the supplemental round this year, or perhaps in the second half of the first round. Grant Green, SS, USC Green got off to a slow start this year, but has boosted his production lately and might still be the first college hitter drafted. Hitting .372/.439/.577 for Southern Cal, excellent for a middle infielder in this context. He also has 13 stolen bases in 17 attempts, and continues to impress scouts with his overall tools. His strike zone judgment needs work: 13 walks against 27 strikeouts in 137 at-bats is fairly mediocre. He also needs to reduce his error rate, though scouts believe he has the range, hands, and arm strength to remain at shortstop. Green will definitely go in the first round, probably in the top ten, depending on his bonus demands. Brett Jackson, OF, California Jackson is another tools guy with a spotty performance record, though he's certainly improved this year, hitting .331/.401/.586, which isn't terrific but isn't bad. His biggest problem is plate discipline, as shown by a 16/44 BB/K ratio in 157 at-bats. Like Davis, Jackson has first-round physical talent but is still learning how to get the most use out of his tools. He could go anywhere in the second half of the first round or in the supplemental round. Ryan Jackson, SS, Miami-Florida This Jackson (no relation to the other) is hitting just .260/.368/.390 for Miami, not very good for a college hitter, but he's received some early-round buzz due to his defensive ability and overall polish. Frankly I think it would be a big stretch for him to go in the first round, but if someone falls in love with the glove it could happen, sort of an Adam Everett thing. He does control the strike zone reasonably well and makes contact, and scouts like his 6-3, 185 athletic build. Jason Kipnis, OF, Arizona State Traditional scouts aren't super wild about Kipnis, rating his tools as just average. But his performance is outstanding: .403/.506/.763, 11 homers, 15 steals in 19 attempts, 29 walks against just 16 strikeouts in 139 at-bats. He's polished, does a lot of things right, and has thrived this year against tough competition. One of the performance-oriented teams could consider him in the first round, and I doubt very much that he'll get past the second round. He turned down a fourth-round offer from the Padres last year, and it looks to have been the right move. D.J. LeMahieu, SS, LSU Hitting .349/.439/.500, LeMahieu has been a bit streaky this year but has solid across-the-board offensive skills. The main doubts revolve around his defense: does he have the range for shortstop? He might not have enough pure power to play third base at higher levels, and where he falls in the draft will depend on how teams decide where he fits into future lineups. Kent Matthes, OF, Alabama One of the best seniors available, Matthes is hitting .394/.481/.976 with 20 homers and nine steals in 10 attempts. He's a solid athlete and his senior status could make him an attractive pick, not likely in the first round, but anytime after that for a team looking to save money on a player is affordable, but who still has good tools and skills. I suspect that the down economy could have a lot of teams looking for senior bargains this year, and Matthes would be a great fit. http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/4/23/850601/more-interesting-college-hitters More Interesting College HItters for 2009 Draft by John Sickels on Apr 23, 2009 4:41 PM EDT Jared Mitchell, OF, LSU Another very toolsy outfielder with football background but a spotty baseball performance record, Mitchell got off to a fast start this year but has slumped lately. He's currently hitting .319/.477/.597 with 26 steals in 30 attempts, and has drawn 34 walks. But his strikeout rate (41 in 119 at-bats) is high, and questions persist about how his bat is going to play at higher levels, at least in terms of batting average and contact. Depending on his bonus demands, he could go anywhere in the first or second round, or fall much farther if teams decide he is unaffordable or believe he will return to football. Josh Phegley, C, Indiana University Hitting .371/.475/.657 with 10 homers for Indiana, Phegley isn't the toolsiest guy around and draws mixed reviews for his defense. His season this year is less impressive than last year, when he hit .438 with 15 homers and was second in the Division I batting hunt, but is still solid overall for the context in which he's playing. Phegley could go late in the first round as a possible bargain pick, but is more probably a second or third round selection by one of the clubs that puts emphasis on performance over projection. A.J. Pollock, OF, Notre Dame Hitting .352/441/.528 with 15 steals in 19 attempts, Pollock is a good athlete with enough speed and arm strength to play center field. He also had good strike zone judgment (21 walks, 15 strikeouts in 142 at-bats). He doesn't have terrific power, but should provide enough pop to stay in the lineup. Pollock would fit in the latter half of the first round or in the supplemental round for a team looking for a relatively safe, polished investment. Rich Poythress, 1B, Georgia One of the best power hitters in college ball this year, Poythress is hitting .411/.511/.861 with 20 homer, 30 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 158 at-bats for the Bulldogs. He rates behind Ackley as a prospect because Ackley can run well enough to play the outfield. Although not quite in the Justin Smoak category, Poythress has a legitimate bat with power and strike zone judgment, and is another "safe" choice for several clubs. Josh Prince, SS, Tulane Hitting .363/.481/.534 with 30 steals in 35 attempts, Prince has overcome injuries and a subpar 2008 to re-emerge as an interesting prospect this year. He was very successful as a freshman at the University of Texas in '07, before transferring to Tulane. Very reliable defensively, he has been projected as a pick in the fourth to sixth round range, but if his bonus demands are reasonable he could go higher than expected due to his speed, defense, and decent strike zone judgment. Carlos Ramirez, C, Arizona State University Leading Arizona State with 13 homers and hitting .307/.431/.677 overall, Ramirez has made a successful transfer from Chandler-Gilbert Community College. A short, stocky type at 5-11, 210, Ramirez was MVP of the Northwoods League in 2008, where he hit .315 and lead the league with 10 homers. He has good power and was projected as a pick in the fourth-seventh round area pre-season. Like Prince, he's had a good spring and I think he could go as high as the second round. He is well-regarded defensively. Tony Sanchez, C, Boston College Having a breakthrough spring, Sanchez is hitting .366/.459/.686 with 12 homers for Boston College. He is getting buzz as the top college catching prospect in the draft, pushing past Trevor Coleman of Missouri who has had a rough spring, and is clearly a candidate for the first round on the basis of his power and defense. Angelo Songco, OF, Loyola Marymount Scouts are always on the lookout for left-handed power, and that's Songco's bread-and-butter. Hitting .373/.500/.715 with 12 homers, he has decent strike zone judgment and one of the best college bats available. Although not quite in the same class as Mitchell or Davis athletically, he offers more current polish. He would fit at the bottom of the first round or in the supplemental round. Tim Wheeler, OF, Sacramento State Hitting .383/.491/.780 with 12 homers and 14 steals in 16 attempts, Wheeler was noted as a speed demon type pre-season, but scouts doubted his pop. He's shown good punch this year, however, and if teams buy into that improvement as being real, he could go in the first round. A left-handed hitter with a wiry body, he has enough range and arm strength to play center field in the majors. --

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