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Sunday, March 7, 2010
The SEC is plain ol' loaded
One of the questions asked of me most when I'm out at games or via e-mail is which college conference has the most draft prospects and which has the best prospects. The answer to that question in 2010 is the SEC, and the race is really not close.
As I was writing this, I sent Keith Law a quick e-mail just to reiterate that "the SEC is loaded," as if he needs me to tell him these things. But a check on this list below reveals more than a dozen prospects, many of whom are likely to be first-day selections. And not that the ACC or the Big 12 is void of talent, but the SEC reigns supreme this season both in terms of depth and when it comes to the most first-round talents.
From the trios at LSU, Arkansas and Alabama to Ole Miss LHP Drew Pomeranz and South Carolina RHP Sam Dyson, the SEC is indeed loaded with potential top-100 picks, many of whom are expected to go in Round 1.
As one area scout put it, "It's a joy every year to cover this area because there is never a lack of big-time guys to see every week."
On the diamond
• As someone reassured us in February, West Virginia's Jedd Gyorko will hit despite lacking an obvious defensive profile. He's playing shortstop for the Mountaineers and had three more hits Saturday in five at-bats. Gyorko's numbers are up to .361/.452/.639 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) with six walks and four whiffs in nine games.
• Draft-eligible sophomore Michael Goodnight won a toe-to-toe battle with potential first-round pick Brandon Workman as Houston blanked Texas 1-0. Goodnight fanned nine in seven shutout frames, and although he walked four batters, the Longhorns managed just two hits off the right-hander. Workman gave up an earned run on a walk and four hits. He struck out seven in eight innings.
• Cal State Fullerton's Gary Brown continues to dazzle with his speed and gather base hits, but he still hasn't drawn a walk in nine games covering 42 official at-bats. But perhaps the biggest news out of the Titans' 6-1 win over Arizona is the 0-for-5 effort from SS Christian Colon. The junior is hitting .194/.310/.306 with just two extra-base hits in nine games after posting a .971 OPS as a sophomore. There are no indications he's hurt, and he's certainly better than he's showing thus far, so expect him to turn it around somewhat as the season unfolds. But Colon doesn't have what we'd call a significant advantage over other shortstop prospects in this class, namely Alabama's Josh Rutledge, who entered the season with offensive questions.
• Speaking of Rutledge, the 6-foot, 185-pound junior singled and fanned twice in a 4-0 win over College of Charleston and is now hitting .333/.385/.545 in eight games. He's drawn just one walk to go with six strikeouts this season and produced a 25-to-50 BB/K ratio last season, numbers that will have to improve to get him solidly in the first-day conversation.
• Rutledge's teammate, right-hander Jimmy Nelson, struck out 11 in six scoreless innings Saturday, throwing 64 of his 91 pitches for strikes and avoiding the base on balls. The 6-6, 235-pound Nelson led the Florida Collegiate Summer League in strikeouts this past summer, and although the FCSL isn't the Cape Cod League, the Tide's ace has brought that success with him into 2010. Nelson has allowed just 12 baserunners and owns a 19-to-1 K/BB ratio in three starts spanning 16 innings. He began the year generally considered an early second-day talent, but with the potential to move up the charts. He generally sits in the 88-91 mph range with his four-seam fastball but effectively uses a two-seamer to set up a slider, his out pitch.
• UCLA's Rob Rasmussen struck out 10 in five innings versus Nebraska, giving the 5-11 left-hander 23 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. His crutch, however, is lack of consistent command, leading to 11 bases on balls and his high pitch count Saturday. He threw 54 strikes and 45 balls but somehow allowed just one unearned run. Stuff isn't Rasmussen's problem, as he generally sits in the low-90s, which is above average for a lefty, and possesses a curveball that flashes as a plus pitch and potential put-away offering.
• Middle Tennessee State's Bryce Brentz homered for the second straight day and singled twice, but Jacksonville State left fielder Todd Cunningham bested Brentz once again, garnering a double and a homer in JSU's 8-5 win. Cunningham already has nine extra-base hits in his nine games played, and Brentz, after a slow start, is five for his past 11 with two long balls.
• Virginia Tech's Austin Wates went 2-for-6 with a double and a walk in a twin bill versus Long Island after going 2-for-3 with two bases on balls Friday. Wates is hitting a ridiculous .474/.632/.711 with three doubles and three triples, but he isn't considered a big-time power bat going forward. He's a good athlete, as we have written here before, but he continues to play first base rather than the outfield.
• SEC stars Andy Wilkins, Brett Eibner and Zack Cox led Arkansas over RHP Dixon Anderson and Cal Saturday, combining for six hits and four RBIs in a 9-5 win. Wilkins hit his fifth home run of the season and is hitting .419 with eight extra-base hits. Anderson struggled through five innings, giving up nine earned runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out just two.
• Hokies right-hander Jesse Hahn allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings while piling up nine strikeouts in VT's easy doubleheader sweep of hapless Long Island. Hahn could be a first-day pick, but numbers he puts up against the early-season schedule aren't going to impress anyone. His fastball velocity will, however. Hahn has touched 96 mph in the past and has showed a good curveball, which at times is a plus pitch, according to one area scout.
• Ohio State's Alex Wimmers experienced his first hiccup of the season, catching a lot of the plate with his low-90s fastball Saturday, leading to 12 hits and five runs allowed in five innings. He walked three and struck out eight.
• We'll talk more about Wichita State's sophomore-eligible Jordan Cooper if he pitches more like he did Saturday. The right-hander fanned seven in eight efficient innings versus Florida Gulf Coast, throwing 70 of 100 pitches for strikes. He may be an early second-day selection with a consistent season.
• Pepperdine left-hander Matt Bywater held his own versus No. 1 LSU despite four walks and erratic command of his entire arsenal Saturday. He allowed just one earned run on seven hits -- all singles. LSU's Leon Landry and Micah Gibbs tallied three of those hits.
• The favorite to be the top pick in this year's draft, College of Southern Nevada's Bryce Harper, is on a tear this weekend, going 8-for-12 in four games (two doubleheaders) with three doubles, two long balls and three walks. The 17-year-old draft-eligible freshman is leading his Coyotes in all major categories except triples with a .408/.500/.831 line, including six home runs and 10 doubles. He's also walked a team-high 14 times, and despite 17 strikeouts in 86 plate appearances, the kid is a beast and proving his power is for real with the wood bat.
• On the injury front, LSU announced Friday that right-hander Anthony Ranaudo, considered the top college pitcher in the class, will not pitch at all this weekend thanks to a sore elbow. There is no timetable for his return, but he's missed two starts. The thought originally, however, was that the school would play it smart and safe and be sure the Tigers' Friday starter was fully over the injury and ready to go to avoid risking his future.
