2004 WWBA 05 Grads/17U National Championship

17U NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOP PROSPECT LISTS

Class of 2005

SS Justin Upton:  His peers pitch to him as if he were Barry Bonds, so Upton didn’t get many pitches to swing at during the tournament, although he did have a two home run game.  Defensively, Upton made plays that no one else in the amateur ranks can make, but also struggled on the routine balls.

RHP Edgar Garcia:  Garcia didn’t throw quite as hard as fellow Dominican Roque Mercedes, “only” topping out at 94 mph, but his low 80’s slider was the best breaking ball in Marietta and his mechanics polished and smooth.  One scout thought Garcia might be only a year or two removed from the big leagues once he signs.

RHP Roque Mercedes:  Mercedes is more raw mechanically than fellow free agent Edgar Garcia but has an impossibly good pitchers build and a fastball that sat between 93 and 96 mph.  Mercedes curveball release point is inconsistent but he gets nasty spin on the pitch when it’s right.

1B Ike Davis:  Davis is the best left handed hitting prospect in the country and projects huge power numbers when he starts to fill out.  He’s also an excellent defensive first baseman.

CF Jordan Danks:  Danks started showing the power in Marietta that started to blossom further later in the summer.  He’s a well above average defender in centerfield with a very projectable 6-5 frame.

RHP Mike Bowden:  This previously unheralded Illinois pitcher was the top draft eligible pitching prospect at the event.  He has a powerful fastball that touches 93 mph and three quality secondary pitches in a slider, curve and change up.

RHP Kyle Hancock:  Hancock’s 79 mph curveball showed big league strikeout pitch power and break at times and his fastball topped out at 92 mph.  He has a pro style body at 6-3, 185 lbs and projects as a very high round pick next June.

SS P.J. Phillips:  The 6-4, 170 lb. Phillips looked even better in the team environment that he did at the Perfect Game National Showcase.  He’s a 5-tool talent who can play the middle infield and already shows above average power at times.

LHP Aaron Thompson:  Thompson has the poise and mechanics of a much older pitcher and two present average big league pitches in a 90 mph fastball and sharp curveball.  He’s going to keep getting better, too.

RHP Blake Nation:  Scouts love big power pitchers and few are bigger than the 6-8 Nation.  Nation pitched at 89-90 mph with very good command and threw a sharp slurve in the upper 70’s.  He has polished skills now and is very projectable.

LHP Mark Pawelek:  Pawelek’s raw stuff is just as good as fellow southpaw Aaron Thompson’s, if not a tick better, but he’s not as quite as polished in his mechanics and pitching approach.  Projectable lefties who throw 91 mph consistently are rare, though.

CF-LHP David Cooper:  Cooper’s raw tools don’t stand out but his baseball skills are off the chart.  He’s an excellent hitter with both power and bat control and a polished pitcher who throws 88 mph with an unhittable change up.

CF Jared Bogany:  There are only a few prospects in the country whose tool package surpass the 6-3, 200 lb Bogany’s.  His skills are raw but Bogany is a hustling hard nosed young player who is going to keep improving.

SS Carlos Heraund:  Heraund had little national notice before the tournament but stood out for his very strong bat and good athletic skills.  If he can stay at shortstop, he’ll make his prospect status even brighter.

C Scott Hawkins:  The 6-4, 210 lb. Hawkins has been overlooked on the list of top catching prospects but that’s going to change.  He’s an excellent athlete and the closest thing there is to a 5-tool catcher in the country.

Also:  Diallo Fon, Tyson Ross, Matt Olson, Preston Paramore,  Jonathan Egan, Shane Funk, Jeff Lyman, Brad Suttle, Shaun Garceau, Jake Rasner, Ralph Henriquez, Luis Flores, T.J. Steele, Landon Hernandez, Kyle Thebeau, Lee Epps, Jimmy Marshall, Steve Masten, Shooter Hunt, Scott Taylor, Jack Tilghman

17U NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOP PROSPECT LISTS

Underclass (2006/2007)

SS-OF Brent Brewer:  Brewer went from unknown to perhaps the top 2006 prospect in the country.  His physical tools are above average in almost every area and he shows extreme athleticism on the baseball field.  Brewer is the type of player who can hit two home runs and steal two bases in the same game, which he did once during the tournament.  We’d like to see him play more shortstop in the future.

LHP Kasey Kiker:  Kiker is the most polished pitcher in the country regardless of class.  Ignore his 5-10 height, he tops out at 91 mph, has the best change in the prep ranks and can put the ball exactly where he wants to.

LHP Josh Smoker (2007):  Smoker pitches like a 25 year old instead of a 15 year old.  He topped out at 87 mph with picture perfect mechanics and threw a high quality curveball and change up.

SS Tony Delmonico:  Delmonico has the polish of a player who has grown up on baseball fields, as he has with father Rod the head coach at Tennessee.  But Delmonico also has first class tools, including very good power potential.

RHP Dean Weaver:  The 6-3, 185 lb. Weaver overmatches hitters at this level.  He pitches at 88-91 mph consistently and has a power curveball that reaches the mid-70’s.

CF Cedric Hunter:  Hunter looks like a speed centerfielder at first glance, with above average speed and excellent defensive skills.  But he also has some serious juice in his bat and surprising power.

C Robbie Alcombrack:  We’ve seen Alcombrack hit top level pitching before but were very impressed by his improvement athletically and defensively.  He dominated one game with his throwing ability and agility behind the plate

RHP Chris Huseby:  Huseby is a classic projection prospect who scouts have compared to fellow Georgian native Kris Benson.  He throws 85-87 mph easily and already has a big league quality slider.

RHP Sam Dyson:  Few, if any, underclassman throw 90+ as easily and consistently as Dyson.  He’s a very good athlete who projects to throw even harder in the future.

LHP Mike Burgess (2007):  We only had a short look at Burgess but loved his powerful and projectable arm.  He’s pitched aggressively with a 90 mph fastball and overpowered hitters.

Also:  RHP-3B Clayton Ehlert, RHP Brandon Holden, SS Jonathan Merritt (2007), RHP-IF Cory Rasmus, RHP Clint Franklin, 3B/RHP Preston Claiborne, 2B Mike Demperio