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As part of Baseball America's Ben Badler's involvement with the site, every now and then he will write an article just for us after looking through a checklist of a prospect product. This is what he saw after observing the 09 BCDP checklist...
Enjoy!
1. Tyler Matzek, lhp, Rockies: Matzek was the 11th overall pick in the draft, but he was behind only Stephen Strasburg on some teams’ draft boards and slid due to a wave of signability picks ahead of him. Matzek immediately becomes one of the elite pitching prospects in baseball, as has everything scouts look for in a high school pitcher. With throws a 90-94 mph fastball that touches 98, two potential plus breaking balls and shows feel for a changeup. He’s athletic, has a smooth delivery that he repeats and throws strikes. In other words, Matzek has all the ingredients of a future star.
2. Jiovanni Mier, ss, Astros: While some scouts had reservations about Mier’s bat heading into his senior year of high school, he has become one of the top all-around shortstop prospects in baseball. Mier is a true shortstop, an athletic defender with good hands, range, arm strength and instincts in the field. He had an emphatic pro debut at the plate in the Appalachian League, showing a smooth, loose stroke with quick hands, good balance and solid bat speed to go with an advanced approach and pitch recognition. Mier is a high-ceiling player who is relatively polished for his age, a combination that might end up making a steal for the Astros with the 21st overall pick in the draft.
3. Jared Mitchell, of, White Sox: Mitchell, who also served as a wide receiver at LSU, is one of the best athletes in the minors. Focusing on baseball full-time should accelerate development for Mitchell, who offers a tantalizing package of plus-plus speed and above-average raw power potential, though the power might not come until later in his career. Mitchell’s swing will need some work in pro ball and his strikeout rate is a concern, but he had a strong showing in the South Atlantic League in his pro debut, where he showed the patience to work the count and get on base at a high clip.
4. Mike Trout, of, Angels: Trout has above-average tools both at the plate and in the field at a premium position. Trout is a good defensive center fielder with plus-plus speed, and his wheels are also a weapon on the basepaths because he’s an efficient basestealer. Trout tore through the Arizona League in his pro debut, showing an advanced approach for his age. He’s still growing into his power and his swing can get long at times, but he doesn’t swing and miss much, which combined with his plate discipline is an excellent start for a 19-year-old hitter.
5. Tony Sanchez, c, Pirates: Was Sanchez a consensus pick at fourth overall? No, but he’s still a fine catching prospect and performed well in his first taste of pro ball. Sanchez projects to stick at catcher as an above-average defender. He doesn’t have any plus tools at the plate, but as a catcher his solid-average offensive tools could make him a valuable player. Sanchez has a solid feel for the strike zone and for hitting, and he showed a steady middle-of-the-field approach in his pro debut. Sanchez is an instinctive player who has the potential to move through the system relatively quickly.
Avoid
Mike Minor, lhp, Braves: Minor went seventh overall in the 2009 draft and was the first college pitcher drafted after Strasburg. But on talent alone, Minor wasn’t the best available player on the board. He throws an average fastball and an above-average changeup, but he’s still trying to find a reliable breaking ball. He has an advanced idea of how to pitch, but while that skill set works well in college, the track record of pitchers with that package hasn’t been kind. Minor might end up as a back-of-the-rotation starter, but he also might top out as a fringy big leaguer.
Randall Grichuk, of, Angels: Power isn’t a question mark with Grichuk, who has proven himself to be a masher with good bat speed and strength as an amateur. But Grichuk is a below-average runner with a fringy arm, so his value will be tied up entirely in how much he can hit. That’s not a problem for a player with an elite bat, but Grichuk’s questionable approach at the plate is a major risk factor. Grichuk swings and misses at an alarming rate, and he doesn’t show the plate discipline to get into hitters’ counts and get on base.
Sleepers
Tanner Bushue, rhp, Astros: Houston went against the industry grain last year, taking high school righthander Jordan Lyles in the supplemental first round. Lyles looks like one of the better young pitching prospects in the game, and the Astros hope they have another hit with Bushue, another tall, athletic righthander. Bushue doesn't have overpowering velocity, sitting at 88-90 mph and touching 94, but he has youth, good size and and easy delivery, which could lead to better velocity down the road. He shows some feel to spin a curveball as well, though his breaking ball and his changeup will both need to progress.
Robert Stock, c, Cardinals: Stock has taken an atypical path for a college player, graduating from high school a year early so he could attend Southern California. Stock didn't dominate at college the way some expected him to, but his age might be a mitigating factor, as he will make his full-season debut as a 20-year-old with experience at an elite college program under his belt. Some teams preferred Stock as a pitcher (and some scouts still think he will end up on the mound) with a fastball that can hit 95 mph, but Stock hit well in his pro debut, showing a promising combination of contact-hitting skills and power from the left side. His receiving still needs work, but his arm is clearly a weapon behind the plate.
Feel free to ask questions here, and I am sure he will see them and maybe send a reply.
Enjoy!
1. Tyler Matzek, lhp, Rockies: Matzek was the 11th overall pick in the draft, but he was behind only Stephen Strasburg on some teams’ draft boards and slid due to a wave of signability picks ahead of him. Matzek immediately becomes one of the elite pitching prospects in baseball, as has everything scouts look for in a high school pitcher. With throws a 90-94 mph fastball that touches 98, two potential plus breaking balls and shows feel for a changeup. He’s athletic, has a smooth delivery that he repeats and throws strikes. In other words, Matzek has all the ingredients of a future star.
2. Jiovanni Mier, ss, Astros: While some scouts had reservations about Mier’s bat heading into his senior year of high school, he has become one of the top all-around shortstop prospects in baseball. Mier is a true shortstop, an athletic defender with good hands, range, arm strength and instincts in the field. He had an emphatic pro debut at the plate in the Appalachian League, showing a smooth, loose stroke with quick hands, good balance and solid bat speed to go with an advanced approach and pitch recognition. Mier is a high-ceiling player who is relatively polished for his age, a combination that might end up making a steal for the Astros with the 21st overall pick in the draft.
3. Jared Mitchell, of, White Sox: Mitchell, who also served as a wide receiver at LSU, is one of the best athletes in the minors. Focusing on baseball full-time should accelerate development for Mitchell, who offers a tantalizing package of plus-plus speed and above-average raw power potential, though the power might not come until later in his career. Mitchell’s swing will need some work in pro ball and his strikeout rate is a concern, but he had a strong showing in the South Atlantic League in his pro debut, where he showed the patience to work the count and get on base at a high clip.
4. Mike Trout, of, Angels: Trout has above-average tools both at the plate and in the field at a premium position. Trout is a good defensive center fielder with plus-plus speed, and his wheels are also a weapon on the basepaths because he’s an efficient basestealer. Trout tore through the Arizona League in his pro debut, showing an advanced approach for his age. He’s still growing into his power and his swing can get long at times, but he doesn’t swing and miss much, which combined with his plate discipline is an excellent start for a 19-year-old hitter.
5. Tony Sanchez, c, Pirates: Was Sanchez a consensus pick at fourth overall? No, but he’s still a fine catching prospect and performed well in his first taste of pro ball. Sanchez projects to stick at catcher as an above-average defender. He doesn’t have any plus tools at the plate, but as a catcher his solid-average offensive tools could make him a valuable player. Sanchez has a solid feel for the strike zone and for hitting, and he showed a steady middle-of-the-field approach in his pro debut. Sanchez is an instinctive player who has the potential to move through the system relatively quickly.
Avoid
Mike Minor, lhp, Braves: Minor went seventh overall in the 2009 draft and was the first college pitcher drafted after Strasburg. But on talent alone, Minor wasn’t the best available player on the board. He throws an average fastball and an above-average changeup, but he’s still trying to find a reliable breaking ball. He has an advanced idea of how to pitch, but while that skill set works well in college, the track record of pitchers with that package hasn’t been kind. Minor might end up as a back-of-the-rotation starter, but he also might top out as a fringy big leaguer.
Randall Grichuk, of, Angels: Power isn’t a question mark with Grichuk, who has proven himself to be a masher with good bat speed and strength as an amateur. But Grichuk is a below-average runner with a fringy arm, so his value will be tied up entirely in how much he can hit. That’s not a problem for a player with an elite bat, but Grichuk’s questionable approach at the plate is a major risk factor. Grichuk swings and misses at an alarming rate, and he doesn’t show the plate discipline to get into hitters’ counts and get on base.
Sleepers
Tanner Bushue, rhp, Astros: Houston went against the industry grain last year, taking high school righthander Jordan Lyles in the supplemental first round. Lyles looks like one of the better young pitching prospects in the game, and the Astros hope they have another hit with Bushue, another tall, athletic righthander. Bushue doesn't have overpowering velocity, sitting at 88-90 mph and touching 94, but he has youth, good size and and easy delivery, which could lead to better velocity down the road. He shows some feel to spin a curveball as well, though his breaking ball and his changeup will both need to progress.
Robert Stock, c, Cardinals: Stock has taken an atypical path for a college player, graduating from high school a year early so he could attend Southern California. Stock didn't dominate at college the way some expected him to, but his age might be a mitigating factor, as he will make his full-season debut as a 20-year-old with experience at an elite college program under his belt. Some teams preferred Stock as a pitcher (and some scouts still think he will end up on the mound) with a fastball that can hit 95 mph, but Stock hit well in his pro debut, showing a promising combination of contact-hitting skills and power from the left side. His receiving still needs work, but his arm is clearly a weapon behind the plate.
Feel free to ask questions here, and I am sure he will see them and maybe send a reply.
) what is your ceiling on DJ LeMahieu. Average everyday player or platoon type? He made great contact at Peoria last year just showed no power. How much do you see that changing? 
