Hey Prospectors - Baseball Season Is Here!!! Key Players too!

[bear0555]

I just noticed that the college baseball season begins today. While the 2013 Draft may be considered weak, there is still plenty of talent and cards to keep an eye on in the college ranks. Here is my list of those players and cards:

1. Mark Appel RHP Stanford

Appel may have the best pure stuff in this draft. As a college Senior, it is easy to forget how good he is.

Key Cards: 2011 Topps Chrome Refractors and Autos

2. Ryne Stanek RHP Arkansas

Stanek is another top arm in this draft with the ability to touch 96 mph. He is contending with Appel and Sean Manaea to be the draft's top college pitcher.

Key Cards: 2012 Panini USA Autos

3. Kris Bryant 3B San Diego

Bryant's potent bat has Baseball America's Aaron Fitt projecting him to be college baseball's player of the year.

Key Cards: 2009 Bowman Aflac, 2012 Panini USA Autos

4. Austin Wilson OF Stanford

Wilson has been the toolsy type who makes prospectors drool since his high school days. He has not turned the potential into performance at Stanford, but many college juniors have had breakout seasons and how Wilson performs this year will be a huge factor in where he gets drafted.

Key Card: 2009 Bowman Aflac

5. DJ Peterson 3B/1B New Mexico

Peterson broke out in a big way with a ridiculous .419 batting average, .734 slugging percentage, and .490 on base percentage as a sophomore. I see no reason why he cannot repeat last year's performance and believe he has an excellent chance to land in the top half of the first round by the time the draft rolls around.

Key Cards: 2012 Panini USA Autos

6. Jonathon Crawford RHP Florida

Crawford only pitched 3.2 innings as a freshman at Florida but took a huge leap forward his sophomore year in 2012. He bumped his inning count to 77.2 last spring, posting a 3.13 ERA with a 72/24 K/BB ratio. His best performance was during Regionals (college baseball playoffs), where he pitched a no hitter against Bethune Cookman and was a walk away from a perfect game. Similar dominance this season could land Crawford in the draft's top 5 overall.

Key Cards: 2012 Panini USA Autos

This is all I feel like writing so 6 players it is. I only considered college baseball players eligible for the 2013 MLB Draft with cards and this whole post is really a semi rough draft more than anything. Hope you had fun reading it and good luck finding 2012 Panini USA Autos. Fyi, almost no one busted the sets.

 

[Jaypers]

In other news, my man Carlos Rodon got jacked early on today, giving up 3 dingers. He did, however, strike out 8 through 6 IP, with only one BB.

 

[bear0555]

DJ Peterson with 2 hits and 5 RBIs through 7 innings today. :shock:

 

[VandyDan]

Tyler Beede took the win today, #2 ranked sophomore for the 2014 draft. Not his best outing, 5IP, 1ER, 5H, 5BB, 3K, but got the W.

Fittingly, got my TTM request back from him today, 2/2 on Alfacs.

 

[cub4life78]

In other news, my man Carlos Rodon got jacked early on today, giving up 3 dingers. He did, however, strike out 8 through 6 IP, with only one BB.

They need to make amateur baseball wood bat only, lessen the chances of cheap homers.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD MAXX

 

[VandyDan]

They need to make amateur baseball wood bat only, lessen the chances of cheap homers.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD MAXX

The bats they have used for the past two seasons have really adjusted this. HR numbers were influenced by the bats (and by "rolling" the bats), but this hasn't been so the past two years. HR numbers way down. The new requirements have weights and surfaces that closely approximate wood, with the only difference being a couple centimeters of more sweet spot. Very much a small ball game these days. There is some inflation, but it really is minimized to the extent scientifically possible.

The reason they don't use wood is cost. One metal bat can last all year. Schools can't afford to stock wood bats. MLB could (and should, if they want even more accurate prospect evaluations) sponsor the bats for college teams, but they don't as of now and even the power programs couldn't afford it.

 

[cub4life78]

The bats they have used for the past two seasons have really adjusted this. HR numbers were influenced by the bats (and by "rolling" the bats), but this hasn't been so the past two years. HR numbers way down. The new requirements have weights and surfaces that closely approximate wood, with the only difference being a couple centimeters of more sweet spot. Very much a small ball game these days. There is some inflation, but it really is minimized to the extent scientifically possible.

The reason they don't use wood is cost. One metal bat can last all year. Schools can't afford to stock wood bats. MLB could (and should, if they want even more accurate prospect evaluations) sponsor the bats for college teams, but they don't as of now and even the power programs couldn't afford it.

Yeah I always knew cost was main reason and it makes sense but I didn't know about the adjustments they made to the bats, thanks for the insight.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD MAXX