BA's Ranking for Top 10 players per position for the 2005 Draft

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Catcher

Ten catchers were drafted in the first three rounds last year, including first-rounders Neil Walker (Pirates) and Landon Powell (Athletics), and this year’s draft has similar demographics.

Four high school catchers stand out from the crowd on the prep side, but Southern California’s Jeff Clement, who holds the national high school career record for homers (76 at Marshalltown, Iowa, High), is the top prospect on the basis of his power. While he hit just 10 home runs last year because of mononucleosis and a wrist injury, scouts expect him to have a breakout 2005 season with the bat. Clement has passable defensive skills, though they do not compare to those of Texas’ Taylor Teagarden and Central Florida’s Drew Butera.

“Clement’s power is a separator,” an American League scouting director said. “But he likely is an American League player.”


Player, School
Projected Round

1. Jeff Clement - Southern California
Early first

2. Taylor Teagarden - Texas
Mid-first

3. Brandon Snyder - Westfield HS, Centreville, Va.
Late first

4. Jonathan Egan - Cross Creek HS, Hepzibah, Ga.
Second

5. Preston Paramore - Allen (Texas) HS
Second

6. Matt Liuzza - Louisiana State
Second

7. Brent Milleville - Maize HS, Wichita
Third

8. Nick Hundley - Arizona
Third

9. Chris Robinson - Illinois
Third

10. Brett Hayes - Nevada
Third

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TOP 10 MIDDLE INFIELDERS

Three shortstops are projected in the top half of the first round this year, so the 2005 draft shapes up as a banner year for middle infielders.

“It appears to be a solid middle infield group—for the first time in many years,” an American League scouting director said. “But in almost every case, there are issues that will need to be resolved.”

Virginia high school shortstop Justin Upton is the consensus top talent in the draft, but scouts are becoming increasingly concerned that he may not remain at shortstop in the long term because of concerns about his arm. Center field becomes his next logical position.

“Upton has been having some problems with throwing accuracy, but that’s a moot point,” an AL scouting director said. “His kind of talent will play anywhere.”

It’s a strong year for college shortstops but there’s debate whether Troy Tulowitzki or Tyler Greene will be the first one selected. Tulowitzki beat out Greene for the starting shortstop job on Team USA’s college national team last summer, and a number of scouting directors say Tulowitzki will be picked ahead of Greene in the draft—even though he’d missed all but five games of the 2005 season with a broken hamate bone. He was expected back in early April.

Two of the fastest movers among middle infielders this spring are the sons of former big leaguers: South Carolina’s Steven Tolleson, son of Wayne Tolleson; and Drew Thompson, son of Robbie Thompson.


Player, School
Projected Round

1. Justin Upton, ss - Great Bridge HS, Chesapeake, Va.
High first

2. Troy Tulowitzki, ss - Long Beach State
High first

3. Tyler Greene, ss - Georgia Tech
High first

4. Cliff Pennington, ss - Texas A&M
Low first

5. Jed Lowrie, 2b - Stanford
Second

6. P.J. Phillips, ss - Redan HS, Stone Mountain, Ga.
Third

7. Brent Lillibridge, ss - Washington
Third

8. Steven Tolleson, ss - South Carolina
Third

9. Drew Thompson, ss - Jupiter HS, Tequesta, Fla.
Fourth

10. Paul Kelly, ss -Flower Mound (Texas) HS
Fourth

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TOP 10 FIRST BASEMEN

Scouts are almost universally in agreement that the everyday talent in this year's draft is significantly better than a year ago, and the evidence is in the first base crop. Whereas Mike Ferris of Miami (Ohio) was the top first baseman picked in 2004 at No. 60 overall, as many as three or even four first basemen could go in the first round alone this year.
"It's a stronger group than normal-both at the top and depth-wise," an American League scouting director said.

The last time three first basemen went in the first round was 2002, when high schoolers Prince Fielder (Brewers), James Loney (Dodgers) and John Mayberry Jr. (Mariners) were selected. Mayberry chose to attend Stanford rather than accept Seattle's reported $3 million offer. He is in the mix again but may be hard pressed to be drafted ahead of Mississippi's sweet-swinging Stephen Head, who wasn't drafted in 2002.

"Mayberry played poorly last summer (with Team USA), but has all the tools," an AL scouting director said. "Head's consistency gives him a slight edge at this point."

Six-foot-3, 260-pound Henry Sanchez of Mission Bay High in San Diego, rates as the top prep first baseman, but the start of his season may be delayed by surgery to repair the hamate bone in his left hand.

"Obviously, Sanchez is a little bit up in the air until we see how he comes back from surgery," a National League scouting director said.


Player, School
Projected Round

1. Stephen Head - Mississippi
Mid-first

2. John Mayberry - Stanford
Mid-first

3. Henry Sanchez - Mission Bay HS, San Diego
Late first

4. Ike Davis - Chaparral HS, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Second

5. Justin Smoak - Stratford HS, Goose Creek, S.C.
Third

6. Jeff Larish - Arizona State
Third

7. Iain Sebastian - Columbus (Ga.) HS
Third

8. Erik Lis - Evansville
Fourth

9. Micah Owings - Tulane
Fourth

10. Chris Dominguez -Gulliver Prep, Miami
Fifth

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Third Base

The third-base tandem of Alex Gordon and Ryan Zimmerman gave scouts a taste of things to come in 2004 when they led Team USA to the gold medal at the World University Championship. Gordon was the tournament's offensive MVP while Zimmerman led Team USA in batting, home runs and RBIs over the course of the summer.
With this year's draft looming, the pair is sharing center stage again as third base is one of the draft's showcase positions. Both players are potential early picks.

"There's no doubt this is a good year for third basemen," an American League scouting director said. "I think Gordon and Zimmerman are clearly at the head of the pack. Gordon is the total package--a profile corner guy with a history of production. With Zimmerman, you have to do some projection. He hasn't hit with a lot of power up to this point but there is looseness and snap in his swing and he showed last summer he can find the barrel consistently with wood. Zimmerman also is arguably the best defensive player in the country."

Zimmerman's prowess with the glove forced Gordon to spend most of his time with Team USA at first base. But his lefthanded power will play at any position. "Gordon's power is a separator," another AL scouting director said. "He's the best college bat at this point. Zimmerman's lack of power is a concern."

In the early stages of the 2005 college season, both players have been upstaged offensively by Miami's Ryan Braun, who was hitting .485-7-28 through his team's first 17 games. Gordon, the No. 1 ranked player in the college class overall entering the season, was hitting .265-2-6 with 11 walks and eight strikeouts through 10 games while Zimmerman was hitting .370 and had failed to homer in his first 14 games.

"Braun definitely comes with the bat potential," the second AL scouting director said, "but he's not in the same class of the other guys defensively." Justin Bristow and David Adams are the top third base prospects at the prep level, even though they are playing shortstop for their high school teams this spring. There is little doubt that the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Bristow, who also doubles as his high school team's top pitcher, has the size, athleticism and arm strength to make the move to the hot corner in pro ball. There is less consensus that Adams can make the switch as he needs to add a lot of strength to his game and may ultimately wind up at second base.


Player, School
Projected Round

1. Alex Gordon - Nebraska
High first

2. Ryan Zimmerman - Virginia
High first

3. Justin Bristow - Mills Godwin HS, Richmond, Va.
Mid-first

4. David Adams - Grandview Prep, Boca Raton, Fla.
Second

5. Ryan Braun - U. of Miami
Second

6. Ryan Mount - Ayala HS, Chino Hills, Calif.
Third

7. Josh Bell - Santaluces HS, Lantana, Fla.
Third

8. Mike Costanzo - Coastal Carolina
Third

9. Tim Grogan - Western Kentucky
Fourth

10. Brad Suttle - Boerne (Texas) HS
Fifth

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TOP 10 RIGHTHANDERS

Among the top righthanded pitching prospects for this year’s draft, the college crop has pretty much held form while there has been a shakeup in the high school ranks.

California’s Sean O’Sullivan and Michigan’s Zach Putnam initially were the top-rated high schoolers, but neither has flashed the mid-90s velocity this spring they did a year ago, dropping their stock. It’s just a question of how far. O’Sullivan’s fastball has been mostly in the mid- to high 80s this spring.

In the absence of O’Sullivan and Putnam, Florida’s Chris Volstad, Tennessee’s Bryan Morris and Texas’ Craig Italiano have surged to the forefront among prep righthanders. Italiano’s 98 mph fastball is the best that scouts have seen this year. Volstad and Morris are right behind him in the mid-90s. Overall, the prep pitching crop is an attractive lot.

“It’s very deep,” an American League scouting director said. “There are more complete pitchers this year than the usual tools—velocity or spin.”

The group of premium college arms may yet face a shakeup because the top five righthanders are all being advised by agent Scott Boras, who is known for driving a hard bargain with clubs, to a point where some teams have said they won’t draft a Boras client. That could cause a scramble at the top of the draft, which is scheduled for June 7-8.


Player, School
Projected Round

1. Luke Hochevar - Tennessee
High first

2. Mike Pelfrey - Wichita State
High first

3. Chris Volstad - Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) HS
High first

4. Mark McCormick - Baylor
Mid-first

5. Jed Lowrie, 2b - Stanford
Mid-first

6. Bryan Morris - Tullahoma (Tenn.) HS
Low First

7. Craig Italiano - Flower Mound (Texas) HS
Low First

8. Brett Jacobson -Cactus Shadows HS, Carefree, Ariz.
Low First

9. Sean O’Sullivan - Valhalla HS, El Cajon, Calif.
Low First

10. Zach Putnam - Pioneer HS, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Low First

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[missionhockey21]

I'll post the rest when I see them.

[MarinersFan87]

I didn't realize that Liuzza carried that high of a grade at catcher, before this season there was first round talk, but he has been awful this year. He needs another year of college.

[HuskerFan2002]

Whoever drafts Gordon(D-Backs or Royals?), they'll get a future 3B. I have an autographed baseball of Gordon and if he's drafted #1, not only he'll get a signing bonus, but my autographed ball would be a lot of money.

[ATLien]

Braves.com mentioned Yuniel Escobar (SS) and Chaz Roe (RHP) as potential prospects Atlanta could draft in the first round, but I don't see either on any of these lists..