The Blue Jays first round selection is David Purcey, LHP, Oklahoma University
6'5" 240 lbs, 22 years 1 month
Burley 2004 ranking: 34
From MLB.com: Extra-large. Frame. Thick, strong body & legs. Impressive physically. Similar body as matt white. No windup, high 3/4 delivery. Fair mechanics. Long arc, proper action. Fb velocity avg, touches above avg at times, most ride. Slurve-type cb. Occaisional straight changeup. Big body & impressive arm. Usable fb.
From BA: He earned a reputation as a one-pitch pitcher who lacked consistency. Purcey started to shed that tag last summer in the Cape Cod League. His curveball and overall command are much improved, if still inconsistent. He also has answered questions about his mental toughness by showing first-round stuff every time out this spring. He's a vastly better pitcher in 2004, and Purcey has the best pure arm among lefthanders in the draft.
Sandwich pick: Zach Jackson, LHP, Texas A&M University
6'5" 215 lbs; Age - 21 years, 1 month
Burley 2004 Ranking: 73
MLB: Large frame. Excellent body. Physical specimen. Broad sloped shoulders. Strong, muscular, durable, proportioned, athletic build. Quick full windup, 3/4 delivery. Loose, easy arm. Hides ball well. Sneaky quick fb w/ deception, most 89-91, armside tail, occaisional cuts. Ball gets on hitter quick. Not afraid to pitch inside. Circle change w/ sink, deception. 3/4 slurve w/ signs tight rotation, depth. Pitchability. Shows potential 3 ml pitches w/ plus command & deception. Excellent make-up.
BA: Teams that covet performance won't be able to ignore his numbers from the Cape Cod League last summer (6-0, 1.88). Jackson commands three solid pitches: an 88-93 mph fastball that holds its velocity for nine innings, a slider that's a big improvement over his old curveball and a circle changeup. He's durable and athletic at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, and the fact that he's lefthanded enhances the total package even more.
Round 2: Curtis Thigpen, C, University of Texas
6'0", 188 Lbs, 21 years 2 months
Burley Ranking: 51
MLB: Medium frame. Sloping shoulders. Well defined, lean, muscular, athletic build. Body type similar to brad ausmus. Balanced stance w/ proper hitting approach. Line drive stroke w/ hand quickness. Uses whole field. Athletic, agile behind plate. Playable hands. Runs well for catcher. Likes to play. Aggressive. Solid make-up. Player w/ bat potential. Also seen at 1b.
BA: Teams love his makeup and versatility. Thigpen is an adequate defender. He plays a lot of first base for the Longhorns, and has enough athleticism to play anywhere on the diamond except for shortstop and center field. Offensively, he makes consistent line-drive contact and has some gap power. Thigpen could be very useful in the major leagues as a backup catcher who could play multiple positions.
Round 3: Adam Lind, 1B, University of South Alabama
6'2", 190 Lbs, 20 years 10 months
Burley Ranking: 315
MLB: Comment: tall, well prop build. Broad shoulders. Room to fill out. Built like todd helton. Upright, slightly spread out at plate. Gets bat head through the zone. Shows power to all fields. Nice set-up at plate. Arm is playable w/ some carry. Better runner underway.
BA: Lind is a draft-eligible sophomore who will go as far as his bat takes him. He's put together a consistent career for South Alabama,showing a fluid stroke with good bat speed and raw power potential. His swing played well with wood last summer as he hit .269 (well above league average) in the Cape Cod League. Lind isn't a great athlete, making him a fringy defender in left field and better suited for first base.
Round 3: Danny Hill, RHP, University of Missouri
5' 11", 202 Lbs, 22 years 7 months
Burley Ranking: 162
MLB: Comment: medium, compact, athletic frame. Broad shoulders. Strength through chest area. Muscular thighs & legs. Minimal strength gains. No windup, 3/4 angle. Fb riding life, occaisional sink, most 90-92. Aggressive, not afraid to pitch inside. Throws k's. Flashes quality 3/4 tilt slider, tight, sharp break, outpitch, plus at times. Fb velocity & slider much improved, split better in past. Competes well. Good athlete.
BA: Hill doesn't have a classic pitcher's body at 5-foot-11 and 202 pounds and wasn't drafted last year. But he does have two solid pitches--an 89-92 mph sinker and a slider--and should make a good pro reliever. His fastball has reached 94 mph, and his splitter has its moments.
Round 4 - Casey Janssen, RHP, UCLA
6'4", 210 Lbs, 22 years 9 months
Burley Rating: 31
MLB: Comment: tall, lean, well proportioned body. Long, loose muscles. Square shoulders. Narrow waist. Strong, well defined legs. Room to carry more weight. No windup, high 3/4 arm. Side step to start. High leg kick. Occaisional major league fb w/ sinking action when down. Good rotation on both cb & slider. Slider most effective breaking pitch. Good motion on changeup. Mixes pitches well. Throws k's w/ all. Good competitor. Chance to be sinker ball pitcher.
BA: Janssen was a two-way player for the first three years of his career and has an athletic 6-foot-4, 210-pound body. His fastball touches 92 mph at times and his slider and changeup have improved and usually are average offerings, and he commands them all well.
Round 5: Ryan Klosterman, SS, Vanderbilt University
5'11", 175 Lbs, 22 years 1 month
Burley Ranking: 87
BA: Klosterman was a Cape Cod League all-star in 2003 and carried that momentum to the spring, showing solid bat speed and loads of baseball savvy. His footwork, deft hands and quick transfer help him get away with fringy arm strength.
Round 6: Cory Patton, OF, Texas A&M University
5' 10", 210 Lbs, 22 years, 0 months
Burley Ranking: 84
MLB: Large frame. Broad, sloped shoulders. Squatty, thick, strong, overall build. Body type similar to matt stairs. Severe open stance, flat bat. Hand hitch w/ lots of movement. Bat potential. Strength, quickness w/ lift for future plus pwr potential. Ball jumps off bat. Just hits. Avg arm w/ online carry. Offensive, run producing type bat potential.
BA: Cory Patton swings one of the meanest bats in Texas. Patton, has frame that one scout compared to Matt Stairs', was the National Junior College Athletic Association's player of the year in 2002. He runs and moves OK for his size and has a plus arm in right field. He went 8-1 on the mound in 2002, with his fastball clocked at 88-89 mph.
Round 7: Randy Dicken, RHP, Shippensburg University
6' 1", 195 Lbs, 21 years 10 months
Burley Rating: N/A - Division II
MLB: Comment: strong frame. Broad shoulders. Solid lower half. Potential to add weight & strength. 3/4, loose arm. Sink action fb, locates well. Mixes in 12 to 6 cb. Decent command. Works corners. Not overpowering, just gets job done.
BA: Dicken put up stellar numbers this year against mediocre competition. The righthander has some arm strength, topping out at 92-93 mph, but has a max effort delivery and poor command. Dicken throws a decent splitter, but his slow curve needs work.
Round 8: Chip Cannon, 1B, Citadel
6'5", 215 Lbs, 22 years 6 months
Burley Rating: 3
BA: 1B/RHP Chip Cannon will be a good senior sign with lefthanded power and a discerning eye at the plate. He showed power with wood last summer, leading the Coastal Plain League with eight home runs. He has arm strength and pitches for The Citadel, but his lack of agility probably limits him to first base, though he has played plenty of third in his career.
Round 9: Joey Metropoulos, 1B/3B, USC
6'1", 230 Lbs, 20 years 8 months
Burley Rating: 261
MLB: Comment: large, fully matured body. Broad shoulders. Muscular upper body defined arms, strong wrists. Powerful legs. Bigger matt williams. Wraps bat. Aggressive fb hitter approach. Powerful, quick bat. Ball jumps off bat w/ authority. Plus-plus pwr. Avg arm, on-line throws. Competitive instincts. Too much pwr to ignore. Good make-up, team player, fun to be around.
BA: Metropoulos led the Cape Cod League in home runs last summer and was expected to be the top slugger in the college ranks this spring. But teams pitched around the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder on an underachieving USC team and he fell short of expectations, hitting just nine homers, while batting .286. Despite his big, powerful frame, Metropoulos moves well defensively.
Round 10: Brian Hall, 2B Stanford
6'0", 190 Lbs, 22 years 4 months
Burley Ranking: 112
MLB: Medium frame. Lean, athletic build. Broad, rounded shoulders. Evenly proportioned. Strong. Sound mechanics. Aggressive w/ bat. Generates bat speed through zone, line drive stroke w/ occaisional pwr. Run scorer, will steal some bags, runs bases well. Makes routine play, proper routes, covers ground. Accurate arm. Athletic player w/ instincts for the game. Good bat speed, chance to hit, occaisional hr. Tools play better in cf. Base stealing threat.
BA: The versatile Hall was a touted prep recruit from New Mexico who struggled early in his Stanford career. However, he overcame a slow start with a long hitting streak to push his average close to .400. He showed improved plate discipline and more strength, enabling him to drive balls. He's also a sound base runner who knows how to steal a base. Hall has played outfield, third base and first base for Stanford but profiles best at second in pro ball.
Round 11: Kristian Bell, Blinn Junior College
6'0", 185 Lbs, 20 years 5 months
Burley Ranking: N/A
MLB: Medium frame. Sloped shoulders. Lean, proportioned, athlete, build overall strength. Mature body, body type similar to Greg Maddux. No windup, high 3/4 to 3/4 maximum effort delivery. Quick, strong arm. Heavy, sinking fb, most 90 -93. 12 to 6, downer cb, tight rotation w/ quick, sharp break. Aggressive, attacks hitters. Plus stuff at times. Size & mechanics. Small rhp w/ very quick arm & ability to spin cb.
BA: Juco RHP is just 6 feet tall and has a maximum-effort delivery, but he has a 90-94 mph fastball with life, not to mention an average curveball.
Round 12: Eric Nielsen, OF, UNLV
6'0", 205 Lbs, 22 years 7 months
Burley Rating: 30
MLB: Medium, compact frame. Stocky build. Sloping shoulders. Barrel chest. Well develop. Strong & durable. Similar to paul loduca. Narrow, upright, open stance. Hard, consistent contact. Top hand authority, has added loft to swing. Gap shots mostly, occaisional hr. On-line throws. Makes routine plays. Fearless & aggressive. Plays w/ passion. All business. Has hit at every level. Hand speed & strength to hit. Pwr potential could suprise w/ time. Solid defense & arm.
BA: UNLV has one of the most senior-dominated teams in the country. Their three top hitters are seniors, led by Mountain West Conference player of the year Eric Nielsen. Nielsen is an adequate defender with average arm strength.
Round 13: Kyle Yates, RHP Texas
5'11", 190 Lbs, 21 years 5 months
Burley Rating: 275
Round 14: Jordan Timm, LHP, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
6'6", 230 Lbs, 23 years 6 months
Burley Rating: N/A
MLB: Large frame. Strong, mature, well proportioned. Body type similar to jack cust. Wide, upright stance. Donald & renee. Strength in swing, occaisional hr pwr. Arm playable. Outfield reactions & instincts, proper technics. Will catch ball. Avg runner w/ base running instincts, wants to steal. Mature physically. Aggressive player.
BA: LHP Jordan Timm was Wisconsin's top college prospect in 2003 but has regressed as a senior. Though his performance has been fine (7-4, 2.38, 98 strikeouts in 83 innings), his velocity dips to 84-86 mph two innings into a game. He has made strides with his slurve and changeup, but more velocity is expected out of a 6-foot-6, 235-pounder.
Round 15: Mike MacDonald, RHP, Maine
6'1", 200 Lbs, 22 years 7 months
Burley Rating: 158
BA: RHP Mike MacDonald should get drafted as a senior. He throws 86-89 mph with a decent breaking pitch, but lacks projection.
Round 16 - Jose Castro, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
5'8", 160 Lbs, 17 years 7 months
Burley Ranking: N/A
MLB: Small frame. Lean, wiry build. Loose & agile. Slightly sloped shoulders. Fair muscular development. Slight open stance, sets up far from plate, avg stride. Slight uppercut swing w/ good acceleration. Contact hitter. Alley pwr. Aggressive at plate. Uses whole field. Strong infielding ability. Excellent hand-eye. Good carry on throws. Good turns on bases. Astute, total concentration in game. Projects to hit from left side.
Round 17: Michael Cooper, RHP, Santa Ana College
6'6", 220 Lbs, 20 years 5 months
Burley Rating: N/A
Round 18: Joey McLaughlin, P, Oklahoma City University
6'0", 178 Lbs, 22 years 4 months
Burley Rating: N/A
The first day of the draft is now concluded. The draft will finish the final 32 rounds tomorrow.
6'5" 240 lbs, 22 years 1 month
Burley 2004 ranking: 34
Year Inn ERA K/9 BB/9 HR/9 FIP
2004 118.2 3.11 9.9 4.1 0.4 -0.3
2003 72.2 5.2 8.4 5.1 0.5 0.6
2002 75.1 3.35 10.1 5.3 0.4 0.0
From MLB.com: Extra-large. Frame. Thick, strong body & legs. Impressive physically. Similar body as matt white. No windup, high 3/4 delivery. Fair mechanics. Long arc, proper action. Fb velocity avg, touches above avg at times, most ride. Slurve-type cb. Occaisional straight changeup. Big body & impressive arm. Usable fb.
From BA: He earned a reputation as a one-pitch pitcher who lacked consistency. Purcey started to shed that tag last summer in the Cape Cod League. His curveball and overall command are much improved, if still inconsistent. He also has answered questions about his mental toughness by showing first-round stuff every time out this spring. He's a vastly better pitcher in 2004, and Purcey has the best pure arm among lefthanders in the draft.
Sandwich pick: Zach Jackson, LHP, Texas A&M University
6'5" 215 lbs; Age - 21 years, 1 month
Burley 2004 Ranking: 73
Year Inn ERA K/9 BB/9 HR/9 FIP
2004 112 3.54 9.6 2.1 0.4 -0.8
2003 112.2 4.31 6.0 2.3 1.0 0.8
2002 83 4.77 5.0 2.6 0.9 1.0
MLB: Large frame. Excellent body. Physical specimen. Broad sloped shoulders. Strong, muscular, durable, proportioned, athletic build. Quick full windup, 3/4 delivery. Loose, easy arm. Hides ball well. Sneaky quick fb w/ deception, most 89-91, armside tail, occaisional cuts. Ball gets on hitter quick. Not afraid to pitch inside. Circle change w/ sink, deception. 3/4 slurve w/ signs tight rotation, depth. Pitchability. Shows potential 3 ml pitches w/ plus command & deception. Excellent make-up.
BA: Teams that covet performance won't be able to ignore his numbers from the Cape Cod League last summer (6-0, 1.88). Jackson commands three solid pitches: an 88-93 mph fastball that holds its velocity for nine innings, a slider that's a big improvement over his old curveball and a circle changeup. He's durable and athletic at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, and the fact that he's lefthanded enhances the total package even more.
Round 2: Curtis Thigpen, C, University of Texas
6'0", 188 Lbs, 21 years 2 months
Burley Ranking: 51
Year ABs Ave Obp Slg
2004 251 0.363 0.457 0.542
2003 196 0.311 0.408 0.464
2002 82 0.256 0.410 0.390
MLB: Medium frame. Sloping shoulders. Well defined, lean, muscular, athletic build. Body type similar to brad ausmus. Balanced stance w/ proper hitting approach. Line drive stroke w/ hand quickness. Uses whole field. Athletic, agile behind plate. Playable hands. Runs well for catcher. Likes to play. Aggressive. Solid make-up. Player w/ bat potential. Also seen at 1b.
BA: Teams love his makeup and versatility. Thigpen is an adequate defender. He plays a lot of first base for the Longhorns, and has enough athleticism to play anywhere on the diamond except for shortstop and center field. Offensively, he makes consistent line-drive contact and has some gap power. Thigpen could be very useful in the major leagues as a backup catcher who could play multiple positions.
Round 3: Adam Lind, 1B, University of South Alabama
6'2", 190 Lbs, 20 years 10 months
Burley Ranking: 315
Year ABs Ave Obp Slg
2004 183 0.355 0.423 0.579
2003 209 0.349 0.398 0.555
MLB: Comment: tall, well prop build. Broad shoulders. Room to fill out. Built like todd helton. Upright, slightly spread out at plate. Gets bat head through the zone. Shows power to all fields. Nice set-up at plate. Arm is playable w/ some carry. Better runner underway.
BA: Lind is a draft-eligible sophomore who will go as far as his bat takes him. He's put together a consistent career for South Alabama,showing a fluid stroke with good bat speed and raw power potential. His swing played well with wood last summer as he hit .269 (well above league average) in the Cape Cod League. Lind isn't a great athlete, making him a fringy defender in left field and better suited for first base.
Round 3: Danny Hill, RHP, University of Missouri
5' 11", 202 Lbs, 22 years 7 months
Burley Ranking: 162
Year Inn ERA K/9 BB/9 HR/9 FIP
2004 106.2 4.39 8.0 2.9 0.6 0.0
2003 49 4.59 7.7 2.6 0.7 0.2
MLB: Comment: medium, compact, athletic frame. Broad shoulders. Strength through chest area. Muscular thighs & legs. Minimal strength gains. No windup, 3/4 angle. Fb riding life, occaisional sink, most 90-92. Aggressive, not afraid to pitch inside. Throws k's. Flashes quality 3/4 tilt slider, tight, sharp break, outpitch, plus at times. Fb velocity & slider much improved, split better in past. Competes well. Good athlete.
BA: Hill doesn't have a classic pitcher's body at 5-foot-11 and 202 pounds and wasn't drafted last year. But he does have two solid pitches--an 89-92 mph sinker and a slider--and should make a good pro reliever. His fastball has reached 94 mph, and his splitter has its moments.
Round 4 - Casey Janssen, RHP, UCLA
6'4", 210 Lbs, 22 years 9 months
Burley Rating: 31
Year Inn ERA K/9 BB/9 HR/9 FIP
2004 116.2 3.16 8.0 2.3 0.5 -0.2
2003 72 5.88 9.1 3.1
2002 44.1 4.06 9.6 4.7 0.4 0.0
MLB: Comment: tall, lean, well proportioned body. Long, loose muscles. Square shoulders. Narrow waist. Strong, well defined legs. Room to carry more weight. No windup, high 3/4 arm. Side step to start. High leg kick. Occaisional major league fb w/ sinking action when down. Good rotation on both cb & slider. Slider most effective breaking pitch. Good motion on changeup. Mixes pitches well. Throws k's w/ all. Good competitor. Chance to be sinker ball pitcher.
BA: Janssen was a two-way player for the first three years of his career and has an athletic 6-foot-4, 210-pound body. His fastball touches 92 mph at times and his slider and changeup have improved and usually are average offerings, and he commands them all well.
Round 5: Ryan Klosterman, SS, Vanderbilt University
5'11", 175 Lbs, 22 years 1 month
Burley Ranking: 87
Year ABs Ave Obp Slg
2004 241 0.349 0.421 0.560
2003 219 0.283 0.375 0.416
BA: Klosterman was a Cape Cod League all-star in 2003 and carried that momentum to the spring, showing solid bat speed and loads of baseball savvy. His footwork, deft hands and quick transfer help him get away with fringy arm strength.
Round 6: Cory Patton, OF, Texas A&M University
5' 10", 210 Lbs, 22 years, 0 months
Burley Ranking: 84
Year ABs Ave Obp Slg
2004 221 0.335 0.428 0.593
2003 257 0.331 0.401 0.549
MLB: Large frame. Broad, sloped shoulders. Squatty, thick, strong, overall build. Body type similar to matt stairs. Severe open stance, flat bat. Hand hitch w/ lots of movement. Bat potential. Strength, quickness w/ lift for future plus pwr potential. Ball jumps off bat. Just hits. Avg arm w/ online carry. Offensive, run producing type bat potential.
BA: Cory Patton swings one of the meanest bats in Texas. Patton, has frame that one scout compared to Matt Stairs', was the National Junior College Athletic Association's player of the year in 2002. He runs and moves OK for his size and has a plus arm in right field. He went 8-1 on the mound in 2002, with his fastball clocked at 88-89 mph.
Round 7: Randy Dicken, RHP, Shippensburg University
6' 1", 195 Lbs, 21 years 10 months
Burley Rating: N/A - Division II
Year Inn ERA K/9 BB/9 HR/9
2004 73.2 1.59 12.7 2.3 0.2
MLB: Comment: strong frame. Broad shoulders. Solid lower half. Potential to add weight & strength. 3/4, loose arm. Sink action fb, locates well. Mixes in 12 to 6 cb. Decent command. Works corners. Not overpowering, just gets job done.
BA: Dicken put up stellar numbers this year against mediocre competition. The righthander has some arm strength, topping out at 92-93 mph, but has a max effort delivery and poor command. Dicken throws a decent splitter, but his slow curve needs work.
Round 8: Chip Cannon, 1B, Citadel
6'5", 215 Lbs, 22 years 6 months
Burley Rating: 3
Year ABs Ave Obp Slg
2004 232 0.358 0.514 0.681
2003 206 0.335 0.459 0.612
BA: 1B/RHP Chip Cannon will be a good senior sign with lefthanded power and a discerning eye at the plate. He showed power with wood last summer, leading the Coastal Plain League with eight home runs. He has arm strength and pitches for The Citadel, but his lack of agility probably limits him to first base, though he has played plenty of third in his career.
Round 9: Joey Metropoulos, 1B/3B, USC
6'1", 230 Lbs, 20 years 8 months
Burley Rating: 261
Year ABs Ave Obp Slg
2004 203 0.286 0.424 0.498
2003 209 0.321 0.423 0.560
2002 193 0.352 0.463 0.653
MLB: Comment: large, fully matured body. Broad shoulders. Muscular upper body defined arms, strong wrists. Powerful legs. Bigger matt williams. Wraps bat. Aggressive fb hitter approach. Powerful, quick bat. Ball jumps off bat w/ authority. Plus-plus pwr. Avg arm, on-line throws. Competitive instincts. Too much pwr to ignore. Good make-up, team player, fun to be around.
BA: Metropoulos led the Cape Cod League in home runs last summer and was expected to be the top slugger in the college ranks this spring. But teams pitched around the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder on an underachieving USC team and he fell short of expectations, hitting just nine homers, while batting .286. Despite his big, powerful frame, Metropoulos moves well defensively.
Round 10: Brian Hall, 2B Stanford
6'0", 190 Lbs, 22 years 4 months
Burley Ranking: 112
Year ABs Ave Obp Slg
2004 236 0.356 0.422 0.559
2003 266 0.293 0.349 0.462
2002 150 0.267 0.327 0.407
MLB: Medium frame. Lean, athletic build. Broad, rounded shoulders. Evenly proportioned. Strong. Sound mechanics. Aggressive w/ bat. Generates bat speed through zone, line drive stroke w/ occaisional pwr. Run scorer, will steal some bags, runs bases well. Makes routine play, proper routes, covers ground. Accurate arm. Athletic player w/ instincts for the game. Good bat speed, chance to hit, occaisional hr. Tools play better in cf. Base stealing threat.
BA: The versatile Hall was a touted prep recruit from New Mexico who struggled early in his Stanford career. However, he overcame a slow start with a long hitting streak to push his average close to .400. He showed improved plate discipline and more strength, enabling him to drive balls. He's also a sound base runner who knows how to steal a base. Hall has played outfield, third base and first base for Stanford but profiles best at second in pro ball.
Round 11: Kristian Bell, Blinn Junior College
6'0", 185 Lbs, 20 years 5 months
Burley Ranking: N/A
MLB: Medium frame. Sloped shoulders. Lean, proportioned, athlete, build overall strength. Mature body, body type similar to Greg Maddux. No windup, high 3/4 to 3/4 maximum effort delivery. Quick, strong arm. Heavy, sinking fb, most 90 -93. 12 to 6, downer cb, tight rotation w/ quick, sharp break. Aggressive, attacks hitters. Plus stuff at times. Size & mechanics. Small rhp w/ very quick arm & ability to spin cb.
BA: Juco RHP is just 6 feet tall and has a maximum-effort delivery, but he has a 90-94 mph fastball with life, not to mention an average curveball.
Round 12: Eric Nielsen, OF, UNLV
6'0", 205 Lbs, 22 years 7 months
Burley Rating: 30
Year ABs Ave Obp Slg
2004 247 0.405 0.510 0.709
2003 197 0.365 0.469 0.569
2002 225 0.356 0.426 0.471
MLB: Medium, compact frame. Stocky build. Sloping shoulders. Barrel chest. Well develop. Strong & durable. Similar to paul loduca. Narrow, upright, open stance. Hard, consistent contact. Top hand authority, has added loft to swing. Gap shots mostly, occaisional hr. On-line throws. Makes routine plays. Fearless & aggressive. Plays w/ passion. All business. Has hit at every level. Hand speed & strength to hit. Pwr potential could suprise w/ time. Solid defense & arm.
BA: UNLV has one of the most senior-dominated teams in the country. Their three top hitters are seniors, led by Mountain West Conference player of the year Eric Nielsen. Nielsen is an adequate defender with average arm strength.
Round 13: Kyle Yates, RHP Texas
5'11", 190 Lbs, 21 years 5 months
Burley Rating: 275
Year Inn ERA K/9 BB/9 HR/9 FIP
2004 40.1 3.12 10.1 4.3 0.2 -0.5
Round 14: Jordan Timm, LHP, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
6'6", 230 Lbs, 23 years 6 months
Burley Rating: N/A
MLB: Large frame. Strong, mature, well proportioned. Body type similar to jack cust. Wide, upright stance. Donald & renee. Strength in swing, occaisional hr pwr. Arm playable. Outfield reactions & instincts, proper technics. Will catch ball. Avg runner w/ base running instincts, wants to steal. Mature physically. Aggressive player.
BA: LHP Jordan Timm was Wisconsin's top college prospect in 2003 but has regressed as a senior. Though his performance has been fine (7-4, 2.38, 98 strikeouts in 83 innings), his velocity dips to 84-86 mph two innings into a game. He has made strides with his slurve and changeup, but more velocity is expected out of a 6-foot-6, 235-pounder.
Round 15: Mike MacDonald, RHP, Maine
6'1", 200 Lbs, 22 years 7 months
Burley Rating: 158
Year Inn ERA K/9 BB/9 HR/9 FIP
2004 92.2 3.11 8.9 2.6 0.0 -1.1
2003 82.1 3.28 9.0 1.9
2002 86.1 3.44 7.7 2.9
BA: RHP Mike MacDonald should get drafted as a senior. He throws 86-89 mph with a decent breaking pitch, but lacks projection.
Round 16 - Jose Castro, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
5'8", 160 Lbs, 17 years 7 months
Burley Ranking: N/A
MLB: Small frame. Lean, wiry build. Loose & agile. Slightly sloped shoulders. Fair muscular development. Slight open stance, sets up far from plate, avg stride. Slight uppercut swing w/ good acceleration. Contact hitter. Alley pwr. Aggressive at plate. Uses whole field. Strong infielding ability. Excellent hand-eye. Good carry on throws. Good turns on bases. Astute, total concentration in game. Projects to hit from left side.
Round 17: Michael Cooper, RHP, Santa Ana College
6'6", 220 Lbs, 20 years 5 months
Burley Rating: N/A
Round 18: Joey McLaughlin, P, Oklahoma City University
6'0", 178 Lbs, 22 years 4 months
Burley Rating: N/A
The first day of the draft is now concluded. The draft will finish the final 32 rounds tomorrow.
