2008 First Year Player Draft

[witesoxfan]

With the surgery and the Tigers finishing poorly enough last year to fall into the 19-21 range, I'm sure he'll fall to them now and they'll pick him up.

 

Actually, that won't happen, but that would suck hardcore if it did.

[BearSox]

they had Smoak going no. 3 overall... dammit all hell, winning those extra 5 games when the season last year was over screwed us, most likely, out of the chances of getting him.

[nitetrain8601]

Anyone have any ideas on what the Sox desperately need the most so I could post more scouting reports for potential players?

[DBAHO]

If we're talking for needs, everything.

 

Depth's especially needed position wise at C and anywhere in the IF.

 

Pitching is always a priority, but we do have more arms than hitters at this point in our system.

[nitetrain8601]

SS - Brandon Crawford

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayer...9&draftId=6

 

Crawford is an extremely talented, five-tool athlete that has enjoyed two very successful seasons at UCLA. However, he has been extremely disappointing hitting with a wood bat in his two summers playing for Team USA after his freshman year and the Cape Cod League this past summer. 160 strikeouts in 657 college at-bats is a good place to start, as Crawford has an aggressive swing and tends to swing at too many pitches outside the zone. He does show fairly good patience, drawing a fair amount of walks, and he has promising extra-base power as a left-handed hitting shortstop, with plenty of speed to stretch base hits while proving to be bothersome on the base-paths. He has a very strong arm and the athleticism to play shortstop, but his defense can be erratic. His talent will make him one of the more appealing talents to follow at the beginning of the spring, and if he’s able to answer some big questions about his game with his production on the field, he stands to go very early in the draft.

 

http://soxprospects.wikispaces.com/Brandon+Crawford

A smooth-fielding shortstop with a lefty bat, Crawford has above average tools all around. Makes good contact with very good plate patience. Excelent speed and above average power, Crawford has 20-25 HR potential. Levelheaded and composed on the field. Intense. Very good range in the field. Excelled in the Cape League in 2007. Has drawn comparisons to Chase Utley. Also played quarterback in high school.

 

Sounds more like a Brian Roberts type player to me.

 

 

[nitetrain8601]

2B/SS - Jemile Weeks

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayer...3&draftId=3

Younger brother of the Brewers' top prospect, Rickie. Like Rickie at a similar age, Jemile is still growing as a high school senior. He has a very good work ethic, but at this point in time seems rather diminutive. He shows good bat speed, and interesting gap power from both sides of the plate. He has very good speed on the basepaths and in the field. His size causes many to believe his future lies at 2B, but if he continues to grow he could stick at SS if his defensive tools improve. He has committed to play for the Miami Hurricanes, as this Weeks definitely won't be overlooked.

 

http://soxprospects.wikispaces.com/Jemile+Weeks

Weeks uses his small frame to his advantage, plays a spectacular 2B. Smooth footwork, a nice glove, and a fast release on his throws. At the plate, Weeks is a switch hitter with gap power. Above average speed on the basepaths. Intelligent and fundamental. Brother of Rickie Weeks.

[nitetrain8601]

1B - Yonder Alonso

 

http://soxprospects.wikispaces.com/Yonder+Alonso

Great hitter with excllent plate discipline and above average present power. Also has above average speed for a 1B. Excelled in the Cape Cod League in 2007.

 

http://prospectsplus.baseballamerica.com/content/264821.html

Alonso was the consensus choice as the Cape's top all-around hitter. He had the best approach in the league, and it was tested when the Whitecaps lost all of their other power threats to injuries and early departures. Alonso remained patient and continued to use the whole field, finishing with league highs in walks (36) and on-base percentage (.468) while hitting .338.

 

"He's more than a power bat," a second NL scouting director said. "He's a hitter with power, so that's all the better. He's pretty advanced."

 

Alonso has a loose, compact stroke and excellent balance, and most of his current power comes in the form of line drives to the gaps. He should become more of a home run threat once he turns on and lifts more pitches. He's a below-average athlete who could work harder on his conditioning and defense, and even then he probably still will be limited to first base.

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayer...7&draftId=6

Alonso’s game starts with an incredibly discerning eye at the plate, which has led to 145 walks in 687 at-bats during his college career. He makes good contact as well as a left-handed hitter, with a .325 batting average and only 113 strikeouts. That approach served him well on the Cape last summer where he hit .328 with 14 extra-base hits, leading the Cape in walks while being among the league leaders in hitting. He has more of a gap-to-gap approach at this point in time, but his powerful frame should lead to more and more over the fence power as he matures his body and hones his swing. A good enough athlete, Alonso doesn’t put as much effort into his conditioning and his defense, and despite being tried a couple of times in the outfield and at third base, his future is at first. His approach should allow him to move quickly.

[nitetrain8601]

C - Kyle Skipworth

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayer...3&draftId=6

Few players improved their draft status over the past year, particularly since the beginning of last summer, than Skipworth. He put on a show both at the plate and behind it as he traveled from one top prospect showcase to the next, showing his impressive power potential from the left-side of the plate to go along with improving receiving skills. His overall athleticism and tall frame has elicited some unfair comparisons to Joe Mauer. He has a strong throwing arm and soft hands with natural leadership skills that allows him to handle a pitching staff very well. He has nice and easy swing that produces power to all fields, as his summer was highlighted by blasting a two-run home run to the opposite field against Quinton Miller. He has committed to play for Arizona State, and has a chance to be among the top three to five overall picks if he continues to improve as rapidly as he has.

 

http://soxprospects.wikispaces.com/Kyle+Skipworth

Athletic build for a catcher, Skipworth has great tools behind the plate all-around. Also plays 3B and OF. With the bat, he has above average skills, including a solid but improvable approach and good bat speed. Fairly good power potential.

[nitetrain8601]

OF/P - Aaron Hicks

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayer...6&draftId=6

Hicks is arguably the most electrifying athlete in the nation, a two-way star that makes a difference as a hitter, on the base-paths and on the mound. He is a switch hitter with five-tool potential across the board, showing very good speed, bat speed and power and offers a style of play that is similar to the Mets Jose Reyes. Hicks is an outfielder that projects to play centerfield given his speed, range and very good arm strength. On the mound he uses and extremely quick and electric arm to pump his fastball consistently in the mid-90s with an impressive amount of natural movement you don’t see from a high school pitcher very often. His breaking ball is also a plus-plus pitch, although he struggles with his command and is more often than not his own worse enemy. He profiles better as an outfielder at this point in time, but that could change quickly if things start to click for him on the mound next spring.

 

http://soxprospects.wikispaces.com/Aaron+Hicks

Speedy switch-hitting RF with excellent plate discipline and a good looking swing. Big time threat on the basepaths. Not much power at this time, but has the potential to add some strength. Very rangy in the OF with a great glove and a tremendous arm. Hicks also pitches for Wilson HS, throwing in the low 90s.

 

 

[nitetrain8601]

OF - Isaac Galloway

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewAmateurPlayer...6&draftId=6

A talented outfield prospect that has been atop the list of 2008 prospects for several years now, Galloway is a fluid athlete that makes the game look easy as it comes very naturally to him. He is a good centerfielder, with good speed and instincts that allows him to track balls very well. A strong throwing arm gives him five-tool potential to go along with his speed and offensive prowess. At the plate he has a swing made for contact, and his tall and still growing body has good present day power potential with more to come. There are some holes in his swing, but he has proven to hit with and against the best players in the nation time and time again over the years. He has committed to play for San Diego State.

 

 

[chimpy2121]

Where is Gordon Beckham, SS, supposed to go? He is hitting .517 with 12 homers and 32 RBI for Georgia.

[DBAHO]

Is that Tim Beckham?

 

I think he's slated to go top 5 ATM.

[chimpy2121]

No, it's a different guy. IIRC, Tim is a Tarheel.

[daa84]

No, it's a different guy. IIRC, Tim is a Tarheel.

tims in high school i think

 

wow i can't believe gordon had that pop...hes a smaller guy, i saw him play prolly 10 times and always thought he was the type of guy who got the most of his body...he has 13 HR in 20 games which is ridiculous....even before this hot start though gordon beckham was the top college SS prospect...prolly in the top 15 or so picks...prolly will be top 8 now i would imagine

Edited March 24, 2008 by daa84

[chimpy2121]

tims in high school i think

 

wow i can't believe gordon had that pop...hes a smaller guy, i saw him play prolly 10 times and always thought he was the type of guy who got the most of his body...he has 13 HR in 20 games which is ridiculous....even before this hot start though gordon beckham was the top college SS prospect...prolly in the top 15 or so picks...prolly will be top 8 now i would imagine

 

You are right, my bad.

 

Gordon is impressive, he hit a line drive shot against us that hit the scoreboard in about 1 second (I know I'm exaggerating, but still), the thing was absolutely smoked. He has been playing some really good competition too as UGAs schedule is probably one the toughest in the country so far. They have played Arizona for 3, Oregon State for 3, FSU for 2, and Arkansas for 3.

[danman31]

It's hard not to like Aaron Crow the way he has pitched so far this year. He has superb control and I would say his secondary pitches are probably better than that scouting report above read. He doesn't use his change too much, which might be a sign that it isn't great. I like his slider a lot though. However, I don't want people to get hyped up on his fastball. I've watched his gun readings for a couple different starts and I've never seen this 93-96 FB. 91-94 sounds more realistic, but I've never seen higher than 93. I'll keep an eye out more in future starts, but I haven't seen the plus-plus velocity I keep reading about.

[chimpy2121]

I would love for the Sox to pick up Buster who could play C or SS. He is has a great arm, hits for contact, doesn't K (3:1 BB to K), and is showing power this year. He's also our closer and has 5 saves in 5 innings giving up only 2 hits (I think). I doubt we will though.

 

Aaron Fitt from BA thinks he's going top 10 and here is Keith Law's take:

"Greg (Goochland, Virginia): Do you see either buster Posey or Kyle Skipworth falling to the red sox in the first round in this years draft?

 

Keith Law: (1:08 PM ET ) Sounds very unlikely. Posey could end up in the top ten as the best college catcher in a draft that's weak on impact players up the middle."

 

"Jeremy, California: Who should the Giants draft with the first overall pick in 2009?

 

Keith Law: (1:19 PM ET ) Best player available. I don't know the last time they went way over slot, though, so that might rule out some Boras guys, and I imagine they'd be loath to take a 1b because of Villalona. Posey might be a reach ... but maybe not."