MLB Draft Countdown just released their Top 25 College Prospects. They believe that this year’s crop is much weaker than that of 2011, but that there are still several players with incredibly high upside.
1. Mike Zunino, C, Florida – Great power, phenomenal defense and exceptional leadership skills
2. Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford – Mid 90s fastball and an above-average changeup. Also throws a slider. Finally dominating like his stuff indicates he should.
3. Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU – Excellent all around: great size, velocity and secondary pitches. Few holes, if any. Safest pick of top college arms.
4. Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco – Late riser. Great velocity and decent slider-curveball combo.
5. Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State – Excellent defensive shortstop with top notch skills. Little power, but good on-base ability.
6. Chris Beck, RHP, Georgia Southern – Great fastball, above-average changeup, decent slider.
7. Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M – Easy velocity, great size and a proven winner.
8. Brian Johnson, LHP, Florida – Could be top pitcher overall if he ever decided to give up hitting. Solid fastball. Works quickly.
9. Marcus Stroman, RHP, Duke – Excellent strikeout pitcher. Size reminds of Trevor Bauer. Electric fastball.
10. Victor Roache, OF, Georgia Southern – Best power in the class, but a broken wrist might scare some teams away.
To see the rest of their Top 25, click here and while you’re there check out the rest of their great site.
By the way, here is a Scouting Report on catcher Mike Zunino from another great site; MLB Draft Guide, one of my favorite sites for information on the best high school and college prospects.
Player: Mike Zunino
Position: C
School: Florida
Date of Birth: 3/25/1991
Height/Weight: 6’2/215
Bats/Throws: R/R
Class Of: 2013
Previously Drafted: 2009, 29th Rd, A’sScouting Report:
Mike Zunino plays catcher at a Major League level and is a likely first round choice in the 2012 draft.
Zunino has a solid, disciplined approach at the plate. He has a quick bat and solid pull power. Many point to holes in Zunino’s swing and he is likely to have a high strikeout rate at the next level. His willingness to take a walk should help offset the strikeouts.
Zunino truely shines defensively. He moves well and does a good job of blocking balls in the dirt. Zunino’s arm is strong and accurate. He has good hands.
Zunino’s father, Greg, is a scout for the Reds which is one of the reasons he is such a good student of the game. Zunino received catching gear for Christmas when he was 6 years old and plays like he has been behind the plate since that day.
If you enjoy these types of posts on the MLB Draft, let me know and I will ramp them up from two per week to every day. There’s so much focus on the Draft right now, and so many other great sites doing an incredible job with original analysis and coverage of the best amateur baseball players in the country.
I plan on bringing you some great interviews with the people behind these sites as we get closer to the draft in June.
I will be participating in the 2012 MMO Live Draft Chat this year. It should be a lot of fun, and we will have a couple of very special surprise guests!
