Derek Dietrich Rumors

Although Cal State Fullerton's Christian Colon might not be the most talented bat available in the 2010 draft, he is already very polished and plays professional quality defense.  The dearth of quality shortstops available and the increase focus by a number of teams on defense will likely make Colon an early pick and he could be on a major league team sooner than most of his peers.

At six feet tall and 180 lbs, Colon his a nice frame for a major league shortstop.  As a sophomore, Colon drilled 26 extra base hits and his percentages were an impressive 357/442/529.  Though he doesn't walk much, he doesn't strike out either. 

If that sounds like a Top 10 pick, you're not alone.  But, Colon does have a number of knocks.  One American League scout doesn't believe the hype about Colon's glove.  ""For starters, I'm not sure he's the glove he's known to be," he said "He fields everything he gets to and makes all the plays around the bag, but I think he lacks top-drawer range."

Where Christian Colon is drafted will be one of the
interesting questions to watch on draft day

Colon is being compared with 2009 draft pick, Grant Green, another college shortstop who was limited on hype, but strong on credentials. Colon is also compared against other shortstops available in the first day of the draft including Jedd Gyorko, Rick Hague, Derek Dietrich and Josh Rutledge.  One of the reasons Colon is expected to go in the first round is because some of the aforementioned college shortstops are not projected to play the position at the major league level.

Keith Law of espn.com posted his review of the rain shortened Cape Cod League All-Star game at Fenway Park.

• UCLA LHP Rob Rasmussen had a difficult spring in the Pac-10, but has been phenomenal in the Cape this summer. In four starts, he has 32K against six BB and only 4 ER. At the All-Star game he threw four different pitches including a plus curveball.
• Dallas Gallant, a RHP from Sam Houston State, will not be available until the 2011 draft but made a strong play to be one of the top players considered. His fastball was 91-93, threw a plus curveball and a low 80's slider. Gallant still need to work on his command, however, something he might be able to improve with changes to his mechanics.
• Zack Cox from Arkansas had two hits in the rain-shortened game, ripping a double to the very deep left centerfield portion of Fenway Park to go with an opposite field single. A draft eligible sophomore, Law really like Cox's swing and feels he only needs to improve his discipline.
• West Virginia's Jedd Gyorko had a great start to his summer in the Cape and participated in the All-Star game home run derby, but does not have a disciplined swing and no obvious position as a professional due to suspect defense.
• Austin Yates played left field during the All-Star game, but could likely play any outfield position professionally and also played first and second base for Virginia Tech this past spring.
• Derek Dietrich struggled at shortstop for Georgia Tech and continues to struggle in the Cape this summer. His bat is inconsistent making his professional future in doubt.
• While not an All-Star, Alex Wimmers and pitched the day before the All-Star game and probably has the best curveball on the Cape. He pairs his curveball with a 88-91 fastball with "good arm-side run".

Jason Churchill of espn.com has an update from the summer leagues with plenty of players who will be available in the 2010 MLB Draft.

New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)

• Adam Matthews of South Carolina impressed an area scout.
• Vanderbilt's best hitter, Aaron Westlake, will be playing for the Newport Gulls.
• Kansas RHP TJ Walz had 88Ks in 82.1IP this season and will be playing in the NECBL.
• Mitchell Beacom from UCLA will be playing for the Holyoke Blue Sox. "He's one of those, you know, projectable types," one AL club's West Coast area scout said. "Lots there to look for, and he's a lefty."
• If I were playing in the NECBL, I'd be really bummed if I got stuck in Holyoke, MA vs. Newport, RI.

Texas Collegiate Baseball League (TCBL)

• RHPs Willie Kempf from Baylor and Jeff Emens are prospects on scouts radars who will be playing in the TCBL this summer.

Cape Cod League

• SS Christian Colon from Cal State-Fullerton, 1B Andy Wilkins from Arkansas and RHP Anthony Ranaudo will be suiting up for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and likely trailed by scouts all summer.
• Arkansas' Zack Cox, Texas RHP Chance Ruffin and Clemson LHP Chris Dwyer (taken by the Royals in the 4th round) will be playing for the Cotuit Kettleers.
• SS Derek Dietrich from Georgia Tech and OF Alex Dickerson from Indiana will be playing for the Wareham Gateman.
• Georgia Tech RHP Deck McGuire and Fresno State 2B Danny Muno will be on the Orleans Firebirds along wtih Max Stassi's older brother, LHP Brock Stassi from Nevada.
• Middle Tennessee State's Bryce Brentz and LSU OF Leon Landry will team up for the Harwich Mariners.
• The Bourne Braves might have the best team with Ole Miss LHP Drew Pomeranz, FSU OF Tyler Holt and Tennessee C Blake Forsythe.
• If Kentrail Davis does not sign with the Brewers soon, he'll be playing for the Falmouth Commodores.
• RHP Matt Harvey from UNC will be playing for the Chatham Anglers.

The 2010 MLB Draft class might not have the star power at the top that the 2009 MLB Draft class did (Stephen Strasburg, Dustin Ackley) or be as loaded as the 2011 draft class (Sports Illustrated coverboy Bryce Harper, Sonny Gray, Alex Meyer, Anthony Rendon, Gerrit Cole and Danny Hultzen) but there's plenty of talent to track.

College Bats

• Bryce Brentz, OF, Middle Tennessee State
• Christian Colon, SS, Cal-State Fullerton
• Derek Dietrich, SS/3B, Georgia Tech
• Yasmani Grandal, C, Miami
• Josh Rutledge, SS, Albama
• Ross Wilson, 3B, Albama
• Blake Forsythe, C, Tennessee
• Leon Landry, OF, LSU
• Andy Wilkins, 1B, Arkansas
• Micah Gibbs, C, LSU

College Arms

• Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, LSU
• Justin Grimm, RHP, Georgia
• Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Mississippi
• Nick Tepesch, RHP, Missouri
• Matt Harvey, RHP, UNC
• Kevin Rhoderick, RHP, Oregon State
• Josh Osich, LHP, Oregon State
• Kyle Blair, RHP, San Diego
• Chris Hernandez, LHP, Miami
• Brandon Workman, RHP, Texas
• Chad Bettis, RHP, Texas
• Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State

High School Bats

• Trey Griffin, OF, Martin Luther King HS, GA
• Austin Wilson, Harvard-Westlake School, CA
• Kris Bryant, SS/3B, Bonanza HS, NV
• Krey Bratsen, OF, Bryan HS, TX
• Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS, FL
• Yordy Cabrera, SS/RHP, Lakeland HS, FL
• Reggie Golden, Wetumpka HS, AL
• Taylor Lindsay, OF, Desert Mountain HS, AZ
• Marcus Littlewood, SS, Pineview HS, UT

High School Arms

• AJ Cole, RHP, Oveida HS, FL
• Jameson Taillon, RHP, The Woodlands HS, TX
• Stetson Allie, RHP/SS, St. Edward HS, OH
• Zach Lee, RHP, McKinney HS, TX
• Justin O'Connor, RHP/SS, Cowan HS, IN
• Kevin Gausman, RHP, Grandview HS, CO
• Rudy Acosta, RHP, Mt. Miguel HS, CA
• Cam Bedrosian, RHP, East Coweta HS, GA