Marcus Littlewood
Rumors

Much of the amateur post-season attention right now is on the on-going Junior College World Series and the upcoming Division 1 NCAA Regional games to be held this weekend.  Not to be forgotten, however, are the high school playoffs where a number of top prospects are still playing.

Dave Perkin from Baseball America and Michael Huang from The Sporting News filed multiple reports on the high school playoffs. 

Peter Tago, Dana Hills HS, RHP

Tago did not have his best stuff in a semi-final match up against El Dorado High School, but Tago managed to throw a complete game and help Dana Hills into the final with a 5-3 win.  He allowed three runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out 13.  More interestingly, Tago found himself throwing with runners in scoring position on multiple occasions but was able to get out of the innings either without any runs scored or not too much damage. 

Perkin writes that Tago, "using just two pitches—a fastball and curve–[his] raw stuff was outstanding Tuesday, and he maintained his velocity into the final inning. His four-seamer sat between 91-94 mph, peaking early at 95 and 96. Tago’s vicious curve ranged from 75-77."

Dana Hills will face Mater Dei High School in the finals on Saturday, but Tago is not expected to pitch unless he does so in relief. 

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High school talent has been the most prominent feature of the 2010 draft class, but most of the discussion is regarding pitching.  However, there are a number of talent prep position players available, starting with the likely #2 pick, Manny Machado.

One area that has a plethora of high school position players who could go in the Top 50 is the west coast.  Jason Churchill recently provided some notes on how a number of the top west coast prep position players are faring. 

Josh Sale, Blanchet HS, OF

"He continues to impress me," said an NL area scout. "His swing is very consistent, which is one thing I came (into the season) worrying about some. It's kind of noisy, his hands are bouncing and it's like 'can he get to everything with all that going on every pitch?' But he can, and he does. Whoever takes him will clean that up a little bit, but he gets great loft and drives the ball with such authority. (Sale is) the best high school power bat I have seen since I came here."

Marcus Littlewood, Pine View HS, SS

"He's not going to play shortstop -- he's too big, he'll outgrow the position," the scout said of Littlewood's defensive future. "But he can play third -- and then it's (a question of) will he have the power. I think he might, I've seen him do it with the wood bat. What's that, Evan Longoria minus the (third base level) power? And a better defender, maybe, too."

Tony Wolters, Rancho Buena Vista HS, SS

Although he didn't believe he was violating any rules, his high school team has sat him out of games on fears the California state commissioner would rule Wolters ineligible after working out for the Toronto Blue Jays.  However, players work out for professional teams all the time, so to penalize one and not the many others seems hypocritical. The question, as Michael Huang of The Sporting News writes, is whether he participated in a legal "workout" or an illegal "tryout".

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We recently looked at the Top 10 west coast prospects.  Jonathan Mayo of mlb.com has some quick notes about some of the players the Blue Jays recently worked out on the west coast.

• Third baseman Kris Bryant showed some power.
• Kellen Sweeney from Iowa "looked very good."
• Shortstop Tony Wolters had a very good workout and there were rumors of a team trying to negotiate a pre-draft deal with Wolters for the second round.

• Outfielder Angelo Gumbs was just "ok."
• Marcus Littlewood from Pine View high school struggled.
• Michael Lorenzen has drawn interest from the Reds.
• UCLA's Dan Klien and Long Beach State's Jake Thompson are receiving the most interest among California college players.
• Sammy Solis from San Diego has played himself into the sandwich round picks.  

To read the entire article, visit mlb.com.

Draft prospects can come from anywhere in the country, but the three most prominent areas year after year remain the southeast, Texas (midwest) and California (west).  Perhaps it is a bit presumptuous to label Texas and California as "areas" when they're individual states, but the reality is they're very big states and produce a disproportionate number of prospects to the rest of their areas.

The irony for 2010 is that California is not living up to its usual billing of a baseball hot bed.  Only two college players from California rank in Keith Law's Top 50 and just ten in the Top 100.  This is the same region that produced eight of the top 32 picks in last year's draft. 

Nevertheless, as Jason Churchill of espn.com points out, California and the west region's strength this draft is in its high school players, specifically the pitchers. Oh yea, and some guy named Harper.

1) Bryce Harper, College of Southern Nevada, C

2) Josh Sale, Bishop Blanchett HS, RF

3) Dylan Covey, Marantha HS, RHP

4) Austin Wilson, Harvard-Westlake, OF

5) Aaron Sanchez, Barstow HS, RHP

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Shortstop is always an interesting position for amateur players when it comes to drafting because so many of them play the position in high school or college, but wind up at another defensive position in their professional career.  The trend seems to be that the prospects available in the draft are regarded more for their bat than their glove.  Jason Churchill of espn.com took a look at the shortstops he expects could go during the first day of the MLB Draft.  In no particular order:

Christian Colon, Cal State Fullerton

Colon struggled quite a bit to start the season, but has since rebounded nicely and looks likely to match his impressive sophomore season.  Though not spectacular with the glove or his bat, he's one of the few players who rates at the position defensively and can still hit.  Seems like a probably first round draft pick.

Manny Machado, Brito High School

Keith Law of espn.com rates Machado as the second best prospect available in the draft behind Bryce Harper, so he is certainly the best shortstop available.  Although he has a big frame that makes people worry he might not stay at short, most believe he can play there professionally.

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High school draft prospects are so vulnerable to change, last year's scouting report could be wildly inaccurate on this year's player. 

Keith Law of espn.com recently got to see three top high school prospects: Kris Bryant, Marcus Littlewood and Kellin Deglan.  Here are some excerpts of his scouting report.

Kris Bryant, Bonanza HS, SS

Has one of the better swings seen on a prep kid in this draft, putting on a show in BP even with wood. He projects to have plus power and can already flash above-average power now, getting ridiculous leverage in his swing. He can get locked into that swing path, so if he doesn't square a ball up he'll get on top of it. Bryant needs to display his BP power in games more often to ensure himself of a first round draft selection.  Although he currently plays shortstop, his size - 6'5", 190lbs - means he's likely to move somewhere else, but has the arm to play anywhere. 

Marcus Littlewood, Pine View High School, SS

He has some of the best hands of any position player in this draft, college or high school. He has a plus arm but can get under the ball on throws cause the throw to sail.  An increase in muscle this off season raises questions about whether he can stay at shortstop.  A switch hitter, he already had good rotation in his left-handed swing, a little more than he shows right-handed, and he's cut down on the bat wrap he showed last summer, although now he's got his hands way back and sort of drifts on to his front foot instead of coming forward strongly to start his weight transfer. He's a fringe-average runner, but his fate in the field is more tied to his hands (which will play anywhere) and his physical growth.

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Jason Churchill of espn.com recently took a look at the top high school players that could end up first-round draft picks when MLB amateur draft gets started in June.  Previously we reviewed Jason's analysis of collegiate first rounders.

• Jameson Taillon figures to be the top high school player, pitcher or hitter, taken in the draft.  He could likely go as high as the #1 overall pick depending upon how his spring goes.
• AJ Cole (Ovideo HS, FL) and Karsten Whitson (Chipley HS, FL) both made Keith Law's Top 50 and will go in the first round.
• Other high school pitchers expected to be selected in the first round include Kaleb Cowart (Cook County HS, GA), Andrew Smith (Rosewell HS, GA), Kevin Gausman (Grandview HS, CO) and Justin O'Connor (Cowan HS, IN).

Kevin Gausman figures to be a first round draft pick in June

• Stetson Allie (St. Edwards HS, OH) will likely go in the first round, the question is whether a team will select him as a pitcher or a hitter.
• Kris Bryant (Bonanza HS, NV) and Josh Sale (Bishop Blanchett HS) both figure to be taken in the top half of the first round.
• Nick Castellanos (Archbishop Mccarthy HS, FL), Manny Machado (Brito HS, FL), Marcus Littlewood (Pineview HS, UT) and Chad Lewis (Marina HS, CA) are all possibilities for the first round

The Louisville Slugger 2010 Pre-Season High School All-America Team was announced on Friday.  Twenty-three infielders were selected to the first team.  The two biggest names on the list were Garin Cecchini and Zach Alvord.

Cecchini is a 6'2", 200 lb shortstop who plays for Barbe High School in Louisiana.  He has a strong athletic build, classic lefthanded swing, creates excellent bat speed, serious home run juice, to go with a good arm that has carry.  Alvord is another shortstop who at 6'0" and 180 lbs is a bit smaller than Ceccini.  Playing at South Forsyth High School in Georgia, Alvord has very good compact strength for a middle infielder.  Alvord's best tool is his bat and offensive potential as a middle of the field player.

Other noteable infielders selected include Marcus Littlewood, Nick Delmonico and Johnny Field.

Garin Cecchini was one of twenty-three infielders selected to the High School All-America team

USA Baseball's Tournament of Stars had plenty of 2010 draft talent in attendance and Keith Law of espn.com gives us a review of how they played.

• Bryce Harper lived up to his recent scouting report and struck out twice by not being patient with the pitchers attempting to pitch around him.
• Jameson Taillon from the Woodlands HS in Texas was tracking at 90-94mph on his fastball and a good slider. His curveball and changeup were also decent.
• Kris Bryant from Bonanza HS in Las Vegas showed plenty of power from the right side of the plate along with an arm to throw from third base.
• Brian Ragira out of Martin HS in Texas showed great wrists and the ability to stay inside the ball to generate power with his swing.
• Marcus Littlewood from Pineview HS in Utah was very deft at the shortstop position, demonstrating very smooth hands.
• Nick Castellanos out of Archbishop McCarthy HS in Florida had great power on anything below mid-thigh, but struggled with pitches up in the zone.
• Sam Wilson from El Dorado HS in New Mexico uses an upper cut swing to generate good power, but needs to adjust that to hit higher quality pitching and can do so without sacrificing power.
• Yordy Cabrera from Lakeland HS in Florida is very athletic, playing both thirdbase and RHP. While he has nice power he needs to improve his plate discipline.
• Justin O'Connor plays infield and pitches for Cowan HS in Muncie, IN and while considered more of a prospect as a pitcher, did not throw at the tournament. Nevertheless, he demonstrated one of the most disciplined swings at the tournament. "He is, in the words of one scout who has seen him aI few times, 'obnoxiously talented.'"

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 (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 Lindsey, 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