2009 Draft: #2 Grant Green (9-22-08)

[Greg Pappas]

Ages (in parentheses) are as of the 2009 Draft...

#1 Stephen Strasburg, RHSP, San Diego State, (20), 6-5/220
#2 Grant Green, SS, USC, (21), 6-3/180
#3 Aaron Crow, RHSP, Fort Worth Cats, (22), 6-2/200
#4 Alex White, RHSP, UNC, (20), 6-3/195
#5 Dustin Ackley, 1B/CF, UNC, (21) 6-1/185
#6 Tyler Matzek, LHSP, H.S (CA)
#7 Kyle Gibson, RHSP, Missouri
#8 Matthew Purke, LHSP, H.S. (TX)
#9 Donovan Tate, OF, H.S. (GA)
#10 Mike Minor, LHSP, Vanderbilt


This is 'Part 2' in a ten-part series, and below I'll preview #2 overall prospect, Grant Green:

#2... Grant Green, Shortstop, USC, (21), 6-3/180




The excitement is building for the USC shortstop, as comparisons to Troy Tulowitzki and Evan Longoria have begun to circulate. The toolsy Green may eventually attain their lofty status', but for now he needs to continue to show improvement, carrying over a great run in the Cape Cod Summer League.

At 6-3/180, Green is a tall and athletic SS, and though a shade on the thin side, he'll add weight/strength as he matures. Grant turned on the scouts during his freshman campaign, eliciting Freshman All-American honors, and then he really turned it up a notch this past year (sophomore season), when he hit .390, with 9 HR's, 46 RBI and 10 SB's, all in 205 AB's.

Green has very good range and a good arm and should stay at SS for many years to come, but he'll need to do better than the subpar 17 errors in 41 games this summer. However, in my brief chat with his Cape Cod (Chatham A's) manager, John Schiffner, I was told that the grounds are rough and that Green was getting to a lot of balls that most SS's couldn't. Schiffner compares Green to Evan Longoria, whom he also managed, and loves the kid. A move to third down the road is not out of the question, as he adds weight and loses range. Green has good power potential and a good eye at the plate, and a big help to his accolades rest in his stellar performance in the wood bat Cape this past summer, where he hit .348, with 6 HR's, 21 RBI, went 10/13 in SB's, walked 28 times, struck out 38, and had a line of .348/.451/.547/.998, all in 161 AB's.

If Green carries over his efforts from the Cape, and has the year everyone thinks he is capable of, then he is on his way to being taken in the first few selections in the 2009 draft.

[WebLink21]

I really want him in the draft. I just find it hard to believe that a SS with this much buzz will still be there at pick 5 or 6. I hope I am wrong and all the pitchers on your list are lights out this season.

[Greg Pappas]

I really want him in the draft. I just find it hard to believe that a SS with this much buzz will still be there at pick 5 or 6. I hope I am wrong and all the pitchers on your list are lights out this season.

I spoke with his Cape Cod team manager, John Schiffner, and he was raving about Green. He thinks he's going to be a very good ML'er, and is as good as Evan Longoria was at the same stage in their college/Cape careers.

[tywright]

We absolutely have to get this guy EVEN if we get a SS prospect in a trade this offseason.

[cborgans1]

Would loosing the rest of the games get us in position to get Green?
He looks like he is going to be very good, and as a college player he will be ready to step in sooner rather than later.

[Stotle]

He looks great. I love him as a draftee. I don't think he's "Tulowitzki good" on defense and I don't think he's "Longoria good" at the plate, but I think he can be a very good ML SS and he's a great blend of talent. He's certainly one of the top three position players in the draft and probably the best college position player by a decent margin.

[Greg Pappas]

He looks great. I love him as a draftee. I don't think he's "Tulowitzki good" on defense and I don't think he's "Longoria good" at the plate, but I think he can be a very good ML SS and he's a great blend of talent. He's certainly one of the top three position players in the draft and probably the best college position player by a decent margin.

Good post...

He's not Tulo defensively, but still good, and few are as good as Longoria at the plate... but Green is really good also.

He will be a very good ML SS, we agree again.

Green and Ackley are close in the talent dept., as is the tooly HS'er Donovan Tate... but Green plays the more important position, so I rate him a slight edge at the moment.

[Stotle]

Good post...

He's not Tulo defensively, but still good, and few are as good as Longoria at the plate... but Green is really good also.

He will be a very good ML SS, we agree again.

Green and Ackley are close in the talent dept., as is the tooly HS'er Donovan Tate... but Green plays the more important position, so I rate him a slight edge at the moment.

I have Green and Tate almost identical in grades, with Green behind in speed. I give the slightest nod to Green on the draft board only because he's a SS in a very thin class and should stay there as a MLer. I think Tate is the better package, overall. Since I think Davidson can stay at 3b (maybe I'm in the minority, I don't know), his plus-plus power may put him above Tate for me, as well. Ackley is behind those three for me until I see him healthy this year (he looked solid in the Cape League this summer). My guess is I have him above both Davidson and Tate come May.

Top Five Position Players as of Today for Me (because I like lists):
1. Grant Green, SS
2. Matt Davidson, 3B/1B
3. Donovan Tate, OF
4. Dustin Ackley, OF/1B
5. Luke Bailey, C (Lots bunched up after those top 4, but I'll go with Bailey since he's okay behind the plate and I have him 60/60 offensively)

[Greg Pappas]

I have Green and Tate almost identical in grades, with Green behind in speed. I give the slightest nod to Green on the draft board only because he's a SS in a very thin class and should stay there as a MLer. I think Tate is the better package, overall. Since I think Davidson can stay at 3b (maybe I'm in the minority, I don't know), his plus-plus power may put him above Tate for me, as well. Ackley is behind those three for me until I see him healthy this year (he looked solid in the Cape League this summer). My guess is I have him above both Davidson and Tate come May.

Top Five Position Players as of Today for Me (because I like lists):
1. Grant Green, SS
2. Matt Davidson, 3B/1B
3. Donovan Tate, OF
4. Dustin Ackley, OF/1B
5. Luke Bailey, C (Lots bunched up after those top 4, but I'll go with Bailey since he's okay behind the plate and I have him 60/60 offensively)

Davidson has monstrous power and really came on in the summer after a 'down' junior year... but I'd peg him a mid/late-first rounder at this juncture. Come draft time that could change either as a way-high judgement, or way low.

[RichieRich]

Personally, I like Ackley...

[Greg Pappas]

Personally, I like Ackley...

I do as well... he's an outstanding player and I'll touch more on him in 'Part 4' of the series.

[Mooreisbetter27]

Hmm... We know the O's have need for SS and 1B in the next few years... (Sorry JTrea.. I just don't think we're signing Tex) so it's highly possible we could get at least 1 of them although I'd prefer Green.

What is the likelihood if we pick 5 that one of these 2 are available? (In other words, what are other teams needs picking ahead of us) And what's the likelihood one of them is available and we pick a pitcher instead?

[nemO821]

As much as Green seems like our perfect pick since the O's are really weak at SS, I wouldn't be dissappointedin getting Alex White who I think will be a #1 starter. Greg I watched a couple of Wareham Gateman and was really impressed with Brandon Workman(pitcher from Texas). What areyour thoughts on him?

[Greg Pappas]

As much as Green seems like our perfect pick since the O's are really weak at SS, I wouldn't be dissappointedin getting Alex White who I think will be a #1 starter. Greg I watched a couple of Wareham Gateman and was really impressed with Brandon Workman(pitcher from Texas). What areyour thoughts on him?

Workman isn't eligible for the draft until 2010...

The 6-5/220 right hander has a big fastball but was shaky in his freshman campaign for the University of Texas. He was a former third-round choice in '07 by the Phillies after a great 4 year run at Bowie HS in Texas.

He's a guy to watch this coming season and hopefully we'll talk about him again this time next year.

[nemO821]

Workman isn't eligible for the draft until 2010...

The 6-5/220 right hander has a big fastball but was shaky in his freshman campaign for the University of Texas. He was a former third-round choice in '07 by the Phillies after a great 4 year run at Bowie HS in Texas.

He's a guy to watch this coming season and hopefully we'll talk about him again this time next year.

Thanks for the info.