Guys I'm eyeballing for the 2nd pick:

[DocJJ]

Pitcher- Josh Spence- Arizona State. 6'1 170 lb LHP. While teammate Mike Leake is getting all the attention and will go in the first round, Spence has had a terrific year and should be around in rounds 2-3.

OF- Kent Matthes. He will likely be gone in the end of the 1st round or supplemental round, but he may be there in round 2. He's had only so-so career until this point. But this past year the light came on. He's hitting .377 with an NCAA leading 25 HR. His Slugging pct is .905 !!! and his OBP is .456. So a guy who gets on base half the time, walks more than he strikes out, hits a ton of home runs. He has stolen 13 of 15 bases, has a canon of an arm in right field, and is fielding pct is 1.000 this year. That's a heck of a year!

[Stotle]

Both have definitely had wonderful years -- great seasons. Still, I'm not sure either will be selected before the 3rd and I personally wouldn't take Spence before the 5th. Great college stuff, but boy would he have to be absolutely perfect to get it to play up to 2:5 value at the pro level. I saw him against Stanford and he was impressive -- but very little velo and I'm not sure the wiffle-ball approach will work against elite bats.

Using your two target types, I'd rather go Jason Kipnis (ASU) over Matthes and someone like Alex McRee (Georgia) or Kyle Heckathorn (Kennesaw State) over Spence.

[DocJJ]

I think he goes in the supplemental round or end of the 1st for sure.

Yeah, I didn't realize Spence was such a soft-tosser. The game I saw he looked awfully good and his numbers this year are great- but I can see now that he's a soft-tosser and that might get him killed in pro ball.

Matthes would be my choice if he's around...

[Stotle]

I think he goes in the supplemental round or end of the 1st for sure.

Yeah, I didn't realize Spence was such a soft-tosser. The game I saw he looked awfully good and his numbers this year are great- but I can see now that he's a soft-tosser and that might get him killed in pro ball.

Matthes would be my choice if he's around...

I agree with you that Kipnis should be a 1st round/supplemental round pick, but the word around is that scouts aren't looking at him before the second. I don't know what the deal is -- he plays great defense in CF, squares-up at the plate and has a good command of the strikezone. Shrug.

Spence has fun stuff to watch, it will just be a matter of how it plays. I have him 5th-8th.

Matthes is a funny case because the tools aren't really there, but he's really produced this year. I'm not sure where he ultimately goes, though I have him rated a little lower than you do. I've only seen him in one game, though, so I could be missing something.

[QBsILLEST1]

So what high school pitchers are we possibly going to be looking at around 2:5 and 3:5 Stotle? Would Skaggs or Krol drop this far?

[Stotle]

So what high school pitchers are we possibly going to be looking at around 2:5 and 3:5 Stotle? Would Skaggs or Krol drop this far?

Krol, yes. Skaggs? Probably not.

[DocJJ]

I disagree that the tools aren't there. He was highly regarded coming out of high school. His tools may not be off the charts, but he's plenty fast with a very strong arm, and there's no doubting the power. I think the lack of interest in him is that he really hadn't done anything before this year....

The main criticism of Kipnis is that he has a real chip on his shoulder- very bad attitude problems...

[Stotle]

I disagree that the tools aren't there. He was highly regarded coming out of high school. His tools may not be off the charts, but he's plenty fast with a very strong arm, and there's no doubting the power. I think the lack of interest in him is that he really hadn't done anything before this year....

The main criticism of Kipnis is that he has a real chip on his shoulder- very bad attitude problems...

If that's the hit on Kipnis, then everyone is overreacting. I've seen him play several times and between the lines he's a gamer with a great baseball head. Good instincts and handles himself well. Unless the issues are so great that it's debatable how he'll handle being a pro, I wouldn't shy away from him. My understanding was that scouts saw the frame and tools as a bit of a tweener between CF and a COF spot, making him more likely a 4th OF than a CF. I think he could stick in CF, and I like the bat.

[allstar1579]

I'm still holding out hope for Davidsion at 2:5. My theory on a high second round pick is you are a scavenger, you wait to see who drops out of the first and supplemental and you jump on them. Like Scheppers last year, someone always falls out.

[Stotle]

I'm still holding out hope for Davidsion at 2:5. My theory on a high second round pick is you are a scavenger, you wait to see who drops out of the first and supplemental and you jump on them. Like Scheppers last year, someone always falls out.

Davidson is obviously a favorite -- but who do you slot in using Doc's examples. College bat and college arm -- go!

[allstar1579]

Davidson is obviously a favorite -- but who do you slot in using Doc's examples. College bat and college arm -- go!

Even though it's probably a bit early for him, how about Keith Towne, Angelo St. 1b/dh and AJ Morris from K State as my pitcher.

[Stotle]

Even though it's probably a bit early for him, how about Keith Towne, Angelo St. 1b/dh and AJ Morris from K State as my pitcher.

I could get behind Morris, though I think he may be be there to grab in the third.

Towne in the second? I'm willing to be convinced (and I'm a bit intrigued). What do you like?

[allstar1579]

I could get behind Morris, though I think he may be be there to grab in the third.

Towne in the second? I'm willing to be convinced (and I'm a bit intrigued). What do you like?

The bat plays. LH. Quick through the zone, pretty good eye, does draw walks, 36 on the season so far to go with his 26 HR and 85 RBI. He's slugging .750+ like any typical power hitter he strikes out a lot 31 this year, mostly from overswinging though it seems, so it's correctable with more experience. Hits for good avg. .375 right now.

The only really knock I have is that he doesn't play in the field much, I'm pretty sure it's because of bad defense but I haven't talked to his coaches so I'm not sure. Reminds me of Hafner. He's a guy JTrea will fall in love with. He's been kind of off the radar because he transferred from Lamar University where he wasn't getting any playing time, now that he's getting regular at bats, he's just tearing it up.

Morris has really come on strong lately and has 11 wins and a 1.67 ERA. Not to mention he gave Leake his first loss of the season shutting Az st. down for 8 1/3. He's just one of those guys that doesn't have the stuff that Brothers has but is a winner, he's got that "it factor" like Arrieta.

[Hutman]

I like Robbie Shields SS out of Florida Southern who is hitting .350/.451/.522 with five home runs and a 30-31 BB/K ratio and nine steals in 52 games. I also like Sacramento State's Tim Wheeler who is hitting .402 to go with a .507 on-base percentage and an .810 slugging percentage.

In Round 3 I like Clemson's Ben Paulson who is Clemson 1B Ben Paulsen, who is hitting .373/.433/.637 with 10 homers and 15 doubles in 51 games this season.

These would be some nice additions for a system lacking in top bats.

[Stotle]

The bat plays. LH. Quick through the zone, pretty good eye, does draw walks, 36 on the season so far to go with his 26 HR and 85 RBI. He's slugging .750+ like any typical power hitter he strikes out a lot 31 this year, mostly from overswinging though it seems, so it's correctable with more experience. Hits for good avg. .375 right now.

The only really knock I have is that he doesn't play in the field much, I'm pretty sure it's because of bad defense but I haven't talked to his coaches so I'm not sure. Reminds me of Hafner. He's a guy JTrea will fall in love with. He's been kind of off the radar because he transferred from Lamar University where he wasn't getting any playing time, now that he's getting regular at bats, he's just tearing it up.

Morris has really come on strong lately and has 11 wins and a 1.67 ERA. Not to mention he gave Leake his first loss of the season shutting Az st. down for 8 1/3. He's just one of those guys that doesn't have the stuff that Brothers has but is a winner, he's got that "it factor" like Arrieta.

I think the second is a little high for Morris, but I can see arguments for it.

I think it's way too high for Towne, considering he doesn't really project very well in the IF. I think you have to take into account the Div-II competition, as well. He's an interesting bat to look at, but I'm not sure I'd spend 2:5 on a bat facing inconsistent competition who isn't a bet to provide defensive value, even at 1B. Good guy to keep an eye on later, though.