Suppose Harper to the Nats, Taillon to the Bucs, and Ranaudo hurt....then who?

[Greg Pappas]

Ha!...and the other 7....?

Not bad.

All good choices...

I have Covey in that mix as well, and I'm high on Machado as well.

It's early, but I'd have:

Harper

Taillon

McGuire

Covey

Whitson

Machado

It's too early to have an idea about round three... though I can see any of those you mentioned being around at that juncture.

Thanks for all the great work you do here.

[My O's Face]

I like Brentz... kind of a right-handed version of Markakis, with perhaps more power. I don't believe he'll go as high as #3 however. Top Ten? Quite possible.

He would've been in the top 5 last year if he was in the draft. He killed the ball last year. I've known Brentz for a few years now, and he is dedicated to the game. He has made quite a few sacrifices just to improve his performance and draft stock. He is very serious. I wouldn't be surprised to see him have an incredible year. I wouldn't mind seeing him playing in LF for the Orioles one day.

[Stotle]

He would've been in the top 5 last year if he was in the draft. He killed the ball last year. I've known Brentz for a few years now' date=' and he is dedicated to the game. He has made quite a few sacrifices just to improve his performance and draft stock. He is very serious. I wouldn't be surprised to see him have an incredible year. I wouldn't mind seeing him playing in LF for the Orioles one day.[/quote']

His time in center field is certainly going to help him. Also, his tougher matchups will be key, as the conference schedule is a little light. With college bats being a little thin, I'd expect Top 10 is a real possibility.

Glad to hear the good report on his dedication. There were media rumblings about his attitude, but in the three days I saw him down in Cary/Durham last summer (two games and a workout) I thought he looked great. Brentz in LF would be great, though considering what's available I'm not sure I'd take him at #3 with the young outfield already in place in BAL.

[Stotle]

Not bad.

All good choices...

I have Covey in that mix as well, and I'm high on Machado as well.

It's early, but I'd have:

Harper

Taillon

McGuire

Covey

Whitson

Machado

It's too early to have an idea about round three... though I can see any of those you mentioned being around at that juncture.

Thanks for all the great work you do here.

I talked to an associate scout that REALLY likes Machado, and I know BA is high on him. He was solid in Jupiter but I wasn't blown away. I know there are some that consider him elite and some that aren't quite as sold in scouting circles.

Covey falls in the Hobgood category for me, where he isn't someone I'd target that early given body type and current stuff compared to some other options. Huge Whitson fan.

I'll throw Deck McGuire video up here after I see him next weekend. Sorry I haven't been around the boards much -- been swamped at PnR and with some family stuff (all good stuff, at least ).

[My O's Face]

His time in center field is certainly going to help him. Also, his tougher matchups will be key, as the conference schedule is a little light. With college bats being a little thin, I'd expect Top 10 is a real possibility.

Glad to hear the good report on his dedication. There were media rumblings about his attitude, but in the three days I saw him down in Cary/Durham last summer (two games and a workout) I thought he looked great.

Yeah... Bryce has done some things to make sure he maintains a good "image". He has deleted his facebook and myspace accounts for example, because when interviewing with organizations, they will look at his pictures etc. to check on his "character. He is dead serious about baseball. It is his life.

Brentz in LF would be great, though considering what's available I'm not sure I'd take him at #3 with the young outfield already in place in BAL.

It's hard to imagine him playing LF for the O's with the talent we have, but I could see him fitting in somewhere. Some project him as a 1B, but he has a cannon for an arm. Maybe Reimold might move to 1B sometime in the next couple of years.

[napbow]

I talked to an associate scout that REALLY likes Machado, and I know BA is high on him. He was solid in Jupiter but I wasn't blown away. I know there are some that consider him elite and some that aren't quite as sold in scouting circles.

Covey falls in the Hobgood category for me, where he isn't someone I'd target that early given body type and current stuff compared to some other options. Huge Whitson fan.

I'll throw Deck McGuire video up here after I see him next weekend. Sorry I haven't been around the boards much -- been swamped at PnR and with some family stuff (all good stuff, at least ).

It appears Keith Law feels the same way according to his blog:

The best pitcher of the day was right-hander Jameson Taillon, from The Woodlands, Texas. Taillon was throwing 93-95 mph with hard bore and threw a sharp 83-84 mph slider in striking out the three hitters he faced. He's 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, a great workhorse build, and uses his height to stay on top of the ball and get some downhill plane.

• Right-hander Karsten Whitson, from Chipley, Fla., wasn't far behind Taillon with a 91-94 mph fastball, a 79-84 mph slider with good tilt, and a changeup at 79-80 mph with good tumbling action, like a split-change would have. At 6-4, 195, he comes from a high three-quarter slot and drives his pitches down the zone, but he does hook his wrist at the beginning of his delivery and he didn't show the command that Taillon did.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=mlb_draft&id=4388898

You have to be an insider to read the rest of the article which features some other information on several prospects including Cole.

[Stotle]

It appears Keith Law feels the same way according to his blog:

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=mlb_draft&id=4388898

You have to be an insider to read the rest of the article which features some other information on several prospects including Cole.

I assume that is the Under Armour write-up. Keith was sitting three rows in front of me and about 10-12 seats to the left. Whitson and Jamo both looked good. Here is my write-up on the event back in August with pictures and video: http://pnrscouting.com/articles_underarmourallamerica2009_08132010.html

[napbow]

I assume that is the Under Armour write-up. Keith was sitting three rows in front of me and about 10-12 seats to the left. Whitson and Jamo both looked good. Here is my write-up on the event back in August with pictures and video: http://pnrscouting.com/articles_underarmourallamerica2009_08132010.html

Great write up. How much of a gap would you say there is between Tallion, Whitson and Cole?

[Stotle]

Great write up. How much of a gap would you say there is between Tallion, Whitson and Cole?

Big between Taillon and the other two. Little between Whitson and Cole, though Whitson has apparently looked sharper in this early HS season (not that it means much three months from draft day.

[Stotle]

Great stuff! Thanks. Any opinion on Taillon's delivery being on the high effort side?

I see little effort with Taillon. Pretty easy and arm action is incredibly easy. A little herky-jerky, but not with effort. Just a big body -- probably uses some cues to help him repeat his mechanics, and it comes off as a little stiff. But, no, I don't see effort. He's pretty incredible.

[jerios55]

Big between Taillon and the other two. Little between Whitson and Cole, though Whitson has apparently looked sharper in this early HS season (not that it means much three months from draft day.

Would it be fair to say after Harper and Taillon there is a handful of guys that are of similar value? Thinking back to last year, I wonder if they take what is considered a signability guy if those 2 are gone. It just seems that many opinions vary after those 2 guys (if Renaudo appears hurt come draft time).

Makes me wonder if a positional guy like Brentz or Colon could be bumped to the #3 since we need a few more bats and we may try and spread the money out again.

[QBsILLEST1]

Would it be fair to say after Harper and Taillon there is a handful of guys that are of similar value? Thinking back to last year, I wonder if they take what is considered a signability guy if those 2 are gone. It just seems that many opinions vary after those 2 guys (if Renaudo appears hurt come draft time).

Makes me wonder if a positional guy like Brentz or Colon could be bumped to the #3 since we need a few more bats and we may try and spread the money out again.

Yes, after Taillon and Harper, unless Ranaudo is completely healthy, evryone right now is relatively similar valued. I would say:

1: Harper

2:Taillon

3a:Pomeranz

3b:McGuire

3c:Cole

3d:Covey

3e:Whitson

If Ranaudo is healthy then, he would be the BPA choice if Taillon and Harper are gone. I will say that I personally doubt that both Taillon and Harper are off the board, especially if Ranaudo is healthy. The Pirates have a newer regime there so it is pretty hard to guage any draft trends, but if the Pirates were going to shoot for a premium prospect with their pick, if Ranaudo is fine, I think it would be him over Taillon. I say this mainly because Taillon will cost the same if not more and the Pirates will choose the safer college arm over the riskier, higher ceiling Taillon for such a large investment...

[Stotle]

Would it be fair to say after Harper and Taillon there is a handful of guys that are of similar value? Thinking back to last year, I wonder if they take what is considered a signability guy if those 2 are gone. It just seems that many opinions vary after those 2 guys (if Renaudo appears hurt come draft time).

Makes me wonder if a positional guy like Brentz or Colon could be bumped to the #3 since we need a few more bats and we may try and spread the money out again.

Maybe. I think even with Ranaudo healthy there isn't much of a gap between him and the likes of McGuire, Sale, Pomeranz as well as Whitson or Cole. Covey is a bit behind the top tier, for me. I don't love his build/frame and as I wrote back in October I don't see much projection at all. Very good "now" stuff, though.

Colon has started off slowly but had a great weekend and I'm not concerned about him fully turning things around. He may be a 2B as a pro, though, and I don't see him as being on the same tier as the above-mentioned arms (though he could be a signability pick if that's what BAL wants). Brentz has a world of talent but will be tough to lock down because of his competition this year. He has a handful of games against some really good teams, so area scouts will likely be paying close attention to those. As Greg mentioned, I compared him to Nick Markakis last July after seeing him down in Cary, and think that holds true. Ultimately, he may see his stock slip some because of uncertanties surrounding his numbers.

I think "spreading the money around" is the wrong approach with this class -- BAL should select the best talent at 1:3 (particularly since they do not have a 2nd round pick). To me, that means right now it would be one of:

1. Harper

2. Taillon

3. McGuire

4. Whitson

5. Cole

6. Pomeranz

7. Sale

I'm publishing a "Stock Watch" piece on Monday regarding the players that have helped and hurt their stock in the first month of action this spring.

As an aside, a savy BAL team would be doing anything it can to get extra picks in 2011. Off the top of my head I count around 15 2011 players I'd put in contention for Top 5 in this year's class.

[Stotle]

Yes, after Taillon and Harper, unless Ranaudo is completely healthy, evryone right now is relatively similar valued. I would say:

1: Harper

2:Taillon

3a:Pomeranz

3b:McGuire

3c:Cole

3d:Covey

3e:Whitson

If Ranaudo is healthy then, he would be the BPA choice if Taillon and Harper are gone. I will say that I personally doubt that both Taillon and Harper are off the board, especially if Ranaudo is healthy. The Pirates have a newer regime there so it is pretty hard to guage any draft trends, but if the Pirates were going to shoot for a premium prospect with their pick, if Ranaudo is fine, I think it would be him over Taillon. I say this mainly because Taillon will cost the same if not more and the Pirates will choose the safer college arm over the riskier, higher ceiling Taillon for such a large investment...

Regardless of how Ranaudo bounces back, I think you may be underselling the import of this current injury. I think he could drop out of the Top 10, regardless of how he shows the rest of the way.

[QBsILLEST1]

Regardless of how Ranaudo bounces back, I think you may be underselling the import of this current injury. I think he could drop out of the Top 10, regardless of how he shows the rest of the way.

Really? I didn't think his injury was that serious, but at the same time, I don't know if Ranaudo has been quite right since the end of the 2009 college season. Had you gotten or heard if Ranaudo's velocity came back before the injury? And what exactly is wrong with him?

Personally, I hope someone else steps up between now and June because after Taillon and Harper, things looks like even more of a drop off than they did last year after Ackley and Strasburg. Atleast in 09, Matzek was still around. I am just not that high on McGuire, though I wasn't extremely high on Ranaudo either, but even with that said, to me he was still a clearcut top 3 talent.........Still haven't heard much about Chris Sale this year....