[Video] Draft Videos for 2011 Draft Class

[Stotle]

I'll throw up some vids on this thread from here until the draft. Mods can feel free to sticky if they think there is an interest in keeping this as a reference.

Honestly, I just wanted to post something in the draft section so I didn't have to look at the "Danny" Goodwin thread name anymore! (just teasing, QB)

Here's the first vid. Dillon Maples, rhp, Pinecrest HS, Southern Pines, N.C. (the first two batters faced are Austin Hedges and Josh Tobias -- two potential Top 50 HS positional talents at C and 2B/OF, respectively).

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[Stotle]

Here's another -- Jose Fernandez, rhp, no school, Fla. (he was recently dismissed from his HS). I believe he is Cuban born with some question as to his true age being raised in certain corners. He was one of the top velo arms in Jupiter and the best overall arm on display, based on performance:

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[QBsILLEST1]

Wow, nice FB from Fernandez. He threw one that had so much tail there it looked like a screwball or something....He kinda motioned with his throwing hand that he was gonna turn it over(while warming up) and it had ridiculous tail to it. His command of his stuff seemed pretty darn solid as well....He popped a few solid sliders off as well....

Maples is also intriguing, but don't like how high that elbow comes. His slider is to me is better and more consistent than Fernandez.....

And thank you Stotle, I got sick of seeing the Danny Goodwin thread every time I got onto the OH forum page haha.....

After looking at the Fernandez video again, it almost looked like he was also throwing a curve as well.....And maybe that was the changeup that he turned over?

[panick]

If Fernandez is not in school, how would scouts evaluate him? Are there other places he could play?

If not, and since there are questions about his age, would he just become a player not subject to the draft?

[QBsILLEST1]

If Fernandez is not in school, how would scouts evaluate him? Are there other places he could play?

If not, and since there are questions about his age, would he just become a player not subject to the draft?

Fernandez can still play in showcases like the one Stotle filmed the video at which will be big. Also, he COULD get his GED and hit up a JuCo.

Of course, Krol didn't go the JuCo route a couple years ago though, so I dunno.....In actuality, it seems pretty rare for a kid to do. When Harper did it, 1 he wasn't in trouble in HS, but secondarily, no one else that I knew of had gone that route at that point in time, though maybe I am wrong......

[Stotle]

If Fernandez is not in school, how would scouts evaluate him? Are there other places he could play?

If not, and since there are questions about his age, would he just become a player not subject to the draft?

I'm sure he'll latch on to an indy team. He picked a good time to go back to back games sitting 92-95 and hitting multiple 97s (jupiter was the last big scouting event of the season until February). My best guess is he'll slot into the back half of the first round, dropping some due to issues surrounding his dismissal (and some of those age concerns I mentioned). I'll say this -- with the way his power slurve and fastball were working and the command he had of each, he could have pitched against a big league lineup. That stuff hasn't been consistent, but he was highly impressive over two starts that weekend.

[Stotle]

Wow, nice FB from Fernandez. He threw one that had so much tail there it looked like a screwball or something....He kinda motioned with his throwing hand that he was gonna turn it over(while warming up) and it had ridiculous tail to it. His command of his stuff seemed pretty darn solid as well....He popped a few solid sliders off as well....

Maples is also intriguing, but don't like how high that elbow comes. His slider is to me is better and more consistent than Fernandez.....

And thank you Stotle, I got sick of seeing the Danny Goodwin thread every time I got onto the OH forum page haha.....

After looking at the Fernandez video again, it almost looked like he was also throwing a curve as well.....And maybe that was the changeup that he turned over?

He didn't throw any changes that I saw -- maybe in his first start (my colleague shot the first video and I shot the second one where he matched up against Josh Bell). Maples is an example of the depth at the pitching ranks this year. He probably would have slotted in nicely in the back half of the first round in 2010 but were the draft held today I have a hard time seeing him selected before early round 2.

You know I had to tease about the Goodwin, right?

[eb45]

Is Maples' front leg landing so far toward 3rd base an issue at all? I noticed he was missing in that direction a few times in the video, and it looked like his leg placement was responsible for those.

[Stotle]

Is Maples' front leg landing so far toward 3rd base an issue at all? I noticed he was missing in that direction a few times in the video, and it looked like his leg placement was responsible for those.

He has some crossfire, but that in and of itself isn't an issue. It actually can help the angle on both his fastball on slider, though as you point out he isn't consistent enough in his mechanics yet so he can fail to finish.

[QBsILLEST1]

He didn't throw any changes that I saw -- maybe in his first start (my colleague shot the first video and I shot the second one where he matched up against Josh Bell). Maples is an example of the depth at the pitching ranks this year. He probably would have slotted in nicely in the back half of the first round in 2010 but were the draft held today I have a hard time seeing him selected before early round 2.

You know I had to tease about the Goodwin, right?

Haha, I was surprised no one else jumped on me at all to be honest...

Fernandez is very very intriguing, how does he match up against the other top HS arms? His delivery to me seems a bit odd....Like he could use more trunk and that he seems to be throwing more with his upper body....

[Stotle]

Haha, I was surprised no one else jumped on me at all to be honest...

Fernandez is very very intriguing, how does he match up against the other top HS arms? His delivery to me seems a bit odd....Like he could use more trunk and that he seems to be throwing more with his upper body....

His arm action is real easy -- I'm not overly concerned about any aspect of his delivery. Keep in mind his torso is pretty thick, so some of that rotation in his core is a little harder to pick up than it would be on a slimmer build.

His raw stuff as it was in Jupiter matches up with the top tier of HS arms, but it has been inconsistent in the recent past. he obviously also doesn't have much, if any, physical projection. That's fine when you're talking about sitting 92-95 right now, but there is certainly a chance that he has issues with stamina and maintaining his stuff under a pro workload/season.

I'd rank him slightly behind the top tier of HS arms, but barely (the expulsion raises some other questions, as well). He has a slower breaker in a curveball that flashed solid average but is still a little loose. His change is very firm and he hasn't shown tons of feel for it.