It has been a while since my last rundown of amateur
players, and I plan on continuing with the series, but since Baseball America
recently released their HS Top 100 list ($ubscription only), I’d
figure it’d be helpful to take a look back at some guys that I’ve already covered.
#11 Oscar Mercado: As I said in one of my first posts about
the Florida Diamond Club Showcase, Mercado has been a known entity for quite
some time—as he was a regular on the showcase circuit. However, he has
obviously improved his stock quite a bit, as the quick twitch athleticism,
fluid actions in the field, good bat speed, and plus instincts have enamored
those within the industry.
#17 Travis Demeritte: I was lucky enough to stumble upon
Demeritte while in the back fields of the WWBA in Jupiter, and I was impressed
with his arm strength and lateral movement/agility. I was a bit concerned with his load/trigger
phase as I felt that the hands were a bit noisy, but he generates easy plus bat
speed and showed a patient, advanced approach during his at-bats. I didn’t offer a draft projection in my original,
brief analysis because I only saw Demeritte in
passing, but others, like BP’s Jason Parks were very high on Demeritte’s skill
set, so it is not too surprising to find the South Carolina commit listed so
high in Baseball America’s Top 100.
#34 Jan Hernandez: As I mentioned in my last entry, much Hernandez’s
value is dependent on his ability to stick at shortstop. Those within the industry
are mixed, as Hernandez’s detractors are worried about how much bigger he will
get over the next few years. His frame
(6-3, 195) and athleticism leave little to be desired, and I saw a nice,
mechanically sound swing at the FLDCS with some power potential down the road. Feel
free to draw some of your opinions by taking a look at this FREE video of Hernandez courtesy of Baseball Prospectus’ Nick
Faleris.
#40 Tucker Neuhaus: I’ve written about Neuhaus extensively,
both for Baseball America and out of personal interest, but I remained hesitant in offering
a personal draft projection given my relative inexperience with amateur scouting,
and the questions about his defensive profile.
BA’s HS Top 100 is based on talent alone (not signability, etc.), and I
was a bit surprised to see Neuhaus up so high given the defensive question
marks. However, Neuhaus is a great, hard-working
kid who features legitimate pull power and quality arm strength. While I feel his body (6-3, 190) forces off
3B and into RF, the bat is a legitimate weapon, and it appears that scouts and
those within the industry are confident enough in its ability to play up that
it has lifted Neuhaus into the top half of the list.
#44 Josh Hart: As with Demerritte, I only got a chance to
see Hart in passing while at the WWBA. As such, I didn’t have too much to say
other than,
“Plus athlete
with body for projection (6-3, 190). Good reads and quick breaks in the
outfield—near diving play in shallow RCF. Premium projection and ceiling.”
Hart’s East Cobb team won the tournament, so scouts had a number
of opportunities to see the center fielder in action, and it appears that they
came away similarly impressed with the center fielder. I would personally be
surprised to see the Georgia Tech commit ever set foot on campus, as I think
Hart ends up receiving some big-time (over-slot) money to pry him away from his
college commitment.
#52 Brian Navaretto: I wrote about Navaretto extensively in
my post on Arlington Country Day’s contingent at the FLDCS. He clearly garnered
the most attention of the group—and Nathan Rode suggested that the catching prospect
projected to be a 2nd -4th round pick. After a couple of weeks of calls/recon work
with scouts it appears that Rode’s original suggestion was on point, as
Navaretto checks in at #52 in BA’s HS Top 100 (perhaps 2nd, likely 3rd
round pick depending on the number of college players selected). Just a quick
rundown for those unwilling to read my original analysis: athletic frame, strong
forearms/wrists, plus bat speed with leverage, swing got long at times, plays
with energy and confidence, very strong arm (1.76-1.84 pop times). Even though this year’s crop of amateur catching
talent is particularly deep, I think that Navaretto climbs up draft boards with
a strong spring campaign.
#69 Nick Longhi: Had a strong summer on showcase circuit and
is a big dude with very real raw power. I wasn’t too sure about his draft prospects
because the defensive profile limits him to LF or 1B, but his place in the BA
Top 100 shows that some teams think that the LSU commit’s power potential is worth
pursuing, regardless of any defensive limitations and swing mechanics that need
ironing out.
#81 K.J. Woods: I didn’t have much to say about Woods—I only
saw him in passing at the WWBA, but the 6-4, 210 pound OF/1B is a physical
specimen. Ft. Mill, South Carolina native doesn’t have much projection
remaining, but people are obviously drawn to the special combination of
size/power potential and athleticism.
#96 Josh Greene: Like Neuhaus, another guy that I’ve written
quite a bit about for both BA and personal interest. Unlike many to make the
Top 100, Greene was not a big name coming into 2012. However, the Ocala native’s
impressive skill set—plus(to plus-plus) speed, average arm strength, great
instincts/reads—makes for a solid defensive center fielder. The bat very much remains a question mark,
but he features quick wrists and generates solid bat speed, and organizations
are often willing to work with a youngster that provides solid defense at an
up-the-middle position (regardless of the bat’s current grade). With that being said, I was pleasantly
surprised to find Greene within the Top 100, but his performance this
summer/fall has clearly made believers out of more than just myself.
**Just missed Top 100: Christian Arroyo (gamer; absolutely love this kid despite the
commitment to University of Florida) Brett Hanewich (Stanford commit, great
athletic frame, two way threat—probably ends up as pitcher), Dane Dunning (also
UF commit, serious room for projection), Sheldon Neuse (only saw a few innings
for Texas Scout Yankees--liked lateral movements in field, approach at plate,
instincts on basepaths)
Other Top 100 guys I’ve seen in person/Players to be
covered in next post: #100 Edwin Diaz (PR), #75 Willie Abreu, #26 Chris Okey, #55
John Sternagel, #42 Zack Collins, NR Ronald Healy
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