By John Klima
February 28, 2010
The Yankees have a curious history with college left-handers in their recent drafts. They like to draft them, but not to pay for them. Here’s a look at Aaron Meade, a left-hander from Missouri State, who did not sign with the Yankees in the 28th round of the 2009 draft.
By John Klima
February 26, 2010
Gerrit Cole threw three bad pitches in the first inning and two very good ones. He hit three Vanderbilt batters in the opening minutes, each with fastballs, and you have to give Cole credit for one thing. Not many pitchers can say they drilled the bases loaded. And not many pitchers can get out of a jam the way he did Friday night against Sonny Gray and Vanderbilt.
By John Klima
February 26, 2010
Aroldis Chapman got paid and now begins the process of molding a great pitcher’s body and a big arm into a major league starter. This is the first rung of the ladder in professional baseball for Chapman, and Baseball Beginnings has exclusive footage of Chapman’s first on-the-mound bullpen as a paid pro. Have a look and then we will break him down.
By John Klima
February 26, 2010
If Mike Olt was playing college baseball in Southern California instead of Connecticut, he might be on a few more radar screens than he is right now. Olt is little more than a name on a follow list to most of the country, but he has one of the hardest skills to find in baseball. Simply put, power to all fields. And yes, with wood.
By John Klima
February 26, 2010
Shane Rowland is so good defensively behind the plate that they might want to consider renaming this guy Rocking Chair Rowland. Read the scouting report and learn why.
By John Klima
February 25, 2010
Jedd Gyorko has hit everywhere he has played in amateur baseball and there is no doubt that he’s played his way into the draft. Let me say this: I don’t dislike Gyorko. I just don’t like him as a first round talent. The reason is because Gyorko lacks one dominant tool that would give him the potential to be a cornerstone type of offensive third baseman, which is what I would draft for at third base in the first round.
By John Klima
February 24, 2010
Josh Sale has legitimate raw left-handed power, which is his best tool. As he develops as a pro, he’ll have to raise some other aspects of his game, but I’m a firm believer that you can’t give a guy power, even in this day and age.
By John Klima
February 23, 2010
If Zach Alvord is a first round pick, it will be a projection pick. You can see why in some of this video and then we’ll further break this player down.
By John Klima
February 22, 2010
A.J. Cole’s weapons are enhanced by his body type and athleticism. He’s long and lean and loose with a big arm. As far as power arms go, I always prefer pitchers with flexibility instead of stiff bodies, regardless of body type. Stiff starting pitchers with poor athleticism, for me, have lower ceilings than limber bodies and limber arms. Cole fits the description of power arm and loose body, as you can see from this video. You can also read a more detailed description of this prospect in our pro-style scouting report, posted below the video.
By John Klima
February 21, 2010
Virgil Hill waited out the draft through three cycles before he found an organization that thought his athletic ability outweighed what other clubs told him was a lack of baseball experience. Originally drafted by the Florida Marlins as a shortstop in the 28th round of the 2007 draft, Hill had been a starting free safety, a starting point guard, and a sprinter in track and field at Valencia (Calif.) HS.
Hill went to Los Angeles Mission College and saw his stock slip in the 2008 draft to the Oakland A’s in the 35th round. Finally, in 2009, he signed with the Cardinals as a sixth round pick and began his pro career and started in the Gulf Coast League. Baseball Beginnings caught up recently with Hill, who might one day find himself patrolling center field for the Cardinals and following in a long line of guys who could flat-out run.
Like Vince Coleman or Lou Brock before him, Hill is a young athlete who can run, and will set out to show in the minor leagues that he can hit well enough to play every day in the majors, and that what he gained in other sports before focusing on baseball gives him some tools that single-sport baseball players don’t acquire as amateurs.
