Baseball Beginnings

By John Klima
March 25, 2009

Matt Hobgood, RHP, 6-4, 250, Sr. Norco High (2009 draft class)

Matt Hobgood’s junior season put him on the prospect map. He won a ton of newspaper awards and was named California’s Junior of the Year by CalHiSports, joining a list with a big league linage. Hobgood joined fast-tracker Mike Moustakas and current major leaguers Delmon Young, James Shields, Gerald Laird, Jon Garland, Eric Chavez, Randy Wolf, Dmitri Young and the exiled Barry Bonds.

Hobgood, a 6-4, 250-pound right-hander, vowed not to live off one season alone. He trimmed 15 pounds off his frame and gave his body a look more like Giants right-hander Matt Cain and less like Yankees right-hander Joba Chamberlain. After shutting out Riverside Poly and holding outfielder Jake Marisnick hitless Tuesday, Baseball Beginnings caught up with Norco’s horse for a Q-A. (more…)

Category: '09 Meet the Player | No Comments »
Tags: 2009 Draft, Jacob Marisnick, Matt Hobgood

By John Klima
March 24, 2009

There was probably more interest in how tools-oriented center fielder Jacob Marisnick would look against a good high school pitcher than in how Matt Hobgood would look against a good high school hitter Tuesday afternoon at Riverside (Calif.) Poly in a match-up of probable No. 1 draft picks out of Southern California. (more…)

Category: 2009 Draft | No Comments »
Tags: Jacob Marisnick, Matt Hobgood

By John Klima
March 20, 2009

Bryan Berglund, Right-handed pitcher (6-4, 190)
Royal High School (Simi Valley, California)
(2009 Draft Class)

The Simi Valley area, just north of Los Angeles’s San Fernando Valley, has a long reputation of producing quality major league prospects, especially starting pitchers. Over the years, major league starters, most notably brothers Jeff Weaver and Jered Weaver, have made their marks in the majors. Other future major league pitchers to come through Simi Valley include former Detroit Tigers left-hander Eric King and former relief pitcher Scott Radinsky.

At Royal High in Simi Valley, right-hander Bryan Berglund is poised to continue that tradition. The hard-throwing right-hander, who arrived in Simi Valley from Sweden at age 11, spent his formative amateur years playing year-round in hotly competitive Southern California. He’s near the end of that road, however, and as we zero in on the June 2009 draft, Berglund might just pitch his way into the first round. Baseball Beginnings caught up with Berglund for this exclusive Q&A. (more…)

Category: '09 Meet the Player | 1 Comment »
Tags: Bryan Berglund, Eric King, Jacob Marisnick, Jeff Weaver, Jered Weaver, Jiovanni Mier, Matt Davidson, Scott Radinsky