Posts belonging to Category MLB Draft

There is a reason that Kansas City Royals seemed indifferent about their lack of production at the hot corner in 2010, and that reason is Mike Moustakas.  Drafted second overall by the Royals in the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft, Moustakas put together a monstrous 2010 Minor League season, hitting .322 with 41 doubles, 36 home runs and 124 RBI while splitting time between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha.  He also showed great discipline at the dish, drawing 34 walks and striking out only 67 times in 484 at-bats.

(more…)

In his first televised professional at-bat, 18-year old Bryce Harper ripped an RBI single to put the Scottsdale Scorpions ahead 2-1, in the Arizona Fall League Championship.  Harper came to the plate in the bottom of the second inning with one out and Diamondbacks outfielder Marc Krauss on second base.  Harper got straight to business, ripping Kyle Greenwalt’s first pitch fastball past an outstretched Jose Iglesias at shortstop.

(more…)

Bryce Harper will finally make his highly anticipated television debut on Saturday afternoon, as the Scottsdale Scorpions take on the Peoria Javelinas for the Arizona Fall League Championship.  The Scorpions will attempt to derail the Javelinas, who are seeking their second consecutive title and are lead by the 2^nd overall pick in the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, Dustin Ackley.

In a game that is loaded with some of the most exciting young players in all of baseball, all eyes will inevitably be on the 18-year old Harper, who is now in today’s starting lineup. Despite the skepticism surrounding the Nationals’ decision to send their 1^st overall selection in the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft to the AFL, Harper has continued to show that he can handle virtually every situation, on and off the field.

(more…)

A month or so ago, a player who played for Griff and I over the last couple of summers — as well as with Griff during the school season of 2010 — walked away from the game during the fall of his first season of college. His reasons were not unusual by any means. These included not loving the game anymore, not liking his teammates, not liking his environment, and not liking his coaches. Being of considerable intelligence, the player took the obvious logical steps and arrived at the conclusion that he never really loved the game but rather his company within his personal experiences relative to the game, be it on or off the field. Of course I encouraged him to give his decision a little time and a little reflection so that he is confident in it when he looks back at his life. I urged him to gaze beyond talent and performance and rather toward more rudimentary factors such as basic emotions like love, joy, hate, pain, etc. In the last couple of weeks he has developed a new desire to return to the field, and I think his reasoning is worth discussing.

(more…)

Both the Chicago Cubs and their fans have a lot to look forward to in 22-year old outfielder, Brett Jackson.  Since being drafted 31^st overall by the Cubs in the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, Jackson has rapidly ascended through the minor leagues thanks to a combination of power and speed.  Baseball America ranked him as the 74^th best prospect in all of baseball prior to the 2010 season, and needless to say, Jackson exceeded the expectations.

(more…)