For those who grew up in the ’90s like the writers here at the Sombrero, you may recall VH1’s popular tv series, “Pop-Up Video.”  It was essentially a director’s cut of a trendy music video, but featured random captions during various scenes to provide the viewer with behind-the-scenes factoids about the video, artist/band and director.  Well, due to my three-plus hours in the car today and general idleness due to a poorly-timed cold, I thought I’d get the ball rolling on my latest idea: “Prospect Video.”

Every Tuesday I will post a prospect-related video that I feel our readers must watch.  So, for the first installment, I thought that I’d post an awesome video of UCLA right-hander Trevor Bauer, who was recently selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the third-overall pick in 2011 MLB Draft.

This particular video shows Bauer’s warm up pitches, first inning of work, and final out from a recent start against Fresno State in Game 3 of the 2011 NCAA Los Angeles Regional.  In the game, the Lincecum-like right-hander picked up his 13th win of the season and fired his ninth-consecutive complete game. (Not bad, right?). He ultimately struck out 14 while allowing one run on six hits and two walks.

What to look for: Please, just watch the dude’s first warm up pitch.  He gets a running start from behind the mound and absolutely burns one at his catcher, just as if he was playing long-toss in the outfield to get loose. Now, I know Bauer runs it up in the mid- to upper-90s, and granted there’s no radar gun on him at the time, but that first toss has got to be damn close to 100 mph.  His smirk after throwing it says it all.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys the Sombrero’s first installment of “Prospect Video,” and if anyone has any requests, drop me a line on Twitter and I’ll make it happen.

The Golden Sombrero presents MLB Look-alikes: Orlando Cabrera and Mark Teich

Who’s Mark Teich? You may know him as the balding comedic sidekick in Stephen Lynch’s act. And if that doesn’t help, just watch this video and thank me later:

As a student of the Texas A&M Health Science Center, and in celebration of the Aggies making it to Omaha, today I will write up likely 2012 first-rounder Michael Wacha, the ace of the Aggie staff now that John Stilson is injured.  Also, a good buddy of mine from class is a neighbor of the Wacha family, and they sound like tremendous people.

Wacha is a big righty with great mechanics and an easy-higher ¾ arm slot.  His delivery is clean and repeatable, and he is on top of every pitch with good downward action that generates a lot of grounders, especially for a fastball/changeup guy.  His fastball, which can reach the mid-90s but typically sits a few mph’s less, is a little on the flat side for a true 60 grading, but the downward action he develops from his delivery allows it to overcome this flatness to an extent.  His changeup is a no-doubt 60 today with great fade and a chance to tick up still.  His breaking ball is less of a finished product and will require some time, but he is athletic enough and repeats a quality delivery well enough that he should develop it into a solid-average 3^rd pitch.  What’s more, his slot likely will allow him to generate enough depth with it to get botch sides of the plate out once he learns the feel of it.

Wacha had dynamite numbers for the Aggies this season with a 2.12 ERA in 18 starts with 118 K’s and only 28 BB’s, beating surefire first-rounder prior to injury Stilson in both regards.  The Big XII had some outstanding squads this season, and those numbers should be taken very seriously.  We at the Sombrero are way in on Wacha and think he will be a very big riser in the next year possibly challenging to be the first arm off the board out of the Big XII.

With a third of the MLB season in the books, and some of the baseball’s best prospects now suiting up for their respective big league squads, it’s time to reflect on the performances of our Top 50 Prospects.  Today we look take an expanded look at 9-1, which includes: Brandon Belt, Jarrod Parker, Jesus Montero, Eric Hosmer, Domonic Brown, Jeremy Hellickson, Dustin Ackley, Mike Trout and, of course, Bryce Harper.

9. Brandon Belt, 1B, San Francisco Giants

Triple-A: .337/.470/.525, 7 2B, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 27 BB, 31 K

MLB: .211/.328/.281, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 SB, 9 BB, 15 K

8. Jarrod Parker, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Double-A: 5-5, 4.95 ERA, 56.1 IP, 27 BB, 52 K, 1.385 WHIP, 0.2 HR/9

7. Jesus Montero, C, New York Yankees

Triple-A: .292/.338/.421, 10 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 13 BB, 50 K

6. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Kansas City Royals

Triple-A: .439/.525/.582, 5 2B, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 3 SB, 19 BB, 16 K

MLB: .288/.341/.442, 7 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 2 SB, 12 BB, 29 K

5. Domonic Brown, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

High-A: .368/.429/.737, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K

Triple-A: .341/.431/.537, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 7 BB, 9 K

MLB: .228/.311/.443, 5 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 2 SB, 10 BB, 11 K

4. Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

MLB: 7-5, 3.09 ERA, 84.1 IP, 33 BB, 54 K, 1.138 WHIP

3. Dustin Ackley, 2B, Seattle Mariners

Triple-A: .303/.421/.487, 17 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 7 SB, 55 BB, 38 K

*Set to make MLB debut on Friday night against the Phillies

2. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

Double-A: .329/.431/.559, 9 2B, 8 3B, 8 HR, 22 RBI, 23 SB, 33 BB, 44 K

1. Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals

Class-A: .326/.421/.585, 14 2B, 3B, 14 HR, 45 RBI, 12 SB, 35 BB, 55 K

It’s another special Friday here at The Golden Sombrero.  One week ago marked the MLB debut of Royals prospect Mike Moustakas, and we celebrated it in style with some videos of Moose backed by the musical stylings of the Tri-Lams.

This week we are once again excited to bring you another big league debut, this time by the Mariners’ Dustin Ackley.  Ranked as the Sombrero’s No. 3 prospect in all of baseball headed into the 2011 season, Ackley is hitting .303/.487/.908 with 17 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 35 RBI at Triple-A Tacoma.  More importantly, he’s demonstrating a ridiculous eye at the plate, drawing 55 walks and fanning only 38 times.

So to commemorate the arrival of Dustin Ackley, here a few videos to hold you over until 9:10 pm cst when the Mariners host the Philadelphia Phillies.

Happy Dustin Ackley Day

And some random tunes: