Happy Draft Day everyone! It has taken me 363 days to fully recover from the three days of the 2013 MLB Draft, but after introducing light beer into my diet (yeah right), I am ready to attack this year’s draft like Joey Chestnut in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating competition.

However, before 7pm arrives and Bud Selig strides to the podium in his finest leisure suit, I figured I should do one final mock draft. In this exercise, I have only predicted 20 picks in Round 1, as after that I have not seen all of the players and would be essentially using others’ opinions to make prognostications. With that said, this is the final NatsGM 2014 MLB Mock Draft.

#1 Houston Astros  Brady Aiken  LHP  California HS

Rumors are the Astros are debating between Aiken, NC State lefty Carlos Rodon, and California high school hitter Alex Jackson. While Rodon’s tempting, I think the Astros make Aiken the first left-handed high school pitcher taken 1-1 since Brien Taylor in 1991.

Previous Choice: Carlos Rodon

#2 Miami Marlins  Carlos Rodon  LHP  North Carolina State

The Marlins will choose between Rodon, Jackson, and Texas flamethrower Tyler Kolek, and while the Marlins show an affinity for high school prospects in the draft, I expect the opportunity to pair Rodon with Jose Fernandez later in 2015 will be too tempting to pass on.

Previous Choice: Tyler Kolek

#3 Chicago White Sox  Aaron Nola  RHP  Louisiana State

The White Sox are in a good spot here in the draft, as Kolek and Jackson are still on the board, and have preferred high school picks in recent years. Most project Kolek in this spot, but I think the White Sox will prefer adding a college starter like LSU’s Aaron Nola, who has the highest floor in the draft and could reach the majors in early 2015.

Previous Choice: Brady Aiken

#4 Chicago Cubs  Kyle Freeland  LHP  Evansville

If one of Rodon or Aiken slips to #4, I would expect the Cubs to run to the podium to draft them. However, the Cubs would be in an interesting position, significantly preferring to add a pitcher although the top player available is likely Alex Jackson. If the first three picks go as expected, I predict the Cubs cut a below-slot deal with a collegiate pitcher, with (somewhat) nearby pitcher Kyle Freeland making a logical selection.

Previous Choice: Alex Jackson

#5 Minnesota Twins  Nick Gordon  SS  Florida HS

While I tend to expect “safer” picks from the Twins’ organization in the draft, I think Minnesota would be ecstatic to see Kolek, Jackson, and Nick Gordon still available at #5. I think the Twins take the best middle infielder in this draft over the other two.

Previous Choice: Nick Gordon

#6 Seattle Mariners  Alex Jackson  OF  California HS

I think Seattle runs like Carl Lewis to the podium to select Jackson, perhaps the only true potentially elite bat in this class.

Previous Choice: Aaron Nola

#7 Philadelphia Phillies Tyler Kolek  RHP  Texas HS

Philadelphia tends to go with high-ceiling high school prospects early in the draft, and I expect them to continue this pattern with Kolek still available. If Nick Gordon is available, he would be difficult to pass on, otherwise expect Kolek to Philadelphia.

Previous Choice: Grant Holmes

#8 Colorado Rockies  Michael Conforto  LF  Oregon State

This pick is difficult to project, as their feels to be a drop in talent from the previous 7 selections to this one. Therefore, when in doubt during baseball mock drafts, project college bats, so I will give Colorado the safest bat in the draft class.

Previous Choice: Bradley Zimmer

#9 Toronto Blue Jays  Touki Toussaint  RHP  Florida HS

The rumors are Toronto wants “ceiling” with their two picks in the first round, and there is not a player at this spot with more potential than Toussaint, a still raw, massive righty with the potential for three better than average pitches.

Previous Choice: Jeff Hoffman

#10 New York Mets  Sean Newcomb  LHP  Hartford

Probably my favorite prospect in this year’s draft, the Mets should be fully acquainted with the Hartford prospect Newcomb, who has three average or better pitches including the easiest 93mph fastball you will ever see.

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#11 Toronto Blue Jays  Jeff Hoffman  RHP  East Carolina

A strong contender to be selected 1-1, Hoffman recently underwent Tommy John surgery which should drop him down draft boards but also makes him an electric pitcher with little bargaining leverage. In keeping with the theme “ceiling”, Hoffman has the best potential left in this draft crop.

Previous Choice: Michael Conforto

#12 Milwaukee Brewers  Brandon Finnegan  LHP  Texas Christian

A difficult player to project due to his recent shoulder issues, on talent alone Finnegan deserves to be picked inside the top-10 picks. While he could slide later than #12, Finnegan would be a terrific addition to the mediocre Brewers farm system.

Previous Choice: Tyler Beede

#13 San Diego Padres  Bradley Zimmer  OF  San Francisco

This fit just feels like Beer and Chicken Wings, a perfect match. The Padres are always looking for outfield bats, who are also athletic enough to cover the monsterous outfield at Petco Park and Zimmer is that guy.

Previous Choice: Trea Turner

#14 San Francisco Giants  Trea Turner  SS  North Carolina State

San Francisco has long searched for a long-term solution at shortstop, and Turner could provide the answer to that revolving door.

Previous Choice: Kyle Freeland

#15 Los Angeles Angels  Max Pentecost C Kennesaw State

Pentecost is the most complete catching prospect available this year and could provide a long-term solution to the Angels at catcher, perhaps as soon as 2016.

Previous Choice: Max Pentecost

#16 Arizona Diamondbacks  Tyler Beede  RHP  Vanderbilt

Arizona is one of the most difficult teams to prognosticate about in the draft but the inconsistent, but talented Beede seems like a reasonable fit here at pick #16.

Previous Choice: Touki Toussaint

#17 Kansas City Royals  Forest Wall  2B  Florida HS

Maybe the fastest rising prospect in this year’s draft, Wall was seen as a supplemental first round pick a few weeks ago, and now pick #17 feels too low on this athletic hitter. However, a pure second base prospect rarely goes particularly high in Round 1, so I will put Wall here at #17.

Previous Choice: Brandon Finnegan

#18 WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Erick Fedde  RHP  UNLV

A few weeks ago Fedde was a lock for the top-10, maybe even the top-5, but after undergoing Tommy John surgery recently, Fedde will slide down draft boards this spring. Nevertheless, the Nationals have shown a willingness to gamble on talented, but injured pitchers, along with Scott Boras clients, making Fedde a strong possibility at #18.

Previous Choice: Erick Fedde

#19 Cincinnati Reds   Kyle Schwarber  1B/LF  Indiana

A quality athlete with a polished left-handed swing and noticeable bat speed, Schwarber is arguably the best collegiate hitter available and could develop into a dangerous corner outfielder in a few seasons. His left-handed swing could be dangerous playing his home games in Cincinnati.

Previous Choice: Kyle Schwarber

#20 Tampa Bay Rays   Sean Reid-Foley  RHP Florida HS

A terrific high school pitcher who has been slightly overlooked in this deep high school class, Reid-Foley pitches in Tampa’s backyard (somewhat) in Jacksonville, and would be a terrific addition to the thinning Rays’ minor league system.
Previous Choice: Sean Reid-Foley

* Please join me tonight at 7pm, along with all day Friday and Saturday, as I Live Blog all 40 Rounds of the 2014 MLB Draft.

Only one more painstakingly long day until Bud Selig will approach the podium and commence the 2014 MLB Draft. Yesterday we examined the strength of the draft, specifically the pitching crop and highlighted several of the top pitchers available. Today we will now turn our attention to the best hitters this year has to offer.

Due in large part to the nearly unlimited signing bonuses given to prospects three years ago prior to the adjustments in draft spending, the pool of hitting prospects again feels relatively light, with a notable dearth of elite bats. Nevertheless, there are quality bats with potential to blossom on the collegiate side, and there are plenty of high school athletes one can dream of one day developing into a dangerous major league hitter. This is an introduction to several of the top hitters available in the 2014 draft, each of whom is expected to be selected during the 1st round on Thursday.

Alex Jackson  C/OF  California High School

7-Word Scouting Report: Potentially Elite Hitter, Strong Arm, Likely Right-Fielder
Perhaps the only hitter in this draft class with the ceiling to be a true impact, difference-making middle-of-the-order hitter, Jackson has easily noticeable bat speed and man-strength in his well-built frame. A few scouts question his hitting ability, but the general consensus is Jackson will hit for power and plenty of it.

Defensively, he has good athleticism, reasonable speed, and a very strong arm, making him likely to shift from behind the plate to right field, where he easily profiles as an above-average outfielder. The team that drafts him will certainly move him, as they will want to expedite his bat to the major leagues, and he should be drafted inside the top-5.

Nick Gordon  Shortstop  Florida High School

7-Word Scouting Report: Pure Shortstop, Potential Above-Average Hit and Power

The near-consensus top middle infield prospect in this draft, Gordon (son of Tom Gordon, brother of Dee Gordon) has a surprisingly physical body, quality bat-to-balls skills, and more power than one might expect from a middle infielder. He needs refinement with his swing mechanics and to continue to get stronger as he matures, but Gordon has a chance to be an above-average hitter with slightly above-average power from the middle infield.

Gordon has solid speed, an excellent throwing arm, and the athleticism that will allow him to stay at shortstop professionally. While he projects to be a different type player than his brother Dee, Nick has outstanding potential with a ceiling as an All-Star caliber shortstop. Gordon should be selected inside the top-7 picks.

Trea Turner  Shortstop  North Carolina State

7-Word Scouting Report: Elite Speed, Pure Shortstop, Questionable Hit Tool

An obviously toolsy athlete with elite speed, Turner physically looks the part of a top draft prospect, with a solid frame with some projection remaining. Offensively Turner shows a good eye at the plate, with a plan and approach during his at-bats. He shows healthy bat speed and good balance at the plate, although his game will be based upon gap power and utilizing his speed at the top of the lineup.

Defensively Turner is clearly athletic enough to play shortstop in the majors, but does not flash the monster throwing arm expected from that position. Turner has good agility and shows range both left and right, although if it were up to me, I would shift him to center field to take advantage of his outrageous speed. Nevertheless Turner projects as an up-the-middle defender with a reasonable chance to hit atop a lineup at the next level, and the team that believes in his bat will pop him inside the top-15 picks.

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Bradley Zimmer  OF  University of San Francisco

7-Word Scouting Report: Still Raw Potential 5-Tool Prospect, Pure Centerfielder

One of my favorite collegiate players since I watched him as a lanky, athletic freshman outfielder, Zimmer has blossomed into above-average (or better) defensive centerfielder with potential offensively. With notable bat speed from the left side and home run power, Zimmer has the potential to develop into an impressive major league hitter.

Defensively, Zimmer has very good speed and a strong throwing arm, which leads scouts to believe he is a no-doubt major league centerfielder. While Zimmer is far from a finished product, the potential for Zimmer to be an above-average 2-way centerfielder makes him a strong contender to be selected in the first 15 picks overall.

Kyle Schwarber  C/1B/LF  Indiana University

7-Word Scouting Report: Bat-First Prospect, Massive Left-Handed Power, Questionable Defender

A thick, massively built man, Schwarber has one of the sweetest left-handed swings in this draft class and possesses the type of bat speed that could allow him to hit 25+ home runs in the future. Questions exist where Schwarber will play defensively, as he is unlikely to remain a catcher professionally, though with surprisingly speed and athletic ability, he could play a reasonable left field with adequate instruction and refinement. That said, Schwarber is a bat-first prospect and the team that selects him will be convinced his left-handed power will translate against major league pitching.

A.J. Reed  1B/LHP  University of Kentucky

7-Word Scouting Report: Big Power, Strong Arm, Difficult Prospect Profile

Perhaps the leading contender to win the NCAA College Baseball Player of the Year, the impressive 2-way player leads the nation in home runs and has also been a force on the mound. His professional future lies as a first baseman, as scouts are intrigued by his massive power and believe his hit tool could improve as he focuses exclusively on batting.

Reed is not a particularly athletic player and is likely limited to first base defensively, although his strong arm and soft hands should make him a better than average defender. Reed will really have to hit for power to profile as a major league first baseman, but the team that selects him in Round 1 will believe in his bat and will have the option of converting him back to a pitcher if he fails to hit.

Michael Conforto  LF  Oregon State University

7-Word Scouting Report: Polished Hitter, Above-Average Bat Speed, Pure Left-Fielder

A thickly built collegiate hitter, Conforto uses his excellent strength and above-average bat speed to hit for both power and average. He does not possess good speed, and with only average arm strength, Conforto profiles at a bat-first left field prospect whom will need to hit his way to the major leagues. In a draft light on college hitters and players who should move quickly, Conforto has a chance to be selected inside the top-15 picks.

The 2014 MLB Draft commences this week, so like most school children eagerly counting down the days until summer vacation, I am anxiously staring at the clock awaiting Thursday and draft day. The strength of this year’s draft lies in the quality and quantity of both the collegiate and high school pitching crop, with excellent prospects available, along with notable depth. In an effort to familiarize everyone in preparation for the draft, this is a brief introduction to a few of the top pitching prospects available.

Carlos Rodon  LHP  North Carolina State

7-Word Scouting Report: Monster Lefty, Impressive 3-Pitch Mix, Devastating Slider

One of the premier pitching prospects in the past decade, North Carolina State LHP Carlos Rodon, like the rest of his Wolfpack teammates, struggled to live up to his overwhelming expectations heaped upon them prior to the season. Nevertheless, Rodon possesses an outstanding pitcher’s frame, listed at 6-3 230lbs, with some projection left in his lower half and is physically imposing on the mound, with a quiet, confident demeanor and swagger. His delivery, both from the windup and the stretch, is relatively quiet, compact, and relatively square to the plate throughout his motion.

Rodon features a premier 3-pitch mix, throwing a 90-94mph fastball with quality life, an expletive-inducing 86-88mph slider along with a quality, but inconsistent 80-82mph changeup with good arm action. His pure physical size, 92mph fastball, and solid left-handed pitching mechanics make him a quality prospect. But the true difference-maker is his slider, one of the nastiest breaking pitches I have seen in person and certainly the best I have seen at the collegiate level. It is a truly masterful pitch.

On the other hand, Rodon struggled in 2014 with his fastball command and high pitch counts, leading some scouts to slightly sour on him from last season. That said, Rodon is one of the most complete collegiate pitchers I have ever seen, and his talent should not let him slip outside the top-3 picks.

Brady Aiken  LHP  California HS

7-Word Scouting Report: Athletic Lefty, Potentially Plus Fastball Curveball Changeup

Although well-known amongst high school scouts entering the season, Aiken began the season considered a mid-1st round selection and enters draft day as the co-favorite to be selected 1st overall. An athletic left-handed pitcher, Aiken possesses a mid-90s fastball, a plus “hammer” high-70s curveball, a promising changeup that could develop into his 2nd best pitch, along with the occasional slider. With a prototypical pitcher’s frame, excellent athleticism, and 4 potentially average or better pitches, Aiken projects as a good #2 starting pitcher in the future, and will not escape the top-5 picks Thursday evening.

Tyler Kolek  RHP  Texas HS

7-Word Scouting Report: Monster Texan, Elite Fastball That Touches 100mph

One of the top pitching prospects from Texas in recent memory, Kolek is armed with a monster mid-90s fastball that often touches 100mph and a hard-biting, devastating slider. Scouts also note that Kolek throws a reasonable changeup, though there is little need for it against the high school competition he faces. A massive young man, Kolek is still raw and will need development time in the minors to polish his overall game, but his raw fastball velocity will have him selected inside the top-10 picks.

Aaron Nola  RHP  Louisiana State University

7-Word Scouting Report: Polished Righty, Elite Control, Above-Average Fastball Curveball

Serving as LSU’s Friday night Ace in 2014, Nola showed all the qualities and moxie one might expect from a future major league pitcher. Nola features a low-90s fastball that he locates near-flawlessly to both sides of the plate, along with a high-70s curveball with late bite; in addition, Nola showed the occasional high-70s changeup with arm-side fade. Nola has an impressive pitchers physique with thin legs, a high waist, and the frame to add weight as he matures. Nola does not have the cleanest delivery, as he uses an active, drop-and-drive delivery which he repeats quite impressively.

What truly separates Nola is his exceptional ability to repeat his delivery and continually pounding the strike zone with quality strikes. His fastball velocity is not elite, perhaps reaching a maximum 94mph, but his elite control, along with an above-average curveball and repeatable delivery gives Nola the highest prospect floor in this year’s crop. Expect Nola to be selected inside the top-8 picks on Thursday.
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Sean Newcomb  LHP  University of Hartford

7-Word Scouting Report: Big Lefty, Massive Fastball, Promising Off-Speed Pitches

Newcomb possesses a very impressive present 4-pitch repertoire, as he features an easy, 90-94mph fastball, with late life and arm side movement, along with an equally impressive 82-84mph slider with quick biting, downward movement that he buried into righties. In addition, Newcomb throws a firm 82-85mph changeup with some downward movement that induces plenty of whiffs from right-handed batters, along with the occasional 76-78mph curveball with some looping action.

Newcomb is an absolute mountain of a man, an intimidating presence on the mound as he stands about 6-5 230lbs., and is fairly athletic for his size, which allows him to repeat his delivery and field his position reasonably well for a collegiate pitcher. His motion is fairly quiet and compact, and the ball seems to jump out of his hand and onto the batter. Like most college pitchers, Newcomb has his flaws, as he needs to command the strike zone better and continue to develop his off-speed offerings. That said, it is rare to find a left-handed pitcher with a mid-90s fastball, a relatively simple, repeatable delivery, and prototypical physical size for a starting pitcher. Newcomb is probably my favorite player in this year’s draft, and I anticipate him having a long career as a mid-rotation starter.

Jeff Hoffman  RHP  East Carolina University

7-Word Scouting Report: Tommy John Rehabber, Electric Fastball Curveball Combination
After an exceptional 2013 summer in the Cape Cod League, Hoffman entered 2014 as one of the top prospects for the June draft and did little to disappoint this season, overwhelming lineups with a mid-90s fastball, a low-to-mid-90s 2-seam fastball, a devastating late-breaking slider, and the occasional curveball. Hoffman possesses a near ideal pitcher’s frame, listed at 6-4 192lbs, with a wiry body type and plenty of projection remaining in his frame. The word that continually comes to mind in terms of Hoffman is “electric”, as his 4-pitch repertoire especially his above-average or better fastball and slider give him top-of-the-rotation potential.

Unfortunately Hoffman suffered an elbow injury last month and is currently rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery. Because of this there is plenty of risk involving Hoffman as a prospect, but his raw tools are as good as anyone in this draft class. Hoffman is one of the more dynamic pitching prospects in the past few years, and despite his arm injury, should still be drafted inside the top-20 picks overall.

Brandon Finnegan  LHP  Texas Christian

7-Word Scouting Report: Plus Fastball Slider Combo, Pitching Shoulder Concerns
A smallish left-handed pitcher armed with two massive offerings, Finnegan has overwhelmed collegiate hitters this season with a powerful mid-90s fastball with excellent life and a devastating slider he locates for strikes. Also, Finnegan will show a changeup with some arm-side run that will induce whiffs from right-handed batters.

Finnegan’s delivery is fairly polished though involving more effort than one might like, and his command of the strike zone is a bit below-average at this stage in his development. However, his biggest negatives for scouts are his size, as he is listed below 6-0, and injury concerns to his pitching shoulder last month. If a team can overlook his less than prototypical size and believes in his medicals, Finnegan could be selected anywhere between pick #8 and the supplemental 1st round.

Jake Stinnett  RHP  University of Maryland

7-Word Scouting Report: Massive Man, Fresh arm, Above-Average Fastball Slider

Stinnett is a physically intimidating man, listed at 6-4 215lbs, with an aggressive, bulldog-like approach on the mound. In addition Stinnett’s repertoire consists of a 91-94mph fastball with natural sinking action that he commands to both sides of the plate. Furthermore, Stinnett features an above-average 80-82mph slider that he throws for strikes, along with the occasional 81-83mph changeup.

As a senior with a perceived fresh arm due to being a third baseman early in his career, Stinnett will appeal to teams looking for a fast moving pitcher who lacks leverage in contract negotiations and should sign for the slot bonus. Stinnett has two quality pitches in his fastball and slider, solid command of the strike zone, and a changeup that shows potential – this along with excellent size gives him a chance to be a #3 or #4 starting pitcher in the majors. He should be selected sometime on Thursday evening.

The weather locally this weekend was sheer nirvana and like college kids drawn to Natural Light, I was not going to miss the opportunity to drive to Frederick, as the Keys were hosting the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the Hi-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Due to several rainouts, the games this weekend were the first I have attended at Harry Grove Stadium in 2014, easily my favorite local minor league park.

The Wilmington roster may be the most loaded from a prospect perspective in all the minor leagues, so naturally I wanted to get an up-close look at the Blue Rocks. Not to mention my rapidly developing prospect Man-crush on Raul Mondesi would not allow me to avoid Frederick this weekend. These are some of my scouting notes from this weekend’s series.

Raul Mondesi  SS  Wilmington Blue Rocks

Mondesi is everything I dreamed of and more – in the 5th inning Saturday I looked over at a baseball acquaintance of mine and said “I can actually feel myself falling in love with him”. The man nodded approvingly and understandingly.

Mondesi is a lean, wiry, switch-hitting shortstop with athleticism simply dripping off his body. A quick-twitch athlete, Mondesi has easy above-average speed, a cannon-like throwing arm, and is a no doubt shortstop prospect at the big league level. He moves well laterally and projects as an above-average defensive player.

Offensively Mondesi has good bat speed from both sides of the plate, and while he struggled against off-speed offerings, he did seem to have a plan and a solid approach of working the count during his at-bats. Only 18-years-old Mondesi is still growing into his body, though he did flash some legitimate pull power on Saturday evening, launching a ball just foul down the right field line. Mondesi is still raw, and needs considerable development time in the minors, but he should reach the majors near his 21st birthday and has the upside as one of the top shortstops in baseball.

Bubba Starling  CF  Wilmington Blue Rocks

Armed with a name more resembling an adult entertainer than a baseball player, Starling has the apparent tools scouts dream on, with a statue-esque physique, a strong throwing arm, and above-average speed. These skills allow him to project as a prototypical major league centerfielder, which when combined with his home run power explains why he was the #5 selection in the 2011 draft, ahead of Anthony Rendon, Jose Fernandez and Sonny Gray.

Unfortunately as a two-sport star in high school, scouts have long questioned Starling’s ability to make contact, and in my eyewitness observation this weekend, I question if he will hit major league pitching. Starling seemed to struggle to recognize the spin on breaking pitches this weekend, which caused some poor swings on his part. However, the most troubling aspect for me is Starling’s awkward toe-tap during his trigger, which seems to cause him to be off-balance for the entirety of his swing. The bat speed is better than average and his athletic talent is outstanding, so he has the potential to make the necessary adjustments as a hitter.

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Sean Manaea  LHP  Wilmington Blue Rocks

The Wilmington starter Sunday afternoon was often discussed prospect Sean Manaea, a potential #1 overall selection last summer before a subpar junior season and some arm issues caused him to slide down draft boards. A massive left-hander with a relatively quiet, polished delivery, Manaea certainly looks the part of a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher he was drafted as last summer.

In this start Manaea flashed a 90-93mph fastball, touching 94, along with an 88-91mph sinker with some late wiggle and sinking action. In addition, Manaea showed an inconsistent but quality 78-80mph slider which at times resembled a curveball, along with the infrequent 83-85mph changeup. Manaea consistently struggled with his fastball command, often falling behind Keys’ hitters, and could not find the feel for his slider until the 3rd inning. These negatives directly lead to his poor results in this outing, as he pitched only 4 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks against 5 strikeouts.

This start was a tremendous microcosm of Manaea as a prospect, as he has both obvious current strengths and weaknesses. When he locates them in the strike zone, he showed an above-average fastball with late life and a quality 2-seamer that can break bats, along with a put-away slider that can induce strikeouts from lefties and righties. On the other hand, his fastball command (and control) is currently well below-average and he does not have confidence in his changeup, which causes him to struggle against righties.

If Manaea cannot manage to harness his control, and improve his changeup, he looks to be destined to have a career as a late-inning reliever in the majors. However, if the 23-year-old can refine his mechanics and make those improvements, Manaea has a chance to be a quality #3 starter in the major leagues, as soon as late 2015.

Quick Notes:

Wilmington’s starting third baseman, Hunter Dozier, was the Royals 1st round pick last June, and immediately stands out for his imposing physical size. Listed at 6-4 220lbs, he more reasonably resembles an NFL weak-side linebacker than a professional baseball player. However, despite his massive frame, Dozier shows quick instincts in the field and reasonably good speed on the basepaths. These attributes, along with a strong arm, allows him to project as an above-average or better defensive third baseman professionally.

The questions, as per usual, arise with his bat, specifically his ability to make contact, as his apparent above-average or better bat speed and physical strength should allow him to hit for above-average power. Dozier looks like a polished college hitter at the plate, with a good approach of hunting fastballs while recognizing and avoiding off-speed pitches. Dozier needs development time to refine his hitting mechanics, but he is an intriguing prospect with 20-10 potential from third base. I would be surprised if he was not considered a top-50 prospect in baseball at the end of this season.

Saturday’s starter for Wilmington, right-handed pitcher Luis Santos, was impressive through 5 innings before running out of steam in the 6th. Before tiring, Santos overwhelmed the Keys’ lineup with a 90-93mph fastball, an 86-89mph 2-seam fastball with sinking action, a decent 74-77mph curveball, and a quality 82-84mph changeup with excellent deception and sinking depth. Perhaps a long-term reliever due to his size (6-0 180lbs) and the resulting stamina concerns, Santos is a talented arm being overlooked in the talent-rich Royals farm system.

Matt Hobgood entered the game in the 8th inning for the Keys Saturday night in relief, and showed the stuff that got him drafted #5 overall in 2009, dominating Wilmington with a 91-95mph fastball (touching 96mph) and a hard-breaking 84-86mph slider. Hobgood struggled to throw his slider for strikes and tired in his second inning of work, but if the 23-year-old can polish his breaking ball, he stands an excellent chance of developing into a late-inning major league reliever.