Panzram
05-24-2004, 07:11 PM
Top draft prospects: Collegians head the class
By Kevin Wheeler - SportingNews
College players are the class of this year's amateur draft, which will be June 7-8. Among the players with the most ability, there is only one high schooler:
1. JERED WEAVER, RHP, Long Beach State
Weaver is 6-7 and appears to be on the fast track to the majors the same way his brother, Dodgers starter Jeff Weaver, was when he came out of college. Jered Weaver doesn't have the best arm or the nastiest stuff in the draft, but has tons of experience and outstanding command. In his first 16 games this season as a junior, Weaver was 14-0 with a 1.25 ERA. He had a 182 strikeouts and 14 walks, and opponents batted .151 against him. Last summer, pitching for Team USA, Weaver had a stretch of 45 2⁄3 consecutive scoreless innings.
It would be a big surprise if the Padres passed on Weaver with the first overall pick. He'll be 22 in October and should be major league-ready before he turns 23. San Diego should be able to meet his bonus demands thanks to the revenue streams being generated by new Petco Park. Weaver isn't a lock to go No. 1, but he is the overwhelming favorite for that spot.
2. JUSTIN VERLANDER, RHP, Old Dominion
Verlander might have the best arm in the draft, but he's slightly farther from the big leagues than Weaver. Verlander, a junior, has been inconsistent this season, going 7-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 98 2⁄3 innings. More impressive are his 145 strikeouts, which give him three consecutive seasons with more than 130. Verlander could go to the Tigers at No. 2.
3. B.J. SZYMANSKI, OF, Princeton
A 6-5, 205-pound junior, Szymanski also plays wide receiver for the Tigers' football team. His baseball potential seems unlimited; he has power and can run. His 2004 numbers don't jump off the page (.378, six homers, 48 RBIs in 164 at-bats), but he did play much of the spring in the cold Northeast. Once Szymanski concentrates solely on baseball, he'll take off.
4. JEFF NIEMANN, RHP, Rice
Niemann, a 6-9, 260-pound junior, throws in the mid-90s but has missed time with a groin injury this season, which may lower his draft stock. Still, he entered the week with a 5-2 record and a 2.58 ERA. Fellow Owls pitchers Philip Humber and Wade Townsend also figure to be first-rounders, but Niemann's size gives him the edge to be the first of the three drafted.
5. STEPHEN DREW, SS, Florida State. Baseball talent runs in his family; older brothers J.D. and Tim have made the majors, and Stephen is headed there, too. Like J.D., he should advance quickly once he signs. Stephen, a junior, probably is the best all-around offensive threat in the draft, but he may slip because some see too much of J.D. in him when it comes to durability and overall approach to the game.
6. HOMER BAILEY, RHP, LaGrange (Texas) H.S.
Being the only high schooler on this list reflects positively on Bailey, especially in a draft that will emphasize collegians. Drafting high school pitchers tends to be risky business, but hard-throwing Texans such as Kerry Wood and Josh Beckett have succeeded in recent years. As for Bailey, he has a great arm, a good breaking pitch and the ability to throw strikes.
7. JOSH FIELDS, 3B, Oklahoma State
Like Szymanski, Fields is a two-sport athlete whose future is in baseball -- not football. Playing quarterback at OSU probably has stunted Fields' baseball growth, but he has all the tools to succeed. A 6-2, 210-pound junior, he has a great arm and good athletic ability. He is expected to develop home run power and is one of the best raw talents in the draft.
By Kevin Wheeler - SportingNews
College players are the class of this year's amateur draft, which will be June 7-8. Among the players with the most ability, there is only one high schooler:
1. JERED WEAVER, RHP, Long Beach State
Weaver is 6-7 and appears to be on the fast track to the majors the same way his brother, Dodgers starter Jeff Weaver, was when he came out of college. Jered Weaver doesn't have the best arm or the nastiest stuff in the draft, but has tons of experience and outstanding command. In his first 16 games this season as a junior, Weaver was 14-0 with a 1.25 ERA. He had a 182 strikeouts and 14 walks, and opponents batted .151 against him. Last summer, pitching for Team USA, Weaver had a stretch of 45 2⁄3 consecutive scoreless innings.
It would be a big surprise if the Padres passed on Weaver with the first overall pick. He'll be 22 in October and should be major league-ready before he turns 23. San Diego should be able to meet his bonus demands thanks to the revenue streams being generated by new Petco Park. Weaver isn't a lock to go No. 1, but he is the overwhelming favorite for that spot.
2. JUSTIN VERLANDER, RHP, Old Dominion
Verlander might have the best arm in the draft, but he's slightly farther from the big leagues than Weaver. Verlander, a junior, has been inconsistent this season, going 7-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 98 2⁄3 innings. More impressive are his 145 strikeouts, which give him three consecutive seasons with more than 130. Verlander could go to the Tigers at No. 2.
3. B.J. SZYMANSKI, OF, Princeton
A 6-5, 205-pound junior, Szymanski also plays wide receiver for the Tigers' football team. His baseball potential seems unlimited; he has power and can run. His 2004 numbers don't jump off the page (.378, six homers, 48 RBIs in 164 at-bats), but he did play much of the spring in the cold Northeast. Once Szymanski concentrates solely on baseball, he'll take off.
4. JEFF NIEMANN, RHP, Rice
Niemann, a 6-9, 260-pound junior, throws in the mid-90s but has missed time with a groin injury this season, which may lower his draft stock. Still, he entered the week with a 5-2 record and a 2.58 ERA. Fellow Owls pitchers Philip Humber and Wade Townsend also figure to be first-rounders, but Niemann's size gives him the edge to be the first of the three drafted.
5. STEPHEN DREW, SS, Florida State. Baseball talent runs in his family; older brothers J.D. and Tim have made the majors, and Stephen is headed there, too. Like J.D., he should advance quickly once he signs. Stephen, a junior, probably is the best all-around offensive threat in the draft, but he may slip because some see too much of J.D. in him when it comes to durability and overall approach to the game.
6. HOMER BAILEY, RHP, LaGrange (Texas) H.S.
Being the only high schooler on this list reflects positively on Bailey, especially in a draft that will emphasize collegians. Drafting high school pitchers tends to be risky business, but hard-throwing Texans such as Kerry Wood and Josh Beckett have succeeded in recent years. As for Bailey, he has a great arm, a good breaking pitch and the ability to throw strikes.
7. JOSH FIELDS, 3B, Oklahoma State
Like Szymanski, Fields is a two-sport athlete whose future is in baseball -- not football. Playing quarterback at OSU probably has stunted Fields' baseball growth, but he has all the tools to succeed. A 6-2, 210-pound junior, he has a great arm and good athletic ability. He is expected to develop home run power and is one of the best raw talents in the draft.