Aflac Preview: East And West Rosters
| August 10, 2006 |
| EAST |
 10 • Steven Brooks • OFSeton Hall Prep, West Orange, N.J. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-0 Weight: 175 There might not be a faster player than Brooks in attendance at this year's Aflac All-American game. He's turned in 60-yard-dash times near 6.4 seconds. His speed serves him well on the basepaths, as well as in center field. |
 22 • Madison Bumgarner • LHPSouth Caldwell HS, Hudson, N.C. Bats: R Throws: L Height: 6-5 Weight: 220 Bumgarner has a strong, sturdy frame and an effortless delivery. He has some feel for pitching, with an ability to throw all three of his pitches for strikes in any count. Bumgarner's fastball has been clocked as high as 95 mph. |
 25 • Michael Burgess • OFHillsborough HS, Tampa Bats: L Throws: L Height: 5-11 Weight: 190 The lean, athletic and strong Burgess has blasted home run after home run on his way to elite prospect status. He has shown all the signs of blossoming into a power-hitting right fielder with outstanding bat speed. |
 27 • Evan Danieli • RHPSeton Hall Prep, West Orange, N.J. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-8 Weight: 225 Tall, strong and lean, Danieli has a prototypical pitcher's body and talent to match. His fastball has been clocked in the low 90s, but his bread and butter is a hard, nasty breaking ball which he can throw for strikes or bury in the dirt and make hitters chase it. |
 20 • Kentrail Davis • OFTheodore (Ala.) HS Bats: L Throws: R Height: 5-9 Weight: 195 Like fellow East outfielder Michael Burgess, Davis has a compact, muscular frame and a powerful lefthanded swing. He runs well and plays the game with fervor, aggressiveness and intensity. |
 32 • Derek Dietrich • 3B/2BSaint Ignatius HS, Cleveland Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 A throwback-style player, Dietrich has a good feel for all phases of the game. He has good hands and a strong arm in the field, and a quick lefthanded swing at the plate that yields above-average raw power. |
 14 • Yasmani Grandal • CMiami Springs (Fla.) HS Bats: B Throws: R Height: 6-2 Weight: 205 Entering the summer, there was not a consensus top catcher in the prep Class of 2007, but Grandal was making a name for himself entering the Aflac game because of his ability at the plate and behind it. |
 30 • Matt Harvey • RHPFitch HS, Groton, Conn. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-4 Weight: 190 Harvey has a loose, fluid delivery that he repeats well, enabling him to pound the strike zone with three plus pitches. His fastball sits between 90-92 mph, and he complements it with one of the best breaking balls among the high school Class of 2007. |
 24 • Jason Heyward • OF/1BHenry County HS, McDonough, Ga. Bats: L Throws: L Height: 6-3 • Weight: 215 Heyward possesses intriguing raw power from a tall, strong and proportionate frame. He has drawn comparisons to former major leaguer Fred McGriff for his powerful lefthanded swing. |
 2 • Justin Jackson • SSRoberson HS, Asheville, N.C. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-2 Weight: 175 The latest in a long line of standouts from Roberson High, Jackson is an outstanding defensive shortstop with good hands, excellent range and a strong arm. His patient, mature approach at the plate rounds out arguably the best total package of any position player in this year's high school class. |
 12 • D.J. LeMahieu • 3B/SSBrother Rice HS, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-4 Weight: 185 As Michigan's lone Aflac representative this year, LeMahieu offers lots of upside as a versatile infielder. He can play all four infield positions, has the arm for third base and the actions and hands to handle shortstop presently. |
 16 • Michael Main • RHPDe Land (Fla.) HS Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-1 Weight: 170 Extremely athletic and talented, Main has all the ingredients of a future major leaguer. He has above-average tools in all five categories, with plus-plus arm strength, savvy and guile that make him the class' top pitching prospect. |
 15 • Hunter Morris • 3B/OFGrissom HS, Huntsville, Ala. Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6-4 Weight: 200 Morris' combination of solid tools and feel for the game makes him one of the best all-around position players in the rising senior high school class. His best tool is his bat, as he shows good plate discipline and a polished approach. |
 21 • Rick Porcello • RHPSeton Hall Prep High School, West Orange, N.J. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-5 Weight: 195 Porcello offers a projectable frame as well as above-average present stuff, and has drawn comparisons to Tigers righthander Justin Verlander. His fastball has been clocked between 91-95 mph with life and action at the plate. |
 26 • Neil Ramirez • RHPKempsville (Va.) High Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-3 Weight: 190 One of a handful of projectable righthanders in this year's class, Ramirez has a loose arm and an effortless delivery. His fastball has been clocked at 94 mph, and he works quickly and efficiently, throwing lots of strikes and commanding his pitches well. |
 5 • Danny Rams • CGulliver Prep, Miami Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-2 Weight: 220 With outstanding size and strength, Rams has plus raw power. His catch-and-throw skills are highlighted by plus arm strength, and he could potentially develop into a reliable receiver. |
 35 • Sam Runion • RHPReynolds HS, Asheville, N.C. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-4 Weight: 220 A big, broad-shouldered righthander, Runion offers a good feel for pitching as well as a hard, heavy fastball that sits near 90 mph with good sinking action. He works both sides pf the plate, can elevate his fastball and pounds the strike zone. |
 17 • Josh Smoker • LHPCalhoun (Ga.) HS Bats: L Throws: L Height: 6-2 Weight: 190 One of the top lefthanded pitching prospects in the Class of 2007, Smoker offers exceptional upside on the mound. His arm works well from a loose and easy delivery that enables him to generate low- to mid-90s fastballs. His slider, split-finger fastball and changeup are also dependable offerings. |
 7 • John Tolisano • SS/2BEstero (Fla.) HS Bats: B Throws: R Height: 6-1 Weight: 180 A year after Florida produced one of the best infielders in the high school Class of 2006 in Aflac All-American Chris Marrero, Tolisano could take over that designation. A switch-hitter, Tolisano is athletic, strong and fluid in all phases of the game. |
| WEST |
 32 • Tim Alderson • RHPHorizon HS, Scottsdale, Ariz. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-7 Weight: 208 There is a lot to like about Alderson. His 6-foot-7 frame allows him to create good downward plane on his fastball, which he throws as hard as the mid-90s. He also has a nasty breaking ball and deft command. |
  15 • Blake Beavan • RHPIrving (Texas) HS Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-6 Weight: 200 Texas baseball lore is rich with high school pitching prospects, and Beavan is one of the up-and-coming Texas hurlers who could follow in the long line of them. He's tall and lean, and works from a three-quarters arm slot that generates good movement on his 90-93 mph fastball. |
 13 • Kyle Blair • RHPLos Gatos (Calif.) HS Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-3 Weight: 200 With a prototypical pitcher's frame, arm strength and a feel for pitching, Blair ranks as one of the country's top pitching prospects in the Class of 2007. His fastball has routinely been clocked at 90 mph and better, and he features a breaking ball near 80 mph with sharp, late break. |
 22 • Drake Britton • LHPTomball (Texas) HS Bats: L Throws: L Height: 6-2 Weight: 200 Britton fills the profile of a young lefthander who is already advanced for his age, but has a considerable ceiling with lots of projection in the future, as well. He complements his low-90s fastball with a filthy breaking ball. |
 4 • Christian Colon • SSCanyon HS, Anaheim Bats: B Throws: R Height: 5-11 Weight: 175 A Puerto Rico native, Colon has a good blend of defensive skill and offensive upside. He has above-average range, good hands and a strong arm at shortstop. He runs well, has good bat control and makes consistent sharp contact at the plate. |
 12 • Paul Demny • RHPEast Bernard (Texas) HS Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-2 Weight: 200 Blake Beavan, Drake Britton and Demny represent this year's top Texas pitching prospects. Demny has dialed his fastball up to 94 mph. He pitches aggressively and his fastball has late life. |
 8 • Freddie Freeman • 1B/RHPEl Modena High School, Orange, Calif. Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6-4 • Weight: 200 With a lively fastball and plus raw power, Freeman is one of the country's most intriguing players, possessing upside as a pitcher and a hitter. He was used primarily as a position player as a junior in high school and his power and hit tools profile in the middle of the lineup. |
 25 • Jon Gilmore • SS/RHPIowa City (Iowa) HS Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-3 Weight: 190 Gilmore has above-average tools on both sides of the game. His arm strength serves him well on the mound and in the field. He's got steady hands and good instincts defensively. He has a short, balanced swing at the plate with potential to hit for a high average as a professional. |
 33 • Erik Goeddel • RHPBellarmine Prep, San Jose, Calif. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-1 Weight: 175 Goeddel has a lean, projectable frame, above-average arm strength and a knack for performing well on the biggest of stages. He also shows an advanced feel for pitching uncommon among players his age. |
 11 • Kevin Keyes • OFConnally HS, Austin, Texas Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-3 Weight: 205 Keyes hails from the same high school as 2003 Aflac All-American Greg Golson, who went on to be drafted in the first round by the Phillies in 2004, and his game isn't unlike Golson's. He's a good athlete with a plus arm and power potential. |
 10 • Brett Krill • OFAliso Niguel HS, Aliso Viejo, Calif. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-4 Weight: 200 Krill's plus power potential is his greatest asset. He has a quick swing that enables him to launch balls with loft and carry out to all parts of the park. |
 26 • Joe Leftridge • OFDuncanville (Texas) HS Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-0 Weight: 170 Leftridge is among the top athletes on this year's Aflac rosters. He has game-changing speed and profiles as a top-of-the-order catalyst with potential for power, as well. His arm is accurate and he tracks balls with aplomb in center field. |
 20 • Nick Noonan • SSFrancis Parker HS, San Diego Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6-1 Weight: 170 Noonan offers a promising package of baseball instincts, speed and hitting ability. With a quick, balanced and short swing, he generates good bat speed and makes consistent hard contact. |
 18 • Greg Peavey • RHPHudson's Bay HS, Vancouver, Wash. Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-2 Weight: 185 Peavey attacks hitters with a power repertoire. His fastball sits near 94 mph and his 79-82 mph slider has hard, late snap. He has a quick arm, repeatable delivery and outstanding mound presence. |
 23 • Tanner Robles • LHPCottonwood HS, Salt Lake City Bats: L Throws: L Height: 6-4 Weight: 190 This year's Aflac teams feature four precocious lefthanders, and Robles possesses an intriguing blend of deception and power stuff. His low-90s fastball has late life and sink, and hitters struggle to pick it up because of his delivery. |
 5 • Cameron Rupp • CPrestonwood Christian Academy, Plano, Texas Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-2 Weight: 220 Big, strong and physical, Rupp's appearance alone can be intimidating to opposing pitchers. He has a powerful righthanded swing and can drive balls out of the park to all fields. |
 21 • Robert Stock • C/RHPAgoura (Calif.) High School Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6-0 Weight: 185 Stock's selection to the 2006 Aflac Classic was the latest in a long line of honors and accomplishments he's garnered. A powerful hitter and pitcher, he features arm strength unrivaled among high school players. |
 6 • Sequoyah Stonecipher • OFMission Bay High School, San Diego Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 Stonecipher is the latest in a long line of prominent prospects from San Diego's Mission Bay High. He has a quick bat and an aggressive, all-out approach. |
 9 • Josh Vitters • 3BCypress (Calif.) HS Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-2 Weight: 185 With a compact swing, strong arm and lean, strong body, Vitters is one of the nation's top hitting prospects in the Class of 2007. He has a sound approach at the plate, outstanding bat speed, impressive present power and all the tools that suggest improvement as he matures. |