Post by The Duke on Apr 10, 2008 10:50:45 GMT -5
Most users on this board would prefer the reds take a pitcher, and these 4 rank as my favorite in the upcoming draft where the Reds pick 7th.
Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky - 6'3" - 210 lbs - 7/8/1987 - R/L
Christian Friedrich Friedrich has been carving up batters since he stepped on Eastern Kentucky’s campus, posting a 10-2 record and a 1.98 ERA during his freshman year. Overall, including his summer performances, he has gone 21-7 with a 2.05 ERA, striking out 307 batters and allowing only 153 hits in over 232 innings of work. He could stand to lower his walk totals (89), but given his dominance that seems like a minor detail. While his curveball is his best pitch, a true downer that disappears from the batter’s eye, he success is predicated from how well he spots his 88-92 fastball that has touched 94 in the past. He also throws a changeup, and has a very smooth delivery and arm action that makes it look as though he’s playing catch. He’s a candidate to soar through the minor leagues upon beginning his professional career.
Tim Melville, RHP, Wentzville Holt HS (MO) - 6'5" - 205 lbs - 10/9/1989 - R/R
Melville is the type of pitcher that makes his craft look so incredibly easy, and also makes hit hard to believe that he is a high school senior. His success is predicated off of his fastball, not only how hard he throws it, but how well he spots it. That pitch sits in the low-90s and has touched the 95-96 range on occasion. He has a very good curveball that is a swing and miss pitch when he is ahead of the count, and he also throws a solid changeup to keep hitters off balance. He throws all three pitches for strikes, and commands the strike zone extremely well. With a tall and athletic body, he also stars on the field as a hitter, and profiles in a similar fashion to the Brewers Yovani Gallardo for his combination of stuff, polish and athleticism, and would a better fit in the National League where his bat would surprise some people. He has committed to play for North Carolina, and as tough as it is to pry UNC recruits away from school, he should be drafted high enough where that doesn’t even become an issue.
Brian Matusz, LHP, San Diego - 6'4" - 193 lbs - 2/11/1987 - L/L
Matusz made an immediate impact in college following his high school career, in which many were surprised not to see him go straight into pro ball after a surging senior year. After being drafted by the Angels in the fourth round, he decided to take his prototypical, projectable pitching frame and solid repertoire to the University of San Diego. His fastball sits in the 87-92 range and can touch 94 on occasion. His size and easy arm action allows him to maintain that velocity deep into ballgames, and his natural athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery. He also throws a very good curveball, and his changeup may project as his best pitch. That repertoire makes him extremely difficult to hit (277 strikeouts, 193 hits allowed in 232.1 college innings pitched), and he also exhibits very good control (83 BB) by throwing all three pitches for strikes. He may not profile as a prototypical staff ace given his fastball velocity, but he should still be drafted extremely early next June.
Gerrit Cole, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (CA) - 6'3" - 190 lbs - 9/8/1990 - R/R
Blessed with a lightning quick arm, Cole has the perfect pitcher’s proportions making him one of the most exciting pitching prospects to watch through next spring. His fastball has touched the upper 90s in the past, and easily sits in the low-90s. His heater is especially tough to hit in that it shows very good, natural late life, and his potentially nasty yet currently inconsistent slider gives him a powerful arsenal that should also induce a lot of weak contact on the infield. While he is a very good athlete with a smooth windup and overall delivery, there is some effort to his arm action, as he would do his long-range career a favor by shoring up his mechanics. He has committed to play for UCLA, and could easily be taken among the top three to five picks next June.
I'm not buying the hype behind Crow, Meyer, St. Clair, or Hunt. Friedrich is my guy, and he is the one that can get to the majors the fastest, and will be a nice contrast of devastating offspeed stuff after other teams see Cueto, Volquez, and Bailey. Even not known as a flame thrower, his fastball still sits 90-92 and can touch 94-95.
Melville is still in HS and his command is already better than most colelge pitchers and he already has 3 pitches (fastball, curveball, change) that he can throw for strikes in any count. Command is his forte and he has a low 90's fastball that can touch the mid 90's. His fastball will probably pickup an extra mph or two as he fills out a little getting older.
Matusz is the top ranked lefty in college, but I don't like his stuff as much as Friedrich's. Still he is a good lefty with a changeup that is already a MLB plus pitch. Not overpowering he is ajust a good total package from the let side.
Cole is the dominating power pitcher type. he is just 17 until September, and his fastball is already touching the upper 90's and sitss 92-94 (as a 17 year old!) His slider still needs work on command but the movement project that pitch as a plus plus pitch, and he has a decent changeup as well.
Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky - 6'3" - 210 lbs - 7/8/1987 - R/L
Christian Friedrich Friedrich has been carving up batters since he stepped on Eastern Kentucky’s campus, posting a 10-2 record and a 1.98 ERA during his freshman year. Overall, including his summer performances, he has gone 21-7 with a 2.05 ERA, striking out 307 batters and allowing only 153 hits in over 232 innings of work. He could stand to lower his walk totals (89), but given his dominance that seems like a minor detail. While his curveball is his best pitch, a true downer that disappears from the batter’s eye, he success is predicated from how well he spots his 88-92 fastball that has touched 94 in the past. He also throws a changeup, and has a very smooth delivery and arm action that makes it look as though he’s playing catch. He’s a candidate to soar through the minor leagues upon beginning his professional career.
Tim Melville, RHP, Wentzville Holt HS (MO) - 6'5" - 205 lbs - 10/9/1989 - R/R
Melville is the type of pitcher that makes his craft look so incredibly easy, and also makes hit hard to believe that he is a high school senior. His success is predicated off of his fastball, not only how hard he throws it, but how well he spots it. That pitch sits in the low-90s and has touched the 95-96 range on occasion. He has a very good curveball that is a swing and miss pitch when he is ahead of the count, and he also throws a solid changeup to keep hitters off balance. He throws all three pitches for strikes, and commands the strike zone extremely well. With a tall and athletic body, he also stars on the field as a hitter, and profiles in a similar fashion to the Brewers Yovani Gallardo for his combination of stuff, polish and athleticism, and would a better fit in the National League where his bat would surprise some people. He has committed to play for North Carolina, and as tough as it is to pry UNC recruits away from school, he should be drafted high enough where that doesn’t even become an issue.
Brian Matusz, LHP, San Diego - 6'4" - 193 lbs - 2/11/1987 - L/L
Matusz made an immediate impact in college following his high school career, in which many were surprised not to see him go straight into pro ball after a surging senior year. After being drafted by the Angels in the fourth round, he decided to take his prototypical, projectable pitching frame and solid repertoire to the University of San Diego. His fastball sits in the 87-92 range and can touch 94 on occasion. His size and easy arm action allows him to maintain that velocity deep into ballgames, and his natural athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery. He also throws a very good curveball, and his changeup may project as his best pitch. That repertoire makes him extremely difficult to hit (277 strikeouts, 193 hits allowed in 232.1 college innings pitched), and he also exhibits very good control (83 BB) by throwing all three pitches for strikes. He may not profile as a prototypical staff ace given his fastball velocity, but he should still be drafted extremely early next June.
Gerrit Cole, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (CA) - 6'3" - 190 lbs - 9/8/1990 - R/R
Blessed with a lightning quick arm, Cole has the perfect pitcher’s proportions making him one of the most exciting pitching prospects to watch through next spring. His fastball has touched the upper 90s in the past, and easily sits in the low-90s. His heater is especially tough to hit in that it shows very good, natural late life, and his potentially nasty yet currently inconsistent slider gives him a powerful arsenal that should also induce a lot of weak contact on the infield. While he is a very good athlete with a smooth windup and overall delivery, there is some effort to his arm action, as he would do his long-range career a favor by shoring up his mechanics. He has committed to play for UCLA, and could easily be taken among the top three to five picks next June.
I'm not buying the hype behind Crow, Meyer, St. Clair, or Hunt. Friedrich is my guy, and he is the one that can get to the majors the fastest, and will be a nice contrast of devastating offspeed stuff after other teams see Cueto, Volquez, and Bailey. Even not known as a flame thrower, his fastball still sits 90-92 and can touch 94-95.
Melville is still in HS and his command is already better than most colelge pitchers and he already has 3 pitches (fastball, curveball, change) that he can throw for strikes in any count. Command is his forte and he has a low 90's fastball that can touch the mid 90's. His fastball will probably pickup an extra mph or two as he fills out a little getting older.
Matusz is the top ranked lefty in college, but I don't like his stuff as much as Friedrich's. Still he is a good lefty with a changeup that is already a MLB plus pitch. Not overpowering he is ajust a good total package from the let side.
Cole is the dominating power pitcher type. he is just 17 until September, and his fastball is already touching the upper 90's and sitss 92-94 (as a 17 year old!) His slider still needs work on command but the movement project that pitch as a plus plus pitch, and he has a decent changeup as well.
