Dodgers pick
44. Chris Withrow, rhp
School: Midland (Texas) Christian HS. Class: Sr.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 195. Birthdate: 4/1/89.
Scouting Report: Withrow first boosted his stock last summer at the Texas Scout Association showcase, and he has continued to rise up draft boards this spring. He has a projectable 6-foot-3, 195-pound body and plenty of present velocity. He was reaching 93-94 mph as the draft approached and consistently pitching at 88-92 mph. He has a clean delivery, no surprise for someone whose father Mike pitched at Texas and reached Double-A in the White Sox system. Mike is also his pitching coach at Midland Christian High. Withrow doesn't always finish his curveball, but it's a promising pitch with bite and has improved this spring. He should get drafted high enough to pass up the opportunity to attend Baylor, but if he does go to college he'll be a two-way player. He has some hitting ability and the athleticism to play an outfield corner.
W L ERA G SV IP H BB SO
8 1 1.32 13 3 58 40 8 90
2007 Draft
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jdk82
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Blue Jays select
57. J.P. Arencibia, c/1b
School: Tennessee. Class: Jr.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 195. Birthdate: 1/5/86.
Scouting Report: Shortly after Julio Borbon broke his ankle in the preseason, Tennessee's next best hitter, Arencibia, pulled a muscle in his back and was forced out of the lineup until mid-March. He ranked with Borbon among USA Baseball's college national team's top prospects last summer after leading the team with nine home runs in 121 at-bats. Power has long been his calling card. The Miami native tied Alex Rodriguez' Westminster Christian High career record for home runs with 17 and was drafted by the Mariners in the 17th round in 2004. A potential first-rounder entering the season, Arencibia struggled offensively and behind the plate upon returning to the lineup. He's an aggressive hitter with plus power to all fields. His swing gets long and he tends to have too much of an uppercut stroke. The verdict is out on whether he'll stay behind the plate as a pro. His receiving skills are rudimentary at best, and his footwork prevents him from getting off better throws despite solid-average to plus arm strength. His stock has slipped, but he won't make it out of the second round.
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
.309 162 38 50 13 1 6 35 1
57. J.P. Arencibia, c/1b
School: Tennessee. Class: Jr.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 195. Birthdate: 1/5/86.
Scouting Report: Shortly after Julio Borbon broke his ankle in the preseason, Tennessee's next best hitter, Arencibia, pulled a muscle in his back and was forced out of the lineup until mid-March. He ranked with Borbon among USA Baseball's college national team's top prospects last summer after leading the team with nine home runs in 121 at-bats. Power has long been his calling card. The Miami native tied Alex Rodriguez' Westminster Christian High career record for home runs with 17 and was drafted by the Mariners in the 17th round in 2004. A potential first-rounder entering the season, Arencibia struggled offensively and behind the plate upon returning to the lineup. He's an aggressive hitter with plus power to all fields. His swing gets long and he tends to have too much of an uppercut stroke. The verdict is out on whether he'll stay behind the plate as a pro. His receiving skills are rudimentary at best, and his footwork prevents him from getting off better throws despite solid-average to plus arm strength. His stock has slipped, but he won't make it out of the second round.
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
.309 162 38 50 13 1 6 35 1
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jdk82
- All-Star
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Giants select
33. Tim Alderson, rhp
School: Horizon HS, Scottsdale, Ariz. Class: Sr.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-7. Wt.: 208. Birthdate: 11/3/88.
Scouting Report: Alderson has had a high profile for awhile, and he has handled pressure well throughout his career. He was on the mound when USA Baseball's junior national team lost to Korea in the gold-medal game of the World Junior Championship last September, but he thrived with the team, striking out 12 in eight innings without allowing an earned run. In mid-May, he threw a complete game to help Horizon High win the Arizona 5-A championship, as he allowed 13 hits in a 9-6 victory but still struck out 13. (It was the second state-title victory of his career, as he also went five innings for a victory as a sophomore.) Pitching exclusively out of the stretch, Alderson repeats his mechanics, and they allow him to fill up the strike zone, to the tune of a 34-inning streak without a walk this season. It's unheard-of command for a 6-foot-7 prep pitcher. In one May start, he threw 61 strikes out of 72 pitches. However, Alderson goes full tilt on pretty much every pitch, lands hard on his front leg and gets little extension in his delivery. Scouts are split on his future role, but most consider him a reliever even though he already has two plus pitches and throws both for strikes in routine fashion. Most contend he would not hold up physically or mechanically as a starter over 200 innings, yet his stuff is so good at present--90-92 mph fastball that touches 94, 78-80 mph curveball and the makings of an average changeup--that they hesitate to recommend changing what makes him so attractive now. His stuff and track record say "first-round pick" but the projected future role--Like college closers? Try drafting a high school closer--likely knocks him out of the first round.
W L ERA G SV IP H BB SO
11 0 0.64 13 2 65 34 4 111
33. Tim Alderson, rhp
School: Horizon HS, Scottsdale, Ariz. Class: Sr.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-7. Wt.: 208. Birthdate: 11/3/88.
Scouting Report: Alderson has had a high profile for awhile, and he has handled pressure well throughout his career. He was on the mound when USA Baseball's junior national team lost to Korea in the gold-medal game of the World Junior Championship last September, but he thrived with the team, striking out 12 in eight innings without allowing an earned run. In mid-May, he threw a complete game to help Horizon High win the Arizona 5-A championship, as he allowed 13 hits in a 9-6 victory but still struck out 13. (It was the second state-title victory of his career, as he also went five innings for a victory as a sophomore.) Pitching exclusively out of the stretch, Alderson repeats his mechanics, and they allow him to fill up the strike zone, to the tune of a 34-inning streak without a walk this season. It's unheard-of command for a 6-foot-7 prep pitcher. In one May start, he threw 61 strikes out of 72 pitches. However, Alderson goes full tilt on pretty much every pitch, lands hard on his front leg and gets little extension in his delivery. Scouts are split on his future role, but most consider him a reliever even though he already has two plus pitches and throws both for strikes in routine fashion. Most contend he would not hold up physically or mechanically as a starter over 200 innings, yet his stuff is so good at present--90-92 mph fastball that touches 94, 78-80 mph curveball and the makings of an average changeup--that they hesitate to recommend changing what makes him so attractive now. His stuff and track record say "first-round pick" but the projected future role--Like college closers? Try drafting a high school closer--likely knocks him out of the first round.
W L ERA G SV IP H BB SO
11 0 0.64 13 2 65 34 4 111
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G. Keenan
- Sucking on the Rally Nipple
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jdk82
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Padres select
26. Nick Schmidt, lhp
School: Arkansas. Class: Jr.
B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 230. Birthdate: 10/10/85.
Scouting Report: Schmidt was a second-team Preseason All-American, but he has since bypassed such pitchers as Jake Arrieta and Wes Roemer who rated ahead of him. He doesn't have wow stuff, but he's a big, durable lefthander who has been a No. 1 starter in the rugged Southeastern Conference since he was a freshman. His stock took a mild hit last summer, when his stuff was down a notch with Team USA. That was mostly the result of being tired after working 117 innings as a sophomore at Arkansas, but it didn't stop Schmidt from winning the championship game at the World University Games in Cuba--a tribute to his competitive nature. He was a workhorse again this spring, exceeding 100 innings before the end of the regular season. Schmidt pitches off an 88-92 mph fastball and backs it up with a solid changeup and curveball. While he doesn't have a swing-and-miss pitch, he does a fine job of using his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame to drive his pitches down in the strike zone. He won't be a No. 1 starter but should become a good No. 3 for the club that gets him toward the end of the first round.
W L ERA G SV IP H BB SO
9 2 2.95 15 0 101 74 43 97
26. Nick Schmidt, lhp
School: Arkansas. Class: Jr.
B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 230. Birthdate: 10/10/85.
Scouting Report: Schmidt was a second-team Preseason All-American, but he has since bypassed such pitchers as Jake Arrieta and Wes Roemer who rated ahead of him. He doesn't have wow stuff, but he's a big, durable lefthander who has been a No. 1 starter in the rugged Southeastern Conference since he was a freshman. His stock took a mild hit last summer, when his stuff was down a notch with Team USA. That was mostly the result of being tired after working 117 innings as a sophomore at Arkansas, but it didn't stop Schmidt from winning the championship game at the World University Games in Cuba--a tribute to his competitive nature. He was a workhorse again this spring, exceeding 100 innings before the end of the regular season. Schmidt pitches off an 88-92 mph fastball and backs it up with a solid changeup and curveball. While he doesn't have a swing-and-miss pitch, he does a fine job of using his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame to drive his pitches down in the strike zone. He won't be a No. 1 starter but should become a good No. 3 for the club that gets him toward the end of the first round.
W L ERA G SV IP H BB SO
9 2 2.95 15 0 101 74 43 97