With the 2007 MLB Draft a thing of the past, and the majority of prospects signed to their first professional contracts, now is the time to take note of who has excelled in the early stages of their respective careers. The criterion is simple: prospects must have signed and made their pro baseball debuts, and have made an intriguing first impression.
Starting with the third round last week, and advancing to the first round in following weeks, Project Prospect will show you which prospects have already excelled in their young careers in professional baseball.
Editor's note: Here's a link to Adam's previous column...Third Round.
Second Rounders:
Jordan Zimmerman, RHP, Washington Nationals (No. 67)
Playing collegiate baseball at the Division III level and still hearing his name called near the top of the second round, you know that Jordan Zimmerman has a few things going right for him. A 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, Zimmerman holds a strong fastball-slider combo, and is developing a secondary changeup-curveball arsenal as well. While the stuff elements are there (allowed just 10 hits in first 15.2 pro innings), the Wisconsin-Stevens Point product will need to put a better harness on his control (eight walks in same timeframe) to continue at this pace.
Scott Moviel, RHP, New York Mets (No. 77)
In the eyes of the scouting world, a 6-foot-11, 245-pound beast of a pitcher seems to be a lock for this list regardless of his statistics. Pair his physical prowess with a fast start in the minor leagues and Scott Moviel is living up to his frame. A product of St. Edwards (Ohio) H.S., Moviel has struck out 17 while walking six in his first 21 innings in the Gulf Coast League. With a good fastball-curveball combo working for him, Moviel’s ability and size make him an intriguing prospect to follow.
Matt West, SS, Texas Rangers (No. 80)
A shortstop sporting a .340/.444/.453 vital line (53 at-bats) straight out of high school is definitely grounds to make a lasting first impression. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder is a solid hitter, but questions remain as to where the Bellaire (Tex.) H.S. product will land defensively. Third base appears to be one destination, according to MLB.com, but West has the athleticism to at least garner a chance to stick at short.
Josh Horton, SS, Oakland Athletics (No. 90)
Hailing from Chapel Hill, N.C. and arriving on the national scene as a University of North Carolina standout, Josh Horton is adjusting to his new surroundings quite well. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 195 pounds, Horton has gone .282/.440/.410 in the Northwest League to start his professional career. For his combination of skills and advanced approach at the dish (47:24 BB to K in 2007 at UNC), Horton has the potential to dart through the minors rather quickly.
Daniel Rams, C, Minnesota Twins (No. 92)
Starting your career off to the tune of a .478/.520/.609 line will nab its fair share of attention; and while it is just a 23 at-bat sample, doing so behind the plate can steal the spotlight outright. A 6-foot-2, 226-pounder, Rams carries a howitzer behind the dish and has an extreme amount of raw power, according to Baseball America. The only question regarding Rams is whether his bulky frame will allow him to remain at catcher throughout the course of his potential big league career.
Brant Rustich, RHP, New York Mets (No. 93)
World of potential? Yes. Control? No, not at all. Brant Rustich is off to an excellent start in his first six innings of work as a pro, allowing no runs and just three hits while striking out seven. Serving as the closer of the UCLA Bruins, however, the 6-foot-6, 225-pounder posted a 6.67 ERA, allowing 51 base runners in 29.2 frames of work. Rustich features three true power pitches – fastball, slider, splitter – and if performs as he has in his brief pro career thus far, the Mets may have found a gem at the end of round two.
Have questions about this year’s crop of second rounders? Too excited to wait until next week for the sandwich round? Adam Loberstein can be reached at aloberstein@projectprospect.com.