2008 College Draft Preview

With college baseball kicking off this past weekend, amateur scouting is in full swing as well. While much is sure to change in the four months between now and the Rule IV draft, having some general knowledge of the big men on campus is a good thing.

This year’s class is dominated by corner infield sluggers. Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez is the consensus number 1 player in this draft and as many as five other corner infielders could go in the first couple rounds of the draft. Oddly, the majority of those players are first basemen – Alvarez himself may move to first at some point – but MLB teams have shown a resistance to select college first basemen in recent drafts. Since 1998, when Carlos Pena went tenth overall, just four collegiate first basemen have been taken in the first round – and that number includes Mark Teixeira who actually played third at Georgia Tech and initially in pro ball.

Power pitchers also dominate this class San Diego’s Brian Matusz and Missouri’s Aaron Crow vying for potential number 1 overall selection and the right to join a packed Tampa Bay Rays’ system. Guys like Eastern Kentucky’s Christian Friedrich, Pepperdine’s Brett Hunter, Arizona’s Ryan Perry, and Ole Miss’ Cody Scatterwhite all have very good fastballs, the potential to strike out a lot of batters, and could hear their names called in round one with improved control and good production this spring.

While power is appears plentiful in 2008, speed and defense may be harder to find. Texas centerfielder Jordan Danks may have not quite lived up to expectations thus far in his career but still could be an early to mid first round pick as a centerfield/leadoff hitting prospect extraordinaire. Jemile Weeks, Miami’s second baseman, could go ahead of any college shortstops – which would be the first time a college second baseman went before any shortstops since Jemile’s older brother Rickie was selected No. 2 overall in 2003. The shortstop crop has the likes of toolsy-but-lacking-in-production guys (Brandon Crawford, UCLA), powerful athletes with some glove questions (Gordon Beckham, Georgia) and slick fielders with somewhat questionable bats (Danny Espinosa, Long Beach State and Beamer Weems, Baylor).

There's your introduction of what to expect from the college side of the game come the first round or so of the 2008 Draft. Keep checking back over the next three months for our updated Top 20 college draft prospect lists.

Lincoln can be reached at lhamilton@dentonoutlaws.com.