Can't Miss Games This Weekend

There are a ton of exciting match-ups going on around the country this weekend. The headliner will be the USD Tournament in San Diego, which features six standout teams (San Diego, Missouri, SD State, Fresno State, Cal, and Cal Poly). Fans and scouts in attendance will get to see potential first round picks Brian Matusz face off against Tanner Scheppers of Fresno State. The second game was supposed to feature Aaron Crow of Mizzou against Tyson Ross of Cal, but Ross having some shoulder issues and is going to sit out this weekend. According to BaseballAmerica.com, coach Esquer said, “It’s just precautionary. It’s not worth it this time of year… He felt a little knot, a little tightness, and he just didn’t bounce back as well from his last outing as he should. He’s still throwing 92-93, but we’re just not going to risk anything with him.”

At the Coca-Cola Classic in Tempe and Surprise, Arizona, Arizona State, Michigan, Hawaii, and Portland will match off. An exciting in state matchup will take place in Houston, as Rice and Texas face off in the Houston College Classic, formerly the Minute Maid Classic. Houston, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas Tech will also play in that series.One might not think of traveling to Minnesota for an exciting tournament of top college teams, but the Dairy Queen Classic should draw its share of scouts, as it features Minnesota, Tulane, Pepperdine, and Texas Christian.

We get to see how Vandy rebounds from the loss of Pedro Alvarez, as they host the Music City Classic in Nashville. The other teams slated to be there are Iowa, Kansas, and Xavier.

In Rock Hill, South Carolina, fans get to see Kent State ace Chris Carpenter, as well as one of the top young hitters in the country, Dustin Ackley of North Carolina. A strong St. Johns team will also play in the tournament, as well as Winthrop.

If you can’t make it out to see one of these premium tournaments early in the season, ESPN2 will be featuring 2 games Saturday at the Urban Invitational in Compton, California. Among the teams playing will be pre season #1 UCLA, as well as the USC Trojans, Southern, and Bethune-Cookman. Don’t miss seeing some of the top shortstops in the country, as the Bruins’ Brandon Crawford and USC’s Grant Green are great prospects and potential first round picks. Both are among the top athletes in the country and have impressive skills.

In regular series play, the Long Beach State Dirtbags, fresh off a series win against Rice, will play Wichita State at Blair field. Also, in state rivals Florida and Miami play in Coral Gables. The Georgia Bulldogs travel all the way to Oregon to face off against the OSU Beavers in Portland, Oregon.

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Ryan Jackson

Miami shortstop Ryan Jackson is one of the best glove men in the country. The sophomore was a highly touted freshman out of Florida Christian High School and immediately earned the nod as the starter at shortstop for the Hurricanes. He has great range in the field with soft hands.

In his first year in Coral Gables, Jackson struggled with the bat. He hit .236 with 10 doubles and 2 triples. Invited to play for Hyannis in the Cape, he hit a soft .215 with 6 doubles while starting all 43 games at short.

Determined to raise his game and become more of an offensive threat to compliment his outstanding defensive ability, Jackson worked hard in the offseason. He had a great fall practice, where he hit .452 with a team-high 28 hits, scored 14 runs, and drove in 11 runs. Look for Jackson to have a breakout season at the U. Through Miami’s first 3 games he is 5-10 with a triple and a pair of doubles. In their exhibition game loss (9-2) yesterday against the Florida Marlins, Jackson led the way, going 3-4 with 3 doubles.

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Breaking News: Alvarez to Miss 6 Weeks

Pedro Alvarez has suffered a broken bone in his hand that will cause the Pre Season All American to miss a minimum of six weeks. "This is an unfortunate situation for Pedro," said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin. "Obviously we will miss having him in the lineup and in the field. He is a special player that can't be replaced. This is the kind of injury you don't rush back from and we hope to have him back at full strength later in the season." Alvarez only played in the first game of last weekends Demarini Invitational, getting injured in his first at bat.

Alvarez is ranked as the top player in this year's draft class. Last year he hit .386with 18 home runs and 21 doubles. Read more

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MVP of Opening Weekend: LB's Danny Espinosa

Our Most Valuable Player from the weekend didn’t have the same eye popping stats as ASU’s Brett Wallace, but the Dirtbags would not have won this series against #14 ranked Rice without him. The junior shortstop was the hero of game one on Friday night, driving the first pitch he saw in the 10th to lead his team to a 1-0 walk off win.

On Saturday afternoon, Espinosa went 3-4 with a double and a home run, a game in which the Dirtbags beat the Owls 3-2. In the first inning, he scored from second after a 2 out double. In the 3rd, he hit a solo shot off Cole St. Clair to put LBSU up 2-0. He scored the go-ahead run in the 8th after leading the inning off with a single.

Although Rice won the third game to ruin the sweep, he went 1-3 on Sunday to finish the weekend 6-12. He hit 1 home run, 2 doubles, a walk, a stolen base, and was flawless in the field. Espinosa is the leader of this Dirtbag club, and he is continuing where he left off for Team USA last summer. After a disappointing start, he finished with hits in 12 of his last 15 games.

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Highlights from Sunday

In game one of a doubleheader in Charlottesville Sunday, second baseman David Adams blasted 2 home runs and drove in 5 to lead Virginia to a 12-1 win over Lehigh.

Sophomore left fielder Dustin Ackley went 3-5 with a 3 run home run in the final game of a Tar Heel sweep of FAU.

In Tempe, ASU defeated Oregon State 11-0 to complete a sweep of the Demarini Invitational. Brett Wallace homered in the first, his third straight at bat with a homer. He finished the weekend 5-12 with 3 HR’s.

In Miami, Jemile Weeks homered as the Hurricanes swept Cincinnati 8-0 on Sunday at Mark Light Field. Ryan Jackson and Mark Sobolewski each had 2 hits on the day.

The VU Commodores scored 3 runs in the 9th to beat Miami of Ohio 4-3. Ryan Flaherty extended his hitting streak to 38 games with a single in the 4th.

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Saturday Recap

In Tempe, Brett Wallace hit 2 home runs in Arizona State’s 18-6 rout over Vanderbilt. His grand slam in the fourth was the first of his career and he finished the day with 7 runs batted in. Preseason Player of the Year Pedro Alvarez did not start with a muscle strain and is listed as day to day.

Espinosa stole the show again in Long Beach Saturday in the Dirtbags 3-2 win over Rice. In the bottom of the first he slugged a double to right center and later scored on an error. In his next at bat, he slugged a solo home run to left to put the 49ers up 2-0. With the Owls tying the game up in the seventh, Espinosa gave LBSU the lead again in the bottom of the eighth, driving a single to right and scoring on a hit by Devin Lohman. Rice Senior Cole St. Clair pitched well in only his 3rd career start, throwing 4.0 innings and striking out 3 with no walks.

In San Diego State’s 17-11 win over San Diego, two way player Josh Romanski did it all for the Toreros. On the mound, he threw 5 innings to pick up the win. At the plate, he went 4-5 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI.

The Aztecs beat San Diego in the nightcap, takingthe series with a 15-2 win.

In game one of a doubleheader in Los Angeles, UCLA right fielder Gabe Cohen hit a 2 run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th to beat Oklahoma 7-5. He brought home Brandon Crawford, who got on base with a walk to win it for the Bruins.

In the second game,although UCLA lefthander Tim Murphy allowed just 2 runs, one of which was unearned, in six innings, his team lost 3-2 on a sac fly in the 12th inning.

Sophomore shortstop Grant Green of USC is day to day with a strained back muscle, ending his streak of 57 straight games played. His replacement, Hector Rabago, took the most of his opportunity to play, going 3-4 with 2 home runs and a triple to lead the Trojans to a 9-3 win over FIU. Robert Stock also hit one of 4 home runs for Southern Cal.

In game one of South Carolina’s doubleheader against East Carolina, Reese Havens continued his hot hitting from the Cape, picking up 5 hits, including a home run, and 5 RBI in the Gamecocks’ 22-5 win. Justin Smoak hit a home run as 1 of his 3 hits and James Darnell had 2 hits.

In the second game, Havens belted another home run but USC lost 13-4.

In the Longhorns’ 17-4 win over VCU, Jordan Danks and Kyle Russell each had 2 hits. Russell, the NCAA’s 2007 home run leader, hit his first of the season.

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More From Opening Day

In Long Beach, California, Danny Espinosa, who started at shortstop for Team USA last summer, smacked the first pitch from reliever Bryan Price over Aaron Luna’s head in left field to lead the Dirtbags to a 1-0 win. Pitcher Ryan Berry from Rice didn’t disappoint, throwing seven shutout innings. He struck out eight and walked none. Stud freshman Rick Hague went 2-4 in his collegiate debut.

The San Diego State Aztects upset national power San Diego 10-2. Brian Matusz was roughed up, allowing 6 runs on eight hits in just 4.2 innings. Stephen Strasburg stole the show for Tony Gwynn’s team,allowing 2 runs on 5 hits in 8 IP.

At FIU, the USC Trojans scored 16 runs to beat the Golden Panthers. Star shortstop Grant Green had an RBI single before leaving the game in the fourth with a pulled muscle. He is listed as day to day. Read more

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News and Notes from Around the Nation

Missouri opened the season with a 7-1 win over Uconn. In Deland, Florida, Preseason All American Aaron Crow struck out seven in five innings pitched for the win. He allowed six hits and one run. “Aaron was good for his first time out this year,” Head Coach Tim Jamieson said. “He’ll be better next time and will continue to be better.”

Over in Berkeley, the Cal Bears beat Kansas State 5-1 behind a strong performance from junior righty Tyson Ross. He and sophomore right hander Daniel Wolford one hit Kansas State. Ross pitched 5.0 innings, allowing just run on one hit and one walk, while striking out seven.

In Oxford, Lance Lynn struck out 12 Minnesota hitters en route to an 8-1 victory. He threw 5.0 innings, allowing just 2 hits.

The Tar Heels beat Florida Atlantic 7-1, and left fielder Dustin Ackley slammed 2 dingers, as did senior center fielder Seth Williams.Ackley tallied 4 hits in total, scored 3 times and had 2 RBI. Stud righty Alex White struck out six in 5 1/3 IP with 2 walks. He allowed one unearned run on five hits.

Senior closer/DH Joshua Fields had 2 base hits including a home run for the Bulldogs in their 9-7 win over Arizona. He then struck out the side in the 9th to record the save. All American shortstop Gordon Beckham went 2-5 with a run scored.

Down at the U, Miami defeated Cincinnati 3-1. Sophomore 3rd baseman Mark Sobolewski had 3 hits, and slick fielding shortstop Ryan Jackson collected a pair.

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Vandy beats OSU 8-1

On a rainy day in Tempe, Arizona, Vanderbilt topped defending national champion Oregon State 8-1. The story of the game was sophomore lefty Mike Minor, who dominated in 6 innings pitched. He struck out six and walked none, allowing only one earned run. Minor even picked off a few baserunners with quick snap throws over to first. Ryan Flaherty extended his 35 game hit streak from last year to 36, collecting 2 hits, a sac fly, and 4 runs batted in. Pedro Alvarez walked twice and was hit by a pitch. He also made two nice plays at third, ranging to his left and making strong throws across the diamond. Right fielder Dominic de la Osa, a pre season all american by numerous publications, went 2-5. For the Beavers, starter Mike Stutes lasted only 4.0 innings, allowing 4 earned runs on 7 hits.

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Watch Vandy Games for Free This Weekend!

VUCommodores.com is having all of Vanderbilt's baseball games at the Demarini Invitational broadcasted for free on their site this weekend. Just sign up with your e mail address and enjoy. Read more

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2008 Season Begins Today!

The 2008 college baseball season kicks off today. There are some great matchups around the country, such as the Demarini Invitational in Tempe. This tournament is highlighted by national powers Arizona State, Vanderbilt, and defending back to back champion Oregon State. Fans attending will get to see premium prospects such as Pedro Alvarez, Ryan Flaherty, Mikie Minor, Petey Paramore, and Bret Wallace. Other games of note include Rice visiting Long Beach State, Arizona at Georgia, and East Carolina at South Carolina. San Diego opens against San Diego State, where there should be an exciting pitching matchup of top prospects Brian Matusz vs. Stephen Strasburg. The U down at Miami begin showing off their murderous row of hitters against Cincinnati.

Throughout the season, we will bring you highlights of games which showcase some of the top prospects in college baseball. Stay tuned for recaps and see who emerges as an up and coming star.
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Baseball America Top 50 Prospects by Class

Below we have listed the top 5 pro prospects for each draft class, which was released on BaseballAmerica.com today in their Fab 50 lists.

FRESHMAN

1. Matt Harvey, rhp, North Carolina R-R 6-4 210
2. Kyle Blair, rhp, San Diego R-R 6-4 200
3. Kentrail Davis, of, Tennessee L-R 5-9 195
4. Gary Brown, of/2b, Cal State Fullerton R-R 6-0 180
5. Victor Sanchez, 3b, San Diego R-R 6-2 180

SOPHOMORES

1. Kyle Gibson, rhp, Missouri R-R 6-5 185
2. Alex White, rhp, North Carolina R-R 6-3 191
3. Stephen Strasburg, rhp, San Diego State R-R 6-4 220
4. Gavin Brooks, lhp, UCLA L-L 6-3 210
5. Grant Green, ss, Southern California R-R 6-3 180

JUNIORS

1. Pedro Alvarez, 3b, Vanderbilt L-R 6-2 225
2. Brian Matusz, lhp, San Diego L-L 6-4 193
3. Aaron Crow, rhp, Missouri R-R 6-2 195
4. Justin Smoak, 1b, South Carolina B-L 6-4 215
5. Yonder Alonso, 1b, Miami L-L 6-2 215

SENIORS

1. Josh Fields, rhp, Georgia R-R 6-0 193
2. Mitch Harris, rhp, Navy R-R 6-4 215
3. Matt Hague, 3b, Oklahoma State R-R 6-3 225
4. Blake Stouffer, 2b/3b, Texas A&M R-R 6-1 185
5. Dominic de la Osa, of, Vanderbilt R-R 6-0 205

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James Darnell

Adding to the list of sluggers on South Carolina's roster is junior James Darnell. The hard hitting third baseman exhibits huge raw power from the right side of the plate and has a strong throwing arm. With Justin Smoak at first and Darnell at third, USC looks to have one of the strongest corner infield tandems in the country.

Making 51 appearances his freshman year with 29 starts, Darnell hit only .239 with 3 home runs. He appeared all over for the Gamecocks, including second base, shortstop, third base and the outfield. That summer he got the opportunity to play for the Hyannis Mets in the Cape Cod League, and hit .246 with 2 home runs.

Learning from his freshman experience and finally getting a shot to start full time, Darnell exploded his sophomore season. He led the team with a .331 average and hit 19 HR with 63 RBI. His strong forearms generated quick bat speed, driving the ball to all fields. He walked 51 times while striking out only 35, and earned second team All-SEC honors.

Returning to play for Hyannis in '07, Darnell impressed scouts all summer. Although his batting average rose only a few points from the previous season to .250, he slugged 8 home runs with wood. He also stroked an an opposite field bomb in Wareham while playing in the All Star Game. Baseball America ranked him the 15th pro prospect coming out of the Cape.


While Darnell may not hit for a high average in pro ball, his lethal hacks at the plate make him one of the top third baseman in the country and a potential first round pick this June.
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Kyle Gibson

After spending most of last year coming out of the bullpen, Missouri sophomore Kyle Gibson is projected to be the Sunday starter for the Tigers this season. A thin 6'5" righty, Gibson has a smooth delivery with great command of 3 plus pitches. His fastball currently sits in the 88-92 mph range, and he uses the most of his height by throwing on a downhill trajectory. He also throws a power slider and a solid changeup.

As a freshman at Mizzou, Gibson was used mostly as a closer out of the pen. He went 8-3 with a 4.12 ERA. In 67 2/3 innings pitched, he struck out 77 while walking 19 batters. His 7 saves ranked sixth in the Big 12, and opponents hit at a .242 clip against him.

Playing for Falmouth in the Cape Cod League, Gibson impressed scouts with his control and projectability. As he matures and adds weight to his slim 180 pound frame, the velocity on his fastball should increase, potentially into the mid 90's. He finished 2nd in the league to Crow with a 1.17 ERA, which led Baseball America to rank him as the 3rd overall prospect in the Cape.

With a strong spring as a starter for the Tigers, Gibson should develop into a potential staff ace and one of the top prospects for the 2009 draft.

Video by Cape Prospects
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Interview With Ryan Flaherty

Vanderbilt star shortstop Ryan Flaherty has been named a Pre Season All American by numerous publications. He hit .381 last year and finished the season riding a 35 game hitting streak. We recently had the opportunity to interview Ryan about himself and the upcoming season.

College Baseball Prospects: What’s the mood at preseason practice right now at Vanderbilt? Has last year’s disappointing elimination in the NCAA playoffs affected this ’08 team?

Ryan Flaherty: We're excited about the upcoming season, its been a long off-season and we are ready to get it going. It was hard last year, but this is a completely new team with many new faces, and if anything we have just used last year as motivation.

College Baseball Prospects: What aspects of your game have you been trying to improve this off-season?

Ryan Flaherty: I spent a lot of time working with our strength coaches working on strength and agility.

College Baseball Prospects: How would you describe your approach at the plate? Would you rather attack the first fastball you see or work the count?

Ryan Flaherty: It depends how the pitcher has been pitching me in previous at-bats. But for the most part, I just go up there and look for something that I can hit.

College Baseball Prospects: How was your experience with Team USA last summer? Was it tough adjusting to 2nd base?

Ryan Flaherty: It took a little time adjusting to playing second base, but when I grew up my father taught me how to play all the positions so it wasn’t that hard. The experience was great because I had a chance to play with some great players and at the same time play for my country.

College Baseball Prospects: Is there any major leaguer you try to model your game after?

Ryan Flaherty: Either Troy Tulowitzki or Derek Jeter because both play shortstop and are great leaders.

College Baseball Prospects: Your 35 game hitting streak to end last season is very impressive. What goes through your mind during a stretch like that, and is there any pressure to continue it this year?

Ryan Flaherty: A hitting streak is something that can be all about luck so I try not to look at it that way. I’m not going into this season worrying about that because it can end without your control.

College Baseball Prospects: What are your personal as well as team goals for the upcoming season?

Ryan Flaherty: My personal goal would be to do whatever it takes for the team to win. We had a bad ending to last year's season and I just want to do anything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Our only goal for the season now is just concentrating on winning as many games as we can, and the rest will take care of itself.

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Cole Figueroa

Sophomore shortstop Cole Figueroa is one of the most exciting young athletes in the SEC. Rather than sign with the Blue Jays after being taken in the 9th round of the '06 draft, he decided to attend the University of Florida. He has a strong arm and good speed, with great hand eye coordination. At 5'10," he showed surprising pop from the left side of the plate as a freshman, slugging 11 home runs. Cole hit .332 with 12 doubles and 7 stolen bases. Driving in 50 runs, he matched first round pick Matt Laporta with 13 multi RBI games. He started the first 17 games at second base before shifting to short for the rest of the year. In the SEC Tournament, Figueroa led the Gators with a .538 average. For his efforts, Baseball America named him a Freshman All American.

Selected to join the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League, Figueroa started the summer off strong with a hit in each of the first 11 games. He impressed scouts with his impressive play at shortstop, where he committed only 7 errors. He earned a starting spot for the East in the All Star Game in Wareham, and ended the summer with a .281 average. He collected 49 total bases and 41 hits. Perhaps more impressive, Cole collected more walks (18) than strikeouts (17).

Look for Figueroa to post strong numbers after a year of experience in the SEC. He is considered one of the top prospects in the conference for the 2009 draft.

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Jordan Danks

Coming out of high school, left handed outfielder Jordan Danks was projected to be a first round pick like his older brother, John, a pitcher now with the White Sox. However, since he informed teams of his strong commitment to the University of Texas, he wasn't chosen until the 19th round. The 6'5" 205 pound junior possesses exceptional speed and a line drive stroke at the plate. Although he's only accumulated 6 home runs in his first two years at school, expect Danks to bust out this season and start hitting the ball with more authority.

A highly touted freshman, Danks was named a Pre Season All American even before he played his first college game. He hit .319 with 2 homers and 7 doubles while tying the UT record for triples with five. On the basepaths, he was a perfect 7 for 7 in stolen bases. That summer, he had a successful stint in the M.I.N.K. League, batting .394 with 8 doubles, 7 HR's, and 11 SB's.

As a sophomore at UT, Danks hit .332 with 17 doubles and 63 runs. He walked 47 times and was perfect in 19 stolen base attempts. In 62 starts in the outfield he did not commit an error. Chosen to play for the US National Team, Jordan hit .287 with wood. Batting leadoff, he collected 4 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 home runs. On the basepaths, he was 5-6 in stolen base attempts.

Danks profiles as an outstanding center fielder with plus athletic ability and great speed. If his power develops into his strong 6'5" frame, there is no question he will be the top outfielder in the nation.

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Ryan Flaherty

One of the top offensive shortstops in the country, Vanderbilt's Ryan Flaherty has been rated a 3rd team Pre Season All American by Baseball America. Still developing into his 6'2" 205 pound frame, "Flash" has a solid approach at the plate and consistently lines the ball to all parts of the field. Hitting in front of the lethal Pedro Alvarez, his power numbers look to increase in '08. He has exceptional instincts with an average arm at short, though he could be prompted to move to 2nd once he turns pro, a position where he would be a plus defender.

In his first year at Vandy, Flaherty led the Commodores with a .339 average and 19 doubles. He started 39 games at 1st base as a freshman and 19 at shortstop, where he settled in and played the last 13 games of the season. That summer, he was named the 30th top prospect in the Cape by BA after hitting .250 with 6 doubles for Hyannis. As a sophomore, Flash exploded to hit .381 with 23 doubles, four HR's and 57 RBI to help the Commodores to a #1 seed in the NCAA 64 Team Tournament. Establishing himself as one of the premier college players in the country, he stole 12 bases and fielded at an impressive .969 clip. He ended the year with a 35 game hitting streak.

Playing predominantly 2nd base for Team USA in deference to Long Beach State's Danny Espinosa, Flaherty started off hot against the teams in the NECBL before cooling off to hit .270 with two homers, seven doubles and 14 RBI. He impressed scouts with his ability to work the count and with his first step quickness at 2nd.

Look for Flash to develop more power this season while continuing to post a high average. Vanderbilt has been rated as high as #3rd this pre season and Baseball America has ranked Flaherty the 26th top college prospect coming into the June draft.

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Buster Posey

Although this year's class of college catchers is not as impressive as last year's, the top backstop in the nation is a solid player in Florida State's Buster Posey. At 6'2" 200 lbs, he's an exceptional athlete who made the switch from shortstop to catcher in his 2nd year of school. Although there are some doubts as to how much power he will develop, Posey makes consistent contact, having about the same amount of walks (70) as strikeouts (72) in his career at FSU. Agile behind the plate, he is a good receiver who blocks pitches in the dirt well. Besides his natural leadership abilities, his arm strength is also a plus, where he pumps low 90's heat as the closer for the Seminoles. His quick release has been clocked at 1.8 seconds from home to second.

Coming to Florida State in 2006 as an offensive minded shortstop, Posey hit .346 while starting every game for the Noles. He recorded 27 multi hit games, with 14 doubles and 4 home runs. He followed that up with a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, batting .289 as a freshman for Yarmouth-Dennis. Baseball America rated him the 23rd best prospect in the league.

Excited when Coach Mike Martin Jr. proposed a switch to catcher in the fall of his sophomore year, Posey took to the position right away. He showed durability by starting all 62 games while committing just 3 errors and throwing out 40.9% of base stealers. At the plate, he hit .382 with 21 doubles and 2 homers. His 94 hits and 65 RBI were 3rd best in the ACC.

Returning to Yarmouth-Dennis as a sophomore, Posey impressed scouts with his throwing, receiving and blocking. Catching 31 games, he helped lead the Red Sox to a 2nd consecutive Cape League Championship. He hit .281 with 3 home runs and 3 doubles, rated as the 17th best prospect in the Cape by BA.

A Pre Season All American entering 2008, look for Posey to continue to improve behind the plate and be the first college catcher taken off the board in June.

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Baseball America Pre Season All American Teams!

Baseball America has announced its 2008 Pre Season All American Teams, highlighted by Vandy's Pedro Alvarez and San Diego's Brian Matusz. Other notables are South Carolina's 1st baseman Justin Smoak, Missouri's Aaron Crow, and Georgia shortstop Gordon Beckham.

Click here to see Baseball America's Pre Season All America Teams: BA's 2008 Pre Season All Americans

Our list of Pre Season All Americans posted on January 16th: College Baseball Prospects Pre Season All Americans

Here are a few College Baseball Prospects exlusive interviews with 1st Team Shortstop Gordon Beckham and 3rd Team SP Tyson Ross.

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Dennis Raben

Adding to the list of mashers in the 2008 Miami Hurricane lineup is junior right fielder Dennis Raben. At 6'3" 220 lbs, he is an exceptionally strong athlete. A lefthanded hitter, Raben uses a slightly open upright stance that produces light tower power to all fields. Baseball America rated him the #9 college prospect for the draft entering the season.

Chosen in the 49th round of the 2005 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners, Raben opted to attend Miami. As a freshman, he hit .285 with 8 home runs, 12 doubles, and 32 RBI. In the College World Series, he paced the Hurricanes with a .909 slugging percentage and 10 total bases, including 2 home runs.

Coming back to school as a sophomore after sitting out the summer recuperating from surgery on a broken toe, Raben improved by hitting .280 with 12 homers, 13 doubles, and 48 RBI. He had 32 walks while striking out 57 times.

Entering the summer of '07 on scouts' radar as a big left handed bat, Raben pushed himself into possibly the first round by his performance on the Cape. Possessing the most raw power in the league, he and Gordon Beckham had the most runs batted in among players with 35. He hit .298 with 6 home runs despite playing in the toughest hitters park in the circuit. At the All Star Game in Wareham, Raben was named the East's Most Valuable Player after hitting what proved to be the game winning home run off Eastern Kentucky's Christian Friedrich. Just a few hours earlier, he smashed 9 home runs in the first round of the home run derby before finishing third.

Although Raben strikes out a lot, he has still managed to hit above .280 each year at Miami and just under .300 using wood bats in the Cape League. With a strong spring, watch for Raben to be one of the most coveted college bats in June's draft.



Video by CapeProspects.com


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New Feature: Mailbag!

As a new feature to CollegeBaseballProspects.net, we will have a mailbag section. Just send us an e mail including your name with questions to Jesse@CollegeBaseballProspects.net, and we will answer them to the best of our ability on the site. Read more

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Prospect Watch: Rick Hague

One of the top incoming freshman shortstops in the country is Rice’s Rick Hague. A 37th round selection of the Milwaukee Brewers in ’07, Hague fills the void left by All American Brian Friday. At 6’2” 185 lbs, Rick displays smooth actions at short with great range and a strong enough arm for the position. He projects to be a plus defender once he gets underway. At the plate, he has the ability to stroke line drives to the gaps and should develop more power as his body matures. He has average speed on the basepaths.

Hague is in great physical shape, a solid athlete with a good work ethic who spends a lot of time in the gym. If not for his strong commitment to Rice, he may have been selected in the first 3 rounds of last year’s draft, and could be a very high pick in 2010.

Although minor wrist surgery limited him to only 5 at bats in the fall, Hague should be the opening day starter for the Owls in their season opener Feb 22nd at Long Beach State.


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Interview with Tyson Ross

We recently had the opportunity to interview Cal's Tyson Ross. The junior All American is rated as the #11 College Prospect for the upcoming June draft as per Baseball America.

CollegeBaseballProspects: Can you describe your experience with Team USA? You seemed to thrive on the opportunity to pitch in big situations when your team needed you most.

Tyson Ross: The summer tour with Team USA was a great experience. I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to compete along side some of the best collegiate players in the nation. Whenever you put on that USA jersey it is something special and I was just fortunate to be able to play some great international competition while traveling to places I would have never been able to see. As for thriving in the big situation, I just went out there and competed. We had some tough battles with some very good teams and lucky for me I had flawless defense behind me and we won some key games.

CollegeBaseballProspects: With the Pac 10 being possibly the strongest conference in the nation this season, who do you think is the team to beat?

Tyson Ross: In a conference like the Pac 10 you cannot overlook any opponent. There are some big time offenses such as Arizona St., UCLA, and U of A, but this conference is too strong to only worry about a select few teams. I mean last season Oregon State finished 5th or 6th in conference, yet they went on to win their second consecutive national title.

CollegeBaseballProspects: How do you prepare for each of your starts, both physically and mentally?

Tyson Ross: Before my starts I try and keep a clear head. I don’t want to know the other teams stats, how many all Americans they have, or who has been hot recently. I just try and focus on throwing my game and trust that everything else will take care of itself. I am a pretty laid back guy and nothing changes on game day. I relax, listening to my ipod before the game, throw in a few pieces of bubble gum, and get ready to pitch.

CollegeBaseballProspects: Are there any pro pitchers you try to model yourself after?

Tyson Ross: With my unusual delivery it is hard for me to easily identify with any of the guys in the pros. Dontrelle Willis is a guy that does come to mind as he has an unusual delivery with his high leg kick and loose arm. Its good to see people succeed in the bigs with an individual style on the mound, that lets me know I won’t have to change my style to succeed.

CollegeBaseballProspects: What has been your most memorable moment to date playing baseball?

Tyson Ross: There’s too many to count. Going to the Babe Ruth World Series back when I was 11. My first college win. Any game vs Stanford. The games on Team USA vs Cuba.

CollegeBaseballProspects: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

Tyson Ross: We want to really challenge ourselves this season and take it one series at a time. It has been a while since our team has made a regional, but we are not just trying to get in the door… Read more

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Tyson Ross

If you're looking for a big game starter, Cal's Tyson Ross is your man. The 6'6" righthander has thrived as a Friday night starter in the Pac 10 as well as on Team USA's junior and national squads. He controls his 87-93 mph fastball well, has a sharp slider in the 78-81 mph range, and a good changeup. With an upright delivery, he doesn't extend much towards the hitter, which could limit his velocity. An outstanding athlete, Ross has also won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for collegiate pitchers in 2007. As a freshman at Berkeley, Ross was 6-4 with 3.19 ERA. He had more strikeouts (85) than innings pitched (84.2). Besides earning All Pac 10 Honorable Mention, he was also named the Team's Freshman of the Year.

Returning in '07 to a team that had lost stars to the draft such as Brandon Morrow and Allen Craig, Ross excelled as Cal's Friday night starter, posting 120 strikeouts in 115.2 innings. Able to eat valuable innings, he threw past the 6th in over 88 percent of his 17 starts. His 2.49 ERA was 2nd in the Pac 10 and he limited opponents to a .241 average. In 7 innings against Oral Roberts, he struck out 16 batters, and is only 79 K's away from the Bears all time record entering 2008. A semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, he was named a first team All Pac 10 selection.

Pitching for team USA this summer, Ross was the squad's go to guy when the rest of the staff was worn down by injuries and fatigue. He finished 4-1 with a 0.82 ERA, and struck out 39 in 44 IP. He showed great command with only 7 walks. On July 15th, he struck out 7 and scattered 4 hits in 6.2 innings. In the gold medal game after USA's starter was taken out in the 5th inning, Ross tossed 2 innings of scoreless baseball with 3 strikeouts.

Baseball America has rated Ross as the #11 college prospect for the '08 draft. Look for him to improve on his breakout summer and be even more dominant this season.
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Mike Minor

Replacing a star pitcher like David Price is not easy to do, but Vanderbilt stud sophomore Mike Minor will definitely soften the blow. The Commodores will be without Price as well as lights out closer Casey Weathers after both were taken in the first 8 picks of last year's draft.

A 6'4" lefty, Minor was taken in the 13th round of the '06 draft by Tampa Bay, but decided to attend school at the emerging powerhouse. He quickly became an important cog in Vandy's dominating regular season run last year, going 9-1 with a 3.09 ERA in 90 1/3 IP. Showing he can compete under pressure, Minor shut down SEC rival South Carolina in his first career weekend start, striking out 9 Gamecocks in 7 innings to secure the series victory. He accumulated 88 strikeouts on the year and walked 19, while opponents hit only .226 against him. Baseball America named him a Freshman All American and SEBaseball.com ranked him the top freshman in the Southeastern Conference.

Pitching for Team USA, Minor went 5-2 with a 1.64 ERA last summer, striking out 37 and walking just 4 in 33 innings.

Possibly the best freshman pitcher in the country a year ago, Vandy will turn to Minor on Friday nights this season. With outstanding command of his fastball and an impressive changeup, he should have no problem shouldering the load in the strong SEC. Read more

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Player Interviews

Stay tuned for new player interviews from some of the top prospects for the 2008 draft coming next week! Read more

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