WSU Players and Recruit Draft Projections (Baseball America)

[SB Shock]

1st Round to 2nd round- Conor Gillaspie (high marks for work ethic and intensity, fielding needs improvement)
2nd-3rd Round - Aaron Shafer (Arm injury in 2007 took speed and dropped him from 1st round prospect to 2nd or 3rd pick)

3rd Round - Anthony Capra (94mph fastball, lacks body projection)
4th-5th Round - Jordan Cooper (RHP, Top Prep Prospect in KS)
4th-6th Round - Dusty Coleman (all-around potential, comes back for 2009 can improve his situation to be a pick in top 3 rounds)

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-preview/2008/266134.html

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-preview/2008/266125.html

[7hottamales]

Conor's successful track history hitting prospect level pitching with wood is absolutely huge. I feel that if he continues his power surge through the regional, he will give at least one team the justification they need to sneak him into the end of the first. Not many amateur hitters have his ability to center the ball as consistently. He just needs to get a team to buy into some power projection. Finishing strong will make the argument that weather played a large role in his slow start an easy one.

The question is does his upside profile as a Joe Randa, Jeff Cirillo, and Bill Mueller or as a Garrett Atkins/ Mike Lowell/Scott Rolen (pre-07) type offensive player. The only way the former gets drafted in the first round is if they are plus defensive 3B.

I'm not sure I've ever seen Capra pitch at 94.

I think Shafer has had more life to his fastball this year than last. That should keep him from falling. I was a little scared watching him at the end of last season that he could end up out of the top 5 rounds.

I would be very surprised if Coleman gets taken before round 10.

[Clarensauce]

I'm not sure I've ever seen Capra pitch at 94.

Are you going by the scoreboard radar? I heard Kennedy say on the radio one time that you need to add 2-3 mph for left handed pitchers because our gun is positioned for right handers.

[Shocker85]

Conor's successful track history hitting prospect level pitching with wood is absolutely huge. I feel that if he continues his power surge through the regional, he will give at least one team the justification they need to sneak him into the end of the first. Not many amateur hitters have his ability to center the ball as consistently. He just needs to get a team to buy into some power projection. Finishing strong will make the argument that weather played a large role in his slow start an easy one.

The question is does his upside profile as a Joe Randa, Jeff Cirillo, and Bill Mueller or as a Garrett Atkins/ Mike Lowell/Scott Rolen (pre-97) type offensive player. The only way the former gets drafted in the first round is if they are plus defensive 3B.

I'm not sure I've ever seen Capra pitch at 94.

I think Shafer has had more life to his fastball this year than last. That should keep him from falling. I was a little scared watching him at the end of last season that he could end up out of the top 5 rounds.

I would be very surprised if Coleman gets taken before round 10.

7hot,

Good analysis. Does Coleman's extra draft season give him a boost on potential to be taken a risk on in earlier rounds? That is, since he is a Soph, might some team take the gamble that the flashes he's shown are the real deal and go ahead and take him this year in round 5 or 6 rather than waiting to see if he improves offensively? He certainly appears to me to be in the class of Lansing, Sorenson, Meares, and Forbes on defense.

--'85.

[7hottamales]

Good question. I actually think it works against him getting drafted higher a bit because he has ultimate leverage. Juniors can come back, but they are basically killing their bonus for the next year.

Given his negotiating leverage as a soph, I would make him prove he can identify a breaking ball before taking him in the top 15 rounds.

[7hottamales]

I'm not sure I've ever seen Capra pitch at 94.

Are you going by the scoreboard radar? I heard Kennedy say on the radio one time that you need to add 2-3 mph for left handed pitchers because our gun is positioned for right handers.

This is definitely true, but I generally watch some pitches early in the game behind the plate to see what their stuff looks like. I believe he can touch 94, but I have never seen him pitch at anything higher than 90-91. His fastball does jump on hitters a little and is an effective pitch. I just don't think that report is accurately reflecting the type of pitcher he is. I think his upside projects out as a possible quality LH middle reliever which we all know is extremely valuable. Certainly worth a top 5 round pick.

I think Capra is a definitively better prospect than a John Tetuan, Brandon Sloan, or Ben Keiter for example.

[Dan]

draft

Why no mention of Musgrave as a prospect? I'm no basbeall expert, but the guy is as consistent as it gets and a winner. What do the scouts say about him?

[SB Shock]

Good question. I actually think it works against him getting drafted higher a bit because he has ultimate leverage. Juniors can come back, but they are basically killing their bonus for the next year.

Given his negotiating leverage as a soph, I would make him prove he can identify a breaking ball before taking him in the top 15 rounds.

That was BA take also on the Coleman siutation. He has more leverage this year than what MLB will want to risk on him. But there is a risk (for WSU) that somebody might decide he's a steal and try signing him for higher money than his draft slot.

[SB Shock]

Re: draft

Why no mention of Musgrave as a prospect? I'm no basbeall expert, but the guy is as consistent as it gets and a winner. What do the scouts say about him?

To this point BA had only did the top 200 prospect (HS and College). There will be more when the publish the State of Kansas profile. It should be coming out soon.

[Shocker85]

That was BA take also on the Coleman siutation. He has more leverage this year than what MLB will want to risk on him. But there is a risk (for WSU) that somebody might decide he's a steal and try signing him for higher money than his draft slot.

Well, and that's a possibility, too - draft low, pay high. I hadn't thought of that one. I'd be surprised Dusty has any particular drive to stay in school, so I really don't expect him back. The breaking ball issue is a big one. The worst player in that regard I saw all season was Ryan Mantle from MoSt, and they look so silly when they swing and miss by 2 feet.

Capra's late season performance undoubtedly affected his draft position. Scouts have to be worried about his durability since his playing weight is a bit high. That said, MLB teams love hard throwing lefties, and I'd think Capra could be a pretty decent set-up man for someone.

--'85.

[7hottamales]

Re: draft

Why no mention of Musgrave as a prospect? I'm no basbeall expert, but the guy is as consistent as it gets and a winner. What do the scouts say about him?

To this point BA had only did the top 200 prospect (HS and College). There will be more when the publish the State of Kansas profile. It should be coming out soon.

How long have you subscribed to BA? I'm thinking about biting the bullet. I assume it's separate subs for online and hard copy?

[Shirley Schmidt]

How long have you subscribed to BA? I'm thinking about biting the bullet. I assume it's separate subs for online and hard copy?

I am sure that he memorizes each issue as soon as he gets it, I bet if you bought him lunch he would tell you everything in it and save you the subscription cost.

[CharlieHog]

Re: draft

Why no mention of Musgrave as a prospect? I'm no basbeall expert, but the guy is as consistent as it gets and a winner. What do the scouts say about him?

To this point BA had only did the top 200 prospect (HS and College). There will be more when the publish the State of Kansas profile. It should be coming out soon.

How long have you subscribed to BA? I'm thinking about biting the bullet. I assume it's separate subs for online and hard copy?

I used to subscribe to both but now only to the online version. I think when I had both it was a bundle price. I can't really remember but I don't think there was much in the hard copy version that they didn't put online.

[SB Shock]

Re: draft

Why no mention of Musgrave as a prospect? I'm no basbeall expert, but the guy is as consistent as it gets and a winner. What do the scouts say about him?

To this point BA had only did the top 200 prospect (HS and College). There will be more when the publish the State of Kansas profile. It should be coming out soon.

How long have you subscribed to BA? I'm thinking about biting the bullet. I assume it's separate subs for online and hard copy?

Quite awhile now (probably since '98 ). I also did a subscription to Collegiate Baseball at one time - I liked BA better and cancelled the other.

I subscribe to both - mainly because there would be some things I would miss if I did online only and it make good reading material for certain locations in the house.

[shoxsbb]

How can Dusty be drafted this year?