2011 Summer Circuit: Prospect Classic

Lucas Giolito (rhp, Harvard-Westlake School, Studio City, Calif.) broke out last summer with a high velo showing at the Area Code Games and has maintained momentum through the start of this summer scouting season. The physical righty followed two strong Tournament of Stars showings with a scoreless inning against the USA Collegiate Team, sitting 93-95 mph with life and dropping a hard 80-82 mph 12-to-6 curve into the mix. Giolito is still working to repeat his mechanics, keeping things slow and deliberate while ticking off his checkpoints. While he will still hit patches where he struggles to command, he is generally keeping a consistent arm slot and release point. Giolito profiles as one of the top follows for next year's draft, and possesses the frame and stuff to draw top five overall interest.

Other arms that impressed against the Collegiate National Team include Walker Weickel (rhp, Olympia HS, Orlando, Fla.), Carson Fulmer (rhp, All Saint's Academy, Winter Haven, Fla.) and Hunter Virant (lhp, Adolfo Camarillo HS, Camarillo, Calif.). Weickel sat 91-93 mph in an inning of work, with a crisp 72-74 mph curve perhaps his most effective offering. He also flashed an 81 mph change-up with fade. Fulmer bumped 95 mph with his fastball and paired it with a disappearing upper-70s slider. His live arm and high effort delivery may fit best in relief at the next level. Hunter Virant showed four pitches, including a 90-91 mph fastball with armside action and a 1-to-7 curve with depth, sitting 76-77 mph. The lefty also mixed-in a 79-80 mph change that he spotted to both sides and flashed an 80 mph breaker with slider action. Lucas Sims (rhp, Brookwood HS, Lawrenceville, Ga.) also showcased low-90s velo, touching 94 mph, and a workable mid-70s breaking ball.

Alex Bregman (mif, Albuquerque Acad., Albuquerque, N.M.) put together one of the more impressive at bats of the two-game series, working Ryne Stanek (rhp, Univ. of Arkansas) to a full count before squaring a lively fastball for a hard single. Bregman's at bat highlighted the utility of matching these top high school bats against college arms -- evaluators can get a look at how these prep talents approach more advanced arms. Other 18U players showing a solid understanding of the strikezone and good barrel awareness included Jesse Winker (of, Olympia HS, Orlando, Fla.), Addison Russell (mif, Pace HS, Pace, Fla.), Albert Almora (of, Mater Academy, Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) and Ty Moore (of, Mater Dei HS, Santa Ana, Calif.). Additionally, Corey Seager (inf, N.W. Cabarrus HS, Concord, N.C.) showcased big leverage and solid in-game power to all fields in his bat, while Mitch Nay (of, Hamilton HS, Chandler, Ariz.) put up a pull power display in BP.

Defensively, Albert Almora stood out among the high school outfielders, showing consistently impressive reads off of the bat. He has the foot speed to close on balls and utilizes his athleticism and body control to consistently finish, be it to the gaps, over his head or charging in. Addy Russell has a strong arm and soft hands, displaying both on a backhand stab on a one-hop linedrive to the third base line. An excellent athlete with a chance to play up the middle, he showed off his athleticism before game two of the series, performing standing backflips along the right field line during stretches. Both Chris Harvey (c, Germantown Acad., Fort Washington, Penn.) and Chris Okey (c, Eustis HS, Eustis, Fla.) were impressive in side-to-side actions and blocking, additionally flashing catch-and-throw skills. C.J. Hinojosa (ss, Klein Collins HS, Spring, Texas) should provide up-the-middle value with the glove, as well.

Sophomore Stanek stands out

Ryne Stanek will be a draft-eligible sophomore in 2012, making this summer an important one as evaluators will only have his time with Team USA, fall workouts and his freshman year to draw upon when formulating spring follow lists. His outing against the 18U National Team showcased good raw stuff, if inconsistent in its placement. Stanek boasts a low-90s fastball with boring action and a change-up out of the same slot with arm speed deception and a 10-12 mph delta in velo. The result was a lot of empty hacks from the 18U players. Stanek mixed-in an 80-81 mph slider that showed some bite, but also manifested as a spinner in the 77-78 mph range from time to time. Stanek throws from a low three-quarters slot, adding to the life on his fastball and creating a tough angle, but taking away some from his slider as the pitch often sat on one plane. He's a live arm with projection and three pitches, though his command and low slot could point to a relief role down the line, where he could potentially hold down a late inning job.

Brian Johnson (lhp/1b, Univ. of Florida) was dominant in relief of Stanek, overpowering the 18U hitters with four offerings showing distinct looks out of a similar arm slot. Johnson was 91-92 mph with his fastball and backed it up with an 80 mph change and two breaking balls -- an upper-70s curve and low-80s slider, each executed with precision. Corey Knebel (rhp, Univ. of Texas) and Matt Boyd (lhp, Oregon St. Univ.) each logged relief innings over the course of the Classic and showed average or better fastball velo. Boyd's secondaries included a 2-plane slurvy breaker in the 73-76 mph range and an 82-83 mph change-up that was a little firm. Knebel relied on a 77-78 mph change to try and keep the 18U hitters off-balance, but slowed his arm speed some with the offering and left it up in the zone a couple of times -- one of those times resulting in a double off the bat of Carson Kelly (3b/rhp, Westview HS, Ore.). Eric Anderson (rhp, Univ. of Missouri) threw seven scoreless on Saturday night, but did so with deception rather than overpowering stuff. He was generally 83-86 mph with his fastball and missed numerous bats with his low-70s sweeping curve.

Marrero cream of positional crop

Deven Marrero (ss, Arizona St. Univ.) put on a fine display during BP, with his compact stroke producing loud contact and solid pop. He followed his BP sessions with multi-hit performances on each night, including a double in each case. Defensively, Marrero shows steady hands at short, adaptability and a high degree of comfort in his footwork. Nolan Fontana (ss, Univ. of Florida) logged time at second and short, showing more comfort with the later. Fontana is a smooth defender that excels at lower-body work and transitioning from collection to distribution (fielding the ball to making his throws). Josh Elander (c, Texas Christian Univ.) and Tom Murphy (c, Univ. of Buffalo) each show plus raw power, though Elander is the more complete bat and put together better in-game ABs. Elander was a bit choppy behind the plate, but showed well enough to keep the door open with regards to a future behind the dish.

Tyler Naquin (of, Texas A&M Univ.) and Michael Lorenzen (of, California St. Univ. - Fullerton) both show potential as two way threats. Naquin is a sound defender in right with a true plus arm. He can drive the ball to the pull side, but is reduced to a more defensive approach when forced to work the other way. Lorenzen, though just a rising sophomore, is both the higher ceilinged player and the more impactful talent right now. Already boasting a 1st Round skillset with five average or better tools, Lorenzen may have the strongest arm of the position players, with his closest competition being ss/rhp Marcus Stroman (Duke Univ.) and Naquin. Lorenzen also flashes above-average speed to go with a solid glove and a rapidly maturing bat. Other interesting underclassmen include Dominic Ficociello (inf, Univ. of Arkansas) and Erich Weiss (Univ. of Texas). Ficociello is already showing signs of growing into legit power, though he has a tendency to expand the zone and can get caught on a soft front side far too often, from both sides of the plate. Weiss does a much better job of commanding the strikezone, but is still working to drive the ball with wood. Plenty of projection remains with each, and they have almost two full years of further development ahead of them before they are again draft eligible.