2008 Reds Draft Info

[Mario-Rijo]

PG crosschecker finally updated their 1st 10 rounds analysis so here are the rest of our top ten that I didn't get before from them.

7th Rounder Pedro Villarreal:

SCOUTING REPORT: With shortstop Tyler Ladendorf as the primary attraction, remote Howard College was heavily-scouted this season. But Villarreal got limited looks in his role as a closer on a dominant team that won 24 games by 10 or more runs, before he was eventually was moved to a starting job late in the season to bail out an injury-riddled starting staff. Though he lacked polish, he thrived in his new role, pumping a fastball in the 93-95 mph range, while also showing the makings of a plus slider and changeup. His 3-1, 6.67 record with four saves, along 25 walks and 24 strikeouts in 27 innings did not come close to measuring up to the seasons assembled by Howard’s two primary starters, lefthanders Colt Simon (11-2) and Anthony Collazo (10-2), but Villarreal’s impressive velocity gave him a shot of being drafted earlier than those two arms. Villarreal has a scholarship to Texas-Pan American awaiting him if the draft does not pan out.—ALLAN SIMPSON

8th Round Cody Puckett:

SCOUTING REPORT: Puckett was the dominant offensive player this season in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, possibly the nation’s most competitive Division II conference. He topped the circuit in home runs (17), stolen bases (26), runs (61), walks (42), on-base average (.462) and slugging percentage (.644), while batting 337 and knocking in 49 runs. It was a significant upgrade from 2007, when Puckett topped Dominguez Hills in homers with 11 while batting .313 with 28 RBIs. Of most significance, he walked only 11 times a year ago while stealing just six bases. Puckett is a solid player across the board with no real strengths, but no obvious weaknesses. His strength is his aggressive approach to the game, both at the plate and on the bases. He has a quick, compact bat with good extension, and surprisingly good pop for his size. Though he has quick, soft hands and an average arm with good carry, he committed 33 errors this season and scouts believe a switch to second base or third may be in the works at the pro level.—ALLAN SIMPSON

9th Round David Sappelt:

SCOUTING REPORT: Sappelt was named the Big South Conference player of the year in 2007 after hitting .359-10-50 and setting a school record with 99 hits. Still, his talent has been slow to grow on scouts. They viewed him as an undersized righthanded hitter with questionable strike-zone knowledge and a below-average arm for the better part of the 2008 season, but Sappelt got hot at the plate late in the year and assembled another impressive season with a .336 average, 20 doubles, 15 homers and 57 RBIs (entering the Big South Conference tournament). He also showed better plate discipline (28 BB, 21 SO) and made significant strides as a defensive player while settling into center field. He still had his detractors, but he appeared to do enough this season to warrant a shot. More than anything, scouts will have to buy into his bat.—ALLAN SIMPSON

10th Round Sean Conner:

SCOUTING REPORT: In terms of tools and body type, Conner reminds scouts of Boston Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew. He swings from the left side, has raw power to all fields and an above-average right field arm. He’s always had the raw tools to play at the pro level but became a legitimate prospect this season as he made huge strides at the plate. He generated good bat speed while shortening his swing and driving the ball the other way with more authority. He topped Palm Beach JC, a nationally-ranked program much of the 2008 season, in homers (9) and RBIs (43), while batting .326. He has committed to play at NAIA power Lubbock Christian as a junior, but has expressed a greater desire to sign.—ALLAN SIMPSON

[OnBaseMachine]

Good stuff there. Villarreal sounds interesting.

[Mario-Rijo]

Good stuff there. Villarreal sounds interesting.

Yeah and Conner sounds a lot more intriguing than before.

[camisadelgolf]

Is that the same Allan Simpson who DanO acquired and was later released during WayK's tenure?

[Kc61]

Thanks for posting all this stuff and keep it coming.

[icehole3]

Sappelt is like Hopper with power

[OnBaseMachine]

Baseball Prospectus did a NL Central draft recap today and referred to Zach Stewart as a groundball machine out of the bullpen who could go back to starting as a pro. I doubt it. I think the Reds probably view him as a reliever who can move quickly through the system. They mention Tyler Cline as a big kid with a big project and big projection. They seem to like Alex Buchholz's bat but his glove is nothing special. David Sappelt is mentioned as having better than ninth round tools but his bat needs work. They think Kyle Day has a chance to make it as a lefty hitting catcher with solid power. 16th rounder Carter Morrison is mentioned as a very raw Canadian with good power potential. Hopefully they can get him signed.

[OnBaseMachine]

MIAMI
Yonder Alonso, Jr, 1B

Yonder Alonso
It takes a special hitter to stand out in a lineup that features as much pro potential as Miami's does, but that's exactly what Alonso has done. Like Beckham, Alonso also played in the College World Series as a freshman and started every game for his team (at first base). He led the Hurricanes in homers (10) and RBIs (69), just the second Hurricane to do so after current Brewers slugger Ryan Braun did it in 2004. Alonso raised his average from .295 to .376 as a sophomore, added a .519 on-base percentage and .705 slugging percentage and again led the club (as well as the Atlantic Coast Conference) in home runs (18) and RBIs (74), totals that placed him at the very top of the ACC. That was good enough to make him a second-team BA All-American, and he added to his resume by batting .338 in the Cape Cod League last summer and leading the league with a .468 OBP.

Scouts rave about Alonso's professional approach at the plate, and the Reds took him with the No. 7 overall selection in the draft with the idea that he can develop into a middle-of-the-order hitter. He has a great understanding of the strike zone, walking more than twice as much as he has struck out this season and compiling a .535 OBP. He added 23 home runs and 71 RBIs for a Miami squad that lost just nine games all season, including two in the super regional against Arizona. In the decisive third game of the series with the Wildcats, Alonso homered in the first inning to jumpstart the offense and carry the Hurricanes to their fifth College World Series appearance in eight years. Miami will depend on its offense, with Alonso's bat as the centerpiece, as it tries to capture its first national championship since 2001.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...08/266327.html

[edabbs44]

2 Reds draftees were named 1st team all county this morning:

OF: Brendan Lobban, St. Joseph, senior
The left-fielder/pitcher had six home runs and 45 RBI with 39 hits and 13 stolen bases. He has a scholarship to St. John’s and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.

UT: Eric Pfisterer, Don Bosco, senior
Pfisterer, who has a scholarship to Duke and was drafted by Cincinnati, starred at first base and pitcher. He hit .525 with four home runs and 48 RBI, and was 10-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 59 innings.

[edabbs44]

15th round Eric Pfisterer:

Baseball Player of the Year: Don Bosco's Eric Pfisterer
Saturday, June 21, 2008
BY ANDREW GROSS STAFF WRITER

By Eric Pfisterer’s own admission, Mike Dennhardt was the Don Bosco ace and Steve Proscia was the Ironmen’s top power hitter.

But Pfisterer is The Record’s baseball player of the year because the senior from Saddle River compiled such lofty statistics as both a pitcher and first baseman.

“Eric was a special player,” said Don Bosco coach Greg Butler, who usually prefers his pitchers to not play the field or hit. “I have certain beliefs. But I’m also open-minded to certain things if I think a player can handle doing both.”

The left-hander, who has a scholarship to Duke and was drafted in the 15th round by the Cincinnati Reds, did more than just handle his dual role as the Ironmen completed a historic 33-0 season that included both Bergen County and Non-Public A championships.

On the mound, Pfisterer matched Dennhardt’s 10-0 record while compiling a 1.31 ERA and leading the team with 91 strikeouts in 59 innings. And batting fifth behind Proscia, Pfisterer had a team-leading 48 RBI while hitting .525 with 10 doubles and four home runs.

“I’ve always been a hitter growing up – I had Little League records for home runs and hitting ability,” Pfisterer said. “But being a left-hander, they threw me on the mound.”

Pfisterer knows the Reds project him as a pitcher. That’s why he’s still wavering on whether he’d prefer to turn pro – assuming the Reds make an offer that interests him - or play collegiately. Pfisterer has until Aug. 15 to decide.

He said the Duke coaches have told him he’d be used as a designated hitter and a part-time first baseman as well as a pitcher his freshman year, with a chance of winning the full-time first baseball’s job by his sophomore season.

And if this season has proven anything, it’s that Pfisterer thrives when faced with internal competition.

“Coach Butler can say he’s got a No. 1 right-hander and a No. 1 left-hander and that pushed me to live up to,” said Pfisterer, who throws a fastball in the upper 80s mixed with a slow curveball. “Proscia is tremendous and he plays every day. I had 48 RBI and I bet 35 of them were Proscia.”

But Butler said it wasn’t Pfisterer’s statistics that impressed him most.

“When he was on the mound or had a big at-bat, you just knew he was going to rise to that,” Butler said. “Not just that he would rise up to the situation. But that he wanted to be in that situation. He just epitomized the heart of a champion.”

E-mail: grossa@northjersey.com

http://www.northjersey.com/hssports/...Pfisterer.html

[fearofpopvol1]

C'mon Reds...up that offer. Get this kid signed!!