Potential 2013 Twins second round draft picks: College arms

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With less then 50 days till the draft we are getting to the point where we can at least start talking about second round guys. While it is impossible to know who will be there at 43, guys can still move up or down, here are a few college arms who could be options.

 

Andrew Thurman, RHP, 6'3" 200 lbs, UC Irvine

"Thurman's fastball could be a plus pitch in the future -- he can reach back for a mid-90s heater when he needs to. He throws a curve and a slider, with the former a bit better than the latter, and his changeup is a deceptive offspeed offering. His good command lets his stuff play up and he can move his fastball in and out, going right after hitters with a very strong feel for pitching."- Mayo

Best pitch - 55-60 fastball

 

Marco Gonzales, LHP, 6'1" 190 lbs, Gonzaga

"Gonzales is polished lefty with a plus-plus changeup, above-average curvebal and a fringy fastball that might be in the 86-88 mph range when he's going every fifth day in pro ball. He's an outstanding athlete who will likely destroy the low minors if the team that signs him decides to waste his time in that way." Law

Best pitch-65-70 change up

 

Bobby Wall, RHP, 6'3" 200lbs, Ole Miss

"He has a good pitcher’s body and plenty of arm strength, cranking his fastball up to 95 mph with good life to it. He couples that with an average to sometimes plus curve, more than enough for the bullpen. Throw in a feel for the changeup and any team that takes him should probably send him out as a starter when he enters the pro game." Mayo

Best pitch- 55-60 fastball

 

Jason Hursh, RHP, 6'1" 197 lbs, Oklahoma state

"He sits in the mid-90s, with good life on the fastball, in his first year back after Tommy John surgery; his breaking ball and change aren't as advanced, and it's not a great delivery because it's fairly heavy on the arm." law

Best pitch 60-65 fastball

 

Andrew Mitchell, RHP, 6'3" 220 lbs, TCU

"Mitchell is finally in the rotation where he belongs, showing potential mid-rotation stuff. The command, though, hasn't been there yet, either because he was used to working out of the bullpen for the first few weeks, or because the command just flat out isn't there yet." Law

Best pitch- 55-60 fastball

 

Aaron Blair, RHP, 6'5" 220 lbs, Marshall

"Blair's fastball will touch 93-94 mph and it has some late sink to it, giving him the ability to generate ground-ball outs. When he stays on top of his breaking ball, it's a solid curve with good tilt to it. He doesn't throw his changeup much, and it needs some work, but it has the chance to be a third average offering." Mayo

Best pitch- 65-70 fastball

 

Trevor Williams, RHP, 6'3" 223lbs, Arizona State

"Stuff-wise, there’s a lot to like, with a fastball that touches the mid-90s, both a slider and a curve as well as a changeup. He throws strikes and generally has been effective at Arizona State and then as a reliever for Team USA. But considering his stuff, and his ability to throw strikes, he doesn’t get as many swings and misses as you’d think. If he sharpens his stuff to do that in his junior season, he’ll be off the board in a hurry." Mayo

Best pitch- 60-65 fastball

 

Alex Gonzales, RHP, 6'3" 200 lbs, Oral Roberts

"He continues to perform while flashing three above-average pitches, including a 92-94 mph fastball and a 60-grade slider; Gonzalez projects as a mid-rotation starter in the majors and could easily get into the last half of the first round." Law

Best pitch-60 slider

 

Kevin Ziomek, LHP, 6'3" 200 lbs, Vanderbilt

"He has very good stuff from the left side, with a good three-pitch mix. His fastball can be plus at times, he has an outstanding changeup and an effective breaking ball to go along with it. There's some concern about his arm action, but Vandy lefties who perform well tend to do pretty well on Draft day." Mayo

Best pitch- 55-60 fastball

 

Jonathan Crawford, RHP, 6'1" 205 lbs, Florida

"Crawford's velocity has been better lately -- more consistently up to 95 -- but the delivery and poor command have more and more scouts (myself included) thinking he's destined to be a reliever in the long run." Law

Best pitch 60-65 fastball

 

Not all of these guys will be there at 43, Marco Gonzales and Thurman currently profile as first rounders, but with about 50 days till the draft a lot can happen. Some will rise and some will fall. This also isn't a complete list of college guys but it is a good place to start. Hopefully later this week I can get a HS pitcher list done. (Tom Windle was left off because he has his own thread)

[TwinsFanInPhilly]

Good info - thanks for sharing

[gunnarthor]

Nice list!

 

Mayo has Crawford and M. Gonzalez at 18 and 19 on his draft list. I really liked Gonzalez as a 2nd rounder but apparently he's played himself up the list. Crawford had been #10 on his list before. Wall is 25. I don't think he'd fall to 43 either.

 

I think any of the rest could be there at 43 I'd be pretty happy with Blair, Ziomak or Thurman. I wonder if the Twins might take Arkansas closer Suggs in the 2nd round. They've been targeting power arms and he's got a good one. Might be a quick to the majors relief arm. And I'm sure they've scouted the crap out of him since he's team mates with Stanek.

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The problem with Mayo's list is that it hasn't been updated in over a month. A lot of guys have risen and dropped since his last update. Looking at Laws list that was updated last week he has Crawford at 42, I think, and Wall completely off it.

 

Just how these guys haven fallen in the past month there is still a month+ to regain their previous draft status. Once again their is no way to know who will be there, I just wanted to put some sort of list together for people. Personally, I like HS crop of pitchers a lot better.

[gunnarthor]

BA had an article today on Thurman, noting that Thurman is moving up and likely a 2nd round pick and possible higher.

 

UC Irvine's Andrew Thurman Generating Second-Round Buzz - BaseballAmerica.com

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BA had an article today on Thurman, noting that Thurman is moving up and likely a 2nd round pick and possible higher.

 

UC Irvine's Andrew Thurman Generating Second-Round Buzz - BaseballAmerica.com

 

Thanks for the link. Pretty good article. Law has Thurman ranked 21 on his board and after scouting him earlier this month said he sees him going in the 20-30 range. Like Marco Gonzales, he most likely will be gone by 43 but you never know!

[Mike Sixel]

Great info, thanks.

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From Jim call is about Blair:

 

• Where is Aaron Blair, RHP from Marshall University looking to go in the draft? Is 1st round a real possibility?
  

Jim Callis: He could go at the end of the first round. He had a very good summer in the Cape and his velocity has been up this spring.

 

Sounds like he could possibly be there at 43 for the Twins.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm surprised Windle isn't on this list. Yes, I think there's a good chance he's not there at 43, but I'd say there's a decent chance he's there. Manaea/Windle would make for a couple of nice lefties.

[hrunting]

Gonzalez is a warrior, but yeah, it's hard to believe he'll be around at 43.

[gunnarthor]

I'm surprised Windle isn't on this list. Yes, I think there's a good chance he's not there at 43, but I'd say there's a decent chance he's there. Manaea/Windle would make for a couple of nice lefties.

 

There's a thread somewhere about Windle. I'm not sure if he'll be there at 43 but I agree he's certainly in the discussion.

[Brad Swanson]

Here's Kiley McDaniel's free top 30 from about a month ago:

 

Scout.com: Updated MLB Draft Top 30

 

Many of these names are in his top 30, but I believe these are his ranks not where he thinks they will go. Looks like a lot of these guys have big talent.

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I'm surprised Windle isn't on this list. Yes, I think there's a good chance he's not there at 43, but I'd say there's a decent chance he's there. Manaea/Windle would make for a couple of nice lefties.

 

Last paragraph I mentioned I didn't put windle on because he has his own thread already.

 

While Manaea and Windle would be a solid two college arms I prefer several of the higher upside HS arms in the second round. I was going to post the HS pitcher list today but didn't have time. Will do it tomorrow

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From Christopher crawfords chat:

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Comment From Porter

Any chance that Jonathon Crawford goes in the first round?

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[TD=class: chatmsgtime, bgcolor: #F6F6F6]5:09

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Sure, late. Going to depend on if a team thinks he can A. Start or B. can be a fast-track reliever. One of the biggest disappointments of 2012, in my opinion.

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From law on Ziomek:

The left-hander sat 88-92 mph all night with his fastball and threw a curveball that varied from a get-me-over pitch at 75-76 up to a harder slurve at 80-81, with many pitches in between those two. He showed the willingness to attack guys on the inner half with both pitches and to backdoor the breaking ball to right-handers. His delivery is pure reliever -- he starts with a very high leg kick, has a very long arm swing behind his body, and hasn't even started to get his hand moving toward the plate when he lands his front leg.

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Update: April 26-28

 

Blair-10/2 K/BB, 8.1 innings, 2 ER

Alex Gonzalez- 12/1 K/BB, 7 innings, 1 ER, reportedly was hitting 94

Ziomek- 9/3 K/BB, 7 innings, 1 ER

Crawford- 5/3 K/BB, 4.2 innings, 0 ER

Hursh- 6/1 K/BB, 7.1 innings, 2 ER

Mitchell- 4/2 K/BB, 4.2 innings, 1 ER

Williams- 7/1 K/BB, 8 innings, 4 ER

Thurman- 4/1 K/BB 7.2 innings, 3 ER, it is worth noting he gave up 11H vs a weak UC-Irving

Marco Gonzales- Gonzales actually played first in a loss to BYU. He went 1-for-5 with a single, one run driven in, and two strikeouts.

[CwK]

Will you be doing a Puerto Rico Baseball Academy prospect watch list? It seems the Twins have an affinity for those guys.

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Will you be doing a Puerto Rico Baseball Academy prospect watch list? It seems the Twins have an affinity for those guys.

 

While I wouldn't mind doing it but that information is just so hard to come by. Unlike last year where there were several big PR names floating around, this year I just haven't read about them.

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From a scout on Thurman via Christopher Crawford:

 

"People use the phrase 'pitchability' a lot, and Thurman has it," an NL scout said. "He's not going to be an ace, but he knows how to keep hitters off balance, and he's going to keep you in ballgames. Normally, that's how I'd describe an early Day Two guy. But this year? That should probably go in the first round."

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From Christopher Crawford's chat:

 

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Do you see a chance for any CUSA guys going in the top 39 picks

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[TD=class: chatmsgtext altcaster_text]Absolutely, Aaron Blair, a right-handed pitcher out of Marshall should go on day one. 6-5, 220 with a plus fastball and good breaking-ball.[/TD]

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How far has Jonathon Crawford's stock fallen? Is he likely a 2nd rounder now?

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[TD=class: chatmsgtext altcaster_text]Going to depend on his signability and if a team thinks he can start. I think he probably goes day one, but I wouldn't take him. Reliever.[/TD]

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From Keith laws chat:

Bobby Wahl - dominant at Ole Miss this year. 1st round pick this year? Can he continue as a starter going forward?

[h=6]Klaw (1:29 PM)

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Reliever. I don't think he's a day one draft, although it only takes one team that thinks he's a starter to do so.

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Top pitching prospects went into the weekend knowing they only have 4 starts till the draft. Here is how they did.

 

Blair:8.1 innings, 3 H, 1ER, 8/4 k/bb

M.Gonzales: 8 innings, 9 H, 4 ER, 12/4 k/bb

Harsh:6 innings, 7 H, 5 ER, 3/4 k/bb

Wahl: 8 innings, 4 H, 1 ER, 5/2 k/bb

Ziomek: 8 innings, 8 H, 1 ER, 4/0 k/bb

Williams: 6 innings, 9 H, 5 ER, 7/3 k/bb

Mitchell: 5 innings, 2 H, 0 ER, 3/5 k/bb

A.Gonzalez: 8 innings, 4 H, 0 ER, 7/2 k/bb

 

Crawford had a quote from an AL Central scout this weekend:

 

"The slider has been really good this year," an AL Central scout said. "He's got the type of build you love, and he holds his velocity well. [Oral Roberts] doesn't face the best of competition, but a low 90s fastball and a plus slider will play anywhere. I see a No. 3 starter who should give you plenty of innings at the big-league level."

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Jim Callis at baseball America took some draft questions and here is what he had to say about these pitchers:

 

Can you talk about what scouts are saying about Jonathan Crawford? I'm surprised to see him still in the first round considering the year he's had. I was secretly hoping he'd fall far enough that a return to school was possible.

Jim Callis: With the college arms, Appel (Stanford) and Gray (Oklahoma) are on a tier to themselves. Next group is Shipley (Nevada), Stanek (Arkansas) and Manaea (Indiana State) in some order. After that, Crawford (Florida) is in a bigger group that includes Anderson (Jacksonville), Wahl (Mississippi), Eades (LSU), Blair (Marshall), Balog (San Francisco) and Alex Gonzalez (Oral Roberts). That third group is still sorting itself out. Crawford could go in the first round, just as easily could last into the second.

I did't see Vanderbilt Kevin Ziomek in your list. Do you see him as a potential supplemental round pick?

Jim Callis: Could fit at the bottom of the first round. He’s in that third tier of college pitchers, a few of which will go in the first round. Sandwich pick or second-rounder at the latest. I like Ziomek a little more than most of our writers, I think.

 

With the Cubs dearth of starting pitching, who are a couple of 2nd round arms that they could target?

Jim Callis: I’ll list several college candidates: Bobby Wahl (Mississippi), Ryan Eades (LSU), Aaron Blair (Marshall), Alex Balog (San Francisco), Alex Gonzalez (Oral Roberts), Andrew Thurman (UC Irvine), Tom Windle (Minnesota), Corey Knebel (Texas), Trey Masek (Texas Tech), Andrew Mitchell (TCU), Jason Hursh (Oklahoma State), Kevin Ziomek (Vandy). Some HS names: Devin Williams, Blake Taylor. They will have several attractive options.

No Alex Gonzalez from Oral Roberts in the 1st round? Why?

Jim Callis: He’s in the mix for some teams. As we get closer, I’ll be able to pin down possible destinations.