Thrylos

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I have been presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile will contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. Because Mitch Brown is local, and the Twins have been linked with him, and there is a good possibility that they might select him in the supplementary or second round, I am presenting his profile, in addition to the other 22. Profile 23: Mitch Brown Profile/Stats: Mitchell Brown is a senior at Century High School in Rochester, MN. He committed to play for the University of San Diego. He is listed at 6'2" and 210 lbs. He was born on April 13, 1994 . He throws right-handed. Mitch is also playing the infield, but will be drafted as a pitcher. His father is a former Korean power lifter. You can find a web page with a lot of information on Mitch here. In 2012 he is 7-1 with 0.91 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 58 innings. Here is a recent 'CCO story and a video by Mark Rosen on Mitch Brown. He was recently named Minnesota Gatorade player of the year and this is a great story on him, by Tyler Mason. Mini Scouting Report: Mitch Brown throws an above average Fastball that sits in the low nineties and reportedly jumps to 95. He has excellent command and control of that pitch. He also throws a plus cut fastball in the low 90s that has good movement and deception. His breaking ball and changeup are works in progress. His delivery is nice and easy and his mechanics are good. Very coachable. Good strikeout to ball ratio at the high school level, but his breaking ball and change up need to improve to make the leap and they will improve with professional coaching. Videos/Photos: Due to the difficulties in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see videos of Mitch Brown pitching http://www.perfectgame.org/images/profilepics/12iaind-y17.jpg Since this finishes the presentation of profiles of the top pitchers in the 2012 MLB Draft, here is a list of the pitchers presented with links to their profiles at Twins Daily: RJ Alvarez Mark Appel Jake Barrett Chris Beck Ryan Burr Zach Eflin Max Fried Kevin Gausman Lucas Giolito Andrew Heaney Brian Johnson Pat Light Lance McCullers Clate Schmidt Lucas Sims Matt Smoral Chris Stratton Marcus Stromen Hunter Virant Michael Wacha Walker Weickel Kyle Zimmer

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I have been presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile will contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. Because Mitch Brown is local, and the Twins have been linked with him, and there is a good possibility that they might select him in the supplementary or second round, I am presenting his profile, in addition to the other 22. Profile 23: Mitch Brown Profile/Stats: Mitchell Brown is a senior at Century High School in Rochester, MN. He committed to play for the University of San Diego. He is listed at 6'2" and 210 lbs. He was born on April 13, 1994 . He throws right-handed. Mitch is also playing the infield, but will be drafted as a pitcher. His father is a former Korean power lifter. You can find a web page with a lot of information on Mitch here. In 2012 he is 7-1 with 0.91 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 58 innings. Here is a recent 'CCO story and a video by Mark Rosen on Mitch Brown. He was recently named Minnesota Gatorade player of the year and this is a great story on him, by Tyler Mason. Mini Scouting Report: Mitch Brown throws an above average Fastball that sits in the low nineties and reportedly jumps to 95. He has excellent command and control of that pitch. He also throws a plus cut fastball in the low 90s that has good movement and deception. His breaking ball and changeup are works in progress. His delivery is nice and easy and his mechanics are good. Very coachable. Good strikeout to ball ratio at the high school level, but his breaking ball and change up need to improve to make the leap and they will improve with professional coaching. Videos/Photos: Due to the difficulties in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see videos of Mitch Brown pitching http://www.perfectgame.org/images/profilepics/12iaind-y17.jpg Since this finishes the presentation of profiles of the top pitchers in the 2012 MLB Draft, here is a list of the pitchers presented with links to their profiles at Twins Daily: RJ Alvarez Mark Appel Jake Barrett Chris Beck Ryan Burr Zach Eflin Max Fried Kevin Gausman Lucas Giolito Andrew Heaney Brian Johnson Pat Light Lance McCullers Clate Schmidt Lucas Sims Matt Smoral Chris Stratton Marcus Stromen Hunter Virant Michael Wacha Walker Weickel Kyle Zimmer

You are welcome! A bonus profile is coming up in minutes

The first time Parmelee played in AAA is this season and that is a grand total of 9 games. So "always" does not apply Give the kid some time...

I think that it is extremely encouraging to see Pugh in this list and especially with so few BBs

Goodrum has not played a single professional game yet He is in extended spring training and will probably start in Elizabethton this season.

That is not exactly correct Eddie Rosario profiles as above average at 2B and there are 2-3 players who profile as above average regulars at RF including Sano, if he ends up there instead of 1B. SS and 3B are issues, unless Travis Harrison can stay at 3B and does not have to move across the diamond. Just these guys are not playing to the majors any time soon...

Good stuff... You can probably write the same thing and substitute "Valencia" for "Dozier" and "third base" for "short stop" and be equally correct. Their numbers are interestingly similar too: Dozier: 97 PAs 21 H, 4 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 20 K Valencia: 103 PAs, 19 H, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 BB, 23 K (unless one thinks that Plouffe might be an option at 3B or Sano in 3 years)

Jermaine? (If you are talking about BJ Hermsen, BJ stands for Brett Joseph) Good to see Bromberg in this list and good to see him with a K/9 approaching 9. Shibuya and Albers are the only 2 other SPs in the organization with K/9 approaching that benchmark. I have no problem seeing Hermsen topping this list, especially since he made the jump from high A to double A and still getting results (no strikeouts, but...). Albers could had make the list, but who do you take off...

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I will be presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile with contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. This profile completes the top 22 profiles. However, due to recent developments with the Twins, I will present have a bonus profile of another pitcher (number 23) this weekend. Profile 22: Kyle Zimmer Profile/Stats: Kyle Zimmer is a Junior at the University of San Francisco. He throws right handed. He was born on . He grew up in La Jolla, CA and went to La Jolla High Schoool. He is listed at 6'4" and 220 lbs. He was not previously drafted. He pitched 5 games (all in relief) in his freshman year and was turned into a starter his sophomore year. He was also a position player (mainly third baseman) and has been making the transition to pitcher. This season he started 12 games (83.1 IP) walked 15 and struck out 96. His record is 5-3 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Was a honor roll student and Cum Laude Society member in High School. Mini Scouting Report: Kyle Zimmer has three pitches: a fastball, a slider and a change up. His fastball averages 92-94 and gets up to 96-98. It is a plus pitch with good movement and life. His curve ball is a plus 12-6 curve ball that he throws at high 70s with excellent movement. His changeup is a low 80s pitch and is an average pitch with not much movement. This pitch needs work at the next level. Very good consistent delivery with the ball jumping off his hand. Excellent control of both his fastball and curveball, can improve the command of both pitches. In addition to the main 3 pitches he has been experimenting with a slider that he still has to master. Videos/Photos: Due to the difficulties in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see videos of Kyle Zimmer pitching http://www.usfdons.com/photos/sports/m-basebl/auto_headshot/4054995.jpeg

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I will be presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile with contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. This profile completes the top 22 profiles. However, due to recent developments with the Twins, I will present have a bonus profile of another pitcher (number 23) this weekend. Profile 22: Kyle Zimmer Profile/Stats: Kyle Zimmer is a Junior at the University of San Francisco. He throws right handed. He was born on . He grew up in La Jolla, CA and went to La Jolla High Schoool. He is listed at 6'4" and 220 lbs. He was not previously drafted. He pitched 5 games (all in relief) in his freshman year and was turned into a starter his sophomore year. He was also a position player (mainly third baseman) and has been making the transition to pitcher. This season he started 12 games (83.1 IP) walked 15 and struck out 96. His record is 5-3 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Was a honor roll student and Cum Laude Society member in High School. Mini Scouting Report: Kyle Zimmer has three pitches: a fastball, a slider and a change up. His fastball averages 92-94 and gets up to 96-98. It is a plus pitch with good movement and life. His curve ball is a plus 12-6 curve ball that he throws at high 70s with excellent movement. His changeup is a low 80s pitch and is an average pitch with not much movement. This pitch needs work at the next level. Very good consistent delivery with the ball jumping off his hand. Excellent control of both his fastball and curveball, can improve the command of both pitches. In addition to the main 3 pitches he has been experimenting with a slider that he still has to master. Videos/Photos: Due to the difficulties in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see videos of Kyle Zimmer pitching http://www.usfdons.com/photos/sports/m-basebl/auto_headshot/4054995.jpeg

I think that Hendriks is a starter they developed the last 3 years. Not drafted, but still... If Gibson were not injured, he'd be in Minnesota this season. Part of the issue here is that they have had what they thought would be a core of 4 starters (Baker, Blackburn, Slowey, Liriano) to get them through a few years and did not happen quite that way...

Next time he comes around we should ask him about his stuff. Not sure that he pitched before, now I got to dig into his High School years...

The best way to turn Hicks to a pitcher, esp. a starting pitcher is through a trade You could probably get an equivalently high pitching prospect for him.

a. Slama is not doing anything that he has not done before (other than the ERA, and that does not matter.) Every team could have had a shot on him and nobody took it. b. Unless the Twins get an MLB-ready in a year 3rd baseman, they cannot trade Valencia. They have nobody. Plouffe's MLB numbers are worse than Valencia's... FACT. The fact that Valencia has options is the reason he is in the minors now

True. And the Develop is the big part. But the rule 4 (the upcoming Amateur) Draft is about half of the story... The other half is international signees. You cannot ignore this, esp, since about 50% of the best MLB players come that way instead of the draft. But you got to develop them both. As far as decent players who they have drafted recently go (and I am talking from 2000-7 on since you mentioned Mauer and the others need time to make it,) these guys made the bigs (and I am not talking about players who were drafted but not signed) and I am not talking about the likes of Matt Macri. These guys made the bigs and had a positive WAR (and I am including some who don't but they just had a cup of coffee like Benson) : 2000- 12th round Jason Kubel, 2001- 1st round Mauer, 29th round Blackburn, 3rd round Jose Morales 2002- 1st round Span, 2nd round Crain, 6th round Neshek, 2003 - 2nd round Baker 2004 - 1st round Plouffe, Perkins, Waldrop, 2nd round Swarzak, 16th round Tolbert 2005 - 1st round Garza (they drafted well, they traded badly), 2nd round Slowey, 3rd round Duensing, 12th round Burnett, 2006 - 1st round Parmelee, 2nd round Benson, 14th round Manship, 19th round Valencia, 39th round Slama They just have not drafted superstars, but there are not many superstars...[TABLE=class: sortable stats_table no_highlight] [TD=align: left][/TD] [TD=align: left][/TD] [/TABLE]

I have to disagree... The good Frankie (and today it was FranKKKKKKKKKie, btw) was never a pitch to contact guy. To miss bats you got to throw pitches outside the strike zone but you got to make hitters chace them. They were chasing plenty today. So I have no problem with pitches outside the strike zone if they no not result in walks and result in plenty of Ks like they did today.

I think that Rosario just needs a bit more time at 2B and will be able to master it. Converting an OF to an IF is kinda difficult because the ball comes to you much faster in the IF, plus in the middle positions you need to figure out footwork with covering 2B with runners trying to steal or advance, turning the double play as well as being the cutoff man. He will be fine. He is a smart athletic kid. Not like he has to play the position in the majors right now... in the 2-3 seasons it will take him to reach the majors, he will master it. Interestingly enough, the Twins switched another Beloit guy, JaDamion Williams to OF from 2B. I cannot argue with this list. Hendriks and Dozier will not be on prospect lists for much longer. I think that Benson's season was a tad disappointing, but he was hurt, so that is maybe an excuse.

I think that he needs a couple more starts like this and then we are talking for a hot commodity... The Oswalt signing is going to get the Dominoes dropping and June is upon us.

I don't know if you remember, but TK is in the Mitchell report. When a visiting clubhouse attendant told him that there were syringes in the trash there, he told him to shut up and did nothing about it... Not sure that the Twins were doing anything, but it was hush hush...

Yeah... it's more than Naulty's word. Talk to any of the 3 pitchers who were cut recently while injured and they will tell you, I bet. Even in that article, the way the Twins cut their minor leaguers was mighty bad. And nothing has changed. The same person is in charge of the minor leagues and he is about 100 years old now...

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I will be presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile with contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. Profile 21: Walker Weickel Profile/Stats: Walker Weickel is a senior at Olympia High School in Orlando, FL. He committed to play for Miami University. He is listed at 6'6" and 200 lbs. He was born on November 14, 1993 . He throws righthanded. This season he went 10-0 with a 1.47 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 55 innings. Mini Scouting Report: Weikel has 3 pitches: a Fastball, a curve and a change. His fastball is an above average pitch that averages in the low 90s and jumps up to 94. His 12-6 curve is above average and potential plus pitch. Throws it at low 70s. His low 80s changeup is an average pitch that needs work. He has a long frame and a 3/4 to over the top tall delivery that is inconsistent at times and affects his command and control. A lot of potential and a big frame, but will be a work in progress for a team for a while. Videos/Photos: Due to the difficulties in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see videos of Walker Weickel pitching http://www.perfectgame.org/images/profilepics/11NATP23.jpg

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I will be presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile with contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. Profile 21: Walker Weickel Profile/Stats: Walker Weickel is a senior at Olympia High School in Orlando, FL. He committed to play for Miami University. He is listed at 6'6" and 200 lbs. He was born on November 14, 1993 . He throws righthanded. This season he went 10-0 with a 1.47 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 55 innings. Mini Scouting Report: Weikel has 3 pitches: a Fastball, a curve and a change. His fastball is an above average pitch that averages in the low 90s and jumps up to 94. His 12-6 curve is above average and potential plus pitch. Throws it at low 70s. His low 80s changeup is an average pitch that needs work. He has a long frame and a 3/4 to over the top tall delivery that is inconsistent at times and affects his command and control. A lot of potential and a big frame, but will be a work in progress for a team for a while. Videos/Photos: Due to the difficulties in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see videos of Walker Weickel pitching http://www.perfectgame.org/images/profilepics/11NATP23.jpg

Appel was indeed born in Houston. Then he and his family moved away when he was 7. Not sure how local he is. Here is the think about Buxton that scares me (and the "best player" caveat I mentioned up there applies) : I watched plenty of video on him and the kid seems to be like a statue from the waist down when he hits. I suspect that aluminum bats might generate some power just with upper body, but hitting with wood, you got to get that lower body going and the kid is a statue. Just some food for thought Here is a video from this March to show you what I am talking about: [video=youtube;Q25ww_NCly4]http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q25ww_NCly4

Your link is for "back then". Here is the thing: If a kid was selected out of High School in a mid-high round by a team that gave him a bonus of $100K, he'd think twice about getting a college education for free (that beats the $100K btw) and the possibility of getting selected higher at Junior year with a zero or so added to the back of that amount. Back then, college kids like draft eligible sophomores and junior who were selected by certain cheap teams and felt that what they got was not what they deserved, went to play another year. These days (with the new CBA and the hard slots), the High School and draft eligible sophomore thing is in play for pretty much everything other than the top 10 or so picks (too risky for someone to deny those, esp. a college kid), but College Juniors (in the top 15-20) and Seniors will have to sign