• North Carolina
• Texas
• LSU

The UNC and Texas editions were from last year, so expect both to be updated in the coming weeks. The LSU one is current, but needs to be finished. My goal is to knock a few of these out a week from now all the way until the draft in June, but they’ll be published as works in progress rather than finished products. So, maybe I start by picking three college teams at random — say, Vanderbilt, UC-Riverside, and Toledo — and then add three or four players to each team profile a day. This way we can spread around the brief scouting blurbs that normally come with each profile among multiple teams instead of just one.

Important Interjection —> The College Team Profiles aren’t meant to replace whatever day-to-day content you’d normally see around here. I’d rather they supplement the good stuff than replace anything. So if this sounds boring or not all that useful in the grand scheme of things, don’t worry. Plenty of rankings, lists, and mocks will still be ready to go.

Anyway, the actual point of this post is pretty simple – are there any teams you’d want to see done first? Top 10 teams? Big conference schools? Smaller schools? Teams with talented players eligible for the 2010 draft? Or teams with younger talent who won’t be ready until 2011 or 2012? Any preferences?

As always, whether you agree, disagree, or think I’m a dope who should leave this sort of stuff to the experts (thanks, Mom)…let’s hear it via email (thebaseballdraftreport@gmail.com) or in the comments section.

Photo Source: Freewebs.com

Typically, these College Team Profiles will have all the interesting prospects (including future classes), but we’ll stick with 2009 draft-eligible talent for now. Players are ranked based on my own personal board with drop-offs in prospect status after the first two (Belt and Wood) and then again after Boening. The 9 highest rated draft-eligible Longhorns after the jump…

I’m a very big fan of the toolsy Belt, something that is easy to admit after he put it all together with a .342/.432/.582 season line in a pitcher’s park this past year. He has a pretty lefthanded swing that has a tendency to get too long at times. That same swing has a setup that resembles Jeff Bagwell’s right down to the deep crouch though I promise that the comparison is more of a fun frame of reference for nostalgia’s sake than any kind of baseball skills comp. Belt has good size (6-5, 205) with above-average power potential. In fact, he has already shown that his player plays with wood. He has a very good arm and is a plus athlete, two factors that had teams scouting him as a lefthanded pitcher out of high school and junior college. Belt is a fourth to eighth round possibility that will no doubt spend his draft day hoping to break his own personal 11th round curse – he’s twice been drafted in that very round. The aforementioned pitching experience is an added perk that could make him a realistic conversion candidate if hitting doesn’t work out professionally.

• 2009: Austin Wood (SR) – LHRP

A rubber-armed closer capable of pitching multi-inning games, Wood has a tremendous work ethic and plenty of big game experience. He doesn’t throw particularly hard and he doesn’t have have a shutdown breaking ball, but he throws from a modified sidearm slot that lefthanded batters have a very tough time dealing with. It’s easy to typecast Wood as a LOOGY and nothing more going forward, but his success as both a multi-inning closer and starting pitcher during his career at Texas should afford him the opportunity to at least get a chance in middle relief as a pro. He’s another mid-round candidate that will be drafted more for organizational depth than anything, but he has a shot at a big league career if drafted by the right team.

• 2009: Preston Clark (SR) – C

These little capsules are hard to write because I’m not a very good writer. For whatever reason I can’t seem to escape the same basic “here’s something good or bad about the player, BUT now here’s something that counterbalances it in some way.” Every single sentence I write has a “but” in it. I have no idea why, but (see?) I just can’t avoid it. I suppose I could actually edit my work and vary my sentence structure, but, come on, where’s the fun in that? Anyway, see my formulaic writing style up close and personal. Clark is coming off a miserable year with the bat (zero HRs after averaging 7/season his first three years at Texas), but he’ll get his chances as a heady senior sign mid- to late-round pick all the same. See? Power is down = bad. He’ll still get picked in the draft anyway = good. I do it again here, watch. A mysterious and slow to heal shoulder injury kept him from playing behind the plate with any regularity his senior year, but scouts who have seen him catch all seem to agree that he is an excellent defender. One more time to close things out…pay close attention, this one is a sneaky one. Clark hasn’t fulfilled the high expectations placed on him out of high school, but the flashes of potential he has shown when healthy combined with his extensive experience catching a championship-caliber pitching staff will help him on draft day. At worst, he’s a comparable player to former BC catcher Shawn McGill (23rd round pick in 2006) who should expect to hear his named called at or around (I’d guess a few rounds before) the same time this year.

• 2009: Russ Moldenhauer – OF

Texas-sized big things were expected out of Moldenhauer, a third round pick out of high school of the Angels. Unfortunately, things didn’t really work out for the lefthanded hitting outfielder this year. Some of his problems were circumstantial, including a patella injury suffered last postseason that hindered his offseason workouts leading into the season, but the biggest strikes agains Moldenhauer are his lack of defensive chops (he’s a converted catcher who is a butcher even in left) and his less than sculpted body. He is a gifted natural hitter who showed what he can do when healthy as a sophomore, but questions remain about his power development. The knee injury may make it impossible for him to ever go back to catching, but that’s really the only shot I see of him succeeding in professional ball. Poor defensive corner outfielders need to hit, and hit a ton, to advance. Moldenhauer may yet rediscover the stroke that made him a third round pick once upon a time, but he is going to have to do so in a hurry if he wants to make it as a pro.

• 2009: Riley Boening (SR) – LHP

Injuries are a part of the game, but they are really no fun at all. Boening’s 2006 shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff really messed up what could have been one heck of a promising career. He did recover enough to throw 44 iffy innings in 2008, but another shoulder surgery knocked him out of commission this past year. Once upon a time, Boening was a healthy high schooler tagged with the ubiquitous Tom Glavine comp due to a high-80s fastball and potential plus change. When healthy, Boening can still get it up to 91 on the gun (sitting high-80s) with a good curve and an effective change. The obvious question is when will he be healthy like that again, if it ever happens at all.

• 2009: Keith Shinaberry (SR) – LHRP

Shinaberry kept a web journal this year for Texas website and for that we (fine, just me) are very thankful. My favorite gem, talking about unseasonably chilly March weather: “Not only is it frustrating to be freezing but it makes it difficult to take full advantage of the blonde and brunette scenery around campus.” Blonde and brunette scenery. Funny guy. Shinaberry, the go-to quote for apparently all the papers covering Longhorns baseball, is a typical lefty reliever with a funky Mike-Myers style sidearm delivery featuring a pronounced high leg kick. Thanks to “bubears09″ for shooting this video:

There are more exciting LOOGYs in college baseball that have put up better numbers than Shinaberry, but he may be able to talk (type?) his way into a professional contract this June. There is little chance he goes before round 25-30, but he has shown just enough to deserve a chance as rookie ball roster filler.

• 2009: Michael Torres (SR) – 3B/2B

Torres has logged time at both the listed infield spots as well as a brief stint in the outfield. He’s coming off a gigantic 2008 season (.354/.436/.479 with 37 walks to 15 strikeouts), his first with Texas after getting intermittent playing time at Southern Cal for two years. Torres’ numbers dipped this year, but reports on his defense at third (his primary position this season) were mostly positive. He’s a utility guy at best as a pro, worth a mid- to late-round flier if you’re into that sort of thing. If you haven’t noticed, there are lots of mid- to late-rounds in the MLB Draft…

• 2009: David Hernandez – SS

Hernandez is little more than an organizational type, but only because of his ability to play shortstop. He doesn’t have it in him to contribute anything meaningful with the bat, but could develop with the glove to advance a level or two professional over time. Even though I don’t like him as a prospect, I think he’ll be a mid-round draft for a team in need of a rookie ball middle infielder. I’d put money on him returning to the Longhorns for his senior year.

• 2009: Travis Tucker (SR) – 2B/3B

I like him better than teammate Kyle Lusson. That may sound like a backhanded compliment, but, for some reason, Lusson has been mentioned as a potential late (very late) round pick. Sadly for Lusson, I just don’t see it at all. Fortunately for Lusson, my opinion doesn’t really matter so there is still hope that he’ll be drafted no matter what a hack like me says. Back on topic, I do think Tucker is marginally more interesting than Lusson, but still not a prospect worth going on about. He had a decent junior year (good on-base skills, tiny bit of pop, above-average baserunner), but his inability to play shortstop well will keep him as an organizational type at best.

For now, the first three writeups from the “College Team Profile – Texas” post that I had hoped to have completed by now, but couldn’t because of a wonky laptop. Yeah, I know – excuses, excuses.

One of the most popular (fine, the only) question I’ve been emailed since starting this site up goes a little something like this: I’m going to see ____ University/College/State play this weekend and I was wondering if there was anybody with a professional future that would be worth watching. The College Team Profiles are designed to preemptively answer any and all questions about the prospects from a particular college team…or maybe just open up a whole new set of questions, we’ll see. The next three draft classes for one particular school are featured, with the players ranked in order (great to less great) within each class.

As always, whether you agree, disagree, or think I’m a dope who should leave this sort of stuff to the experts (thanks, Mom)…let’s hear it via email (thebaseballdraftreport@gmail.com) or in the comments section.

Introducing three draft-eligible players of note from yooooooour number one national seed, the Texas Longhorns…

I’m a very big fan of the toolsy Belt, something that is easy to admit after he put it all together with a .342/.432/.582 season line in a pitcher’s park this past year. He has a pretty lefthanded swing that has a tendency to get too long at times. That same swing has a setup that resembles Jeff Bagwell’s right down to the deep crouch though I promise that the comparison is more of a fun frame of reference for nostalgia’s sake than any kind of baseball skills comp. Belt has good size (6-5, 205) with above-average power potential. In fact, he has already shown that his player plays with wood. He has a very good arm and is a plus athlete, two factors that had teams scouting him as a lefthanded pitcher out of high school and junior college. Belt is a fourth to eighth round possibility that will no doubt spend his draft day hoping to break his own personal 11th round curse – he’s twice been drafted in that very round. The aforementioned pitching experience is an added perk that could make him a realistic conversion candidate if hitting doesn’t work out professionally.

• 2009: David Hernandez – SS

Hernandez is little more than an organizational type, but only because of his ability to play shortstop. He doesn’t have it in him to contribute anything meaningful with the bat, but could develop with the glove to advance a level or two professional over time. Even though I don’t like him as a prospect, I think he’ll be a mid-round draft for a team in need of a rookie ball middle infielder. I’d put money on him returning to the Longhorns for his senior year.

• 2009: Austin Wood (SR) – LHRP

A rubber-armed closer capable of pitching multi-inning games, Wood has a tremendous work ethic and plenty of big game experience. He doesn’t throw particularly hard and he doesn’t have have a shutdown breaking ball, but he throws from a modified sidearm slot that lefthanded batters have a very tough time dealing with. It’s easy to typecast Wood as a LOOGY and nothing more going forward, but his success as both a multi-inning closer and starting pitcher during his career at Texas should afford him the opportunity to at least get a chance in middle relief as a pro. He’s another mid-round candidate that will be drafted more for organizational depth than anything, but he has a shot at a big league career if drafted by the right team.

As always, whether you agree, disagree, or think I’m a dope who should leave this sort of stuff to the experts (thanks, Mom)…let’s hear it via email (thebaseballdraftreport@gmail.com) or in the comments section.

Photo Source: Sports Logos and Screensavers

22 of the finest the University of North Carolina has to offer after the jump…

• 2009: Alex White – RHSP

White’s sinking 2-seam fastball regularly registers in the low 90s. White’s straight but heavy 4-seam fastball comes in faster, as he is able to pump it up into the mid-90s. He fits in with many of the other players on this list because he partners up that fastball with the occasionally slurvy slider that is a true weapon. The slider sits in the low 80s and works best when it bears in on the hands of lefthanded hitters. White also throws a very good splitter that helps him get both swings and misses and plenty of ground balls. There isn’t a whole lot to find fault in with his actual stuff and he has top of the rotation potential assuming good health.

• 2009: Dustin Ackley – CF

Ackley is one of my favorite players in this or any draft because, even though there are a lot of players that you can compare him to, in the end he is still, somehow, someway, a really unique prospect. What position will he play? Where will he fit best in a lineup? Will the power develop? How’s his arm holding up post-Tommy John surgery? How much of his prospect value is tied into the answers of these questions? Maybe his skillset isn’t all that unique (there are plenty of examples of high average, good plate discipline, questionable power bats in this draft), but he certainly offers a weird blend of talents for a guy expected to go so high.

• 2009: Kyle Seager – 2B/3B

Batting stance is reminiscent of Chase Utley’s, but comparing a player not likely to even go in the first round with a top ten big league position player isn’t fair to anybody; instead, Seager reminds me a little bit of a better version of former ASU shortstop and current Phillies prospect Jason Donald – Seager is the better hitter, but Donald had the defensive edge; Seager’s well-rounded game (great plate discipline, slightly above-average power, good baserunner, high contact rate) make him a personal favorite of mine and as good a bet as any college hitter to settle in to a long career as a league average (at least) big leaguer

• 2009: Mark Fleury – C

Above-average power, strong throwing arm, and a solid defensive reputation make Fleury an easy top ten collegiate catching prospect; plenty of experience catching hard throwing future professionals a nice perk; finally given a shot at catching full-time for UNC, Fleury is in prime position to vault up draft boards in the coming months

• 2009: Colin Bates – RHRP

Draft-eligible redshirt sophomore who “pitches with a piece of his removed rib in his back pocket”…really; “underwent thoracic outlet decompression surgery due to a blood clot in his right shoulder in November 2006” but has since shown good health; experience playing in Cape Cod League a plus; a little bit like the righthanded version of Brian Moran, a swingman-type who may be even better as a pro than as a college pitcher

• 2009: Bryant Gaines – RHSP

Good size (6-6, 220) and strikeout stuff will take him far; fried bologna sandwich is listed as one of his favorite foods; will be difficult to gauge how receptive he’ll be to signing a pro contract as a draft-eligible sophomore at a school with a strong rep for developing good pitching and two weekend rotation spots open come 2010

• 2009: Brian Moran – LHRP

BJ Suroff’s nephew has a fastball that sits mid-80s, topping out at 88; slider is improving and change is an average pitch; plus command; combine his experience as a starter in summer leagues (New York Collegiate Baseball League in 2007 and Coastal Plain League in 2008) and his dominating numbers out of the pen for Carolina and all of a sudden you’ve got an intriguingly versatile swingman-type who could provide value pitching when needed or suddenly blossom as a pro if asked to concentrate on a set role

• 2009: Adam Warren – RHSP

Pitchability is his calling card but Warren features a playable fastball as well; better K numbers every year indicate the incremental improvements in his stuff that could make him more than just a good senior sign; conservatively a safe bet to go in the top ten rounds, but could sneak closer to the sixth or seventh with a good senior season

• 2009: Garrett Gore – UTIL

Borderline draftee; not a very good bet even as a senior sign because, at best, he’s a utility guy who won’t hit enough to make up for the fact that he can’t play short

• 2010: Matt Harvey – RHSP

Matt Harvey is the early frontrunner to be the top overall pick in 2010, so, yeah, he’s a good one. Harvey has great size (6-4, 200), a plus fastball (93-98 MPH), a newly refined plus-plus curve, and a plus change.

• 2010: Garrett Davis – RHSP

Good size (6-4, 195); currently no spot for him in the rotation, but may be stretched out as starter next year; definitely has the repertoire to start; will be draft eligible next year as a redshirt sophomore, velocity has crept back up after TJ surgery in March 2008, but his command and availability to pitch back-to-back games remain question marks going forward

• 2010: Nate Striz – RHSP

Big, strong guy (6-2, 240); fifth round pick in 2007 as a top 100 prospect in that 07 draft class; power stuff that would play better as a starter, but, as previously alluded to, spots in future Tar Heel rotations will be hard to come by

• 2010: Logan Munson – LHRP
  

Unique prospect in that he is a lefty reliever with a true out pitch (plus change)

• 2010: Greg Holt – 1B

Huge raw power, but one of three natural first basemen vying for playing time behind Dustin Ackley on 2009 team; Moneyball listed as favorite book, so he has that going for him

• 2010: Tarron Robinson – 1B

The second of the 2010 first basemen trying to find at bats for the Heels; good athlete, but has struggled with plate discipline in the past

• 2010: Patrick Johnson – RHRP

Starter for UNC in the past, but profiles better as a reliever in the pros; too early to predict, but he could be on the Robert Woodard/Adam Warren four year path; good numbers, but has done it all against inferior mid-week competition; lack of size may doom him to the bullpen long-term, but his performance pitching largely out of the pen this season give hope that his stuff will play

• 2010: Brett Thomas – 1B

Bad body, but young enough to overlook considering his potential as a lefty power source down the road; good arm that could get him more playing time as an outfielder if he gets himself into better shape down the road

• 2010: Ryan Leach – RHRP

Good arm, but spotty control has held him back; size will keep him in the pen; fringy draft bet at present

• 2011: Levi Michael – INF/OF
  

Good speed, good pop, should stick in the middle infield; easy top three candidate in his draft year

• 2011: Jimmy Messer – RHSP

44th round pick in 2008; favorite foods are sushi and Swiss cake rolls, a winning combination if I ever heard one; fastball sits in the low 90s, above-average (present) curveball with definite plus potential; another top three round candidate

• 2011: Matt Harrison – INF

Plus arm and a lightning quick release; 47th round pick in 2008; could emerge as plus defender at shortstop, making things difficult for scouts curious as to what Levi Michael would look like at the position

• 2011: Jacob Stallings – C

Plus-plus arm; in line to start beginning next season after Fleury moves on to the pros; huge for a catcher (6-5)