Here is a look at the top high school pitchers for the 2008 draft. As with the hitters, I haven't seen these guys in person and my impressions are based on scouting reports, video, and intuition. Right now there doesn't seem to be any knockout Josh Beckett types in this draft; even the top arms have some question marks.

I am working on my draft board and will have an early version of it for you on Saturday. These reports have focused mostly on guys who could go in the first round or in the supplemental round, and as we get closer to draft day I will mix in more guys from later in the draft.

Here are high school pitchers who could go in the first round:

1) Tim Melville, RHP, Missouri HS: Opinion of him dipped a tad after an erratic start but he's been better lately and still rates as the best overall high school arm available according to virtually all sources. Big guy at 6-5, 200. Works in the low 90s and projects more velocity as he refines his mechanics. Shows a fine knuckle-curve, at times, but it needs more consistency. It would not surprise me to see Martin pass him on draft day.

2) Ethan Martin, RHP, Georgia HS: Also a prospect as a hitter, but his stock as a pitcher has really taken off this spring following a series of dominating performances. 6-3, 200, fine athlete, has shown a 92-96 MPH fastball this spring and more polish than anticipated. Under consideration for Shadow Twins at 14. It wouldn't surprise me to see him end up ahead of Melville when all is said and done.

3) Alex Meyer, RHP, Indiana HS: I admit, I have a slight bias in favor of colder-weather and/or Midwest pitchers. In theory they have less mileage on their arms. 6-7, 200 pounds, hits 94 MPH and projects more. Also has a good spike curveball. Size leads to worries about his mechanics and command and generally speaking I'm not obsessed with tall pitchers, but for some reason I like him intuitively. Mid-to-late first round pick.

4) Gerrit Cole, RHP, California HS: 6-3, 190 pounds, has been clocked as high as 97 MPH, also shows promising changeup and slider. Concerns: his mechanics aren't textbook, he can be emotionally volatile, and the Scott Boras Factor. Depending on what happens over the next two weeks, could go anywhere from 10 to 30.

5) Brett DeVall, LHP, Florida HS: Good size at 6-4, 215. Fastball average at 87-90, but could project more in time and he's the best high school pitcher in the tough Florida ranks. Mixes in a solid curveball and changeup. Mid-to-late first round pick depending on bonus demands.

6) Anthony Gose, LHP-OF, California HS: Very athletic, fast, good prospect as an outfielder but 95 MPH fastball from the left side and a promising curve have boosted his pitching stock this spring. Not big at 5-11, 175, but the athleticism is something I look for in a pitcher.

7) Dan  Webb, RHP, Kentucky HS: Great arm, hits 94-96 MPH. 6-3, 205, good athlete. Secondary pitches and control are below average and he's somewhat raw overall. Seems like the kind of moldable pitcher with upside that would interest someone like the Braves or Dodgers. I don't see him lasting long enough to get to Atlanta, but what about the Dodgers at 15?

8) Kyle Lobstein, LHP, Arizona HS: 6-3, 185 pound lefty with 88-90 fastball, good curveball. I really like his smooth delivery, and he's a fine athlete who also plays basketball. Another guy my intuition really likes. Counts as a cold-weather pitcher since he's from Flagstaff, not the warmer Arizona climes. Late first round or supplemental pick.

9) Tyler Sample, RHP, Colorado HS: Big guy at 6-7, 220 pounds. Command and mechanics are erratic, not unusual for a tall high school pitcher, but high upside guy who can already hit 95 on a good day. Also has a very promising curveball. I see him in the supplemental round.

10) Zeke Spruill, RHP, Georgia HS: 6-4, 190, projectable, already works in the low 90s and has some promise with his curve and changeup. Like most of these guys he's fairly raw, but would fit late in the first round or the supplemental round. Seems like a logical fit for the Braves. The Braves don't pick until 40 however...will Spruill still be there? If not, another high school Georgia pitcher named Michael Palazzone has a very good arm and would slot in well for Atlanta there.

Felipe Lopez was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round in 1998. The eighth-overall pick in the draft, he came out of Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Florida. He signed for a $2 million bonus, then reported to St. Catherine's in the New York-Penn League, where he hit .373/.395/.518 in 19 games. It was a small sample, but impressive for an 18-year-old against college competition. He was also rated as a fine defensive shortstop, though in need of more polish. Lopez came from an abusive family background. . .his father was jailed for physically assaulting him...and there were questions about his makeup. But given his strong pro debut, it looked like the Jays had made a great pick. I did not give draftees grades back then, but a similar player nowadays would get at least a Grade B and probably a B+.

Lopez was assigned to Hagerstown in the Sally League in 1999. He hit .277/.351/.421 with 14 homers, 21 steals, and 61 walks in 537 at-bats, but he also struck out 157 times and was caught stealing 14 times. Scouts were very intrigued by his tools on both offense and defense, but were concerned about his propensity to make sloppy errors. I gave him a Grade B in the '00 book, noting his impressive ceiling but warning of some adjustment issues as he moved up.

The Jays jumped him to Double-A in 2000 and he struggled, hitting .257/.303/.371. He stole 12 bases but was caught 11 times, and he continued to have issues with the strike zone. He also made 44 errors, and drew the ire of his manager for not hustling on routine plays. I reduced him to Grade B- in the 2001 book, but noted that he was still very young.

Lopez began 2001 back in Double-A and hit .222/.309/.361 in 19 games. Moved up to Triple-A, he went on a tear and hit .279/.337/.506 in 89 games, with 16 homers, 13 steals, and improved plate discipline. He then hit .260/.304/.418 in 49 games, 177 at-bats,  for the Blue Jays. This broke his rookie eligibility and kept him out of the 2002 book, but I would have rated him a Grade B+ given his rapid improvement that year and his youth.

2002, 2003, and 2004 saw him play well in Triple-A but struggle in the majors for the Jays and, following a trade, the Reds. He had a very good season for the Reds in 2005, hitting 23 homers with an overall .291/.352/.486 mark. But his performance fell back in 2006 and he got traded to Washington.

He hasn't slugged over .370 since 2005 and his power seems to have vanished.. He's better at stealing bases than he used to be, but both his hitting and his defense have leveled off as mediocre. Lopez will hang around for a long time due to his speed and versatility, but unless he shows some unusual performance spikes soon, his chance to be a star is gone.

Drafted as a high school tools player, Lopez isn't a bust, but he didn't turn out as good as everyone expected. I'm not sure the Blue Jays handled him all that well. Skipping him past High-A looks like a mistake in retrospect. He would likely have benefited from a full year of Triple-A before being pushed into major league action. Even so, he still strikes me as a guy who gets by on athleticism rather than baseball skill, and I'm not sure that more coaching or experience would have changed that at all.

Players Drafted Ahead of Felipe Lopez in 1998: Pat Burrell; Mark Mulder; Corey Patterson; Jeff Austin; J.D. Drew; Ryan Mills; Austin Kearns.

Here is my take on the top high school hitters of the 2008 draft. Note: I haven't seen these guys in person, so am relying on scouting reports, video, and intuition. High school stats are even more meaningless than college stats, so there isn't much that can be done with objective analysis.

I'm not overly impressed with high school hitting depth this year, though there are some interesting raw tools outfielders about. As I see it, the Elite Three are Beckham, Skipworth, and Hosmer, with the other guys a cut below.

1) Tim Beckham, SS, Georgia HS: Still rated as the best overall position player in the draft according to everything I've heard or read. Excellent tools, will be able to remain at shortstop, main question is present power but has plenty of projection, more polish than the other guys except perhaps Skipworth. 6-1, 180, righthanded hitter.

2) Kyle Skipworth, C, California HS: Best high school catcher since Joe Mauer, features power from the left side, strong arm, still needs to add some polish to his defense but he will remain at catcher and be a good one. I like him better than anyone else except Beckham, given that catchers who can both hit and field are hard to find. Won't make it out of the Top Ten on draft day and possibly not the Top Five. 6-3, 190, lefty hitter. My intuition loves him.

3) Eric Hosmer, 1B, Florida HS: Complete hitting package, features power and plate discipline, good glove at first base, should advance rapidly up the ladder. Main negative is Scott Boras, rumored to be asking for a $7 million package and a major league contract. I don't think I would give that to a high school first baseman unless his name was Lou Gehrig. 6-3, 210, lefty hitter.

4) Aaron Hicks, OF-RHP, California HS: Probably the best of the toolsy outfielders, speed, power, very strong arm, great range, etc. Has a measure of polish but not enough to make him a sure thing just yet, might have trouble with the strike zone or batting average if he has "long swing" problems. Would fit well in mid-first round and under consideration for my Shadow Twins at 14. 6-2, 175, switch-hitter. Has been really good as a pitcher lately.

5) Isaac Galloway, OF, California HS: Better-known than Collier pre-season, scouts have been following him for years, which in some ways may actually hurt him: he's not the shiny new toy that draws attention. Another power/speed player, a bit more polish than Hicks but not quite as athletic or projectable. Mid-to-late first round. 6-2, 190, righthanded hitter.

6) Casey Kelly, SS, Florida HS: Another toolsy guy, strong arm, should be able to remain at shortstop, athletic, major league bloodlines. Two big questions pre-season: would his bat hold up, and University of Tennessee football scholarship. He has had a good spring and most scouts think he'll hit, but the quarterback option remains in play and bonus demands are unclear. Could go anywhere from 12 to 30 at this point. 6-4, 190, hits right.

7) Zach Collier, OF, California HS: Another tools outfielder, excellent tools but has less experience than Hicks or Galloway and less polish. Stock has been rising as scouts want to see a guy who was not well-known before the last few months. 6-2, 185, hits left.

8) Robbie Grossman, OF, Texas HS: Another tools outfielder but hasn't received as much attention this spring as the California guys. Switch-hitter, with above average speed and power. 6-1, 195 pounds. I think he could end up being something of an overlooked bargain.

9) Zach Cox, 3B, Kentucky HS: Pure hitter from the left side, not as toolsy as the others and some question about how much power he will develop, but very polished. Should be able to remain at third base due to strong arm and adequate range.  Second round possiblity? 6-0, 205.

10) Cutter Dykstra, INF, California HS: Gets attention for being Lenny's son, athletic, relatively polished, grew up around the game. Undersized which will keep him out of the first round, but I bet someone pops him in the second. If his name was "Fred Jones" I doubt he'd get as much attention. 6-0, 185, right-handed hitter.

Two-way guys Ethan Martin and Andrew Gose will be in the pitching report.

Attention Scouting Directors:

In your MOD thread, put in a tag "MOD". That way people will be able to find all the MODS by using the tag system. You now have the ability to edit fanposts, so you can go back and do this for your MOD thread. You should also associate your MOD with the relevant team, to make it easier for readers across the network to participate. The first comment on this post has links explaining how to do these things. Thanks.

Scouting Director Assignments

If you want to be a scouting director, ask in the comment thread. I will update the main thread to indicate who each director is. Once you see your name on the list, please start a Mock Organization Diary, titled MOD: Cardinals or MOD: Giants or whatever your team is.

Remember, you MUST be available for the Mock Draft on Saturday, May 31st, at 12:00 PM central time.

Duties of the Scouting Director include managing the conversation in the MOD Diary threads. This is a collaborative effort. I don't want you to run your threads like a dictator, but approach it like you are really a scouting director and the other participants are your scouts, farm analysts, etc. Each scouting director should have a deputy to run the draft if the SD has to step away or cancel at the last minute.

Anaheim: ben_grdn
Arizona: Ian Stewart
Atlanta: nms
Baltimore: Buzz Bissinger
Boston: Jeff Sully
Cincinnati: King Billy Royal
Chicago AL: larry
Chicago NL:  z4 landshark
Cleveland: Terry Ryan Jr
Colorado: Doug Frobel
Detroit: Erik
Florida: psugator
Houston: Dewey Finn
Kansas City: doublestix
Los Angeles: thinkblue

Milwaukee: goldenspikes24
Minnesota: unclebuck44
New York AL: Batonball
New York NL: acerimusdux
Oakland: fischbowl
Philadelphia: variablesdont
Pittsburgh: countvertigo
St. Louis: fewgoodcards
San Diego: jeck
San Francisco: Brutesentiment
Seattle: casejud
Tampa Bay: goyankees
Texas: firebatM3
Toronto: ofsticksandbats
Washington: bartonboi

A housekeeping item: the Search Function has been completely overhauled and is now operational. There might be a few bugs left but if so they will be stomped quickly. The new search feature was designed after imput from readers, so never ever think the techs aren't listening to you: they continue to improve the functionality of the site.

Secondly, because today is Mother's Day, we will delay the Mock Draft Scouting Director Applications until tomorrow.

Schedule for This Week:

Monday: Mock Scouting Director Assignments

Tuesday: 2008 High School Hitters of Interest

Wednesday: Prospect Retro: Felipe Lopez

Thursday: 2008 High School Pitchers of Interest

Friday: Prospect Retro: Edwin Jackson

As long-time readers know, every year we do a Mock Draft the weekend befor the real draft. Here are the ground rules.

The Commissioner of the Mock Draft is me, John Sickels. I will be guided by the principle of making this as fun as possible, and as fair as possible.

Step One: Selection of Scouting Director for Each Team

I will select a scouting director for each of the 30 Major League Baseball franchises. Each scouting director will be known by their Minor League Ball community name. This is basically on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you want to be a scouting director, ask.  Qualifications: You MUST be available to participate in the Mock Draft, Saturday May 31st at 12:00 PM noon, central time. You must also pledge to operate the Mock Organization Diary (see below) in a fair, open, and forthright manner. Any scouting director who does not or cannot do this will be relieved of their responsibility. My tolerance level for disruptive behavior is extremely low right now and I won't hesitate to pull the plug on someone not doing their job.

Step Two: Establishment of Mock Organization Diaries

Once a Scouting Director has been officially designated by the Commissioner (me), the Scouting Director should establish a Mock Organization Diary. This should be titled: MOD Angels, or MOD Yankees, etc. In the MOD, readers who want to participate in the Mock Draft should meet to exchange ideas and information, argue, and hash out who you want to draft. Anyone can participate in the MOD, however I suggest that readers try to stick with one or two organizations. Due to the vagaries of the “fanpost” system, it may be necessary to post new MODs frequently.

Step Three: Mock Draft, Saturday, May 31st, 12:00 PM Central Time

The Mock Draft will begin on Saturday, May 31st, at 12:00 PM Central Time. It will run for five rounds. That means round 1, and the supplemental rounds, all the way through round 5. Teams will select in the order that they select in the real draft. The Scouting Director for each club will be responsible for making the choice in the connecting thread, with the thread moderated by me

Post questions and comments about the mock draft here. Do NOT post requests for Scouting Director Assignments in this thread. I will post a separate thread for that tomorrow.

Here are some additional college hitters to watch for in the draft. We will look at some pitchers on Monday, and then start with the high schoolers on Tuesday. Tomorrow I will post details about the 2008 Minor League Ball Mock Draft.

While the power bats of Alvarez, Smoak, and Alonso will go early in the draft, several teams are likely to try and slot other college bats into the late first round, supplemental round, or later rounds, figuring to possibly find a bargain bat without having to pay an early-first-round price tag. Here are some guys who have drawn my interest in that regard.

This isn't any sort of comprehensive report, and it doesn't look at middle infielders or guys whose calling cards are defense. I will look more at guys like that in subsequent reports.

David Cooper, 1B, California: Hitting .397/.489/.772 with 19 homers, 35 walks, 24 strikeouts in 184 at-bats, about +52 percent OPS compared to context. Not quite in the Smoak/Alonso category among the college first basemen, but still provides pop and patience and would make a good pick in the supplemental round.  

Allan Dykstra, 1B, Wake Forest: Hitting .329/.532/.665 with 14 homers, 56 walks, 34 strikeouts in 155 at-bats, OPS about +38 compared to context. Not much protection in the lineup for him, no one else on his team has slugged higher than .447, but he's still managed to produce. Looks like a second round type to me.

Jeremy Hamilton, 1B, Wright State: Hitting .442/.536/.769, 29 walks, 21 strikeouts in 147 at-bats, OPS about +53 percent. Good numbers obviously. Strength of competition is an issue here, but Wright State plays in a pitcher's park (85 park factor according to Boyd Nation). It will be very interesting to see where Hamilton goes in the draft. He hit just .209 for Team USA in 2007 but in very limited action, just 48 at-bats. He is regarded as a pure hitter with power potential.

Shane Peterson, 1B, Long Beach State: Hitting .376/.488/.594 with 7 homers, 34 walks, 36 strikeouts in 165 at-bats, OPS is about +46 percent compared to context. While numbers don't look as good as some of the others on the surface, it's strong for the pro-pitching environment in which LBS plays. Another second or third round target?

Nate Recknagel, 1B, Michigan: Hitting .394/.447/.782 with 18 homers, 23 walks, 20 strikeouts in 165 at-bats, OPS about +57 percent. Four-year source of impressive power for the Wolverines, but I never quite know what to make of Big Ten competition. A senior bat with pop should interest someone in the middle rounds, if only as a DH type.

Conor Gillaspie, 3B, Wichita State: Hitting .398/.488/661, 6 homers, 30 walks, 17 strikeouts in 171 at-bats, also 13 steals in 15 attempts, OPS about +55 percent. Defense has been rough with .893 fielding percentage, though according to what I've heard he should be able to remain at third base. Late first round possiblities here.

Jordan Danks, OF, Texas: Hitting .317/.443/.532 with 14 steals, 38 walks, 38 strikeouts in 186 at-bats, OPS about +24 percent compared to context. People keep expecting him to hit for power given his frame and strength, but even if it doesn't happen, his speed, defense, and on-base ability should get him to the Show. I have him as a second-round target for my Shadow Twins.

Here's my take on the top college pitchers in the 2008 draft.

This class isn't particularly impressive and doesn't have as much depth as some past groups, but there are some reasonable options here especially for teams in the middle and later part of the first round.

Some tentative rankings:

1) Aaron Crow, RHP, University of Missouri: 10-0, 3.08 ERA with 92/24 K/BB ratio in 76 innings, 66 hits allowed. The talk of college baseball early in the season due to his long scoreless inning streak, but he's been hit around a bit lately. Still a certain lock on the Top Ten and most likely in the Top Five. Throws hard, mid-90s command is usually there, good slider and changeup, has done very well at a high level of competition and in a league (Big 12) that's good for hitting. I like him a hair better than Matusz but that may be Midwest bias talking. Some scouts have concern about Crow's arm action and delivery, but as long as he repeats his delivery consistently, I don't think his injury risk is massively higher than anyone else's.

2) Brian Matusz, LHP, University of San Diego: 9-2, 2.03 ERA with 108/20 K/BB in 79.2 innings, 68 hits allowed. Raw stats are better than Crow's now, but he pitches in a friendlier context for pitchers. Big guy, throws hard for a lefty, great command, nothing not to like here. It's very close between the two.

3) Tanner Scheppers, RHP, Fresno State University: 8-2, 2.93 ERA with 109/34 K/BB in 70.2 innings, 54 hits allowed. He's made huge progress refining his talent this year, and pitching in a context with a composite ERA well over 5.00. He still has some work to do with his command, but I think he has a shot to be an outstanding pitcher, and I've had fleeting thoughts of ranking him first overall ahead of Crow and Matusz. I like the fact that he is a great athlete with a reasonably fresh arm in particular.

4) Shooter Hunt, RHP, Tulane: 8-1, 2.04 ERA with 96/39 K/BB in 70.2 innings, 33 hits allowed. Very good K/IP and exceptionally good H/IP ratio (he's held hitters to a .138 mark) testify to the quality of his stuff, but his walk rate is too high. Lots of potential here, but a cut beneath the top three. In the mix for the Shadow Twins at 14.

5) Josh Fields, RHP, University of Georgia: 13 saves, 0.37 ERA with 44/14 K/BB in 24.1 innings, just six hits allowed. Has recovered from disappointing 2007 season and will definitely have a spot in the first round as a hard-throwing college closer. Command is still an issue, and given the mixed track record of college closers in the pros, he's not a sure thing. But his upside potential is impressive.

6) Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky University: 5-1, 1.78 ERA with 86/24 K/BB in 65.2 innings, 32 hits allowed. Strong K/IP ratio, not many hits, walk rate is higher than ideal. Three-pitch lefty, not quite in Matusz quality but a legitimate first-round pick.

7) Andrew Cashner, RHP, Texas Christian University: Stock is rising rapidly. He throws hard, and has a 2.06 ERA with a 61/24 K/BB in 39.1 innings, allowing 13 hits. Excellent K/IP and H/IP ratios back up scouting reports of plus stuff. Rumors have him possibly going as high as the mid first round.

8) Ryan Perry, RHP, University of Arizona: 3.75 ERA with 57/13 K/BB in 57.2 innings, 52 hits allowed. Still getting late first round consideration due to quality of his stuff, though performance track record has been mixed and he struggled when used as a starter earlier in the season. Can hit 98 MPH when he's going good, and that kind of velocity will get him into the first round, though exactly where is unclear.

9) Zach Putnam, RHP-1B, University of Michigan: 6-0, 2.72 with 60/17 K/BB in 59.2 innings, 47 hits allowed. Also hitting .321/.394/.536 on the season. Being a two-way player is both a good thing and a bad thing. As a pitcher, throws a heavy fastball and has solid control. I could see him as an impressive ground ball-getting reliever or an inning-eating starter. Has a slider, splitter and curve to go with the sinker. Could go in the late first or supplemental round.

10) Tim Murphy, LHP, UCLA: 3.64 ERA with 87/31 K/BB in 76.2 innings, 67 hits allowed. Stock has been up and down this spring, and command is a problem, but you have to like the K/IP ratio and he has good stuff for a lefty. Probably a supplemental pick.

11) Tyson Ross, RHP, University of California: 7-2, 4.47 ERA with 51/24 K/BB in 56.1 innings, 56 hits allowed. He's winning games but command has been an issue for him and his component marks aren't outstanding. Big guy at 6-6, but delivery looks funny (stiff and upright) and that hurts his stock a bit. Can hit 95 MPH.

12) Bryce Stowell, RHP, UC Irvine: 6-2, 2.12 with 73/27 K/BB in 68 innings, 56 hits allowed. 88-92 range with projection to get above that in time, athletic, projectable, some command issues. Sophomore-eligible, status will probably depend on bonus demands.

If I'm looking for a college pitcher at 14 for the Shadow Twins, favorite candidates would be Hunt, Fields or Friedrich. Putnam would be interesting at 27 or 31.  

Here's a review of the 2001 Baseball Draft.

1) Twins: Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota HS: He's had some injury problems but when healthy he's excellent, and picking the "affordable" hometown choice over Mark Prior turned out to be the right move.

2) Cubs: Mark Prior, RHP, USC: He proved he could be a very effective major league pitcher until his arm fell off. "Perfect" mechanics weren't enough to save him.

3) Devil Rays: Dewon Brazelton, RHP, Middle Tennessee State: Scouts loved his arm but warned that he needed a better breaking ball. He never developed it.

4) Phillies: Gavin Floyd, RHP, Maryland HS: Erratic, has had flashes of good performance but hasn't been able to put it together yet.

5) Rangers: Mark Teixeira, 3B, Georgia Tech: Consensus best hitter available turned into a really great hitter.

6) Expos: Josh Karp, RHP, UCLA: He threw hard but never lived up to expectations in college. This remained true as a pro, undone by command issues and injury.

7) Orioles: Chris Smith, LHP, Cumberland University: Small college guy did nothing in the pros.

8) Pirates: John VanBenschoten, RHP-OF, Kent State: The Pirates made him a pitcher when most everyone else thought he should be a hitter. Injuries cost him his fastball, in this case consensus was probably right.

9) Royals: Colt Griffin, RHP, Texas HS: The Royals were seduced by a 100 MPH high school fastball that was never replicated in the pros. Injuries, command problems, loss of velocity, and bad makeup made this a pick to be regretted.

10) Astros: Chris Burke, SS, Tennessee: He has been disappointing, but I don't think the Astros handled him well and  under different circumstances I think he could have developed.

11) Tigers: Ken Baugh, RHP, Rice: Ruined by injuries.

12) Brewers: Mike Jones, RHP, Arizona HS: Ruined by injuries.

13) Angels: Casey Kotchman, 1B, Florida HS: On his way to an excellent career.

14) Padres: Jake Gautreau, 3B, Tulane: Injuries, including intestinal problems and skin cancer, were issues. Bat topped out in Triple-A.

15) Blue Jays: Gabe Gross, OF, Auburn: Developed into a reserve outfielder, platoon guy, and pinch-hitter.

16) White Sox: Kris Honel, RHP, Illinois HS: Injuries, loss of velocity and confidence.

17) Indians: Dan Denham, RHP, California HS: Command issues, injuries.

18) Mets; Aaron Heilman, RHP, Notre Dame: A solid major league reliever.

19) Orioles: Mike Fontenot, 2B, LSU: A solid major league infielder.

20) Reds: Jeremy Sowers, LHP, Kentucky HS: Did not sign

21) Giants: Brad Hennessey, RHP, Youngstown State: A solid major league reliever.

22) Diamondbacks: Jason Bulger, RHP, Valdosta State: Injuries and command problems.

23) Yankees: John-Ford Griffin, OF, Florida State. Was supposed to be a pure hitter, .300+ guy with some power. Instead he developed into a Triple-A slugger with a low batting average.

24) Braves: Macay McBride, LHP, Georgia HS: Has had some success as a major league reliever.

25) Athletics: Bobby Crosby, SS, Long Beach State: Moments of success, but hitting has been dragged down by injuries.

26) Athletics: Jeremy Bonderman, RHP, Washington HS: Traded quickly, has had flashes of dominance but still putting his game together. At worst an inning-eating starter.

27) Indians: Alan Horne, RHP, Florida HS: Didn't sign. Now a prospect in Yankees system.

28) Cardinals: Justin Pope, RHP, University of Central Florida: Injuries.

29) Braves: Josh Burrus, SS, Georgia HS: Tools, raw, never learned to hit.

30) Giants: Noah Lowry, LHP, Pepperdine: A solid major league starter.

Other picks of note:

38) Mets: David Wright, 3B, Virginia HS: When all is said and done, could be the best player in the draft.

56) Brewers: J.J. Hardy, SS, Arizona HS

72) Cardinals: Dan Haren, RHP, Pepperdine: Obviously excellent.

5th round, Phillies, Ryan Howard, 1B, Southwest Missouri State; 5th round, Cubs, Brendan Harris, 2B, William and Mary; 5th round, Rangers, C.J. Wilson, LHP, Loyola Marymount; 7th round, Athletics, Dan Johnson, 1B, University of Nebraska; 8th round: Red Sox: Kevin Youkilis, 3B, University of Cincinnati; 9th round, Indians, Luke Scott, OF, Oklahoma State; 11th round: Arizona: Dan Uggla, 2B, University of Memphis; 11th round, Cubs, Geovany Soto, C, Puerto Rico HS.

Obviously the '01 draft wasn't a great one in the first round. You have the usual injury attrition for pitchers, both high school and college. Mauer and Teixeira are great. Wright, a supplemental pick, could be the best guy of all. And you have a terrific power hitter lasting until the 5th round in Ryan Howard. The draft day scoop on Howard was that he had enormous raw power but struck out too much, didn't field well, and wasn't as dominant as he needed to be for Southwest Missouri.