Dustin Ackley Is A Monster!
Dustin Ackley is only a sophomore at North Carolina, but he has to be the odds on favorite to be the #1 overall draft pick in 2009. Coming off a tremendous freshman season in which he went .402/.448/.591(OK, I just know somebody is going to say his OBP is BA dependent!), Ackley went on an absolute rampage opening weekend for college baseball. All he did was go 10 for 14 with a double and 3 HR's! What a monster!
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Ackley
by Buchholzz on Feb 25, 2008 11:08 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Seems like a similar guy to
by SenorGato88 on Feb 25, 2008 1:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Looks to me like..
by Metty5 on Feb 25, 2008 8:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'll be going to at least one UNC game
by cubsfan2883 on Feb 25, 2008 1:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
'09 college class
the position players aren't too bad either. i would have ackley as the #1 position player right now, but grant green is a stud shortstop. robert stock could start figuring it out. aaron miller was very highly rated coming out of high school. jared mitchell at lsu has a ton of talent.
this is shaping up to be a great class, and two of the top prospects (nick fuller and lonnie chisenhall) got kicked out of school.
by fewgoodcards on Feb 25, 2008 2:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
yeah I just about to write something up about him
But I seriously can not see him going in the top 5-10 right now, and he is certainly not the odds on fav to go #1 in 09
by nms on Feb 25, 2008 2:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
scouting report on him?
by LCT on Feb 25, 2008 4:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I don't really think his swing is such a problem
I posted this in another thread mentioning Ackley but I've seen him plenty in person and while I think he is one of the best college players in the land I don't think he is an elite prospect. He has quick wrists, a level line-drive swing, and a great approach at the plate. His hits are not seeing eye, they are line drives that spring off his bat. He rarely strikes out and has no problem taking a pitch up the middle or to the opposite field. He always seems composed at the plate and has thrived in the clutch at times. He is a good athlete and has good speed, and I don't mean "good athlete and speed for 1b/LF/RF". I mean good speed for a baseball player period. He played 1b last year only out of necessity for the Tar Heels, not because his D in the OF was bad, when Mike Fox got fed up with Reid Fronk's glove at 3b and moved him to LF and put 1b Chad Flack at third.
He did not play in the Cape or any other wood bat league last summer, possibly due to some lingering injuries from during the long season he played, so he still hasn't shown what he can do in a wood league. Many freshman feel fatigue playing their first 56-game spring, but Ackley's Tar Heels went deep into Omaha, so I think they got up around 70 games. He started to falter late in the year, as many freshmen do, but righted himself at the end to bring the BA back over .400 and hit a couple homers in Omaha.
I just do not see him having the raw power and talent to warrant a top pick. He is a hell of a college ballplayer, and does every thing right as a hitter, but he isn't big or strong like you want a college 1b/OF to be if you are making him a premium selection. His game (contact, doubles and a little speed) is more like that of a 2b. The lack of strength could pose problems in driving balls with wood bats, but we will see. Hell of a ballplayer though, I just don't know if he is a professional star.
by nms on Feb 25, 2008 5:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
metal swing
I've never understood how scouts determine that a certain player's swing will translate well to a wood bat, but it's something I read all the time about amateurs.
This question is for nms, or anyone who thinks they can contribute.
Thanks.
by greg456 on Feb 25, 2008 7:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Wood vs. Metal
What I look for in a "wood swing" is a level swing with natural loft that hits the fat part of the barrel rather than a handle. In addition, a player who is quick inside is very important. If a player isn't they could take advantage of the forgiving metal bat.
Just my opinion.
by Metty5 on Feb 25, 2008 8:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
wood vs. metal
by fewgoodcards on Feb 25, 2008 9:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure if you will see this...
"In my time in college baseball, I feel Ackley is the best hitter I have seen. Better than (Pat) Burrell, (J.D.) Drew, (Brad) Wilkerson, and anyone else."
Not sure who it is from but was off of BA's weekend update of the season so far.
by jfish26101 on Feb 29, 2008 11:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

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