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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
I saw this kis play last year....What a beast!!

by Buchholzz on Feb 25, 2008 11:08 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Seems like a similar guy to
Tyler Colvin actually...better college production so far but seems to have a similar build with a similar swing.

by SenorGato88 on Feb 25, 2008 1:48 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Looks to me like..
He has more natural loft and easier power. Colvin seems to be a gap hitter with decent pop to me
Remember: baseball guys... baseball...

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
should be entertaining to watch him tee off.

by cubsfan2883 on Feb 25, 2008 1:52 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

'09 college class
he is good, but it is hard to call anyone in that class the odds on favorite.  that class is absolutely loaded with pitchers.  i just watched stephen strasburg outpitch brian matusz on friday and he has outstanding stuff.  kyle gibson at mizzou is very good.  alex white, ackley's teammate at north carolina has awesome stuff.  gavin brooks at ucla has a big time arm.  mike minor has good stuff and is extremely polished.  

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
I love him.  Really do.  One of my favorite college players, great ballplayer.

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?
Can anyone provide a quick scouting report on him because watching that video, he doesn't look big or strong like say Pedro Alvarez. But that is just a video. Someone has height and weight and that swing I am no expert but looks like that swing will not work with wood bats unless he made some adjustments. Apreciate any info by someone with more knowledge

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
though he could stand to get his body into a little more maybe.  I could see how someone would think it might be a little too much of a metal swing.

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
Could you explain what a metal swing is as opposed to a, um, wood swing? lol

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
A wood bat clearly has give on it which is what causes them to break if hit in certain areas with enough force. The same doesn't hold true with metal bats where you could make poor contact and still hit a HR.

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.

Remember: baseball guys... baseball...

by Metty5 on Feb 25, 2008 8:30 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

wood vs. metal
a metal bat swing is usually characterized as more of an inside out swing.  with a metal bat you can still hit for power doing that due to the more forgiving bat, but with a wood bat you will jam yourself and either break the bat or hit the ball weakly.

by fewgoodcards on Feb 25, 2008 9:05 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Not sure if you will see this...
but wondered what you thought.

"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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