Hot starters

by nms on Mar 9, 2008 5:03 PM EDT

After three weekends here are some hot starters from the college ranks. I'm focusing mostly on draft prospects for the 08 draft, but I'm throwing in a few guys who are just killing it no matter what

Don't necessarily read too much into this as far as predictive value or anything. College stats don't mean a whole lot to begin with, and 3 weekends worth mean next to nothing especially considering the very weak level of competetion many teams have played thus far
Anyway, some hot starters aside from those just mentioned in the Yonder Alonso thread.

Arkansas R-Jr OF/1b Aaron Murhpee, a JUCO transfer who was not hotly recruited has 11 homers, 4 steals and is hitting .467 through 11 games

Miami Jr. 2b Jermile Weeks .415/467/780 5 steals

UGA stud Jr. SS Gordon Beckham 524/545/1071 SLG!
Beckhams start is especially impressive considering UGA has played Arizona and Oregon State to start the year plus a solid Memphis team.. not the Siena's some teams (UVA I'm looking at you) are playing.
I've watched Beckham for awhile and he has been a #3 hitter and rock at SS since day 1 of his freshman year for a College World Series team. Really impressive. He is a legit SS, hit power is real and he has hit on the Cape. He won't win any batting titles but he is very good

Beckham's teammate Rich Proythress, one of the best hitters in the CPL last year, his hitting .500 too.

UNC So. 1b/LF Dustin Ackley 451/508/765 plus 4 steals against decent (FAU/ODU/Winthrop/Kent/St Johns)
One of the best pure college hitters I have ever seen.

Indiana So C Josh Phegley (last years Cape Cod All Star) is hitting 483/529/724. LHP Matt Bashore and OF Kipp Schutz also off to good starts. This is a team to watch in the future, they have some young talent and a great coach.

Virginia Fr LHP/OF Dan Grovatt is 14-21 and 6 2bs.
UVA 1b/3b Jeremy Farrel (son of Indians scouting dir.) is .467 through 30 abs with 3 2b, 3 3b and 2 HR. David Adams also hot. UVA hadn't played a series vs anyone not-horrible until NCSU this weekend though... and they got to pad their stats with a 19-1 midweek game vs Coppin St - maybe the worst NCAA baseball team ever

Jr 1b/3b Brett Wallace and transfer OF Jason Kipnis each have 5 homers and a few steals for Az State, playing a tough scedule, and SS Marcel Champainge is hitting .400

Vandy Sr IF Alex Fienberg is hitting .455 through 10 games vs good teams

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Pitchers

NC State Jr. RHP Clayton Shunick, who was impressive on the Cape in 06 but poor in college in 07, has 17 IP with ONE walk, ten hits, 18 K and ZERO ERs, including a 9 K shutout of top ten UVA. He is a 6 foot-ish kind of guy with a good fastball, live arm and high-effort delivery. He looks like a pro relief pitcher. Jimmy Gilheeny, a LHP to watch for the 09 draft, has 11Ks and no runs in 7 innings as well.

Josh Fields (Sr RHP UGA and Braves unsigned supp-1st rounder) has 11 Ks, and one hit allowed in 4.1 innings. He has struck out 11 of 15 hitters he has faced. And, like I said earlier, these are hitters from last years CWS champ and this years preseason #1.

Matt Harvey, a potential top 15 pick out of HS from last years draft who fell for Boras reasons, has stuck out 13 in 8.2 innings as UNCs midweek starter

Missouri RHP Aaron Crow, top 5 pick in this years draft, has 26 Ks in 17 IP.

Ole Miss LHP Lance Lynn has 25 Ks in 16 IP and their closer Scott Bittle has 28 K, 2 H, 3 BB and no runs in 14 IP

Also, with the hitters I left out Ole Miss' Cody Overboek opening the year 22-49, 6 2b, 4 HR

by nms on Mar 9, 2008 5:13 PM EDT reply actions

No One

And I mean no one in college baseball is hotter than Aaron Murphree - the 1B from AR. Through 12 games, his line is a ridiculous .447/.519/1.298 which is an OPS of 1.817. He homered again today to bring his season total to 12. In addition, he has scored 20 runs, and has a jaw-dropping 28 RBIs. Believe it or not, Aaron is already half way to breaking the single season HR record at AR (24) and that's probably only one of many records that he may break this year.

Of course, the Hogs have played a pretty mediocre schedule so far. Not to mention, that it's just impossible for someone to maintain that pace. Still, with 43 regular season games left, Pete Incaviglia might want to start worrying...

As was mentioned, Murphree wasn't really considered much a prospect coming into the year. It will be interesting to see how much he can improve his stock if he keeps raking...

by Dfarth on Mar 9, 2008 6:25 PM EDT reply actions

By the Way

Murphree is a senior...

by Dfarth on Mar 9, 2008 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

clarify

he transfered LAST year and wasn't good enough to start all last season...that dude hit the roids or something, Brandon Larson did say he didn't really think it is that impressive to hit it over the Batter's Eye in center (j/k)

also he is NOT a 1B or an OF, he should be called a DH because that is exactly what he is, take a look at his picture, that guy plays baseball?

I mean an 1.800 OPS might make Barry Bonds look like a wimp, but the most impressive thing is how he might hit 25-30 bombs and probably wouldn't even get drafted very high at all

the italicized comments down here are really gay

by IHateMitchMustain on Mar 10, 2008 1:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Re:

You make it out like he's Travis Hafner our there - which is not really true. Murphree is a really athletic guy that isn't particularly good at defense right now. If he kills the ball all year, I think someone will take a shot on him and try to teach a corner outfield spot...

by Dfarth on Mar 10, 2008 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Quinn Stewart

seems like a decent comparison here.

Texas JC transfer SEC West LF who breaks out as a 5th-yr senior with lots of homers (23 for Stewart). Stewart was also similar to Murphee in that despite being slugging LFs they both have surprising speed. Murphee has stolen bases in college and loaded up on triples and steals in JC ball while Stewart, a HS WR, waited til last year in Aball to go 21-26 stealing.

Stewart has the advantage of, apparently (I havn't seen Murphee yet), being a more capable OF and he had a much better career than Murphee BEFORE their big 5th years.
Murphee has the advantage in that he is on a pace to blow away even stewart's very impressive senior year

by nms on Mar 10, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

The Aforementioned HR

Was estimated at 485 ft. I dunno about his pro prospects but the kid is a monster...

by Dfarth on Mar 10, 2008 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Also

Wash St freshman OF John Desmaris is 21-42 (.500) with 5 XBHs and 4 steals in 10 starts for a 9-2 Cougars team that is loaded with hot hitting so far.

They aren't beating up on Iona's and Utah Valley St's either. Kent State, Wright State, UNLV and Crieghton are not world beaters but are all very solid mid-major programs.

They have only had to play two road games so far though, both at UNLV.
This coming week should give us a good idea of whether the Cougars are legit or not - and if they can win on the road. One at Kansas St, one at Wichita State and three at Oklahoma

The once-great program has come a long way in the last couple years in pulling themselves back up though.

by nms on Mar 9, 2008 8:09 PM EDT reply actions