First-Year Player Draftee Questions

by stlfan on May 31, 2009 7:08 PM EDT

So, over at Vivaelbirdos, I was talking to a few of the Cardinals faithful about the draft. The topic of middle infielders and catchers (which I believe to be our biggest needs in Cardinal Nation, in terms of prospects) that can rake came up. I looked up some basic stats (mainly SLG, OPS, and XBH) on the NCAA.org site and came up with the following people.

Has anyone seen any of them in person? Does anyone go to the school and get to see/hear about them constantly? What do you all know about these kids?

Are they kids who will stick in their current positions, or are they (like Pujols and possibly Brett Wallace before them) kids who will need to change positions in the majors based on their not so hot fielding prowess? Does their power project to the majors? Do they have any speed? etc.

Thanks for any responses that I get.

Bryan Marquez – 2B – NMSU
2009: 215 AB, .414 – 83 runs, 14 doubles, 22 homers, 85 rbi, 49:29 BB:K .534 OBP, .795 SLG

Gary Helmick – 2B – Towson
2009: 228 AB, .430 – 72 runs, 12 doubles, 9 triples, 17 homers, 51 RBI, 32:23 BB:K .502 OBP, .785 SLG

Tommy Nurre – INF – Miami (OH)
2009: 202 AB, .406 – 53 runs, 18 doubles, 1 triple, 17 homers, 54 RBI, 28:34 BB:K .498 OBP, .757 SLG
16 steals, 1 caught

Jordan Kreke – SS – Eastern Ill.
2009: 188 AB, .394 – 50 runs, 16 doubles, 3 triples, 13 homers, 59 RBI, 8:22 BB:K .433 OBP, .718 SLG
5 steals, 0 caught

Nate Freiman – INF – Duke
2009: .352, 47 runs, 15 doubles, 20 homers, 59 RBI .463 OBP, .703 SLG

Hayden Johnston – INF – Ohio
2009: .393, 61 runs, 25 doubles, 16 homers, 47 RBI, .448 OBP, .701 SLG

Matt Vern – INF – TCU
2009: .369, 56 runs, 15 homers, 45 RBI, .474 OBP, .699 SLG

J.T. Wise – C – Oklahoma
2009: .374, 17 homers, 61 RBI, .703 SLG

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Comments

Well Frieman is definately not a middle infielder

He caught a few games about 2 or 3 years ago for Dook but he is a 6-8 ex-pitcher. He is a 1b only.

That being said, he can really hit.

Same with Nurre.. he is a big dude who I believe has only ever played 1b.

An MIF who I do really like off that Miami OH team though is the SS Petraitis.. however you spell it.
I saw him in summer ball last year. He is probably a 3b in pro ball but he has a really nice tool set (great frame, good balance, solid arm) and can square the ball up nicely.
Would be a nice darkhorse senior sign sometime after round 5.
He just seems to ooze “ballplayer”. I don’t know what it is about him, but he caught my attention

Another sleeper MIF would be the kid of out Canisus. Mallioux or Mahoney. One plays 2b, the other plays 3b and they look IDENTICAL. They have some pretty legit wood bat power and, though neither are overly athletic, run pretty well. They are both stocky guys and might be defensive liabilities as pro 2bs but they both have a chance to make it as an offensive minded IF. They look exactly like players the A’s would take.

I was going to write a blurb about sleepers I like later but, since you are looking at overlooked middle IFers ECU’s Ryan Wood is no doubt a great sleeper IF. Unusual story, unusual build but he can hit and has good tools

by nms on May 31, 2009 8:56 PM EDT reply actions

David Naradowski

might be a decent later round pick for organizational IF depth. He is the SS at Kansas and hit for some good power there. He isn’t real big but takes a good slugger’s cut.
Probably not a SS (avg arm and range, though I only saw him play a little) but he could probably be a solid 2b man.

Elon’s Chase Austin is another sleeper. He played in a hitters park in a hitters league, so he has some question marks and he wasn’t great in regionals, so there are legit doubts about his ability to hit good pitcher, but he was a conference co-PoY and has big power (25 homers this spring) has a great lanky, projectable build and has hit ACC pitching hard in midweek games before.
His defensive position is a ? mark. He played SS and 3b this year, but more 3b as the year went on. He is fairly athletic for his size but he probably isn’t a pro SS and might even be a 1b if he keeps growing.
He would be another good risk to take somewhere after round 5.
The 2b on that team, Bennett Davis, is another stocky kid who probably isn’t a pro 2b but he is a decently athletic kid with some real big power (4 or 5 homers in regional play at Ga Tech and 20ish on the year. He is a senior who would be a great thousand-dollar senior sign.

App State’s 2b Wes Hobson is probably more of a senior pick next year and he is another kid from a hitter’s park in a hitter’s league but he has gap power and has the glove and quickness to be a real good bet to stick at SS or 2b in pro ball.

Southern Miss’s Brian Dozier is worth a 10-20 round pick. He isn’t real toolsy but he is that program’s all-time hits leader. Just a real sound player

by nms on May 31, 2009 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions