This is the first of a series where I give quick looks at the players at a given position for the 2010 draft. First up is the outfielders.
College Prospects
Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee
Brentz is a corner outfielder with a plus arm who fits best long-term in right field. He's got plus hit and power tools, and he's probably got the highest ceiling of any college hitter in the 2010 class. Read more about Brentz here. Projected draft slot: Early- to mid-first round.
LeVon Washington, Chipola JC (FL)
It's hard to really point at a huge number of JUCO prospects yet, so Washington falls into the college category. A first-rounder a year ago, he's projected to do the same this year. He's got plus hit and speed tools, and if his arm firms up to become somewhere in 40-50 range, he'll be a plus overall fielder. Projected draft slot: Mid- to late-first round.
Jarrett Parker, Virginia
A center fielder, Parker's someone whose draft position is up in the air. He was absolutely horrible on the Cape, and even though it was probably due to exhaustion from a long season, he looked incredibly out of sync. He's a power-speed type of guy and he should be about average as a pro center fielder. I like his overall patience, but the summer hurt his stock. Projected draft slot: Late-first to late-second round.
Todd Cunningham, Jacksonville State
Cunningham's also a center fielder with a good chance to stay there as a pro. His biggest tool is his hit tool, and it's outstanding. I got a question in the comments of my first 2010 mock a few days ago about what hitters were the best pure hitters in the class. Cunningham might be number one. He doesn't have a lot of power, and he's not exceptionally speedy, but he's definitely a solid option for a number one or two hitter in the pros. Projected draft slot: Supplemental-first to late-second round.
Gary Brown, Cal State Fullerton
Brown's a controversial guy in the scouting community, but I put him here just to keep you aware of him. This spot could have easily gone to one of Leon Landry, Tyler Holt, or Michael Choice, but Brown's a lesser name that you should remember. He's got plus-plus speed and a solid hit tool, and even though he'll never hit for much power, that should make him a decent offensive threat. His speed also makes him a good defender in center, though he needs to add arm strength to an otherwise accurate arm. Projected draft slot: Early-second to early-third round.
Prep Prospects
Austin Wilson, Harvard Westlake HS (CA)
Big-time tools include plus raw power and a plus-plus arm. However, he's probably a right fielder in the long-run, and not a lot of prep corner outfielders go incredibly high in the draft. His bat isn't quite elite enough to warrant top five consideration like Donavan Tate could command a year ago, but Wilson's got enough raw talent to lock himself into the first round for now. Projected draft slot: Mid-first to late-first round.
Josh Sale, Bishop Blanchet HS (WA)
Not a lot of great hitters come into the pros as preps from the state of Washington, but Sale's got that potential. A lefty at the plate and a corner outfield prospect, Sale's got good power potential and a good hit tool, and he's made himself into a household name in scouting circles. Projected draft slot: Mid-first to early-second round.
Chevez Clarke, Marietta HS (GA)
A lot of early summer hype was around fellow Georgia prep outfielder Trey Griffin, but Clarke has come out ahead of Griffin this fall. Clarke has all the tools to be a plus center fielder in the pros, and that really allows to gain ground on future corner outfielders like Wilson and Sale. A switch-hitter, Clarke doesn't have a ton of current power, but he should become near average there with a plus hit tool. He's very fast, so the tools are all there. Projected draft slot: Late-first to late-second round.
Brian Ragira, James Martin HS (TX)
Ragira's got arguably the highest amount of potential of this group of hitters, as he has plus raw power and a plus hit tool, though his current tools in game action aren't as strong as the players above. There's some question about his future position, as he might be a bit of a 'tweener defensively, with a good arm, but only above-average speed with the possibility of losing range as he gets bigger. Projected draft slot: Early-second to mid-third round.
Reggie Golden, Wetumpka HS (AL)
Golden is such a toolsy player that it's hard to take your eyes off him when he's on the field. However, he's your usual raw prep hitter that has some big troubles with pitch recognition and patience. He's got plus raw power, plus speed, and a plus arm, all of which will play in center field. Hit-or-miss type of player. Projected draft slot: Early-second to late-third round.
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