MLB Draft Notebook College Commitments

I'm up to 749 players in the 2010 MLB Draft Notebook, and one of the things I enjoy most is looking at the college commitments of the players.

It's quite informative, and it tells you something about what colleges are doing a good job of recruiting.

Follow the jump to see some colleges that have college commitments from the players who will receive profiles from me for this draft.

Alabama
Reggie Golden, OF, Wetumpka HS (AL)
Matt Lipka, SS, McKinney HS (TX)
Wes Mugarian, RHP/SS, Pensacola Catholic HS (FL)
Case Nixon, C/RHP, Hillcrest HS (AL)

Alabama stayed in-state to get two of the best Alabama prospects in Nixon and Golden, and then added another almost-Alabama prospect in Wes Mugarian from the Florida panhandle. Lipka is right up there with Golden for talent, though, and he comes all the way from Texas, which is quite strange in the grander scheme of things. I think they'll likely lose Golden and Lipka to pro ball, but will get Mugarian and Nixon, which should be a nice boost.

Arkansas
Barrett Astin, RHP, Forrest City HS (AR)
Dominic Ficociello, SS, Fullerton Union HS (CA)
Jared Lakind, LHP, Cypress Woods HS (TX)
Justin O'Conner, C/SS, Cowan HS (IN)
Robbie Ray, LHP, Brentwood HS (TN)
Jacob Rice, SS, Tulsa Union HS (OK)
Ryne Stanek, RHP, Blue Valley HS (KS)
Colby Suggs, RHP, Sulphur Springs HS (TX)

This looks to me like the most talented overall group of players, though they won't all get to campus. Astin is the top player in an otherwise empty Arkansas high school class this year, though I think he makes it to campus, and my guess is that they lose Ficociello, O'Conner, Ray, and Stanek. That's a big loss, but getting Astin, Lakind, Rice, and Suggs would be a coup by itself. Ray is up in the air, as he jumped ship on Vanderbilt in favor of Arkansas earlier this spring, so it could be that he wants to follow through on that commitment, though I have him slightly above fellow Tennessee arms Taylor Morton and Cole Brand on the draft list. This could potentially be the top class in all of college baseball this fall after the signing deadline.

Cal State Fullerton
Michael Lorenzen, RHP/OF, Fullerton Union HS (CA)
Peter Tago, RHP, Dana Hills HS (CA)
Joe Terry, 2B, Cerritos JC (CA)
Vincent Velasquez, RHP/SS, Garey HS (CA)

As usual, Fullerton has stuck to in-state prospects, and the big recent news has been Peter Tago's shift from UCLA to Fullerton. For those of you that don't know, a Fullerton commitment is considered stronger than a UCLA commitment for a typical recruit, so this could be a signal that Tago isn't signable for anything other than top-level money. I don't think he'll get that money, but stranger things have happened. However, I think the Titans stand a solid chance of actually getting Tago on campus. I also think they'll land Lorenzen, as his bat hasn't picked up this spring, and scouts see him more as a power pitcher now, even though he prefers to hit. I think Terry is as good as gone, as is Velasquez, but the two-headed monster of Lorenzen and Tago could be huge. This class, though, stands a good chance of losing every single player, which isn't a risk most teams like to take.

Florida
Robbie Aviles, RHP, Suffern HS (NY)
John Barbato, RHP, Felix Varela HS (FL)
Jonathan Crawford, RHP, Okeechobee HS (FL)
Daniel Gibson, LHP, Tampa Jesuit HS (FL)
Keenan Kish, RHP, Germantown Academy (PA)
Zac Powers, SS/3B, Armwood HS (FL)
Karsten Whitson, RHP, Chipley HS (FL)

As usual, the Gators have a big recruit class, though I think they'll lose more of it this year than last. Whitson and Aviles are as good as gone, and I believe pretty firmly that Crawford and Gibson are gone, too. Gibson especially is rising up boards late this spring, and that means only bad things for the Gators. They stand a solid chance of landing Barbato, Kish, and Powers, and the one I'm most sure will make it to campus is Powers. Barbato is up in the air, but Kish will almost certainly join Powers in Gainesville. This will be a solid class, but it isn't the best one, since the top of the group will sign.

Florida International
Kellin Deglan, C, R.E. Mountain SS (BC)
Mike Ellis, RHP, Fleetwood Park SS (BC)
Manny Machado, SS, Brito Private HS (FL)
Wendell Soto, 2B, Riverview HS (FL)

Although I firmly believe that all but Ellis will sign with a pro team this summer, I just want to point out what a great job Turtle Thomas and company are doing with the Florida International program. Signing two players that are potential first rounders is hard enough, and doing it at a smaller program makes it even more difficult. However, that's been done here, and it's too bad that their third piece, Soto, is considered one of the more signable middle infielders in this draft. Ellis could also opt out for a junior college program between now and August, too, which could dampen the class even more, but this class is quite amazing nonetheless.

Florida State
Eric Arce, C, Lakeland HS (FL)
Michael Arencibia, OF, Key West HS (FL)
Kaleb Cowart, RHP/3B, Cook County HS (GA)
Jose Dore, OF, The First Academy (FL)
Ben Gamel, OF, Bishop Kenny HS (FL)
Sean O'Brien, SS, Clearwater HS (FL)

This class could also be one of the best left standing in August. The only player that is almost a surefire sign for pro ball is Cowart, though his desire to hit and potentially high price tag might actually drive him to Tallahassee, though I don't want to give Seminole fans false hope. I think Arce, Gamel, and O'Brien are pretty much locks to land on campus, and the only questions are with Arencibia and Dore. I think there's a better chance Dore signs a pro contract, but Arencibia has improved enough for me to think both could be pro players by August, though I'll put the odds for both at 50/50. Solid class, though.

Georgia
Ralston Cash, RHP, Lakeview Academy (GA)
Drew Cisco, RHP, Wando HS (SC)
Joe Robinson, RHP, CC of Southern Nevada
Jeff Shields, RHP, Chattahoochee Valley JC (AL)

This is a solid, if unspectacular, class of arms. They'll potentially be replacing their entire starting rotation and closer, though Michael Palazzone is a good bet not to sign as an eligible sophomore. Cash is almost a surefire bet to land on campus, and Shields likely comes next. Cisco and Robinson are both up in the air, and while I wouldn't be surprised to see them become Bulldogs, I think they'll both be in pro uniforms this summer. Once again, it's a solid class that should have immediate impact, which is always nice to watch.

Georgia Tech
Michael Carballo, OF/C, Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL)
Chevez Clarke, OF, Marietta HS (GA)
Matt Grimes, RHP, Mill Creek HS (GA)
Mott Hyde, SS, Calhoun HS (GA)
Alex Lavisky, C, St. Edward HS (OH)
Daniel Palka, 1B/LHP, Greer HS (SC)
Jake Skole, OF, Blessed Trinity HS (GA)
DeAndre Smelter, RHP/SS, Tattnall Square Academy (GA)
Chris Triplett, SS, Sandy Creek HS (GA)

This is another very deep group, and it makes up for a rather uninspiring freshman class that is currently at Georgia Tech. I personally think you can count Carballo, Grimes, Hyde, Triplett, and perhaps Palka as players that are very likely to land on campus, but Alex Lavisky might be in that group, too. However, you have to bet that with the extra eyes on Stetson Allie, Lavisky's teammate, there will be extra eyes on him, too. Clarke, Skole, and Smelter are likely gone, though Skole stands the best chance of reaching campus. Good news for Tech fans is that Smelter signed last month with Scott Boras, so there's now a greater chance that teams will see him as unsignable.

LSU
Cameron Bedrosian, RHP, East Coweta HS (GA)
Garin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS (LA)
Delino DeShields, OF, Woodward Academy (GA)
Ryan Eades, RHP/SS, Northshore HS (LA)
Kevin Gausman, RHP, Grandview HS (CO)
Mitch Hopkins, LHP/OF, LSU-Eunice JC
JaCoby Jones, SS, Richton HS (MS)
Kevin Koziol, SS/RHP, Brother Rice HS (IL)
Lucas LeBlanc, OF, Delgado JC (LA)
Zach Lee, RHP, McKinney HS (TX)
Tyler Ross, C, Barron Collier HS (FL)
Nick Rumbelow, RHP, Bullard HS (TX)
Austin Southall, OF, University HS (LA)

Wow. This is incredible. I count five players who could be first day picks. I count the injured Cecchini in there, but he's still apparently signable despite the injury, and he should be a pro player come August. I don't even want to make guesses about this class, other than to say that this could be a record-breaking class if things break right for him at the signing deadline in August. Jones is yet another Boras advisee, so count him in the questionable signability category with potential LSU quarterback Zach Lee.

 

Part two will come tomorrow, starting with Miami. What's your favorite class of these groups? Got any more that I didn't mention?

Keep in mind that these are only players that are in my Draft Notebook. I know these teams have signed other players, but they're currently not listed in the Notebook.