By Dave Krider
MaxPreps.com
Xavier Avery, CF, 6-0, 190, L-L, Senior, Cedar Grove (Ellenwood, Ga.)
Avery batted a lofty .667 as a junior with three home runs. He used his world-class speed (once clocked a blazing 6.17 for 60 yards) to steal 49 bases in 49 attempts. Coach Lavato Byrd calls Avery “one of the greatest athletes I’ve ever coached. When he gets on first, you might as well say he’s going to be on third. He didn’t make any errors the last two years and we will use him some as a closer this year.”
Signed with Georgia
Tim Beckham, SS, 6-2, 197, R-R, Senior, Griffin (Ga.)
Beckham is the nation’s No. 1-ranked shortstop and one of the premier hitters. As a junior he batted .512 with six home runs, five triples and five doubles. He drove in 36 runs and scored 42. He stole 13 bases in 13 tries and struck out just seven times in 82 at-bats. He batted .405 as a sophomore. Coach Jamie Cassady calls him “a Barry Larkin-type. He has great mental makeup and is a tremendous leader.”
Signed with Southern California
Andy Burns, SS, 6-1, 185, R-R, Senior, Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins, Colo.)
As a junior, Burns was named Colorado’s Class 5A Player of the Year. He batted .546 with 13 home runs, 41 runs and 22 walks. He drove in 43 runs with 39 hits. As a sophomore he batted an even .500 with eight homers and he drove in 27 runs. Coach Scott Bullock calls him “a fierce competitor. The things he can do are amazing.”
Signed with Kentucky
Gerrit Cole, RHP, 6-3, 190, R-R, Senior, Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Cole throws 96-97 MPH and has plus breaking pitches. As a junior, he posted a 3-0 record with two saves and a 0.92 ERA. In 29 innings, he allowed 11 walks, 12 hits and struck out 36. Coach Mike Grahovac says, “He has the most ability I’ve ever seen in a pitcher. He has four pitches (including a slider in the 90s), good control and never has lost a high school game.”
Signed with UCLA
Brett DeVall, LHP-OF, 6-4, 218, R-L, Senior, Niceville (Fla.)
DeVall compiled an 8-3 record with a 0.70 ERA as a junior. In 63 innings, he allowed 22 hits, 22 walks and struck out 98. He batted .328 and drove in 19 runs. As a sophomore, he was 7-3 with a 2.16 ERA, striking out 92 and walking 18 in 56 innings. He also batted .368. ‘His mental take on the game is one of the best I’ve seen,” says coach Kevin Berry. “He doesn’t get rattled. He commands three pitches, locates well and changes speeds. He is a very polished pitcher.”
Signed with Georgia
Rolando Gomez, SS, 5-7, 160, L-R, Senior, Flanagan (Pembroke, Pines, Fla.)
Gomez has surprising power for his size. During his junior year he batted .447 with nine home runs, 14 doubles, 34 runs and just 12 strikeouts. He drove in 29 runs. As a sophomore he batted .524 with 11 home runs and 12 doubles and he drove in 40 runs. Coach Ray Evans points out that Gomez has “strong forearms and wrists and is a tireless worker. He’s pretty much a natural – a five-tool guy.”
Signed with Miami (Fla.)
Matt Graham, RHP, 6-3, 205, R-R, Junior, Oak Ridge (Conroe, Texas)
As a sophomore, Graham pitched just eight innings, but he really came on during the summer when he was named MVP underclass pitcher at the World Wood Bat Tournament in Fort Myers, Fla. He consistently throws 93 MPH. “His work ethic is phenomenal,” says coach Stacy Scheiner. “He’s one of those kids you love to coach. He does what you ask, then goes above and beyond. He has the heart of a lion. He’s got so much confidence when he’s on the bump and definitely has matured.”
Sonny Gray, RHP-SS, 6-0, 185, R-R, Senior, Smyrna (Tenn.)
Gray compiled an 11-2 record as a junior, hitting 96 MPH in eight of his 13 appearances. In 77 innings he allowed 38 hits, struck out 145 and posted a 0.91 ERA. He also batted .461 with 10 home runs and drove in 43. Coach Barry Vetter calls him “a great competitor. People sit on his fastball, so he learned to pitch backwards (throwing first-pitch curves or changeups). His curve ball is big-time. He also is a great hitter. I waited 15 years to find one like this. His improvement has been outstanding.”
Signed with Vanderbilt
B.J. Hermsen, RHP, 6-7, 240, R-R, Senior, West Delaware (Manchester, Iowa)
Hermsen is a power hitter and pitcher. During his junior year he batted .504 with 18 home runs and drove in 53 runs in 42 games. He also compiled a perfect 11-0 pitching record with a 1.16 ERA. In 66 2/3 innings he allowed just 37 hits, 10 walks and struck out 108. During his three-year career, he has a .457 batting average with 33 home runs and 141 RBI. His mound record is 24-1 with a 0.76 ERA. Coach Mike Morrison notes that his star “is extremely coachable. He has great leadership skills. His arm strength is his greatest asset.”
Signed with Oregon State
Aaron Hicks, CF, 6-2, 178, S-R, Senior, Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.)
Hicks probably is the most versatile and athletic player in the country. He runs 60 yards in 6.4 seconds and stole 44 bases in 45 attempts. He also batted .370 with 46 runs, seven doubles and four triples. He drove in 21 runs. On the mound he throws up to 94 MPH. He posted a 3-0 record with three saves and a 1.13 ERA as the No. 1 closer. That great arm strength enabled him to throw out four runners from center field. “He’s a five-tool player without a doubt,” coach Andy Hall affirms. “He possesses the inner drive to get to the next level and succeed. He’s got a tremendous body and could have been big-time in football.”
Signed with Southern California
Eric Hosmer, 1B-LHP, 6-5, 215, L-L, Senior, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) Hosmer is ranked as the No. 1 hitter in the nation by several top talent evaluators. Last year he batted .380 with nine home runs, five doubles, 25 runs and 20 RBI. He also is an outstanding base runner. On the mound he posted a 4-1 record with three saves and a 0.73 ERA. He batted .550 with 10 homers as a sophomore. Coach Todd Fitzgerald calls him “the best high school hitter I’ve ever seen. He has power and doesn’t swing and miss very often.”
Signed with Arizona State
Casey Kelly, SS, 6-3, 190, R-R, Senior, Sarasota (Fla.)
Kelly had an outstanding junior year, batting .386 with five home runs, five doubles, 27 runs and 26 RBI. In the field he “has a great first step and a tremendous arm,” says veteran coach Clyde Metcalf. “He is a gifted athlete.” He made only four errors. Needing pitching depth, Metcalf gave Kelly a shot on the mound. All he did was go 11-0 with a microscopic 0.24 ERA. He struck out 67 and walked only 10 in 59 1/3 innings.
Signed with Tennessee for football (standout quarterback) and baseball.
Kyle Lobstein, LHP, 6-3, 190, L-L, Senior, Coconino (Flagstaff, Ariz.)
Lobstein could be the top lefty taken in this summer’s professional draft. As a junior, Lobstein compiled a 7-2 record with a 0.78 ERA. In 46 1/3 innings he struck out 71, allowed 19 hits and walked only 11. He also batted .576 with five home runs, 11 doubles, four triples, 30 runs and 38 RBI. “His pitching style is just effortless,” coach Ed Vesely praises. “He has solid mechanics and a fluid motion.”
Signed with Arizona
Kyle Long, 1B-LHP, 6-7, 275, L-L, Senior, St. Anne’s-Belfield (Charlottesville, Va.)
The son of former NFL player Howie Long, Kyle “has major league-plus power,” according to coach Eric McGrane. “With a wood bat, the ball explodes. I never saw someone so big and powerful move as fast as he does (He runs the 60 in 6.8 and stole 22 bases).” As a junior he batted .538 with five homers, three triples, six doubles and 25 RBI. He struck out just six times. As a closer he struck out 62 in 32 1/3 innings and posted a 1.86 ERA.
Signed with Florida State (could also play football)
Nick Maronde, LHP, 6-3, 195, S-L, Senior, Catholic (Lexington, Ky.)
As a junior Maronde posted a 10-1 record with a 0.78 ERA. He struck out 110 and walked only 22. He has lost just one game in three years and that was a one-hitter in a regional tournament. Coach Rodney Martin says that “he is consistent at 92 MPH. He can spot his slider and changeup. He has command and is very mature on the mound.”
Signed with Florida
Ethan Martin, 3B-RHP, 6-4, 215, R-R, Senior, Stephens County (Toccoa, Ga.)
Martin has a great arm (94 MPH fastball) and is a power hitter. One major college recruiter noted that he has “off-the-chart power and is a good third baseman with a plus arm.” During his junior year, he batted .500 with 10 home runs, nine doubles, 39 runs, 32 walks and 34 RBI. He fanned just seven times. He was 7-1-1 on the mound with a 1.45 ERA. In 43 innings, he struck out 79 and walked 28. Coach Mark Gosnell calls Martin “An extremely great athlete with a great work ethic.”
Signed with Clemson
Harold Martinez, SS, 6-3, 200, R-R, Senior, Braddock (Miami, Fla.)
Martinez batted .500 as a junior with three home runs, nine doubles, three triples, 21 runs and 25 RBI. He also stole 12 bases in 14 tries. He has an above-average major league arm (93 MPH). Coach Manny Fernandez says his young star has “the complete package. His attitude and approach to the game are phenomenal. Without a doubt, he’s a five-tool player.”
Signed with Miami (Fla.).
Tim Melville, RHP-SS, 6-5, 215, R-R, Senior, Holt (Wentzville, Mo.)
Melville should go high in the summer pro draft because he throws 94-96 MPH, has a plus-plus overhand curve and fantastic control. He won the Jackie Robinson Award at last year’s Aflac All-American Game. As a junior he had a 10-1 record with a 0.89 ERA. He struck out 117 and walked 21 in 63 innings. His only 2007 loss came in relief and he has a three-year record of 16-2. He also batted .443 with 13 doubles and 30 RBI. Coach Joel Adam loves his “overall determination to be the best. He is very focused and very athletic. There’s not much he can’t do on a baseball field.”
Signed with North Carolina.
Alex Meyer, RHP-DH, 6-7, 200, R-R, Senior, Greensburg (Ind.)
Due to very low run support, Meyer, who throws in the mid-90s, had a 3-4 record with two saves as a junior. In 46 2/3 innings he struck out 72, walked 39, gave up 28 hits and had a 3.45 ERA. In addition, he batted .388 with five home runs and seven doubles. He posted a 6-2 record as a sophomore with a 1.92 ERA and 71 strikeouts and was 6-0 as a freshman. Coach Scott Moore points out, “He wants to win so badly that he’ll do anything to get better. He’s a smart player and out-thinks the hitters a lot of the time. He does a great job with the mental side of the game.”
Signed with Kentucky
Adrian Nieto, C, 6-0, 205, S-R, Senior, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
Despite injuries during his junior year, Nieto batted .380 with five home runs, three triples, 17 runs and 20 RBI. He has a great arm – getting the ball to second base in around 1.8 seconds – and has yielded only two stolen bases in three years. Coach Todd Fitzgerald praises his “game management, defense and the way he handles the staff. For a catcher, he runs real well. He is very instinctive and is a coach’s dream.”
Signed with South Florida
Michael Palazzone, RHP, 6-3, 190, R-R, Senior, Lassiter (Marietta, Ga.)
Palazzone can throw three pitches for strikes, but his best pitch is a changeup. He also brings his fastball at a 94 MPH clip. He was only 3-2 as a junior, because he injured his arm in the first region game. “It killed us,” veteran coach Mickey McMurtry groaned. “It was July before he threw at all. He had a good summer and it looks like he’s in as good a shape as he’s ever been in. He’s got a chance to be our career victory leader.” He had an 11-1 record with a 2.43 ERA as a sophomore and was 3-1 as a freshman.
Signed with Georgia
Matt Purke, LHP, 6-3, 180, L-L, Junior, Klein (Spring, Texas)
Though he’s only a junior, Purke received one college recruiter’s nod as the No. 1 pitcher in the nation and another top recruiter called him “my favorite guy. He is just devastating because of his command with three pitches.” As a sophomore, Purke posted a 5-3 record with a 1.43 ERA. In 49 innings, he struck out 66, walked 16 and allowed 38 hits. He also batted .308 and scored 17 runs. He consistently throws 88-92 MPH. Coach Barry Smith calls him “a great competitor. On the mound he is very intense with a lot of emotion. He is going to give us a chance to win no matter who we play.”
Robbie Ross, LHP-CF, 5-11, 180, L-L, Senior, Christian Academy (Lexington, Ky.)
Ross compiled a 4-5 record as a junior and did not allow a home run while facing the top teams on his school’s schedule. In 42 2/3 innings, he struck out 67, walked 12, yielded 35 hits and compiled a 2.95 ERA. He also batted .370 and used his speed to leg out six triples. As a sophomore he batted .384 and posted a 2-1 pitching record with three saves and a 1.28 ERA. Coach Keith Galloway calls him “a five-tool player – a great athlete. He can cover a lot of ground in the outfield and has a lot of power as a hitter. He throws in the low 90s with a good slider and good control.”
Signed with Kentucky
Kyle Skipworth, C, 6-4, 195, L-R, Senior, Patriot (Riverside, Calif.)
Skipworth is the nation’s No. 1-ranked catcher. He throws to second base in 1.8 seconds, but scouts still rank hitting as his major asset. Last year he batted .407 with eight home runs, 12 doubles and 45 RBI. He threw out eight of 11 on steal attempts and made just three errors. As a sophomore he batted .355 with 24 RBI. Coach Tim Kleveno notes that the opponents’ “running game is shut down” when Skipworth is behind the plate. “The best thing is his maturity level. He’s like a man among the boys.”
Signed with Arizona State
Daniel Webb, RHP, 6-3, 210, R-R, Senior, Heath (Paducah, Ky.)
Assistant coach Tim Stewart notes that Webb “has tremendous velocity. He throws 97 MPH and could touch 100 in the summer. He has very good off-speed stuff with a lot of movement and good control.” As a junior, Webb posted an 8-2 record with a 2.00 ERA. He struck out 116 in 73 innings while walking 36 and allowing 42 hits. In addition, he batted .433 with 11 home runs, 13 doubles, 39 runs and 33 walks while striking out just 12 times. In the state tourney he broke his left foot in the first inning, but courageously pitched the entire seven-inning game, which wound up as a 2-1 loss.
Signed with Kentucky
