PG Crosschecker ranks top CGL athletes
CLARK GRIFFITH COLLEGIATE LEAGUE
TOP 10 PROSPECTS, 2007
Compiled by Allan Simpson (In association with league managers)
Winners of five All-American Amateur Baseball Association (AAABA) titles in a six-year span from 1997-2002, the Vienna Senators went looking for a larger stage to showcase one of the nation’s most successful summer programs. They’ve participated in the National Baseball Congress World Series in three of the last four years and even though they have yet to post a top 10 finish in the Wichita-based tournament, the Senators made their most successful run this year with a team that posted a 47-7 record overall.
The Senators dominated the Clark Griffith League standings along the way, going 39-5, before venturing to Wichita , and they also dominated a list of the league’s best professional prospects, placing five players in the top 10. They had the two best pitchers in the league as well as solid hitters up and down the lineup.
PLAYER POS. TEAM B-T HT WT YR SCHOOL
1. Aaron Loup LHP Vienna Senators L-L 5-10 170 So. Tulane
SCOUTING REPORT: Loup was the dominant pitcher for the league champion Senators, posting an 8-0, 0.98 record with 63 strikeouts and only 14 walks in 55 innings. He topped the league in wins and ERA. Loup’s size may be a drawback as he looks ahead to a professional career, but he doesn’t exactly fit the definition of a crafty lefthander. He has a very quick arm and runs his fastball consistently in the 88-90 mph range, even topping in the low 90s at the league’s all-star game. His fastball also has good running action and gets on hitters quickly. He has a loose, resilient, mechanically-sound arm and could throw every day, if needed. Loup commands three pitches, including an above-average slider, and has the overall stuff to live on the inner half of the plate against right-handed hitters. He also has a good feel for a changeup, but tends to slow up his arm a bit to throw it. After going 2-1, 4.37 with 36 strikeouts in 35 innings as a freshman at Tulane in the spring, Loup has a shot to move into the Green Wave rotation in 2008 and surface as a potential top-five round pick in 2009.
2. Robbie Shields SS McLean Raiders R-R 6-1 190 So. Florida Southern
SCOUTING REPORT: Shields tied for the Clark Griffith League home run lead with 10 while hitting .307, went 3-for-3 with a home run in the league all-star game and hit another four homers at the AAABA World Series while leading McLean to a second-place finish. He has a sweet righthanded swing with a combination of power and the ability to hit to all fields. As a freshman at Division II Florida Southern, he hit .298-8-49. Shields is an average runner, capable of running a 6.75 in the 60, and stole 13 bases in 15 attempts this summer. For now, he flashes enough tools defensively to warrant a long look at shortstop but he could end up at third base if he gets bigger and stronger, or possibly second. He has quick actions in the field, his feet work well and an above-average arm is one of his better tools—though most of his errors this summer were on erratic throws. Scouts say if it all comes together for Shields, he could be a player in the mould of big leaguer Aaron Hill.
3. Nate Newman RHP Vienna Senators R-R 6-5 215 Jr. Pepperdine
SCOUTING REPORT: Newman is an intriguing athletic specimen who considered becoming a Division I quarterback before choosing to attend Tulane as a two-way prospect. He spent a year at Tulane before transferring to Grayson County (Texas ) CC to concentrate solely on pitching; he will move on to Pepperdine in that role this fall. Even though the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Newman did not swing a bat in game competition this summer for the Senators, he entered the league’s Home Run Derby at the all-star game and won the event by drilling 15 home runs, including eight in the final round. Newman’s sole focus at this point is on pitching, however, and his athletic ability is in evidence on the mound. His sinking, boring fastball sits at 89-91 mph and he touched 93 this summer on his way to compiling a 6-0, 1.80 record with a league-best 66 strikeouts in 65 innings. He allowed just 28 hits while walking 20. He also has an above-average slider and a splitter with good diving action.
4. Juan Mujica OF DC Grays L-L 5-11 185 Jr. Southern
SCOUTING REPORT: The Venezuelan-born and developed Mujica, who is attending Southern on a student visa, was the dominant offensive player in the league this season, hitting a league-best .359 and topping the five-team circuit in runs (39), hits (55), doubles (13) and stolen bases (23 in 25 attempts). Speed is his best tool; he was clocked in the 60 in 6.6 seconds and 3.85 down the line. He gets excellent jumps and was not only the league’s best base stealer but the best base runner. Primarily a slap hitter and an accomplished bunter, his style of play put a lot of pressure on the defense. Power is the one obvious tool Mujica lacks, but he can drive balls to the gaps on occasion. Mujica is a rangy outfielder with good arm strength, and could easily settle into center field. He plays the game hard and will turn heads with his flamboyant Latin flare.
5. LaDale Hayes OF DC Grays R-R 6-1 180 Jr. Alabama A&M
SCOUTING REPORT: Hayes is very raw in his development as a baseball player, but possesses two exceptional tools: speed and arm strength. He tracks balls well, whether he’s in center field or right, but his arm is an attention-grabber. He often has thrown out players at first base from right field. Whether Hayes will every hit is the biggest question in projecting his baseball future. He can drive balls to the gaps on occasion and led Division I players in triples per game last spring, but there is little rhythm in his swing. He possesses quick hands and intriguing quick-twitch muscles, but he uses too much of his body in his swing and has a tendency to try and pull everything. Hayes hit just .301-3-22 last spring at Alabama A&M and he’ll need a lot of coaching to draw out his offensive potential.
6. Sam Honeck 1B Vienna Senators L-L 6-3 215 Jr. Tulane
SCOUTING REPORT: Vienna’s long-standing pipeline to Tulane led to Honeck, who will join the Green Wave this fall after hitting .372-12-56 as a sophomore at Grayson County (Texas ) CC. Honeck has serious pull power with the ability to also shorten his swing and go the other way. He shared the Clark Griffith League home run title with 10, while hitting .307. He is a very streaky hitter who can carry a team for a week or two at a time. He is also an outstanding defender, with good footwork around the bag, and athletic for his size.
7. Ryan Eden OF Vienna Senators R-R 6-0 190 So. New Orleans
SCOUTING REPORT: Eden would have led the league in hitting at .404, but he fell just short of the required number of plate appearances to qualify. His best tool is contact hitting; he has excellent pitch recognition and an ability to get his bat on the ball. He also stole 16 bases in 19 attempts and has above-average speed. His power is below average, but scouts say he has a chance to grow into his power. Eden excels in center field; he can not only cover plenty of ground but his arm is strong and accurate. After playing sparingly as a freshman at New Orleans (.286-2-7 in 49 at-bats), Eden should be ready to take over full-time in center field in 2008.
8. Nick Wheeler 3B Vienna Senators R-R 6-1 195 Jr. West Alabama
SCOUTING REPORT: Wheeler hit a resounding .387-13-66 at Itawamba (Miss. ) JC in the spring and followed by leading the Clark Griffith League with 46 RBIs this summer, while batting .307 with six homers. But he turned down overtures to transfer to a Division I school this fall in favor of D-II West Alabama, where he’ll follow in the footsteps of his older brother Brandon, one of that school’s top sluggers. Wheeler has solid tools across the board. He is not quite as strong as teammate Sam Honeck, but he has real power and can run the 60 in 6.83 seconds. He also has an above-average arm and his feet play well at third base.
9. Nick Schreiber RHP Fairfax Nationals B-R 6-2 175 Jr. California (Pa. )
SCOUTING REPORT: Schreiber went a pedestrian 5-3, 3.62 with 37 walks and 35 strikeouts in 60 innings in a swing role as a sophomore at Division II California (Pa. ) during the spring, but found his niche as a full-time closer during the summer. He showcased two above-average pitches in the role: a fastball that was a consistent 91-92 mph and touched 94, though was often flat and lacked movement, and a dirty 86-87 mph slider with hard, sharp, quick break. He also showed the demeanor to close and an ability to bounce back quickly. The result was a 1-0, 0.98 record with just two walks in 18 innings, to go with 20 strikeouts, though his command was not crisp as the statistics suggest as he consistently went deep into counts. He converted all 12 save opportunities.
10. Alex Gregory 1B/3B Fairfax Nationals R-R 6-2 205 Jr. Radford
SCOUTING REPORT: The Big South Conference’s leading hitter in the spring at .430-5-33, Gregory continued to swing the bat with authority during the summer. He tied for the league lead in hits (55) and homers (10), and outright led in total bases (105) and triples (6). His .353 average was also second-best and he finished second in the league’s Home Run Derby. Gregory’s ability to hit and hit with power to all fields is not in question, though he is susceptible to breaking balls and will need to cut down on his strikeouts. But he struggles defensively, particularly at third base. He lacks the footwork for the position and most likely will end up at first base on a permanent basis down the road.