[ayaghmour2]

11th Round, 164th Overall: CF Clyde Skinner
School: San Bernardino Falcons
Commit School: CC Los Angeles Coyotes
1948: .455/.540/.752, 127 PA, 15 2B, 5 HR, 33 RBI, 8 SB
Career: .446/.535/.724, 509 PA, 54 2B, 6 3B, 16 HR, 124 RBI, 14 SB

A four year starter at San Bernardino, Clyde Skinner is our first and likely only AI pick of much value. He hit .446 with the Falcons, and complied a solid amount of extra base hits, most notably his 54 doubles and 16 home runs. He's on the slow side for a center fielder, and stole just 14 bases, which leads me to believe he'll be best suited for a corner. He does have the bat for it, as he could hit around .300 with strong plate discipline. In high school he drew 62 walks to just 22 strikeouts, and he could end up walking more then he strikes out in the big leagues. It may be tough to get the 18-year-old into many games this season, but he has the bat to develop into an average big league player. He's demanding $2,600 to sign, which is on the high side, but eventually I'll come around to meeting his demands. It'll be interesting to see how he handles center, as if he can provide plus defense there it would be a huge increase to his value. I'm not holding out hope, but we certainly could have done worse here.

12th Round, 180th Overall: 2B Bob Benton
School: Middlesboro Yellowjackets
Commit School: North Carolina Tech Techsters
1948: .431/.492/.696, 120 PA, 12 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 15 SB
Career: .425/.499/.692, 470 PA, 49 2B, 8 3B, 12 HR, 110 RBI, 69 SB

Another four year starter, Bob Benton's best year came as a junior, where he hit .454/.513/.670 with 13 doubles, 2 homers, and 24 RBIs. In his four seasons with Middlesboro he's totaled 12 homers and 110 RBIs, but the .425/.499/.692 line leaves some to be desired. 19 in September, he doesn't have much versatility, as all 93 of his games have come at second base. OSA, however, is a big fan, labeling Benton a "above average big league second basemen" with praise for his bat. They think he can hit around .310, handle most fastballs, and have some effectiveness working the count. He may not be the most exciting prospect, but he has a decent bat from the left side. He can handle second fine, but at 6'1'' he's an ideal candidate to move to first. He's likely to sign, but don't expect Benton to start many games over the next few seasons.

13th Round, 196th Overall: LHP Curt Smith
School: Clearfield Bison
Commit School: Opelika State Wildcats
1948: 10-1, 115 IP, 1.41 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 41 BB, 165 K
Career: 26-3, 305.2 IP, 1.56 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 107 BB, 427 K

One of the youngest members of the draft, southpaw Curt Smith won a personal best 10 games as a junior, finishing his prep career with 26 wins and 427 strikeouts in three seasons. 17 in September, Smith's baseball talent and academic achievement allowed him to skip a year of high school, and if we decide not to sign him he'll enroll into Opelika State to pursue a non baseball-degree. A four pitch pitcher, Smith has an excellent slider that is lethal to same side hitters. His fastball has decent movement and hits 88, while his sinker and change can be used to get hitters to beat balls into the ground. Add in his 6'2'' height and his stuff could be pretty dominant. He's a project pick who's no more then an emergency starter now, but we'll give him a few years to polish his stuff, and he could earn a few starts.

14th Round, 212th Overall: 1B Charlie Everitt
School: Cowpens State Fighting Green
1948: .292/.368/.427, 203 PA, 6 2B, 6 HR, 29 RBI, 4 SB
Career: .287/.364/.411, 495 PA, 15 2B, 13 HR, 75 RBI, 6 SB

A member of the 14th Ranked Cowpens State Fighting Green, first basemen Charlie Everitt may be returning for his senior season. We are very deep at the first basemen and Everitt hit just 13 homers in his two seasons. There's not really an obvious spot in the system for the 21-year-old, but Dixie Marsh is more fond of the 6'4'' first basemen then I am. He thinks he could be an average big leaguer, one that displays an above average contact and eye tool. An endorsement like that from Marsh could be what ends up convincing me of bringing him in, but whether he signs or not he won't get much playing time this season. With his age he could start anywhere as high as Lincoln, but unless an injury comes up we won't have a starting spot for him.

15th Round, 228th Overall: RHP Ed Watson
School: Burnet Bulldogs
Commit School: Wapasha College Warriors
1948: 8-1, 96.1 IP, 1.49 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 29 BB, 130 K
Career: 28-7, 351.2 IP, 1.84 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 112 BB, 427 K

A four year starter at Burnet, Ed Watson failed to reach 100 innings as a high schooler, with the 96.1 he threw this season his career high. That's concerning as he started all 51 of his high school appearances, averaging under seven innings a start. That's not very encouraging, and the mix of low stamina and flyball tendencies could be an issue for future success. Add on the projected "bullpen" role for his future, and there's no need to sign him unless we're absolutely desperate for an arm. College could do him well, as he's an extremely competitive guy, but in the best of ways, and he's sure to help improve the morale of whatever dugout he's a part of.

16th Round, 244th Overall: SS Warren Ross
School: Rochester Tribunes
Commit School: Central Ohio Aviators
1948: .436/.508/.636, 135 PA, 12 2B, 5 3B, 29 RBI, 34 SB
Career: .434/.515/.653, 269 PA, 27 2B, 9 3B, HR, 57 RBI, 66 SB

A switch hitting infielder, Warren Ross made varsity for the Rochester Tribunes and played some short, second, and third in his two seasons. The light hitter only hit one homer, and it came last year, and his .434/.515/.653 career line leaves some to be desired. He does have a good eye, and with his speed he can make a difference once on base, but I don't know if he'll hit for a high enough average to be a useful big leaguer. Granted, switch hitting shortstops have plenty of value in a utility role, so Ross could be a useful bench piece. He does have a strong commitment to Central Ohio, which is one of the stronger baseball programs. I'm on the fence on signing him, as it may come down to who gets cut more then his future potential. He's a useful guy to keep around, but we have plenty others like him hanging around already.

17th Round, 260th Overall: RHP Marty Davis
School: Lee's Summit Tigers
Commit School: College of Waco Cowboys
1948: 9-2, 107.1 IP, 2.01 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 44 BB, 128 K
Career: 17-4, 202 IP, 2.05 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 74 BB, 238 K

A two year starter at Lee's Summit, Marty Davis didn't really excite, but went 17-4 with a 2.26 FIP and 238 strikeouts in 30 starts. A three pitch pitcher, he relies on his mid 80s fastball, but it's not a pitch that will fool many hitters. His slider isn't much better, but could be worked into an out pitch. At 5'9'' he's also on the short side for pitchers, and may not end up throwing very hard. I'm not too interested in Davis, and I don't expect making him a permanent member of the system.

18th Round, 276th Overall: C Ralph Greenlee
School: Redeemer Rams
Commit School: Mississippi Tech Cougars
1948: .416/.489/.619, 134 PA, 8 2B, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 5 SB
Career: .408/.489/.599, 524 PA, 43 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 113 RBI, 25 SB

One of just two catchers in the AI portion of the draft, Ralph Greenlee spent all four seasons at Redeemer catching for the Rams. One of the team's leaders, he hit .408 with 11 homers and 113 RBIs in 103 games, and will now move on to the Cougars. Whether that's the Chicago Cougars or the Mississippi Tech iteration is unknown, as we may already have three catchers in La Crosse with Alex O'Dailey, Ernie Frost, and Sam Bird. 18 next month, Greenlee could be a decent contact hitter, but his overall bat has a lot of developing ahead. The 5 homers this season was nice, but I don't know if that power will stay. He did walk 64 times with just 19 strikeouts, but he'll need to play plus defense to earn consistent time. If someone gets injured, I could sign him late, but my guess is he'll head to campus this fall.

19th Round, 292nd Overall: 2B Maury Hudson
School: Cowpens State Fighting Green
1948: .265/.325/.302, 212 PA, 7 2B, 24 RBI, 24 SB
Career: .272/.333/.322, 464 PA, 13 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 59 RBI, 46 SB

A teammate of 14th Rounder Charlie Everitt, we ended up with the entire left side of the Fighting Green's infield, picking up second basemen Maury Hudson in the 19th Round. An extremely light hitter, the two-year starter has just two homers in 92 games, with both coming last year as a sophomore. Even worse, he only had 16 extra base hits, so with Maury you pretty much get a single or an out. That's not a good strategy, and since he's just a junior, I don't have any qualms sending him right back to Cowpens State.

20th Round, 308th Overall: RHP Dutch Jones
School: Chicago Poly Panthers
1948: 6-5, 102.2 IP, 4.38 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 46 BB, 68 K
Career: 15-21, 328 IP, 4.38 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 169 BB, 204 K

Taken out of nearby Chicago Poly, David "Dutch" Jones was the Panthers ace all three years he attended Chicago Poly, and he had his best season as a junior. Dutch went 6-5 with a 4.38 ERA and 68 strikeouts. A five pitch pitcher, he's a kitchen sink guy who tries to keep you on his toes when he' on the mound. He won't overpower, sitting in the mid 80s with the hard stuff, but he does keep the ball in the park. His pitches are hittable, so command will be crucial. The Indiana native could soak up innings out of the pen for us if a need arises, and I'm actually leaning on tendering him a bonus. That's partially because of where he went to school, but I love guys with multiple pitches that can throw multiple innings.

21st Round, 324th Overall: SS Dick Senatore
School: Maysville Panthers
Commit School: Johnstown State Mountain Cats
1948: .441/.495/.753, 103 PA, 11 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 23 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .443/.497/.684, 364 PA, 31 2B, 16 3B, 5 HR, 80 RBI, 55 SB

Already listed as an impossible, I'm not even going to try to sign the Doctor Senator doppelganger Dick Senatore. A three year starter at Maysville, Senatore hit .441 with 5 homers, 55 steals, and 80 RBIs. The switch hitter works the count well and has a decent hit tool, but at 6'4'' you'd think there would be more power. I think three years at Johnstown State could develop that, and Senatore could be a legit prospect when he's again eligible for the draft. He's got some versatility, playing left, third, and second as well as his primary short, and he did hit 6 triples in each of his last two seasons. Right now, he only projects as a bench guy, but if he fills out he could be an early round draft pick.

22nd Round, 340th Overall: RHP George Hutchison
School: Bayou State College Cougars
1948: 7-6, 125 IP, 4.25 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 75 BB, 137 K
Career: 12-14, 256.2 IP, 4.84 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 187 BB, 250 K

Another college arm, George Hutchison had a much better junior season then sophomore season, improving his record (5-8 to 7-6), ERA (5.40 to 4.25), WHIP (1.87 to 1.57), walk rate (17.6 to 12.9) and strikeout rate (17.7 to 23.5) in slightly fewer innings pitched (131.2 to 125). They weren't the most encouraging numbers, but he had an above average 3.87 FIP (96 FIP-) and was hitting 90 with his fastball and sinker. Like Dutch, he could be an interesting inning eater for one of our affiliates pen, but I may decide to let him go back to Bayou State.

23rd Round, 356th Overall: SS Charlie Brunson
School: Lindsey College Greyhounds
1948: .286/.355/.368, 238 PA, 7 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 32 RBI, 37 SB
Career: .286/.355/.368, 807 PA, 21 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 121 RBI, 109 SB

A three year starter at Lindsey College, Charlie Brunson came close to hitting .300 as a freshman and sophomore, and currently owns a .286 lifetime average. He's added 109 steals, 10 homers, and 121 RBIs in 160 games. I expect the 22-year-old will return for his senior season, but he became the first player from his school to be selected in the FABL draft. I expect him to be signed next season, as he has a nice work ethic, acute strike zone abilities, and excellent pure speed. Where he lacks for in power, he does make up for in line drives, as he can get a hold of mistake pitches. As a decent defensive shortstop he has the nice floor of a utility infielder, and if we suffer an injury outbreak Brunson could join the team in August.

24th Round, 372nd Overall: RHP Joe Van Valkenburg
School: Cowpens State Fighting Green
1948: 4-7, 112.2 IP, 5.27 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, 81 BB, 65 K
Career: 7-14, 212.1 IP, 5.64 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, 152 BB, 116 K

I'm not sure if you can tell, but Dixie Marsh spent some of his summer watching Cowpens State games. 22 in September, Van Valkenburg was the #2 and was not needed after the early exit. He didn't have a great season, walking more hitters then he allowed while sporting an ERA above five. In less there's an emergency we won't sign him, as he isn't the most exciting pitcher. None of his four pitches are any good and I don't expect him to ever see the 90s. He does have a good work ethic, so by letting him go he'll have one more shot to improve his prospect status.

25th Round, 388th Overall: C Carl Evans
School: Opelika State Wildcats
1948: .275/.360/.374, 301 PA, 8 2B, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 4 SB
Career (HS): .405/.498/.589, 229 PA, 16 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 48 RBI, 19 SB
Career (COL): .266/.363/.346, 1,023 PA, 28 2B, 14 HR, 149 RBI, 13 SB

We finished things off with a senior catcher, Carl Evans, who was now drafted for the third time in his professional career. He played two years of varsity baseball at Forest Home, and was drafted by the Washington Eagles in the 19th Round. Instead of signing he went to Opelika State, and after three seasons the Miners took him in the 22nd Round. Evans finished his college career with a .266/.363/.346 batting line and hit 14 homers in 203 games. He's a really smart baseball mind and does an excellent job with his pitching staffs, and I expect he'll be a good presence in the clubhouse. After I take care of all our important signings, I'll bring in Evans, who I expect can replace Pat Brown Jr. as the Legislators backup catcher. Whether he gets released or promoted is up to his performance, as I have cuttable guys above. Like Brown, Evans won't be much more then a backup, but his glove will allow him to stick around. If he can provide value at the plate, that's a plus, but he has a lot of aspects of a useful organizational piece.