[ayaghmour2]

3rd Round, 46th Overall: C Ed Freeman
School: Marcus Hook Roadrunners
1949: .427/.500/.629, 106 PA, 12 2B, 2 HR, 24 RBI, 7 SB
Career: .438/.506/.616, 350 PA, 30 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 79 RBI, 19 SB

As always, the guy I was targeting was snapped up a few picks before me, but this time I think the guy we are getting is just as good as the guy we are missing out on. Set to be a four year starter at Marcus Hook, Ed Freeman is a young, lefty swinging bat-first catcher, who has a bat that isn't just good for a catcher. It's pretty darn good!

The high school stats don't blow you away, he hit .438/.506/.616 in his first three seasons, but he's a projectable prospect at a position that the league doesn't have much talent at. Yes, we have Garland Phelps, the best catching prospect in the world, but you can never have too much depth behind the plate. Especially with the bat, he could move to first or maybe even the outfield, as he's an athletic teen with a ton of strength. The power isn't there yet, but with his size and frame, it's only a matter of time before the balls start landing over the fence. He's got a great swing, draws a lot of walks, and puts the ball in play a ton. There's almost no swing-and-miss in his game, even now in high school, where he's struck out just 15 times in 350 trips to the plate (4.3%). Against tougher competition it won't stay that low, but I think in a few seasons he'll be back to walking more then he strikes out. There's risk involved in any high school prospect, especially a catcher, but to me the potential reward is way more exciting. Even if he never does a good job defensively, he'll pull his weight at the plate, as he has the talent to flourish in the majors.

4th Round, 62nd Overall: CF Ike Soeur
School: Walla Walla Warriors
1949: .491/.551/.811, 130 PA, 10 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 21 SB
Career: .497/.562/.772, 377 PA, 30 2B, 16 3B, 8 HR, 94 RBI, 62 SB

Yet again, as my pick was approaching, the guy I wanted was scooped up, and like with Freeman, I'm still really happy with the quality of player we got.

A 17-year-old Ontario native, Ike Soeur and his family moved to the Pacific Northwest so Soeur could compete against a higher quantity of top prep prospects. Soeur enrolled in Walla Walla High School as a freshman, a school that may be familiar to some of our most detail oriented readers, as "The Walla Walloper" Otto Christian himself was a for year starter. Not only were his 15 homers in 1940 tied for the most by a prep player ever, Otto crushed 53 homers in 98 games, something Ike could never dream.

Still, Ike can swing it with the best of them, and while he's not going to hit 25+ homers in a season like Otto should be able to manage as a full-time starter this year, he has a potent bat that should lead him to the majors. Soeur got his name on the prospect radar as a freshman, as the under-the-radar 14-year-old hit an impressive .505/.566/.773 with 9 doubles, 5 triples, 2 homers, 26 RBIs, and 20 steals. He hasn't reached .500 again, following his freshman year with averages of .496 and .491, still well above average for high school. On the younger side for prospects, Ike turns 18 around draft day, but has not looked overmatched at all when he steps to the plate. He's got a borderline elite hitting tool, allowing him to hit well above .300 with Dixie expecting averages around .330. He also notes he has average pop, and Ike doubled his single season homers with four as a junior after back-to-back two homer seasons. In terms of a FABL season, I can see 10 or so homers, but if he's a Cougar and still hits flyballs, 15 to 20 may not be out of the question. And while I love his speed, there are question marks about his defense, so a steady supply of home runs could make up for any defensive misgivings. And if there's a spot in center, I'll run him out there until he shows he can't handle it. We'll take our time with Ike, because if things break his way, he's going to be a very good outfielder for a very long time.