-Dexter Sports
7:10 PM
Dexter-Sports Inbox

Here are some questions worth asking and answering on the eve of the draft. Enjoy.

1. Without knowing who the Rays will take with the first pick, Which Draft Prospect is the most likely to fall out of the top five?

The clear answer is Vanderbilt’s Pedro Alvarez. Though he is the best pure hitter in the game, he doesn’t have the ceiling of a Buster Posey or Tim Beckham. If the Rays decide to take Buster Posey, it seems most likely that Tim Beckham will go off the board with the second pick of Pittsburgh. With the Royals picking third, it is a possibility they pass up on Alvarez, because of their depth at third base. Other road blocks in taking Alvarez include: the love of prep first baseman Eric Hosmer, Alvarez’s injury history, and the need to sew up the hole at the catcher position (Kyle Skipworth). At this point, it would be smart for Baltimore to scoop up Alvarez with the fourth pick, but they have been so focused on pitching, it would also still make sense for them to follow with the plan and draft either Aaron Crow or Brian Matusz. That leaves the Giants with the 5^th pick. As it has been documented, it is nearly impossible to predict which way the Giants will go. They have been linked with Justin Smoak, Gordon Beckham, Eric Hosmer, Brett Wallace and many other sluggers. Throw in pitching that could be in the picture and it is possible that Alvarez sneaks out of the top five. Especially if Brian Sabean has his eye on a certain player, but is keeping quiet so nobody knows about it.

2. Who is the least talked about Prospect that should go in the Top Ten?

I really believe that is it prep catcher Kyle Skipworth. This kid has nearly all the tools to be an everyday catcher and he only made the move behind the plate as a junior. Baseball Analysts has a great interview with Skipworth that shows the type of kid he is. He has good makeup and can become an average hitter with good pop and a good attitude toward the game. About a week ago, I would have probably said Brett Lawrie out of British Columbia, who will most likely not go in the top ten, or Missouri’s Aaron Crow. Crow has really been noticed this week after a great shutout in regional play. He is the best Right handed prospect in the draft, and should go by the Astros’ tenth pick in the draft. Skipworth set a California record with 18 consecutive hits in April. With other prep stars such as Tim Melville, Casey Kelly, Eric Hosmer and Zach Collier taking up a lot of media, Skipworth isn’t getting the coverage that is due. He should end up in Florida with the sixth pick.

3. With so many first basemen projected in the first round, Who is bound to be the most successful?

This is a tough question to answer, but it is clear that in this day in age, that first base is evolving into a whole new position. It has become more important to scouts and teams to get players that can field and hit for average and power. Power isn’t the only thing that is needed in the new game. With that being said, I believe that Yonder Alonso and Justin Smoak have the best chances of getting to the bigs. They both have the ability to get on base, without the need to tweak their swing, and both can hold their own on defense. Though Eric Hosmer has a lot of promise and a great ceiling for scouts to work with, his hitting and approach at the plate are raw. There is no doubt that someone will get there though. Of all the major league teams, 13 of their everyday first baseman were taken in the first round of the MLB draft.

I feel that Ike Davis of ASU, David Cooper of Cal, and Alan Dykstra of Wake Forest all will have a good chance to contribute at the plate somewhere along the line as well.

4. Who is the best prospect that could be available in the beginning of the Second Round?

Teams seem to be afraid of taking right hander Tanner Scheppers of Fresno State because of issues with his elbow late in the season. If teams have evaluated his recent injuries and feel that he is too risky to waste a first round pick on, then he could make it to the second round. Scheppers has a 92-96 MPH fastball and a power curve that keeps hitters off balance. Though I would be surprised if he makes it out of the supplementary and first round, Scheppers will not last long in the second. Other starters that could go early in the second are Tyler Sample, Ryan Perry, Robbie Ross, Kyle Lobstein and Alex Meyer. A slew of closers could go off the board at this point, including Michigan’s Zach Putnam, Rice’s Bryan Price and Pepperdine’s Brett Hunter.

In a draft with weak outfield depth, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple of outfielders taken early in the second round. Roger Keischnick of Texas Tech could go early, and if athletic Issac Galloway is available at this point, he will go pretty quickly.

5. Who are some prospects that haven’t been heard of that could go in the first few rounds?

Brad Hand, LHP Chaska (Minn.) HS – Hand has blown away scouts with a plus change up and curve combined with a 93 MPH fastball. His mechanics though, are very violent for any pitcher expected to go early. The Twins usually keep tabs on local prospects (Joe Mauer) and we could see him go in the sandwich or second round to them. It will be hard for any team to nab him at any other position in the draft, because of his commitment to Arizona State.

Eric Thames, OF Pepperdine – Thames had an amazing 08 season that included a .387 average with 13 HRs and 57 RBIs. Scouts love his bat, but his other tools are an issue. He profiles to be a left fielder with an inconsistent arm. Another issue is his tendency to cut at balls in the zone instead of using a fluid swing through the ball. Thames was drafted in the 39^th round by the Yankees in 2007, and should go within the first three this year.

Cutter Dykstra, OF Westlake (FLA) HS – His father, Lenny was a baseball star with the Phillies and Mets and Cutter has the same qualities from the left side as his father did. Cutter brings great power for his size, and has a balance stroke that has scouts in awe. One question of concern is Dykstra’s ability on defense. He was moved to center field late in the season and doesn’t look comfortable. Cutter could go in the first three rounds, but might head to UCLA instead.

Ryan Flaherty, SS Vanderbilt – Flaherty is one of my favorite prospects because of his grit, hard work and ability to win. Shadowed by Pedro Alvarez’s bat, Flaherty hit safely in 35 straight games this season, a Vanderbilt record. Though Flaherty doesn’t show much power, and doesn’t have the range to be an everyday shortstop, Flaherty is a gamer and will find a way to make it to the big leagues. He should be drafted by the 5^th round.