10 players to know in the 2015 MLB Draft
College shortstops and college arms are considered some of best facets of this year’s draft. The Arizona Diamondbacks have the first pick, followed by the Houston Astros.
“It is like most drafts: it is laden with pitchers and middle infielders,” said a veteran scout for a National League club. “I have noticed that there are some (top) shortstops involved in this. There are some guys in this draft that people like and others that people don’t like at all. It will be interesting to see how it all washes out.”
With the aid of MLB scouts, here is a look at 10 of the top prospects, in no certain order, in this year’s Major League Baseball Draft, which begins Monday at 6 p.m. ET.
DANSBY SWANSON
Position: shortstop
School: Vanderbilt
In his first 63 games (all starts) this year he hit .348 with 14 homers and 61 RBIs going into the Super Regionals against Illinois.
“Dansby is a rare talent… he affects the game in so many different ways, whether it’s physically on the field or in the clubhouse,” Vandy head coach Tim Corbin said of Swanson on the school website. “Plain and simple, he’s a winning baseball player. There isn’t much he can’t do well. He has a ‘care’ level for his personal game and the team, which naturally balances itself out. He’s a lot of fun to coach and watch and a tremendous student as well.”
DILLON TATE
Position: right-handed pitcher
School: UC-Santa Barbara
A 6-foot-2 junior from Claremont, California, Tate came a long from pitching just three innings over four games as a freshman in 2013 with the Gauchos.
A team USA product, he is a fan of MLB pitcher David Price of the Detroit Tigers. Tate hopes to follow the path of three former USA team members from UC-Santa Barbara who went on to play in the majors: Chis Valaika, Barry Zito and Erik Johnson.
This season Tate was 8-5 in 14 starts and two complete games and an ERA under 2.30 for a team that was 40-17-1. He allowed just 66 hits in 103 1/3 innings.
TYLER JAY
Position: left-handed pitcher
School: University of Illinois
Jay had a fabulous season as a closer this spring as he was 5-1 with an ERA of 0.60 with 14 saves in his first 29 games, with one start.
“Coming out of high school I knew that my potential wasn’t even close to (what it seemed),” he told the Chicago Tribune. “I was a late bloomer with my size and body.” He put on about 30 pounds in college and his fastball now reaches the mid-90s.
Illini coach Dan Hartleb told the Tribune: “Recruiting him, we saw a pitcher that had a very quick arm. Did we ever see him getting to this point? I’m not sure anybody could say that.”
Some felt Jay should have been a starter but his coach felt he had the mentality to close games.
Illinois hosts Vanderbilt in the Super Regional slated to begin June 6. Jay has six siblings and two of his cousins played football at Monmouth in New Jersey and an uncle, Rick, played football at the University of South Dakota.
BRENDON ROGERS
Position: shortstop
School: Lake Mary High in Florida
From Longwood, Florida, he is a right-handed hitter and 6-foot-1, 190 pounds. “Ball flies off his barrel. Huge potential with the bat,” says www.perfectgame.org
Rogers has rubbed shoulders with several big leaguers while playing in the Orlando area. He once played on a travel team coached by Tom Gordon, the former big league pitcher. He has spent time with Dee Gordon, the second baseman for the Marlins and the son of Tom.
ALEX BREGMAN
Position: shortstop
School: LSU
From New Mexico, the speedy Bregman was drafted by the Boston Red Sox out of high school in the 29th round in 2012 after he dealt with an injury as a senior.
His high school coach was Jason Columbus, who was a reserve first baseman for LSU. Bregman started the first 61 games for LSU this year and was hitting .318 with nine homers and 47 RBIs with 35 steals in 45 tries going into the Super Regionals. Both of his parents are attorneys.
DAZ CAMERON
Position: outfielder
School: Eagle’s Landing Christian in Georgia
Cameron is the son of Mike Cameron, an outfielder who played in the major leagues from 1995 to 2011.
The younger Cameron will go much higher in the draft than his father, who also grew up in Georgia. Mike Cameron went in the 18th round in 1991 to the Chicago White Sox.
“It’s been a circus this year keeping up with the scouts and everything they’ve wanted,” Doug Campbell, the coach for Daz Cameron at Eagle’s Landing Christian, told the Henry Daily Herald. “It was unique. It was fun. He was very good the first time I saw him play as a freshman.”
KYLE TUCKER
Position: outfielder
School: Plant High in Florida
Tucker is the younger brother of Preston Tucker of the Houston Astros. The Astros have the second overall pick this year as compensation for not signing pitcher Brady Aiken last year after he was the overall number one pick.
Here is the scouting report by Perfect Game from a 2014 showcase event on Tucker: “Kyle Tucker is a 2015 OF/RHP with a 6-4 175 lb. frame from Tampa, FL who attends Plant HS. Tall slender athletic build, has lots of wiry strength with room for more, young look. Left handed hitter, low hand load, long and fast uphill swing, lots of loose extension out front, tends to pull off his front side early, has happy feet on occasional, gets the ball in the air and has big power potential, hits the ball high in the air. 6.77 runner, works through the ball well in the outfield, loose whippy arm action, good arm strength with on line carry. Projects in all areas physically. Excellent student, verbal commitment to Florida. Selected for the Perfect Game All-American Classic”
CARSON FULMER
Position: right-handed pitcher
School: Vanderbilt
In his first 16 starts he was 12-2 with an ERA of 1.92 going into the Super Regionals at Illinois.
“Carson is a very rare combination of power arm, skill, athleticism, mentality and competitiveness,” Vandy coach Tim Corbin said of Fulmer. “He is in a category by himself when it comes to all of these traits. He thrives in the arena of competition. Loves the team aspect and everything that it stands for.”
Fulmer is from Lakeland, Florida, the hometown of current big leaguers such as Drew Hutchinson of the Toronto Blue Jays and Steve Pearce of the Baltimore Orioles. Fulmer has been roommates at Vandy with Dansby Swanson, another top prospect for this year’s draft.
JON HARRIS
Position: right-handed pitcher
School: Missouri State
Harris was taken in the 33rd round by the Toronto Blue Jays as a senior at a high school in Missouri. He may go about 32 rounds higher this year, thanks to going 19-8 with an ERA of 2.87 in three years of college.
He made 42 career appearances, with 38 starts, at Missouri State. This year he was 8-1 with an ERA of 1.85 in 14 starts and he allowed just one homer while facing 349 batters going into the Super Regionals at Arkansas.
ANDREW BENINTENDI
Position: Outfield
School: Arkansas
He was hitting .390 with 18 homers and 22 steals going into the Super Regionals at home against Missouri State.
He was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year after making huge progress from his freshman season at Arkansas, when he hit .276. He has gained about 20 pounds in college and learned how to deal with failure earlier in his college career.
