WPK teams are moving into full gear with their amateur draft planning and scouting now that the official draft pool has been announced.
It looks like this could be a top heavy draft, at least when it comes to position players, as there are several players who profile as having WPK superstar potential. While there are certainly some pitcher's who will likely be first round picks, or at least supplemental first round or early second round picks, the greatest talent seems to be clumped at the positions of shortstop, center field, and first base.
One trend that has emerged is that a good number of position players in the draft pool have great HR power potential. (20 position players have potential HR power ratings of 8 or 9 on a 1-10 scale.)
There is a good deal of agreement that the likely #1 overall is 21-year old St. Louis College shortstop Justin Ficklin. Although there are some small concerns about his character- he won't likely become a fan favorite or even a beloved clubhouse figure- his talent profiles as legitimate 5-tools superstar.
Prep (Hayes Vo-Tech, Cleveland, OH) star center fielder John Hemmah is a favorite of Brewers head scout Nick Meskill. Hemmah is under-powered compared to many of his counterparts in the draft pool, but Meskill believes he will be a top-tier contact hitter with decent gap power, a good eye, and the potential to rarely swing and miss. Combined with his great speed and base running savvy, his well above average defense and cannon arm (will he eventually settle into a right field job?), and his reputation for smarts and a strong work ethic, make him the kind of toolsy, high character player that Meskill and the Brewers front office tends to value most. Sadly, he won't likely still be around when the Brewers pick at #18 in the first round.
Another shortstop, 18-year old T.J. Williams out of Cal-State Fullerton, is the third player that Meskill rates at the top of the scale in terms of potential. Williams profiles as a future gold glover with a good bat tool, though well below the rest of the position players expected to go high in the draft, but is also known for his strong leadership skills and great eye at the plate.
Perhaps the purest, and most well developed, hit tool in the draft, especially when it comes to combining contact and power, belongs to Las Vegas College first baseman Mike Lovett. Lovett won't likely ever win any gold gloves but with his hitting abilities, he won't need to. Whoever drafts Lovett could well have a future home run king on their club within the next few seasons, with Lovett likely the most developed bat in the draft.
Five of the next six players on Nick Meskill's list of best prospects in the draft are center fielders. (Though at least a few will likely shift to a corner outfield position before they reach the big leagues.) Among them is Cameron Olsen, 18-year old Bremerton, Washington native currently playing for the University of Nevada, Reno. Olsen is another player who could develop considerable home run power as he matures and projects as having great plate discipline and decent contact skills. He has plus speed and strong defensive skills but there are questions about his baseball smarts and work ethic.
