The 1976 Amateur Draft is a little less than a month away and today the pool of players that teams will be drafting from was released.
Among the players both the OSA and the Denver Brewers scouting staff are high on is 18-year old center fielder Chris Heisler out of Fresno State. The young man shows 5-tool potential with great speed and a fine hit tool that should yield both great contact and plus power. He is also considered highly intelligent and teachable.
There are several solid pitching prospects who should have a chance to fashion big league careers in a starting rotation. While the OSA and the Brewers scouts differ a bit on the potential upside of right-hander Matt Regan and left-hander Michael Noland, with their 4-pitch repertoire's and solid makeup both college hurlers should at least have a good chance to fashion mid-rotation careers in the WPK. Another lefty collegiate pitcher who seems to be quite advanced already is Justin Matthews out of Glendale College. He will likely be prone to the gopher ball but if any of his three secondary pitches develops as hoped to combine with an already big league ready fastball, he could go far.
Another 18-year old center fielder who could have an impact in the WPK is Iowa prep star Bill Bussard. Bussard is thought to have great leadership potential, possesses plus (or even plus plus) speed, and good range in the outfield. While the Brewers scouts are less high on his hit tool than the OSA is, he has a chance to develop enough as a hitter to be a starting center fielder or left fielder in the WPK. He is still very raw though, so he will be a bit of a riskier pick in the draft.
