AFLAC Player Reports #1
--All Reports written on August 11th, 2007
Isaac Galloway – WEST – OF, 6-2/190, R/R, Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Summer Team – RBI (CA)
Galloway, a talented outfielder with all the tools, came to San Diego nursing
an injured ankle. He worked out each day and the ankle really didn’t
respond as hoped to treatment. Still he showed a nice quick swing and
athleticism. His attitude was outstanding as was his work ethic. The night
before the game, Galloway said he didn’t think he would be able to play. He
just didn’t feel that he could perform anywhere near his normal ability. We
made a decision to start him as a DH in the 3 hole and give him a token
appearance before replacing him in the lineup. His ability deserved that
honor. Then in his first inning at bat he roped a single up the middle
against “Jackie Robinson Award winner” Tim Melville. So what the heck, we
left him in the lineup to hit one more time. Then, in the third inning he
got another base hit to left field. We were going to take him out for a
pinch runner, but now he looked like the early front runner for the MVP
award. Next came the biggest surprise of the day. Isaac took off like a
deer and stole second base. We didn’t get a time because no one expected a
steal out of Galloway. We can only say he looked like he got there at warp
speed. Finally Galloway was retired in his 3rd at bat and was taken out to
rest his ailing ankle. Pretty gutsy performance by this star prospect. We
look forward to seeing him again after he’s 100% healthy. But we saw enough
over the week to realize this is a special player with outstanding makeup and
a love for the game
Tim Melville – WEST – RHP/3B, 6-5/210, R/R, Holt, Wentzville, MO
Summer Team – Richmond Braves (VA)
Melville gathered a bit of hardware at this year’s Aflac All American
Classic. At the opening night players dinner, he was presented a plaque for
being named the Overall Top Prospect at this year’s Perfect Game National
Showcase at Cincinnati in June. Fast forward to the Aflac Banquet where he
was named Baseball America ’s Top Pitching Prospect for the 2008 class.
Then at the end of the evening he was named this year’s Player of the Year
and received the Jackie Robinson award. It was only appropriate that
Cardinal great Ozzie Smith presented the award to the St Louis area athlete.
Melville really looks the part with movie star looks and a ready made MLB
pitchers body. He throws steady low to mid 90s fastballs with good life and
outstanding command. He has three good pitches he can throw for strikes.
Melville is athletic and he can hit, play third and fields from the mound
very well. We’ve been following him for a very long time and can go on
record as saying he has championship caliber makeup. In San Diego he pitched
a scoreless inning topping out at 93 mph and he also swung the bat very well
all week. Melville’s future is definitely on the mound but he would be a
prospect at any of the corner positions.
Tim Beckham – EAST – SS, 6-2/185, S/R, Griffin, Griffin, GA
Summer Team – Atlanta Blue Jays (GA)
Beckham might be the most talented player in the class. It was appropriate
that Ozzie Smith was the Aflac Spokesman this year because Beckham plays with
that Ozzie type flair. He has Latin American shortstop actions with great
athleticism. Beckham was the starting point guard on his highly ranked high
school team as a freshman, before giving up basketball to concentrate on
baseball. We think that is going to become a very valuable decision on his
part. The game is easy for this kid. His swing is effortless and fluid,
very smooth and athletic. The ball jumps off his bat in a hurry and he’s a
plus runner with great first step quickness and body control. Beckham looks
the part in every way and he’s going to get stronger in the future. He’s
been on our radar for a long time, so nothing he accomplishes in the future
would be much of a surprise. To top it off, he has great makeup and you can
see how much he enjoys the game because he smiles a lot while he plays at
full speed. Tim Beckham was named the MVP of this years Aflac Game. He had
three RBI's with a triple and a sac fly that drove in the winning run in the
ninth.
Harold Martinez – EAST – SS, 6-3/195, R/R, Braddock, Miami, FL
Summer Team – All American Prospects (FL)
Martinez is a player we have been watching closely for a long time. He is
one of many from South Florida who has had to live with the unfair comparison
to Alex Rodriguez. But then again, he really is the closest comparison to
ARod that we’ve seen so far. More importantly and more realistically,
people need to look at Martinez for what he is and that’s very impressive.
Arguably the best infielder in high school baseball and one of the strongest
arms we’ve seen in the past 15 years. Yes, he has an ARod type body and
could develop into that type of super star someday. His actions and body
control stick out at any level. He shows serious controlled bat speed and
will show his extreme power potential at times. Martinez has great hands and
the big time arm, the hitting and power potential, and more importantly the
obvious love for the game that scouts pay close attention to. Martinez runs
well and we feel he will get even faster. He projects and is going to get
stronger and just keep getting better. As much as we’ve seen Harold play,
this is the first time we’ve seen him up close and personal (in the dugout)
competing with and against his peers. That was a valuable observation for
us, because we found out that Harold Martinez is simply one great kid. He
has the confidence it will take, but it’s a shared confidence that makes him
a great team mate. He respects the game and makes it fun for those around
him who can play at this level! As with most position players entering their
last year before the draft, it will all boil down to how well they hit during
the next several months. But Martinez is a special player and he will be a
special player for many years to come.
Michael Palazzone – EAST – RHP, 6-3/190, R/R, Lassiter, Marietta, GA
Summer Team – East Cobb (GA)
As a freshman Palazzone was PG’s #3 ranked player. He rested his arm a lot
as a sophomore and we were a bit concerned. Not any longer though, once we
saw him at the PG National in Cincinnati . We named him the top pitching
prospect at that event. He has a lively low 90's fastball that we’ve seen
up to mid 90s several times. The thing that separates Palazzone from the
pack is his breaking ball. It’s a nasty 12-6 that he can throw with the
flat seamed professional ball better than other top high schoolers can with
the great big high seams. It just disappears and is pretty much unhittable.
It’s a pitch that is Major League ready and you just don’t ever see that
in a high school pitcher. In San Diego he got squeezed on what could have
been strike three and walked a batter, but his velocity was in the low 90s
and the curve ball was it’s normal weapon. Palazzone actually prefers the
no seam ball for some reason and it shows. Yet another guy with excellent
makeup and he pitches with advanced poise.
Gerritt Cole – WEST – RHP, 6-3/192, R/R, Orange Lutheran, Santa Ana, CA
Summer Team – Trombley Braves (CA)
Cole can swing the bat, but we don’t think anyone in scouting really will
care about that. We have seen him pitch eight times in the past 4 months and
on seven of those outings we saw the liveliest arm in high school baseball.
On all but two occasions we saw outstanding command of three quality
pitches. Cole’s fastball is explosive and will run and sink better than all
pitchers in his class. We’ve seen him up to 96 on several occasions. His
breaking ball is filthy, a sharp slider he throws anywhere from 80-85 mph.
He doesn’t feature his changeup as much, but it could end up being his best
pitch at the next level. The change is a real mover and very deceptive.
Cole's quick arm from a slightly lower than normal ¾ release stands out.
In this year’s Aflac game he was probably the most impressive of all
pitchers. We had him topping out at 95 and he made short work out of the
East line up. He struck out the first two hitters showing his entire arsenal
of pitches. Then he retired the last hitter on a weak ground ball. It was
only one inning of work but it was probably the most impressive inning we
have seen in the five Aflac Games to date. This kid has a magical, electric
arm and he competes. The sky is the limit for this Southern California
prospect.
Destin Hood – EAST – OF/IF, 6-3/190, R/R, St Paul ’s Episcopal, Eight
Mile, AL
Summer Team – Atlanta Braves Scout Team (USA )
Hood is a highest level athlete, plays shortstop in high school, complete
with a big live body and outstanding running speed. He is another of the
many top football recruits who played in this year’s Aflac Classic. Hood is
a bit raw if you’re looking for a polished finished prospect, but there’s
something very special and different about him. He has upper deck power!
The ball comes off his bat quicker than anyone in high school baseball and
carries tape measure distances. His arm plays, his speed is a plus, he’s
still working on his hitting, but his power is off the chart. Earlier this
year we watched him hit 7 monster shots in 10 swings in Cincinnati . Ethan
Martin and Hood tied for the Aflac Home Run Derby trophy, both hitting 7
during their two rounds. But in the first round tie breaker on Friday,
scouts who hadn’t seen Hood before got a treat. In 5 swings he hit three
very impressive shots. First one far over the scoreboard in left center
field (estimated) 440’, then a 400+’ shot over the right center field wall.
He followed that by hitting one far over the 20 foot high wall, 400’ away
to straight away center. Only wood bats are used during the Aflac Classic.
Destin Hood has very rare ability in the power department! And he’s only
going to get better. He has an outstanding attitude, loves the game, and
plays at 100% at all times. Another of the many Aflac All Americans this
year with championship makeup. With some of these young kids, you can just
feel and see the enjoyment they bring to the team. Hood is definitely one of
those real likable type guys.
Robbie Grossman – WEST – OF, 6-1/195, S/L, Cy-Fair, Cypress, TX
Summer Team – Houston Kyle Chapman (TX)
Grossman has been highly ranked for a long time now. We’ve seen his tool
package displayed several times and it’s very impressive to say the least.
A plus runner, with a good arm, outstanding defensive outfielder who can hit
and hit with power. That’s all five tools. But grading out Grossman based
on tools alone would be doing him an injustice. Where he separates from
other tool types is in performance. This kid plays for keeps and leaves
nothing behind. The highest level MLB people who haven’t seen it before got
the full display in San Diego . Grossman got into a groove in early pregame
BP and was mashing balls out of the park at Tony Gwynn Stadium. In the game
he made two catches that were definitely both high light category. Can’t
remember the totals, but Grossman seemed to steal a hundred bases during the
game. When you mix high level talent with outstanding makeup and all out
100% effort, you get players like Robbie Grossman. He absolutely was one of
the biggest stars in this year’s Aflac All American Classic. He put on
quite a show in the most high profile event in high school baseball!
Xavier Avery – EAST – OF, 6-0/180, L/L, Cedar Grove, Decatur, GA
Summer Team – East Cobb (GA)
Avery was presented the fastest man award from the Perfect Game National in
Cincinnati . It was an easy selection because he ran a record 6.17 sixty
yard sprint on the turf. It was the fastest time we’ve ever recorded
electronically. He was also the fastest runner at the East Coast Pro
Showcase, but that one was run in very wet and slow conditions. The 6.5+ he
ran at ECP was the slowest time we’ve ever had on him. He routinely runs
the sixty in the 6.3 range. Avery is a star highly recruited football
tailback, but his baseball game is really coming on. Obviously he covers a
lot of ground in the outfield and flies around the bases, but he has
developed a quick short stroke that develops serious bat speed. He is going
to hit and he has shown flashes of big power potential. The one area that
Avery could most improve on is his arm. His arm will play in centerfield, but
it is below average on the MLB scale. In many ways Xavier Avery reminds us
of another star football prospect we first saw as a junior in high school.
That would be Carl Crawford who is now a Major League All Star. Just like
most of this class of Aflac All Americans, Avery was well liked as a team
mate, has outstanding makeup and character. He loves baseball and will give
up football if the opportunity presents itself. In San Diego he showed a
fast bat all week and there’s no question that he is going to hit.
Clark Murphy – WEST- OF/1B, 6-3/203, L/L, Fallbrook Union, Fallbrook, CA
Summer Team – San Diego Show (CA)
Murphy was one of the very first players we selected this year. He would be
the first to admit that he had a couple of off days when we saw him in
Cincinnati this past June. Sometimes even the best of athletes and
especially hitters have bad days and we wrote off Murphy’s performance as
one of those bad days. It sure was the real Clark Murphy who showed up at
the Aflac Classic, though. He has serious bat speed and power and he showed
it all week including making the finals in the HR contest. Murphy is
talented enough to play the outfield at the highest levels, but spent most of
his time at 1B during the week. He is an excellent and athletic defensive
first baseman with quick feet, very good hands and a strong arm. But it’s
Murphy’s bat that will carry him as a college or professional player. He’s
extremely strong and can flat out mash! Definitely one of the nation’s top
left handed bats. Other than his obvious big time hitting ability and
excellent defensive ability there’s another side to Clark Murphy. Realizing
this might sound like a repetitive goody, goody bunch of goo thing… Murphy’
s makeup and character are both in the World Champion category. His love of
the game is clearly obvious. The respect he showed for everyone associated
with this game was refreshing. A star athlete, thanking everyone for the
opportunity of a life time. Kind of classy in our book. We came away from
this year’s Aflac Classic becoming big supporters of a lot of players, none
any more than big Clark Murphy. What a great role model he is going to be.
Aaron Hicks – WEST – OF/RHP, 6-1/165, S/R, Wilson, Long Beach, CA
Summer Team – San Gabrial Valley Arsenal (CA)
Hicks is one of the most talented prospects in America . We named him the
player with the “best tools” in our PG National this year. He is a plus
runner, with a super arm, excellent outfielder, fast bat and projects to hit
with power from both sides of the plate as he matures physically into his
lean athletic frame. He also pitches and we’ve seen him as high as 96 on the
gun with a good slider. He loves to compete and play the game. He plays
with a no fear attitude. Hicks was the losing pitcher in this years Aflac
Game, but it wasn’t because he got hit at all. He did have a problem
throwing strikes, similar to hard throwing Michael Main last year. Not to
make excuses, but he pitched the 9th inning after playing the outfield the
whole game. He was disappointed, but handled it very professionally, even
when cameramen were shooting a close up of him as he walked off the field.
Everyone knows how talented some of these players are, but it’s moments
like this that scouts can learn new important information for their files.
Like everyone else, it seems, who played in this game, Hicks shows the
makeup necessary to reach the top level of baseball. No one projects more,
Hicks has lots of room to add strength. He’s still one of the top prospects
for next year’s draft as both an outfielder and as a pitcher. There’s
really not much he can’t do on a baseball field.
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