Alex Wilson Stats with the Lowell Spinners.  Spinners are attempting to take the NYPL league championship. Alex went 3IP last night in a playoff start and allowed no runs while striking out 7.  Already ranking by soxprospects.com as the Sox’s #19 prospect overall, he has little left to prove at this level but I am sure is enjoying the playoff atmosphere.

August 17th is the deadline to sign picks, so for 2009 we are now done, and done.

I want to quickly make a couple of points on draft strategy, and these are very high-level;  I have no idea what teams are thinking at any point during the actual draft.    One, the Red Sox do not “draft for need”.  This is not like the NFL where you are projecting players to impact your team this season (unless you are the Nats).  Baseball players are very difficult to project so that makes such a strategy a losing proposition, moreso in a year like this where the consensus was that the talent was skewed towards HS players.  Epstein is on record saying they attempt to draft major league caliber players – period.

Two, having said that, most of these guys will never sniff the Bigs.  I mean, MOST, by a lot.  That should not stop us from getting all fired up over each and every one of them, because what a ride they are about to take, and they should get a little karmic support.  By all means, jump on that 39th rounder’s bandwagon.  I just like to throw out the reminder: when a kid hits his level, be it AAA or A+, it’s not OK to say he suddenly “sucks”.  He is still among the thinnest top layer of players in the world at this game, and is due some respect.  End of soapbox rant.

Lastly, a quick note on signings.  The Sox put a lot of effort into the draft because with Free Agency being what it is, and with them never picking in the top ten where the odds are very good, comparatively speaking, they need to work a little harder to find impact players.  They tend to make a lot of “signability” picks, which means that in later rounds they will draft extremely talented players, usually high school, who are not expected to turn pro.  The Sox with their financial muscle often manage to sign a couple of these guys each year.  Two years ago Lars Anderson was one, last year Ryan Westmoreland.  It has been asked, many times “why don’t they give all these guys whatever it takes?” because often times we’re talking less that $3M which in free agency terms is spit.  The problem is that a) it’s a slippery slope, and b) it is incredibly difficult to really project these guys.  See my instructions above.

Without further ado…

Round 1 (28th overall)

Reymond Fuentes | Age: 18 | OF | Throw: L | Bat: L  (SIGNED: currently on the GCL Red Sox)

Potentially the most interesting thing about Reymond is the bloodline.  He is Carlos Beltran’s cousin.  However, in today’s MLB, that will get you a free t-shirt and that’s about it.  Reymond is touted as a prototypical leadoff type, as he makes god contact and was one of the two or three fastest guys in the draft, and the Sox popped him higher than his BP/PG rankings based on some recent workouts where he surprised them (and some others) with the pop in his bat.  He is generously described as “wiry” right now, at 6′ 1″ / 165 lbs., but there is a lot of projectability in the body.  You will hear the Johnny Damon comp thrown around quite a bit, and it’s pretty appropriate, right down to the noodle arm.  he claims he can improve his throwing, I should add.

Video Link:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4521017

Media Excerpts:

From mlb.com scouting:

Reymond Fuentes, Callego HS, Puerto Rico: Fuentes has been sneaking up on Draft boards late thanks to some extremely impressive workouts. He’s got plus speed. While he’s got some pop, he seems to understand that his game is to go gap-to-gap, get on base and let his legs do the work. He’s got a below-average arm, but his speed gives him more than enough range to stay in center field. More than one person has compared him to Johnny Damon as a future leadoff type.

From mlb.com intterview:

“He’s really athletic,” Red Sox director of amateur scouting Jason McLeod said of the six-foot, 160-pound Fuentes. “He’s an athletic center fielder. I think that’s the first thing you notice when you see him. He’s kind of a lean, wiry-bodied kid right now. But first and foremost, speed is going to be part of his game. He’s a plus-plus runner.

“We really think he has an opportunity to be that leadoff-type player that can give us very good defense in center field and hopefully disrupt on the bases as well.”

From an interview with David Laurila at BP:

On hitting for power: “If I have to go to left field, I bat to left field. If I have to go to center field, I go to center field. But if I find the ball inside and I do a good swing, I know it’s going to be over the fence. I’m thin, but I’m strong. I mean, I have a hidden power. But my game is let the ball in and start running.”

From Yahoo Sports:

Reymond Fuentes, OF, Fernando Callego HS, Manati, Puerto Rico: Fuentes profiles like his uncle, Carlos Beltran(notes), did more than a decade ago. He’s a fluid center fielder with tremendous upside as a hitter. Fuentes will need to fill out beyond his current 160 pounds, but some scouts believe he will mature into an everyday major leaguer. He also is one of the fastest players in the draft.

From MlbBonusBaby blog:

Reymond Fuentes, Fernando Callejo HS (PR) – Talk about helium.  Fuentes, best known in most baseball circles as the nephew of Carlos Beltran, has jumped up draft boards lately, and Keith Law speculated he won’t last past Texas at #44 overall. That’s a large jump for someone I considered a 5th-7th round type of guy coming into the Spring.  He’s similar to his uncle in his skillset, or at least how his uncle was at his age.  He’s very fast, makes good contact, has good range in center field, but lacks Beltran’s arm.  However, Fuentes is obviously the best Puerto Rican draft prospect this year, and he’s possibly the best in quite awhile.

From PG Crosschecker:

The star attractions at the showcase, by most accounts, were outfielders Reymond Fuentes and Ruben Sierra Jr. Fuentes ranks No. 99 on PG Crosschecker’s ranking of the top 500 prospects for the 2009 draft, while Sierra improved to No. 126 off his showing in Puerto Rico.

Fuentes has been the most consistent player in Puerto Rico all year, and ran a 6.3-second 60 in the workout—just surpassing Sierra (who some scouts had at 6.4) for the fastest time at the workout. He also showed an improved arm from center field, which had been his only glaring weakness. Offensively, Fuentes had a good showing in BP at the workout. Despite his slight 6-foot, 160-pound frame, the ball jumped off his bat. In the game, the lefthanded-hitting Fuentes showed a good approach at the plate, hitting a single on the first pitch of the game between shortstop and third against Hector Hernandez, the island’s top-ranked lefthander. He also stole a couple of bases by getting good jumps.

There was a lot of surprise at this pick, I would suppose largely due to a groundswell of either support or predictive magnetism for Max Stussi the catcher, but in the quiet after the storm you have to be pretty excited to watch Fuentes move through the system.  Unless you’re Che-Hsuan Lin.  Then maybe not so much.

Round 2 (77th overall)

William “Alex” Wilson: | Age: 22 | RHP | Throw: R | Bat: R  (SIGNED: now with Lowell Spinners)

Well, I guess a certain amount of fan dissonance is to be expected when your team uses it’s second round pick on a reliever.   One hates to throw out the dogeared “In Theo We Trust” so let’s just say cooler heads prevailed for now.    Wilson is an intriguing pick.  He has missed a decent amount of time due to injuries, but among them is the now almost requisite TJ surgery.  I am now officially speculating that the Sox consider this a bonus – “hey, he got it out of the way, and it kept the mileage on his shoulder down!”  At 6’1″ / 205 lbs he may be considered to be built to start, and in fact started off and on throughout his career.  So like Price last year, you could infer the Sox will give him that opportunity.

Regardless of how he is used, he has shown the ability to miss bats, averaging better than a K/IP over the course of his college career.  Last year he had a 12.04 K/9 ratio, which obviously gets the salivary glands working.   Features a low- to-mid 90s fastball and mid-80s slider which both project as plus pitches.  His “emerging” change/curve offerings will probably ultimately determine his fate.

Video Links:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4759201

Media Excerpts:

From BP:

Bryan Smith (7:05:08 PM PT): That’s Alex Wilson going to the Red Sox at 77, and that’s a pretty good pick. Wilson was sort of all over draft boards this season, with the height of his volatility coming in March when he was dominating as a starter. He looked good as a reliever with the Aggies, but he definitely fell off a little bit. I think the Red Sox have him take it easy this year, but think about moving him to the rotation again next year.

From Mlb.com:

Wilson red-shirted in 2008, his first season at A&M after coming over from Winthrop, following Tommy John surgery. If early starts were any indication, he seemed to be all the way back with an array of above-average pitches. He goes right after hitters and while he’s a little maximum-effort with his delivery, he maintains it deep into starts. He’s the kind of college starter who could sneak up on people come Draft time.

From the Battalion:

Wilson rebuilt his confidence on the Cape and during fall practices at A&M. He earned a starting spot in the Aggies’ rotation, making eight starts before being sent to the bullpen as a reliever.

“Moving to the pen, I didn’t take it as a demotion this year,” Wilson said. “I looked at it as an opportunity to better myself as a player and really help this team out. I just fell right into my place. I can come in and throw the 100 pitches if we need it or I can shut a team out at the end of the game.”

From TexasLeaguers.com (features a good mechanical breakdown):

Alex Wilson has only improved his draft stock so far this season. Right now, he looks like a very solid 1st round pick. If he keeps doing what he’s done so far, he could be a top 10 pick before June rolls around.

Round 3 (108th overall)

David Renfroe | Age: 18 | P/SS | Throw: R | Bat: R  (SIGNED: currently unassigned)

Another player who romanced the Sox during a live workout, Renfroe is a SS/P in the Casey Kelly mold.  The Sox F.O. has said that unlike Kelly they see his future as a positional player, however.  Renfroe was also his high school’s Quarterback.  Renfroe ended up signing for a bonus of $1.4 million that is going to be spread over five years, as allowed per the multi-sport caviat.  Renfroe’s a two-sport star including baseball and football. A gifted natural athlete, Renfroe was ranked 33rd overall by PG Crosschecker and 67th overall by Baseball America.

Video Links:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4752929

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS1oTjC6Zr0&feature=related

Media Links:

From Milb.com:

Renfroe is an exciting all-around high school talent who can do a little of everything on the baseball field. A talented pitcher who throws 93 mph and the QB for one of the top high school football programs in the country, he’s very athletic but has baseball smarts to go along with it. He should hit for average and power in the future, so even if he has to move off shortstop, he’s got the bat to make sense at third. His dad played pro ball for nine years, so the bloodlines are there to boot, making him a very intriguing player who should go off the board pretty early.

From Baseball America:

Renfroe has a polished approach as a hitter, with solid-average power and hitting tools. He’s a smooth defender with good hands who should be a capable college shortstop and an outstanding third baseman at the pro level. He has obvious arm strength that also plays on the mound. He sits at 88-92 mph with his fastball and has touched higher, up to 95 at times. He has the ability to spin a breaking ball and has shown a feel for a changeup. Scouts are split on whether he has more upside as a pitcher or as a hitter.

From the Globe:

Shortstop-pitcher David Renfroe, 18, South Panola, Miss. (third round): Unlike last year’s first-round pick, pitcher-shortstop Casey Kelly, the Red Sox like Renfroe more in the field. If the Red Sox sign him, they will likely move him to third base.

“Talented athlete,” McLeod said. “He was a high school quarterback for one of the most successful programs in the history of that state. We have to spend time with him and do our due diligence over the summer and hope we can get him signed.”

Round 4 (138th overall)

Jeremy Hazelbaker | Age: 21 | OF | Throw: R | Bat: L  (SIGNED: now with Lowell Spinners)

Hazelbaker might be considered a “safe” pick here, but figures to move into professional ball and find his level quickly.  He came into his own last year at Ball State, where his .429 batting average is fifth bestand his .550 on-base percentage is the highest mark in Ball State history.  He also showed some plus speed, stealing 29 bases.  Obviously his command of the strike zone and contact rates plus a fairly projectable frame (6′ 2″, 175) intrigued the Sox offensively, and he projects as a solid centerfield prospect, or plus LF option defensively.  Doubtful that the arm would hold up in right.

He was a second team Baseball America (who ranked him at #107 on the board overall) All-American, only the second Ball State player to be honored by the group.  He had a brief stay in Lowell and is now in Greenville.  Honestly, Hazelbaker does not really profile as an electrifying  player at this point but there are enough tools and projectability there for him to be a likeable, solid pick and pro ballplayer.

Video Links:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4828073

Media Links:

From the Muncie Star -Press:

Beals and Hazelbaker arrived at the same conclusion after the 2008 season. Hazelbaker, who had played an infield position ever since he took up baseball as a youth, would move to the outfield for his junior season in 2009….The results were dramatic.

From BSU Daily News:

Hazelbaker shot up draft boards with a remarkable 2009 season, batting .429 and setting multiple school records. He impressed with his speed and base running ability and could be the highest picked Cardinal since 2003, when outfielder Brad Snyder was selected with the 18th pick of the draft by the Cleveland Indians.

Round 5 (138th overall)

Seth Schwindenhammer| Age: 18 | OF | Throw: R | Bat: L  (SIGNED: now with GCL Red Sox)

Schwindenhammer, as you’ll hear, will have the honor of having the longest last name in the bigs if he makes it all the way.  And he might.  Listed as the No. 12 recruit in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report as well as the No. 2 two-way player, the No. 3 hitter and as having the No. 8 fastball in IL for 2009, Seth is an athletic high-schooler who shows plus power from the left side and has the arm to play a corner OF position.  Clearly, say what I will, there was some need in mind with this pick.  Reports on his character also peg S.S. as a level-headed kid and  “dirtdog” type of competitor that Boston fans love to root for.

Video Links:

Media Links:

From PG Crosschecker:

(A) big, athletic lefthanded hitter with serious pop in his bat. Schwindenhammer’s swing is well controlled for a player with his raw bat speed, and contact doesn’t seem to be a problem. He also threw in the upper-80s off the mound this spring, and his raw arm strength should be playable at the corner-outfield positions.

From Central Illinois Proud:

The one thing that’s constantly brought up is Seth’s baseball potential. Major League Baseball scouts have asked Schwindenhammer to take extra swings after games.

From Big Ten Network:

Seth is a physically strong, athletic player who has a good hitting approach with power. He has a power arm from the outfield and on the mound, pitching in the low 90 mph range. He’s a hard-nosed competitor who will have the ability to hit, play the outfield and pitch at this level.

I will try to get to the rest of the rounds moving forward; lots of sports action happening now with the Sox old-style summer swoon and Pats getting ready to rumble.