Draft Prospects - outfield

Earl Hatcher, HS

A 17 year old lefty hitter from California.  Not a big guy at 6-1, 165 but hits with surprising power.  Has an uppercut swing and works the strike zone.  Good speed and range in the field. His arm is a tick above average.

Barry Rayburn, College

Bobby's kid, he has a blend of power and speed to possibly join his father in the 30-30 club, maybe even the 40-40.  He's the younger of the two Rayburn boys, his older brother Sean turned away from baseball after a traumatic kidnapping when he was young, by a deranged fan of Bobby's. Barry is a lefty batter and has elite mastery of the strike zone. He can hit, hit for power, cover ground in the outfield, and steal bases.  The only tool that is not a plus is his throwing arm.  Barry was born when his father was literally off the planet - playing an away game in Mars for the Miami Stars.  He plays with a chip on his shoulder, attributed in varying degrees to his brother's trauma, his father being away due to the APBA schedule, and frequent address changes (Bobby played for 9 teams in a 17 year career.)  He channels his anger towards dominating on the field, but some see the potential for the dark side within him and warn that he must be kept away from the Sith.

Conner Smallwood, College

One of the older players in the draft, a 23 year old college senior, Smallwood comes from French Canada and reminds some of Larry Walker. His best tool is his well above average power, but he can do it all - hit, control the strike zone, run, field, and throw.  Only drawback is he might not have as much room for development.

Thomas Coleman, College

A tall righty batter from Iowa, Coleman has tremendous power.  There is swing and miss in his game, don't expect him to hit for a high average. He runs well, has a strong throwing arm, and can play all 3 outfield positions.

Clayton Paul, HS

Big time power potential with questionable contact skills.  He has solid outfield skills and a strong arm but will likely have to settle into a corner as his speed is below average.

Adam Richardson, HS

A 17 year old from Washington state, Adam is a line drive hitter who excels at making contact, hitting .518 as a senior. His speed is above average, arm is strong, and he plays a solid defensive game. Does not walk often as he puts the ball in play early in the count.  Not a great power hitter, but could develop average power over time.

Francisco Rubio, College

Senior from Missouri State. Does not have a standout tool but does everything well.  Should be able to handle all 3 outfield spots.  Though he runs well he is not a good baserunner and often makes mistakes.  Does not read pitchers well or get good jumps in steal attempts.  Power is his best tool and he could end up hitting 25-30 homers per year.

Johnny Woods, College

Senior from Florida State, Woods is a big guy (6-5) with tremendous raw power. He'll take a walk, does not project to hit for high averages.  Speed is below average and arm is not that great, so likely will end up in left field.

David Yates, College

A teammate of Woods at Florida State, Yates hits for good power and has average or better skills across the board.  Enough speed for center, enough arm for right.  He has even tried a bit at third base and could be playable there, though he seems a better fit for the outfield.

Ed Badger, College

Senior from Vanderbilt, Badger has well above average speed and solid skills across the board. He has above average power potential and is a sure handed center fielder who reads the ball well off the bat.

Riley Bond, College

Top level speed puts pressure on opponents. plays well above average defense, has a strong arm, and will take a walk.  Could be a top of the order hitter with enough power in the bat to keep pitchers honest.

Culley Clark, College

A plus defensive center fielder with top of the line speed. As he develops expect above average power to emerge.

Jonathan Duncan, College

Few major leaguers can match his outstanding speed.  Also has a tremendous throwing arm.  Has above average power potential, but making contact can be a struggle.

R.J. Lauritzen, College

Senior from Delaware State, has an extreme rake and take approach at the plate that leads to the 3 true outcomes - walks, homers, and strikeouts. Extremely fast and a good baserunner, he can also surprise you by dropping down a bunt to beat the shift. Good range in the field but a below average arm could limit him to left field.

Nathan Lough, College

A huge (6-6, 220) power hitter who has better than expected contact ability.  Also has a strong arm and could fit in right, but his speed is below average and given his size, will probably get worse.

Albert Moore, HS

Sweet swinging line drive machine with a good idea of the strike zone.  Speed is a bit above average though his base running is raw.  Decent range in the field, but arm is well below average, which might limit him to first base. 

Ray Murray, HS

High schooler from Utah, Murray combines excellent hitting skills with above average power potential. Speed and arm rate a tick above average, and should be a solid defender in any outfield spot.

Koryusai Naito, College

Born in Japan but move to the US as a child, and played baseball at Vanderbilt.  No single skill stands out but the whole package should be a solid player, he is at least average in hitting, power, speed, throwing, and defense. Loves the game and is the first one to the ballpark and last to leave.

Clyde Olsen, Junior College

Above average hitter with plus power and a good feel for the strike zone. Runs well and has a tremendous throwing arm, but his routes in the outfield need a lot of work.

Dennis Shepard, HS
Should unleash tremendous raw power as he grows into his frame, runs well, and has a plus arm.  His plate discipline is raw and needs a lot of work.

Christian Walker, College

As a hitter he makes decent contact but doesn't hit with much authority. Outstanding speed and covers plenty of ground in center field. A future gold glove candidate. Arm is good, and he is an excellent base stealer.