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March 17, 2008

Future Shock

Monday Ten Pack

by Kevin Goldstein

Gordon Beckham, SS, University of Georgia

Similar to last year's crop, this year's draft is light on college middle infielders. Luckily, this draft does have Gordon Beckham. After going 1-for-5 in Friday's opener of a three-game series with Arkansas, Beckham went off on a tear for the rest of the weekend, going 4-for-6 with a pair of doubles Saturday, then adding four more hits in five at-bats with a pair of home runs on Sunday. In 15 games for the bulldogs, Beckham is now hitting a remarkable .507/.553/1.014, or 35-for-69 with nine home runs. He's a solid defender with good athleticism, and the only real knock against him is he free-swinging approach. Nevertheless, he could slide into the single-digit picks of the first round if he keeps hitting like this.

Aaron Crow, RHP, University of Missouri

It was a weird line to be sure. Don't take that as a bad thing, as the right-hander, already considered by some to be the top college arm in the upcoming draft, had the best start of his career, striking out 15 in a seven-hit shutout against Toledo in which he did not walk a batter. Still, a line like 9 7 0 0 0 15 immediately has one immediately wondering if Crow suddenly started pitching for Rice, and anticipating a pitch count in the 140s. However, he threw just 107 pitches, including 87 for strikes. Four extra outs (one double play, three caught stealing) certainly helped, but at the same time, Crow whiffed 15 and still averaged just 3.45 pitches per batter. With mid-90s heat, a wipeout slider, and (obviously) excellent control, Crow is moving up draft boards, not that he wasn't already high. He'll get a stiffer test next weekend against Baylor.

Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky