Well we are getting ready to get started.  Here are our final thoughts.

fewgoodcard’s

1. Rays-Tim Beckham, SS, Georgia HS

Seems to be a done deal.

2. Pirates-Pedro Alvarez, 3b, Vanderbilt

This is an I will believe it when I see it, but the rumors just won’t go away.

3. Royals-Eric Hosmer, 1b, Florida HS

Best bat in the prep class, the Royals took the same description last year.

4. Orioles-Brian Matusz, LHP, San Diego

Too good to pass up at this point, even though they would probably like a bat.

5. Giants-Buster Posey, C, Florida St.

The Giants need bats that can help in a hurry, and there may not be one that will get there faster than Posey.

6. Marlins-Kyle Skipworth, C, California HS

They have been on him for a while, although Alonso could be a local hero.

7. Reds-Gordon Beckham, SS, Georgia

The Reds could use a shortstop to fill out what is turning into a great young core.

8. White Sox-Justin Smoak, 1b, South Carolina

Kenny Williams was at the SEC tournament a couple of weeks ago checking him out.

9. Nationals-Yonder Alonso, 1b, Miami (FL)

The Nationals want a big bat, and he is the best one on the board.

10. Astros-Dan Schlereth, LHP, Arizona

They are the Astros, and they are cheap in the draft. There are rumors of Schlereth, and it would be like them to make a bonehead decision.

11. Rangers-Aaron Crow, RHP, Missouri

It would be a great surprise if he fell to the Cardinals, but I doubt he makes it past the Rangers.

12. Athletics-Jemile Weeks, 2b, Miami (FL)

The new hot rumor. I originally had Hicks here, but he just doesn’t seem like their type of pick.

13. Cardinals-Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky

The Cardinals are hoping someone falls, but if they don’t they will be happy to grab a lefty like Friedrich.

Erik’s

1. Tim Beckham

2. Pedro Alvarez

3. Eric Hosmer

4. Brian Matusz

5. Buster Posey

6. Kyle Skipworth

7. Gordon Beckham

8. Justin Smoak

9. Aaron Crow

10. Daniel Schlereth, I hear? That would be very Astro-ish.

11. Yonder Alonso

12. Aaron Hicks

13. Friedrich

After following this draft class very closely over the last year, here are my final top 30 rankings.

1. Pedro Alvarez, 3b, Vanderbilt

He hasn’t had the best season and has battled injury, but he still has the most dynamic bat in the draft.

2. Brian Matusz, LHP, San Diego

The big lefty has established himself as the draft’s number one pitcher and should be ready for the big leagues in short order.

3. Tim Beckham, SS, Georgia HS

The draft’s best prep position player has the tools to stick at short and an improving bat.

4. Aaron Crow, RHP, Missouri

The righty hit a rough patch after his big scoreless streak, but he has been pitching great for a month. His fastball/slider combo is the best in the draft.

5. Buster Posey, C, Florida St.

The very athletic Posey has the tools to be above average behind the plate and in the batter’s box.

6. Eric Hosmer, 1b, Florida HS

The big slugger has the best bat among prep position players. He is also a pretty good athlete as he is a good first baseman, and he can bump mid-90’s gas from the left side.

7. Justin Smoak, 1b, South Carolina

The switch-hitter has huge power from both sides of the plate. He also has a great approach and a good glove.

8. Gordon Beckham, SS, Georgia

His power numbers have slowed down from his blazing start, but he still provides above average power from a middle infield position.

9. Yonder Alonso, 1b, Miami (FL)

He combines a pure stroke with big time power. He is the total package as a hitter, but will his lack of athleticism cause him to fall?

10. Kyle Skipworth, C, California HS

He has above average power and arm strength from behind the plate, but the track record on high school catchers taken in the first round is not good.

11. Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky

There are questions about his competition and his command, but he has above average velocity and the draft’s best curveball.

12. Brett Wallace, 3b, Arizona St.

Like Alonso he offers a great pure stroke and 25 homer power. His looks will fool you when it comes to his athleticism, and he may not be locked in to first base like many believe.

13. Brett Lawrie, 3b/C, Canada HS

Shooting up draft boards due to his jaw dropping performances against professional competition with a wood bat. He doesn’t have a lot of experience, but he does have a lot of power.

14. Zach Collier, OF, California HS

A late comer to the first round, Collier won’t turn 18 until the end of summer. He offers a big frame and a lot of power potential from the left side.

15. Aaron Hicks, CF/RHP, California HS

The draft’s best athlete Hicks offers plus tools in the field and on the mound. His mid-90’s fastball and power curve are intriguing, but he wants to be a position player where he can take advantage of his plus speed.

16. Tim Melville, RHP, Missouri HS

He hasn’t had the spring everyone had imagined, but he is still the best high school pitcher in the country. He offers the potential of two future plus pitches in his low to mid-90’s fastball and hammer curve along with a very projectable frame.

17. Ethan Martin, RHP, Georgia HS

If Melville is 1, Martin is 1a.  He also offers mid-90’s velocity and is very athletic on the mound.

18.  Casey Kelly, SS, Florida HS

Kelly is a big shortstop with soft hands and a strong arm.  There are questions about his bat, but he knows how to play the game and could be an above average major league shortstop some day.

19.  Shooter Hunt, RHP, Tulane

Hunt has everything you look for in a top of the rotation starter with a fastball that touches the mid-90’s and a hammer curve in the low-80’s.  Unfortunately he struggles with his control and is still pretty raw for a college pitcher.

20. Jason Castro, C, Stanford

He is a strong defensive catcher with power from the left side.  There are some worries that he may be a one year wonder, but he does offer an intriguing package.

21.  Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Illinois HS

He combines the best command in the high school ranks with a fastball that can touch the mid-90’s and two good breaking balls.  Also a very good athlete and top shortstop, Odorizzi has very clean mechanics.

22.  Andrew Cashner, RHP, TCU

He exploded on the scene this year with a high-90’s fastball after being moved to the pen.  He still struggles with consistency with his slider, but he is the draft’s top college closer.

23.  Gerrit Cole, RHP, California HS

People question his make-up and his mechanics, but the stuff is undeniable.  A team willing to take a risk could get a steal in the back of the first round.

24.  Ryan Perry, RHP, Arizona

He offers arguably the best pure stuff in the draft with the potential for 3 plus pitches, but he has never succeeded in a starting role.  A team that believes he can stick in the rotation could take him much higher.

25.  Jemile Weeks, 2b, Miami (FL)

His dynamic speed and switch-hitting ability make him an ideal lead-off candidate.  There are questions about his glove, but he has plus range and decent pop from the 2nd base position.

26.  Ike Davis, OF/1b, Arizona St.

Davis had always been a solid producer, but he exploded this spring showing very good power.  He is aggressive at the plate, but he makes good contact and profiles as a prototypical right fielder with his power bat and arm.

27.  Brett Devall, LHP, Florida HS

The draft’s top high school lefty has good size and a great idea of what he is doing on the mound.  His arsenal consists of a high-80’s fastball that can reach 93 and a good curve.

28.  Conor Gillaspie, 3b, Wichita St.

He doesn’t have the prototypical corner power, but he is a great pure hitter and knows how to play the game.

29.  Reese Havens, SS, South Carolina

Many think he doesn’t have the range for short, but he has made great strides with the bat over the last year.  He has surprising pop and a good idea of what he is doing at the plate.

30.  Josh Fields, RHP, Georgia

He has great stuff, but he is still raw on the mound despite being a college senior.  Fields slumped down the stretch, but he is still a candidate to be the first player from this class to reach the major leagues.

Well with the draft only a couple of days away here we are with the final college wrap-up of the season.  I am guessing the Cardinals will take a few players that you have seen on these pages throughout the season.  This was regional week in the NCAA, so not everyone was playing.  The players that still had games took their last shot at impressing the decision makers, and some of the top guys did not disappoint.  Check out this week’s top performers inside.

Batters

Pedro Alvarez Vanderbilt 5-13, 2B (15), 3B (2), 3 R, 2 RBI, BB—–.317/.424/.593

Buster Posey Florida St. 9-19, 5 HR (24), 8 R, 13 RBI, 6 BB—–.468/.572/.897, talk about a way to make an impression the week before the draft

Gordon Beckham Georgia 10-24, 2 2b(19), HR (24), 7 R, 8 RBI, 3 BB——.397/.505/.781

Justin Smoak South Carolina 7-15, 2B (19), 2 HR (23), 5 R, 6 RBI, 2 BB——.383/.505/.757

Yonder Alonso Miami (FL) 2-10, R, 4 BB, SB (9)—–.370/.536/.767

Brett Wallace Arizona St. 5-11, HR (21), 6 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB (16)—-.414/.531/.762

Conor Gillaspie Wichita St. 6-12, 2 2b (16), 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB——.425/.510/.706

Ike Davis Arizona St. 8-13, 2B (26), 3B (1), 7 R, 5 RBI, 3 BB——.394/.468/.778

Jemile Weeks Miami (FL) 3-13, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB——.366/.447/.639

Reese Havens South Carolina 4-14, 2B (13), HR (18), 5 R, 4 RBI, 3 BB——.359/.486/.645

James Darnell South Carolina 2-10, HR (19), 3 R, 3 RBI, 7 BB——.306/.395/.580

Dennis Raben Miami (FL) 2-13, 2B (13), HR (9), 3 R, 2 RBI, BB——.302/.411/.535

Pitchers

Brian Matusz San Diego 9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K—–great in his final collegiate start

Aaron Crow Missouri 9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 10 K——dominant in month’s final season

Shooter Hunt Tulane 5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

3.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K—–coming back on 2 days rest and threw 86 pitches

Andrew Cashner TCU 4.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 6 K—-2 appearances, all the damage came in the 4 inning game

Josh Fields Georgia 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 3 K—–he has been struggling down the stretch

Ryan Perry Arizona 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K

Dan Schlereth Arizona 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K

Zach Putnam Michigan 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 2 BB 4 K

Aaron Shafer Wichita St. 9 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K

Carlos Gutierrez Miami (FL) 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

For the third consecutive year I was handed the reins of the Cardinals organization in the minorleagueball.com mock draft.  This was the highest pick I have had, and I was hoping to add some impact talent to the system.  I believe I was able to accomplish that goal.  Check it out after the break and tell me what you think.

13.  Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky

For the 13th pick I targeted two players: Friedrich and Arizona State’s Brett Wallace.  I am a huge fan of Wallace, and I would love to add a bat of his caliber to the system.  However, in the end Friedrich just matched the needs of the organization too well.  He is a lefty with decent control and two above average pitches that should pitch in a major league rotation in short order.  I don’t know if he will last until the 13th pick on Thursday, but I am sure Jeff Luhnow would be happy to take him.

39.  Conor Gillapsie, 3b, Wichita St.

My target for this pick was Zach Putnam, but when Gillaspie was still on the board he was too good to pass up.  Everyone knows the Cardinals could use some infield depth, and Gillaspie just might be the best third baseman in this draft.  He will never be confused for a slugger, but he has a great contract stroke.  He has also proven himself with wood winning the Cape Cod League MVP.  I seriously doubt he is available at this spot in the real draft, but he would be a steal at this point.

59.  Trey Haley, RHP, Texas HS

This may look like a major overdraft according to baseball america’s rankings, but I think he could end up being the best high school pitcher in this draft.  He has an athletic, projectable frame, and his fastball already touches 95 mph.  He isn’t the most polished pitcher in the world, but he also has a pretty good curve he can throw for strikes.  Haley is a bit of a project, but I love his upside.  It wasn’t worth risking until the 3rd round, although he may be a tough sign if the doesn’t go in the first round due to a commitment to Rice.

91.  Wade Miley, LHP, SE Lousiana

Going into the draft I wanted Louisville 3rd baseman Chris Dominguez with this pick, but after I stole Gillaspie I changed my plans.  I was hoping Arizona flame throwing lefty Dan Schlereth would still be around, but he went right before me.  I also targeted another Arizona player, prep slugger Jaff Decker, but like Schlereth he was also chosen right before my pick.  That left me in a bit of a scramble before I finally settled on Miley.  I haven’t seen a video on him, but he is a lefty that can dial his fastball up to the mid-90’s.  The upside is definitely there as he has a slider and change that grade out as plus at times, and he also shows potential with a curve.  Miley pitches at a smaller school and doesn’t have the dominating statistics you would expect, but lefties with that kind of velocity aren’t a bad gamble in this range.

125.  Matt Marquis, OF, New Jersey HS

He was originally my target in round 5, but it sounded like the mock could get cut short and I didn’t want to miss out on this guy.  He is exactly the kind of high upside high school player you want to gamble on in this range, and according to the perfect game message board, he put on a show at a recent Cardinals’ workout.  Marquis has plus power, and the potential to be a prototypical right field slugger.  He may be hard to sign away from Vanderbilt, but the upside is definitely there.

155.  Johnny Giovatella, 2B, New Orleans

When they decided to go ahead and do the 5th round I was left scrambling a bit, but I settled on this diminutive slugger.  He doesn’t have the size or tools you look for in a high pick, but all he has done is produce.  He has a lot of Shane Robinson in him along with the ability to play 2nd base.  I usually like to gamble on upside in this range; however, this is a position where the Cardinals could use some depth.  He seems like a solid bet to hit.

Overall I was pretty happy with my haul.  Friedrich was the #1 guy on my board for the 13th pick, and Gillaspie was an absolute steal at a position of need in the sandwich round.  I love the upside with Haley and Marquis, and I think Miley was a solid gamble in the 3rd.  The system is lacking in quality lefties, and I believe I added two very good ones.  We are also a little short on infielders, and I was able to find a couple who have produced a lot in college.

Sorry I was a day late, but I am sure I wasn’t the only one that had a busy weekend.  Memorial day weekend is usually conference tournament weekend, and that means some guys played a lot more games that usual and others were done pretty quickly.  Conor Gillaspie used the MVC tourny to pad his stats, and Brian Matusz continues to show why he is the best pitcher in this draft.  This week I tried to include everyone I think will be a first round pick along with some others, and I tried to line them up in a rough order of how I have them ranked.  I also included the season statistics for every pitcher in the report.  Check it all out after the break.

Batters

Pedro Alvarez Vanderbilt 3-21, 2 HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB—-not a great showing

Buster Posey Florida St. 4-10, 2 HR (19), 2 R, 5 RBI, BB—-absolutely monster season

Gordon Beckham Georgia 1-6, 2B (17), 2 R, 3 BB, SB (17)

Justin Smoak South Carolina 1-9, HR (21), R, 5 RBI, 4 BB

Yonder Alonso Miami (FL) 4-16, 2 HR (21), 4 R, 4 RBI, 3 BB—–really hitting well right now

Brett Wallace Arizona St. 6-13, 2B (12), HR (20), 3 R, RBI, BB—–perhaps the best hitter in the draft

Conor Gillapsie Wichita St. 9-12, 2B (14), 3 HR (10), 7 R, 12 RBI, 2 BB—–who says he doesn’t have any power?

Jason Castro Stanford 4-13, 2 R

Jemile Weeks Miami (FL) 5-14, 3B (5), HR (11), 6 R, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 2 SB (19)—–showing off all his skills

Ike Davis Arizona St. 2-15, 2B (25), HR (16), R, 6 RBI, BB

Reese Havens South Carolina 5-12, 2B (12), 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

David Cooper California 3-12, 2B (14), 2 BB

Allan Dykstra Wake Forest 4-12, 2 2B (12), 2 HR (16), 2 R, 5 RBI—-showed off his huge power

James Darnell South Carolina 2-10, 2B (13), 3 R, RBI, 4 BB

Dennis Raben Miami (FL) 5-15, 2B (12), 4 R, RBI, BB

Petey Paramore Arizona St. 5-7, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Pitchers

Brian Matusz San Diego 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K—-11-2, 1.88 ERA, 96 IP, 80 H, 21 BB, 131 K

Aaron Crow Missouri 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K—–12-0, 2.56 ERA, 98.1 IP, 82 H, 33 BB, 117 K

Shooter Hunt Tulane 6 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 9 K—–9-3, 2.45 ERA, 91.2 IP, 49 H, 51 BB, 119 K

Christian Friedrich Eastern Kentucky no games—— 5-1, 1.43 ERA, 81.2 IP, 40 H, 33 BB, 108 K

Andrew Cashner TCU 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K—–8-3, 9 SV, 1.80 ERA, 50 IP, 19 H, 25 BB, 74 K

Josh Fields Georgia DNP—–2-2, 16 SV, 1.52 ERA, 29.2 IP, 9 H, 18 BB, 53 K

Ryan Perry Arizona 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K—–5-3, 1 SV, 3.21 ERA, 67.1 IP, 55 H, 16 BB, 63 K

Zach Putnam Michigan 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 9 K——8-0, 2.64 ERA, 71.2 IP, 56 H, 21 BB, 74 K

Dan Schlereth Arizona 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K—-2-0, 1 SV, 52 IP, 27 H, 19 BB, 73 K

Lance Lynn Ole Miss 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 12 K—-7-3, 4.21 ERA, 83.1 IP, 81 H, 29 BB, 103 K

Tim Murphy UCLA 9 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 10 K—–5-6, 3.52 ERA, 94.2 IP, 75 H, 44 BB, 107 K

Wade Miley SE Louisiana 9 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 6 BB, 9 K—–7-3, 3.90 ERA, 101.2 IP, 101 H, 41 BB, 119 K

Tyson Ross California 6.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 6 K—-7-3, 4.40 ERA, 71.2 IP, 67 H, 30 BB, 62 K

Aaron Shafer Wichita St. 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 8 K—–10-3, 2.74 ERA, 98.2 IP, 89 H, 25 BB, 96 K

Will Christian Friedrich be the Cardinals first round pick?

From everything we have heard (and from past experience), it looks like the Cardinals are looking for a college pitcher at 13. The four big names that have been thrown around as the elite group of college hurlers are Brian Matusz of San Diego, Mizzou’s Aaron Crow, Tulane’s Shooter Hunt, and Christian Friedrich from Eastern Kentucky. Fresno State’s Tanner Scheppers would have been right in the middle of this group (and probably 3rd on the list) a couple of weeks ago, but he has since gone down with a stress fracture in his shoulder leaving his draft status very uncertain. The next group of college pitchers probably consists of a pair of hard throwing college relievers who could be converted back into starters. These are TCU’s fast rising Andrew Cashner and Arizona fire baller Ryan Perry. The Cardinals also showed last year that they aren’t afraid to go against third party rankings and take someone they like even if it is seen as a major overdraft. The guy that you need to look at for that kind of scenario is Michigan two-way star Zach Putnam.

The Cardinals probably are wanting one of those top four pitchers, but with Baltimore, Cincinnati, Houston, Texas, and Oakland all possibly looking for a college pitcher its possible they could all be gone. Even if the Cardinals have a shot, they most likely won’t have to make a decision between two of them.

Of this list, the only guy that has no chance of reaching the Cardinals is Brian Matusz. The lefty has established himself as the draft’s top pitcher and will hear his name called first on draft day. With the first three teams seemingly locked in on bats, Matusz could be headed to the Orioles at 4. The next best pitcher on the list is Aaron Crow, but there are starting to be some rumblings that he could fall to the Cardinals. His believed association with Scott Boras, and some questions about his delivery could cause teams to go for the slightly cheaper options. I still don’t believe the 2nd best pitcher in the draft falls to 13, but what do I know?

The best chance to land one of these four is likely either Hunt or Friedrich. Hunt has a great arm, but his control has been all over the place this spring. He is not one of my favorite prospects because the Cardinals don’t have a great track record with these kind of picks, but if he can get it straightened out you are looking at a future number 2 starter. Friedrich is probably the best pitcher the Cardinals have a good shot at selecting. His walk numbers aren’t great, but they are a lot better than Hunt. He also features a devastating curve to complement a solid average fastball and two other pitches that could be average in the future. The only thing standing between the Cardinals and Friedrich could be Oakland at 12.

If those four are gone, I hope the Cardinals will go for a bat like Brett Wallace or take a chance on a local high schooler like Jake Odorizzi, but I think it is possible they still will have a college pitcher at the top of their board. I am having a hard time figuring out just who that will be, but I think it will come from this group of three pitchers. Andrew Cashner has come out of nowhere to become a sure fire first round pick. It all happened after he moved to the bullpen and started unleashing high-90’s fastballs. Even though he is a closer now, he has had some 3 and 4 inning appearances and fared very well. He has a big, durable 6′5″ frame and a clean delivery which could lead to a move back to the rotation in pro ball. Perry is athletic and super projectable at 6′4″ 200 lbs. He also has arguably the best stuff in the draft with a fastball that he can dial up to 98 and a slider and change that have also been plus at times. Despite his stuff he has never been great in the rotation, but he has been dynamite in some longer bullpen appearances. He is also fairly new to pitching having never pitched in high school, so his best days are likely ahead of him. The last of this trio is on this list simply because he fits the Cardinals’ profile perfectly, and they may not want to risk waiting until 39 to grab him if their top options are off the board. Zach Putnam is the best sinker ball pitcher in the draft and has been a top prospect since high school. He is built like a rock and should be able to be a solid innings eater at the next level. He features up to 5 pitches, but his bread and butter is his low-90’s sinker and nasty splitter.

Crosschecker season is in full effect, and the top bats didn’t waste the opportunity as nearly all of them had big weekends. Brian Matusz and San Diego had the weekend off, and you have probably heard of the unfortunate injury to Tanner Scheppers. Aaron Crow and Christian Friedrich tried to capitalize and establish themselves atop the college pitching class. Only two more weekends before the draft. Check it all out inside.

Batters

Pedro Alvarez Vanderbilt 6-12, 4 2B (14), HR (7), 5 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB—–getting that power stroke back

Buster Posey Florida St. 5-10, 3B (4), HR (17), 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Gordon Beckham Georgia 4-10, HR (23), 6 R, 2 RBI, 4 BB

Justin Smoak South Carolina 4-10, 2B (18), 5 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB

Yonder Alonso Miami (FL) 6-11, 3 HR (19), 6 R, 9 RBI, 5 BB—-homer in all 3 games

Brett Wallace Arizona St. 4-13, 2 HR (19), 4 R, 7 RBI—-just puts up numbers

Conor Gillaspie Wichita St. 5-10, 2 2B (13), 4 R, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB (16)—–great pure hitter

Jemile Weeks Miami (FL) 5-13, 6 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB (17)

Ike Davis Arizona St. 5-13, 3 2B (24), 4 R, 2 BB—-comes back in a big way

James Darnell South Carolina 6-12, 2B (12), 2 HR (18), 3 R, 7 RBI—–has as much power as anyone

Dennis Raben Miami (FL) 4-12, 2B (11), 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB

Petey Paramore Arizona St. 5-11, HR (7), 6 R, 5 RBI, 5 BB

Pitchers

Aaron Crow Missouri 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 8 K—–starting to dominate again

Shooter Hunt Tulane 8 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K

Christian Friedrich Eastern Kentucky 8 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K—-pitching very well down the stretch

Andrew Cashner TCU 3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K—–46.1 IP, 18 H, 25 BB, 71 K

Josh Fields Georgia 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K—–more earned runs than the entire season

Zach Putnam Michigan 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K—–back after illness

Chris Carpenter Kent St. 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K

Aaron Shafer Wichita St. 9 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 8 K

Carlos Gutierrez Miami (FL) 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K——closer with a power sinker

We are only 3 weekends away from the draft, so the guys are running out of time to impress. The top of the draft has been locked in for a while, but there are some new names popping up in the late first round. One of those guys stretched it out a little this weekend. Tanner Scheppers and Zach Putnam, two big time righties that are on the Cardinals’ radar didn’t pitch this weekend, but I haven’t heard why just yet. Check out those that did play and impressed inside.

Batters

Pedro Alvarez Vanderbilt 6-12, 2B (10), 3B (1), HR (6), 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB—-up to .322

Buster Posey Florida St. 7-8, 3 2B (20), HR (15), 8 R, 8 RBI, 3 BB—–now hitting .471

Gordon Beckham Georgia 4-13, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB

Yonder Alonso Miami (FL) 3-12, HR (15), 4 R, RBI, 2 BB

Brett Wallace Arizona St. 4-9, 2B (10), HR (16), 2 R, 6 RBI, SB (14)—–if he could play third in pro ball he would go a lot higher, still might not slip out of the top 20

James Darnell South Carolina 4-11, HR (16), 2 R, 3 RBI, BB—-could be a Cardinal target in the sandwich round

Dennis Raben Miami (FL) 4-12, 2 HR (8), 4 R, 6 RBI, 2 BB——starting to show that power

Pitchers

Brian Matusz San Diego 8.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 14 K

Aaron Crow Missouri 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 11 K—–finally pitched well, but walks are still high

Shooter Hunt Tulane 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 9 K—–has been pitching very well recently

Christian Friedrich Eastern Kentucky 8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 6 BB, 13 K—–still has some control problems that come up every few starts, but he has been dominating

Joshua Fields Georgia 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 3 K

Andrew Cashner TCU 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K—-fast rising closer with great stuff

Ryan Perry Arizona 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K—–pitching great since move to the pen

Chris Carpenter Kent St. 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Aaron Schafer Wichita St. 7.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Scott Gorgen UC Irvine 8 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K

Dan Schlereth Arizona 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K—–lefty reliever has been dominant

Yesterday erik gave everybody a look at how he thinks the first 13 picks of the draft are going to go, and today I am trying to figure out the top 20 prospects available. We are about a month out, and while there is some consensus starting to develop with the college players, the high school group is still mostly up in the air.

1. Pedro Alvarez 3B Vanderbilt

Has missed time with injury, but he is still draft’s top talent.

2. Brian Matusz LHP San Diego

Lefty has established himself as draft’s top pitcher with good control of three above average pitches.

3. Tim Beckham SS Griffin High School (GA)

Hasn’t had a great year, but you don’t find these kind of tools in a shortstop very often.

4. Aaron Crow RHP Missouri

Has great stuff, but he has struggled recently. If his bonus demands get too high he could be a candidate to fall.

5. Buster Posey C Florida State

Doesn’t have great power, but extremely athletic catchers who will hit for average are rare.

6. Justin Smoak 1B South Carolina

Having a monster season showing power and great plate discipline.

7. Eric Hosmer 1B American Heritage High School (FL)

Best prep bat in the draft. Only question is signability.

8. Tanner Scheppers RHP Fresno State

Has arguably the best stuff in the draft. If he sharpens up his command, he could be the best pitcher in this draft.

9. Gordon Beckham SS Georgia

Great bat and should have the ability to stick at short.

10. Kyle Skipworth C Patriot High School (CA)

Prep catchers usually take a while, but this one could be worth the wait. He has more upside than the draft’s top catcher Buster Posey.

11. Shooter Hunt RHP Tulane

Great stuff, questionable control. If a team can straighten him out he can be a #2 starter.

12. Yonder Alonso 1B Miami (FL)

Extremely polished bat, Alonso may be draft’s top pure hitter.

13. Ethan Martin RHP/3B Stephens County High School (GA)

Power on the hill and at the plate, this prep star is likely to go as a pitcher.

14. Christian Friedrich LHP Eastern Kentucky

Adds arguably the draft’s best curve ball to an above average fastball.

15. Gerrit Cole RHP Orange Lutheran High School (CA)

Electric stuff, but there are a lot of question marks.

16. Aaron Hicks CF/RHP Woodrow Wilson High School (CA)

As toolsy as they come, Hicks may be the draft’s top athlete.

17. Josh Fields RHP Georgia

Dominating college closer with plus fastball/curve combo.

18. Tim Melville RHP Holt High School (MO)

Has had a rough spring, but is finishing strong. Not as highly regarded as before the season, but he still has the makings of a top of the rotation starter.

19. Alex Meyer RHP Greensburg High School (IN)

Big righty with big time stuff. He is still raw, but the sky is the limit.

20. Jemile Weeks 2B Miami (FL)

Has the makings of a very good lead off hitter with line drive stroke and blazing speed.

Another rough weekend for the top college pitchers, but Christian Friedrich took advantage and fired a great game.  I don’t know if the Cardinals will look at relievers early, but this week I decided to add a few of them in the report.  The bats continue to roll as Yonder Alonso and Brett Wallace show off their power stroke.  Check it all out inside this special Cinco de Mayo edition of the wrap.  I don’t really know what you are supposed to do for Cinco de Mayo, but I wouldn’t mind a few margaritas or i heard azru likes the Bud Light Lime.

Batters

Pedro Alvarez Vanderbilt 4-15, 4 R, 2 RBI—–solid, but not spectacular since return

Gordon Beckham Georgia 2-11, 2 HR (22), 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB—–doing what he can to hold off Smoak for national home run lead

Buster Posey Florida St. 3-10, 2 HR (14), 2 R, 2 RBI

Justin Smoak South Carolina 5-10, 2B (17), HR (19), 3 R, 4 RBI, 4 BB, SB (1)—–continues his big hot streak

Yonder Alonso Miami (FL) 4-6, 2 HR (14), 6 R, 6 RBI, 3 BB, SB (8)——absolute on base machine

Jemile Weeks Miami (FL) 4-10, 3B (4), 4 R, RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB (16)

Brett Wallace Arizona St. 7-14, 2B (8), 3 HR (15), 7 R, 5 RBI—-one of the best pure hitters in college baseball, probably doesn’t get the credit he desereves

Dennis Raben Miami (FL) 7-13, 2B (10), HR (5), 5 R, 6 RBI—-showing some signs

James Darnell South Carolina 5-13, 2B (11), 2 HR (15), 2 R, 7 RBI——doesn’t hit for great average, but has a ton of power

Petey Paramore Arizona St. 7-13, 2 HR (6), 3 R, 4 RBI——one of the better catching prospects in draft

Pitchers

Brian Matusz San Diego 6 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 9 K

Aaron Crow Mizzou 5.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 8 K—-still trying to regain that form

Shooter Hunt Tulane 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K—–a couple more like this and we might not have to worry about him making it to us

Tanner Scheppers Fresno St. 7.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 12 K—–.2 IP came in relief on Friday, and the rest in a start on Saturday. They are riding him hard, and he is starting to wear out as evidenced by the major jump in walks over the last few weeks.

Christian Friedrich Eastern Kentucky 8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K—–while the other top arms struggle, he throws an absolute gem

Joshua Fields Georgia 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K—-first ER allowed all season

Zach Putnam Michigan 9 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K—-not many strikeouts, but you can bet he had that sinker working

Lance Lynn Mississippi 6.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K—-stock is slipping

Tim Murphy UCLA 7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 10 K—–have to like that K:BB ratio especially against Arizona St.

Scott Gorgen UC Irvine 8.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 10 K

Aaron Shafer Wichita St. 8 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K——college pitcher? check. righty? check. sinkerballer? check. keep an eye on this guy. btw, he’s from St. Louis

Aaron Weatherford Mississippi St. 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K—-22.2 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 7 BB, 46 K for the season. one of the nastiest closers in college baseball.

Ryan Perry Arizona 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K—–great arm and has thrown strikes this year

Dan Schlereth Arizona 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K—–dominating lefty reliever, yeah its Mark’s son