Belated Bday Gift

Just 8 days after my birthday I received my copy of Baseball America's 2008 Prospect Handbook. The Top 10 has been out since December 4th and I've detailed the differences between their list and mine. Now I'll add some comments on some scouting reports that caught my eye.

Josh Wall, RHP

Rated 40th on my list, was all the way up to #15 for Baseball America. The book mentions that his fastball was as high as 96mph last year, sitting at 92-93 at times. He also showed off his low 80s curveball, which was one of the main reasons Logan White drafted him in the 2nd round in 2005.

Although it feels like Wall has exhausted his prospect eligibility, he just turned 21 and will pitch next year in High A. If he maintains the low 90s fastball and plus curve, he could be yet another promising pitcher in the Dodgers' system.

James Adkins, LHP

I was very critical of this pick last June and made that clear by ranking Adkins 34th on my Top 50 list. BA placed him 15 spots higher than I did at #19. They say his slider is on par with Greg Miller's, which is considered a plus-plus offering. They also believe his fastball, which currently sits at 88mph, could gain velocity once he starts using it more. If he does add a few ticks to his heater and refine his changeup, Adkins could reach the majors in no time at all.

Justin Miller and Tim Sexton, RHP's

A pair of 2007 JuCo draftees made the Top 30 in the handbook, after making the Top 40 on my list. Miller is intriguing due to his natural low 90s velocity and sink, which allow him to induce lots of groundballs. The handbook notes that, in a 7 inning relief outing during the playoffs, Miller tallied 16 groundouts compared to just 3 hits (all singles). However, he's still raw and needs to work on refining his slider as well as developing a changeup if he intends on being a starter down the road.

Sexton has less projection but more present stuff. His long, lean frame and exaggerated drop-and-drive delivery draw obvious comparisons to Bronson Arroyo. And while Tim doesn't have Justin's fastball velocity, it plays up due to his command and ability to locate his curve, slider and change. While Miller will likely spend the better part of 2008 working on developing his offspeed stuff, Sexton could end the year in High A or Double A.

Alfredo Silverio, OF

The Handbook and I were off by one spot on Silverio, as they placed him one spot ahead of me at #29. Even though the 20 year old won the GCL batting title last year, he hasn't gotten much praise around the scouting community. His hit tools aren't overwhelming but they do profile as slightly above average. And even though he played CF last year, he really doesn't have the speed to handle it. He doesn't walk a whole lot, so Fredo will have to hit for power down the road in order to establish himself as a prospect.

Geison Aguasviva, LHP

There were a few Dominican Summer League players that caught my eye, and Aguasviva was the most intriguing. The 19 year old southpaw started the DSL All Star game, striking out two of the three batters he faced. His 1.50 ERA was 8th in the league and he struck out 69 batters compared to just 14 walks and he didn't yield a HR all summer. His fastball tops out at 91 and his breaking ball figures to be a second plus pitch down the road. He will see time in the states in 2008, and the Dodgers may even give him a spot in the Great Lakes Loons' rotation.


Spring Training begins in a little over a month, so entires will come along slowly until then. But be sure to check back daily once the regular season begins!