MiLB Hitting Standouts and THE DRAFT!!!!

So I’m back with the top position players so far this season in terms of performance, and to follow up the pitcher list, Oliver Drake is starting to shine.  Another scoreless 6 innings in his last outing, and the former Naval Academy pitcher, picked in the 43rd round, is turning out to be a great pick so far.  Lou Montanez would’ve been on this list, but his promotion cost him a spot.

Nolan Reimold, OF, AAA: Reimold has been an absolute beast this season.  In 60 AB, Reimold has 6 HRs and 19 RBI.  He has a .417 average and a .486 OBP and you begin to want Felix Pie to have the minor league option instead of Reimold.  He has hit well at every level, and is doing it again.

Brandon Snyder, 1B/3B, AA: Snyder, a former first round pick (2005), had looked like a bit of a bust until last year, when he hit about .280 most of the year, then went on a late season tear and finished above .300.  Snyder also showed his power and run production for the first time, with 13 HRs and 80 RBIs, both career highs.  This season, he is a again off to a great start with a .355 average, 11 RBIs and a .397 OBP.  Expect him to be on the 40-man roster next year, and possibly start at 1B if Aubrey Huff leaves in free agency.

Dave Krynzel, OF, AA: Krynzel was expected to add little more than organizational depth after being signed this offseason, but has been very productive, stealing 5 bases from the leadoff spot.  He has only hit .261 but has a .375 OBP.  He could come up in a Jeff Fiorentino type role, where he gets the occasional start in center field, if the team decides to go a different way with Lou Montanez.

Pedro Florimon, SS, High A: Florimon could be a long-term solution at shortstop if he continues on his current pace.  Only 22, Florimon has stolen 6 bases already this season, hitting .297 with a .352 OBP.  While those stats may look good, Florimon has 19 hits on the season, and has scored 15 runs.  Adding in 5 walks, Florimon has scored 62.5% of the time he got on base so far this season.

Joseph Mahoney, 1B, Low A: Mahoney has always been known for his power, but is showing a new side to his game this year.  With no home runs, Mahoney has hit .378 and has an OBP of .417.  In addition, in only 12 games, the 23 year-old has stolen 5 bases and driven in 9 runs.

2009 Orioles Draft Preview: The Early Stages

Coming off a weekend where I was basically locked in my Ravens blog, I got draft fever.  So, I decided to take a look ahead to the MLB Draft in June.  Airing on ESPN for the first round, and ESPN2 for the sandwich picks and 2nd round, the draft is a great day for prospect lovers like myself.  The Orioles own the fifth pick and there are many compelling options with that pick.  Here’s some candidates to be there at#5.

• Grant Green, SS, USC: It seems like right now, Andy McPhail and the club are looking more towards college players, so that they can stockpile almost-ready prospects in the system.  Matt Wieters, Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta are all examples of high-round college players picked in the last two years.  Green has been on scouts’ radars since his freshman year, and is a real 5-tool player, with the potential to be a Grady Sizemore type player at shortstop.
• Donovan Tate, OF, Cartersville HS (GA): Tate is a speedy, 5-tool outfielder who has been projected to go as high as #2 and is very similiar to Braves stud prospect Jason Heyward, with more power and a bigger frame.  He would progress through any system quickly, but the O’s might shy away from these top-class high school hitters ever since the lack of success with Billy Rowell.
• Kyle Gibson, RH SP, Missouri: I doubt that the club would take another polished pitcher with the #5 pick after Matusz and a lack of impact position players in the system, but Gibson is a very safe bet for a pitcher.
• Brett Jackson, OF, California: Jackson is a very polished hitter, with plus power and a very good eye for taking pitches, a tool that the Orioles are really pushing.
• Dustin Ackley OF/1B, North Carolina: This would be slightly unrealistic as Ackley is projected to go #2 to Seattle, thought to be the #1 pick if “can’t miss, once-in-a-lifetime talent” Stephen Strasburg, the San Diego State ace, was not in this year’s draft.  Ackely has incredible power, and has a slick glove at first.