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Draft  | Prospect Scouting Reports  | 5/14/2015

MLB Draft Pack: May 14

David Rawnsley      Jheremy Brown     
Photo: Perfect Game
2015 Perfect Game Draft PacksRoll over the dates below to see the list of player covered
March 19 March 26 April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23
April 30 May 7 May 14 May 21 May 28 June 4


Every Thursday leading up to the 2015 MLB Draft Perfect Game will provide detailed scouting reports, and video (when available) on 8-12 of the top players eligible. The first report each week will be available for free, the rest can be viewed with a PG Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.



Prospects covered this week: Phil Bickford, Travis Blankenhorn, Joe DeMers, Bryce Denton, Cadyn Grenier, Jon Harris, Blake Hickman, Kyle Holder, Joe McCarthy, Kyle Molnar.





Phil Bickford – RHP

Height/Weight: 6-4/205
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: July 10, 1995
College: Southern Nevada
Hometown: Newbury Park, Calif.
Projected Draft Round: 1

Phil Bickford has a more prevalent background in terms of the draft then most after rising up boards in 2013 following a breakout senior season that ultimately led to him being selected, and electing not to sign, 10th overall by the Blue Jays. Taking his talents to Cal State Fullerton where he had signed his National Letter of Intent and finishing the spring by posting solid numbers, Bickford looked to round out one of the most dominate rotations this spring. That is until the end of last summer came around.

Bickford’s all-around game took the next step during the summer while suited up for the Y-D Red Sox in the Cape League, showing a fastball that climbed up to 97 mph out of the pen, serving as the closer for the eventual CCBL champions. That led to him being named PG's 2014 Summer Collegiate Player of the Year, and soon after news broke that Bickford was transferring out of Cal State Fullerton to enroll at Southern Nevada, the same junior college attended by Bryce Harper. That made Bickford immediately eligible for 2015, expediting the whole draft process by a year.

Standing at 6-foot-4, 200-pounds, Bickford has added significant strength since his prep days. Having his way this spring and posting video games numbers, Bickford is once again viewed as a first round talent, as he made strides with his 80-82 mph slider last summer and showed sharp life early this spring. His changeup is still a developing pitch, and as it continues to come along, Bickford will have a complete three-pitch arsenal.

With a clean and live arm action, Bickford is able to generate one of those “invisible” fastballs, similar to Sean Manaea, in that it jumps on hitters even if they know it’s coming. Working comfortably in the low- to mid-90s and touching 96-97, Bickford routinely displays his plus fastball command, walking just 19 over 79 innings while averaging nearly two strikeouts per inning on the year with a microscopic 1.48 ERA.

The fastball on it’s own misses bats of premium hitters, and when his slider’s on he’s as difficult of an arm to hit as you’ll find anywhere the country. Understandably Bickford is young by his collegiate peers at a four-year school, but he was also young coming out of high school, so his age is closer to that of a freshman in college as he’s currently 19 and won’t turn 20 until after the draft.


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