In
the weeks leading up to the draft, Perfect Game will be providing a
detailed overview of each state in the U.S., including the District
of Columbia, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico. These overviews will
list the state's strengths, weaknesses and the players with the best
tools, as well as providing scouting reports on all Group 1 and 2
players as ranked in Perfect Game's state-by-state scouting lists.
Contributing: David
Rawnsley
Washington State-by-State List
2011 Washington Overview
Washington
Overview:
Coulter,
Gueller Headline Strong Washington Prep Crop
The
2012 Washington draft crop looks strikingly similar in substance and
feel to the state’s 2011 pool of draftable talent. It’s unclear
whether it will play out the same way once all the dust has settled.
Just
like a year ago, there is a prominent contingent of high-school
players at the top end of the draft—five to be exact, led by Union
High catcher Clint Coulter and W.F. West High outfielder/righthander
Mitchell Gueller. Both are candidates to be drafted as early as the
sandwich round. Behind that pair are three more prep standouts, all
of whom have the raw ability to go in the first 3-5 rounds.
That’s
just about the way the Washington prep crop stacked up a year ago,
only there were even more players given a realistic shot at being
drafted in the first 10 rounds. As it turned out, only one player,
Shorewood High lefthander Blake a Snell, a supplemental first-round
selection of the Tampa Bay Rays, went pretty much where his talent
warranted. The uncertain signability status of the remainder sent
most careening down draft boards—and out of the draft altogether in
the case of two prominent current Oregon State freshmen, outfielder
Michael Conforto and two-way player Dylan Davis. Conforto
(.354-11-63) has merely been the unqualified offensive star this
spring for the Beavers; Davis has also been a key contributor as an
everyday player, but more noteworthy, there have been reports of the
multi-talented Davis hitting 100 mph this spring with his fastball.
Washington’s
underrated junior-college ranks played a prominent role in the draft
a year ago as Lower Columbia College righthander Jeff Ames was the
nation’s first juco pitcher drafted, going to the Rays with the
42nd pick overall. That situation could repeat itself as Bellevue CC
righthander Adrian Sampson was ranked as the best JC arm in the
country last fall, although he has since been passed with all the
four-year college transfers that infiltrated the junior-college ranks
prior to the start of the 2012 season. Despite dropping a few spots,
Sampson could still easily be scooped up in the first four or five
rounds, and there is a strong possibility that last year’s total of
eight junior-college drafts could be duplicated, or even topped.
As
for the state’s four-year college crop, it’s unlikely anyone will
climb as high as the second round like Washington State lefthander
Adam Conley a year ago, but Washington third baseman Jake Lamb, along
with senior outfielders Royce Bolinger of Gonzaga and Derek Jones of
Washington State, could factor in shortly thereafter. In fact, as
many as 6-7 Washington college products could be taken in the first
10 rounds, with a number of familiar draft names among. Jones and WSU
teammate Taylor Ard both went drafted and unsigned a year ago, while
two newcomers to the mix this year, Bolinger and Washington red-shirt
junior righthander Aaron West, were eligible for the draft a year
ago, but passed over.
Now
if Tampa Bay will only draft the first Washington player again this
year, the similarities between 2011 and 2012 will be almost complete.
Not only did the Rays select the first two Washington state players a
year ago in Ames and Snell, but they also scooped up the top three
players in 2010, as well.
Washington
in a nutshell:
STRENGTH:
Front-line high-school talent
WEAKNESS:
Signable high-school talent.
OVERALL
RATING
(1-to-5 scale): 4.
BEST
COLLEGE TEAM:
Washington.
BEST
JUNIOR-COLLEGE TEAM:
Bellevue.
BEST
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM:
Lake Stevens HS.
PROSPECT
ON THE RISE: Royce Bolinger, of, Gonzaga University.
It’s been evident since he was a freshman at Gonzaga that the
6-foot-2, 200-pound Bolinger had the raw tools (especially power and
arm strength) to be a prominent draft pick one day—provided he hit
at an acceptable level. For three years, he didn’t as he produced
just a .256 average with 11 homers. This year has been a revelation
for Bolinger, however, as he has pounded the ball at a .397 clip, and
with 10 homers on the season, he has nearly equaled his career
output.
WILD
CARD: Mitchell Gueller, rhp/of, W.F. West HS, Rochester. Hitter
or pitcher? That the decision scouts face with Gueller, a prominent
three-sport athlete who may be the only potential five-tool talent in
the Pacific Northwest. More established as an everyday player,
Gueller has come on strong this spring as a prominent pitching
prospect with a fastball in the mid-90s.
BEST
OUT-OF-STATE PROSPECT, Washington Connection:
Matt Boyd, lhp, Oregon State University (Attended high school in
Mercer Island).
Top
2013 Prospect:
Reese McGuire, c, Kentwood HS, Covington.
Top
2014
Prospect:
Jason Todd, of, Jackson HS, Mill Creek.
HIGHEST
DRAFT PICKS
Draft
History:
Mike Lentz, lhp, Juanita HS, Kirkland (1975, Padres/1st round, 2nd pick).
2006
Draft: Tim
Lincecum, rhp, University of Washington (Giants/1st round, 10th pick).
2007
Draft: Clay
Mortensen, rhp, Gonzaga University (Cardinals/1st round, 36th pick).
2008
Draft: Christian
Scholl, rhp, Green River CC (Angels/8th round).
2009
Draft: Kyrell
Hudson, of, Evergreen HS, Vancouver (Phillies/3rd round).
2010
Draft: Josh
Sale, of, Bishop Blanchet HS, Seattle (Rays/1st round, 17th pick).
2011
Draft: Jeff
Ames, rhp, Lower Columbia JC (Rays/1st round, 42nd pick).
2011
DRAFT OVERVIEW
College
Players Drafted/Signed:
9/7.
Junior
College Players Drafted/Signed:
8/2.
High
School Players Drafted/Signed:
13/2.
BEST
TOOLS
Best
Athlete: Mitchell
Gueller, of/rhp, W.F. West HS, Rochester.
Best
Hitter:
Taylor Ard, 1b, Washington State University.
Best
Power:
Clint Coulter, c, Union HS, Camas.
Best
Speed:
Mitchell Gueller, of/rhp, W.F. West HS, Rochester.
Best
Defender:
Jacob Lamb, 3b, University of Washington.
Best
Velocity:
Mitchell Gueller, of/rhp, W.F. West HS, Rochester.
Best
Breaking Stuff:
Adrian Sampson, rhp, Bellevue CC.
Best
Pitchability: Aaron
West, rhp, University of Washington.
TOP
PROSPECTS, GROUPS ONE and TWO
GROUP ONE (Projected
ELITE-Round Draft / Rounds 1-3)
1. CLINT COULTER, c,
Union HS, Camas
Coulter
has a very unusual background for a top baseball prospect as he was
the Washington 3-A state wrestling champion at 189 pounds as a
sophomore, going 39-1, before giving up the sport entirely to
concentrate on baseball. He quickly filled out to his present
6-foot-3, 220-pound frame and ranks as one of the stronger players in
the 2012 draft class. Coulter’s strength shows through in his
tremendous power at the plate. He isn’t a quick-twitch athlete, but
rather overpowers balls with a sound, fundamental swing that is very
short and quick for his size. But he is at his best as a hitter when
he drives balls to all fields, and doesn’t get pull-happy. Coulter
has worked closely with his coach at Union High, former big-league
catcher Tom Lampkin, to develop and refine his defensive skills. He
has above-average arm strength, but scouts have concerns about his
ability to stick behind the plate in the long run, although his bat
is strong enough for first base, or even left field, to become a
legitimate option down the road. Coulter says he patterns his game
after the Texas Rangers’ Mike Napoli, a very fitting and
appropriate comparison. Scouts praise Coulter for his makeup and say
he is the kind of player who will do whatever it takes to play the
game at the highest level.
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