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. Please visit this page for all of the links to Perfect Game's 2013 Draft Preview content.
Kasnas State-by-State List
This
has been a slim year for professional prospects in the state of
Kansas, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some good
baseball played. Far from it. Kansas State has posted a surprising
34-15 record and has a Boyd’s RPI of 25, with Kansas close behind
at 31-18 and a 42 RPI. Those are the two best RPIs in the Big 12 and
far outpace some other notable pairs of state programs from nearby
locations, including Oklahoma (Oklahoma 44th,
Oklahoma State 45th)
and Texas (Texas A&M 57th,
Texas 62nd).
In addition, Cowley County CC is one of the best junior college
teams in the country, with a 44-9 record and the No. 8 ranking in the
latest Perfect
Game National juco rankings.
That
achievement is even more notable when you consider that Kansas hasn’t
been producing that much high school talent recently, and even the
best of that, such as right handed pitcher Ryne Stanek (Arkansas),
outfielder Bubba Starling (Kansas City Royals) and left handed
pitcher Garrett Cleavinger (Oregon), have left the state in recent
years. Kansas has not had a high school player worthy of extensive
cross-checking this spring, although the good news is that the
state’s two top high school prospects, left handed pitcher Jordan
Floyd (Shawnee Heights HS, Topeka) and right handed pitcher John
Roblez (Bishop Ward HS, Overland Park) have signed with Kansas State.
STRENGTH:
Strong college programs at all levels
WEAKNESS:
Premium high school talent
OVERALL
RATING (1-to-5
scale): 2
BEST
COLLEGE TEAM: Kansas
State
BEST
JUNIOR-COLLEGE TEAM: Cowley
County CC
BEST
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Lawrence
Free State HS
PROSPECT
ON THE RISE: Thomas Taylor, rhp, University of Kansas:
Taylor has been well known to scouts since he was in high school and
has always had firm enough stuff, including a fastball that will work
into the plus range on occasion, to keep them interested. He’s
become the Jayhawks ace this year, going 5-1, 2.37 in 11 starts as a
23-year old, fifth-year senior.
WILD
CARD: Isaac Lueth, rhp, DeSoto HS: The
loose-armed and athletic 6-foot-5, 200-pound Lueth has emerged as the
most projectable young pitcher in the state. His stuff hasn’t
developed enough to survive yet in professional ball, but there has
been speculation that the hometown Royals will at least draft him at
some point. He’s signed with Hutchinson CC.
BEST
OUT-OF-STATE PROSPECT, Kansas Connection: Ryne
Stanek, rhp, U. Arkansas (attended high school in Overland Park)
Top
2014 Prospect: Casey
Gillespie, 1b, Wichita State
Top 2015
Prospect: Hayden
Edwards, rhp, University of Kansas
HIGHEST
DRAFT PICKS
Draft
History:
Joe Carter, of, Wichita State (1981, Cubs/1st round, 2nd pick); Darren Dreifort, rhp, Wichita State (1993, Dodgers/1st round, 2nd pick)
2008
Draft: Conor
Gillaspie, 3b, Wichita State (Giants, 1st round/37th pick)
2009
Draft: Garrett
Gould, rhp, Maize HS (Dodgers/2nd round)
2010
Draft: Ryne
Stanek, rhp, Blue Valley HS (Mariners/3rd round)
2011
Draft: Bubba
Starling, of, Gardner-Edgerton HS (Royals/1st round, 5th pick)
2012
Draft: Collin
Wiles, rhp, Blue Valley West HS (Rangers/1st round, 53rd pick)
2012
DRAFT OVERVIEW
College
Players Drafted/Signed: 6/6
Junior
College Players Drafted/Signed: 4/4
High
School Players Drafted/Signed: 3/2
TOP
PROSPECTS - GROUPS 1 and 2
GROUP
2 (rounds 4-10)
1.
JARED KING, of, Kansas State University (Jr.)
King
has a realistic chance of being drafted in the late second or third
round, especially by a team that has a long history on him from
previous college seasons and the Cape Cod League. He was hampered
early in the season by a sore hamstring that caused him to miss only
a couple of games and has affected his play in others. At his best
and healthiest, King is one of the better all-around offensive
players in college baseball. He’s a switch-hitter who led the Big
12 in hitting as a sophomore (.377-7-47) and has extra base power
from both sides of the plate. King also has a polished approach at
the plate (49 walks vs. 45 strikeouts the past two years) and the
speed to steal double figure bases as a professional. There also
might be some family bragging rights on the line in June, as King’s
older brother, former KSU shortstop Jason King, was a fourth-round
draft pick (137th overall) of the Tigers in 2011, a mark that King could easily
surpass. For more on this high performance outfielder, read Frankie
Piliere’s Perfect Game Draft
Focus profile
This is PG 'DiamondKast' Level content.
You must be either an DiamondKast, Crosschecker Rankings & Scouting Reports, or Scout subscriber to read the rest.