Three NJCAA baseball players selected in first round of 2011 MLB Draft
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft is underway and three current NJCAA baseball players were selected yesterday in the event's first round, which was aired live on the MLB Network. Each year MLB clubs look to the NJCAA for furture talent. In 2010 a record 175 NJCAA players were drafted.
Yesterday's first round saw Cory Spangenberg of Indian River State College (Fla.) go to the San Diego Padres with the 10th overall selection, Brian Goodwin of Miami Dade College (Fla.) was then selected with the 34th overall pick by the Washington Nationals and Central Arizona College's Keenyn Walker was selected with the 47th pick by the Chicago White Sox.
The 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft continues through June 8th and can be followed live at http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2011/draftlive_app.jsp
Here is Baseball America's analysis of the selections of Spangenberg, Goodwin and Walker.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/draftdb/2011rnd.php?rnd=1
Round 1 - #10 San Diego Padres Cory Spangenberg 2B Indian River (Fla.)
Spangenberg emerged as one of the draft's best pure hitters and should be the first college player drafted out of Florida. He's a Pennsylvania prep product who raked for one year at Virginia Military Institute in 2010, transferring after winning Big South Conference freshman of the year honors. He's a late bloomer physically, with a body type that defies easy categorization. While he isn't lean and athletic, he's also not stocky at 6-foot, 185 pounds. He produces well above-average speed, earning 70 grades on the 20-80 scale and posting 80 times on drag bunts (3.5 seconds from the left side). He also owns a pure lefthanded swing and is an above-average hitter. Spangenberg has hand-eye coordination, patience and the ability to manipulate the barrel, squaring balls up and lacing line drives to all fields. His swing lacks loft, but he has the feel for hitting to add power down the line, which would improve his profile. He has average arm strength, and scouts are mixed on his future position while often comparing him to versatile Marlins regular Chris Coghlan. He may lack the fluidity and footwork to stay in the infield. He played third base this spring at Indian River, but even those who like him at the hot corner admit he probably lacks the power to profile there. He played second base at VMI and shortstop in the Valley League last summer, where he was the MVP after hitting .399. His speed should allow him to play center field. Heavily scouted down the stretch, Spangenberg wasn't expected to make it out of the first round.
Round 1 - #34 Washington Nationals Brian Goodwin OF Miami-Dade, Fla.
Goodwin has been under the microscope this year and has responded well. He was a 16th-round pick out of Rocky Mount (N.C.) High in 2009 but didn't sign and went to North Carolina, where he posted a solid .291/.409/.511 freshman season. Goodwin then went to the Cape Cod League and ranked as the No. 6 prospect after hitting .281/.364/.360. Then he was suspended for a violation of university policy at North Carolina, so he transferred to Miami-Dade. He got off to a slow start thanks in part to a tweaked hamstring, but Goodwin came on to earn comparisons to ex-big leaguer Jacque Jones. Goodwin has average to plus tools across the board, starting with his hitting ability. He's patient, draws walks and has present strength, and some project him to have future plus power. A plus runner who's not quite a burner, Goodwin has the tools for center field, but he played a corner spot at North Carolina and doesn't consistently display natural instincts in center.
Round 1 #47 Chicago White Sox Keenyn Walker OF Central Arizona
Walker was drafted in the 16th round out of high school in Utah in 2009 and last year at Central Arizona, in the 38th round. Scouts have always been intrigued by the 6-foot-3 switch-hitter with standout tools and impressive athleticism. The raw tools don't always translate on the baseball field, however, and he didn't even start regularly last year. This year is a different story. Walker has performed well with wood and he should get more than the $250,000 he reportedly turned down out of high school. Walker has more power from the right side, but his lefthanded swing is more pure. He's mostly a gap hitter with above-average speed, so he profiles as a good defensive center fielder. He has the speed to hit at the top of the order, but needs to cut down on his strikeouts. If he doesn't sign, Walker will head to Utah.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft is underway and three current NJCAA baseball players were selected yesterday in the event's first round, which was aired live on the MLB Network. Each year MLB clubs look to the NJCAA for furture talent. In 2010 a record 175 NJCAA players were drafted.
Yesterday's first round saw Cory Spangenberg of Indian River State College (Fla.) go to the San Diego Padres with the 10th overall selection, Brian Goodwin of Miami Dade College (Fla.) was then selected with the 34th overall pick by the Washington Nationals and Central Arizona College's Keenyn Walker was selected with the 47th pick by the Chicago White Sox.
The 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft continues through June 8th and can be followed live at http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2011/draftlive_app.jsp
Here is Baseball America's analysis of the selections of Spangenberg, Goodwin and Walker.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/draftdb/2011rnd.php?rnd=1
Round 1 - #10 San Diego Padres Cory Spangenberg 2B Indian River (Fla.)
Spangenberg emerged as one of the draft's best pure hitters and should be the first college player drafted out of Florida. He's a Pennsylvania prep product who raked for one year at Virginia Military Institute in 2010, transferring after winning Big South Conference freshman of the year honors. He's a late bloomer physically, with a body type that defies easy categorization. While he isn't lean and athletic, he's also not stocky at 6-foot, 185 pounds. He produces well above-average speed, earning 70 grades on the 20-80 scale and posting 80 times on drag bunts (3.5 seconds from the left side). He also owns a pure lefthanded swing and is an above-average hitter. Spangenberg has hand-eye coordination, patience and the ability to manipulate the barrel, squaring balls up and lacing line drives to all fields. His swing lacks loft, but he has the feel for hitting to add power down the line, which would improve his profile. He has average arm strength, and scouts are mixed on his future position while often comparing him to versatile Marlins regular Chris Coghlan. He may lack the fluidity and footwork to stay in the infield. He played third base this spring at Indian River, but even those who like him at the hot corner admit he probably lacks the power to profile there. He played second base at VMI and shortstop in the Valley League last summer, where he was the MVP after hitting .399. His speed should allow him to play center field. Heavily scouted down the stretch, Spangenberg wasn't expected to make it out of the first round.
Round 1 - #34 Washington Nationals Brian Goodwin OF Miami-Dade, Fla.
Goodwin has been under the microscope this year and has responded well. He was a 16th-round pick out of Rocky Mount (N.C.) High in 2009 but didn't sign and went to North Carolina, where he posted a solid .291/.409/.511 freshman season. Goodwin then went to the Cape Cod League and ranked as the No. 6 prospect after hitting .281/.364/.360. Then he was suspended for a violation of university policy at North Carolina, so he transferred to Miami-Dade. He got off to a slow start thanks in part to a tweaked hamstring, but Goodwin came on to earn comparisons to ex-big leaguer Jacque Jones. Goodwin has average to plus tools across the board, starting with his hitting ability. He's patient, draws walks and has present strength, and some project him to have future plus power. A plus runner who's not quite a burner, Goodwin has the tools for center field, but he played a corner spot at North Carolina and doesn't consistently display natural instincts in center.
Round 1 #47 Chicago White Sox Keenyn Walker OF Central Arizona
Walker was drafted in the 16th round out of high school in Utah in 2009 and last year at Central Arizona, in the 38th round. Scouts have always been intrigued by the 6-foot-3 switch-hitter with standout tools and impressive athleticism. The raw tools don't always translate on the baseball field, however, and he didn't even start regularly last year. This year is a different story. Walker has performed well with wood and he should get more than the $250,000 he reportedly turned down out of high school. Walker has more power from the right side, but his lefthanded swing is more pure. He's mostly a gap hitter with above-average speed, so he profiles as a good defensive center fielder. He has the speed to hit at the top of the order, but needs to cut down on his strikeouts. If he doesn't sign, Walker will head to Utah.
