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Bernie Pleskoff has been a professional scout for the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners.
![]() | Some baseball fans may remember Von Hayes, the former Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder who played for 12 years in the 1980's. He was a really solid line drive hitter. The Indians Bradley Zimmer reminds me of Hayes.
More» Bradley Zimmer, OF, Indians |
![]() | Right-hander Pierce Johnson was a starter for three years at Faith Christian Academy in Arvada, Colo. His 1.98 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 45 innings helped lead to the Tampa Bay Rays selecting him in the 15th round of the 2009 Draft.
More» Pierce Johnson, RHP, Cubs |
![]() | The Oakland Athletics have always been active and aggressive in the international market. In 2010 they plucked then 16-year-old Renato Nunez from Carabobo, Venezuela.
More» Renato Nunez, 3B, Athletics |
![]() | Patience is required anytime a club selects a high school player in the first round of the Draft. During this past Arizona Fall League, I scouted a first-round pick from the 2013 Draft who was selected out of high school. From what I saw in Arizona, he will more than likely make his mark as a Pittsburgh Pirate.
More»Pleskoff breaks down McGuire's offensive potential |
![]() | Several great prospects graduated to the Major Leagues this past season. That doesn't mean the prospect cupboard is bare. To the contrary, plenty of outstanding prospects wait in the pipeline for their chance to excel in the big leagues.
More»Bernie Pleskoff previews the Top 10 prospects in 2016 |
![]() | Very few young men can throw a fastball 95 mph in high school. Right-handed flame-thrower Nick Burdi could do just that. The graduate of Downers Grove South (Ill.) HS was a star pitcher with a big arm. He earned All-State and All-Conference honors and the Minnesota Twins picked him in the 24th round of the 2011 Draft.
More»Pleskoff discusses Burdi's Major League potential |
![]() | Few young prospects in baseball have the raw power of Adam Brett Walker II, the huge 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-handed hitting outfielder in the Twins organization. I have just watched Walker II compete in the 2015 Arizona Fall League. Having just turned 24 in October, Walker II hit some very long home runs as the ball blasted off his bat in the unseasonably cool Arizona autumn.
More»Pleskoff on Twins' 10th-ranked prospect Walker II |
![]() | Right-handed-hitting centerfielder Adam Engel was a three-time All Conference baseball player at Loveland (Ohio) High School. He hit .537 his senior year with 25 stolen bases. A very good athlete, he also played high school football and basketball.
More»Pleskoff on White Sox 17th-ranked prospect Engel |
![]() | Upside. Potential. Call it what you will, that's left-handed hitting outfielder Raimel Tapia. He has outstanding upside. He is a very good athlete with pop in his bat that exceeds his thin 6-foot-2, 160-pound frame.
More» Raimel Tapia, OF, Rockies |
![]() | Right-handed pitcher Lucas Sims has been a huge Atlanta Braves fan all his life. His parents took him to Turner Field when he was only four years old, and he has been a life long supporter. Today, he wears the organizational uniforms of his favorite team.
More»Braves prospect Sims could deliver for Atlanta in '16 |
![]() | Not many young men have the great Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski as their high school hitting coach. Mike Yastrzemski did.
More»O's prospect Yastrzemski enjoying his time in AFL |
![]() | It's simply amazing how many very good prospects have populated the Chicago Cubs Top Prospects lists the past couple seasons. Of course, several of them have become household names at the big league level.
More»Pleskoff on the upside for switch-hitter Candelario |
![]() | It's a bit ironic that both the Mets Dominic Smith and the Blue Jays first base prospect Rowdy Tellez are playing for the same Salt River Rafters team in the Arizona Fall League.
More»Pleskoff talks about Smith's abilities with the bat |
![]() | After beginning at South Central Junior-Senior High School in Union Mills, Indiana, the big, strong 6-foot-5, 235-pound Sean Manaea moved to Andrean High School In Merrillville, Indiana.
More»Pleskoff on prospect Manaea's outlook with Athletics |
![]() | Sam Travis has soared through the Red Sox development program. In parts of two seasons, he has reached Double-A and has compiled a .310 career batting average in 848 plate appearances. The right-handed hitting Travis is No. 11 on the Red Sox Top 30 Prospects list.
More»Pleskoff breaks down Travis' offensive abilities |
![]() | In the first round of the 2012 Draft, the Cincinnati Reds selected Nick Travieso out of Archbishop McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches, Fla.
More»Pleskoff on Travieso's live fastball, sinker |
![]() | I first wrote about Clint Frazier in September 2013. In my "First Look" piece on Frazier I mentioned the strength of his hands, forearms and wrists. If anything, he may have gotten even stronger now, two years later.
More»Pleskoff talks about Frazier's plus power and speed |
![]() | Lewis Brinson is a lanky 6-foot-3, 170-pound center fielder in the Texas Rangers organization. In 2012, he was a first-round selection in the Draft coming out of Coral Springs (Florida) High School. Brinson is the fourth-ranked prospect in the Rangers' system by MLBPipeline.com.
More»Rangers prospects prepare in Arizona Fall League |
![]() | When Rowdy Tellez was still in his mother's womb he did an awful lot of kicking, moving around and squirming. Consequently, before he was born, his grandmother began calling him "Rowdy." Twenty years later, Ryan Tellez is still known as Rowdy.
More» Rowdy Tellez, 1B, Blue Jays |
![]() | Middle-infielder Christian Arroyo could have gone to the University of Florida after hitting .524 with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs as a senior at Hernando High School in Brooksville, Florida. It was his finest season as he compiled a career batting average of .436 with 102 hits in 77 games that included a .534 on base percentage.
More»Giants prospects on display in Arizona Fall League |