WCL News

West Coast League positions itself as best up-and-coming summer college league

10/18/2009

Top Prospect, Andrew Susac

COMPILED BY ALLAN SIMPSON of Perfect Game Crosschecker
- In Association with League Managers and Scouts -

In its five-year existence, the West Coast League has quickly positioned itself as the best up-and-coming summer college league in the country. It has been efficiently run, especially under the direction of second-year president Ken Wilson (a former major league broadcaster), and its membership not only has vibrant communities that have embraced their teams but there is a growing list of cities throughout the Pacific Northwest that want in.

The WCL will add two new Washington-based clubs in 2010, in Kelso/Longview and Walla Walla, and has plans to accommodate Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Klamath Falls, Ore., a year later. The league even broadened its reach this year by helping to launch two new five-team developmental leagues, WCL Portland and WCL Tri-State (with teams in California, Nevada and Oregon), while striking up strategic partnerships with both.

For the West Coast League to truly assert itself as one of the nation’s elite summer leagues, though, it has to be challenged to keep the best home-grown college talent closer to home. Too many high-profile players from the six Division I schools in Oregon and Washington played elsewhere this summer—notably in the Alaska, Cape Cod, New England Collegiate and Northwoods Leagues.

The Newport Gulls ran away with the New England Collegiate League championship largely on the strength of a roster heavily dotted with Washington college players. Numerous Washington State players, in particular, factored prominently into top prospect lists of leagues other than the West Coast. Promising Gonzaga lefty Ryan Carpenter, a potential first-rounder in 2011, might have been the WCL’s No. 1 prospect had he not spent his summer in Alaska.

Still, the strides the West Coast League have made are significant, and the corresponding success that the baseball program at Oregon State has enjoyed can not be underscored enough. In fact, the impact of OSU winning back-to-back College World Series titles in 2006 and 2007 continues to reverberate throughout the Northwest.

It played no small part in the University of Oregon (in 2009) and Seattle University (in 2010) reviving dormant intercollegiate baseball programs, and has also contributed to Corvallis, OSU’s home base, being the WCL’s hub city, and the Corvallis Knights the league’s marquee franchise. The Knights stormed to a league title in 2008 and were the WCL’s dominant team again this season before being upset by a young and fast-charging Wenatchee team in the league’s championship series.

Corvallis’ success, on the field and at the gate, stems largely from its close relationship with the baseball program at OSU, and the Knights even play their home games at the Beavers’ Goss Stadium. Though the NCAA prohibits more than four players from one college team playing on a single summer-league club, the Knights managed to have five players with Oregon State connections on the accompanying list of the WCL’s top 25 prospects.

Technically, No. 1 prospect Andrew Susac and No. 3 prospect Taylor Ard didn’t count towards that total as they were both Beavers recruits—Susac out of high school, Ard out of junior college—but the close association of the team and school have been instrumental in the success of the Knights, who set a league-record for wins this summer and went 49-13 overall.

Other WCL clubs might have to find their own way of tapping into a natural talent source to keep pace with Corvallis and its Oregon State ties. But there is no shortage of talent in the area as Gonzaga and Washington State, along with OSU, are potential top 25 teams nationally in 2010, and Oregon and Washington certainly have the resources and potential to be as well, though it may take time as the second-year Ducks are just getting off the ground and the Huskies are regrouping under a new coaching staff.

In a way, it was ironic that Washington, for all its recent failings that led to the recent ouster of long-time coach Ken Knutson, was never able to entice Jake Locker, the school’s star quarterback, to play baseball in three years with the Huskies. And yet the two-sport star spent his 2008 summer playing in the WCL for Bellingham, and was even selected the league’s No. 1 prospect.

Locker was subsequently selected in the 10th round of this year’s draft by the Los Angeles Angels and signed with that club even as football remains a far higher priority than baseball, but his case points up a situation of the WCL turning the tables and getting value out of a player that a Pacific-10 Conference school couldn’t. Now if only the WCL can lock in on players the Pac-10 is sending elsewhere.

FAST FACTS
Year League Established: 2005.
States Represented in League: British Columbia, Oregon, Washington.
Level of Competition (1-to-4 Scale, 1 being highest): 2.
No. of Teams in League: 8.
Regular-Season Champion (best overall record): Corvallis Knights.
Post-Season Champion: Wenatchee AppleSox.
Teams, PG Crosschecker Summer 25/Final Ranking: No. 8 Corvallis Knights, No. 14 Wenatchee AppleSox.
No. 1 Prospect, 2008 (per PG Crosschecker): Jake Locker, of, Bellingham Bells (Washington; Angels/10th round).
First 2008 Player Selected, 2009 Draft: A.J. Morris, rhp, Moses Lake Pirates (Kansas State; Pirates/4th round).

Most Valuable Player: Richie Jimenez, ss, Corvallis Knights.
Most Outstanding Pitcher: Matt Andriese, rhp, Corvallis Knights.
Top Prospect (as selected by league): None selected.

BATTING LEADERS (League games only)
Batting Average: Taylor Ard, 1b, Corvallis Knights (.387).
Slugging Percentage: Taylor Ard, 1b, Corvallis Knights (.595).
On-Base Average: Taylor Ard, 1b, Corvallis Knights (.489).
Home Runs: Chris Casazza, ss-3b, Moses Lake Pirates (9).
RBIs: Taylor Ard, 1b, Corvallis Knights (30).
Stolen Bases: Kyle Johnson, of, Wenatchee AppleSox (18).

PITCHING LEADERS
Wins: Kyle Kraus, rhp, Corvallis Knights; Trey Watt, rhp, Kitsap BlueJackets (6).
ERA: Matt Andriese, rhp, Corvallis Knights (0.78).
Saves: Seth Harvey, rhp, Bellingham Bells (11).
Strikeouts: Brad Propst, rhp, Kitsap BlueJackets (55).
Opponent Batting Average: Matt Andriese, rhp, Corvallis Knights (.193).

BEST TOOLS
Best Athlete: Caleb Brown, of, Kitsap BlueJackets.
Best Hitter: Taylor Ard, 1b, Corvallis Knights.
Best Power: Taylor Ard, 1b, Corvallis Knights.
Fastest Base Runner: Matt Moynihan, of, Wenatchee AppleSox.
Best Defensive Player: Andrew Susac, c, Corvallis Knights.
Best Velocity: Evan DeLuca, lhp, Wenatchee AppleSox.
Best Breaking Ball: Brad Propst, rhp, Kitsap BlueJackets.
Best Command: Reedy Berg, lhp, Wenatchee AppleSox.

TOP 25 PROSPECTS

PLAYER / POS. / TEAM / B-T / HT / WT / YR / 2010 SCHOOL

1. Andrew Susac, C, Corvallis Knights, R-R, 6-1, 195, Fr., Oregon State
SCOUTING REPORT: As one of a handful of high-school players in the West Coast League this summer, Susac stepped in as the regular catcher for Corvallis and stood out for the advanced way he handled the league’s most talented pitching staff. The case had already been made that Susac was the top defender among a deep group of elite prep catchers in the 2009 draft class, and he graded out above-average in every area. He was an unusually polished receiver for his age with soft hands, quick feet, compact release and a throwing stroke that produced tag throws in the 1.85-second area consistently. Susac was a little overmatched at the plate for Corvallis as he batted just .225-1-8, but scouts weren’t overly concerned and quickly pointed to his solid track record as a hitter at the prep level. At Jesuit High in northern California last spring, he had nine Division-I signees on his own team, and yet topped the team in average (.455), homers (7) and RBIs (31). Though he has shown he can hit the ball consistently hard, with power, there are scouts who are not enamored with his approach to hitting, yet have learned to live with it. Susac has an unconventional approach at the plate with a severe hip-glide to his front side that leaves him looking off balance at contact. It’s easy to overlook proper mechanics at contact, however, as Susac has excellent raw bat speed and the ball explodes off his bat with authority when he squares it up. He just needs to be more consistent. Susac is a solidly put-together player and has a physical presence on the field with his strength and stature. His only obvious drawback is his lack of speed. Susac was as heavily cross-checked as any high-school player in California during the spring and would have been one of the first few catchers drafted in June had he given a stronger indication that he was signable. But he emphatically told the scouting community that he did not have an advisor, that he was intent on playing this summer in the West Coast League and ultimately attending Oregon State, so he slipped to the 16th round of the draft. The Philadelphia Phillies monitored him closely all summer and made a belated, but concerted run at him, offering him a reported $850,000 signing bonus, but Susac stuck to his guns and went unsigned. He should not only step in immediately as Oregon State’s starting catcher, but instantly have the confidence of Oregon State’s coaching staff that he can handle what might be the nation’s most talented pitching staff in 2010.

2. Matt Andriese, RHP, Corvallis Knights, R-R, 6-2, 185, So., UC Riverside
SCOUTING REPORT: UC Riverside has a history of sending pitchers to the West Coast League, and witnessing them make a summer-time breakthrough. Andriese’s improvement may have been as dramatic as anyone’s. He was the ace of the talented Corvallis pitching staff and topped the WCL in ERA (0.78) and opponent batting average (.183). He also posted an overall record of 7-0, 1.38, along with seven walks and 44 strikeouts in 52 innings. That was a sharp upgrade from his freshman season at UC Riverside, where he worked both as a starter and reliever, and went 5-4, 3.93 with 20 walks and 27 strikeouts in 66 innings. Andriese, a 37th-round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2008 out of a California high school, has a projectable frame, quick arm and solid feel for pitching, and his ability to command his 88-93 mph fastball, slider and split-finger change this summer was a difference maker. He used both sides of the plate effectively and got good downward angle from a high three-quarters slot. He has a good mound demeanor and isn’t hesitant to pitch aggressively inside. His prospect status for the 2011 draft should remain intact if he can maintain, or even improve the velocity on his fastball.

3. Taylor Ard, 1B, Corvallis Knights, R-R, 6-2, 225, So., Mt. Hood (Ore.) CC
SCOUTING REPORT: As it turned out, Ard only teased scouts last spring with his impressive freshman season at Oregon’s Mt. Hood CC. He hit a robust .496-11-45 (with wood) to win a triple crown in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges, but wasn’t drafted as scouts were leery of his somewhat soft, inside-out approach to hitting. He produced power numbers in large measure because of the mass in his big frame. But Ard was a different hitter this summer in the West Coast League, and it didn’t go unnoticed. He attacked balls with a big, aggressive, confident swing and there wasn’t a player in the league who came close to matching his massive loft power to all fields. Against Bellingham alone, he launched two balls that were estimated at 480 feet. He developed a better overall feel to hit this summer with better strike-zone awareness, and became a legitimate offensive force in the process in the eyes of scouts. He hit a league-leading .396, and was also tops in RBIs, slugging and on-base percentage. Ard is surprisingly athletic for his size, but his frame isn’t overly projectable. He needs to tone up his body to shed excess baby fat, and he’s a heavy-footed runner who is pretty much limited defensively to first base. Ard initially committed to Oregon State for his sophomore year, but had a last-minute change of heart and decided to return to Mt. Hood. The upshot is he will now be eligible for the 2010 draft, and could well become the first Oregon position player drafted next June, possibly as early as the fourth or fifth rounds.

4. Bobby Crocker, OF, Bend Elks, R-R, 6-3, 210, So., Cal Poly
SCOUTING REPORT: Big, powerful and athletic, Crocker had the best combination of power and speed in the West Coast League this summer. He batted a solid .292-3-21 for Bend, and evolved nicely from a hitter who would try and pull everything early to one who would drive balls consistently the other way late in the season. He is so strong that he even blistered a couple of line drives off the right-field wall. The only obvious tool that Crocker lacks is arm strength, and it will undoubtedly limit him to left field down the road. He has the raw speed for center as he has been clocked down the line from the right side in 4.15 seconds, but struggles, at times, to get jumps and reads on fly balls. His overall approach to hitting needs refining, too. Between his freshman year at Cal Poly (.323-5-24) and summer season in the WCL, Crocker struck out 72 times in 257 at-bats. A 38th-round pick of the Oakland A’s in 2008, Crocker has as much upside as any player in the league and could emerge as a significant draft by 2011 if it all comes together for him.

5. Sam Gaviglio, RHP, Corvallis Knights, R-R, 6-1, 180, So., Oregon State
SCOUTING REPORT: The Knights have easy access to Oregon State’s nearly endless supply of premium talent as they share the the Beavers campus facility. The arrangement provides a convenient opportunity for OSU players, like Gaviglio, to attend summer school while continuing to play baseball at a highly-competitive level. It also enables Beavers coaches to keep close tabs on the young prospects they loan to the Knights, and it was quickly determined that Gaviglio had accomplished enough in just two starts to shut him down for the balance of the summer. He didn’t give up a run in 13 innings, while allowing just seven hits and a walk, and striking out 12. The same fate befell promising Beavers third-base prospect Carter Bell, who hit .303-0-3 in 10 contests, and righthander James Nygren (No. 25 below). Scouts saw more than enough in their limited looks at Gaviglio, a 40th-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, to recognize that he had one of the best arms in the league. He was essentially a two-pitch pitcher as his changeup remains a work in progress, but he missed bats consistently with a fastball up to 91 mph and a hard slider. Perhaps most impressive might have been Gaviglio’s exceptional mound presence and feel for pitching, considering his level of experience. Even with an exceptional crop of arms in Oregon State’s vaunted junior class, Gaviglio should see significant service for the Beavers in 2010.

6. Evan DeLuca, LHP, Wenatchee AppleSox, L-L, 6-1, 195, SIGNED/Yankees
SCOUTING REPORT: It speaks volumes about DeLuca’s raw stuff and professional upside that he (a.) ranks No. 6 on this list despite posting a 11.37 ERA this summer for Wenatchee, while walking 22 in 13 innings, and (b.) earned a $500,000 signing bonus from the New York Yankees at the August deadline, despite being just a 44th-round draft pick. DeLuca, a New Jersey high-school product with a live, athletic and well-proportioned though near-mature frame, began attracting attention early last spring, shortly after he committed to the University of San Diego. He boosted his fastball from an 86-88 mph offering that would touch 90 to a steady 89-91 mph heater with reports that he was as high as 95 in indoor workouts. His breaking ball also became a superior pitch. Suddenly, scouts began looking at DeLuca in a very different light for the purposes of this year’s draft. But DeLuca quickly became a longshot to sign once USD placed him in the WCL this summer (along with outfielder Matt Moynihan, another prep recruit) and he subsequently got passed over in the early rounds of the draft. When he pitched so poorly for Wenatchee that he was relegated mostly to mop-up roles, it became almost a foregone conclusion he would end up in college. Still, Yankees scouts remained enamored with his quick, loose and lively arm, and the way the ball jumped out of his hand. Even as DeLuca had little or no success throwing strikes this summer, he occasionally yielded a fastball that touched 96. When he finally began finding the strike zone with a little more frequency towards the end of the WCL season, and flashed two dominant pitches—a steady 92-93 mph fastball and a breaking ball with depth—that’s all it took for the Yankees to take care of the rest.

7. Caleb Brown, OF, Kitsap BlueJackets, R-R, 6-2, 220, So., Washington
SCOUTING REPORT: Though his performance at Kitsap might have suggested otherwise, the powerful, athletic Brown was the closest thing that the West Coast League had to a five-tool talent this summer. He hit just .193-0-4 in 83 at-bats for the Bluejackets, but his speed, arm strength and defensive ability were readily evident, and scouts say it’s all in there for Brown to one day hit for both average and power. Brown is just very raw at this stage in his development, and wasn’t even able to secure regular playing time during the spring at Washington (.279-3-14 in 111 at-bats) or this summer at Kitsap (83 at-bats). In particular, he struggled to make contact and struck out 70 times in his combined 194 at-bats. Brown was a 42nd-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2008, and is considered such a high-reward, high-risk talent that he could be either a high-round pick in 2011 or a draft afterthought.

8. Royce Bolinger, OF, Wenatchee AppleSox, R-R, 6-2, 190, So., Gonzaga
SCOUTING REPORT: To fully appreciate Bolinger’s natural raw talent, it is necessary to look past his unimpressive, but remarkably similar performances last spring at Gonzaga and this summer at Wenatchee. He was part of championship teams at both stops, but his contribution to Gonzaga's West Coast Conference title team (.192-1-18, 78 AB, 4 BB/22 SO) was minimal, as it was for the WCL champion AppleSox (.198-1-10, 96 AB, 4 BB/26 SO). Bolinger wasn’t around to share in his summer team’s success as his season ended prematurely when he sustained a broken bone in his wrist when extending for a fly ball, and his season was further interrupted when he missed a week of play after his stepfather was involved in an accident. Though Bolinger didn’t hit as expected, his athletic frame and full array of raw tools stood out. His arm, both strong and accurate from right field, was his No. 1 asset. But his speed and defensive reads were above-average, and his raw power potential was apparent in BP sessions, if not games. It was clear that he’s still a year away as a hitter, though he does have a loose, easy swing and the capability to hit balls to all fields. Bolinger, a 45th-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, could join Gonzaga teammate Ryan Carpenter as an early-round pick in 2011, if his game comes together. Both were part of Gonzaga' increasingly fruitful pipeline to Arizona prep talent.

9. Richie Jimenez, SS, Corvallis Knights, R-R, 6-0, 180, Jr., Nevada-Las Vegas
SCOUTING REPORT: Jimenez earned West Coast League MVP honors this summer, in equal parts for his bat and his glove. His .354 average was second in the league and he stabilized Corvallis’ defense by committing just six errors at shortstop (.970 fielding average). From a pure scouting standpoint, nothing sticks out about Jimenez’ game, except his professional approach. He’s the kind of player whose limited physical ability will grow on a scout over a period of games. More than anything, he’s just a very fundamentally-sound ball player, and does everything easily. He’s not flashy in the field; but gets good jumps on balls, is very steady and makes all the routine plays. Jimenez spent all summer at shortstop for the Knights, but his skills would adapt easily to second base or third. He has an average to plus arm, and average to slightly below-average speed. He has a sound approach at the plate, as well, and can spray balls to all fields. Though he has limited but improving power potential, Jimenez was a run producer this summer hitting in the 3-hole for the Knights (33 runs, 20 RBIs), and has excellent plate discipline (19 walks, 15 strikeouts). After leading Riverside (Calif.) CC with a .347 average last spring, Jimenez will take over at shortstop in 2010 at UNLV. He profiles as an organizational player in the long run, but teams would be wise not to sell his talent short.

10. Seth Harvey, RHP, Bellingham Bells, R-R, 6-1, 210, Sr., Washington State
SCOUTING REPORT: Harvey's career has been slow to materialize at Washington State. After two relatively unimpressive seasons in the Cougars bullpen, he was handed the closer's role as a junior last spring and didn't exactly embrace it while going 0-1, 2.25 with just two saves in 22 relief appearances. He was eventually banished to a set-up role. But the powerfully-built righthander may have turned a corner this summer. He regained his confidence quickly and posted a league-high 11 saves, even as he struggled at times in posting an overall 2-5, 3.29 record in 22 appearances. In 27 innings, he walked 15 and struck out 32. Harvey dominated with a heavy, sinking fastball at 90-94 mph and in the process learned to throw a slider to give him an effective secondary pitch. He also threw strikes more consistently.

11. Chris Casazza, SS/3B, Moses Lake Pirates, R-R, 6-3, 215, Jr., Tarleton State (Texas)
SCOUTING REPORT: Casazza was one of the few bright spots this season on a Moses Lake team that opened the West Coast League season with 19 straight losses. He set a league record with nine home runs-a significant accomplishment in a predominantly pitchers league-and would have reached double figures had a ball not gone for a triple that he blasted six inches from the top of the wall. Four of his homers came against league-champion Wenatchee, and they were all no-doubters. But Casazza’s power came at a cost as he struck out 59 times (in 156 at-bats), far and away the highest total in the league. He also hit just .259 and drove in a mere 20 runs. After hitting .375 with 14 homers at Division II Tarleton State in the spring, Casazza struggled initially adapting to wood with his long swing, especially when facing superior velocity. But he eventually became dialed in, stayed on pitches well and balls jumped off his bat when a pitcher left an errant fastball up in the zone. He will need to improve his strike-zone recognition as he progresses. Casazza spent the summer playing shortstop for Moses Lake, and while he did so based mostly on need, he had surprisingly good footwork for the position, if not the range. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is much better suited for third base. Casazza is a little older than desired as he returns to school as a fourth-year junior. He didn’t play as a freshman at Long Beach State prior to transferring to Tarleton State, and his career was slowed prior to the 2009 season when he tore a labrum in his shoulder.

12. Jordan Leyland, 1B, Bend Elks, R-R, 6-4, 225, So., UC Irvine
SCOUTING REPORT: Leyland is big, strong and physical, and it seems to be only a matter of time until he emerges as a true power threat. He hit just one homer in 42 at-bats as a freshman at UC Irvine, and twice more in 147 at-bats this summer for Bend, although he hit .327 overall and drove in 25 runs. Leyland has good bat speed with a good overall approach to hitting, and swung the bat much better later in the season after beginning with a nearly all-or-nothing approach. He curbed his strikeouts considerably, adjusted well to pitching patterns and began using the whole field. Most of Leyland’s power was to the gaps (he hit 11 doubles), but it should emerge as legit home-run power down the road. His defense also showed a marked improvement, and it’s possible he could even end up in the outfield. A 36th-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, Leyland elected to play in college out of high school, unlike his younger brother Josh, a catcher and 16th-round pick of the Oakland A’s in the 2009 draft.

13. Kyle Johnson, OF, Wenatchee AppleSox, R-R, 5-10, 170, So., Washington State
SCOUTING REPORT: A young Wenatchee team got good mileage out of three high-school-aged prospects as it won 19 of its last 21 games to dethrone powerful Corvallis for the league title. By leading his team in hitting (.340) and the league in stolen bases (18, in 22 attempts), Johnson also played a pivotal role in the AppleSox’ success—and yet he might have been as inexperienced as any player on the Wenatchee roster. He got just 11 at-bats as a freshman at Washington State and is a product of an Idaho high school. With possibly the best speed in the league, along with a short, compact swing and an excellent line-drive approach to hitting, Johnson was a force at the top of the AppleSox lineup. He has little or no power, but the tradeoff was that he got more than his share of infield hits and resulting stolen-base opportunities. His speed gave him a big edge in center field, too, and there may not have been a better defender in the league, at any position. He got an excellent first step on fly balls and glided easily to them. His arm was average.

14. Ronnie Schaeffer, C, Wenatchee AppleSox, R-R, 6-2, 195, So., UC Irvine
SCOUTING REPORT: Schaeffer didn't come close this summer (.277-3-20) to hitting to the level he did as a freshman at UC Irvine (.388-4-36), but had a noteworthy summer for WCL champion Wenatchee by securing all-league honors as a catcher. He excelled defensively, as a receiver and at blocking balls in the dirt, after spending much of his spring season in a DH role. Schaeffer has just average arm strength, and his ability to improve that area of his game may be crucial in determining how far he goes in the game. He produced pop times in the 1.95-2.05 second range, mostly on the strength of a quick release. Schaeffer frequently hit cleanup on a UCI team that was ranked No. 1 nationally for several weeks last spring, so his ability to hit has been established. He just needs to channel his ability more consistently to wood. With the exception of one hot week with the bat this summer, he did not produce as expected.

15. Peter Lavin, LHP/OF, Bend Elks, L-L, 5-11, 185, Jr., San Francisco
SCOUTING REPORT: Lavin has limited upside from a pro standpoint, but the opportunity to be a dominant college player on both sides of the ball in 2010. His two-way ability stood out this summer at Bend, where he hit .307-2-23 and led the West Coast League with 32 walks (vs. 19 strikeouts); he also went 2-1, 3.19 while striking out 40 in 62 innings in nine starting assignments. Lavin was named Bend's team MVP, and his value may never have been greater than in the playoffs when he blanked powerful Corvallis 1-0 on a complete-game three-hitter to force a third and deciding game in the semi-final round. As masterful as Lavin was that night, his fastball was clocked only at 82-83 mph, but his ability to mix all his pitches, change speeds and locate his stuff kept Corvallis hitters off balance all game. Lavin would typically pitch every fifth day for the Elks, play left field the other four and hit in the 3-hole throughout. He fits the definition of a crafty lefty, and his ceiling is undoubtedly higher as a position player. But he still projects as no more than an extra outfielder or bat off the bench. He has a smooth, easy, on-plane stroke and the ball jumps off his bat. He can hit all kinds of pitching, and shows enough power to turn on balls occasionally. His arm from the outfield is below average. Lavin would ideally be a senior sign, but the clock is ticking on his career as he will be a fourth-year junior in 2010. He did not play last spring after hitting .404-11-56, while going 8-2, 4.02 in 2008 at East Los Angeles JC.

16. Cal Towey, 3B/OF, Bend Elks, L-R, 6-1, 195, Fr., Baylor
SCOUTING REPORT: Towey did not play as a freshman on a deep, experienced Baylor club, so this summer was his first exposure to college-level pitching. He held his own despite his inexperience and a number of nagging injuries, and the projection in his body and bat was apparent. He hit .270-1-22, and exhibited sound strike-zone awareness with a 28-22 walk-to-strikeout ratio, though he still swung through a lot of balls, especially up in the zone. Towey is a batting-cage rat, and his passion for hitting should enable him to overcome the weak points in his game and enable him to hit for both average and power down the road. He tried too hard to lift balls this summer, and simply didn't have the strength or bat speed yet to go deep consistently. But Towey has strong hands and smoked his share of balls that were thigh-high, and down. He doesn't have the best hands or range in the field, but has relatively fluid actions on defense along with a strong arm, and he should settle into third base, or possibly right field. Towey is so pre-occupied with hitting, though, that his remaining tools will just take longer to evolve.

17. Ryan Gorton, RHP/C, Wenatchee AppleSox, R-R, 6-2, 190, So., Oregon State
SCOUTING REPORT: Gorton was sent to Wenatchee this summer with the express purpose of gaining experience as a catcher, all in the hope that he might be ready to take over behind the plate at Oregon State in 2010 for departed regular Ryan Ortiz. As a freshman for the Beavers, Gorton got just two at-bats and spent most of his time on the mound, where he went a commendable 2-0, 1.97 in 12 appearances (1 start). While the athletic Gorton shared the AppleSox catching job with Ronnie Schaeffer (No. 14 above), also played in the outfield periodically and hit an acceptable .289-0-10 in 76 at-bats, it became apparent that his greater value was as a set-up man or closer, and he began being used more and more in a late relief role. In 10 appearances for Wenatchee, Gorton saved three games and didn't allow a run. Scouts and opposing managers openly suggested he should ditch trying to become a catcher, and focus all his efforts on pitching. It appears he will return to the Beavers as just a pitcher—especially with Andew Susac (No. 1 above) going unsigned in this year's draft and targeted to become the team's everyday catcher as a freshman. Gorton produced good run on his two-seam fastball coming from a low arm slot, and his slider had excellent tilt. He got good extension through his front size, kept everything low in the zone and threw strikes consistently. His challenge will be to find meaningful innings in 2010 on a deep Oregon State pitching staff.

18. Reedy Berg, LHP/OF, Wenatchee AppleSox, L-L, 6-2, 205, Jr., Gonzaga
SCOUTING REPORT: Berg earned WCL all-star honors as a starting pitcher for Wenatchee, but that was for his work during the regular season. He posted a solid 3-2, 1.88 record along with nine walks and 34 strikeouts in 43 innings in leading Wenatchee to an Eastern Division title, but was just getting warmed up at that point. His real impact on the 2009 season came in the playoffs. He led the AppleSox to four straight post-season wins and their third league title in five years. Berg beat Kelowna 2-0 in the opener of the semi-finals, allowing one hit and no walks while pitching to the minimum 24 hitters through eight innings, and Corvallis 4-2 in the clincher, allowing just a run and four hits in seven innings, while walking none and striking out six. Berg carved up hitters with ease when he was on his game, but his success stemmed mostly from pitchability, mound presence and feel for three pitches than on raw stuff. He has a below-average fastball at 88-89 mph, but compensates with the movement and deception he creates, and his ability to locate it. He also mixed in an excellent changeup and an effective backdoor curve. Gonzaga used Berg primarily in relief last spring (4-4, 4.50 in 17 appearances) and may have to re-evaluate how it uses him in 2010 after he pitched effectively this summer as a starter.

19. Brad Propst, RHP/SS, Kitsap BlueJackets, R-R, 6-3, 180, Jr., Oklahoma State
SCOUTING REPORT: Propst began his transition from position player to pitcher in the spring at Oklahoma State, when he went 1-1, 2.20 with a save in 15 relief appearances and got just one hit in 14 at-bats. He essentially completed it this summer at Kitsap, where he worked only as a starter and topped the West Coast League in innings (69) and strikeouts (55). Overall, he went 3-4, 2.36. Perhaps most impressive were the seven walks he allowed, and the increasing rate he struck out batters towards the end of the season. Based on his strong summer showing, Propst should be in position next spring to step right into the Cowboys rotation. With his slender but very projectable build, he doesn’t throw especially hard—at least not yet. His fastball was mostly 86-87 mph, topping at 88, but Propst had a dominant changeup, easily the best in the league. He actually had two versions of the pitch, one to throw for simple strikes and the other a nasty split-finger with hard, downer movement to get outs on pitches in the dirt.

20. Jason Brunansky, OF, Spokane RiverHawks, R-R, 5-11, 185, So., Kansas
SCOUTING REPORT: Brunansky is a different kind of player than his father Tom, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound former first-round draft pick who drilled 271 homers over a 14-year big league career. Jason has a more compact frame and his game revolves more around speed than power. He was clocked down the line in 4.1 seconds from the right side, and his raw speed rivaled the fastest players in the West Coast League. It was a valuable tool on the bases (11 SB in 12 attempts) and in the outfield. Brunansky hit .280-2-13 in 150 at-bats as a freshman at Kansas, and .285-2-7 in 135 at-bats this summer at Spokane. He has good pop and can drive fastballs to the gaps, but struggled against high-velocity arms and was very vulnerable on breaking balls away. His arm strength is also just average, at best.

21. Drew Leary, RHP, Corvallis Knights, R-R, 6-4, 225, Sr., San Diego State
SCOUTING REPORT: Leary had added 5-6 mph to his fastball since being a 44th-round pick by the Boston Red Sox out of high school in 2006, yet wasn't drafted again—either in two years at the College of Southern Nevada, or in June at San Diego State—when he reported to Corvallis this summer. His fastball was a consistent 89-91 mph with sinking action last spring, when he went 2-2, 5.50 with a save in 20 relief appearances. But his fastball suddenly spiked to 93 and even 94 for the Knights, and the added velocity was a factor in Leary posting a more respectable 2-1, 1.08 record with a save in 11 appearances. There wasn't a pitcher on the Corvallis staff this summer who threw as consistently hard, and there seems little doubt he'll finally be drafted again in 2010. Leary's breaking ball, a slider, was inconsistent and may hold the key to how high he will be selected in 2010.

22. Patrick Claussen, OF, Bellingham Bells, L-R, 6-0, 180, So., Washington State
SCOUTING REPORT: Claussen has a sound feel for hitting, even as he batted .279-0-7 in 86 at-bats as a freshman at Washington State and .276-3-23 in 176 at-bats this summer at Bellingham. Despite his modest numbers, he hit the ball effectively to all fields, showed good pop and twice went deep off lefthanded pitching. It would not be surprising to see him have a breakout season with the bat next spring at WSU, both for average and power. The trick for Claussen will be improving his defense. He started in left field for the Cougars in the spring, but lost his job by mid-season for defensive reasons. He even worked out behind the plate for Bellingham this summer to give him another option in the field, and it remains to be seen if that position works out, though his footwork, receiving and blocking skills all showed promise.

23. Brent Warren, OF, Corvallis Knights, L-L, 6-4, 180, So., Oregon State
SCOUTING REPORT: There's little question that Warren can run and play center field, but concerns linger whether he'll ever hit—especially for power. He's physically weak at this point in his development, a major reason why he got only eight at-bats as a freshman at Oregon State. His power also didn't manifest this summer as he hit a soft .312-0-13 for Corvallis. Warren has struggled to gain size and strength since his amazing and emotional recovery from open heart surgery in December 2006 that, at first, threatened to immediately end his athletic career. He appears as projectable as a position player can be, with a slender 6-foot-4, 180-pound build but he struggles to add strength. His best present tool remains his speed, and he’s a graceful and effortless 6.4 runner over 60 yards. The same easy grace once existed in his swing and gave him huge power potential, but it has been very slow to materialize. Warren will at least have another couple of college seasons to develop his game and strength. His college commitment to Oregon State runs deeper than the average top prospect as he grew up in the same Oregon neighborhood at OSU coach Pat Casey and played catch with Casey in his yard as a young child before moving with his family to Iowa.

24. Matt Moynihan, OF, Wenatchee AppleSox, L-R, 6-2, 205, Fr., San Diego
SCOUTING REPORT: Moynihan split time in left field and at DH for league champion Wenatchee with another California high-school product, UCLA-bound Cody Keefer. The pair was an effective tandem at the plate, with Moynihan hitting .289-0-9 in 76 at-bats and Keefer .292-1-20 in 144 at-bats. Keefer was the more polished hitter of the two and has considerably more raw power potential, but Moynihan generally scored higher in other categories. He was clocked in 3.6 seconds down the line on a bunt, and his blazing speed was a significant asset at the plate, on the bases and in the outfield. He stole 16 bases in 19 attempts. Moynihan just needs to learn to bunt more often and put the ball in play on the ground consistently to make more efficient use of his speed. He is an ideal leadoff candidate because of his superior speed, and even more cut out for the role because of his ability to reach base. He walked 22 times against just 15 strikeouts this summer. Moynihan had a tendency to try and elevate balls too often, and that temptation should be cured with experience as it is not part of his game. With defensive wizard Kyle Johnson in center field for the AppleSox, Moynihsan had to bide his time this summer on a corner, but his speed and arm strength will definitely play in the middle.

25. James Nygren, RHP, Corvallis Knights, R-R, 6-1, 195, Jr., Oregon State
SCOUTING REPORT: Nygren was supposed to be a centerpiece in the incredibly deep and talented crop of arms in the current junior class at Oregon State that includes Josh Osich, Greg Peavey, Kraig Sitton and Taylor Starr, all of whom have starred in the WCL in the past. Kevin Rhoderick, Tanner Robles and Tyler Waldron, who moved directly to the Cape Cod League, are also part of the same class and the possibility exists that the Beavers could have 6-8 pitchers drafted in the top 10 rounds in 2010, possibly even top five. Nygren is considered a longshot to fit in that group now as he has struggled to keep pace, and faces the real possibility that his innings will be limited in the spring because of the depth on the OSU staff. He worked just 30 innings as a sophomore, while going an inconsequential 2-0, 4.45 in 18 relief appearances, and didn't get much of a chance to improve his stock this summer while pitching for Corvallis. He appeared in just four early-season games, though made three starts, and went 2-0, 2.33 with six walks and 12 strikeouts in 19 innings. His fastball was in the 87-90 mph range, his slider was solid and he had good feel for a changeup. As a smallish righthander with modest stuff though, he now profiles as a reliever. He simply hasn't shown the quality stuff in two years at Oregon State that prompted the Beavers to target him during the fall of his freshman year at the College of Western Nevada, and led to his transfer to OSU at the semester break. His fastball was clocked at 95 mph then, and Nygren gave every indication that he would factor squarely in the mix of the talented crop of young arms the Beavers assembled on the heels of winning back-to-back College World Series championships.

Walla Walla franchise awarded to Pacific Northwest Ownership group (October 1, 2009)
Corvallis catcher Andrew Susac of Oregon State named #1 West Coast League prospect by Baseball America and Perfect Game Crosschecker (Friday, September 11, 2009)
WCL sets new attendance record (Wednesday, September 2, 2009)
WCL announces awards, Corvallis shortstop Richie Jimenez of Riverside CC named MVP (Monday, August 31, 2009)
League president Ken Wilson announces All-WCL teams (Monday, August 24, 2009)

News archive