The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Ryan Boldt | OF

Background
Born and raised about 50 miles outside of Minneapolis, Boldt stars for Red Wing High School and has an impressive track record at showcase events. He suffered a bone bruise in his right knee while running down a fly ball late last month, and although he has yet to get back onto the field, Boldt has resumed working out and an MRI showed no significant damage. He’s committed to Nebraska.

Scouting Report
A physical specimen listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 lbs., Boldt is a top notch athlete who shows potential above-average tools across the board but no elite carrying tool. He makes consistent hard contact from the left side because he waits well on pitches and can keep the barrel of the bat in the hitting zone for a long time. The swing is gearing for slashing line drives to all fields and not so much power, but he is strong enough to hit the ball out of the park. Boldt runs very well and is a true center fielder with a strong throwing arm. His work ethic and makeup draw rave reviews, and it’s evidenced in the work he did to learn to throw right-handed after tests found growth plate damage in his left shoulder during his Little League days. There are a few more videos at YouTube.

Miscellany
Keith Law (subs. req’d) and Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked Boldt as the 13th and 22nd best prospect in the draft class in their latest rankings, respectively, but that was before the knee injury. His high school season didn’t start until last month either, so scouts have had a very limited look at him this spring. Cold weather guys always get the short-end of the scouting stick, but Boldt has been a regular on the showcase circuit and he won’t really sneak up on anyone. He fits the Yankees’ typical position player profile as a super-toolsy athlete at an up-the-middle position, so he certainly looks like someone the team could target with one of their early picks (26th, 32nd, 33rd) if the knee injury and lack of spring exposure cause him to fall.

The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Eric Jagielo | 3B

Background
Following an impressive prep career at Downers Grove North High School in the Chicago suburbs, Jagielo was a 50th round pick of the Cubs in the 2010 draft. He didn’t sign and instead followed through on his commitment to Notre Dame, where he’s hit .400/.508/.676 with eight homers this spring after putting up a .291/.379/.486 batting line during his first two years with the Fighting Irish.

Scouting Report
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 215 lbs., Jagielo fits the Yankees mold of power and patience from the left side of the plate. He has power to all fields but does the most damage when he pulls the ball to right field, and he’s able to tap into that power because he has a plan at the plate and command of the strike zone. There is some concern about his ability to hit at the upper levels of pro ball because he has a loopy swing and can be beat with good fastballs up in the zone.

Jagielo has played all over the field for Notre Dame in his career — both infield and outfield — but he has settled in at third base and has the quickness, hands, and arm to remain there long-term. A corner outfield spot would be the next logical spot should the hot corner not work out. He’s not terribly fast and won’t be a threat on the bases. Jagielo draws high marks for his work ethic and has been successful everywhere he’s played. There are plenty more videos available on YouTube.

Miscellany
Keith Law (subs. req’d) and Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked Jagielo as the 35th and 40th best prospect in the draft, respectively, in their latest rankings. That puts him firmly in the late-first round/sandwich round mix at the moment, which is right where the Yankees have their first three picks (26th, 32nd, 33rd). It wasn’t until last summer that Scouting Damon Oppenheimer drafted a college bat in the top two rounds of the draft, and that was a college senior (catcher Peter O’Brien) in a draft pool saving maneuver. The Yankees tend to go for athleticism and upside at an up-the-middle position early, which doesn’t really describe Jagielo. Then again, special assistant Jim Hendry did draft him while still working as Cubs GM three years ago. Maybe the team will change course this summer because of all the extra picks.

The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Michael Lorenzen | OF/RHP

Background
Lorenzen is an Anaheim kid who spurned the Rays as their seventh round pick in 2010 to follow through on his commitment to Cal State Fullerton. He is hitting .338/.412/.570 with seven homers this year after putting together a .317/.383/.455 batting line during his first two years at school, and he’s also posted a 1.73 ERA with a 29/7 K/BB in 36.1 innings as the Titans closer since the start of 2012.

Scouting Report
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 195 lbs., Lorenzen is a ridiculous athlete and a potential five-tool guy. His cannon arm allows him to sit mid-90s and touch 100 out of the bullpen in addition to shutting down the extra-base game from the outfield. He runs very well and can handle all three outfield positions with ease.

At the plate, Lorenzen shows big power from the right side but there are major concerns about his swing and ability to make contact long-term. His strikeout rates with Fullerton — 16.0% in 2013 and 15.6% career — are way too high for a top college prospect, and even coming out of high school the concern was his ability to hit. Lorenzen is almost like a poor man’s version of Drew Stubbs, the drool-worthy athlete who does everything you could possibly want other than consistently put the bat on the ball. There are plenty more videos on YouTube, including this one of him on the mound.

Miscellany
Baseball America (subs. req’d) and Keith Law (subs. req’d) ranked Lorenzen as the 25th and 48th best prospect in the draft in their latest rankings, respectively. That’s quite a spread, but it indicates he is likely a sandwich round guy with a chance to go at the end of the first round, right in line with New York’s first three picks (26th, 32nd, 33rd). The Yankees and scouting director Damon Oppenheimer love toolsy up the middle players and they were linked to Lorenzen quite a bit back in 2010, and his stock has only gone up over the last three years. The contact problems scare me, but at least the fallback option here is a power reliever who can miss bats.

The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Aaron Blair | RHP

Background
A Las Vegas kid, Blair wound up in West Virginia at Marshall after impressing recruits at a showcase event in Florida as a high school senior. He’s pitched to a 2.40 ERA with 52 strikeouts, 16 walks, and zero homers allowed in 48.2 innings across eight starts this spring after posting a 3.60 ERA during his first two years at school. Blair really made a name for himself in the Cape Cod League last summer, when he led the circuit with a 1.17 ERA.

Scouting Report
Listed at a sturdy 6-foot-5 and 220 lbs., Blair is a true three-pitch pitcher who sits 90-93 with his fastball. An upper-70s curveball was his top secondary pitch coming out of high school — the Astros drafted him in the 21st round in 2010, but he obviously didn’t sign — but he picked up a low-to-mid-80s changeup in college that has since developed into a true swing-and-miss offering. Blair has the confidence to throw the pitch in any count and to both right and left-handed hitters. He throws plenty of strikes thanks to a repeatable delivery and he draws raves for his makeup and work ethic, which helped him develop that out-pitch changeup. There are plenty more videos at YouTube.

Miscellany
Keith Law (subs. req’d) and Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked Blair as the 39th and 46th best prospect in the draft class in their most recent rankings, respectively, which means he’s firmly in the late first round/sandwich round mix. He’s not a future ace or anything, but he’s a no-doubt starter with a frame built to soak up innings. High(-ish) probability mid-rotation workhorses are always popular targets early in the draft, especially among risk-averse teams. The Yankees have shown they value Cape Cod League success in recent years and we know they love big-bodied pitchers, so Blair seems like someone right up their alley. The latest rankings say he would be a reach with one of their three early picks (26th, 32nd, 33rd), but nothing worth getting upset over.

The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Kyle Devin | C

Background
A Massachusetts kid who attends Lynn Classical High School just north of Boston, Devin played for the Yankees Area Code Games team last summer. In one game during the showcase, he threw out five attempted base-stealers while picking up two singles and a walk at the plate. He’s committed to Stony Brook.

Scouting Report
Devin, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 lbs., stands out for the power in his bat and the power in his arm. The left-handed swinger puts on big power displays in batting practice and shows a very strong arm from behind the plate. The rest of Devin’s game is very raw — he didn’t start catching until his sophomore year — including his offensive approach and general receiving and footwork at the catcher position. Power at the plate and throwing strength are two skills you can’t teach though, and they’re what will get Devin drafted in June.

Miscellany
Neither Baseball America (subs. req’d) nor Keith Law (subs. req’d) ranked Devin as one of the 50 best prospects in the draft class in their most recent rankings, and in fact he didn’t even crack Baseball America’s list of the top 200 high school prospects. Devin is a definite project and the lack of polish is just too much to ignore. The Yankees do generally love players with his skillset though, meaning a catcher who hits for power (especially from the left side) and offers arm strength. Devin certainly seems like someone they could target in the later rounds of the draft.

The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Hunter Renfroe | OF

Background
Originally drafted by the Red Sox in the 31st round of the 2010 draft, Renfroe didn’t sign and instead followed through on his commitment to Mississippi State. He went into the weekend with a .414/.483/.828 batting line with 11 homers, 16 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 32 games after managing a .242/.318/.355 batting line during his first two years with the Bulldogs.

Scouting Report
Renfroe, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 216 lbs., stands out immediately because of his right-handed power. He has arguably the most pop in the draft class and is capable of driving the ball out of any part of any park. His overall offensive game has taken a big step forward this spring and he’s now among the best all-around hitters in the nation, with quick hands and a plan at the plate. Renfroe was one of those “has the high-end tools but needs to learn how to use them” guys for a while, selling out for power and struggling to make contact.

Defensively, Renfroe offers a big-time arm — he ran his fastball up to 96 as a reliever last spring — and enough speed and athleticism to handle center fielder, though right field might be his best long-term position. Renfroe caught in high school and as a freshman with Mississippi State, but a move back behind the plate is unlikely. Although the defensive tools are solid, he’s clearly a bat-first prospect. There are plenty of videos on YouTube, and you can see above he’s already got the bat flip part of his game down pat.

Miscellany
Baseball America (subs. req’d) ranked Renfroe as the 32nd best prospect in the draft recently while Keith Law (subs. req’d) did not include him among his most recent top 50 draft prospect rankings. However, during his chat last week Law did say he would “be a definite first-round pick if the draft were today” because of his offensive improvement. The Yankees had special assistant Jim Hendry on hand to watch the outfielder this weekend according to Kendall Rogers, so we know Renfroe is on the team’s radar. College hitters tend to climb draft boards quickly due to strong performance more than any type of player, so the Bombers might not even get a chance to draft Renfroe with one of their three first round selections (26th, 32nd, 33rd) in a few weeks.

The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Casey Meisner | RHP

Background
Meisner attends Cypress Woods High School in Cypress, Texas, which is a Houston suburb. He pitched for the Texas Scout Team Yankees last fall, a showcase club the Yankees use the team to familiarize themselves with top Texas high schoolers during the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Championship each year. His college commitment is to Texas Tech.

Scouting Report
The first thing that stands out about Meisner is his size. He’s listed at 6-foot-7 and 185 lbs. so he’s tall and lanky with an awful lot of projection remaining. Meisner’s fastball typically sits about 86-88 these days, but he has shown 92 in the past, so there is some more velocity in there somewhere. His loopy mid-70s curveball looks like an out pitch on some days and still-developing pitch on others. A low-80s changeup that needs a lot of work rounds out his repertoire.

In addition to his size, Meisner stands out because he’s a very good athlete who has shown the ability to repeat his mechanics and keep his delivery in order better than most pitchers his size. He also throws strikes and draws rave reviews for his makeup and mound presence, which has been described as “business-like.” There are a bunch of short video clips on YouTube.

Miscellany
Neither Baseball America (subs. req’d) nor Keith Law (subs. req’d) ranked Meisner among the top 50 draft prospects in their latest rankings. Baseball America (subs. req’d) did, however, rank him as the 89th best high school player available in this summer’s draft. That’s roughly in the fifth to seventh round range. The Yankees love physically huge pitchers and players with good makeup, so Meisner sounds like someone who is right up their alley. We know he’s at least on their radar after playing for their Texas Scout team late last year. Meisner is a definite project, but he also has the tools to come out as a potential top ten pick in three years if he follows through on his college commitment.

The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Jordan Sheffield | RHP

Background
A Tennessee kid who lives an hour or so outside of Chattanooga, Sheffield threw just three innings for Tullahoma High School this spring before blowing out his elbow and requiring Tommy John surgery. He had the procedure yesterday according to Maurice Patton. Sheffield is committed to Vanderbilt. He is Gary’s nephew.

Scouting Report
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 175 lbs., Sheffield sat in the low-90s for most of his career before sitting 94-95 with a few 97s during the Team USA 16-and-under trials last summer and the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Championship in October. He didn’t get much of an opportunity to show if the velocity spike was legit before the injury this spring. A power upper-70s/low-80s curveball is his top secondary pitch and a legitimate put-away offering, and his low-80s changeup is very much a work in progress. Sheffield showed pretty good control throughout his high school career. Here’s some more video.

Miscellany
Neither Baseball America (subs. req’d) nor Keith Law (subs. req’d) ranked Sheffield as a top 50 draft prospect in their most recent rankings, but both lists were published after the right-hander initially suffered the injury in early-March. Law called him a borderline top 100 guy earlier this week following the news of the elbow reconstruction. Sheffield was considered a tough sign before the injury, but the Yankees have a little bit of a history with buying guys away from Vanderbilt (Dellin Betances, specifically). There’s a decent chance he’ll go completely undrafted now. Sheffield is someone the Yankees could target with a late-round pick — sometime after the tenth round so they don’t risk losing draft pool money in case he doesn’t sign — just to see if he’ll turn pro should they have some extra draft pool money lying around.

The 2013 amateur draft will be held from June 6-8 this year, and between now and then I’m going to highlight some prospects individually rather than lump them together into larger posts.

Oscar Mercado | SS

Background
Mercado was born in Colombia, but he and his family moved to the United States when he was eight years old. He plays for Gaither High School in Tampa — a straight shot on Dale Mabry Boulevard and about 20 minutes from George M. Steinbrenner Field — and is committed to Florida State.

Scouting Report
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 lbs., Mercado’s calling card is his defense. He’s a no-doubt shortstop long-term because of his fast-twitch athleticism, quick reactions, soft hands, and strong throwing arm. The concern is his offense, as it’s unclear if he’ll hit enough in pro ball. Mercado, a right-handed hitter, is a line drive hitter without much power or much projection for future power. He can run and is a threat to steal, but he simply might not hit enough against better pitching. Here’s some more video.

Miscellany
Baseball America (subs. req’d) and Keith Law (subs. req’d) ranked Mercado as the 30th and 34th best prospect in the draft, respectively, in their latest rankings. He’s one of the two best shortstops in the draft — California high schooler J.P. Crawford is the other, and he’s expected to be a top 10-15 pick — and the Yankees love raw-ish, up-the-middle athletes. Considering he plays right in their back yard in Tampa, it’s safe to say Mercado is at least on their radar and someone they could consider for one of their top three selections (26th, 32nd, 33rd).