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.

Austin Wilson | OF

Background
Wilson was a potential first round pick out of a Southern California high school in 2010, but signability concerns dropped him to the Cardinals in the 12th round. He followed through on his commitment to Stanford and has hit .314/.417/.529 with five homers in 27 games this spring while battling a bone bruise and stress reaction in his elbow. Wilson was also hindered by an oblique issue during a stint in the Cape Cod League last summer. During his first two years with the Cardinal, he produced a .296/.371/.460 line with 15 homers in 112 games.

Scouting Report
Wilson is a physical freak with a chiseled 6-foot-4, 245 lb. frame and high-end athleticism. His best tool is his right-handed power — the ball explodes off his bat and carries to all fields — but excess pre-swing movement and poor pitch recognition limits how much he can tap into it. During his three years on campus, he’s struck out 115 times in 585 plate appearances (19.7%), which is way too much for the top college prospect. The athleticism gives Wilson above-average speed and a rocket arm, arguably the best outfield arm in the class, so he has more than enough tools for center field. He is expected to move to right field down the road, where he could play Gold Glove level defense. Wilson is a bit of a project but the raw ability and pure upside are outrageous. There are many, many more videos on YouTube.

Miscellany
Keith Law (subs. req’d) and Baseball America ranked Wilson as the 15th and 29th best prospect in the draft in their latest rankings, respectively. Law said the Yankees have “scouted Wilson heavily” in his latest mock draft, for what it’s worth. Stanford has a reputation of turning top position player prospects into mediocre ones due to their one-size-fits-all coaching philosophy, which turns everyone into a short-swinger geared to hit the ball the other way. Wilson is not that type of player, so any team that drafts him will be banking on their development personnel’s ability to unlock his potential. The Yankees have three first round picks (26th, 32nd, 33rd) and Wilson is the kind of super-high-upside prospect that is worth gambling on with 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.

Jon Denney | C

Background
A star at Yukon High School in the suburbs of Oklahoma City, Denney created a ton of buzz and stood out during various showcase events last summer. He is committed to Arkansas.

Scouting Report
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 lbs, Denney has one of those rare pretty right-handed swings. He has a simple setup and a balanced swing through the zone, showing more than enough bat speed and strength to hit for both average and power. Denney is an aggressive hitter and will need to show more patience against better pitching. Behind the plate, he offers a strong and accurate arm but not much in terms of receiving and footwork. He’s a good but not great athlete, and Denney’s bat is good enough to carry him if he winds up moving to first base or left field. There are a bunch more video on YouTube.

Miscellany
Keith Law (subs. req’d) and Baseball America ranked Denney as the 22nd and 23rd best prospect in the draft in their latest rankings, so they’re in agreement that he’s a back-half of the first round guy right now. Denney had a chance to play his way into top-ten consideration before struggling in front of some serious heat during an event in Arizona in March. The Yankees have been connected to the backstop recently and he fits their profile to a tee as an offense-minded catcher. They hoard those guys.

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.

Marco Gonzales | LHP

Background
A Colorado kid from Fort Collins, Gonzales’ father pitched in the minor leagues for eight years and is a pitching instructor in the Rockies’ system. Marco won four state championships in high school and will leave Gonzaga as one of the best players in school history. He came into the weekend with a 2.57 ERA and a 91/22 K/BB in 98 innings this year.

Scouting Report
Listed at a modest 6-foot-1 and 185 lbs., Gonzales stands out for his pitching acumen and two above-average offspeed pitches. His fastball mostly sits in the 88-92 mph range and it might dip below that starting every five days rather than once a week. A fading upper-70s changeup is his put-away offering and one of the best individual pitches in the entire draft. His mid-70s curveball is an average pitch at worst and a second out pitch on most days.

Gonzales is a very good athlete who repeats a simple delivery and commands his entire arsenal to both sides of the plate. He’s very polished, arguably the most polished pitcher in the draft, and he knows how to set hitters up. He also holds runners and fields his position well. Gonzales can hit — he bats cleanup for the Bulldogs and plays first base when he doesn’t pitch — and would get drafted in the top ten rounds as a position player, but that doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. His future lies on the mound and he draws rave reviews for his work ethic and makeup. There are tons of videos on YouTube.

Miscellany
Keith Law (subs. req’d) and Baseball America ranked Gonzales as the 23rd and 28th best prospect in the draft in their latest rankings, respectively. For what it’s worth, Troy Renck said he’s heard the Yankees are among the clubs interested in the left-hander, who doesn’t offer a ton of upside but is as safe as college pitchers come. Guys like Gonzales are popular first round targets for risk-averse teams, so the Bombers might not even get a chance to draft him when their top three picks (26th, 32nd, and 33rd overall) roll 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.

Jordan Paroubeck | OF

Background
Paroubeck attends Sierra High School in San Mateo, California, and he’s had a pretty great hitting coach this spring: Barry Bonds. His father is a childhood friend of the seven-time MVP, so he’s received private lessons all spring. Paroubeck is committed to Fresno State.

Scouting Report
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 lbs., Paroubeck is a standout athlete with loud tools. He’s a switch-hitter with a quick and easy swing from both sides of the plate, and he’s shown very good power potential as both a righty and a lefty. I’m sure Bonds has been in his ear about the value of plate discipline and waiting for his pitch as well. Both Paroubeck’s speed and arm are above-average at the moment, allowing him to steal bases and be an asset in center field. He could slow down and wind up in a corner down the road, but that move is not imminent. Paroubeck is raw and needs plenty of refinement, but his upside is quite enormous. There are some more videos available on YouTube.

Miscellany
Keith Law (subs. req’d) and Baseball America ranked Paroubeck as the 52nd and 62nd best prospect in the draft class in their latest rankings, respectively. He’s a little bit of a project just because he’s so raw, but anytime you have a true switch-hitter with power potential from both sides of the plate to go along with defensive skills, he’ll get drafted in the top round or two. The Yankees adore up-the-middle athletes and they have three early picks (26th, 32nd, 33rd), but I think grabbing Paroubeck with their second rounder (66th) would be ideal. He might not last that long though.