Friday, June 10, 2011

Nationals Draft History: 2011 Rounds 41-50

41st round: 3B Bryce Ortega, University of Arizona
Ortega played 2B and SS at Arizona, and looks like a better option in the middle infield where power is not as necessary. Like I said, he doesn't have prototypical power for a 3B (only 6 HR in 4 seasons at Arizona), but has solid on-base skills and speed. He hit .353/.412/.430 this season for the Wildcats and was 25/29 in stolen bases. His plate discipline slipped a little in 2011, with 20 BB and 30 K (72 BB and 70 K in his previous 3 seasons), but were still pretty solid.
From Ryan Finley, Arizona Central, 2/19/11: "The past, present and future of the Arizona Wildcats' baseball program can be summed up in one sentence. It's all in how you pronounce it.
The reason for the UA's struggles in 2010? Bryce Ortega's back.
Why Arizona should be even better in 2011: Bryce Ortega's back."
From Rob Ozga Baseball Draft Report, 3/26/10: "Ortega put up very consistent numbers in his first two full seasons at Arizona, but has taken a step backwards in the power department in the early going of 2010. As a matter of fact, he’s the only one of the four players listed who has experienced a decline in his performance so far in 2010. The most commonly cited reason for Ortega’s early season struggles relate back to his transition from shortstop (a position he is more than capable of playing, for the record) to second base; not sure I buy it, but it’s a thought. Strong base running and good patience have long been the bedrocks of his offensive game, so it’s good to see those areas remain consistent despite his 2010 contact and power deficiencies. Patience at the plate, a two-year track record of pop (2010 be damned), excellent base running instincts, and a versatile glove fit the potential utility infielder mold pretty well, don’t you think?"


42st round: SS David Kerian, Bishop Heelan HS (IA)
Kerian sounds excited to be drafted., but is signed with the University of Illinois, so he will probably not sign.
From Michael Klos, KTIV, 6/8/11: "'Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be drafted right out of high school, so I put in the hours to be able to do that, working hard in the off-season,' said David Kerian, Bishop Heelan Senior. 'If the opportunity to sign with the Nationals comes up and I get a good enough deal, then there is a chance I might go. Right now I just want to stay in school and continue my education.' Kerian says he's still looking at offers to play baseball at the collegiate level."
Scouting videos of Kerian can be found here.

43st round: SS Mitchell Morales, Wellington Community HS (FL)
The Florida Atlantic University signee is a lefthanded hitting shortstop with good speed and a nice arm. As a late round HS player, he likely will not sign.
From Prospect Wire, 5/25/11: "Mitchell Morales is an undersized slick-fielding shortstop who has signed with Florida Atlantic. His glove is enough to get him some pro attention, but his hitting is not quite ready for that level."


44st round: 1B Matt Snyder, Ole Miss
Snyder is the younger brother of 2005 Orioles 1st rounder Brandon Snyder and a graduate of Westfield HS in Chantilly. He hit .301/.425/.534 with 14 2B, 9 HR, 28 BB and 40 K. With one more year of eligibility, Snyder could return to school. Snyder has a lengthy injury history that limited him to a DH role for the entire 2011 season, so his bat needs to stay strong if he wants to be an ML player.


45th round: RHP Richie Mirowski, Oklahoma Baptist University
I like this pick. Mirowski is a senior from a small college that put up great K and BB numbers. He'll sign, there's little risk and there's a chance he continues to put up great K and BB numbers. 
From Andrew of Summer Ball, 1/11/11: "My next top performer from the 2010 summer season is Richie Mirowski of the SLO Rattlers...this past Spring, Richie went 3-1, and had a great era of 2.14 in 43 innings pitched. He also fanned 55 batters during the season. Richie spent the summer of 2009 pitching for the SLO Rattlers, where he was an All-Star. He returned to the Rattlers for the 2010 summer season, and he didn't disappoint his fans with his performance either. While the California Collegiate League is filled with players from the "big schools", Richie proved that he could hang with them. He went 3-2, and had a league-low 1.54 era in 44 innings of work for the Rattlers. In 8 starts, he allowed just 38 hits and held opponents to a .230 batting average. He also had a great bb/k ratio of 10/53 this past summer."


46th round: OF Tyler Thompson, Florida
Thompson is the son of former San Francisco Giant Robby Thompson, now the bench coach for the Seattle Mariners. Because he is a junior coming off of a season with a ton of injuries and mediocre performance, there's a decent chance he won't sign. Thompson hit .279/.333/.372 in 86 at-bats, with 5 2B, 1 HR, 3/3 SB and a 7/22 BB/K ratio.
From Jason Lieser, Palm Beach Post, 6/9/11: "Given the list of injuries Florida Gators outfielder Tyler Thompson sustained, this could have been a lost season. He tore his hamstring early in the year. He had an infection under a fingernail on his throwing hand. He injured his groin. Most recently, he was hampered by back spasms."


47th round: LHP TJ Montgomery, Rockmart HS (GA)
This is all I've found on TJ, unfortunately.
From Perfect Game, 8/22/10: "Touched 84 and sat between 82-83, showing a smooth, repeatable delivery, some arm-side run, easy effort, and tight spin on his 2-8, 73-mph curve."
Scouting video on Montgomery.


48th round: OF Mike Bisenius, Wayne State College (NE)
Mike is the younger brother of former Nationals pitcher Joe Bisenius (now with the White Sox).

From My Wayne News, 6/9/11: "Bisenius was named to Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association 2011 NCAA Div. II third-team All-American honors after leading Wayne State in batting this past season with a .401 average with eight homers and 48 RBI’s. The first-team All-Northern Sun Conference selection ranked in the top 10 in nine different categories in the NSIC this season, leading the league in on-base percentage (.483) while ranking third in average, slugging percentage (.704), doubles (18) and tied for third in home runs with eight. He also ranked fifth in total bases (107) and tied for fifth in run scored (47) while ranking sixth in RBI’s (48) and ninth in hits with 61."

49th round: OF Hunter Cole, Dorman HS (SC)
Hunter is committed to the University of Georgia. He's got solid speed and a 90 mph arm. Would have been drafted higher, but he sent a letter to scouts asking that they not draft him, as he is set on going to Georgia.
From Georgia's Official Site, 11/16/10: "'Hunter might be the best hitter in the country, he’s a really good baseball player and an outstanding student,' said (Georgia coach David) Perno. 'We’re going to take a hard look at him as a centerfielder, but he can play anywhere. He has a great approach as a hitter and has the ability to put up huge numbers in college. When you combine his academics and his athletic talent, he’s an exciting prospect.'"
From John Whittle, The Big Spur, 9/2010: "Easily the best power bat in the state of South Carolina. Complete hitter that showed more defensively this summer than he has in the past."


50th round: OF Tony Nix, University of California-Riverside
Nix dominated opponents in 2010, hitting .361/.425/.699 with 19 2B, 2 3B and 11 HR. His success did not transfer into the 2011 season as well, with a .282/.343/.422 triple slash, 18 2B, 1 3B and 3 HR. If Nix wants success at the next level, he must improve his plate discipline (36 BB/109 K at UCR).

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