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2003 WWBA Senior Division National Championship
SENIOR DIVISION NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOP PROSPECT LISTS
Class of 2004
1. RHP-SS Chris Nelson (Redan HS, Decatur, GA): The multi-talented Nelson hit 93-94 mph at will with a sharp curveball while playing his usual smooth shortstop. The “Pitcher vs. Position Player” debate will heat up before there is any answer.
2. LHP Gio Gonzalez (Pace HS, Hialeah, FL): Gonzalez has laid claim to being the top prep HS southpaw in the country. Touching 92 mph in East Cobb was nice but it is Gonzalez’s nasty low 80’s curveball that’s his best pitch.
3. OF Dexter Fowler (Milton HS, Alpharetta, GA): The ultra athletic Fowler has well above average speed and arm strength and certainly didn’t hurt his standing in scouts’ eyes by hitting a tournament leading .600.
4. SS Eric Campbell (Gibson Southern HS, Owensville, IN): The championship co-MVP, Campbell vaulted himself onto the national prospect charts by hitting five home runs, including four in one day during the Medal Round. His power is legit and he has big league average arm strength and speed.
5. RHP Javier Guerra (Ryan HS, Denton, TX): Guerra was his normal self in East Cobb, pitching very aggressively in the lower 90’s and showing a strikeout quality breaking ball.
6. OF Warren McFadden (Nova HS, Plantation, FL): Another 5-tool outfielder, McFadden consistently hits the ball hard to all fields. His speed and arm strength is a notch behind Fowler, but his strength and experience a step above.
7. LHP Mike Rozier (Henry County HS, Stockbridge, GA): Although not as effective as normal, the 6-6 Rozier still showed his low 90’s fastball and sharp curveball. Football continues to be a major competitor for the young quarterback’s attention.
8. RHP Eddie Burns (Hiram HS, GA): Burns has not circulated much on the prospect circuit and only threw two innings at East Cobb, but the 6-7 right hander threw 90-92 and is just scratching the surface of what he can do.
9. RHP Luke Pukonen (Walton HS, Marietta, GA): Pukonen may be the most projectable pitcher in the country. When he adds strength to his 6-5, 175 lb. frame, his already solid fastball will catch up to his advanced mechanics and quality breaking ball.
10. RHP Brian Futral (Newnan HS, GA): Futral already demonstrates three average pitches in his fastball, curveball and change up and has the potential to improve all three. He’s loose and projectable at 6-3, 185 lbs.
11. RHP Raudel Alfonso (Hialeah HS, FL): Reports have Alfonso touching 96 this summer and he definitely has the strength and arm speed to do it. His 93 mph heater intimidated hitters in East Cobb.
12. LHP Tim Ladd (Kell HS, Marietta, GA): The 6-0 Ladd was clearly the most dominating pitcher at the Championship, striking out 9 out of 10 hitters at one point with a 90-91 mph fastball he spotted well inside and a sharp curveball.
13. OF Jon Mark Owings (Gainesville HS, GA): Owings brother Micah turned down 2nd round money in 2002 to attend Georgia Tech. His younger brother has just as much raw power and is just growing into his long, slender body.
14. OF Steve Chapman (Marianna HS, FL): The sweet swinging Chapman is in his element playing every day with wood rather than in a showcase atmosphere. He has one of the best left handed bats in the country
15. SS Cale Iorg (Karns HS, Knoxville, TN): Iorg may be the most patient hitter in the country, but he’s a prospect because of excellent bat (.461 at East Cobb), above average speed and solid defensive skills.
16. 3B-RHP Josh Copeland (Northgate HS, Palmetto, GA): Copeland is the kind of power/power player scouts love to see at third base. He throws 90 mph off the mound and projects above average power at the plate.
17. RHP Michael Schlact (Wheeler HS, Marietta, GA): This list is loaded with extra tall pitchers with loose arms who throw in the low 90’s. Schlact has both the height at 6-7 and the velocity, touching 93 mph.
18. RHP Jaager Good (Riverwood HS, Atlanta, GA): Sometimes young, projectable right handed pitchers don’t perform as well as their prospect status might indicate. Not Good, who threw 7 shutout innings with his 87-91 mph fastball.
19. RHP-OF Dontavious McDowell (The Tucker School, Atlanta, GA): Top quarterback prospect McDowell showed his arm strength, throwing 5 hitless innings off the mound with his 89-92 mph fastball. That was when he wasn’t hitting .500 with some power when he was in right field.
20. RHP Tate Casey (Longview HS, TX): Give the athletic 6-6 Casey a curveball to go with his average fastball and plus change up and he’d run way up the list. Football is also a factor for this top athlete.
21. RHP Erik Cordier (Sturgeon Bay, WI): Cordier has one of the quickest arms in the country and generates very good downward spin and break on his curveball from a high ¾’s to overhand release point.
22. SS Josh Johnson (Middleton HS, Tampa, FL): Johnson’s defense is solid, especially with his smooth, quick hands, but it’s his switching hitting ability with some pop in his bat that really makes him stand out.
23. RHP Blake Johnson (Parkview Baptist HS, Baton Rouge, LA): Johnson’s excellent slider wasn’t snapping as well as usual in Baton Rouge, but he showed his usual low 90’s arm strength.
24. OF Danny Payne (Sequoyah HS, Woodstock, GA): What Payne lacks in height (5-9), he makes up for in skills and tools. Hitting .583 with 8 walks in 6 games makes for a decent OB% for a leadoff hitter, too.
25. C Edward Easley (Olive Branch HS, MS): The 6-3, 190 lb. Easley is quietly establishing himself as one of the top catching prospects in the class. His bat showed especially well at East Cobb.
26. 2B Brad Emaus (East Coweta HS, Senoria, GA): Emaus, who also plays shortstop when summer teammate Chris Nelson is on the mound, has one of the most polished bats in the country.
27. RHP Tyler Flail (Council Rock North HS, Newtown, PA): After Flail’s first inning on the first day, one National Crosschecker remarked “I guess I’ll be going to Pennsylvania again this year.” He will, to see the smooth, very projectable Flail pitch.
28. OF-RHP Chance Corgan (Forney HS, TX): Corgan is a live bodied athlete who has a chance as both a hard throwing pitcher and an smooth swinging outfielder outfielder.
29. SS-RHP Jess Todd (Kilgore HS, TX): Todd showed one of the best arms at the event, both from shortstop and from the mound, where he touched 90-91 consistently. He’s a strong, mature player.
30. SS Matt Willard (Council Rock North HS, Newtown, PA): Few players jumped out more than Willard, who slammed two home runs, ran average on the bases and flashed above average arm strength from shortstop.
Class of 2005
1. LHP Miers Quigley (Roswell HS, GA): The 6-5 Quigley is a silky smooth lefty who already touches the low 90’s with a sharp curveball.
2. OF Andrew McCutcheon (Ft. Meade HS, FL): Not only does McCutcheon have all the tools, he’s polished enough to dominate competition years older.
3. RHP Jake Rasner (Carson HS, NV): Rasner’s cousin Darrell was a second round pick of the Expos in 2002, his twin brother Jesse is also a pitching prospect. Jake may easily surpass his cousin eventually.
4. SS Reese Havens (Bishop England HS, Sullivan Island, SC): Havens has the potential to be a strong, offensive oriented middle infielder.
5. LHP-1B Nick DeSilvio (Etowah HS, Woodstock, GA): DeSilvio won games in East Cobb with both his powerful bat and polished arm.
6. OF Kieron Pope (East Coweta HS, Gay, GA): Pope has raw skills but his bat speed and overall athleticism compare with anyone in his class.
7. C Jonathan Edge (Cross Creek HS, Hephzibah, GA): Edge already has a big league body at 6-2, 190 and big league power to go with it.
8. RHP Kyle Cofield (Southside HS, Rainbow City, AL): There will not be many pitchers in the 2005 class who throw harder than the 6-5 Cofield, who already touches the low 90’s.
9. RHP Josh Zied (Hamden Hall Country Day, New Haven, CT): Zied doesn’t quite have Cofield’s velocity, but he does have more polish on a more mature frame.
10. OF Brandon Henderson (Milton HS, Alpharetta, GA): Henderson lines up beside top 2004 prospect Dexter Fowler in the Milton HS outfield, which is a scary proposition for opposing pitchers.
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