2010 Phillies Draft Preview

There are a solid 167 people in the US who are absolutely stoked for the 2010 MLB Draft today. I am one of those people. The 1st round airs today at 7pm on the MLB Network and the Phillies have the 27th overall selection in the draft. Even casual baseball fans know that Bryce Harper, baseball wunderkind, will be selected with the 1st overall pick by the Washington Nationals. The 6-3, 205-pound catcher out of the College of Southern Nevada hit .443 with 31 homeruns and 98 RBI in 66 games as a 17-year old in a highly competitive wood-bat junior college division. Harper has "80" power and a "70" arm on the 20-80 scouting scale. Just to put that in perspective, only major league players like Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn and Albert Pujols have 80 power. Seventeen year-old amateurs just don't receive that grade - he might be the greatest power prospect ever.

After Harper, high school pitcher Jameson Taillon (6-6, 225 - throws 98) and prep shortstop Manny Machado (6-2, 180 - Jeter comparison) are the next two off the board, but who will be available when the Phillies draft at 27? Typically, the Phillies pick high-risk, high-reward high school athletes and arms at the top of the draft, and with that in mind, here are five players to watch out for with the 27th overall pick:

Stetson Allie (RHP) St. Edward's HS (Lakewood, OH)
6-3 / 215
Allie is like an old scouting story from the 1930's. You know the one - strapping righthander from middle america throws 100mph but has no idea where it's going. That's Allie in a nutshell. He pitches comfortably at 92-96mph but can amp it up to 99. He also shows a hard slider (87-90) and high-80's changeup. Outside of Jameson Taillon, Allie has the best stuff of any pitcher in this draft class. But the kid has control issues. And high school pitchers with big arms and control issues either become Nolan Ryan or Todd Van Poppel. It's a huge risk.

Jessie Biddle (LHP) Germantown Friends HS (Germantown, PA)
6-5 / 235
Biddle is by far the best prospect in the Phillies backyard. The big, chunky lefthander pitches 88-93mph and has recently been clocked as high as 96. He also features a slow 72-74mph curveball. With a number of Phillies scouts in attendance throughout his senior year, Biddle went 9-2 and posted a 1.06 ERA with 140 strikeouts in just 59 1/3 innings.

Kaleb Cowart (SS/RHP) Cook County HS (Adel, GA)
6-3 / 195
Named 2010 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, Cowart is a two-way standout at both shortstop and pitcher. On the mound, Cowart pitches 91-96mph and can dial it up to 97. But here's the thing - he wants to be an every-day player, not a pitcher. Wait, the guy went 10-1 with a 1.05 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 73 innings and doesn't want to pitch??? Well.....he's good with the stick too, hitting .654 with 11 homeruns and 59 RBI his senior year. Whomever drafts Cowart will have to talk him into splitting time in the minors playing both infield and pitcher - similar to how the Red Sox handled former 1st round pick Casey Kelly. Kelly is now Boston's top pitching prospect and I have a feeling Cowart will follow the same path.

Tyrell Jenkins (RHP) Henderson HS (Henderson, TX)
6-4 / 175
Jenkins is like a 9-sport athlete. Seriously though, the kid can really play football and basketball as well. In fact, he's committed to play both baseball (pitcher) and football (quarterback) at Baylor. Jenkins pitches at 89-92mph and can hit 96 on occasion. He also features a slow curveball (68-72) and low-80's slider. As his rail-thin build fills out, he should increase his already substantial velocity. A great find with the 27th overall pick, the Phillies would have to pony up and buy him away from a two-sport collegiate career with a big bonus. That's why some pundits have him falling to the Yankees with the last pick (32) in the first round.

Cam Bedrosian (RHP) East Coweta HS (Sharpsburg, GA)
6-1 / 195
Son of Phillies' 1987 Cy Young award-winner Steve Bedrosian, Cam is starting to build quite the resume of his own. The stocky righthander pitches at 92-94mph and can touch 95 on occasion. He also has well-developed secondary pitches, including a curveball (76-79), mid-80's slider and changeup. Cam is short for a righthanded starting pitcher, but with the overwhelming success of fellow six-foot righthanders Tim Lincecum and Mike Leake, that stereotype is on the way out. And he could always follow his old-man's career path and become an impact reliever.