| 2008 Amateurs |
| Rank | Name | Age | Nyman Rating | Review |
| 1. |
Eric Gagne |
23 |
422 |
This guy has closer written all over him. |
| 2. |
Kazuhisa Ishii |
27 |
398 |
He's got a really stong arm, so he can blow it by you on occasion. He's a good late inning man, which is when being a pitcher really counts. Ishii's fastball was clocked at 95 MPH most of the season and he kept excellent control of it. Runners do not get a good jump on Ishii... many have noted that his motion is difficult to pick up. |
| 3. |
Gil Meche |
25 |
370 |
Control is his calling card, as he works ahead of hitters without leaving the ball over the middle of the plate. |
| 4. |
Byung-Hyun Kim |
22 |
362 |
Kim uses a slide step to keep runners close. |
| 5. |
JaeWeong Seo |
18 |
360 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 6. |
Josh Fogg |
23 |
349 |
He's got a really stong arm, so he can blow it by you on occasion. He's a pretty good ground-ball pitcher, which I like because ground balls stay in the park. |
| 7. |
Dontrelle Willis |
19 |
348 |
Willis's control is among the best in the game. He's got a really stong arm, so he can blow it by you on occasion. Willis also has a solid changeup that he'll use at any point in the count. |
| 8. |
Jeremy Affeldt |
16 |
348 |
He's unflappable on the mound, possessing the confidence to throw any of his offerings at any time in the count. This guy has closer written all over him. Affeldt does a great job of thwarting runners with varied pickoff moves and a quick release to home. |
| 9. |
Mark Prior |
18 |
346 |
Prior's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 10. |
Roy Halladay |
25 |
343 |
I've seen Halladay work himself into a jam on occassion. The good thing about him is that he knows how to work himself out of them. |
| 11. |
Mike Turner |
21 |
343 |
Turner does a great job of thwarting runners with varied pickoff moves and a quick release to home. |
| 12. |
Jose Reyes |
20 |
335 |
Reyes is an excellent mistake hitter who belts middle-of-the-plate fastballs or hanging breaking balls. |
| 13. |
Sjon Ashby |
19 |
330 |
Ashby remains one of the best fielding pitchers in the game's history. |
| 14. |
Zach Day |
23 |
327 |
He can get groundballs when he needs them in a jam. |
| 15. |
Jake Peavy |
23 |
327 |
He's a finesse pitcher, relying on movement and location. A decent fielder, Peavy is quick around the mound and has good instincts. |
| 16. |
Johan Santana |
19 |
317 |
He has a terrific spin move that keeps basestealers honest. |
| 17. |
Bodhi Hart |
24 |
315 |
One of the nice things about Bodhi is that he's a real clutch hitter. He steals a few bases with his combination of quickness and a decent first step. |
| 18. |
Mike Maroth |
18 |
311 |
He's got a really stong arm, so he can blow it by you on occasion. He's a good late inning man, which is when being a pitcher really counts. |
| 19. |
Chuck Barillari |
21 |
307 |
Barillari hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 20. |
Lance Nix |
20 |
305 |
Nix is an above-average runner, but lacks the first-step explosiveness needed to become a basestealing threat. |
| 21. |
Mark Howard |
20 |
304 |
His impeccable control is one of the main reasons for his success. He can spot all his pitches wherever he wants. |
| 22. |
Rocco Baldelli |
21 |
301 |
He aggressively looks to take the extra base. |
| 23. |
Alexi Sanchez |
19 |
297 |
He has the mental discipline to handle clutch situations. When his legs are healthy, Sanchez is an excellent basestealer with good speed and first-step quickness. |
| 24. |
Damian Masterson |
19 |
296 |
Masterson hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 25. |
Angel Berroa |
19 |
292 |
Aggressive on the basepaths, Berroa is a good basestealer and takes the extra base when needed most. |
| 26. |
Heinz Zaske |
23 |
292 |
Zaske hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 27. |
Derek Ballinger |
21 |
290 |
He's got a really stong arm, so he can blow it by you on occasion. |
| 28. |
Coco Crisp |
18 |
280 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 29. |
Rich Harden |
21 |
272 |
He gobbles up comebackers, sometimes roaming far from the mound to get a glove on a ball. |
| 30. |
Junior Spivey |
20 |
271 |
Spivey has better-than-average speed, and he has made himself into a solid basestealer by developing a quick first step and studying the moves of pitchers. |
| 31. |
Carlos Zambrano |
19 |
271 |
A groundball pitcher, Zambrano needs to have sharp command to succeed. |
| 32. |
Morgan Ensberg |
18 |
264 |
Ensberg's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 33. |
Juan Pierre |
23 |
259 |
Pierre also has toned down the careless and overaggressive mistakes he used to make. He's still adept at making sliding catches on balls near the foul line. His arm is accurate enough. |
| 34. |
Kevin Millar |
24 |
256 |
Millar hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 35. |
Carlos Pena |
20 |
256 |
Pena hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 36. |
Brad Wilkerson |
20 |
256 |
Wilkerson's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 37. |
Jimmy Rollins |
22 |
255 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 38. |
Cleo Prince |
22 |
252 |
Prince hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 39. |
Billy Koch |
20 |
245 |
He's a good late inning man, which is when being a pitcher really counts. Koch has a very good move to first base, and he varies it so that he's extremely difficult to read. |
| 40. |
Ray Rice |
22 |
241 |
Rice's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 41. |
Tom Grant |
21 |
241 |
The bottom also falls out of his very good changeup. |
| 42. |
Bill MullerJr |
23 |
239 |
He might not deliver for you at the plate, but MullerJr can certainly deliver in the field. He is an exceptional fielder. Bill's arm leaves a little to be a desired. |
| 43. |
Phil Tobin |
22 |
237 |
Tobin's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 44. |
Scott Podsednik |
22 |
236 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 45. |
Jody Gerute |
22 |
233 |
Gerute's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 46. |
Jason Phillips |
19 |
231 |
Phillips seems to become especially focused in big situations. |
| 47. |
Josh Bard |
19 |
226 |
Bard seems to become especially focused in big situations. |
| 48. |
Sidney Ponson |
21 |
223 |
He can get groundballs when he needs them in a jam. |
| 49. |
Ryan Justice |
16 |
222 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 50. |
Jorge Julio |
18 |
221 |
He's got a really stong arm, so he can blow it by you on occasion. He's a good late inning man, which is when being a pitcher really counts. |
| 51. |
Rip Reninger |
21 |
211 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 52. |
Michael Barrett |
21 |
205 |
He has the mental discipline to handle clutch situations. |
| 53. |
Billy Freiberger |
23 |
205 |
Freiberger hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 54. |
Jim Walker |
25 |
196 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 55. |
George Gharrity |
23 |
195 |
Gharrity's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 56. |
Jack Hutson |
22 |
195 |
Hutson's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 57. |
Jesse Foppert |
17 |
194 |
He keeps his pitches low in the strike zone and throws a heavy ball. A decent fielder, Foppert is quick around the mound and has good instincts. |
| 58. |
Brock Johnson |
21 |
190 |
Johnson hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 59. |
Jim Martin |
21 |
188 |
Martin hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 60. |
Bill Kemp |
20 |
186 |
One of the nice things about Bill is that he's a real clutch hitter. |
| 61. |
Steve Rooker |
21 |
184 |
Rooker hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 62. |
Mike Doyle |
20 |
181 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 63. |
John Raczka |
23 |
178 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 64. |
Andy Johnstone |
23 |
176 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 65. |
Mike Roig |
22 |
175 |
Roig's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 66. |
Tim Candini |
23 |
175 |
Candini hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 67. |
Bob Mills |
22 |
173 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 68. |
Chick Ellis |
22 |
173 |
Ellis's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 69. |
Elmo Hollocher |
23 |
172 |
Hollocher hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 70. |
Junie Bagby |
23 |
170 |
Bagby's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 71. |
Bert Lehr |
24 |
166 |
Lehr's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 72. |
Andy Jones |
22 |
165 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 73. |
Jack Carroll |
24 |
160 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 74. |
Bill Hudlin |
23 |
154 |
Hudlin hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 75. |
Artie Genins |
22 |
153 |
Genins's development is proceeding a little slower than hoped, but the scouts are no less optimistic. |
| 76. |
Kite Flanagan |
20 |
153 |
Flanagan hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 77. |
George Sax |
23 |
150 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 78. |
Ty Upham |
24 |
148 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 79. |
Tod Whitfield |
20 |
144 |
Whitfield hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 80. |
Red King |
24 |
142 |
He hasn't excelled quite yet, but the scouts are expecting big things from him. |
| 81. |
Bill High |
18 |
132 |
High hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 82. |
Clint Gorman |
23 |
127 |
Gorman hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
| 83. |
Coco Farley |
25 |
57 |
He can get groundballs when he needs them in a jam. He's a good late inning man, which is when being a pitcher really counts. |
| 84. |
Tom Fisher |
23 |
19 |
Fisher hasn't stepped up to fill the big shoes the scouts are hoping he will, but these things take time. |
