The AFL is back in action after the Rising Stars Game on Saturday night. Here is a quote from Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus on Pirates #1 prospect Jameson Taillon:
In a state known for its power arms, some scouts felt Taillon was the best high school pitcher to come out of Texas since Josh Beckett more than a decade ago. His size is ideal, his arm action effortless, and his velocity nearly at the top of the scale as he sits in the mid-90s and consistently touched 98 mph throughout the spring. That's not even his best pitch. One scout called his 82-85 mph curveball, "the best single pitch in the draft" due to its velocity and movement.
Later he wrote that we could see Taillon in 2012 at the earliest.
Now let's take a look at Monday's top performers:
Dustin Ackley, SEA-2-4, 2 RS, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB
Jose Iglesias, BOS-3-5, RS, 2 RBI
Jason Kipnis, CLE-2-4, 2 RS
Nate Tenbrink, 3-4, 4 RS, HR, 3 RBI
Cory Harrilchak, ATL-2-3, RS, RBI, BB
Michael Taylor, OAK, 2-4, RS, RBI
Brandon Laird, NYY-1-5, RS, RBI
Eduardo Escobar, CHW-0-3, RS, BB
Devin Mesoraco, CIN-1-4, 2 RBI
Jared Mitchell, CHW-0-3, K
Ben Revere, MIN-0-4, RS
Eric Hosmer, KC-2-4, RBI, BB
Derrick Robinson-3-4, 2 RS
Brewers pitching prospect Jeremy Jeffress hit 101 mph on the radar gun while striking out Yankees prospect Brandon Laird in Saturday's Rising Stars game. Here is what ESPN's Jason Grey wrote about him yesterday:
Rather, it was Milwaukee Brewers prospect Jeremy Jeffress, whose name I've mentioned a lot recently, hitting 101 mph on the stadium gun, multiple scouts' guns and Pitch F/X, as well. It might have been Jeffress' coming-out party to show he's ready to compete for an opening day role in the Brewers' bullpen next season after showing his best stuff across consecutive outings, and it's not hard to see him showing off that stuff in the ninth inning for the Brewers, not the eighth.
Keep your eye out for Jeffress in spring training, as he could be closing in Milwaukee at some point in 2011, should current closer John Axford falter.