NCAA Top Prospects week #8

As we approach mid-season, I’ll keep posting my personal boards here in Nolan’s weekly college summary.

My #2 selection is down to five names, representing each of the four player types:

1. Jamie Arnold, LHP (college)
2. Seth Hernandez, RHP (prep)
3. Ethan Holliday or Quentin Young, 3B (prep)
4. Marek Houston, SS (college)

Expanding those names out to four imaginary draft scenarios, through the first 200 picks, and keeping the dream alive of the Angels trading for a CBA pick in the 32-37 range, here are names that intrigue me:

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Round one (2): Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
CBA (32-37): Quentin Young, 3B/RF, prep (fantasy that he falls this far)
Round two (47): Andrew Fischer, 1B/3B, Tennessee
Round three (79): Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State
Comp pick (105): Ryan Wideman, OF, Western Kentucky
Round four (109): Ethan Hedges, 3B, USC
Round five (140): Dominic Fritton, LHP, NC State
Round six (169): Maximus Martin, SS, Kansas State
Round seven (199): Jacob Morrison, RHP, Coastal Carolina

∆

Round one (2): Seth Hernandez, RHP, prep
CBA (32-37): Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
Round two (47): Jared Spencer, LHP, Texas
Round three (79): Kyle Lodise, SS, Georgia Tech
Comp pick (105): James Quinn-Irons, OF, George Mason
Round four (109): Brent Iredale, 3B, Arkansas
Round five (140): Mason Neville, OF, Oregon
Round six (169): Colin Yeaman, SS, UC Irvine
Round seven (199): Cardell Thibodeaux, OF, Southern

∆

Round one (2): Ethan Holliday, SS/3B, prep or Quentin Young, 3B/RF, prep
CBA (32-37): Ethan Petry, RF, South Carolina
Round two (47): Zach Root, LHP, Arkansas
Round three (79): Anthony Eyanson, RHP, Louisiana State
Comp pick (105): Jared Jones, 1B, Louisiana State or Ryland Zaborowski,1B, Georgia
Round four (109): Sam Tackett, OF, Virginia Tech
Round five (140): Bryce Hughes, SS, Texas Southern
Round six (169): Ben Miller, 3B, Duke
Round seven (199): Cade Obermueller, LHP, Iowa

∆

Round one (2): Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
CBA (32-37): Riley Quick, RHP, Alabama
Round two (47): Max Williams, CF, Florida State
Round three (79): Joey Volini, LHP, Florida State
Comp pick (105): Robbie Burnett, OF, Georgia
Round four (109): Grant Jay, C, Dallas Baptist
Round five (140): Charles Davalan, CF, Arkansas
Round six (169): Anthony DePino, 3B, Rhode Island
Round seven (199): Antoine Jean, LHP, Houston

I think it’s worth quoting Keith Law’s summary of La Violette’s weekend outings. He’s grown increasingly bearish:

He swung at 20 pitches in the three games and whiffed on 10 of them; I assume everyone can figure out that percentage at home. He had two infield singles on the weekend plus that home run, which came on a 95-mph fastball from right-hander Marcus Phillips right over the inside edge of the plate. LaViolette unloaded on the pitch, showing plus bat speed and power. He just didn’t pick up sliders at all, from any pitchers; he put one in play in the whole series for an infield single that didn’t pass the pitcher’s mound.

LaViolette may be a little bit of a victim of expectations here, as preseason hype that had him as a top-5 talent may have skewed everyone’s perceptions of him so that he looks disappointing when he’s a first-rounder but not at the very top of the round. He’s a back of the first round type of player, at best.