June 7, 2011 at 12:16 AM
Best available players, Day Two
With 60 picks in the books, there’s still plenty of talent on the board as we enter Day Two of the 2011 MLB Draft. Highlighting the list of the best available players are a pair of top-20 talents with signability concerns who fell all the way out of the first day.
Texas high school outfielder Josh Bell (Baseball America 15/Perfect Game 18) reportedly sent teams a letter asking them not to draft him, as he plans to go to the University of Texas. The high price-tag attached to Bell caused him to fall. Tennessee high school left-hander Daniel Norris (BA 14/PG 19) also remains on the board after reports that it will take top-10 money to sign him away from Clemson.
Other than Bell and Norris, a pair of talented catchers with first-round talent remain on the board in Oregon State sophomore Andrew Susac (BA 30/PG 27) and California high school backstop Austin Hedges (BA 28/PG 31), who has a strong commitment to UCLA.
There are also plenty of talented arms on the board, highlighted by Arkansas prep right-hander Dillon Howard (BA 31/PG 34). Also still available are Oregon State left-hander Josh Osich (BA 41/PG 43), Coastal Carolina right-hander Anthony Meo (BA 51/PG 42), Puerto Rican prep right-hander Jorge Lopez (BA 39/PG 64), and Dillon Maples (BA 46/PG 48), a high school right-hander out of North Carolina.
Several highly-rated college pitchers remain on the board because of injury risks. TCU left-hander Matt Purke (BA 32/PG 44) missed part of the season because a shoulder injury, while Texas A&M right-hander Josh Stilson (BA 23/PG 37) needs labrum surgery. TCU right-hander Kyle Winkler (BA 43/PG 50) left the Horned Frogs’ NCAA Regional loss after aggravating an arm injury.
The market for position players isn’t as loaded as pitchers, but there is still elite talent to be had in that area on Day Two. Indiana University outfielder Alex Dickerson (BA 42/PG 88) and his power bat remain on the board, as does Southern California corner infielder Ricky Oropesa (BA 57/PG 84), who the Red Sox drafted and failed to sign in 2008. UConn shortstop Nick Ahmed (BA 79/PG 80) is the highest-rated New England player remaining.