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The UC Santa Barbara baseball program ushered in an impressive signing class under new head coach Andrew Checketts. There are 15 players overall to this year's group from the Class of 2012 and three of them are nationally known talents in Corey Oswalt of James Madison (San Diego, Calif.), Connor Baits of Point Loma (San Diego, Calif.) and Dalton Kelly of Foothill (Palo Cedro, Calif.).

The top player in the class may very well be Oswalt, who was a member of the Milwaukee Brewers Area Code team this past summer and played for the SC Rays Scout team in the Arizona Senior Fall Classic. During his junior year, the standout infielder hit .541 with four homers and 25 RBI. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Oswalt is a physical player and has the ability to drive the ball.

The Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft has become quite the spectacle, growing from a conference call in the 1990s to a televised event covered throughout the calendar year. The interest in the event has developed rapidly, and there are plenty of reasons why.

Even though the 2012 draft is more than six months away, it's on the minds of fans, as certain top prospects have just signed letters of intent to play in college. My own personal intrigue in the draft has grown exponentially over the past decade. Here are the three reasons:

1. The prospects

Covering the MLB Draft is a joy. The prep and college players play the game with such passion and ferocity, and typically display a level of energy and respect for the game that isn't always apparent in the big leagues.

The college atmosphere is unsurpassed in the sport and the manner in which the players at the prep and college levels approach each and every game is unique. Since most of the players aren't going to be drafted, the pride in the way they play is as genuine as anything in organized athletics.

Generally speaking, the amateur player is a breath of fresh air. There are no big contracts, very little machismo and a field full of pride and hope. It sounds like a poem, but baseball is nothing if not poetic.

2. The draft is all inclusive

No, not like a lavish hotel in the Caribbean. The draft involves players who excel in all aspects of the game, several levels of talent and a pitting of two levels -- college versus the pro game. There is also the side that includes the player agent, or advisers as they are referred to until the player in question signs a professional contract.

The decision of the player to head to college or sign (not to mention the early signs of which way he may be leaning) can impact where he's selected and the size of the bonus offer. There's so much to consider.

With all that is involved, putting the draft under a microscope broadens your general baseball knowledge ten-fold and because it's the first step toward the big leagues, that knowledge will be relevant for several years.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of each spring is the different opinions on players from different analysts and scouts around the baseball world. That isn't something you get much from the other major sports' drafts.

The draft never gets old, and when you finally feel like you have a grasp on a class, the draft is over and the next class is playing in the summer showcases.

3. The draft is where it's at

The draft is the future of your favorite Major League Baseball club, and sometimes, the draft is the very-near future of your team. In the current economic climate of the game, organizations that draft wisely and choose to invest financial resources in draft selections position themselves to stay atop their division and challenge for the postseason season after season -- perfect example being the Tampa Bay Rays -- or perhaps climb from the bottom, just the way the Arizona Diamondbacks did in 2011.

The D-backs relied on many young players, and a number of them were drafted and developed within their own farm system, including star right fielder Justin Upton, starting shortstop Stephen Drew, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and right-hander Josh Collmenter.

The Rays' incredible stock of young talent needs no introduction, but take note how many among their 40-man roster came from their drafts over the past several years. The answer is 17, more than any other club in either league. Without the draft -- and the high rate of success, the Rays don't have left-hander David Price, third baseman Evan Longoria, right-hander James Shields or 2011 American League Rookie of the Year, right-hander Jeremy Hellickson. The Rays are what they are, a perennial contender in the toughest division in all of sports, because of their draft selections.

The draft is likely to remain a critical manner in which clubs build, rebuild and sustain their success, and it may become even more crucial to the process, the more the big markets commit to taking the draft seriously.

Jason A. Churchill covers scouting, player development and the MLB Draft for ESPN Insider, as well as Prospect Insider where he's the founder and executive editor. He's served in similar roles for numerous publications since 2003, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. You can find Jason's ESPN archives here and follow him on Twitter here. He can also be reached via email here.

We caught up with San Pasqual's (Escondido, Calif.) Kevin Grendell at the Last Chance Prospect Camp in Salinas, Calif. He talked about his commitment to UCI along with his thoughts on his upcoming senior season.

The Major League Baseball Draft, officially referred to as the First-Year Player Draft, consists of 50 rounds of selections. Three levels of players are eligible from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, including high schools players that are slated to or have just graduated high school.

The slight majority of players chosen generally are of the college ilk, but last June more than half of the top 60 picks were prep players, and the class was considered the best in at least a handful of years.

There are benefits to drafting both college and high school players. The college player generally is on shorter path to the majors, leaving less risk to the club that the talent will stagnate and never supply a return on the investment. The college player also brings fewer questions in terms of makeup, physical capabilities and injury, since there is far more information available on a three-year university veteran than high school player.

The benefit to drafting high school talents, however, is a fascinating trip down Draft Philosophy Boulevard. It depends on which scout is asked as it will somewhat based in their experiences -- and the success and failures -- but the commonalities are abound.

Here are three reasons why a high school player can be the better choice:

1. Professional Instruction

The longer, and sooner, a player can begin receiving professional instruction the better the chances he maximizes his natural talents and becomes the player in which the club hopes he can ultimately develop.

While not universal, as there are several exceptions, it's generally accepted that college coaching staffs have different goals. They are hired to win games for their school, not necessarily prepare their players for professional baseball.

"Pro ball allows the talent to be nurtured," said a scouting supervisor of one American League club. "Colleges don't have that luxury, they have a different goal. A player's best chance to run its (development) course is through pro ball."

There is a lot of value in a club being able to shape the talent the way they prefer, and often times it can be the difference between an end-result sprouting a star versus a fringe major leaguer.

2. Routine

In connection with receiving professional coaching and guidance, there are differing habits and routines developed in college that do not prepare a player well for pro ball. The schedule is significantly abbreviated and the kids have to spend a lot of time studying for classes.

If they head from high school to the minor leagues, their every twitch can be focused on their development as a baseball player, and they will be doing so under close scrutiny and training of those in charge of getting them ready for the big leagues.

"I would always lean toward high school drafts," explains one clubs's assistant GM, "just because the time you get to spend molding the players as your own and because they haven't developed habits, yet."

Going from a schedule that may extend out to 60-70 games in college to the 144-game schedule in the minors can be awfully demanding for the college draftee, who is generally 20-22 years of age on draft day. His skills may be ready for a big-league promotion -- particularly pitchers -- before his body is ready to handle the rigors of a full big-league schedule.

With a high school player, he can be fully acclimated to the 144-game minor league schedule before he hits his age range of 20-22, making for a much smoother transition a season that is basically three weeks longer.

3. Upside

When clubs select a college player they are more-less hoping that talent translates fairly quickly to the major leagues, and aren't necessarily seeking significant physical progress or additional expectancies in performance. In other words, to an extent, he is what he is.

"That's what makes them safer picks," the supervisor explained. "You'll probably get something out of your higher picks if they are college guys, and that is especially true for pitchers."

With the prep athlete, however, you have to dream a little bit, project down the road. Clubs will take performance into consideration, of course, but if the specific skill set is there and the player displays the physical attributes of a future big-league player, he's a prospect. Those that show exceptional levels of ability within those skills, both physical and technical within the game of baseball, they have rather high upsides.

"Simply put," said an NL club's national crosschecker, "these higher-ceiling kids can be stars, there's still that chance. If a college player isn't a superstar in school he's not likely to be one as a pro."

This thought links to Nos. 1 and 2 in terms of maximizing the chance to develop a player into a superstar. It's no surprise that many of the game's brightest stars that came to MLB via the draft were selected right out of high school. Prince Fielder, Alex Rodriguez, Josh Hamilton, Clayton Kershaw, CC Sabathia and Justin Upton are just a handful of examples.

In conclusion, there is no right or wrong answer to the question of which is the better philosophy, selecting college players or high school talents in the draft. And there are more factors that come into play than just the players' abilities when organizations make these decisions, including how soon the player projects to assist the big league club in their goal to winning a World Series, and the reward the player is capable of bringing once he arrives.

"I think it can depend on the situation your club is in at the time," said the assistant GM. "I think drafting really high, you have to take the best player regardless of position or level of experience, but if you are a club building toward winning three or four years down the road and you have a college player and a high school graded equally after evaluating all the risks and rewards, perhaps the high school kid makes as much or more sense. You know, to try and get that franchise player out of it."

Jason A. Churchill covers scouting, player development and the MLB Draft for ESPN Insider, as well as Prospect Insider where he's the founder and executive editor. He's served in similar roles for numerous publications since 2003, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. You can find Jason's ESPN archives here and follow him on Twitter here. He can also be reached via email here.

MONTEREY, Calif. – For many of the top prep players this month it is about signing a National Letter of Intent. Others will not have that option and yet they are still trying to find a place to play on the next level.

The Last Chance Prospect Camp gives players, who have not yet signed, an opportunity to be evaluated by scouts and college coaches. Not every player will get a full scholarship for baseball, as many of them are partials because of the few numbers of baseball scholarships afforded to each program.

“Events like this are critical for players to be seen by college coaches and Major League evaluators,” remarked Area Code Baseball’s Andrew Knepper. “It could be one at-bat or one pitch that changes the mind of these evaluators.”

Players that are on the fringe an event like this could make the difference.

“Player development in prep players is more of a day-to-day thing instead of month-to-month. Everyday these kids get better,” added Knepper.

The director of the Last Chance Prospect Camp is Nathan Trosky of Trosky Baseball. When it comes to bloodlines, Trosky has them. His grandfather, Hal Trosky, had what many consider to be the greatest rookie year ever, as in 1934 Trosky’s grandfather hit .330 with 35 homers and 142 RBI.

When Trosky was asked about the goal of this event he remarked, “To create a stage where players can present their talent to scouts and coaches.”

During the event the players will have an opportunity to play in a game.

“When players can play in game situations and be evaluated it reveals the depth of a player’s talent,” Trosky added.

This is different from evaluating a player in a workout environment where the player’s tools are easily identifiable and displayed.

“A lot show well by doing drills and showing their tools. You can see the arm and if they can hit for power,” said Trosky.

While the tools are important in the evaluation of a player it comes down to what they can do in games. Players will be divided up into six teams and have one game to prove they can play.

“When players are evaluated in game situations you can see the passion and how well they deal with adversity,” Trosky added.

Baseball is a game of adversity because it is a game of failure. When you think about it some of the best players in the game fail 70 percent of the time at the plate. That is a lot of adversity.

“Players have a small window to show something,” stated Trosky, “this is a big opportunity for them to do something special.”

The Sporting News selected its 2011 all-star team and nine of the 21 players selected suited up in the Area Code Games at some point. The team was selected by various executives from the 30 MLB teams, that according to SportingNews.com.

Off the American League team three players that were selected played in the Area Code Games. Alex Avila (2004/Area Code International), Jacoby Ellsbury (2001/Seattle Mariners) and Adrian Gonzalez (1999/San Diego Padres).

From the National League team there were six players to play in the Area Code Games. Brian McCann (2001/Pittsburgh Pirates), Prince Fielder (2000/Pittsburgh Pirates), Troy Tulowitzki (2001/San Francisco Giants), Ryan Braun (2001/Area Code Team), Justin Upton (2003/Montreal Expos) and Clayton Kershaw (2005/Texas Rangers).

You can check out the rest of the team here.

Lucas Giolito stands out in many ways. He's 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, and is also the top prep pitcher in the draft class of 2012. There's a chance he's the No. 1 overall pick next June, and is certain to be taken off the board in the top 10.

I've seen him up to 97 mph with his fastball, which sets up an above-average power curveball and a changeup drenched in promise. ESPN Insider's Keith Law wrote from the Area Code Games in August that Giolito's velocity "is easy to him and his delivery is built for starting; his command isn't there and he needs more consistency on each of his secondary pitches. But I don't think there's a better overall package among prep arms in the 2012 class yet."

The industry agrees. One scouting supervisor called Giolito "a contender for a top-10 spot in any draft. He's very, very good, and he's only going to get better. There is a lot to like."

Giolito is the complete pitcher, blessed with size, strength, a balanced delivery and a strong set of weapons, and if things go as expected, he'll continue to impress next spring and start his pro career in the ensuing months.

So, how does the Harvard-Westlake High School product stack up against the best prep pitchers of the past few classes? Let's address that.

Stuff
Entering his senior season, Giolito doesn't quite measure up to the likes of the very best the past five classes has offered, falling short of first-round picks such as right-handers Gerrit Cole (No. 28 overall, New York Yankees, 2008), Shelby Miller (No. 19, St. Louis Cardinals, 2009), Dylan Bundy (No. 4, Baltimore Orioles, 2011) and Jacob Turner (No. 9, Detroit Tigers, 2009) as well as left-handers Tyler Matzek (No. 11, Colorado Rockies, 2009) and Clayton Kershaw (No. 7, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2006). The difference is the advanced levels of the offspeed stuff, and in the cases of Bundy, Cole and Turner, another gear with the fastball.

Jameson Taillon from The Woodlands High School in Texas also offers more velocity and a breaking ball with a higher ceiling, but Giolito has an advantage in command and control. Taillon, during his senior season, had bouts with walks, leaving his fastball up in the zone. He was still selected No. 2 overall, thanks to the potential reward of a 96-99 mph fastball and power curveball.

"Lucas is probably a step below Taillon, Bundy, Gerrit Cole and Clayton Kershaw" said one West Coast crosschecker. "He's a No. 1 or 2 guy down the line, though."

Projectability
Like many high school arms taken high in the draft, Giolito offers projectable gifts; he's big and tall and figures to add velocity as he matures and makes adjustments. The fastball comes out of his hand so easy that it's not difficult to believe that as he gains strength and perfects his mechanics, he could end up sitting in the mid-90s and hitting 97-99 regularly.

Giolito's promise is his calling card when pitted against the top picks of the past five years. Only Taillon and 2007 first-rounder Phillippe Aumont brought comparable raw stuff to go with such a tall, strong frame. "That's the fun of the whole thing," an American League scout said. "We see what he is right now, but we have to ask what he is going to be in nine months when it matters more, and what might he turn into between then and his rise to the majors. We just don't know."

In other words, Giolito, who belongs in the conversation with the aforementioned pitchers, still has a chance to compare favorably with the entire group.

Delivery and Mechanics
This is where Giolito makes up some ground. As a prep pitcher, Cole drew a few comparisons to big-league closers and there were those that believed he'd end up in the bullpen because his delivery created some command problems, including a stiff landing leg. These concerns have since subsided, as Cole was the No. 1 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates this past June, but Giolito does not present such issues.

He reminds me some of Tommy Hanson of the Atlanta Braves and Anthony Ranaudo of the Boston Red Sox, both of whom fit the physical profile, and have somewhat similar stuff and/or mechanics as does Giolito.

"The easy fastball is what separates him from the rest of the class," the scouting supervisor added. "Otherwise he would be another arm strength prospect destined for the bullpen. That isn't the case, though, and it's because his arm works well and the ball jumps out of his hand."

Conclusion
The classes of 2009 and 2010 boasted loads of prep pitchers that warranted first-round consideration, and there appears to be at least one No. 1 or No. 2 starter in each crop since Kershaw in 2006. Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Jarrod Parker was the No. 9 overall pick in 2007, just two selections before the San Francisco Giants selected southpaw Madison Bumgarner.

Also starring from the 2009 class is left-hander Tyler Skaggs, drafted by the Los Angeles Angels and now in the Arizona farm system, and righty Zack Wheeler, the No. 6 pick (Giants) overall.

A year later the prep class was even deeper, including right-handers Karsten Whitson, Dylan Covey, Zach Lee, Taijuan Walker, A.J. Cole, Aaron Sanchez and Tyrell Jenkins. Many of these pitchers are considered frontline arms and a few of them have a shot to be aces at the big-league level.

I believe an arm like that of Lucas Giolito that possesses a mature approach, physical ability and clean arm action, has a great chance to be considered among the better arms drafted over the past five or six years. He'll need a big spring to prove it, however, and he'll have to show consistency.

Here's my quick-look ranking of the past three draft classes in terms of prep pitching, with Giolito's 2012 profile inserted, as if the draft were tomorrow:

2009
1. Jacob Turner, RHP 2. Tyler Matzek, LHP
3. Shelby Miller, RHP
4. Zack Wheeler, RHP
5. Matt Purke, LHP
6. Lucas Giolito, RHP
7. Matt Hobgood, RHP
8. Chad James, LHP
9. Tyler Skaggs, LHP
10. David Holmberg, LHP

2010
1. Jameson Taillon, RHP 2. Karsten Whitson, RHP
3. A.J. Cole, RHP
4. Zach Lee, RHP
5. Dylan Covey, RHP
6. Lucas Giolito, RHP
7. Aaron Sanchez, RHP
8. Mike Foltynewicz, RHP
9. Taijuan Walker, RHP
10. Tyrell Jenkins, RHP

2011
1. Dylan Bundy, RHP
2. Archie Bradley, RHP
3. Taylor Guerrieri, RHP
4. Lucas Giolito, RHP
5. Dillon Howard, RHP
6. Tyler Beede, RHP
7. Joe Ross, RHP
8. Jose Fernandez, RHP
9. Daniel Norris, LHP
10. Robert Stephenson, RHP

Jason A. Churchill covers scouting, player development and the MLB Draft for ESPN Insider, as well as Prospect Insider where he's the founder and executive editor. He's served in similar roles for numerous publications since 2003, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. You can find Jason's ESPN archives here and follow him on Twitter here.

Alex Martinez is a pitcher out of Union City (Union City, Calif.). We caught up with him at the Arizona Senior Fall Classic in Peoria, Ariz.

Curt Schilling retired in 2009 with three World Series rings and a track record as one of the greatest postseason pitchers in MLB history. The beginning of his career wasn’t quite as illustrious. Schilling didn’t make varsity until his senior year at Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.) and wasn’t drafted out of high school, but he never questioned his lifelong dream of making the bigs. We caught up with the “Baseball Tonight” analyst to find out how he went from JV to MVP.

Schilling on dealing with the adversity of getting cut from varsity:
I had a good dad who told me I didn’t make the varsity team because I wasn’t good enough. Some other kids in my area that didn’t make the varsity team, their dads filed a petition to have the coach fired. My dad explained it to me this way: “You’re gonna work for a lot of people in life that you aren’t gonna like, but that doesn’t mean you quit the job. If you want to play varsity baseball you’ve got to figure out how to get good enough to make the team.”

On whether he’d go back and do anything different to make varsit y earlier:
I wouldn’t change any of it. There were some really valuable lessons for me in that. It served me very well in my professional career. I had a lot of great coaches and great managers, but I also played for some guys who weren’t that great.

On his attitude while he was coming up:
I can honestly say, with my hand to God, there was never a second in my life where I thought about what would happen if I didn’t make the big leagues. I never, ever thought I wasn’t going to make it. I always knew I was, so everything to me was a natural part of that progression: Getting sent down, getting called up, getting cut from the big league team during spring training, that was just how it was supposed to happen.

On how that attitude benefitted him:
I played with a lot of guys who couldn’t do that, who were always worried about everybody else. In the minor leagues you’ve got all these guys saying, “I can’t believe this guy or that guy got called up over me.” You begin to realize, “If I’m good enough, I’ll be playing in the big leagues with somebody.” I think it carries over to more things than just baseball.

Current Los Angeles Dodger Clayton Kershaw took home the Warren Spahn Award, which is based on a pitcher's wins, strikeouts and ERA. Kershaw led the league in all three categories. We saw Kershaw pitch in the 2005 Area Code Baseball Games in Long Beach, Calif. At the time Kershaw was listed at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and the only diffence now is that he is listed at 215 pounds. We remember the hard-throwing lefty on the same team as Brandon Belt (Giants) and Jordan Walden (Angels).

Kershaw is the front runner for the National League Cy Young Award and it would come as a surprise if he did not get it.

The casual observer tends to believe that once the baseball season is over, when the summer fades into the cold air, ballplayers have it easy. "They just relax and goof off," guessed one fan at a college regional this past spring. In all actuality, however, there's just as much work to be done during the winter months than while the schedule is being played, and the same goes for amateur players -- at least the ones that want to be great.

"If they want to get better, they'll put in hours and hours working on their game, hitting the weights, staying well conditioned," said one club's East Coast Scouting Supervisor. "The next time I see the player after five or six months, I don't want to recognize him right away."

High school kids play all spring, some starting as early as February, and generally compete well into the summer, ending with showcases during their sophomore and junior seasons. Some even find fall leagues to keep them sharp, but they all flock to the gym, the cage or the mound in some capacity.

In conversations with a half-dozen prospects from the classes of 2012 and 2013, each of them shared some off-season workout secrets, but to a man asked to remain anonymous. "I just don't want someone else out there knowing how I go about it," said a right-hander pitcher on the west coast.

That same pitcher: "I take some time off when school starts; I don't play football anymore, so I just make sure I don't break anything for awhile. I run, I lift a little bit, but mostly I try not to overdo it."

This approach is typical amongst those polled, but the vacation doesn't last long. "I like to hit the gym pretty hard after Thanksgiving," said a catcher who also pitches some. "I don't throw much until after the New Year, but I hit in the cage once a week."

Another right-hander pitcher, who touches 93 mph with his fastball, said he throws long toss once or twice a week once November rolls around and never goes more than a week or so without at least playing catch. He doesn't amp up the fastball until the season nears, however.

"I like to save my bullets," he said. "My dad and I worked with my coaches from school on a good program for me and we went through it last year, so since it worked we're sticking with it this time, too. I throw off a mound here and there, but I stay in shape by playing basketball and our (basketball) coach likes to run and play hard-nosed defense."

When asked if there was anything special or out of the ordinary they like to do regularly or some odd regimen they might follow, one outfield prospect from the great state of Texas said "when football season is over, I just play video games and try not to eat too much junk. I do have to get back to it pretty hard after the holidays, you know, after all the food."

He then added that he goes "about a month or two" without swinging a bat at all. "I think it's good to give yourself a little break."

Twenty years ago, none of the above was common. "When I'd ask what a specific player was doing to stay in shape during the offseason," explained one scouting director who spent 17 years as an area scout, "the answer was always 'I don't know … nothing.' Now there is a lot of running, weightlifting and throwing by the pitchers and catchers. Times have changed."

The typical big leaguer takes some time off, too, often getting out of the country or heading back home to spend time with family. Baseball is never far from their minds, however. Two Decembers ago I spoke with Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Travis Snider, a former first-round pick that chose pro ball over college, and his end of that conversation took place from a training complex. Now he's operating his own center for baseball training and instruction, the Rage Cage, near his home town in Everett, Washington. Baseball has become a year-round sport.

"It's what I have to be about," Snider said. "I have to get better at everything and there's only one way to do that."

"You have to be serious about the game of you want to make it," said an agent of several prospects in the past three drafts. "Whether it's a high school kid or one of my guys in the minors or majors, it's what you do between games and between seasons that makes you what you are on the field."

One Texas prep pitcher said via e-mail that "I was told that if I want to be a first-round guy, I need to work like a first-round pick. I guess first-round guys work every day because that is what I'm doing right now. I have not taken a single day off yet and I don't plan to. I haven't thrown a lot, but I've put on 10 pounds since the Area Code Games."

Clearly times have changed. Baseball is a business, a career, a lifestyle. Gaining an edge in December and January can show up on the field during the spring and ultimately in the number of zeroes in the signing bonus come June. "It also shows my college coach what I am about," the Texas prepster added. "I don't want to go in and sit my first year there and this is how I make sure that doesn't happen."

One American League GM and former scouting director, when told of how vigorous the off-season regimens are for 16 and 17-year-old kids, said "that makes me feel lazy, but it's the world we live in nowadays. That's what it's all become."

Jason A. Churchill covers scouting, player development and the MLB Draft for ESPN Insider, as well as Prospect Insider where he's the founder and executive editor. He's served in similar roles for numerous publications since 2003, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. You can find Jason's ESPN archives here and follow him on Twitter here.

Nolan Gannon is a top-notch pitching prospect out of Santa Fe Christian, (San Diego, Calif). Loaded with the prototypical workhorse pitcher's frame, 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Gannon is turning heads of Major League scouts with his potential of being a big league arm down the line.

Pitching from the right side, he brings the heat with a low 90’s fastball that has a good downward plane. His off-speed stuff consists of a good curveball that breaks in around 77-75 mph and a changeup we were unable to see as he was working the curve primarily.
Gannon is going to be a fun prospect to watch through out this upcoming season.

Fernando Perez is one of the few people we have heard of following the “Bryce Harper” junior college route to professional baseball. In an interview today at the Arizona Senior Fall Classic, Perez told us that he would be forgoing his senior spring semester to attend Central Arizona Community College. This will allow Perez to be draft eligible come the MLB first year players draft in June of 2012.

Currently playing third base for Otay Ranch (Chula Vista, Calif.), Perez is an outstanding ball player who runs, hits and fields well. In the 60-yard dash he consistently runs a 6.9-7.0 second dash, he hits for good power and swings for a solid average. Down the line we can see his power increasing as he fills in his frame (currently 6-foot-1, 190 pounds) as he still seems to be growing. In the field he plays a solid third base with good arm strength across the diamond.

Check out the video above to hear his decision about going to college early.

Kevin Maxey is an outfielder out of Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) and is playing fall ball at the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, Calif. Maxey reportedly played JV last year for the Jackrabbits and should move up to the varsity level in 2012. He is a strong kid who at times flashes explosive power. He has some big time tools and has a solid frame.

Over the fall and winter months, ESPN High School will be spotlighting players that stood out over the summer baseball seasons, giving you an in-depth look at some of the best prospects of 2011 and beyond.

Catchers who can hit from the left-side of the plate with power are not exactly commonplace in the game today. The position has generally been defensive oriented due to the wear and tear, and generally players that provide offensive value switch positions to maximize their worth. This is why players like Joe Mauer, Brian McCann and to a lesser extent Alex Avila and Matt Weiters are thought of as indispensable to their respective organizations.

It’s too early to tell if he’ll be in that class, but the reason’s above are why some talent evaluators are falling in love with Acadania (Scott, La.) High School's Stryker Trahan.

“(Trahan) is a heck of a talent,” said an SEC coach. “You see the plus bat-speed, you see the ball just jump of his bat –be it aluminum or wood – and then you watch the kid run and throw? He’s a star in college at third base or the outfield. If he can stay at catcher he’s the type of kid who could take you to Omaha.”

That may seem like lofty expectations for a young man who just started his senior year of high school, but one need only to see his previous accolades to know why he’s so highly regarded. Trahan was busy over the summer, participating in the 2011 Area Code Games and the 2011 Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley field, where he put on a show during batting practice and was selected to participate in the home run derby before the game.

While Trahan has impressed everyone offensively, Trahan is much more enigmatic behind the dish. While no one can question the natural arm strength, his footwork – though improving – still isn’t up to standard, and blocking pitches is not yet a large part of his skillset.

“Really, it’s just going to depend on how patient a school or club is (with him),” an NL-East scout says. “No high school kid is going to just be ready defensively to catch, it’s a difficult position. This is my first look at him, but the info I’ve seen says that he’s done nothing but improve since he started playing the position. A club may want to try and advance his bat quickly and that could derail the progress, or a team may decide they just don’t want his knees to take away his speed and athleticism. Outside of that though, I give him a chance. There’s just so much value in catchers who can hit, it’s worth the risk to me.”

Another question is where exactly Trahan will be playing baseball after 2012. Trahan – who also is the starting quarterback for Acadania this fall – is currently committed to play baseball at Ole Miss come 2012, but the prospects of being a high draft pick could change that quickly.

“It wouldn’t stun me one bit if you saw him taken in the first two rounds,” an AL-West scout said. “The power is well-above average and even as an outfielder the overall skill to me is top 100. Not saying that’s where he’ll end up, but that’s where the talent stands right now.”

Whether that talent ends up at Ole Miss come next year – or behind the plate long-term – Stryker Trahan is a name that demands your attention now and in the future.