ESPNHS Baseball

Each Friday from now until the end of May, Jason A. Churchill, who covers the MLB draft for ESPN Insider, will look at the high school prospects whose stock is up and whose stock is down heading into the draft, which begins on June 4.

The 2012 MLB draft is less than a month away and several top prospects are separating themselves from the pack, while others have seen their stock drop recently.

Prospects see their stock trend up or down in regards to the draft based on several key factors, including performance, signability and injury.

Then there’s the case of Nathan Kirby. We had mentioned this possibility last week, but the James River (Midlothian, Va.) right-hander is dead set on attending the University of Virginia and has told Major League Baseball that he will not be participating in the pre-draft program. Considered a Day 1 talent, Kirby is now virtually ineligible to be drafted, but could be a first-round pick in 2015.

Here’s an overall look at which prospects have helped and hurt their draft prospects since last week.

STOCK UP

Jesmuel Valentin, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy (Gurabo, Puerto Rico)
The son of former big-league infielder Jose Valentin has had a strong season and showed well recently, including at the Excellence Tournament in Puerto Rico late last week. He's a teammate of Carlos Correa, perhaps the No. 2 overall prep prospect in the entire class, so Valentin plays mainly second base. He's capable at short, however, and has enough arm to play there long term. He's a switch hitter, and though there are some questions about the lack of future power, there is bat speed to support a pro career.

Jesse Winker, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
Winker has performed well down the stretch and early in the postseason for FAB 50 No. 1 Olympia, including a 2-for-3 effort last week in the quarterfinals. He went yard in that game, a three-run shot, and has been consistently productive over the past few weeks. Winker is a Day 1 threat.

Lance McCullers Jr., RHP, Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
McCullers’ domination – he didn’t allow an earned run during the regular season -- has continued during the postseason as he went all seven, fanning 13 and allowing just four hits. Amazingly, those were the most hits he’s allowed in a start all season. As one scout in attendance opined, “We got to see him really focus, and bow his neck today, and the results speak for themselves.”

Walker Weickel, RHP, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
Weickel, who started the spring as a potential top 15 pick before sliding a bit due to a velocity plateau, tossed a two-hit shutout last week in the regional quarterfinals to support Winker's offensive efforts. Weickel's still sitting 89-92 mph, but is showing better command of his fastball and breaking ball and projects well thanks to ideal size. The Miami commit could still land in Round 1 and is unlikely to be on the board when the second round begins.

Others Trending Up
Paul Blackburn, RHP, Heritage (Brentwood, Calif.)
Chase DeJong, RHP, Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.)
Steven Duggar, OF, Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.)
Daniel Robertston, SS/3B, Upland (Calif.)
Shane Watson, RHP, Lakewood (Calif.)

STOCK DOWN

Wyatt Mathisen, C/SS, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Mathisen has played well this year, but coming into the season much of his draft stock was based on profiling well as a catcher. He's been used primarily at shortstop this season, which has robbed scouts the chance to see him behind the plate, where he could project as a first-round pick.

Addison Russell, SS/3B, Pace (Fla.)
Russell's stock doesn't appear to have taken a major hit, but a few area scouts have expressed their doubts on his future position more so than earlier in the year. He's still a potential first-round pick, but clubs will have to really like the bat if they aren't confident he will stick at shortstop.

Matt Smoral, LHP, Solon (Ohio)
Smoral has missed most of the season with a foot injury. And while that isn't likely to cost him first-round status, it may ultimately keep him out of the top half of the round. Scouts were unable to check the progress of his breaking ball and especially the changeup, and the left-hander has lost development time.

Others Trending Down
Clint Coulter, C, Union (Camas, Wash.)
David Dahl, OF, Oak Mountain (Birmingham, Ala.)
Kieran Lovegrove, RHP, Mission Viejo (Calif.)

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. You can follow him on Twitter @ProspectInsider and email him at churchill@prospectinsider.com.

Jason A. Churchill, who covers the MLB draft for ESPN Insider, looks at the high school senior baseball prospects who’ve either helped or hurt their draft stock early in the 2012 season.

The Class of 2012 high school baseball class is one of great promise. While it might lack polish at the top, it offers a lot of projectable, star-level athletes with high ceilings. This class, however, won’t sort itself out until late April and May. From our rough sketch of the top 20 high school prospects that was compiled during the preseason (see below), we’ll look at who’s improving his stock and who’s fading in the early going.

Preseason Top 20

1. Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
2. Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
3. Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Academy (Gurabo, Puerto Rico)
4. Walker Weickel, RHP, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
5. Max Fried, LHP, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
6. Matt Smoral, LHP, Solon (Ohio)
7. Stryker Trahan, C, Acadiana (Lafayette, La.)
8. Joey Gallo, 1B, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
9. Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
10. David Dahl, OF, Oak Mountain (Birmingham, Ala.)
11. Lucas Sims, RHP, Brookwood (Snellville, Ga.)
12. Hunter Virant, LHP, Camarillo (Calif.)
13. Rio Ruiz, 3B, Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.)
14. Zach Eflin, RHP, Hagerty (Oviedo, Fla.)
15. Clint Coulter, C, Union (Camas, Wash.)
16. Courtney Hawkins, OF, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas)
17. Addison Russell, SS, Pace (Fla.)
18. Carson Kelly, 3B, Westview (Portland, Ore.)
19. Tanner Rahier, SS, Palm Desert (Calif.)
20. Corey Seager, 3B, Northwest Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)

STOCK UP

Mitch Nay, 3B/OF, Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.)
Nay, Arizona's top prep prospect, has a shot to shoot up the charts with more performances like this week's outing, when he went deep to right-center -- the opposite field for Nay, who’s a right-handed batter -- for a three-run homer.

Ty Buttrey, RHP, Providence (Charlotte, N.C.)
Buttrey touched 95 mph on the radar gun last week and sat firmly in the low-90s. He fanned 12 in 5.2 innings in one start and offers projection at 6-foot-6 and just over 200 pounds. He’s committed to Arkansas, but he could move up into first-day draft consideration.

Eflin
In his latest start, Eflin, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound Central Florida commit, tossed six hitless frames and struck out 12. He has 29 strikeouts in 15 innings on the season, using a 90-94 mph fastball and a potentially plus curveball. He has yet to allow an earned run.

Weickel
Weickel, already a potential top-10 pick and a Miami commit, whiffed 10 in his start last week and has scouts drooling over what might be in a few years. "Sometimes I get lost and imagine him four years down the line," an area scout said. "He could be an absolute horse. The sky's the limit."

STOCK DOWN

Keon Barnum, 1B, King (Tampa, Fla.)
Barnum is hitting for average and power early on but is not showing a consistent ability to recognize and adjust to the breaking ball. Since he's already 19, Barnum has less developmental time ahead of him than most prep draft prospects and is limited to first base defensively, so he has to show even better at the plate than if he offered defensive value. He does possess plus bat speed, and the ball jumps off his barrel, but he's slumped a bit early this season.

Lance McCullers Jr., RHP, Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
While McCullers started this year 4-0, he lands on the Stock Down list because scouts hoped to see improvements in some key areas that have not yet been displayed. He's still inconsistent with his command and there are issues with his delivery, including a lot of effort, and the buzz is that he's headed for the bullpen as a professional.

Fried
After faring very well in his first few outings and impressing over the summer, fall and early winter, Fried has looked very pedestrian of late. He's sat 89-92 mph with his fastball and has not commanded his arsenal well in his last two starts, getting touched up in both. It's far too early to suggest this will ultimately impact his draft stock, but the trend isn't rosy.

Giolito
Giolito lands here based solely on his elbow injury. It's been described as a UCL sprain -- I coined it a potential "UCLA sprain" for its impact on Giolito's decision to sign a pro deal or head to UCLA next fall -- but sprains too often turn up as tears, which generally require Tommy John surgery. The right-hander is my No. 1 overall prospect, prep or college, and will remain at the top of the prep list until more is known of his condition.

If Giolito returns and shows he's 100 percent, he's still likely to be selected in the top 5-10 picks, if not the top three.

INJURIES

On top of Giolito's injury, there have been two others that may weaken the prep class and drop the stock of the players in question. Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, N.M.) catcher/infielder Alex Bregman broke the tip of his middle finger and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Showing the toughness clubs want to see, Bregman hurt the finger in pregame yet played and had two hits.

Ringgold (Ga.) left-hander Matthew Crownover, the nation’s No. 8 lefty, recently had Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of the season. He wasn't considered a first-round talent, but he has touched 95 mph and had a shot to sneak into the top 100 despite his lack of ideal height at 6-0. He's likely headed for Clemson and will be draft eligible in 2015.

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. You can follow him on Twitter @ProspectInsider and email him at churchill@prospectinsider.com.

With spring right around the corner, ESPNHS has begun its search for the nation’s top high school baseball player, regardless of school year and based solely on on-field performance.

Every two weeks, we’ll rank the nine players in order in The Starting Nine. And at the end of the season, whoever is in the top spot will be crowned The Diamond Gem, our award given to the nation’s most outstanding player.

So to kick it off, we give you our preseason Starting Nine. Leading the way is Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.) senior Lucas Giolito, the nation’s top right-handed pitcher who dominated opposing hitters last season and has looked very much like an early first-round pick in the early going this year.

The Starting Nine: Preseason

1. Lucas Giolito, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
RHP, Senior
Why he’s here: The nation’s top right-hander, Giolito went 9-0 last year with a 1.00 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 70.1 innings. He also pitched four complete games, three of which were shutouts.

2. Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
1B/3B/RHP, Senior
Why he’s here: The top player on the top team in the POWERADE FAB 50, Gallo hit .471 last year with 25 homers and 78 RBIs while leading Gorman to its sixth straight state title. He also was 3-1 on the bump with a 1.12 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.

3. Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
OF, Senior
Why he’s here: The nation’s top outfielder and potential top 10 pick in June’s MLB draft flirted with the .600 mark last season (he finished hitting .594) and clubbed 10 homers while driving in 48 runs.

4. Lance McCullers Jr., Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
RHP/SS, Senior
Why he’s here: The hard-throwing right-hander (he’s hit 100 mph on the radar gun) went 5-2 with a 1.71 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 45 innings last season for the Class 4A state runner-up. He also hit .422 with seven homers and 24 RBIs.

5. Kayden Porter, Spanish Fork (Utah)
RHP/OF, Senior
Why he’s here: Porter picked up ESPNHS National Junior of the Year honors last year after leading Spanish Fork to its third straight state title. He went 9-1 with 85 strikeouts in 59 innings and hit .570 with 14 homers and 50 RBIs.

6. Gavin Cecchini, Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
SS, Senior
Why he’s here: Leader of Louisiana powerhouse picked up Gatorade State Player of the Year honors last season after hitting .548 with 10 homers, 41 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.

7. Max Fried, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
LHP, Senior
Why he’s here: The nation’s top lefty, Fried went 7-3 with a 1.31 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 69.2 innings at Montclair Prep (Van Nuys, Calif.). He transferred to Harvard-Westlake after Montclair Prep cut its athletics program.

8. Kyle Carter, Columbus (Ga.)
OF/LHP, Senior
Why he’s here: Carter, who starred on the Columbus team that won the 2006 Little League World Series, set a single-season school record with 22 homers last season to help Columbus earn its second straight state title and 11^th overall. He also hit .467 with 47 RBIs and went 9-4 on the mound with a 2.33 ERA.

9. Courtney Hawkins, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas)
RHP/OF, Senior
Why he’s here: The leader of the No. 4 team in the POWERADE FAB 50, Hawkins led Carroll to a state title as a sophomore and the state semifinals last season. As a junior, he hit .410 with 15 homers, 49 RBIs and 22 stolen bases and was 10-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 81 strikeouts.

ON DECK
Another 25 players we’re tracking to begin the 2012 season

OF Albert Almora, Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.), Sr.
RHP Freddy Avis, Menlo School (Atherton, Calif.), Sr.
1B Keon Barnum, King (Tampa, Fla.), Sr.
RHP Ryan Burr, Highlands Ranch (Colo.), Sr.
C Zach Collins, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), Jr.
C Clint Coulter, Union (Camas, Wash.), Sr.
OF David Dahl, Oak Mountain (Birmingham, Ala.), Sr.
RHP Ty Hensley, Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.), Sr.
3B/RHP Carson Kelly, Westview (Portland, Ore.), Sr.
LHP Nathan Kirby, James River (Midlothian, Va.), Sr.
C Jeremy Martinez, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), Jr.
C/SS/RHP Wyatt Mathisen, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas), Sr.
OF/RHP Ty Moore, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), Sr.
3B/OF Mitch Nay, Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), Sr.
1B/RHP Matt Olson, Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), Sr.
3B Rio Ruiz, Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.), Sr.
SS Addison Russell, Pace (Fla.), Sr.
RHP Lucas Sims, Brookwood (Snellville, Ga.), Sr.
LHP Matt Smoral, Solon (Ohio), Sr.
1B/RHP Jake Thompson, Rockwall-Heath (Heath, Texas), Sr.
RHP/OF Keegan Thompson, Cullman (Ala.), Jr.
C Stryker Trahan, Acadiana (Lafayette, La.), Sr.
LHP Hunter Virant, Camarillo (Calif.), Sr.
RHP Walker Weickel, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.), Sr.
OF/LHP Jesse Winker, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.), Sr.

From foul tips to collisions at the plate, there’s a reason catchers are the only baseball players who need to wear body armor. We checked in with Clint Coulter, the No. 2-ranked catcher prospect by ESPNHS, to find out exactly how punishing the position really is. The Union (Camas, Wash.) senior only began catching a few years ago, but he's already experienced his fair share of excruciating moments behind the dish.

On collisions at home plate:
“It’s illegal to run into the catcher in high school, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. I remember one collision a guy came in hot and slid headfirst and his braces tore into my arm. It was deep, almost down to the bone.”

On dealing with foul tips:
“I’ve taken them in the crotch, off the thigh and off the mask. But you can’t worry about it. It’s not humanly possible to react (in time).

On the grind of the position:
“Doubleheaders will eat your lunch pretty good. I was catching one over the summer in Georgia and it was 100 degrees and humid. I remember stepping into the batter’s box and then stepping back out and I could see my wet footprint in the dirt. I had literally sweated through my cleats. You have to be pretty crazy to handle days like that, but I love it.”

On blocking balls in the dirt:
"I wasn't the best at blocking balls when I started out because I was trying too hard to catch the ball instead of just keeping it in front of me. I'd come home from practice with bruises up and down my arms and jammed fingers. When I learned to use my chest to block the ball, that saved me a lot of pain."

On getting hit by the bat:
"A lot of times, batters will get into the box and set up on in one spot, but then as the pitcher winds up they'll move back in the box an inch or two. There have been a couple times where that's happened and the ump has been right on my back so I can't move back at all and I end up getting hit in the glove by the bat. That doesn't feel too good on the fingers."

On the overall strain of the position:
"Baseball is a grueling sport to begin with, and being a catcher is like grueling times two. Not just physically, but mentally you're really tuned in hard to your pitcher on every pitch. But I love it. I love being in control of the pitching staff. Like anything else in life, if you don't enjoy it then you're not going to be the best. I love being back there, and I want to be the best."

Each week from now until early March, we’ll take a look at the elite Class of 2012 high school baseball prospects by ranking our Top 10 players by position. This week, we unveil our list of the Top 10 catchers headlined by Acadiana (Lafayette, La.) standout Stryker Trahan.

Last year, Trahan was a Class 5A All-State first team selection after he batted .460 with five homers and 31 RBIs. He signed with Ole Miss.

Note: There are others that catch at the prep level that have enough offensive potential to have landed in the Top 10, but don't, in my opinion, have a great enough shot to stick at the position. This Top 10 has the best present skills and tools to remain catchers in pro ball.

1. Stryker Trahan, Acadiana (Lafayette, La.)
Trahan possesses good arm strength, quick feet and a consistent swing that produces above-average power from the left side of the plate. He's strong and sturdy, suggesting he can physically handle catching long term, but he also runs well, posting times from home to first in the low four-second range. He's committed to Ole Miss, but the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder has a chance to be taken off the board among the top 20 picks and is among the better high school catching prospects over the past five years.

2. Clint Coulter, Union (Camas, Wash.)
Coulter, a former elite wrestler, has only focused solely on baseball for one season, but it’s already paying off for the 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-handed hitter. He shows strength and a good approach at the plate and during the Area Code Games tryouts last summer stood out with a short swing and good hip rotation. He's signed a letter of intent with Arizona State, but there is also a good chance he's selected on Day 1 of the draft, which generally guarantees a player a mid-to-high six-figure bonus.

3. Alex Bregman , Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Bregman played shortstop last summer and looked like a quality player, but most scouts project him at second base or catcher. His ranking here is based on the possibility that he sticks behind the plate. He certainly possesses the athletic ability, and his quick release bodes well for the position. He could stand to get stronger, however. He's an LSU commit who could sneak into second round with a strong spring.

4. Wyatt Mathisen, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Mathisen's sound approach at the plate and strong arm highlight a solid package of skills for a prep catcher. He's an accurate thrower as well and has quick hands that help him generate bat speed. Mathisen will head to Austin to play for the Longhorns if he doesn't sign a pro deal this coming summer. He projects as a potential second-round pick as the 2012 schedule begins.

5. C.J. Saylor, South Hills (West Covina, Calif.)
Saylor gets the most out of his 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame, including some gap power and above-average arm strength. His strong lower half helps him produce solid pop times and provides a solid base when swinging the bat. The swing itself has flaws, including a stiff front arm, but there's bat speed and good hand-eye coordination. The San Diego State signee should hear his name called on Day 2.

6. Bryan De La Rosa, Bucky Dent Baseball School (Delray Beach, Fla.)
De La Rosa, a Florida State commit, possesses solid bat speed, generated from good hip rotation and quick wrists. His pop times sit in the 1.7-1.75 range, which is excellent, and despite his lack of size — 5-foot-9, 180 pounds — there's some upside in his game. He'll have to get stronger in his upper body and continue to work on his technique behind the plate and approach at it, but the Puerto Rico native is likely to garner a lot of attention in the middle rounds of Day 2, if not before.

7. Christopher Chinea, Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest, Fla.)
Chinea may have as much chance to jump up the charts as any other prep backstop. He's strong yet athletic at 6-feet and just over 200 pounds, and the power he's displayed is impressive. He was injured late last spring, but there are scouts who believe he's a solid talent that they'd like to keep from heading to LSU. Arm strength and a power swing may lead the way.

8. Ruben Ybarra, Riverside Poly (Riverside, Calif.)
Ybarra may be right behind Chinea in terms of possessing the raw physical tools to greatly improve his stock by draft day. There's big power in his swing and his arm is above average. He's committed to Arizona State, but another year working on his accuracy, making contact at the plate and improving his footwork could mean a spot in the top 100.

9. Tomas Nido, Orangewood Christian (Maitland, Fla.)
Nido is a favorite of mine after studying video and talking to scouts. He stands out in the most important categories as far as tools are concerned — arm strength, receiving and power at the plate. His pop times are above average, but during games he's shown a tendency to open his front side on throws. The hit tool needs work, too, and despite the raw power the swing is long and his hands are busy. He's another Florida State commit and a Day 2 prospect, but he has a chance to end up among the top five prep catchers off the board.

10. Wilfredo Rodriguez, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy (Gurabo, Puerto Rico)
Rodriguez has good feet, running many 60s in under seven seconds, which is good for a catcher. He has good arm strength, is very accurate and his footwork is also solid. His swing is simple and produces line drives, but he does bar his front arm and has a difficult time with good pitches on the outer half. He's signed on at Seminole State College.

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. You can follow him on Twitter @ProspectInsider and email him at churchill@prospectinsider.com.

If you were to ask a scout or front-office member the most difficult position to develop, the overall consensus would likely be catcher.

The position is demanding both physically and mentally, and the attrition behind the plate is undoubtedly the highest in baseball. Plus, most players struggle to pick up the position for several years.

That’s why what Union (Camas, Wash.) senior Clint Coulter has done in his short period of time behind the plate is all the more impressive. Last year was the first season the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder focused solely on baseball.

“I wouldn’t have guessed that he was new to the position,” said a West Coast Conference coach. “We saw him quite a bit last spring, and he really impressed us with his instincts back there. It is always a work in progress when you’re seeing a 16- to 18-year-old kid catch, but the athleticism and size was really impressive.”

That athleticism and size has served Coulter well in multiple sports. As a sophomore, he was the Class 3A state wrestling champion at 189 pounds, but he ended up giving up wrestling last year to concentrate on the diamond.

Last spring, the right-handed hitter delivered an impressive junior campaign to earn a spot in both the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game and the Area Code Games, where he was selected to the New Balance All-Area Code Team.

“Those events were a lot of fun,” Coulter said. “At the Area Code Games, those events are typically dominated by the South, so for us (the Northwest-region-based Royals) to come in and go undefeated was awesome. And then getting a chance to be in the same locker room as Ernie Banks at Wrigley Field for the Under Armour game and how well they catered to us and getting to participate in the home run derby, all of it was a blessing.”

After the big summer, Coulter is being included on many analysts’ top 100 for the 2012 draft. Coulter says his dream is to play professional baseball, and working towards the draft is one of his biggest goals, but he did admit that the new draft rules could have an impact on whether or not he goes the pro or collegiate route.

While he may not be enthralled with the new rules, Coulter did light up when talking about his college commitment to Arizona State.

“I was just so impressed with the competitiveness of the practices,” Coulter said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. Coach Esmay has them working so hard, and it’s more intense than most games I’ve seen or been a part of. They truly are committed to winning.”

Just how high Coulter goes in the draft will depend on whether or not talent-evaluators believe he can stick as a backstop. But the bat should also play well at a corner infield position, just like a current MLB star.

“I like to pattern my game after Mike Napoli,” Coulter said, referring to the Texas Rangers standout catcher who also plays first. “I love how he goes up looking for that fastball middle in, and if he gets, it he lets it rip.”

But if he ends up strictly behind the backstop, Coulter has shown he has what it takes to succeed at the demanding position.

Christopher Crawford is a regular contributor to Prospect Insider and the founder and executive editor of MLB Draft Insider. Follow him on Twitter @CrawfordChrisV.

What a week. It all started back in June when the workouts began. Over 2,500 players were invited to 21 regional workouts for a spot in the 2011 Area Code Baseball Games presented by New Balance.

It is a process and while nerve racking for most, it is rewarding for all. Many believe that just being invited to a workout means a lot.

With all that said, the week at Blair Field had many highlights:

• The performance by Clint Coulter was one for the books. In doing some calculations afterwards, and if our math is correct, he hit over .500. That is remarkable, not because Coulter is not a great player, but because pitchers tend to dominate. A pitcher's advantage is that the hitters have not seen them that much, if at all, and Blair is a pitchers park. What field have these guys played on measures 348 down the lines.
• Three infielders made impressions during the week with great performances. Tanner Rahier, CJ Hinojosa and Alex Bregman made great plays on the field and at the plate squared up many balls. The plays that they made on the field were outstanding. They turned some Major League double plays and made them look easy.
• The youngest player in the field was Drew Ward and he may have come from the smallest school, too. He said that his graduating class has less then 20 people in it. The only player in the class of 2014 held his ground.
• We saw two homers, Dylan LaVelle and Courtney Hawkins (in that order). LaVelle did it for a Royals team that went 5-0 for the week and were perhaps the best team in the field. When they trailed to the Brewers early they chipped away at the lead and ended up winning 12-7. That may have have been one of the best comebacks that we've seen in the tournament.
• Hawkins homer came in a big spot for the Rangers when they played the Brewers in the last game of the week. The Rangers trailed the Brew crew in the bottom of the seventh. It seemed that Hawkins put some good swings on the ball, but the off-speed pitches gave him a little trouble. But when he got a fastball on the inner half, to say he got all of it would be an understatement.
• Lucas Giolito for the second year in a row had the hardest recorded fastball at 96.9 mph. That was according to TrackMan, who was back this year taking such measurements.
• Early on during the batting practice session, the players made the park look small. Granted it was BP and they were smoking BP fastballs, but in the end players still made solid contact. Baseballs were flying out of Blair as if it was an average sized park and it seemed for just a minute that the bats would come out en masse during the week. That was set aside when the pitching took over, the marine layer settled and the spacious outfield swallowed anything in the air.

In summation it was another fun week in Long Beach. There were many great players out there and it looks like the 2012 high school season will be fun to watch. It will be interesting though how the draft will turn out next year. There will be some players who rise and others who slide but it all started in California. The great thing though is that all these players will have nine months to get stronger and improve their skills.

Let's see what happens.

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- After watching a five-run first-inning lead evaporate yesterday in a loss to the Kansas City Royals, the Milwaukee Brewers met for a little extra time in short left field to discuss what had happened. The Brewers didn't have too much time to dwell on the defeat, however, as they were back in action against the Cincinnati Reds at 8:30 a.m. this morning at Blair Field. Even after taking a ball off the face in the second inning, Brewers shortstop Tanner Rahier kept doing the little things to help his team win and earned the New Balance Dustin Pedroia "Muddy Chicken Award" as the Grittiest Player of the Game.

"We put it in cruise control yesterday," said Rahier, a rising senior from Palm Desert (Indian Wells, Calif.). "We wanted to come out today and play it 100 percent all the way through."

The Brewers kept their foot on the gas for all seven innings and defeated K.C., 6-0. The pitching staff for the Brew Crew surrendered just three hits in the game, and Rahier did his part as well.

Things didn't begin well for the San Diego commit. After a close play at second base in the second inning, a Royals runner began trotting back to the dugout thinking he'd been called out. When he realized he was called safe, he scrambled back to the bag and the Brewers threw behind him. The ball deflected off the runner's shoulder and hit Rahier square in the nose.

He remained in the game and played a flawless shortstop until coming out of the game after the fourth inning. But his day didn't end there. He came off the bench twice to pinch run and scored a run.

"I'll do whatever I can to help us win," Rahier said. "That's my game."

Game 2: Washington Nationals vs. Kansas City Royals

One of the rising stars of the Area Code Games has been Clint Coulter of the Royals, and his performance against the Nationals did nothing to slow that down. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound catcher went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, but his hustle on the basepaths is what earned him the New Balance Dustin Pedroia "Muddy Chicken Award" for Grittiest Player of the Game.

"I like to play on the edge of disaster every once in a while," said Coulter, a rising senior from Union (Camas, Wash.).

In the second inning, Coulter hit a liner into center field that looked like a run-of-the-mill single. But Coulter rounded the bag hard, and when the center fielder bobbled the ball he turned on the jets and made it to second.

Stepping to the plate in his next at-bat with the bases loaded, Coulter hit one of the longest ball of the week — a 385-foot shot to left-center that one-hopped the wall. Two runs scored easily, and when the relay throw sailed over the catcher's head a third run trotted home. Coulter wasn't satisfied just moving up to third, so he chugged home and barely beat the tag at the plate.

"I got to second and I was watching the play unfold, and when I saw the wild throw I took off for third," Coulter said. "I got there and looked in at the plate and no one was covering so I just kept going."

Coulter is one of our Area Code Games bloggers. Check it out here.

Game 3: Washington Nationals vs. Chicago White Sox

A sure-fire way to determine whether you've spotted a Muddy Chicken in the wild is to look at its uniform. Is the uniform clean? Then it can't possibly be a Muddy Chicken. Is it dirty? That, my friend, may be a Muddy Chicken. But we still need to know more. How did the uniform come to be dirty? Was it through the act of making game-changing plays? If so, take a picture because you are officially in the presence of a Muddy Chicken. After making a pair of spectacular defensive plays for the Nationals in addition to reaching base twice, Chris Hale meets all the criteria and won the New Balance Dustin Pedroia "Muddy Chicken Award" as the Grittiest Player of the Game.

The Nationals tied the White Sox, 1-1, in a battle of winless teams, but if not for Hale's heroics with the leather at first base the Nationals may have come out on the losing side again.

With a man on in the third inning, Hale ventured into foul ground on a pop-up and made the catch reaching into his own dugout.

"Yesterday there was a play just like that in the same spot and someone in the dugout yelled, 'Watch the fence,' and that screwed me up" Hale said. "Today somebody yelled again, but I was like, 'I have to catch it,' so I just followed it in and reached as far as I could."

Hale was at it again in the sixth. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder was holding on the winning run at first, but bounced off the bag and made a diving backhanded catch to end the inning on a liner that was labeled for the right field corner.

"I just read that one off the bat," Hale said. "It was all reaction."

At the dish, Hale contributed a walk and a single.

Game 4: New York Yankees vs. Oakland A's

Back at the Yankees tryout in Trenton, N.J., in early June, pitcher Quinn Carpenter wasn't even on the roster of participants and had to be added at the last minute. Despite being an unknown at the beginning of the tryout, Carpenter wowed the scouts with a low-90s fastball and earned a spot on the team. Monday, in what will likely be his only appearance in Long Beach, Carpenter wowed scouts again, only this time it was on the national stage. Carpenter logged 3.1 innings of shutout ball — a very long stint on the mound by Area Code Games standards — and earned the New Balance Dustin Pedroia "Muddy Chicken Award" as the Grittiest Player of the Game in his team's 6-1 loss to the A's.

Carpenter, a rising senior from Central (Goshen, N.Y.), entered the game in the second inning with two runners on and two outs. The Yankees starter had surrendered six runs in the first 1.2 innings and it looked like a blowout could be in the works. But Carpenter got out of the jam and went on to post three more goose eggs on the scoreboard.

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound righty fanned three batters and allowed just one hit in addition to hitting a batter. He also benefitted from a double play by his defense, meaning he faced one batter over the minimum in his time on the bump.

We all love numbers when it comes to sports. We love the stats, especially those who play fantast sports online. This week at the Area Code Baseball Games presented by New Balance, TrackMan is in attendance and like last year will provide us with some interesting numbers.

Highest exit speed:

Here we have the numbers of the ball coming off the bat. Remember these players are using wood bats so the exit speed will be slower in comparison to the aluminum bats.

• Kevin Ross (White Sox), Nathan Mikolas (White Sox) and Courtney Hawkins (Rangers) had the highest exit speed at 100mph. Only Ross got a single on the play.
• Courtney Hawkins and Clint Coulter were listed three times each of the players with the top exit speeds. Hawkins posted 100, 95 and 93. Coulter posted 97, 93 and 92.

The longest hit on day 1 came from Clint Coulter, who blasted on 353 feet. That was good enough for a double. Gavin Cecchini (Rangers) was the only other player (out of 10) who had a hit. His 254 foot shot also got him a double.

On day 1, Ty Hensley (White Sox) had the hardest fastball at 93.3mph. He did not have the highest average. That went to Zaach Quintana who averaged 91.5mph. Quintana's hardest fastball was 92.6.

Five pitchers had an average over 90mph: Ty Hensley (91.1), Zach Quintana (91.5), Tony Blanford (Reds, 90.4) and Andrew Sopko (Royals, 90.2).

Another fun number to look at is the spin rate on the breaking balls. So TrackMan calculated the RPM on the pitch and the velocity. As a standard, according to TrackMan an average MLB curveball is 76mph and 2450 RPM. Five pitchers had a higher RPM than the MLB average.

1. Tony Blanford (Reds) | 2649 RPM | 75mph
2. Brady Lail (Reds) | 2624 RPM | 75mph
3. Michael Rucker (Royals) |2556 RPM | 77mph
4. Ryan Warner (Reds) | 2536 RPM | 70mph
5. Andrew Pullin (Royals) | 2454 RPM | 70mph

So there are some more numbers for you to look at and digest.

Well it came and went as fast as could be expected. The 2011 Area Code Baseball Games, presented by New Balance got underway with a bang.

For those who have never been to Blair Field (Long Beach, Calif.) it is not a small park. When you add the wood bats, it becomes a great pitcher's park. It is ok to give up flyballs, especially if you have fast outfielders. Granted you never want to leave the ball up, but if a pitcher can pitch to the park then flyballs will not hurt.

What did we learn after the BP session in the morning?

For the first time, since I could remember, Blair actually looked small. When I talked with an employee of Long Beach State, he said that the 49ers did not hit one out at Blair all year. That was because of the bat change.

But what we saw with this group of high school players in the BP session was impressive to say the least. It seemed that players were leaving the yard left and right. And if they didn't hit them out, they were hitting missles off the wall. If this is a sign of things to come not just for the week, but for the next year then there are going to be some offensive minded high school players to go early in the draft.

Look, it was only BP, that much we do know. But the approach of these players at the plate, combined with the strength they showed it was still impressive.

When the games rolled around balls were still being hit hard. It's obviously a lot different hitting a BP fastball out that is being served up, compared to anything with a wrinkle in it.

In the two games we saw today, there were a few players who stood out.

Courtney Hawkins, plays for the Rangers, was an absolute stud out there. He showed his bat, arm and speed all in one game. It was a joy to watch him play.

Two players on the Royals had maybe the best day of any player. Dylan LaVelle collected three hits and his Royal's teammate Clint Coulter, who added two hits, led the Royals to a win. They are a scrappy team, and I think that was known coming into this week. The applied pressure to the defense and they could pitch. That was evident by Michael Rucker throwing a no-hitter through three innings.

If this was a sign of what to expect during the week, then what a week we are in store for.

Clint Coulter will suit up for the Kansas City Royals at the 2011 Area Code Baseball Games, which starts August 6. Last year, he played for the Washington Nationals and did quite well. He hails from Union (Camas, Wash.) and looks to make another solid impression in front of the scouts in attendance. This year there was a change for Coulter, as he stopped wrestling for his high school to focus on baseball. He even won a state championship in the sport.

As far as baseball goes, he is considered one of the best players in the state of Washington. BaseballNorthwest.com has him ranked as the No. 4 player in the Emerald State.

Here is his first blog post for the Area Code Baseball Games. He talks about his summer and what he hopes to get out of it.