2011 MLB Draft Follow List: Sept. Update

The follow list is a key component of how amateur players are evaluated. At this point in the scouting season, it's about identifying the players to focus on next spring. Some of these players will be viewed as high-level follows or guys who could go in the top few rounds, and others just as follows that could go a little later in the draft.

As of Sept. 4, and after scouting the Perfect Game National Showcase, Cape Cod League action, the Team USA Collegiate Team Trials and the two high school All-American games my personal follow list stands at 197 players. Following further coverage of collegiate action and amateur events this list will continue to grow. Here is the most recent update of my follow list as I continue scouting for the 2011 MLB Draft.

(Note: This list only includes players I have scouted, and it is not a full representation of the 2011 class. Tier 1 players are what scouting departments generally consider top-four-round type talents. Many more players will make their way onto this list in the coming months.)

Overall Top-Level Follow List - Tier 1

No.	Player	Position	School
1.	Anthony Rendon	3B	Rice
Light-tower power to all fields and looks sharp defensively. Produces power with incredible ease and short, explosive swing. Doesn't run well, but superb everywhere else.
2.	George Springer	OF	Connecticut
Fast hands, explosive power. Outstanding athlete with wiry strength. Impact hitter at next level. Plus present power. Plus arm and speed. Fantastic athlete with special bat.
3.	Gerrit Cole	RHP	UCLA
Power stuff is at top of the class. Easy 94-97 mph with his fastball and a sharp breaking ball for strikes. Command still improving but attacks hitters well and trusts his plus-plus stuff.
4.	Archie Bradley	RHP	Broken Arrow H.S. (Okla.)
Power arm at 94-95 mph with excellent feel for his breaking ball. Good mound demeanor. Two-sport standout and plus athlete.
5.	Daniel Norris	LHP	Science Hill H.S. (Tenn.)
Electric stuff from the left side, 93-95 with the fastball and command of plus curveball and quality changeup.
6.	Matt Barnes	RHP	Connecticut
Front-of-the-rotation stuff. 93-96 with the fastball, throws breaking ball for strikes. Swing-and-miss stuff.
7.	Jackie Bradley Jr.	OF	South Carolina
Acrobatic center fielder with outstanding plus throwing arm. Shows good raw power and mature approach in game action. Compact swing, hits lefty pitching. Exciting player.
8.	Sonny Gray	RHP	Vanderbilt
Advanced feel with plus stuff. 93-97 mph wtih the fastball and plus breaking ball. Short frame but mostly clean mechanics. Frontline potential, could move quick.
9.	Phil Evans	SS	LaCosta Canyon H.S. (Calif.)
Very complete player, carries himself like a big leaguer. Plus glove at shortstop and outstanding line-drive approach at the plate. Good power potential.
10.	Michael Kelly	RHP	West Boca H.S. (Fla.)
Extra lanky frame with big projection. Sat 92-94 at Aflac, up to 96. Showed feel for quality secondary pitches. Ball comes out easy.
11.	Peter O'Brien	C	Bethune-Cookman
Big-time power bat. Extra-large frame. Shows leadership, life behind the dish. Impact-type bat will carry him.
12.	Robert Stephenson	RHP	Alhambra H.S. (Calif.)
Worked 92-95 mph at Aflac. Showed big two-seam life and sharp 75-79 mph curveball. Athletic, wiry frame and loose delivery.
13.	Bubba Starling	OF/RHP	Gardner-Edgarton H.S. (Kan.)
Special tools. Promising on the mound, but belongs in the field. Plus wheels and big, game-usable power. Still a bit crude, but has impact upside.
14.	Blake Swihart	C	Cleveland H.S. (N.M.)
Has the arm and body to stick behind the plate, but even more impressive power and consistent lasers to all parts of the field from both sides of the plate.
15.	Jed Bradley	LHP	Georgia Tech
Advanced lefty with a lot of weapons. Works at 90-92 and will go to curveball, changeup, and slider in just about any count. Gets groundballs and misses bats w/ changeup.
16.	Javier Baez	SS	Arlington Country Day H.S. (Fla.)
Loud bat, big power to the middle of the field. Plus speed and good arm strength. Has the tools to stick at shortstop, but the bat stands out.
17.	Nick Burdi	RHP	Downers Grove H.S. (Ill.)
Works with a heavy fastball at 93-94 mph. Attacks the zone with sink. Locates a good, short slider at 80-83 and changeup at 78-80.
18.	Alex Dickerson	OF	Indiana
Easy, game-changing type power and the ability to hit for average at the next level.
19.	Josh Tobias	OF	Southeast Guilford H.S. (S.C.)
Not tall, but a physical powerhouse. Tobias has huge raw power and a short, but powerful swing. Has plus-plus speed. Tremendous upside, still getting better.
20.	Dillon Maples	RHP	Pinecrest H.S. (N.C.)
Fast arm, produces easy velocity from right side. Command a bit spotty, still learning. Sits 92-93, up to 96 at Aflac. Heavy ball, breaks bats. Flashes potential plus slider at 80-81.
21.	Jason Esposito	3B	Vanderbilt
Shows impressive raw batting practice power and takes it into games. Profiles as a third baseman long-term.
22.	Dylan Davis	RHP	Redmond H.S. (Wash.)
Big arm strength. 92-95 mph fastball with late life. Smooth delivery and showed a tight 82-83 mph slider.
23.	Tyler Anderson	LHP	Oregon
Plus stuff from left side. 90-93 mph, up to 95. Good feel for his secondary pitches and repeats his delivery well.
24.	Tony Zych	RHP	Louisville
Huge fastball but a violent delivery. Sat 95-97 mph on the Cape with a hard, plus slider at 85-87. Arm will have to hold up with max-effort mechanics.
25.	Travis Harrison	OF	Tustin H.S. (Calif.)
Very advanced prep bat. Physically mature with big present power and athleticism. Looks mechanical at times. Struggled in summer action.
26.	Francisco Lindor	SS	Montverde H.S. (Fla.)
Excellent hands at shortstop, has the range and arm to stick there. Not a lot of pop from left side; slap approach. Showed he can drive the ball from right side.
27.	Hudson Boyd	RHP	South Fort Myers H.S. (Fla.)
Thick body is a concern but big fastball at 92-93 mph. Uses lower half well and commands good 77-79 mph breaking ball. Swing-and-miss stuff.
28.	Grayson Garvin	LHP	Vanderbilt
Works at 89-93 with the fastball and shows plus feel for pitching. Good sweeping hook makes him tough on lefties. Likes to use his changeup. Very complete pitcher.
29.	Henry Owens	LHP	Edison H.S. (Calif.)
Big projection. Sits 90-91 mph with the fastball. Advanced feel for pitching, should be more velocity to come.
30.	Mikie Mahtook	OF	LSU
Brings a gritty, gamer attitude to the game and handles the wood bat well. Line-drive hitter with power to the gaps. Plus arm and speed.
31.	Jose Fernandez	RHP	Alonso H.S. (Fla.)
Big, physically mature frame. Jumping fastball at 92-94 mph, touches 95 consistently. Also shows big raw power at the plate but will pitch long term.
32.	Christian Montgomery	RHP	Lawrence Central H.S. (Ind.)
Soft midsection, thick body is a question mark but stuff is outstanding. Comfortably at 91-93, commands potential plus breaking ball at 77-81. Plus pitchability for age.
33.	Brad Miller	INF	Clemson
Holds hands high, produces big leverage. Loud line drives. Good athlete, wiry frame. Position still yet to be determined but a first-round type bat.
34.	Tyler Beede	RHP	Lawrence Academy (Mass.)
Tall, wiry and projectable. Sits 91-92, more velocity there. Knows how to pitch, and locates good 74-77 mph curveball and 83-84 mph changeup. Advanced feel with upside. Up to 94 at Aflac.
35.	Rookie Davis	RHP/1B	Dixon H.S. (N.C.)
Potential on the mound and at the plate. Big, physical kid with massive power potential. Works at 91-92 on the mound with good depth on his curveball.
36.	Austin Hedges	C	J Serra H.S. (Calif.)
Special arm and good catch-and-throw skills behind the plate. Good instincts. Line-drive hitter, lacks lift currently. Power is coming.
37.	Kyle Winkler	RHP	TCU
Smallish frame but quality stuff. 90-94 mph fastball with plus high-80s slider. May profile at back of the bullpen, but showed the third pitch.
38.	Brandon Woodruff	RHP	Wheeler H.S. (Miss.)
Very polished prep arm. Thick, strong frame. 90-92 with the fastball, up to 93. Secondary pitches stand out. Potential for above-average hook and changeup. Easy velocity and feel for pitching.
39.	Zach Cone	OF	Georgia
Athletic player with outstanding raw skills. Struggles with advanced pitching and inconsistent swing mechanics, but raw power and speed stands out.
40.	Dante Bichette Jr.	3B	Orangewood Christian H.S. (Fla.)
Complex swing. High leg kick and big hip turn, but makes it work. Big pull power. May have issues against advanced pitching, but raw skills are there.
41.	Deshorn Lake	RHP	Menchville H.S. (Va.)
Easy delivery, ball jumps out of his hand. Sits 91-93, but velocity plays up. Velocity suffers in the stretch. Sharp slider at 78-80 and changeup at 80-81.
42.	Scott McGough	RHP	Oregon
Works in the low 90s with his fastball and shows a good feel for his secondary pitches.
43.	Nicky Delmonico	C	Farragut H.S. (Tenn.)
Plus power potential and handles himself well behind the dish. Natural lift in his swing and can drive the ball to the middle of the field.
44.	Brett Mooneyham	LHP	Stanford
Command issues seem to be improving. Sits 90-92 with fastball. Lanky, projectable frame and throws a sharp 75-78 mph curveball from a three-quarters arm angle. Velocity down at Team USA to 87-91.
45.	Mason Robbins	OF	George County H.S. (Miss.)
Smooth, easy left-handed swing produces good backspin. Plus power potential. Good athlete.
46.	Jake Cave	OF/LHP	Kecoughtan H.S. (Va.)
Legit two-way skills. Good speed, smooth left-handed swing. Power will come, room to grow. Drives the ball consistently to the gaps. 89-92 on the mound with potential plus changeup.
47.	Matt Jensen	INF	Cal Poly
Impressive approach with line drives to all parts of the field. Best swing is to right-center field. Shows good pull power and can handle any location.
48.	Billy Flamion	OF	Central Catholic H.S. (Calif.)
Two-way player, profiles much better as position player. Quick hands, good extension and plus power potential from left side.
49.	Ricky Oropesa	1B	Southern California
Pure power bat with big lift and carry from the left side. Lacking in other tools but power will play big at next level.
50.	Levi Michael	OF	North Carolina
Power potential with wood bat. Good carry, consistent line drive stroke. Looks more advanced from the right side.
51.	Larry Greene	OF	Berrien H.S. (Ga.)
Strong, physically mature frame. Power is coming. Drives the ball consistently to the pull side and fields his position well.
52.	Chris McFarland	SS	Lufkin H.S. (Tex.)
Shows outstanding in-game feel with the bat. Hard line drives to all fields, let's the ball track deep. Shows opposite-field power. Plus athlete.
53.	Daniel Mengden	C	Westside H.S. (TX)
Lightning-fast hands. Has some Gary Sheffield in his swing. Ball explodes off his bat. Strong arm behind the dish.
54.	John Magliozzi	RHP	Dexter H.S. (Mass.)
Power arm, up to 94 mph with the fastball and sits around 92-93. Still learning to pitch. Mixes a good changeup for strikes. Up to 95 at Aflac.
55.	Tyler Marlette	C	Hagerty H.S. (Calif.)
Showed off plus big-league power at Aflac. Receiving skills behind his bat. Natural big lift in his swing, hit well against advanced pitching.
56.	Julius Gaines	SS	Luella H.S. (Ga.)
Super athletic shortstop with soft hands. Good sound off the bat.
57.	Jacob Anderson	1B	Chino H.S. (Calif.)
Long, rangy athlete with big power potential to middle of field. Good bat speed, consistent line-drive stroke.
58.	Nick Martini	OF	Kansas State
Very consistent stroke produces easy gap power. Under control at the plate, handled wood well.
59.	Joe Ross	RHP	Bishop O'Dowd H.S. (Calif.)
Plus arm strength, fastball sits 91-92 mph, bumps 94. Easy velocity, command a bit inconsistent at this stage.
60.	Kolten Wong	OF	Hawaii
Some good, game-usable power. Handles the wood bat and advanced pitching.
61.	Christian Lopes	SS	Edison H.S. (Calif.)
Short line-drive stroke produces loud shots to the gaps. Above-average speed and good hands.
62.	Austin Wood	RHP	Southern California
Power arm. Secondary pitches lacking at times. Consistently at 94-95 mph on the Cape. First-round stuff if his command comes around.
63.	Tyler Greene	SS	Roswell H.S. (Ga.)
Big raw power, puts on a show in batting practice. Some off-speed trouble in game action. Plus speed, raw tools to play shortstop. A bit crude, but potential five-tool talent.
64.	Carson Smith	RHP	Texas State
Unorthodox three-quarters delivery. May end up in the bullpen. Lively 91-95 mph fastball with heavy sinking life. Tall frame, good deception.
65.	Ricky Jacquez	RHP	Franklin H.S. (Tex.)
Very small frame, very big arm. Unusual profile given his size but attacks with 90-94 mph fastball and has a solid feel for pitching. Struggled at Aflac.
66.	Andrew Gagnon	RHP	Long Beach State
Advanced college right-hander, shined in Cape Cod. 90-92 with his fastball and showed a quality changeup at 78-79. Plus command.
67.	Eric Snyder	OF	Edison H.S. (Calif.)
Very consistent hitter in game action against top-notch pitching. Good bat speed.
68.	Phil Pfeifer	LHP	Farragut H.S. (Tenn.)
High effort delivery with deception. Sat 90-92 at Aflac and got up to 93. Mixes a good downer curveball at 76-79. Delivery will be a question mark.
69.	Jerrick Suiter	RHP	Valparaiso H.S. (Ind.)
Showed a big arm at Under Armour but still looks crude. Sat 92-93, got up to 94 but had some issues locating in the zone.
70.	Matt Skole	OF	Georgia Tech
Good athlete, showed promise with wood bat on the Cape. Consistent power to the gaps, compact swing.
71.	Cecil Tanner	RHP	Georgia
Electric fastball, perhaps best in the class, but control is a mess. 94-98 on the Cape but fastball command all over the map.
72.	Dwight Smith	OF	McIntosh H.S. (Ga.)
Toolsy outfielder with strong frame. Complex swing, high leg kick, gets out in front at times. Big sound off bat.
73.	Ryan Wright	OF	Louisville
Good raw power and feel for the bat head in game action. Lower half and hands look out of sync at times, but raw skills are there.
74.	Hunter Cole	3B	Moore H.S. (S.C.)
Bat has stood out all summer. Good approach to right-center field and continues to square up good pitching.
75.	Austin Slater	INF	The Bolles School (Fla.)
Good breaking ball/mistake hitter. Big power to right-center field. Quick, powerful stroke.
76.	Sean Gilmartin	LHP	Florida State
Solid, crisp 88-92 mph fastball from left side and feel for a good breaking ball. Swings the bat as well, but brings more to the table on the mound.
77.	Adrian Houser	RHP	Locust Grove H.S. (Okla.)
Extra quick arm. Fastball at 90-93 at Under-Armour with impressive two-seam action. Curveball shows promise but still inconsistent. Big upside.
78.	Shawon Dunston Jr.	OF	Valley Christian H.S. (Calif.)
Plus athlete with plus speed. Still raw at the plate and inconsistent swing mechanics. A lot of potential to work with and good bloodlines
79.	Taylor Dugas	OF	Alabama
Consistent line-drive swing. Some good power to the gaps but lacks lift in his swing. Good wheels and has professional instincts.
80.	Matt Dean	INF	The Colony H.S. (Tex.)
Loud bat, good bat speed produce long line drives to the gaps. Inconsistent results in game action but lots of tools to like.
81.	Pratt Maynard	C	North Carolina State
Strong, physical player with solid receiving skills. Bat stands out. Good lift to pull side and a consistent, balanced swing.
82.	Brandon Sedell	C	American Heritage H.S. (Fla.)
Solid swing mechanics, big power to his pull side. Shows surprising quickness behind the plate, gets rid of the ball in a hurry.
83.	Sean Trent	OF	Bishop Moore Catholic H.S. (Fla.)
Quick to the fastball inside. Big pull power, produces good backspin. Strong arm, could stick at third.
84.	Dusty Robinson	OF	Fresno State
Big-time power. Stocky frame, big lift to all fields. Plus power at next level, handling transition to wood bat well.
85.	Taylor Featherston	2B	Texas Christian
Yet to show a lot of power, but squares up the ball consistently.
86.	Logan Verrett	RHP	Baylor
Worked at 91-93 mph on the Cape. Showed problems at times locating in the zone but crisp stuff with a feel for secondary pitches when he's right.
87.	Daniel Bowman	OF	Coastal Carolina
Prodigious, game-ready power. Swung well in Cape Cod. Still swings and misses too much but a lot to like with his bat.
88.	Brandon Nimmo	OF	East H.S. (Wy.)
Natural feel at the plate. Gets on his front foot at times. Crude mechanics but can just hit. Only going to get better.
89.	Bryan Brickhouse	RHP	The Woodlands H.S. (Tex.)
Sat 92-93 with the fastball at Under-Armour. Showed a good feel for a changeup. Lost some velocity in longer outing.
90.	Shon Carson	OF	Lake City H.S. (S.C.)
Much more advanced from right side. Quick hands, hard line drives to the middle of the field. Blazing speed. Good approach against advanced pitching.
91.	Riccio Torrez	INF	Arizona State
Struggled in Cape Cod game action but showed some good swing mechanics and athleticism. Flashed good raw power in batting practice.
92.	Andrew Susac	C	Oregon State
Good receiver and showed a good, balanced approach on the Cape. No problems with wood bat.
93.	Spenser Linney	LHP	Head-Royce H.S. (Calif.)
Lively lefty arm. Sat 90-91 at Under-Armour. Crude mechanics and still developing secondary pitches.
94.	Cameron Gallagher	C	Manheim Township H.S. (Pa.)
Big raw power, and beginning to take it into game action. Physically mature, strong frame. Swing mechanics need work, big offensive upside.
95.	Patrick Leonard	SS	St. Thomas H.S. (Tex.)
Athletic, wiry frame. Showing some good things with the hit tool all summer. Loud lines drives with good pull power.
96.	Colton Murray	RHP	Kansas
Back of the 'pen profile. Some effort in his delivery. 91-94 with the fastball and showed off a true plus slider on the Cape at 82-84.
97.	Noe Ramirez	RHP	Cal State Fullerton
87-91 with his fastball and relies heavily on location and movement. Lots of moxie and feel for pitching but stuff has him profiled as a No. 3-4 starter.
98.	Jett Bandy	C	Arizona
Big, strong frame. Will have to see if he can stay behind the plate. Shows good raw power and lift in his swing.
99.	Greg Bird	C	Grandview H.S. (Col.)
Short, mechanically sound swing. Still learning behind the dish. Athletic frame. Has hit advanced pitching very well.
100.	Nick Ramirez	1B	Cal State Fullerton
Power hasn't played with wood bat yet. Swing has length. Consistent contact. Some upside on the mound. 88-91 mph fastball.
101.	Kyle Simon	RHP	Arizona
Solid fastball at 90-93 with good secondary offerings. Throws a sharp slider at 84-86 and stays around the plate.
102.	Kyle Smith	RHP	Lake Worth H.S. (Fla.)
Plus feel for pitching. Raw stuff a little behind his command. 89-91 with late life. Above-average feel for good 11-5 curveball and changeup. Works fast.
103.	Nick Maronde	LHP	Florida
Good fastball from the left side. Up to 93, lives around 90-91. Sharp, plus slider is a swing-and-miss pitch at the next level.
104.	Bobby Crocker	OF	Cal Poly
Well built athlete with tools across the board. Hit tool stands out. Lines drives to both gaps and some good pull power.
105.	Benton Moss	RHP	Rocky Mount H.S. (N.C.)
Consistent performer this summer continues to get better. Lived at 90-92 at Under-Armour. Showed a quality curveball at 71-74 and a good changeup.
106.	T.J. Costen	SS	First Colonial H.S. (Va.)
Good athlete, jury still out on his defense at shortstop. Above-average bat speed, squares up the ball consistently.
107.	Martin Viramontes	RHP	Loyola Marymount
Crisp fastball at 91-92, touches 93 with a nice, easy delivery. Good feel for 80-82 mph changeup, lacks third pitch.
108.	Hawtin Buchanan	RHP	Biloxi H.S. (Miss.)
Towering righty with huge upside/projection. Sits 89-91 with his fastball. A lot more there. Around the plate, lacking in secondary pitches. Worthy project.
109.	Joey Ceja	RHP	Marquette H.S. (Ill.)
Crisp fastball, arm works well. Sits 90-92 mph with his fastball, attacks the zone. Breaking ball shows potential.
110.	Kevin Comer	RHP	Seneca H.S. (N.J.)
Works at 89-92 mph with the fastball and showed some potential w/ the breaking ball.
111.	Tyler Goeddel	INF	St. Francis H.S. (Calif.)
Consistent line drive hitter with power potential. Good carry to the opposite field.
112.	Dakota Smith	OF	Lansing H.S. (Kan.)
Good athlete that continues to show promise against high quality pitching w/ the bat.
113.	Adam Griffin	RHP	Forsyth Country Day H.S. (N.C.)
Athletic frame w/ some projection. Fastball sits around 90-91, up to 93. Secondary pitches still improving.
114.	Garrett Boulware	C	TL Hanna H.S. (S.C.)
Has the skills and solid frame to stick behind the plate. Shows big power to deepest parts of the field. Disciplined approach.
115.	Joe Panik	OF	St. John's
Showed excellent feel w/ wood bat in Cape Cod. Line drives to all fields w/ some usable power potential at next level.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.