2009 MLB Mock Draft: Picks 1-10

3.  San Diego Padres: Aaron Crow, RHP
Forth Worth Cats
Height: 6-3     Weight: 195        Age: 23           Bats: R           Throws: R

San Diego’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Allan Dykstra, 1B, 2007- Nick Schmidt, P, 2006- Matt Antonelli, 3B, 2005- Cesar Carrillo, P

Fastball – Speed: Can reach mid-90s, normally will average low-90s

                 Command: When he just throws it’s good, when he aims, not so much

                 Movement: When this pitch is working, Crow gets some sinking action

Grade: B+

Slider - Speed: Mid 80s

             Command: Nearly mastered this pitch, it is his best offering

             Movement: An average slider movement, but with more bite
Grade: A-

Changeup – Speed: Low 80s

                     Command: Still struggles here and there, but has gotten better

                     Movement: After work it could pan out to be a great Major League pitch
Grade: B

Crow was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 2008 Rookie Draft, but walked away from the contract offer and decided to play a year in the American Association for the Fort Worth Cats as a relief pitcher.

Crow will be a hard selection to make for any team, because of his high contract demands, but his slider also makes him hard to pass up. His fastball has good movement and his changeup is coming along.

He graduated from the University of Missouri in 2008, but has played for Fort Worth since. The Padres need pitching, so Aaron Crow could be headed to Southern California pretty quick.

4.  Pittsburgh Pirates: Tanner Scheppers, RHP
Fresno State University
Height: 6-4     Weight: 200      Age: 22           Bats: R           Throws: R

Pittsburgh’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Pedro Alvarez, 3B, 2007- Daniel Moskos, P, 2006- Brad Lincoln, P, 2005- Andrew McCutchen, CF

Fastball – Speed: Mid-90s

                 Command: Solid control, won’t miss the plate often

                 Movement: Decent amount of tailing action, almost like a slight cutter

Grade: A-

Curveball - Speed: Low-80s

                  Command: A little hesitant to snap one off at times, his command shows that

                  Movement: More of a power curve, that has great upside potential
Grade: A-

Changeup – Speed: High-80s

                     Command: Average command, shows easy motion when throwing

                     Movement: Throws a little hard; he may need to take some off in the future
Grade: B

A kid who created a lot of buzz on the west coast last season at Fresno State, but had a shoulder injury last season that dropped him down on many draft boards. Scheppers is pitching well for the Independent League’s, St. Paul Saints, and if he continues, his stock will continue to rise.

Scheppers put on some weight to his already athletic physical domineer which makes him look visibily stronger. His fastball is electric thanks to great arm strength, and his power curve shows a lot of promise.

Tanner could go as high as this pick to the Pirates, but he could fall anywhere in the top 15 without a second thought.

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