MiLB Profiles

Scheppers

Fastball: Scheppers threw his fastball anywhere from 93 mph up to 98 mph and was sitting at 95 mph most of the time.
Fastball movement: He's got cut and sink on his heater.
Curve: Has the potential for a good power curve. He was a little tentative in letting it go at times in this first live outing but has shown it as an above-averge pitch at times.
Changeup: Threw a few hard changeups at around 88 mph, but he doesn't need it at this point.
Control: Considering the long layoff from pitching in a live situation, his command was pretty good. An improved and smoother delivery clearly helped.
Poise: Pitching with a junior college defense behind him, Scheppers was in complete control on the mound.
Physical Description: Scheppers, initially a shortstop, is a tall and athletic right-hander. He has put on good weight and was visibly stronger compared to his junior season at Fresno State.
Medical Update: Healthy, it seems. A shoulder injury shut him down last year and hurt his Draft status. He didn't sign with the Pirates after being taken in the second round.
Strengths: An outstanding fastball with plenty of arm strength, an improved delivery, added strength. He throws hard and without effort.
Weaknesses: It's all about the medical reports. He'll need to prove to everyone as he pitches indy ball that he's 100 percent healthy.
Summary: Pitching in intrasquad action at Golden West C.C., Scheppers was creating a ton of buzz on the West Coast. The former Fresno State standout, whose Draft status took a hit because of a shoulder injury last year, was throwing free, easy and hard in early looks. With a plus fastball and the potential for a plus curve, if Scheppers continues to show he's healthy while pitching for the St. Paul Saints, he's going to shoot up Draft boards everywhere.


Purke

Fastball: Purke showed velocity a tick above average, sitting at 92-93 mph. He topped out at 95 mph.
Fastball movement: It has tailing life to the arm side.
Curve: It's kind of between a curve and a slider. It has more of a curve break, with good rotation and depth. He thew it about 78 mph with late break to it.
Changeup: Has a good changeup.
Control: He has good command and moves the ball around the zone well.
Poise: He's pitched in big games and rises to the occasion.
Physical Description: Purke is a lean, wiry, thin-waisted left-hander. He's projectable, but needs to add some strength.
Medical Update: Healthy.
Strengths: Three average to above-average pitches. Good command, projectable body.
Weaknesses: He's a little too slender, leading some to worry about durabilty.
Summary: When conversations arise about the top prep lefties in the class, Purke is on the short list. With three excellent offerings and command of them, to go along with a projectable frame, Purke's name comes up early and often. There might be a small concern about his durabilty because he's a little too slender, but that won't be enough to keep him from being taken high up on Draft day.


Mendonca

Hitting ability: Mendonca is a left-handed hitter with a stable, high-hand stance. He can hit, but he swings and misses quite a bit.
Power: Fresno State has a good hitter's park, but he still should have average power in the future. It's unclear how it will translate to wood.
Running speed: He's a fringy-average runner, though he can get down to first in decent time.
Base running: An average runner, he's a tick better than his grade for his pure speed, though running isn't really a big part of his game.
Arm strength: Has a solid-average arm.
Fielding: A plus fielder overall at third.
Range: Has plenty of range to stay at the hot corner.
Physical Description: Mendonca profiles as a power-hitting third baseman who is strong up in the shoulders and has a good, athletic build.
Medical Update: Healthy.
Strengths: Power plus fielding ability make him an intriguing third base prospect.
Weaknesses: Can he cut down the strikeouts? His propensity for swinging and missing could hurt his status a bit.
Summary: Mendonca fits the profile as an athletic, left-handed power hitting third baseman. He takes advantage of a friendly home park, but the power should translate OK. Couple that with good defense at the hot corner and you're looking at one of the more interesting college infield prospects in the class. Only his tendency to strike out will hurt his status some, but he still should go well.


Erlin

Fastball: Erlin will occasionally touch 91 mph, but usually sits in the 89-90 mph range.
Fastball movement: The fastball is pretty straight and light.
Curve: It's solid average to plus and he throws it 70-73 mph.
Changeup: Will flash it a few times, but it requires some development because he'll need it at the next level.
Control: He has very good command, especially for a high schooler.
Poise: He's got excellent makeup and it shows on the mound.
Physical Description: Erlin is a smallish left-hander, sort of like a Billy Wagner (without the velocity).
Medical Update: Healthy.
Strengths: One of the better deliveries from a high schooler, with good arm action. He repeats it very well, allowing him to have excellent command of his fastball and curve.
Weaknesses: Doesn't show much of a changeup right now. His size likely will turn some teams off.
Summary: Erlin was getting more and more buzz in Northern California as the spring wore on. He's not the biggest guy in the world, but with an oustanding delivery, good makeup and above-average command to go along with a fastball that touches 90 and a curve that can be a plus pitch, he's an intriguing high school lefty. He'll need to improve his changeup at the next level and his size will probably give some teams pause, but an orgnization willing to look past that might take this signable southpaw fairly early.



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