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=== #4 Tony Butler, LHP ===
Had thrown a few innings in the low minors after the draft.
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Baseball America: Had a lousy start to his amateur season, throwing 86-87 mph, but Mariners scouts Bohringer and Madeja believed in him, and Butler suddenly jumped to 94-95 right before the draft...
Seattle stole him with a 3rd-rounder ...
Fastball is 92-95 and has late life... uses tall frame to leverage it down in the zone... buckles knees with his curve ...
Mature, intelligent, and fearless... [stiff mechanical motion needs work] ... ceiling = number 2 starter in the bigs.
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Three Years On: Very impressive that the scouts had him nailed as a "3rd-round steal" after only a short time in the low minors. (Of course, G-Money and Jay had that nailed after like 5 minutes.)
Quickly established himself as one of the M's best prospects and helped bring Erik Bedard to Seattle, against a hot bidding war in the trade market that included huge offers from the Dodgers and Mets.
Totally conquered the strike zone in 2008 with the Orioles -- only 1.8 walks per game -- but in 2009 suffered an injury-riddled season, logging only 13 innings total.
Has yet to throw a pitch above class-A ball and has yet to prove he can stay healthy.
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=== #5 Ryan Feierabend, LHP ===
Coming off an excellent season in AA and got a decent cup of coffee in Seattle.
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Baseball America: Has been very young for his leagues, and became the youngest rookie pitcher in the majors with Seattle ... with Felix, Fire and Jones, the M's had 3 of the 4 youngest players in the bigs...
Best pitch is a circle change and his game is based off that...
Athletic with upside from here ... lands on the side of his foot; awkward delivery will have to be watched...
Great maturity, IQ and work ethic... SHOULD become a solid #4 starter in the majors.
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Three Years On: Fire did indeed show an exciting 30-30-30 lefty game that reminded of Bobby Madritsch's.
Injuries did catch up to him, as they do to most young pitchers.
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=== #6 Wlad Balentien ===
In 2005 had posted a good season in high-A ball, at 20, and in 2006 had hit .230/.337/.445 in AA at 21.
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Baseball America: Has been crushing HR's and striking out in bunches since arriving in America... Few players in all of baseball can match Balentien's raw power ...
Is making good progress in plate discipline (doubled his BB's) and in using the whole field...
Not one-dimensional; has average speed and an arm among the best in his league ... can play some center field...
Chases pitches, pulls head off the ball, long stroke, can be helpless against breaking pitches, doesn't adjust when behind in the count... out-of-control persona carries into field, where he made 11 errors...
Power undeniable, but whether it will translate to the majors is the question. Ceiling very high.
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Three Years On: The tools scouting above is obviously spot on.
Wlad played very well in the minors in 2007 and 2008 -- slugging .584 at Tacoma at 23 -- and D-O-V pegged him as having a 30-40% chance of a Jose Guillen career.
Hit a competitive .264/.352/.427 for the Reds in one-quarter season in 2009. Has 500 major-league AB's under his belt and two-three more years to jell.
Right now it looks like Wlad has a good chance to jell.
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