MLB Draft: NCAA Regionals Saturday Recap
Jun 1, 2013; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State pitcher Luke Weaver (7) makes a face at a TV camera during the Tallahassee regional of the 2013 NCAA baseball tournament at Dick Howser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports
Fans of TCU and Sam Houston State, and anyone else that tried to stay up for the game, are tired today. I finally tapped out and called it a night in the 17th inning, and looking back at it this morning, I am not sure if I made the right call or not, as TCU finally pulled off the victory in the 22nd inning. Meanwhile, fans of number one-seeded teams in the state of Florida are just plain not happy today. All three teams (Miami, Florida, and Florida State) all lost on Saturday, with both Florida and Florida State being eliminated from postseason play.
While the quick eliminations for Florida and Florida State are certainly a shock, the fact that Florida States elimination came with their ace, Luke Weaver, on the hill is an even bigger shock. Weaver is expected to go late in the first round in Thursday’s MLB Draft, I have him going to the Boston Red Sox 33rd overall, but he did not bring his best stuff to the mound on Saturday. He only made it through five innings, giving up five hits and three runs, but only one earned on a solo home run in the 3rd inning. The Florida State offense didn’t help Weaver much, as they scored all five of their runs in the bottom of the ninth, coming up just shy of an incredible comeback and falling 6-5.
Aaron Nola showed why he is considered to be one of the most polished college arms in this year’s draft, as he went 7 1/3 innings, while allowing just a single run on four hits and striking out seven to earn the win.
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The best pitching outing by a highly regarded prospect on Saturday belonged to Chris Ellis of Ole Miss. Ellis gave up eight hits, while going all nine innings, while allowing just two runs ans striking out eight in the 12-2 victory over Jacksonville St. While Ellis pitched well, he didn’t do much to improve his draft stock. The hardest I saw him clocked on the TV gun was 90 MPH, and he showed significant inconsistency in his delivery. His body position and drive leg were rarely in the same spot on two consecutive pitches, especially when he through his curve. While the pitch itself is a potential plus pitch, hitters in the upper minors will be able to lay off it very easily given the noticeable difference in delivery.
At the plate, the top hitters put on a display of power that will certainly not show up once the tournament reaches Omaha (the new host stadium of the College World Series is painfully pitcher friendly). The most surprising home run of the day came from Stanford center fielder Austin Slater. Slater showed his extremely quick bat and drove a 6th inning fastball over the wall in left-center, just his second home run of the year. He also showed the gap power he is better known for, as he came through with a double in the game as well.
In that same game, Indiana’s Sam Travis launched a ball over that same left-center wall to go along with two other hits to help Indiana beat Stanford 4-2.
Mike Papi hit a home run for Virginia as they beat Arkansas 3-0, but the top batter of the day was Max Pentecost of Kennesaw St. Pentecost is known as a defense first catcher, and watching him behind the plate is a joy as his receiving skills are as good as any catcher in the draft, but he showed he can hit too. He went 4/5 on the day and drew two walks while driving in two. He hit a double in the 11th inning, an inning where Kennesaw St. turned an extra inning ballgame into a blowout, scoring eight in the top of the 11th to win 13-5.