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April 1, 1972 FIVE TO WATCH
Class AA is all about development and here are 5 players you need to know about if you want to follow the Breda Bay League this season. All 5 will at least start the season in AA and all 5 are rated by Baseball Breda as among the top 25 young prospects in all of baseball.
CLASS AA BREDA BAY LEAGUE TOP 5 PROSPECTS
1- Rick Scott :Foal Indians- The parent Port Windsor Robins seem to always have great young talent available for the Indians and this year is no exception. Scott, a 25 year old outfielder, was taken 7th overall out of Malton College in the 1969 draft. He has won at every level he played it with 2 College World Series titles, a Class A Wabash League pennant in 1969 and a Double A series title with Foal in 1970. He split last season between AA and AAA Port Chatham so his stay in Foal this year may be short.
2- Samuel Upchurch : Newton Bears- The top piching prospect in all of baseball, Upchurch is projected as an outstanding big league starter. Taken 4th overall in the 1970 draft from the Brock Celtics youth club, Upchurch was the youth pitcher of the year in 1969. He struggled last season between A and AA going 8-25 but that was because the Bears team was so weak a year ago. With a half season of AA under his belt the parent Cahill Cardinals are hoping for a huge year from Upchurch.
3- Edgar Bean : Goodrich Bombers- The 24 year old outfielder was selected 5th overall by Ellborough in the 1970 draft after a strong season at Forester College. He hit .278 with 8 homers in Class A Bolcom a year ago and will likely spend most of the season in Goodrich. Mainly a contact hitter, scouts feel he may eventually develop some pop in his bat but he has not shown it so far.
4- Craig Kelley : Cottswald Explorers- only a fractured foot in his senior year prevented Kelley from being the first 3-time batter of the year in Youth League history. He was taken 10th overall by Oxford out of the Meade Youth program in 1970. He hit .266 in 97 games at Class A last year before a late season promotion to Cottswald.
5- Scott Fitz : Emory Lookouts - Fitz, an outfielder born in Essex, was taken 5th overall by the Port Windsor Pirates in the 1967 first year player draft. Now 24 years old, he has split the last 3 seasons between A and AA and his stock has dropped slightly. However, the Pirates organization is still excited about his power potential even though he has hit just 13 homers in 120 AA games.
Next up a look at the Stockbridge Browns.
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