Eight games into his collegiate career, 17-year-old College of Southern Nevada (C/3B/OF) Bryce Harper, considered by some the top prospect in baseball heading into the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, is hitting .323 with a .405 OBP, a .677 SLG, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR's, 9 RBI's and 2 stolen bases for the 8-0 CSN Coyotes. After starting the season by going 1 for 11 with a sac fly and an RBI single in his first three games, Harper's 9 for 20 with 2 HR's and 7 RBI's in his last 5, as the College of Southern Nevada's gone undefeated so far. The Coyotes are now off until next Friday 2/12 when they host the 11th Annual CSN Coyote Classic.
(ed. note - "Heh, Tripple.")
After The JUMP: 2:50 of one of the top pitching prospects in the country, Texas-born right-hander Jameson Taillon of The Woodlands High School...
The Woodlands High School's starter Jameson Taillon, 18, (who has reportedly committed to pitch at Rice) is described in his Baseball Rumor Mill bio as a, "...big, strong RHP with an intimidating presence...(who) combines low to mid 90s velocity with a hard breaking curveball that is his out pitch." In a scouting report filed by Nick James at PnR Scouting.com, Taillon's said to have a fastball he throws at "...93-95 mph with good life, touching 96" to go along with a "power breaking ball with 2-plane action and plus late bite", a slider that, "could be another swing-and-miss offering at the pro level" and a change with, "Good velo separation from fastball (around 10 mph)." Later in the report, Mr. James joins the list of scouts who have found reason to doubt that Bryce Harper is alone atop the list of potential no. 1 overall picks for the 2010 Draft:
"I never expected to enter the 2010 season with anyone but Bryce Harper atop my big board -- Taillon has given me reason to examine that slot more closely. He has all the makings of a potential front-end starter."
As a Junior at The Woodlands High School, Taillon was (8-1) with a 2.82 ERA and 95 K's in 56 IP, earning the distinction of being called, "the nation's top high school prospect by Baseball America Magazine," according to a Rice Owls' press release from November entitled, "Baseball Announces Signing Class".
Here's a look at Jameson Taillon from the 2009 Aflac All-American Game:
