It just so happens that two of the potential 2010 no.1 overall draft picks, Bryce Harper and Jameson Taillon were both in the news on Monday, with Harper's coach at the College of Southern Nevada talking about starting the season with Harper on the team while Taillon took the mound to throw his first pitches of his draft year in a scrimmage, the results of which made the rounds on Twitter.
CSN Coyotes' coach Tim Chambers was quoted Monday, in an article by MASNSports.com's Byron Kerr entitled, "Bryce Harper Update from College Coach", describing his early impressions of 17-year-old catcher Bryce Harper's power:
"He has 10 hits so far and most of them are for extra bases. His home run Friday was the first one I have seen over the center field wall, (Coach Chambers has been at CSN for 11 years) which is 400 feet to dead center and it's a 20 foot wall. It was a bomb."
In 8 games for the CSN Coyotes, Harper's hitting .323 with a .405 OBP, a .677 SLG, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR's, 9 RBI's and 2 stolen bases.
According to a Twitter post by Andy Seiler, who writes Andy Seiler's MLB Draft Blog, high school pitcher Jameson Taillon threw his first pitches of 2010 last night for the Woodlands High School baseball team:
"Jameson Taillon debuted tonight for a 2 inning scrimmage outing. Peaked 97, high 80s change. Stands filled with notable scouting names."
No word on whether any Washington Nationals' scouts were in attendance, but the 18-year-old right-hander considered by some the best pitcher available in the Draft is at or near the top of most lists of 2010 Draft prospects after Taillon went (8-1) with a 2.82 ERA and 95 K's in 56 IP last season...