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Cowlitz star Stefan Sabol of University of Oregon named #1 WCL prospect

Baseball America and Perfect Game Crosschecker released their summer collegiate baseball top prospects lists last month and Cowlitz C/3B Stefan Sabol, a frosh-to-be at Oregon, was named the West Coast League’s #1 prospect by both the national publication and comprehensive online scouting notebook. To check out the lists, please read below.

Baseball America
Top 10 WCL Prospects
by Conor Glassey

1. Stefan Sabol, c/3b/of, Cowlitz (Fr., Oregon)

Sabol looked like a man among boys, physically. He has good baseball instincts and is a hard worker, and has five-tool potential.

2. Chase Anselment, c, Kitsap (So., Washington)

Anselment went undrafted out of high school in 2009 due to his strong commitment to Washington. While he is thicker and not as athletic as Sabol, he has a better chance to stay behind the plate.

3. Jeff Ames, rhp, Wenatchee (So., Washington)

Ames has gotten better each year, something scouts always love to see. He mostly came out of the bullpen this summer and was electric. His fastball was 92-95 mph and he even touched 97, while mixing in a hard slider.

4. Scott Griggs, rhp, Bellingham (So., UCLA)

Griggs threw his fastball in the 92-94 mph range and touched 96 this summer. His changeup showed flashes of being a plus pitch, too.

5. Mitch Haniger, of, Corvallis (So., Cal Poly)

Haniger is a good athlete, and was a standout wide receiver in high school. He’s only an average runner, but he gets good jumps on balls and profiles as an everyday rightfielder. He has quick hands and the bat speed to get around on big league velocity.

6. Marco Gonzales, lhp, Wenatchee (Fr., Gonzaga)

A 29th-rounder by the Rockies out of high school in June, the 6-foot, 190-pounder throws his fastball in the upper 80s, touching 91. His best pitch is an above-average changeup.

7. Royce Bolinger, of, Kelowna (Jr., Gonzaga)

Bolinger has an athletic frame and some exciting tools. He shows some strength at the plate and runs pretty well, but his loudest tool is his arm.

8. Kerry Jenkins, of, Bend (Sr., San Jose State)

Jenkins had one of the most impressive bodies in the league. He’s an above-average runner, and his strength showed up at the plate, where he could turn on velocity and punish fastballs if pitchers left them in the zone.

9. Collin Bennett, of Wenatchee (Jr., Hawaii)

Bennett is a good athlete at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, and while he doesn’t really have one standout tool, he can do a little bit of everything. He has a patient approach at the plate, punishes pitchers’ mistakes and can drive the ball to all fields.

10. Dayne Quist, lhp, Kelowna (Jr., UC Davis)

Quist may only be 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, but he pitches with the tenacity of a 6-foot-5 power pitcher. His fastball sits in the upper 80s and he mixes in a curveball and a change.

Perfect Game Crosschecker
Top 25 WCL Prospects
by Allan Simpson

1. STEFAN SABOL, c/3b, Cowlitz Black Bears (Oregon/FR in 2011)
Highly athletic talent with excellent bat speed; capable of playing any position, but 6.5 speed may be wasted behind plate, on corner

2. JEFF AMES, rhp, Wenatchee AppleSox (Lower Columbia, Wash., CC/SO)
Best power arm in WCL; FB routinely in 95-97 range as closer for league champs, needs to locate better; power SL solid No. 2 pitch

3. CHASE ANSELMENT, c, Kitsap BlueJackets (Washington/SO)
Best bat/power in league; hit .316-7-34, tops in WCL in HRs; bat speed, can drive balls to all fields; raw behind plate, but arm plays

4. MITCH HANIGER, of, Corvallis Knights (Cal Poly/SO)
Overcame sluggish start to hit .299-3-18, competes at plate; power will come as gets stronger; big RF arm, makes plays, OK runner

5. MITCH PATITO, rhp, Corvallis Knights (UC Riverside/SO)
Best arm on deep Knights staff; long, loose action, flashed 93-94 FB with + movement, + break; 8 SV in relief, then moved to starter

6. ROYCE BOLINGER, of, Kelowna Falcons (Gonzaga/JR)
Still needs to make consistent contact, produce better power numbers, but athleticism evident, solid speed/defender, huge OF arm

7. MARCO GONZALES, lhp/of, Wenatchee AppleSox (Gonzaga/FR)
Won four state title games in decorated HS career in Colorado; ++ polished for age, led WCL in SO; augments 86-88 FB with ++ CH

8. CODY REGIS, ss/3b, Bellingham Bells (UCLA/SO)
Was regular on left side as FR for CWS finalist; lacks chiseled look, profiles more 2B/3B; LH bat, squared up his share, gap power

9. SCOTT GRIGGS, rhp, Bellingham Bells (UCLA/SO)
Pitched sparingly as UCLA FR, went 0-2, 6.00 in 21 IP for Bells; flashed effortless mid-90s heat, needs command, will come with IP

10. CODY WEISS, rhp, Wenatchee AppleSox (UCLA/FR)
10th-rounder more than held his own in WCL as HS talent; used mostly in set-up role, needs command FB at 91-93/T-96, + 12/6 CU

11. AARON JONES, c/of, Kelowna Falcons (Oregon/FR)
Red Sox draft pick held his own in WCL as HS player, hit .342-1-15; solid approach at plate, runs 6.8 60, comfortable behind plate, in OF

12. JAMES NYGREN, rhp, Bend Elks (Oregon State/SR)
Bend ace, went 4-0, 2.25; mixed reviews, FB will touch 92-94, but more 88-90, flashes + SL, but often doomed by lack of command

13. KYLE KRAUS, rhp, Corvallis Knights (Portland/JR)
10-3, 3.30 in spring for UP, dominating WCL (5-1, 1.75) when slowed by oblique strain; ++ command of sinking FB, + SL; lacks size

14. BRIAN POINTER, of, Bend Elks (SIGNED/Phillies)
Oregon State recruit, signed with Phils late in season; + athletic, + speed/power/arm, but long swing exploited, poor plate discipline

15. ERIC PETERSON, 1b, Wenatchee AppleSox (Washington/SO)
Explosive bat; can turn around any FB, goes other way + with breaking ball, though prone to SO; doesn’t run at all, limited to 1B

16. EVAN BROCK, rhp, Corvallis Knights (UC Irvine/SO)
Surprise invite to Team USA college trials; went 2-0, 1.13 in 3 starts for Knights, modest stuff includes 88-92 FB, + CH, avg 12/6 CU

17. ELLIOT STEWART, c, Walla Walla Sweets (Cal Poly/JR)
Solid defensive C with quick/accurate arm; made biggest strides at plate (.321-3-24), has short, low-maintenance swing, gap power

18. KERRY JENKINS, of, Bend Elks (San Jose State/SR)
Impressive athletic specimen, + runner, can put a charge in balls, especially vs. LHP; streaky hitter, struggles with off-speed away

19. NICK HOOVER, rhp, Corvallis Knights (UC Irvine/JR)
Pounds bottom of zone with sinking/running 88-90 FB, pitch can also reach 93; CH is No. 2 offering, went 2-1, 2.63 (27 IP/34 SO)

20. DYLAN JONES, of/lhp, Corvallis Knights (Oregon State/SR)
Played valuable 2-way role for Knights; has smooth, powerful LH swing, hit .336-2-21; also has + arm, went 2-1, 4.21 (26 IP/25 SO)

21. DUSTIN EMMONS, rhp, Corvallis Knights (UC Riverside/SR)
Marlins’ 35th-rounder was bounce-back from Cape Cod; success stems from command of 87-92 FB; SL better than ’09, CH a WIP

22. MATT BOYD, lhp/1b, Corvallis Knights (Oregon State/SO)
Legit 2-way talent, but much better this summer on mound; FB 89-91, funky delivery gets arm-side run, seen more as LH specialist

23. KRIS CARLSON, rhp, Moses Lake Pirates (Abilene Christian, Texas/JR)
Ex-OF threw 2 IP in spring at Wenatchee Valley CC, drafted as RHP by KC; impressive raw arm strength, flashed 96 FB, 87 SL

24. DAYNE QUIST, lhp, Kelowna Falcons (UC Davis/JR)
Only 5-9, FB peaks at 88-89, but carved up league with solid 3-pitch mix, fearless approach; excellent command, defines crafty LHP

25. CHRIS DENNIS, rhp, Cowlitz Black Bears (Portland/SR)
Saved 15 games for UP in spring, mostly a starter on summer; fanned first 10 hitters; FB 86-88, generates ugly swings with ++ SL