Nothing wrong with being compared to the Quiet Riot.

He said he might move to 1st or 3rd in MLB.

That's fine. Konerko's deal is done in a couple years. This guy goes to 1st. Fields is at 3rd. Ramirez is at 2nd or short.

He clearly was taken cuz he can hit.

So are we ready to declare this guy a bust yet?

I'll give him one week in Low A ball before I do that.

I'm going to get a head start on things and start worrying now.

Let's hope Kenny can redeem himself in the second round.

Tim, who plays at Griffin (Ga.) High, and Gordon, who plays at Georgia (and isn't related to Tim), entered the year as the top two shortstop prospects in the draft and have maintained their status. Tim is still the better prospect and a candidate to go No. 1 overall to the Rays, though Gordon has closed the gap, moving from the back of the first round to a possible top-10 selection.

Tim is the best high schooler available, a potential five-tool athlete who should have no problems staying at shortstop as a pro. He's one of the better prep shortstop prospects in the last decade, though scouts consider him a notch below the Uptons, B.J. and Justin.

Though Gordon led the Cape Cod League with nine homers last summer, scouts still weren't raving about his power because he played in the league's best hitter's park at Yarmouth-Dennis. They're bigger believers after the show he's put on this spring, when he has hit .419 with 15 homers in 30 games and been college baseball's best player.

The question with Gordon is whether he can play shortstop in the majors, and clubs are split on the issue. Curiously, there's little waffling on either side. Those who think he can remain at shortstop don't appear to have reservations about it, while those who don't think he has no chance. There are enough teams that do believe in his defensive ability that if the draft were held today, he'd go in the upper half of the first round.

Tim projects to be better than Gordon with every tool except power, and he might catch him in that regard as well. That upside makes him more attractive. Gordon will get to the big leagues quicker, which will endear him to some teams, but the only way he'll get drafted ahead of Tim is if signability becomes an issue.

The Phil Rogers article in today's Trib keeps referring to Beckham as a "power hitter" fwiw.

8. Chicago White Sox
Gordon Beckham, ss, Georgia
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 185. Age: 21.


Scouting Report


After he went undrafted out of high school, Beckham has improved as much as any player during his three years in college. He started from his freshman season at Georgia, and hit 12 home runs his first season to help the Bulldogs in the College World Series and land on BA's Freshman All-American team. His batting average and power numbers have increased each year since. He won the Cape Cod League home run title last summer, and has shown it was no fluke by hitting 22 homes so far this spring. He has been among the Division I leaders in batting, home runs and slugging percentage all season. At the plate, Beckham is a home run threat to all fields. He has powerful forearms and snap in his wrists that lead to his above-average bat speed. After being known as a hacker early in his college career he is now regarded as a professional hitter. He makes good contact and consistently squares up balls and uses the whole field. While no one questions his ability to hit, scouts are split on whether Beckham has the hands to stay at shortstop. He has the instincts and is athletic with enough range and arm strength to stick at the premium position.

The mlb.com scouting report on him isn't what you would call wildly enthusiastic--average arm, average speed, average power, undersized, probably best suited for second base.

The Cubs take closer Andrew Cashner from TCU.

He supposedly hits the high 90s on the radar gun.