2014 First-Year Player Draft

CLEVELAND, OH - Information on Cleveland Indians 2014 First-Year Player Draft selections,
thru the first two rounds.

Round 1 (#21 overall)
OF BRADLEY ZIMMER

AGE/DOB: 21, Nov. 27, 1992 College: University of San Francisco

BATS/THROWS: L/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-5/205

6'5", 205-pound outfielder, hit .368 with 10 doubles, 7 triples, 7 home runs and 31 RBI for the University of San Francisco Dons as a junior during the 2014 season. Walked 31 times and recorded a .461 on-base percentage. He posted a .573 slugging percentage and was 21-for-32 in stolen base attempts. The two-time All-West Coast Conference member made all 54 starts in center field and owned a .969 fielding percentage in 2014. He was named a 2014 preseason All-American selection by Louisville Slugger, Baseball America and Perfect Game USA. He is also one of 30 finalists for the Golden Spikes Award.

From MLB.com on Zimmer
Comments: Zimmer's older brother Kyle went fifth overall in the 2012 Draft and reached Double-A in his first full pro season. Bradley won't go quite that high but looks like a first-rounder and also could move quickly through the Minor Leagues. He performed well last summer, leading the U.S. college national team with 11 steals and winning playoff MVP honors in the Cape Cod League. Zimmer has a nice package of tools, with his bat standing out the most. He has a sweet left-handed stroke, and he manages the strike zone and recognizes pitches well. His body has enough strength and leverage to possibly produce plus power if he were to add some loft to his swing, though he's content to spray line drives all over the field for now. He enhances his solid speed with keen instincts, which make him an asset on the basepaths and in the outfield. He has a chance to play center, and if not, his strong arm will fit well in RF.

Round 1 (#31 overall)
LHP JUSTUS SHEFFIELD

AGE/DOB: 18, May 13, 1996 High School: Tullahoma (TN) High School

BATS/THROWS: L/L HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1/196

The selection was compensation for the free agent signing of RHP UBALDO JIMENEZ by the Baltimore Orioles. Recently completed his senior season at Tullahoma (TN) High School, going 10-0 with a 0.34 ERA (3 ER/61.2 IP) and 131 strikeouts. On Wednesday, the 6-for-1, 180-pound southpaw became the first high school athlete from the state of Tennessee to win a Gatorade National Player of the Year Award. Past pitching recipients of the award include Zack Greinke ('02), Clayton Kershaw ('06) and Rick Porcello ('07), while Cleveland's 2013 first round selection (5th overall), OF Clint Frazier, earned the distinction last year. Sheffield, a 2014 Perfect Game USA First Team All-American and returning First Team All-State selection by the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association, is committed to Vanderbilt University, where his older brother, Jordan, is completing his freshman year as a RHP on the Commodores baseball team.

From MLB.com on Sheffield
Comments: Sheffield's brother Jordan might have been a first-round pick in the 2013 Draft if he hadn't blown out his elbow and required Tommy John surgery. Jordan dropped to the 13th round and the Red Sox, turning down third-round money to attend Vanderbilt, where Justus also has committed. Sheffield is very similar to his older brother, as he has a compact build, plenty of arm strength and impressive secondary stuff. The biggest difference between the two is that Justus has the advantage of throwing lefthanded. While he lacks size, Sheffield could develop three solid or better pitches. He already works with an 89-92 mph fastball that can hit 94, and both his mid-70s curveball and changeup are advanced for a high school. A quality athlete with a clean delivery, he throws strikes with ease.

Competitive Balance Round A (#38 overall)
OF MIKE PAPI

AGE/DOB: 21, Sept 19, 1992 College: University of Virginia

BATS/THROWS: L/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-3/210

Papi, 21, is a junior outfielder for the University of Virginia where he has hit .297 (62-209) this season with 9 doubles, 11 home runs, 51 RBI and 51 runs scored in 60 games for the Cavaliers. The Tunkhannock, PA native is a 6-3 outfield/first baseman with checks in at 6-3, 210 pounds. During his sophomore season of 2013 he was named First-Team All-American by ABCA and Baseball America and All-ACC First Team, earning an invitation to try out for 2013 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team following season. Was the ACC 2013 batting champion with a .381 average and led the league in on-base percentage (.517) and was second in slugging (.619). Selected by the LA Angels in the 30th round of 2011

From MLB.com on Papi
Both Papi's father and brother played college baseball, but it looks like Mike is going to be the first in the family to extend his playing career to the professional ranks. After a strong summer in the Northwoods League, Papi has kept hitting for Virginia. His plate discipline and pitch recognition are as good as any college hitter in this Draft class. He's more of a line-drive hitter right now, but there is some slugging potential in his left-handed swing, plus excellent bat speed and good balance at the plate. Papi is very versatile as a defender. He's more of a corner outfielder, but he can even play center field in a pinch, and he can even play first. Virginia's home park is not hitting-friendly, and many Cavaliers hitters have gone on to hit better at the next level. The team that thinks that will happen for Papi, and that more power will come, will take a long look in the top few rounds.

Round 2 (#61 overall)
RHP GRANT HOCKIN

AGE/DOB: 18, March 5, 1996 High School: Damien High School (CA)

BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-4/200

Hockin, 18, recently graduated from Damien High School in La Verne, CA where he logged 20 career victories in 63 games across 4 varsity seasons for the Spartans. The 6-4 190-pound right-hander went 9-3 with a 1.49 ERA (17 ER/80.0 IP) in 14 games/13 starts during his senior season, limiting opposing batters to a .199 (59-297) while notching 99 strikeouts against 17 walks. A part-time infielder, Hockin hit .379 (25-66) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 15 RBI and 15 runs scored, while notching a 1.124 OPS (.488 OBP/.636 SLG) in 83 plate appearances this season. Hockin is the grandson of late Hall of Fame infielder Harmon Killebrew, currently committed to UCLA.

From MLB.com on Hockin
Major League bloodlines are always a benefit, so even though Hockin is a pitcher, the fact he is the grandson of Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew is a point of interest. Hockin's certainly made a name for himself as a projectable high school right-hander from Southern California. Tall and lean, he has decent stuff across the board coming from a clean and easy delivery. The UCLA commit will touch 92 mph with his fastball, and his two-seamer has some good run to it. His slider can be inconsistent, but he'll often throw it with good tilt and depth. Hockin's changeup will show a split-finger-fastball kind of action at times. When everything is working, he can throw all three for strikes. In a deep class for high school pitching, Hockin is behind the elite names, but with the chance to have three at least Major League average offerings, a team could find some very good value with him a little deeper in the Draft.