Aaron Sanchez

Sanchez has lured scouts to Barstow, stuck in the middle of the California desert halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Only one player--Royals righty Matt Mitchell, a 2007 14th-round pick--has been drafted out of Barstow in the last 20 years. Sanchez, an angular and projectable Oregon recruit, should change that. He first drew the attention of scouts (and comparisons to Orel Hershiser) during last summer's showcase season, when he starred in the Area Code Games and the Aflac game. Utilizing an easy, mid-three-quarters arm action, Sanchez flashes a 91-93 mph fastball and adds a crisp curve. Mechanically advanced, Sanchez uses his legs well in his pitching delivery, avoids flying his front shoulder open and finishes strongly while creating a decent downward plane. As he progresses, the 6-foot-3, 175-pounder will need to develop more movement on his fastball, which is now too straight. His command is negatively affected by variances in his arm slot, and Sanchez will need to add at least a pitch and potentially two to his current arsenal. Sanchez profiles as a No. 3 starter. He may take some time to reach the majors, but his tantalizing upside is difficult for any organization to ignore.