Sheldon Neuse

A preseason first-team All-American coming into his sophomore season, Neuse's bat never got going that year as he followed a rough summer in the Cape Cod League by hitting for a lower average, worse strikeout rate and less power than he had as a freshman. But Neuse flushed that rough year with an excellent junior season. At the end of the regular season he was leading the Big 12 in slugging percentage (.672) and ranked among league leaders in on-base percentage (.464) and batting average (.376). Neuse's approach varies between big swings where he's looking to drive the ball and times when he stays in control and takes a shorter, more compact stroke and uses the whole field. If he can find a balance he projects as an average hitter with average power. A shortstop with Oklahoma, Neuse lacks the range for the position as a pro. He's slowed to where he is a slightly below-average runner. His best position as a pro is probably third base. He should be at least an average defender at the hot corner, with a plus arm. That plus arm gives him a significant fall-back option as a pitcher as he's 91-93, touching 95 mph with a promising slider who has pitched sporadically throughout his college career.