Carl Thomore

Thomore has battled adversity to become a premium prospect in this year's draft. His mother died with breast cancer in 2005, and then he sustained a gruesome injury in a showcase in suburban Atlanta last summer. Thomore's cleat got caught in the dirt as he slid into third base, dislocating and breaking his ankle. An orthopedic surgeon who was in the stands came onto the field to help. He offered the choice of going to the hospital for treatment--risking complications because Thomore's circulation had been restricted--or popping the bone back into place on the field. Thomore gritted his teeth and chose the latter, and some say the decision and the doctor (who has never been identified) saved his baseball career. Scouts love Thomore's grinder mentality, and he grows on people the more they seem him. His only standout tool is his power, which is above-average. A plus runner before the injury, Thomore is now average, but he's aggressive with good instincts and is better under way. He profiles as a corner outfielder with an average arm. He's a physical 6-foot-1, 195 pounds and projects as an average hitter who can go to all fields.