Derek McCallum

McCallum had the best offensive season of any Minnesota player since future big leaguer Robb Quinlan in 1998, batting .409/.484/.741 with 18 homers and a school-record 86 RBIs. He foreshadowed his breakout with a strong summer in the Northwoods League, which he led with 81 hits while batting .328 with wood bats. McCallum handles the bat and controls the strike zone well, and he consistently generates hard line drives with a short lefthanded stroke. He had reached base in each of his final 46 games. His power blossomed this spring, and he drilled six homers in one five-game stretch after hitting five in his first two seasons. The 6-foot, 190-pound McCallum played hockey in high school and brings that kind of mentality to the diamond. He played second base as a freshman and shortstop as a sophomore, and he looked more comfortable after moving back to second this spring. Though he's a below-average runner, he has a quick first step, range to both sides and a good arm for the position. He shows keen instincts in all aspects of the game. A club that sees McCallum as a poor man's Chase Utley could take him in the fourth round.