Alan Oaks

Oaks was the best high school hitter in Michigan and a Tigers 50th-round draft pick as an outfielder in 2006. He was predominantly an outfielder in his first three seasons with the Wolverines and clubbed a regional-winning homer off David Price as freshman, but he never made consistent contact at the plate. Michigan used him as a two-way player last year, and he became a full-time pitcher and its Friday night starter this spring. Though the righthander tired down the stretch after tripling his previous career high with 92 innings, scouts say he's legitimate and might have been a top-five-round pick had he moved to the mound earlier in his career. In the first half of the season, Oaks worked in the low 90s and touched 94 mph with his fastball while flashing an average slider and changeup. He uses his high-three-quarters arm slot and 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame to work down in the strike zone. He threw too many sliders, however, and topped out at 91 with diminished command and secondary pitches by the end of the year. Once he gets more innings under his belt, his build should lend itself to durability. He has enough stuff to make it as a starter, or profiles well as a late-inning reliever.