2016 State Draft Report: Michigan

CROP RATING
	Banner Year
Rating compares this year’s group to what a state typically produces, not to other states

 

Number of players drafted in 2015: 18.

Nick Plummer was an outlier. Last year Plummer became the state’s first first-round pick since 2000. And it was also the first time this decade that a high school player from Michigan went off the board before a collegian.

Things will return to normal this year. The development of Keegan Akin will make this an above-average year for the talent in the state, but it’s more the norm as the college talent is better than the high school crop.

NATIONAL TOP 500 PROSPECTS

BA 500 Scouting Reports

1. Keegan Akin, lhp, Western Michigan (National Rank: 80)
2. Dakota Mekkes, rhp, Michigan State (National Rank: 205)
3. Brett Adcock, lhp, Michigan (National Rank: 224)
4. Cameron Vieaux, lhp, Michigan State (National Rank: 245)
5. Kyle Roberts, lhp, Henry Ford (Mich.) JC (National Rank: 246)
6. Carmen Benedetti, lhp/1b, Michigan (National Rank: 275)
7. Jordan Zimmerman, 2b, Michigan State (National Rank: 279)
8. Karl Kaufmann, rhp, Brother Rice HS, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (National Rank: 330)
9. Nick Deeg, lhp, Central Michigan (National Rank: 400)

 

OTHER PROSPECTS OF NOTE

2016 Draft Map

10. Mike Mokma, rhp, Holland (Mich.) HS
11. Mason Erla, rhp, Cass City (Mich.) HS
12. Jake Bivens, 3b, Michigan
13. Dion Henderson, lhp, Dearborn, Mich. (no school)
14. Harrison Wenson, c, Michigan
15. Evan Hill, lhp, Michigan
16. Sam Benschoter, rhp, Tecumseh (Mich.) HS
17. Jackson Lamb, rhp, Michigan
18. Walter Borkovich, rhp, Michigan State
19. Tommy Henry, lhp, Portage (Mich.) Northern HS
20. Zack McKinstry, ss, Central Michigan
21. Zack Kohn, rhp, Carlson HS, Gilbraltar, Mich.
22. Jack Weisenberger, rhp/of, Rockford (Mich.) HS
23. Bryan Saucedo, rhp, Davenport (Mich.) University

 

ADDITIONAL SCOUTING REPORTS

Mike Mokma, rhp, Holland (Mich.) HS– Mokma is extremely projectable as an athletic 6-foot-6 righthander with an 86-89 mph fastball and a developing breaking ball. It’s an intriguing combo, especially when you consider that he’s split his time between basketball and baseball. But the Michigan State signee probably needs three years of school to prove he’s as projectable as he appears.
Mason Erla, rhp, Cass City (Mich.) HS– Erla could have built a case as the best high school prospect in Michigan, but a football injury sidelined him this spring. The 6-foot-4 righthander showed an 87-91 mph fastball pre-injury with athleticism and projection to build on that. He’s signed with Michigan State.
Jake Bivens, 3b, Michigan – Bivens is a sophomore-eligible infielder who slid from third base to shortstop because of injuries. He best fits in pro ball at second base because he lacks the power to profile at third base. He has excellent contact skills at the plate.
Dion Henderson, lhp, Dearborn, Mich. (no school) – Henderson is very well traveled at this point, as he’s enrolled in multiple schools in multiple states. He returned to his home state of Michigan this spring although he was not eligible to pitch for any school. He did throw some bullpens where his fastball sat 86-88 and touched 90, but he struggled to snap off his breaking ball and his delivery was even less refined than it had been in the past. Henderson has touched 92 mph in the past and he’s an athletic and lean lefty, but he has a lot of work ahead of him.
Harrison Wenson, c, Michigan – Wenson has been a reliable catcher who showed some developing power potential this year.
Evan Hill, lhp, Michigan – A senior sign who has been a reliable member of the Wolverines’ rotation, Hill lacks a plus pitch.
Sam Benschoter, rhp, Tecumseh (Mich.) HS– Benschoter pitches in the 86-88 mph range now with expectations he’ll eventually grow into a 90-93 mph pitcher with a potentially above-average slider. He’s just not there yet.
Jackson Lamb, rhp, Michigan – Lamb’s comeback from Tommy John surgery hit a speed bump with he pulled an oblique but he pitched well in a short stint (13 strikeouts in eight innings) thanks to a 92-94 mph fastball.
Walter Borkovich, rhp, Michigan State – At his best, Borkovich is a tall (6-foot-5), skinny (200-pound) ground ball machine. The righthander relies heavily on a 90-94 mph sinker as his slider and changeup are both below-average pitches that exist largely to keep hitters from sitting dead-red at all times. Borkovich’s delivery has some effort and a significant head whack, but as a durable reliever with a quality sinker, he’ll fit somewhere in a pro bullpen.At his best, Borkovich is a tall (6-foot-5), skinny (200-pound) ground ball machine. The righthander relies heavily on a 90-94 mph sinker as his slider and changeup are both below-average pitches that exist largely to keep hitters from sitting dead-red at all times. A reliever as a sophomore, Michigan State made him its Sunday starter only to find that his secondary stuff wasn’t up to working more extended outings–he moved back to the pen at midseason. Borkovich’s delivery has some effort and a significant head whack, but as a durable reliever with a quality sinker, he’ll fit somewhere in a pro bullpen.
Tommy Henry, lhp, Portage (Mich.) Northern HS– Henry is a late-blooming projectable lefthander who was the state’s Gatorade player of the year.
Zack McKinstry, ss, Central Michigan – A draft-eligible sophomore, McKinstry is a solid defender at shortstop and led the Chippewas in batting this year (.325). But his light bat (.058 isolated power) makes it likely he’ll return to Central Michigan for his junior season.
Zack Kohn, rhp, Carlson HS, Gilbraltar, Mich. – Kohn is a projectable righthander (6-foot-4, 200-pounds) with a high-80s fastball and flashes of a promising changeup and curveball. He’s signed with Central Michigan.
Jack Weisenberger, rhp/of, Rockford (Mich.) HS– A Michigan signee, Weisenberger has been one of the better pitchers in the state for several years, but his lack of significant improvement has soured evaluators. Weisenberger sits 85-88 mph, but that’s not much more than he sat as a high school freshman, so there’s concern that there’s not much more in the tank. He has some raw power and may be a two-way player for the Wolverines as a pitcher/outfielder.
Bryan Saucedo, rhp, Davenport (Mich.) University – Saucedo was drafted out of a Toronto secondary school in 2012 in the 29th round as a first baseman. Now he’s a power pitching prospect at 6-foot-6 with a low-to-mid-90s fastball. He didn’t have a good season because of control problems.