M's Draftee Dustin Ackley: What They're Saying
"He's an athletic kid. He can run. He's got a great swing....We think it will be a short period of time before he's a big leaguer." M's GM Jack Zduriencik, MLB.com
"He's a sure thing. He's going to hit, period. Not a big power guy but he might pop 18 or 20 in his best seasons." Anonymous scout, Prospect Insider
"I would walk over hot coals naked to watch this kid hit." Anonymous scout, ESPN Magazine via Art Thiel in the P-I.
"For those of you wondering what to make of Ackley, the best comparison is probably early career Darin Erstad. Like with Erstad, he’s a small-ish left-handed hitter with great contact skills, plus speed, a good approach at the plate, power that’s more suited to the gaps than driving the ball over the wall, and the ability to play first base or the outfield." Dave Cameron, USSMariner
"He’s the draft’s best hitter, as good a runner as any legitimate college prospect and still has upside, as he’s just learning to tap into his power." -- John Manuel, Baseball America
"Ackley is one of the best pure hitters in college, with great bat control and plus bat speed. He stays in the zone a long time, hits the ball where it's pitched and stays back on soft stuff." --MLB Scouting Report
"We started following him 1-1/2 years ago and have seen him a lot. ...Midway through the season, Dustin was our guy." M's Director of Scouting Tom McNamara, MLB.com.
"As I spent a few minutes listening to Ackley on a teleconference call, I suspected the young man on the other end of the phone line--pleasant but obviously indifferent to celebrity--was John Olerud with a Southern accent." John McGrath, Tacoma News Tribune
"The major league squad cannot be rebuilt in a season from the mayhem of the Bavasi years. Probably not even two. But by the third season, Ackley appears good enough to be a big part of what Zduriencik has begun this year." Art Thiel, Seattle P-I
The M's other first-day picks (links are to their MLB draft reports, which include video):
#27 -- Nick Franklin, SS, Lake Brantley HS (Fla.): "Nothing jumps out at you tools-wise, but he just goes out and does a good job and can do a little bit of everything."
#33 -- Stephen Baron, C, John A. Ferguson School (Fla.): "The Miami-area standout has outstanding catch and throw skills."
#51 -- Rich Poythress, 1B, Univ. of Georgia: "Power is his only tool. He's a limited-range first baseman who doesn't have great bat speed."
#82 -- Kyle Seager, 2B, Univ. of North Carolina: "While not as elite as teammate Dustin Ackley, he can swing the stick pretty well."
