2014 MLB draft prospects rankings: Nos. 40-36

40. Justus Sheffield, Tullahoma HS (TN), LHP (OF), 6′, 190 lbs.

Familiar name, but according to a Yahoo! Sports report from last October, neither Justus nor his older brother Jordan are related to the former big leaguer Gary. No mention of the relationship on Jordan’s bio on the Commodores website either.

Anyway, Justus differs from his brother in that he’s a lefty hurler. We know that lefties tend to get that little extra look merely because of that. But Justus has earned that extra look. He does posses three pitches that are thought to have plus potential.

The fastball has hit 94, but it averages just a couple of ticks lower. His curveball sits in the mid to high 70’s and can display nice depth as well as nice rotation. The changeup, which is also in the mid to high 70’s in velocity, can be equally effective. Developing a slider, a pitch that is still developing, makes Sheffield a potential first round selection.

There are only two concerns, one a little concerning and the other, not so much. Jordan was thought to be a first round talent, but he had his 2013 season was derailed due to Tommy John surgery. I know these guys are different, but there’s that genetic connection that sometimes seeps through during evaluations.

The other is the lack of height. At 6′, there might be worries of Justus being able to always be on top of his pitches.

Justus has committed to Vanderbilt, the same school where Jordan is currently . Go fig. Vandy getting a highly touted prep pitcher. And another lefty, no less.

39. Forrest Wall, Orangewood Christian HS (CA), 2B (SS), 6′, 170 lbs.

Over the past calendar year, Wall is one guy that has steadily climbed many rankings.

There’s much to like about Wall’s offense. He might be the best pure hitter among all prep bats, if not the best. The ball jumps off his bat and he also possesses good zone recognition.

http://youtu.be/eL6drB5C294

There’s a lot going on with that swing. That’s not always a bad thing, and those “extracurriculars” don’t seem to have any negative effect on his production. He certainly keeps himself “busy” while in the box. He also possesses nice speed as his 60-yard time, as noted by Big League Futures, is 6.51.

The concern is related to a pair of shoulder injuries. Wall plays shortstop on his high school team, but the perceived lack of arm strength will mist likely see him move over to second base. He had surgery on his right shoulder in 2011 and it appears to have sapped some of that arm strength.

This past March, Wall also missed time due to a separating his left shoulder. Yet, neither has deterred his bat.

Wall has a commitment to the University of North Carolina.

38. Scott Blewett, Baker HS (NY), RHP, 6′ 6″, 235 lbs.

Blewett has hit 96 with his fastball, but it is more of the high 80’s to low 90’s variety. His breaking ball, a curveball in the mid 70’s, is improving. He also owns a changeup, but it’s more in the developing stages. There have been issues with his control of his off-speed pitches, most notably the curve. It’s not as consistent as you might like.

Still, both the curve and change project to be no worse than average offerings at the big league level.

This delivery is fairly smooth. Actually, kind of easy on the eyes. Almost lulls a batter into a sleep. I don’t believe there will be a whole lot of tinkering with this as he moves through the minors.

I can see why many feel there is projectability (is that a word?) here with Blewett. His height does lend well to pitching downhill on a consistent basis. Adding some muscle to his frame could add a little more zip to the fastball.

Side note and thinking out loud moment. Always been a little curious as why some believe bigger and taller pitchers should have higher velocity than their shorter counterparts. Creating an imposing figure perhaps?

Being a first round pick, either in the main portion or a comp pick, is a real possibility. Blewett has committed to St. John’s

37. A.J. Reed, Kentucky, 1B/RHP, 6′ 4″, 245 lbs.

There is so much to love about A.J. Reed. He was on the Golden Spikes watchlist, but that doesn’t begin to tell the whole story.

The New York Mets selected Reed in the 25th round of the 2011 draft as a pitcher. He opted to attend the University of Kentucky. As the ace of the Wildcats staff, Reed was 10-2, tops in the SEC in wins. Toss is an ERA of 2.11, a BAA of.229, and a WHIP of 1.122, and any organization would be beaming at the chances of adding his arm to their pitching depth.

But the path Reed now has to the majors is with his bat. He has made himself into one of the nation’s best collegiate bats. Reed even believes that’s the case.

By the slimmest of margins, Reed missed out on winning the SEC’s triple crown. The only category he did not come out on top was in batting average. Rounded to the ten-thousandths (that’s how close it was), Reed hit .3586. Will Allen of Missouri edged him by batting .3587. Reed also cracked 23 HR and drove in 70, both tops in the conference.

I guess we could include a OBP of .492 and SLG of .788 as well.

A first round selection is certainly possible. I’d say it’s a certainty more toward the later end of the first round.

I almost feel a little sheepish listing Reed in this slot. Maybe because I know he’s destined to play first base, so he is positionally limited. His defense isn’t dazzling, and the speed is simply not there to play any other position.

Can always fall back on that arm. Nah…

36. Marcus Wilson, Serra HS (CA), OF, 6′ 3″, 170 lbs.

Marcus Wilson can run. His 60 yard time, as noted at Perfect Game, is 6.50. That’s in the 98th percentile. He can cover ground with the best of them. This practically guarantees that Wilson can play center field at the next level. He will need to work on his routes, but what high school outfielder doesn’t? Those guys are few and far between.

He also has a strong arm. He’s been clocked at 92 mph from the outfield. No, the defense is fine.

The bat isn’t so bad either.

Nice stroke. Also like that once Wilson knew the ball was out of the park (which wasn’t long after contact), he simply began his tour of the bases.

MLB Pipeline had the following on Wilson…

Wilson has all the tools sought after in an outfielder, and the team that thinks it can help him unlock the toolbox will be the one to Draft him.

With his frame, adding weight and muscle is almost a given in Wilson’s case. The only thing you hope is that it doesn’t take away from his speed. If worked on appropriately, you could even see that 60-time dwindle a bit.

I know the word “toolsy” will scare a few. Toolsy guys sometimes require more work, but Wilson is a guy that would substantially benefit provided he sees what tools he possesses. And it never hurts when you have the likes of Ken Griffey, Jr. willing to give some advice.

Think first round for this guy.