2008 Draft, Rd4, #140, Corban Joseph

Born: 28/10/1988
Height: 6′2″ Weight: 165 lbs
Position: SS
Bats: L Throws: R
Transactions: Selected in 4th round (140th overall) of 2008 draft out of Franklin High School.

Video
MLB Scouting Video
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl_3_1.jsp?w_id=702219&w=/2008/open/draft/broll/br_joseph_corban_400.wmv&mid=200805302799653&pid=gen_video&vid=11071&cid=mlb&v=2&bypass=true

Photo
http://yankees.scout.com/PictureGallery.aspx?PlayerId=117191&Title=David%20Adams

Pending Pinstripes
http://mvn.com/milb-yankees/2008/06/05/yankees-4th-round-pick-corban-joseph/
The Yankees took shortstop Corban Joseph, the Tennessee high school baseball player of the year, in the 4th round. Joseph put up huge numbers in his senior season, batting .510 with 15 home runs, and he only struck out 5 times in 135 at bats. He has a nice lefty swing with good bat speed, and can hit for both power and average. The fact that he only struck out 5 times thi season indicates that he does not have problems making contact. While he doesn’t have great speed, he has a chance of staying at shortstop, but it appears he was drafted mostly for his bat. I haven’t heard of Joseph before he was drafted, but he sounds like he has a very promising bat. I like this pick.

River Ave. Blues
http://riveraveblues.com/2008/06/05/yanks-fifth-pick-140-overall-2986/
With their 4th round pick, the Yanks’ choose Corban Joseph, SS, Franklin HS (Tn.)
Scouting Report: Hits for power and average to all fields, but he’s an offense first shortstop and will likely have to change positions. He’s got a big wiry frame, so there’s plenty of room to add strength. Fast, but not a burner. Here’s his scouting video.
My Take: I’m intrigued. If the kid can hit then the kid can hit. Like I said for the Adams’ pick, the Yanks need middle infielders.
Outlook: Not sure how his signability looks, but if they lock him up he’ll head to the Rookie level GCL.

The Pinstripe Press
http://nyyankeesnews.blogspot.com/2008/06/ss-corban-joseph-franklin-tennessee-hs.html
The New York Yankees selected Tennessee high school shortstop Corban Joseph with its fourth-round pick (140th Overall) in the 2008 MLB Draft. Having committed to Kentucky, the Yankees ignored possible signability issues and were promptly rewarded. Joseph inked a contract quickly and will start off in the Gulf Coast League.

Joseph’s sweet swing yielded huge numbers in his senior season. The Tennessean’s Midstate Player of the Year, he exhibited an exceptional ability to make contact (only five strikeouts) while hitting for both average (.510 BA) and power (15 HRs and 58 RBIs). Although he’s not considered a burner, the Yankees would like to keep him at shortstop where his bat may carry him.

"This kid's a really advanced high school hitter,” Damon Oppenheimer told MLB.com. “We really like his bat. We're not sure if he stays at shortstop, but he can hit, he has power and he’s an average runner"

Oppenheimer, during a yankees.com Q&A session, identified Joseph and Luke Anders (500) as the two draftees with the best power potential.

Kurt Jones, an assistant coach for Joseph’s high school team had the following scouting report:

“Corban is a pure and natural talent at swinging the bat. He has the potential to be a great hitter in the major leagues. The reason why is every pitch he makes an adjustment. High school kids don't normally do that." (The Tennessean)

NYYankeeFans.com
http://www.nyyankeefans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=64983
In a competitive field, shortstop Corban Joseph distinguished himself as the top prep position player in the state because he plays a premium position and swings lefthanded. Joseph has plus bat speed and routinely squares balls up, hitting for power and average to all fields with a short swing. Joseph is an average runner, but speed will never be his game. He has a chance to stay at shortstop but will always be known for his offense than his defense. He profiles as a plus offensive 2Bman in the big leagues. Joseph takes pride in his swing which is a split image of Chase Utley's. "I want my swing to look good," said Joseph, The Tennessean 2008 baseball player of the year. "I can tell when my swing is off. I can look at it on video and tell what I did." He's also a team leader with a great work ethic. He's spend hours looking at video clips from multiple angles, dissecting every part of a swing. He also an called assistant throughout the season for extra batting practice. Joseph hit .510 this season with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs. He struck out five times in 135 at-bats. Joseph, a Kentucky signee, finished with 37 home runs for his career. "The thing is none of those home runs are gimmes," Brentwood Coach Nick Waggoner said. "When he hits one, it's out."

MLB Comp: He's got a Casey Utley CEILING

NYCurve.com
http://www.nycurve.com/brett-marshall-corban-joseph-and-mykal-stokes
Corban Joseph is a shortstop out of Franklin High School in Tennessee. He was named the state’s high school player of the year and was dratted in the 4th round by the Yanks. He had a tremendous senior year with a batting average of .510 and 15 home runs. Both of these stats show that he can hit for both power and average, a great combination for any hitter.

Perfect Game (by Allan Simpson)
SCOUTING REPORT: Joseph is the younger brother of Caleb Joseph (No. 10 above). Corban is much farther ahead of Caleb as a hitter at a comparable stage of development and generally is acknowledged as the best high school hitter in the state. He has a short, fluid stroke with easy bat speed and lift in his swing, especially to the pull side. He drilled 16 home runs in 30 games this spring. The remainder of Joseph’s tools are barely average, if that. He is capable of making the routine plays at shortstop and his hands are adequate, but his actions are slow and deliberate. He profiles as a second baseman or third baseman—or even a first baseman—at the college or pro level. His speed is also below average, but he is not a base clogger. His bat will play, no matter where he ends up defensively.

2008 Draftee Info (3)

From Pending Pinstripes

Thoughts on the Draft

So, Dennis Shulman won the primary… and the campaign immediately sent me down to D.C. to work on some training. Its been a long 2 weeks. I was busy enough that I couldn’t even follow the draft live, a long-time ritual of mine. I’ve had some time for the Yankee picks to ruminate in my head, so here are my thoughts.

Gerrit Cole, 1st Round - What a great pick. He’s a little risky, but has tremendous upside. He’s the kind of pick where we might be recounting the chain of events five years from now that had to line up in order for him to fall to us. By all measures, he was the best player available and we grabbed him. His scounting video reveals a fairly violent, cross-body motion that could cause problems in the future, but I’m sure that the Yankees are already thinking about how to smooth out his delivery once he signs. He’ll also be forever compared to Phil Hughes by minor league folks like ourselves. There is no such thing as a truly “safe” pick for a pitcher in the draft, so the Yankees went for the biggest upside pick they could.

Jeremy Bleich, Supplemental Round - He seems like an overdraft. Lefties tend to be overrated as is on draft day, and there are very few remarkable things about Bleich. He has good control, but was never that strong of a pitcher in college. He followed his poor sophomore year (5.56 ERA) with a strong partial season this year (1.38 ERA), but didn’t improve on his peripherals. His career rates stand at 3.05 BB/9 and 5.59 K/9.

Scott Bittle, 2nd Round - Unlike Bleich, Bittle was flat-out dominate this season. 70 2/3 innings, 30 walks, 130 strikeouts, 1.78 ERA. Watching his video, he seems to generate powerful downward movement on the ball. Had Melancon been healthy, this is the kind of position that he would have occupied. While I’m not certain that the Yankees need another strong set up man relief prospect, Bittle looks like a strong pick when viewed independently. He should also be a fast mover. Depending on when he decides to sign, Bittle could be available for the majors as soon as late 2009.

David Adams, 3rd Round - Derek Jeter would be jealous of his opposite-field swing. He’s a better version of Colin Curtis, but playing 2nd base.

Corban Joseph, 4th Round - Watching his draft video, the man’s got a power swing. I’m not sure if he’s a shortstop in name only (meaning, he’s just the most athletic guy on his high school team), but he seems to be a good enough hitter to profile lower down the spectrum. Eric reported that he hit over .700 in high school, but we’ll have to see how he does against real competition. Definitely a guy to keep an eye on.

Chris Smith, 5th Round - I don’t have much of an opinion on Smith, so I won’t insult your intelligence by offering one. He’s a fast guy who chokes up on the bat.

Brett Marshall, 6th Round -He’s a classic high upside pick. You can’t teach 95. He’s a project, but the Yankees should end up paying him the kind of money that he’ll demand.

Other Thoughts - We got Pat Venditte back! And this time, he’s a senior. I’d say that there is now an 80% chance that the switch-pitcher will play for one of the Yankee’s minor league affiliates. How good he is remains to be seen, but I can’t wait to see him pitch. The Yankee draft appears appears to be an ambitious one - they drafted lots of upside. For the second year though, I will reserve judgment on the draft until the August signing deadline.

2008 Draftee Info (1)

From Yankees: Looking for the Furture

Draft Recap and Review

Overall, I’d say the Yankees had a pretty good draft. First, I’ll review and grade each notable selection (note that the Yankees selected in every round but not every pick is analyzed):

1st rd., 28: Gerrit Cole, RHP, HS (California): The only reason Cole was available was due to signability concerns coupled with some overrated makeup issues. Either way, Cole has one of the better arms in the draft, boasting a plus 94-97MPH fastball, a sharp slider at 87-88, and a raw but fading changeup. The latter two pitches have plus potential as well. He still has some projection left, so the velocity may eventually rest in the high 90’s. His delivery is concerning as it is max effort along with other small, incorrect mechanics (showing the ball to CF, etc.) that can be injury concerns. However, these flaws will most likely be corrected by proper professional coaching. There is debate about whether he helps out best as a starter or as a dominant closer. I say to begin with him as a starter and to see how things pan out. Grade: A.

1st suppl., 44: Jeremy Bleich, LHP, Stanford: Bleich was on the prospect radar for a while, pitching very well at Stanford in his sophomore year and also doing very well at the Cape Cod League. However, an elbow strain that caused him to miss part of the season really put a damper on his star, and he didn’t have much in terms of stuff (88-91 FB, fading 78-79 change, loopy 72-73 curve), but, according to some reports, Bleich was throwing 93-94 upon returning from his injury late in the year. Apparently the Yankees, interested in a left-handed starter for their system, took Bleich based on seeing that. If he can improve his curve and if the 93-94MPH fastbal report is true, then I like this pick. Last night, at least, he was consistently in the low 90’s and had a very low pitch count throughout the game, which does a lot for me. If he still throws as had originally been reported, then there were certainly better options available–Robbie Ross, Nick Maronde, etc. Grade:B+

2nd rd., 75: Scott Bittle, RHP, Mississippi: Bittle throws a sick cutter in the mid-to-high 80’s with plenty of movement that no one can hit, and which he throws about 80% of the time. He can complement that with an 89-92MPH fastball. He struck out almost 2 batters per inning in college, in the SEC no less. His changeup has the potential to be an average pitch. Bittle is a solid grab here, and he should soar through the system as a college closer. Without the big fastball he projects to be a solid set-up guy in the Yankee ‘pen. He was drafted last year in the 48th round. Grade: B+

3rd rd., 106: David Adams, 2B, Virginia: Adams reminds me of Dustin Pedroia. A great contact hitter with 10-15HR power at best, not a burner but is good with the glove. And don’t forget all that gritty, hard-nosed stuff too. If the Yankees ever get sick of Cano’s slow starts/slumps and decide to trade him he wouldn’t be a bad replacement. Middle infielders are in short supply in the system but there were probably better options out there. Grade: B

4th rd., 140: Corban Joseph, 3B, HS (Tenn.): Joseph is an offensively-minded SS who doesn’t project to stay there for long. He has power to all fields as well as the ability to make solid contact. He has some frame to fill, so there should be more power (and a position change) coming. A good value at this spot and he has good potential. Grade: B+

5th rd., 170: Chris Smith, LF, HS (Cal.): I have mixed feelings on this guy. His coaches rave about his abilities, and one, who coached both him and Coco Crisp liked Smith’s skillset more. He had the highest batting average in the country at any level, batting .708 (that’s right, .708). However, BA had him as only the 109th best prospect in California, a baseball hub. Still, .708 is .708 anywhere you go, and if what his coaches say about him is true, I say it’s a good pick. Grade: B

6th rd., 200: Brett Marshall, RHP, HS (TEX): Another signability guy. This is an insanely good value pick at 200–plus mid-90s fastball and a potentially plus 87-88 slider. His fastball went up about 10MPH from last year to this year, and has pitched very well. He will take $1M to sign, but that shouldn’t be a problem. He needs to learn how to repeat his delivery, but he is relatively new to pitching. Grade: A

9th rd., 290: Michael O'Brien, RHP, HS (FLA): Brown fell because of the so-called “undersized righty syndrome.” Brown is 5′11″, 185, but he has a low-90s fastball with both a solid change and curve. He has a little projection and has plus command. A great value at this spot. Grade: A

10th rd., 320: William Mitchell, RHP, Clemson: Mitchell is a lanky guy (6′2″, 165 lbs) who doesn’t have much in terms of stuff but gets the most out of it by being aggressive. Doesn’t really seem like more than a Grade C prospect until I see otherwise. Could be a back-of-rotation guy. There were better options out there, though. Grade: C/C+

15th rd., 470: Matt Richardson, SS/RHP, HS (FLA): Scouting report from Perfect Game via NoMaas:
Matt Richardson is a 2008 SS/P with a 6′2”, 180 lb. frame from Lake Mary, FL who attends Lake Mary HS.Tall athletic build, projects well, solid bat speed, quick hands, short swing plane, high level hitting tools, runs well, very good raw arm strength in the field, quick actions, good release, hands work well, quick arm on the mound, high 3/4 arm slot, nice late life on fastball, tight spin on curveball, drop and drive delivery, big upside, strong student, highest-level two-way prospect with high draft potential.
According to this report, in the 15th rd., this is an excellent value pick. I would try him as a SS first. Grade: A

27th Rd., 830: Garrison Lassiter, SS, HS (SC): Lassiter is a “major signability case” per NoMaas. According to Perfect Game, again via NoMaas:Garrison Lassiter is a 2008 SS/3B/OF with a 6′3”, 195 lb. frame from High Point, NC who attends West Forsyth HS. Tall athletic build, body projects well, solid hitting mechanics, easy swing, quick hands, good bat speed, stays inside the ball, turns on the ball easily, strong infield actions, quick hands, good transfer and release, raw arm strength, runs well, strong student, highest-level prospect with early round draft potential.Another early round talent falling because of signability. Great value at this time, no let’s get him signed. Grade: B+, A if he signs

30th Rd., 920: Ben McMahan, C, HS (FLA): McMahan is a defense-first catcher with good speed for his position. He can eventually evolve into an above-average-hitting catcher with Gold Gloves at best, but is more likely to end up as a backstop. Still a little frame to fill out. I’d like to see him play before I make judgments Grade: B+

36th Rd., 1100: Chris Dwyer, LHP, HS (CT): I absolutely adore this pick. HOWEVER (big however): He is a huge signability concern. At 6′4″ and 200 lbs., he is pretty much filled out, though that isn’t a concern. Dwyer is an exceptional outfielder, and he also throws 92-94 with his plus fastball, to go along with a “tremendous” curve, per SI. If sign this year, at 20 he’ll be a draft eligible freshman, a rare occurence in the draft ranks. Either way, he may end up being the second best player the Yankees selected in this draft. Grade: A+

So, there are your most important draft picks. There are some other interesting picks (Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte [no gimmick], 1B Luke Anders [massive guy], etc.), but the listed players are the ones who should be on your prospect radar now. Overall, the grade of this draft is A- right now. I truly believe there is a great draft. You can’t compare any draft with the legendary 2006 draft, which produced, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, and Dellin Betances. Many of these ‘08 guys are raw and young and have great potential, and could make a huge impact on future Yankee teams. We’ll see it in the future.