Kolbrin Daniel Vitek
RHP/2B
6'3"
195 lbs
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Hometown: Bryan, Ohio
High School: Bryan HS
College: Ball State University
Drafted: 1st Round (#20 overall pick) of the June 7, 2010 Amateur Draft
Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports Vitek agreed to contract terms with the Red Sox on draft day.
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I posted the following 2 weeks ago in the Red Sox 2010 Amateur Draft thread when Theo was scouting some top talent in Chillicothe, Ohio:
QUOTE
The 2010 MAC Tournament kicked off in grand form. Not only were two great teams who were separated by just one game squaring off, the game which started bright and early at 9 AM was taken in by a special visitor. In many circles Ball State junior Kolbrin Vitek is the conference’s number one prospect and expected first round draft pick. That sentiment was cemented today in a big way. Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Boston Red Sox Theo Epstein was on hand to take in the Bowling Green-Ball State contest to get a close and personal look on the MAC Player of the Year.
Vitek's a second baseman but he's also an RHSP. This season he put up a .368/.452/.713/1.165 line with 17 HR and a 36/32 K/BB in 263 PA. He worked from the mound in 15 games (13 starts, 2/2 in save opps), logging a 3.27 ERA, 72 H, 57 K and 20 BB (2.85 K/BB) in 74.1 IP, and holding batters to a .255/.331/.340/.671 line. Notable for a guy who's displayed such great control were the 12 batters he hit (one per 6.20 IP). He only threw one wild pitch, which indicates he's unafraid to exert ownership of the inside half of the plate. Granted he's not really being viewed as a top-tier pitching prospect, but it says a ton about his attitude and makeup.
He's a lot bigger than Pedroia (6-3, 195) and seems to profile more as a 3B long term. From Pat Hickey's recent scouting report:
QUOTE
Baseball America's Jim Callis tweeted a week and a half ago that the Padres, who have the ninth selection this year, are very high on Ball State second baseman/third baseman Kolbrin Vitek -- high enough that they could be willing to take him with their first pick.
QUOTE
Undrafted out of high school, Kolbrin Vitek burst onto the scene last year as a sophomore at Ball State University, hitting .389/.465/.736 and swiping 17 bases. He also showed promise as a pitcher, where he utilized a low-90's fastball on the mound. It is, however, his bat that will propel him to being selected in the first couple of rounds in 2010. In a draft class light on college bats, Vitek stands out with an intriguing power/speed combination. Vitek has a lean, athletic frame with good body control and flexibility. The biggest thing that stands out about him are his hands. Not only are they lightning quick, but he also understands how they work and uses them to his advantage. Vitek shows excellent balance through contact and rotates his hips well with a strong front side. His swing plane is fairly level, but he does get good lateral tilt and uses the entire field for easy plus power potential. Vitek has plenty of bat speed and extends well through the zone. Last summer at the Great Lakes League All-Star Game, Vitek ran a 6.6-second 60-yard dash. In 2009, he was 17 for 26 on the base paths, but has improved to 13 for 16 so far this year. Defensively, I think the consensus is that he profiles best at third base. He's got the arm strength, but he will need the repetitions to improve footwork and understanding of the position. As a second baseman this year, Vitek has shown he has the hands and agility to make plays to both sides of him. As good of an athlete as he is, he shouldn't have trouble developing into a serviceable to above average third baseman.
Pat also makes the following observation (and a valid one, IMO) regarding players from smaller schools and mid-majors:
QUOTE
A lot of times, these players don't see the same level of competition that players in the SEC and ACC face day in and day out. While there certainly is no denying that, I think one thing that is overlooked with position players is the lack of protection that hitters of the caliber like Vitek get in a line-up. I covered Indiana University baseball this spring, and I asked Coach Tracy Smith what their approach was going to be against him. Obviously, he said they weren't going to give him anything good to hit. Sure enough, Vitek ended up going 2-5 with a double and a home run.
BSU video feature:
CB360 interview:
2/19/2010 @ Arkansas
5/12/2010 vs Ohio State
Another short video here.
Hard not to like his eye, his swing mechanics, and how he carries himself. Definitely appears to fit the Epstein mold.
RHP/2B
6'3"
195 lbs
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Hometown: Bryan, Ohio
High School: Bryan HS
College: Ball State University
Drafted: 1st Round (#20 overall pick) of the June 7, 2010 Amateur Draft
Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports Vitek agreed to contract terms with the Red Sox on draft day.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I posted the following 2 weeks ago in the Red Sox 2010 Amateur Draft thread when Theo was scouting some top talent in Chillicothe, Ohio:
QUOTE
The 2010 MAC Tournament kicked off in grand form. Not only were two great teams who were separated by just one game squaring off, the game which started bright and early at 9 AM was taken in by a special visitor. In many circles Ball State junior Kolbrin Vitek is the conference’s number one prospect and expected first round draft pick. That sentiment was cemented today in a big way. Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Boston Red Sox Theo Epstein was on hand to take in the Bowling Green-Ball State contest to get a close and personal look on the MAC Player of the Year.
Vitek's a second baseman but he's also an RHSP. This season he put up a .368/.452/.713/1.165 line with 17 HR and a 36/32 K/BB in 263 PA. He worked from the mound in 15 games (13 starts, 2/2 in save opps), logging a 3.27 ERA, 72 H, 57 K and 20 BB (2.85 K/BB) in 74.1 IP, and holding batters to a .255/.331/.340/.671 line. Notable for a guy who's displayed such great control were the 12 batters he hit (one per 6.20 IP). He only threw one wild pitch, which indicates he's unafraid to exert ownership of the inside half of the plate. Granted he's not really being viewed as a top-tier pitching prospect, but it says a ton about his attitude and makeup.
He's a lot bigger than Pedroia (6-3, 195) and seems to profile more as a 3B long term. From Pat Hickey's recent scouting report:
QUOTE
Baseball America's Jim Callis tweeted a week and a half ago that the Padres, who have the ninth selection this year, are very high on Ball State second baseman/third baseman Kolbrin Vitek -- high enough that they could be willing to take him with their first pick.
QUOTE
Undrafted out of high school, Kolbrin Vitek burst onto the scene last year as a sophomore at Ball State University, hitting .389/.465/.736 and swiping 17 bases. He also showed promise as a pitcher, where he utilized a low-90's fastball on the mound. It is, however, his bat that will propel him to being selected in the first couple of rounds in 2010. In a draft class light on college bats, Vitek stands out with an intriguing power/speed combination. Vitek has a lean, athletic frame with good body control and flexibility. The biggest thing that stands out about him are his hands. Not only are they lightning quick, but he also understands how they work and uses them to his advantage. Vitek shows excellent balance through contact and rotates his hips well with a strong front side. His swing plane is fairly level, but he does get good lateral tilt and uses the entire field for easy plus power potential. Vitek has plenty of bat speed and extends well through the zone. Last summer at the Great Lakes League All-Star Game, Vitek ran a 6.6-second 60-yard dash. In 2009, he was 17 for 26 on the base paths, but has improved to 13 for 16 so far this year. Defensively, I think the consensus is that he profiles best at third base. He's got the arm strength, but he will need the repetitions to improve footwork and understanding of the position. As a second baseman this year, Vitek has shown he has the hands and agility to make plays to both sides of him. As good of an athlete as he is, he shouldn't have trouble developing into a serviceable to above average third baseman.
Pat also makes the following observation (and a valid one, IMO) regarding players from smaller schools and mid-majors:
QUOTE
A lot of times, these players don't see the same level of competition that players in the SEC and ACC face day in and day out. While there certainly is no denying that, I think one thing that is overlooked with position players is the lack of protection that hitters of the caliber like Vitek get in a line-up. I covered Indiana University baseball this spring, and I asked Coach Tracy Smith what their approach was going to be against him. Obviously, he said they weren't going to give him anything good to hit. Sure enough, Vitek ended up going 2-5 with a double and a home run.
BSU video feature:
CB360 interview:
2/19/2010 @ Arkansas
5/12/2010 vs Ohio State
Another short video here.
Hard not to like his eye, his swing mechanics, and how he carries himself. Definitely appears to fit the Epstein mold.