2010 Players to Watch: Goldpanners

Parkas are not part of the Goldpanners uniform.

( Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arthur_chapman/ / CC BY 2.0 )

The Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks have posted their 2010 preseason roster, so they are first in line for this year's Players to Watch article. Following is a list of players who I felt are worth keeping an eye on during the course of the upcoming season. Some of them I have deemed to be superior prospects with my ultimate Google scouting abilities; others I thought were possible "sleepers", and others still I felt had notable personal stories that make them intriguing. At the end of the list I've added a few "peripheral vision" candidates; players who I thought might also have an interesting season. Of course I am sure that I missed someone, so be sure to let me know who your top players to watch in 2010 are.

... 

RHP Jordan Hershiser
University of Southern California
R.S. Junior - 6'8" 245lb

Hershiser is coming to the ABL looking to log some innings and see if his surgically-repaired arm can hold up after Tommy John surgery in 2009. He missed the entire NCAA season last year but went on to pitch for the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League in summer ball. Hershiser didn't put up eye-popping numbers in either his 2008 campaign as a redshirt freshman for USC or his 2009 Northwoods season, but he's got a couple things going for him. With a 6'8" build you'd think he comes from good stock, and you'd be right. Maybe you remember his dad, Orel, the guy who threw 59 straight scoreless innings for the Dodgers and went on to win 23 games the year Jordan was born. It'll be interesting to see if the old man has rubbed off on Jordan at all.




RHP Sean Timmons
Armstrong Atlantic
Graduate - 6'1" 180lb

If you've followed the Panners at all over the past decade, you've heard of Timmons. The kid who never went back to school. The Fairbanks native first appeared in a Panners uniform in 1994(!) and has been a fixture of their rotation since '98 (if you include last year's "barnstorming" squad). In a league made up of college kids who stick around for a season or two, Timmons has become the franchise player. The Baseball Hall of Fame thought that was good enough to hang up his jersey, and I think that's reason enough to see what the "old man" has left for 2010.


C Justin Lamb
Sacramento State
Sophomore - 5'11" 200lb

Justin Lamb had a standout season for the Hornets in 2009. On the year he hit .271 and his 11 homers was a freshman team record. The biology major also logged a pair of two-homer games in his first NCAA season. His ability to hit college pitching right off the bat (pun intended) earned the backup catcher the starting job at DH. Baseball America isn't exactly drooling all over this kid yet but his college numbers definitely caught my eye. Keep track of this guy and see if he can handle the wood as well as he handles the aluminum.


SS DJ Crumlich
UC Irvine
Junior - 6'1" 185lb

When scouting prospects, it's not all about how good they are now, but how good they could be. I have a sense that DJ Crumlich is one of those guys with a lot of potential who are flying under the radar. His numbers for the Anteaters last season aren't going to knock your socks off, but he showed a knack for coming through with a big hit in the clutch, demonstrating the emotional maturity required to develop as a player. Crumlich is also regarded as a superior defensive player, something that is easily overlooked. The 2010 season with the Panners won't be his first wood-bat rodeo as Crumlich was a member of the 2009 Champion Wenatchee AppleSox squad. I'm looking forward to watching his second summer league season.


OF Darian Sandford
Park University
Senior - 5'9" 175lb

Darian Sandford might not scream "top prospect". It's easy to overlook a 5'9" outfielder from an NAIA school. Do yourself a favor, though, and keep an eye on this guy because I think he's going to turn some heads. Sandford hit .388 for Park U in 2009 and managed to swipe 43 bases. He's also a veteran of summer league play and was selected as the MINK league's #10 prospect by Baseball America last year. Sandford can flat-out run and has a strong passion for the game. This ABL season will be a good chance for him to get in front of some scouts and it'll be fun to see how he matches up against some of the big-school players.

Peripheral Vision: SS Derrick Chung, OF Mykal Stokes, C Austin Wooldridge

...

Again, this is not an exhaustive list. If I had unlimited time and my attention span didn't rival that of a small rodent, I would do research and write-up a bio on every player on the roster. I'm sure they are all deserving. But if you felt that I left someone out, by all means, let's hear your analysis in the comments section. In the mean time, I'll be working on the Players to Watch for the other five teams just as soon as their 2010 rosters are announced.