OF - Peninsula Oilers
Bats: S - Throws: R
Height: 6'0" - Weight: 175lb
School: U. Missouri
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Waco, Texas
All posts regarding Ryan Gebhart
When you think of the top prospects for the 2010 Peninsula Oilers, who comes to mind? I can think of one guy, who shall not be named, that probably comes first on a lot of peoples' lists. But if Ryan Gebhart isn't near the top of your ranking, I think you need to go back and have another look. This is a guy that we could be seeing a lot of in the future, starting with the 2011 MLB draft.
Ryan is an old ABL hand, up for his second year after a successful campaign with the AIA Fire in 2009. One reader commented that Gebhart looked like "a young big leaguer" during the year of '09. At the conclusion of the ABL regular season, Gebhart was adopted by the NBC runner-up Glacier Pilots for the amateur World Series tournament (stats), where he came up big and helped propel the Pilots to the championship game. This past season for Mizzou he was limited to 20 games (all starts). He put up very good numbers in those games, though, and managed to walk 20 times (though he struck out 28).
When I saw the Oilers last, I was really excited about Gebhart's offense. He shows a great combination of aggressiveness and patience. On the one hand, he can work the count and get the pitch he wants, and doesn't seem to swing at junk pitches. On the other, if he gets something he likes on the first pitch, he's not afraid to jump all over it. He has a very good eye and can be a tough out. Looking at the stat sheet, he isn't hitting for a high average (.211), but he's walked 33 times in 90 at-bats, which brings his on-base percentage up to a team-best .427. He'll get on base one way or another. And once he's on, he's a threat on the paths: 14 for 17 in steals this year. Perfect Game had a look at him as a high school senior and, for what it's worth, ranked him a 9/10 (potential top-10 round pick).
Garrett Wittels might be casting a big shadow down in Kenai with his Sports Illustrated star-power, but Ryan Gebhart has no trouble standing out as a guy who is as good as any prospect in this league. As the season rolls on and the Oilers continue their epic battle to claim the top spot in the league, Gebhart will be a key component of that fight. You can read all of our previous articles on Gebhart by clicking here, and keep checking in with us throughout the season and off-season for all the news on Ryan and the Oilers fit to print.
He is also a great kid. I had a chance to play against him and I respect him more than any other player in the league. He is a great leader and team player. Any team would be lucky to have Gebhart on their team because there is more to this kid than just baseball. Good article and best of luck to Ryan
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your comment. It's always nice to hear others' opinions of players, but especially good to hear from someone on the other side of the fence.
ReplyDeleteI watched in Wichita as he opened a lot of eyes. He hits from both side of plate, covers a lot of range in OF, has very strong arm, and has plus speed. He has pop in bat but power has yet to materialize. Gets on base a lot and scores a lot of runs. He should go far in the game. I can see him going top 10 and maybe top 5 rounds.
ReplyDeleteRight on, great info. Thanks for posting.
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