Round 3 | Connor Barron | SS | Sumrall HS (Mis) | NOT SIGNING

[Bobbob1313]

He's gonna be a pretty big 2B.

[The_Godfather]

Really hope he signs, sounds like a lot of people didn't expect him to get past the supplemental round. here are some tidbits -

“Barron’s overnight emergence stemmed directly from his getting bigger and stronger over the course of the last year, and his obvious strength gains translated positively to every aspect of his game. Not only did Barron swing the bat this spring with much more authority, but his running speed and arm strength benefitted as well.

If scouts believe Barron can continue to play shortstop on an everyday basis at the professional level, he could edge his way into the back end of the first round by Draft Day.” – PG

“Mississippi’s once-in-a-generation high-school crop was already well established, but Barron added icing to the cake by bursting on the scene midway through the spring. His combination of advanced hitting skills, pure speed, superior arm strength and easy defensive actions could vault him right over everyone in the state and into the first round.” – PG

“It is easy to see why Barron has been on of the draft’s fastest risers this spring. He has great speed, a strong arm, and a big league frame that makes projecting his bat a easy relative to many of his draft class peers. The Reid Brignac comps are popular, and with good reason.” – Baseball Draft Report

“Connor Barron has made a huge jump up draft boards in the last year. In that time, he has gotten bigger, stronger, and faster. Barron makes solid contact and there is some power in his bat.

Barron looks good in the field. He moves well and has a strong arm. He should be able to stick at shortstop.” - mlb draft guide

[Bobbob1313]

Also, most of the scouting reports saying he has a strong arm. Why are we saying he's moving to 2B? 40 seconds of video footage showing him releasing the ball but not showing how it looks on it's flight? What am I missing?

[MiamiHomer]

Well he moved to 2nd base his senior season in HS so I guess people went off that, I don't know.

[DropkickAlex]

He's also pretty small 6 feet 160. Mine was a guess.

[emkayseven]

he's 6'1" but you're right, the guys on MLBN and some of the chatter on the internet mentioned he might move to 2nd. I'm a huge fan of this pick if we can sign him, with slot money likely going to our first 2 guys we can overspend a bit here. Looks like a guy who slipped and is projects pretty well. Love that we have lefty bats.

[DropkickAlex]

My bad on the height. Yeah I like this pick, his video though makes him look like a slap hitter but he has 8 HRs in HS, I don't know what to think there.

[Flasportsfan88]

He doesn't look smooth enough to be a major league shortstop. I don't know if putting on more weight is going to help.

His throwing motion looks like it could use some work too.

[Mainge]

Also, most of the scouting reports saying he has a strong arm. Why are we saying he's moving to 2B? 40 seconds of video footage showing him releasing the ball but not showing how it looks on it's flight? What am I missing?

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?to...nt_id=14697037

I was going off of that video. Only one throw obviously but that wasn't plus arm strength.

[Omar]

He has an incredible name.

/contribution

[jOOj]

I agree with Ramp and Smokey, thus why I've decided to like this pick and I'm now on the Barron-wagon.

[Todd]

Hope they get him signed.

[Mainge]

That's really good to know.

Do you know him?

[emkayseven]

THE 2011 Major League Baseball amateur player draft is in the books, and now it’s time for a handful of Mississippi players to make a decision.

And right now, the player with the biggest decision to make is recent Sumrall High graduate Connor Barron.

Barron, who was a three-year starter as an infielder for the four-time Class 3A state champion Bobcats, was the first Mississippian taken in this week’s draft – college or high school.

The Florida Marlins made Barron the 102nd pick in the draft, coming midway through the third round.

That was about where all of the experts, including Sumrall coach Larry Knight, predicted he’d go.

Scouts like Barron’s size (6-1, 170) and speed, his smooth swing (from the left side, no less) and his strong throwing arm.

Most believe he’ll stick at shortstop in a day when 6-foot-plus players are the norm at that position.

Barron was one of two Southern Miss signees to hear their name being called. George County slugger Mason Robbins was also taken, by the New York Mets with the 612th overall pick in the 20th round.

So the decision for these young men, then, is this. Do they say no to the pros and come to Hattiesburg to play at USM for the next three years, or do they take the money and follow their major-league dreams now?

For Robbins, the money for a 20th-round selection may not be enough to get him to turn pro.

But it’s not so simple for Barron. A third-round pick out of high school, with a solid and viable college option, is going to be able to negotiate a healthy signing bonus.

In 2010, the 102nd pick in the draft was Pat Dean, a left-handed pitcher from Boston College, who signed with the Minnesota Twins for a signing bonus of $319,500.

But since he was a college player, his negotiating position wasn’t as good as a Division I signee coming out of a top prep program.

The next high-school draftee last year whose bonus information was available was for the 104th pick, a catcher from Oklahoma named Jacob Realmuto. He signed with the Marlins for $600,000.

Interestingly, the high-schooler picked in the 99th spot, right-hander Ryne Stanek from Kansas, turned down the Seattle Mariners and chose to go on to Arkansas, where he had a solid freshman season, going 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA.

One has to think that if the Marlins offered their third-round pick last year $600,000 to sign, they’ll tender a similar offer to Barron.

Whether that’s enough to entice Barron to turn pro is anyone’s guess. My gut feeling is that it will be.

Whatever he and the other eight Mississippi high school draftees decide will depend on their own situations. All of them have until Aug. 15 to choose whether to go pro or college, and for some it will be agonizingly tough.

And none more than for Connor Barron.

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/a...xt|FRONTPAGE|s

[emkayseven]

Florida Marlins: The advanced power arm of Cuban defector RHP Jose Fernandez will need less time to develop than most high schoolers, though LHP Adam Conley (2nd round, Washington State) will likely beat him to the majors. SS Connor Barron (3rd round, Mississippi HS) was a steal in that spot, as was LHP Charlie Lowell (6th round, Wichita State). Sleepers: RHP Scott Lyman (10th round, UC Davis), OF Jhiomar Veras (15th round, Western Oklahoma State).

-John Sickels, http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/6/9/221...alysis-results