We’re a little late posting the week #8 USA Collegiate Update from Prospect Nation, but it’s still something you should read.  There is quite a bit of draft player information, about some of the best names through the first half of the season.

Get ready for another 9-innings of collegiate action…

1^st: UCLA junior RHP Trevor Bauer is starting to run away with the 2011 Strikeout Crown and now sits just 3 K’s away from hitting the century mark for the second consecutive year; this past weekend, Bauer pitched a complete game (2^nd over the past 3 starts),  fanning 15 of 33 batters, while allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks; with the season at the halfway point, Bauer figures to pass the 165 K’s he posted last year; just a couple more starts like this and he will be very close…

[LINK: Cougars can’t decipher Bauer]

2^nd: UCLA junior RHP Gerrit Cole took part in the one-up-manship with teammate Trevor Bauer over the weekend as he also tossed a complete game; Cole, however, allowed just 1 unearned run on 5 hits and 1 walk while fanning 7 of the 32 batters he faced; this marked Cole’s second straight complete game (he has 3 on the season) as compared to Bauer’s 2…

[LINK: Cole dominant in complete game win]

[LINK: 2011 Draft – Catching up with Gerrit Cole]

3^rd: Clemson junior SS Brad Miller was named both the ACC Player of the Week and Collegiate Baseball’s National Player of the Week award; these accolades were the result of a 14-for-21, 2 2B’s, 2 3B’s, 7 RBI’s, 4 stolen bases and 8 run effort; his defense wasn’t too shabby as he flawlessly fielded 28 hits with no errors…

[LINK: Miller named both National and ACC Player of the Week]

4^th: Bethune-Cookman junior C Peter O’Brien is widely regarded as the best hitting catcher in the NCAA and looks to be a 1^st-round draftee come June (see article below); on the week, O’Brien was 8-for-20 with 2 2B’s, 1 HR (10), 7 RBI’s, and scored 4 times; his 10^th HR ties him with LSU’s Mikie Mahtook for the group lead…

[LINK: O’Brien a diamond in the rough *Recommended]

5^th: Arizona sophomore OF Robert Refsnyder raised his cumulative batting average a total of 16 points (0.347 to 0.363) after a terrific week at the plate; Refsnyder was 8-for-17 with a 2B, HR (4), 7 RBI’s and a SB…

[LINK: Stereotypes don’t bother adopted Refsnyder]

6^th: We knew that Miami freshman LHP Bryan Radziewski was special when the Hurricanes gave him the season opening start; Rad has been their Friday ace ever since and has rarely disappointed;  this past Friday, he tossed 5.2 IP and allowed just 1 unearned run on 3 hits; he didn’t walk a single batter and fanned 8 of the 21 he faced; investors, get on-board the Bryan Radziewski train now…

[YouTube: Post-game press conference with Bryan Radziewski]

7^th: LSU freshman RHP Kevin Gausman has had his ups-and-downs this year, but his “ups” are what has everyone in Baton Rouge excited; this past weekend was definitely an “up” as Gausman delivered 8-innings of shutout baseball; he gave up just 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5 of the 28 batters he faced en-route to his 2^nd win on the year; BTW, there’s a Kevin Gausman train with a lot of potential ; )

[LINK: Terrific performance by Gausman not enough as Tigers lose heartbreaker]

8^th: Vanderbilt junior RHP Sonny Gray has flat-out gotten it done this year; many nay-sayers knocked his size and mediocre curveball before the season began; but Gray has consistently silenced the critics throughout the year (see total weekly stats below); his most recent victory, a 6-inning technical shutout (no earned runs, but 2 unearned runs) where he allowed 4 hits and walks and struck out 4, demonstrates a WHIP of 1.33; not bad, but it’s well over his cumulative season WHIP of 1.03; Gray looks to be a Top 5 pick in June’s MLB Draft; Baseball America’s Jim Callis states, “Gray’s fastball-curveball combination is as good as any in this draft, and don’t bet against him as a starter despite his small frame.”…

[LINK: Vandy romps Tide behind ace Sonny Gray]

9^th: Florida sophomore LHP Brian Johnson combined-on-shutout over the weekend; Johnson tossed 6-scoreless-innings, allowing just 6 hits while fanning 3 and walking none; Johnson’s 2.54 ERA and 5-1 record is a big reason why the Gators have done so well this year…

[LINK: Johnson leads Gators to 18-0 win over Bulldogs]

Here is the week #6 installment of USA Collegiate Player Updates, broken down into 9 action packed innings.  The folks at Prospect Nation have done a great job of highlighting the best performances, along with some outside links highlighting the players within.  Don’t forget to check out their first website only special – 2010 Topps USA Retail Box Sets – featuring the only card of Rice 3B Anthony Rendon.

1^st: UCLA junior RHP Trevor Bauer pitched two of the best games of his career this past week and has been named the PAC-10 Pitcher of the Week as well as the prestigious Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week; Bauer notched 2 consecutive wins during a rare 2-start week following a week-long vacation for the Bruins; he fanned 12 batters over 7-innings on Monday to combine-on-shutout against Cal Poly; he followed that up with a Friday night 1-hit complete game shutout over rival USC that saw him fan 14 batters, taking a no-hit performance into the 8^th inning; Bauer is now the NCAA Strikeout Leader…

[LINK: Bauer tosses complete-game 1-hitter]

[LINK: Bauer named PAC-10 Pitcher of the Week]

[LINK: Bauer named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week]

2^nd: Stanford freshman 1B Brian Ragira entered the Cardinal’s history books as he hit for the cycle this past week; Ragira did it on 5-of-5 hitting that included an early triple followed by a double, homerun (his first collegiate round-tripper) and two consecutive singles; on the week, he was a combined 9-for-21 with a 2B, 3B, HR, and 6 RBI’s…

[LINK: Ragira hits for cycle, collects first collegiate double, homerun]

3^rd: Vanderbilt junior RHP Sonny Gray lost his first game of the season after tossing 7 shutout innings; Gray went the distance but couldn’t garner the run-support to overcome a 2-1 deficit during an otherwise brilliant pitching performance; on the night, Gray finished with 8-innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits while fanning 12 and walking 4; the 2 earned runs was the highest he has allowed since opening day, and matched the 2 combined runs allowed over his prior four starts that spanned 29.1 innings…

[LINK: Gray drops first game in hard-luck fashion]

4^th: South Carolina junior OF Jackie Bradley, Jr., shined this week against #1-ranked Florida; last year’s College World Series “Most Outstanding Player” showed again that he could play under pressure as USC handed Florida their first losing series; Bradley was a combined 8-for-19 with a 2B, 2 HR’s and 6 RBI’s…

[LINK: Bradley gets hot after finding new baseball “superstition”]

[LINK: Gators drop first series of season to South Carolina]

5^th: LSU junior OF Mikie Mahtook found his power stroke again; Mahtook opened the season with a four homerun week followed by two consecutive weeks with just one each; he then hit a dry-spell and hasn’t had a round-tripper in over 15 days; that ended this past weekend as Mahtook was a combined 7-for-16 with 2 HR’s, 4 RBI’s and a SB…

6^th: CS-Fullerton pitching tandem Nick Ramirez & Noe Ramirez (no relation) combined-on-shutout against conference rival Hawaii; Noe started the game and pitched 8 scoreless innings, allowing just 4 hits while fanning 8 and walking 2; Nick closed out the shutout with a perfect 9^th inning to collect his 22^nd save on the year…

[LINK: Ramirez tandem blanks Rainbows]

7^th: TCU junior RHP Kyle Winkler took a tough no-decision after a dominating performance this past Friday in a game that coach Jim Schlossnagle called his “worst loss in eight years”; for 8 innings Winkler showed the ace-form that has him projected to be a first-round draft pick in June after suffering his first loss of the season last week; he avenged that loss by fanning 9 over eight frames, allowing just 1 run on 5 hits and walking 3…

[LINK: Winkler dominates, bullpen falls apart]

8^th: Kansas senior RHP T.J. Walz knows the season did not start well; over his first two starts he had accumulated two consecutive losses by allowing 9 runs over a combined 5.2 innings of work; Walz got back in the saddle after that and won his next two consecutive starts; since then he got a no-decision and a tough loss with a decent outing; this past week he pitched the best game of his senior season, going 7.2 innings and allowing just 1 run on 4 hits while fanning 10 and walking one…

[LINK: Walz delivers sterling performance, loses heartbreaker]

9^th: Virginia senior RPH Tyler Wilson was converted to a starting role from relief this year and has responded well to the move; on the year, Wilson is 3-0 over 6 starts with a 2.27 ERA and has fanned 45 in 35.2 IP; this past week he got his 3^rd no-decision but pitched very well, going 7.1 innings and allowing just 1 earned run on 4 hits, fanning 11 and walking one…

[LINK: Wilson logs career-high innings, strikeouts]

Each week we will be featuring the Team USA College Player Update, brought to you by the fine folks at Prospect Nation.  They do an absolutely amazing job at covering USA baseball, so it’s only fitting that we join forces in a sense.  Be sure to check out their FULL SITE and SUPPLEMENTAL BLOG for all your prospect needs, including USA alumni news.

1^st: Indiana junior OF Alex Dickerson owned the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational this past week; over the course of five games, Dickerson was a combined 9-for-23 with 1 2B, 3 HR’s and 6 RBI’s; for his performance, Dickerson was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, the fourth time he has earned that distinction…

[LINK: Dickerson Big Ten Player of the Week]

2^nd: Oregon junior LHP Tyler Anderson surpassed UCLA’s Trevor Bauer for the strikeout lead with 52 as compared to Bauer’s 46; to be fair, UCLA had the week off and Bauer did not get a chance to pitch; still, Anderson has really come on strong since his first outing and keeps turning out brilliant performances, notching double-digit strikeout games in his last four consecutive starts (12, 14, 12, and 11); this past week, Anderson tossed eight shutout innings, fanning 11 and allowing just 2 hits and 1 walk…

[LINK: Anderson delivers nearly untouchable performance]

3^rd: Vanderbilt junior RHP Sonny Gray has been “lights out” this year, and his most recent performance, 7.1 shutout innings that saw him fan 10 batters, walk 4 and give up just 4 hits, wasn’t even his best outing; over his past two games, Gray hasn’t allowed a single run to cross the plate and has allowed only 2 runs over his past four games (29.1 IP)…

[LINK: Vandy’s ace wins SEC opener]

4^th: TCU draft-eligible sophomore LHP Matt Purke was at “about 70% of his normal self” during his last outing according to head coach Jim Schlossnagle; so if Purke can get 7.2 innings without giving up an earned run, strikeout 11 batters and walk just 1 when he’s “70%”, what kind of freakish numbers would a 100% outing look like?; the reigning National Freshman of the Year is getting back into form following a sore shoulder and blistered finger; can’t wait to see that 100% form…

[LINK: Purke puts on show for scouts]

5^th: Someone forgot to tell Miami LHP Bryan Radziewski that freshmen aren’t supposed to make it look this easy; Rad has been Miami’s Friday night ace since a season opener that saw him go 6IP, allowing just 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk and notching 8 K’s; this past week he pitched his best game so far, tossing 6.1 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 unearned run, 2 walks and notching 10 K’s; however, this game wasn’t head-and-shoulders above 3 of his other starts and that should tell you something about how consistently good he has been…

[LINK: Radziewski nearly flawless as Hurricane’s down Deacons]

6^th: Air Force freshman LHP Kyle Van Alstine made his college debut this week; that’s about all that was notable as Van Alstine was yanked after 0.2 innings after appearing in a relief role; his line: 0.2IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 4AB; welcome to D1 baseball!

[LINK: Van Alstine makes college debut]

7^th: Bethune-Cookman junior C Peter O’Brien was named the MEAC Player of the Week after a weekend that saw him hit a 2B, 2 HR’s, and 4 RBI’s; among our group of sluggers, O’Brien sits atop the lead in HR’s with 6 total, but it’s a spot he shares with LSU junior OF Mikie Mahtook who also has 6 round-trippers …

[LINK: O’Brien MEAC Player of the Week]

8^th: CS-Fullerton freshman Michael Lorenzen was NOT one of the recently suspended Titans (Nick and Noe Ramirez weren’t either);  citing a “violation of team rules”, Titans’ coach Dave Serrano suspended 8 players from this past weekend’s games; Lorenzen chipped in to fill the hole by going 7-for-14, with a 2B, 3B, 3 RBI’s and 3-3 on stolen base attempts; if he keeps hitting like this, one of those suspended players may not have a job to come back to; here’s an excerpt from a recent post on TitanCentral.com, and it reflects what a lot of people are saying:

“It is good to see Michael Lorenzen playing everyday.  He is a super star in the making!!! I was in Baton Rouge and saw him play – his confidence is going way up.  His swing looks great and let me tell you his arm is awesome.  I saw his throws from right field to the plate and they were a thing of beauty.  You might remember Clark Hardman?  His arm was great – I believe Michael’s is even better.”

[LINK: Lorenzen thanks God for “college, baseball, and having fun”]

9^th: UCONN junior OF George Springer didn’t get off to a good start this year; Springer showed what the hype was all about last week going 7-for-17 with 3 2B’s, 1 3B, 1 HR and 7 RBI’s; we were waiting to see if he could sustain it and he did, sort of; although his weekly AVG of 0.364 was the result of 4-for-11 hitting, all of those hits were singles and he drove-in one single run; however, Springer did a lot of the “little things” that oftentimes go overlooked; yes, he only hit a few singles, BUT, he did go 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts and he was hit 3 times by pitches; Springer hasn’t seen many good pitches to hit this year because there’s not much in the lineup behind him; so he has resorted to doing those little things to try to help the team; that’s not one of the “5-tools” that gets lots of press, but it’s one of the intangible things winners possess; as expected, people are speculating about the impact on Springer’s draft status; one of the featured posts on today’s BA College Chat with Aaron Fitt:

Jeff Sullivan (Belchertown MA): Still early, but how far has George Springer fallen on draft boards? Still in the top ten?
Aaron Fitt: He’s doing fine. He entered the season as the No. 2 college position player on the board after Rendon, and he still might be that guy, just because of his upside. His tools are just so loud — it’s huge raw power, big-time speed and defensive ability. We’ve said all along that there’s some risk with Springer — he’s not a finished product as a hitter, but you draft him for his upside. He’s certainly still a likely top 10 pick.

[LINK: 3/21/2011 BA College Chat with Aaron Fitt]

Also, don’t forget to check out their eBay store, which is full of USA Baseball cards.  They have been in the game for years now and have one of the most complete inventories around, ready for buyers to keep supporting the stars and stripes.

If you’re looking to pick up a 2010 Topps 65-card boxed set, they have a special running on their site for $17.99 per set.  These feature the only USA card of Anthony Rendon, the projected #1 pick overall and top position player in the 2011 draft.

The Topps USA market has been settling into a price range for each player, but the market as a whole has become quite confusing for the investor.  Sure, players like George Springer and Jackie Bradley Jr. are seeing some solid prices with their only available card, the prices of other top picks have become hazy.

Gerrit Cole and Sonny Gray are arguably the top two pitchers in the 2010 Topps Chrome USA auto set and top 10 overall players in the 2011 draft.  Cole could easily be the #1 overall pick.  After looking at the ending prices for the two between Topps or Upper Deck, it’s clear the market has been flipped.

The Topps “chrome” autographs for Gerrit Cole have settled at about $40 per, which are not serial #’d or anything other than a base autograph.   The Upper Deck counterpart only sold for $10 more, and is #’d /99 with a patch piece.

For Sonny Gray, the results are a bit different, with the Topps “chrome” autographs settling at $15-20 per.  Again, they aren’t serial #’d or anything different than a base bowman auto.  The Upper Deck counterpart sold between $25-35 and #’d /99 with a patch piece.

If consumers want to keep the stigma on Upper Deck for their loss of sport licenses, then it would come down to brand recognition & trust.  Topps would clearly come out on top in the mind of buyers, and the prices should reflect that.  The year isn’t over yet and Topps still can make more products to redeem themselves, but will they even try?  Are they even capable of making the products like Upper Deck did in the 2007-2009?

As a consumer/investor/collector, which cards are you buying at the current market prices?