Player: Gauntlett Eldemire
Position: Outfielder
Year: Junior
School: Ohio
The cream of the crop, the PTP’er, the blue chipper. Whatever cliché you want to throw around do it. Make no mistake Ohio’s Gauntlett Eldemire is a prized prospect and a player professional organizations are keeping an eye on.
After a breakthrough year the Bobcats’ centerfielder enters his junior season as the Mid-American Conference’s most feared hitter, and All-American, and likely top-three round draft pick, in being the Buckeye State’s most coveted position player.
Coming from Shaker Heights, the 2007 graduate of University School would continue his career at the next level under long-time coach Joe Carbone. Carbone snagged two of the premier players from that year’s class as 1B Robert Maddox was the 5th overall prospect according to the Buckeye Scout while Eldemire was tabbed as the 10th best senior in the state.
Carbone wasted little time in installing Eldemire into his lineup, providing the multi-talented athlete with a chance to sink or swim. For the most part Eldemire carried his own. Appearing in 53 games, while starting 45, Eldemire carried a .264 average during his rookie season hitting successfully in 47 of 178 at-bats.
The 47 hits displayed the raw power Eldemire posses as the right-handed hitter totaled 11 doubles, two triples, and seven home runs, on his way to driving in 35, while touching 85 bases for a .466 slugging percentage.
A little overzealous at the plate, Eldemire would strikeout 40 times against 16 walks, but .350 on-base percentage was complimented nicely as the fleet-footed outfielder successfully stole 10 of 11 bases.
The freshman season was a solid one. With Matt Stifler and Marc Krauss on the team Eldemire didn’t need to jump right in and carry the load. That would change in 2009.
Though the future second-round draft pick Krauss still led the Bobcats’ offensively onslaught, Eldemire provided just as potent of a bat to form the state’s and perhaps region’s best 1-2 power hitting punch.
Making 49 starts for the 29-24 Bobcats, Eldemire batted .313, collect 62 hits in 198 at-bats. A .313 average is more than respectable for a Division I player. The following numbers would dispel any thought of a sophomore slump, in fact as Dick Vitale would say, Eldemire became a “Super Soph”.
Nearly half of his 62 hits would be for extra bases as Eldemire picked up six doubles, two triples, and an eye-popping 21 home runs. Driving in 56 runs, while touching home 61 times himself, Eldemire touched 135 bases in total for a .682 slugging mark.
Increased plated discipline saw his on-base percentage rise to .443 as Eldemire drew 34 walks, was struck by 13 pitches, while sitting down 43 times on strikeouts. 11 bases were swiped in 13 tries with just one errors being committed as Eldemire displayed great range with his speed.
For his sensational sophomore season Eldemire picked up first-team All-MAC honors. The biggest testament to his skill was the fact Eldemire was one of four Buckeye State products to be invited to tryout for the Team USA Collegiate team, joining Wright State’s Casey McGrew, Ohio State’s Alex Wimmers, and Kent State’s Andrew Chafin.
A stress fracture would prevent Eldemire from making the team, returning home to rest for the summer, but in limited time his skills shone, propelling his name up draft board.
With skill the now matched with recognition Eldemire entered the 2010 season with a pair of key words prefacing his name: All-American. Eldemire was selected a thrid-team preseason All-American PING! Baseball, as well as the National College Baseball Writers Association.
Though he would not be a Baseball America All-American, he is thought fairly highly of by the publication. Eldemire is the MAC’s #2 prospect behind Ohio high school alum, Ball State player Kolbrin Vitek, while being the #54 overall draft-eligible college player. Eldemire is deemed to be one of the top five best athlete’s of the draft class.
As Krauss departs the load for Eldemire continues to grow. Fortunately for the Green & White he is capable of shouldering the weight and carry Ohio to another MAC Tournament appearance. As Ohio’s top power hitter, a player with plus speed, and a nice glove to boot, Eldemire is a joy to watch, but you better make sure you catch him in 2010. Another strong season will cemented his stock as one of the first 100 to go off the board come.
Filed under: Division I
Sorry, this kid is overrated.
Just stay tuned KJT, and when the time comes make sure you recant your statement son……
Continue… overrated in his prospect status? Or him being this high on the list?
I can’t speak for the scouts, though I will tomorrow in the Outside the Chalk peice, but as far ad the list…
Just to clarify, my list isn’t a prospects list, if it was, more than half of the 20 wouldn’t be here and you’d see Weibley’s, Maddox’s, Chafin’s, and Mitchum’s name on here.
I tried to make a list of 1-20 on the players I would want to have on my collegiate team.
It would be very very hard to pass over a potential 25 home run, 25 stolen bases, solid defensive centerfielder.
Your an idiot KJT. In order to garner any type of accolades at the end of the season, you have to produce big stats. Your not over rated if you get invited to the USA tryouts. THats a prestigious accomplishment given to only the top players in the nation. I dont understand how he can be over rated. Potential 20 plus homeruns, 20 plus stolen bases, and a great defensive centerfielder. You have got to be outside of your mind for making such an outlandish accusation.