Round 36: Ben Hawkins, LHP, University of West Florida

(from College Baseball Lineup)

Baseball-Reference                                                                                                                 FanGraphs
MiLB                                                                                                                                           UWF Bio

2011 Stats

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	BK	WP	BF	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2011	21	2 Teams	2 Lgs	A--Rk	WSN	2	0	1.000	2.22	12	0	5	0	0	2	24.1	15	6	6	1	12	0	26	0	0	5	97	1.110	5.5	0.4	4.4	9.6	2.17
2011	21	Nationals	GULF	Rk	WSN	0	0		2.00	4	0	2	0	0	2	9.0	4	2	2	1	4	0	11	0	0	0	34	0.889	4.0	1.0	4.0	11.0	2.75
2011	21	Auburn	NYPL	A-	WSN	2	0	1.000	2.35	8	0	3	0	0	0	15.1	11	4	4	0	8	0	15	0	0	5	63	1.239	6.5	0.0	4.7	8.8	1.88
1 Season						2	0	1.000	2.22	12	0	5	0	0	2	24.1	15	6	6	1	12	0	26	0	0	5	97	1.110	5.5	0.4	4.4	9.6	2.17

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/30/2012.

Sean's one sentence analysis: The Division II National Champion was dominant in the first half of the college season but struggled with control down the stretch.

Thoughts from the community: "Another small-college gamble, Hawkins had even better ratios than Mirowski with 10.48K/9 and 2.3K/BB. In a similar number of innings, his dropoff in production as a pro was much less significant. Just turned 22 in Nov., so a repeat at Auburn is possible." - Luke Erickson, Nationals Prospects (@nats_prospects)

Previous analysis and notes:
Hawkins threw a no-hitter this season for the eventual Division II National Champions, the University of West Florida Argonauts. During the regular season, Hawkins went 11-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 86 and 2/3 innings. He struck out 101 batters and walked 44, and allowed only 12 extra base hits all season. He continued to pitch well in the NCAA South Regional, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits in 12 and 1/3 innings. Hawkins did have control issues down the stretch, but could be a solid pickup from a smaller school.

Hawkins signed with the Nationals on June 16, 2011. Follow him @BenHawkins14 .

Round 41: Bryce Ortega, 3B, University of Arizona

(from AP/Eric Kayne via My San Antonio)

Arizona Bio                                                                                                                Baseball-Reference
MiLB                                                                                                                                        FanGraphs

2011 Stats

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB
2011	22	Auburn	NYPL	A-	WSN	56	227	194	43	61	15	0	0	21	23	2	29	34	.314	.410	.392	.801	76	7	3	0	1	0
1 Season						56	227	194	43	61	15	0	0	21	23	2	29	34	.314	.410	.392	.801	76	7	3	0	1	0

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/26/2012.

Sean's one sentence analysis:
Ortega played 2B and SS at Arizona, and looks like a better option in the middle infield where power is not as necessary.

Thoughts from the community:
"Ortega played 3B and 2B for Arizona in his senior season, but SS for Auburn last summer, leading the Doubledays in BA, OBP, and SBs. Given the predicted Potomac IF logjam, put your bets on Hagerstown for the OB (Other Bryce) in '12." - Luke Erickson, Nationals Prospects (@nats_prospects)

"Bryce Ortega was a senior sign from the University of Arizona, where he was a career .326 hitter with 6 home runs while playing shortstop early in his career before shifting to third base and second base as a senior. A solid 4-year collegiate player lacking power or an above-average tool besides his speed, Ortega is likely destined to a career as an organizational player." - Ryan Sullivan, Nats GM (@natsgmdotcom)

Previous analysis and notes: 
This is one of my favorite picks in the draft as long as Ortega can play 2B rather than 3B. Ortega looked like an solid prospect going into the 2010 season but got injured. He bounced back in 2011, hitting .353/.412/.430. If he can continue to get on base, Ortega will be a solid infielder in the Nats organization. He doesn't have prototypical power for a 3B (only 6 HR in 4 seasons at Arizona), but has solid on-base skills and speed (25/29 in stolen bases). His plate discipline slipped a little in 2011, with 20 BB and 30 K (72 BB and 70 K in his previous 3 seasons), but were still pretty good.

From Ryan Finley, Arizona Daily Star, 2/19/11: "The past, present and future of the Arizona Wildcats' baseball program can be summed up in one sentence. It's all in how you pronounce it.
The reason for the UA's struggles in 2010? Bryce Ortega's back.
Why Arizona should be even better in 2011: Bryce Ortega's back."

From Rob Ozga, Baseball Draft Report, 3/26/10: "Ortega put up very consistent numbers in his first two full seasons at Arizona, but has taken a step backwards in the power department in the early going of 2010. As a matter of fact, he’s the only one of the four players listed who has experienced a decline in his performance so far in 2010. The most commonly cited reason for Ortega’s early season struggles relate back to his transition from shortstop (a position he is more than capable of playing, for the record) to second base; not sure I buy it, but it’s a thought. Strong base running and good patience have long been the bedrocks of his offensive game, so it’s good to see those areas remain consistent despite his 2010 contact and power deficiencies. Patience at the plate, a two-year track record of pop (2010 be damned), excellent base running instincts, and a versatile glove fit the potential utility infielder mold pretty well, don’t you think?"

Ortega signed with the Nationals on June 16, 2011.

Round 45: Richie Mirowski, RHP, Oklahoma Baptist University

(from Sooner Athletic Conference)

Oklahoma Baptist Bio                                                                                              Baseball-Reference
MiLB                                                                                                                                        FanGraphs

2011 Stats

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	BK	WP	BF	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2011	22	Auburn	NYPL	A-	WSN	1	2	.333	2.59	14	0	4	0	0	0	24.1	24	12	7	0	11	0	20	2	0	1	109	1.438	8.9	0.0	4.1	7.4	1.82
1 Season						1	2	.333	2.59	14	0	4	0	0	0	24.1	24	12	7	0	11	0	20	2	0	1	109	1.438	8.9	0.0	4.1	7.4	1.82

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/24/2012.

Sean's one sentence analysis:
Another small college senior with good peripheral numbers, but played well against the big boys in the College Collegiate League last summer.

Thoughts from the community:
"Mirowski cashed in on an 11-2 record as a starter for NAIA stalwart Oklahoma Baptist Univ. He averaged nearly a K per IP and had a 2.78:1 BB/K ratio, but both numbers fell while working in relief for Auburn. Whether that's a factor of fatigue or hitting his ceiling remains to be seen, but he pitched well in one of the premier collegiate wood-bat leagues (CCL) the summer prior so he may still stick with the organization in 2012." - Luke Erickson, Nationals Prospects (@nats_prospects)

Previous analysis and notes:
Mirowski is a senior from a small college that put up great K and BB numbers. He'll sign, there's little risk and there's a chance he continues to put up great K and BB numbers.

From Andrew of Summer Ball, 1/11/11: "My next top performer from the 2010 summer season is Richie Mirowski of the SLO Rattlers...this past Spring, Richie went 3-1, and had a great era of 2.14 in 43 innings pitched. He also fanned 55 batters during the season. Richie spent the summer of 2009 pitching for the SLO Rattlers, where he was an All-Star. He returned to the Rattlers for the 2010 summer season, and he didn't disappoint his fans with his performance either. While the California Collegiate League is filled with players from the "big schools", Richie proved that he could hang with them. He went 3-2, and had a league-low 1.54 era in 44 innings of work for the Rattlers. In 8 starts, he allowed just 38 hits and held opponents to a .230 batting average. He also had a great BB/K ratio of 10/53 this past summer."

Mirowski signed with the Nationals on June 16, 2011.

Round 50: Tony Nix, OF, University of California-Riverside

(from Bobby Hester, collegebaseball360.com)

Baseball-Reference                                                                                                      UC Riverside Bio

No 2011 stats available.

Sean's one sentence analysis:
Tony Nix is a hacker who showed decent power during the 2010 season but saw it disappear in 2011.

Thoughts from the community:
"As the last player taken, Nix is a longshot to play beyond the GCL... if at all. Below-average plate discipline but above-average power, and like many of the OFs taken in '11, a defensive stalwart. At 23, he'll have to impress in a hurry to stick." - Luke Erickson, Nationals Prospects (@nats_prospects)

"We clearly drafted him as a 50th round completely flier based on his potential coming out of high school (when he was all-state in California, no mean feat) and his junior year stats (but why wasn't he drafted in 2010?). He seems to be a corner outfielder without 25-homer talent, meaning he needs to hit for the same kind of average he showed in college in 2009-2010. Interestingly, he was a college teammate of lefty pitcher Paul Applebee; perhaps our area scout who recommended Applebee saw something in Nix a couple years ago and when the time came to put in a throw-away 50th rounder, he piped up. Concerning that he didn't even appear in the GCL after signing in june: where is he? Is he hurt?" - Todd Boss, Nationals Arm Race (@toddeboss)


Previous analysis and notes:
Nix dominated opponents in 2010, hitting .361/.425/.699 with 19 2B, 2 3B and 11 HR. His success did not transfer into the 2011 season as well, with a .282/.343/.422 triple slash, 18 2B, 1 3B and 3 HR. If Nix wants success at the next level, he must improve his plate discipline (36 BB/109 K at UCR).

Nix signed with the Nationals on June 16, 2011. He did not play on any affiliated teams in 2011 and was not invited to the team's Fall Instructional League. His current status is up in the air.