BA's top 20 AZL prospects

Mr. Wieland checking in at #11, Clark Murphy at 18:

Drafted in the fourth round and signed for $263,000, Wieland may prove to be a bargain for the Rangers. His 1.44 ERA would have ranked third in the AZL if he hadn't barely missed qualifying, and his mound presence was as impressive as his performance.

"He walked into that clubhouse out of high school and acted like he belonged," Rangers manager Bill Richardson said. "His sides are just impressive. He takes it out to the game. For a high school draftee, you don't see that every day."

Wieland's forte is pounding the bottom of the strike zone with three pitches: a 91-93 mph fastball, a curveball and a changeup. He gained 2 mph on his fastball after turning pro, and he still has room to add more upper-body strength on his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame.

Murphy didn't appear in the AZL until late July, as it took him seven weeks to sign with the Rangers for $200,000 as a fifth-round pick. He tried to pull everything when he first started with the Rangers, but the coaching staff worked on helping adopt more of an all-fields approach. The results paid off as he finished on a 20-for-44 (.455) tear.

"He's got the mentality to get away from his power and go gap to gap to be a better hitter," Richardson said. "He's a sponge. He'll take it all in."

At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Murphy has a strong build and plays a decent first base. The Rangers are expected to try him in the outfield during instructional league, though it's questionable whether he has the speed to play there.

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