2012 Draft Preview -- Lucas Sims

Continuing with our preview of some players that the Texas Rangers could be looking at with their picks at #29, #39, and #52...

As I said last year when doing this drill, this would be a lot easier if the Rangers were picking higher, and neither of the Rangers' first couple picks were guys we'd ever talked about before the draft. Still, we'll take a look at a few of the intriguing names that could be in the mix for the Rangers, and see who might be out there...

This morning we take a look at Georgia prep RHP Lucas Sims...

Lucas Sims scouting report -- Lucas Sims is a 6'2", 195 lb. righthanded pitcher from Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. Baseball America ranks Sims at #29 overall in their top 500. Keith Law and John Sickels both have Sims at #32. Kevin Goldstein has Sims at #28 in his top 30. Jonathan Mayo projects Sims to go to the Rays at #25 in his mock draft. Law, Piliere and Jim Callis both have Sims falling at least to the supplemental first round.

Sims is another prep righty who throws in the lower-90s and can occasionally get it into the mid- to upper-90s, and has both a slider and a curveball, with BA describing all three pitches as plus pitches. Sims also has a changeup which he reportedly throws more than most high school pitching prospects, even though it is his weakest pitch, in an apparent effort to work on improving it in game situations. Sims is described as athletic with a quick arm and smooth, clean arm action, but he's also not real big and doesn't figure to have a ton of projection left.

The Rangers went with another smallish Georgia prep pitcher last year with their first round pick, lefty Kevin Matthews. Sims is a little bigger than Matthews and is, of course, a righthander, but his profile does have some similarities with the Rangers' 2011 1st round pick. Sims is someone who could move quickly, despite being a a high school draftee, and contribute faster than some of the higher-upside pitchers we've talked about who tend to be projects.

Here's some video of Sims:

Lucas Sims Brookwood High School RHP 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic (via rkyosh007)