CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- Indiana University junior slugger Alex Dickerson turned heads in front of a substantial amount of Major League Baseball scouts, including representatives from the Houston Astros, this weekend during the Kleberg Bank College Classic at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas, especially when he blasted a monstrous three-run homer over the right field wall off projected first-round pick Matt Barnes to lift the Hoosiers to a 3-1 victory over UConn on Saturday afternoon.
Dickerson hit safely over 22 consecutive games dating back to last season before ending the streak by going hitless in four at-bats Sunday against Oregon State, but his power bat continues to elevate him up the first-round draft board as the 2011 First-Year Player Draft approaches in June.
The Poway (Calif.) High School product is coming off an eye-opening sophomore year in which he was named First-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, the National College Baseball Writers Association and the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Also, he earned Big Ten Player of the Year and led the conference in all three Triple Crown categories, hitting .419 with 24 home runs and 75 RBI.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Dickerson kept the momentum going during the summer by hitting .500 over nine games in the Cape Cod League before joining USA Baseball’s college national team.
Despite being able to hit for average and power, the majority of MLB scouts want to see a defensive improvement in left field from the talented slugger if he wants to fall somewhere in the middle part of the first round, or possibly break into the top 10.
"Dickerson can hit and should hit for power, but is limited defensively to left field or first base," ESPN.com's Keith Law said via an email interview. "He may suffer by comparison to the more athletic college bats in this year's Draft, such as [UConn's] George Springer and [South Carolina's] Jackie Bradley Jr."
Coming out of high school, Dickerson was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 48th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, but decided to leave California in order to play NCAA Division I baseball in the Midwest.
“I talked to a few schools out west, but I didn’t really gather that much interest,” Dickerson said. “I kind of saw Indiana just as a really good opportunity. I knew it would be a great place to go and a really good place to play early, and play often. It ended up working out for the best.”
Dickerson admits he’s aware of Major League Baseball scouts drooling over his swing and power, but he won’t let that get in the way of the task at hand – winning ballgames at Indiana and being an effective leader for the Hoosiers on and off the field.
He’s proud of the way his overall game has evolved over the last year.
“It’s about taking it one step at a time and seeing pitches better, and kind of developing everything as a hitter, one by one,” Dickerson said. “It all kind of came together for me last year. Now, I’m hoping to continue it. I had a great year last season and I’m hoping to get hot again this year. It’s always a constant day-to-day approach. I’m trying to hit a ball hard and hit it wherever it’s pitched. You have to know where guys are going to attack you and what it's going to take to make you successful.
"You’ve got to have a plan of attack almost everyday and basically I’m looking to hit the ball and make a difference in the game. To this point, I’ve done a pretty good job of that and that’s what I’m going to look to do each day.”
At the same time, Dickerson recognizes he doesn’t play an outstanding left field – a potential liability that could make him slip in the first round.
“Being able to see the ball and hit it to all fields are probably my strengths. In managing the game from left field, I don’t do an outstanding job, but I feel like I can play the position and do anything I can to help the team win.”
Dickerson draws a favorable comparison from a variety of scouts to five-time All-Star sluggers Lance Berkman and Jim Thome.
Ironically, both sluggers are two of his favorite players, as well as future Hall of Famer and Seattle Mariners icon Ken Griffey Jr.
“Lance Berkman is one I really like," Dickerson said. “He can play the outfield, first base and has a lot of power from both sides of the plate. Also, I’ve always liked Jim Thome. Ken Griffey Jr., as I grew up, was my favorite player of all-time. I used to live in Seattle for two years. I loved watching Griffey play. He gave it his all. I really like the way these guys hit the ball."
Although it’s easy for a projected first-round Draft pick to get caught up in the hype, Dickerson makes it a priority to stay on top of his academics, especially on the road trips when he’s missing class.
“It’s not easy balancing the schedule,” Dickerson said. “You have got to go hard with the academics in the fall and also work on baseball. When you get to the spring, you’ve got to switch gears. Baseball has a way of coming [a little] first, but you’ve got to keep the academics up. Sometimes, I’m doing homework for hours on the plane during road trips, but as a junior, I’ve gotten a better grasp on time management, and it’s gotten a lot easier.”
Dickerson’s dream of being a high pick in the First-Year Player Draft, and then climbing the minor league ladder, will soon become a reality.
He wants to be the guy people talk about one day as being a great Major League Baseball player -- a motivational tool that lights the fire within his heart to push harder and go the extra mile.
“The chance to play Major League Baseball, and not only just playing in the majors, but to be a good player, is always the goal,” he said. “It’s not about just getting there or getting drafted, but being a great player people talk about. That’s what drives me to work hard.
“I want to be great."
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