ROCHESTER - Planted behind the backstop of Rochester Century High School's baseball field is a single bench. This season it's become unofficially reserved for a specific group.
The professional baseball scouts earliest to arrive position themselves here to catch a close-up glimpse of the hype surrounding pitcher Mitch Brown. As he begins his delivery, the mass of scouts lift their radar guns in anticipation.
Finally, the baseball pops into the catcher's glove and the number 95 appears.
Ninety five, 94, 93 miles per hour, consistently and accurately, and mixed among formidable offspeed pitches, convinced this group Brown is special.
The 18-year-old with the state's most fawned-over pitching arm could become the first Minnesotan drafted in the first round since Joe Mauer. Baseball America rates Brown the 44th-best prospect in the country, projecting he will be selected Monday in the first day of Major League Baseball's first-year player draft.
"This kid has separated himself," said Blair Henry, Boston Red Sox area scout, after driving four hours to see the 18-year-old pitch in the Class 3A, Section 1 playoffs. "When you have 30 to 40 scouts out here, that tells you something."
Admittedly a bit overwhelmed at seeing 40-plus scouts line the fences for the Panthers' first game, Brown did not disappoint. The flock continued to gather each time he took the mound.
The righthander throws a 95 mph fastball, sharp-breaking curveball, 86- to 88-mph cutter and quality changeup. His physical maturity -- 6-2 and a lean 215 pounds -- stands out at the high school level. Scouts praise his mechanics and delivery. His demeanor and mental toughness complete the package.