“Draft-and-follow (DNF)… allows clubs to maintain exclusive signing rights to a drafted player until a week before the following draft, if that player attends junior college. Under other circumstances–high school players who go to four-year colleges or college players who return to school–clubs lose their rights as soon as the player attends his first class.”   

Rohrbough pitched in 99 innings for Western Nevada Community College in his final college season of 2007, collecting 132 strikeouts vs 26 walks and 64 hits. Following this he signed in late May with the Braves, and was assigned to Rookie Level Danville in the Appy league. He was quickly promoted to low A Rome. I’ll let his stats do the talking; He went through hitters like a hot knife through butter (Yay!). Really, 96 K in 61.1 IP with an opponents average of .154?Here’s a BA Quick Scouting Blurb on Cole: 

The 20-year-old has overmatched Appalachian League hitters with a 90-94 mph fastball, a hard spike curveball and a good changeup.   

 I can’t anoint anyone based upon a good start in Rk & low A. This performance does put Rohrbough on our radar for the 2008 season. I’d estimate Cole starting the season in low A, simply due to his age. By the end of the season I’d be surprised in he wasn’t in AA if he maintains anything close to his 2007 dominance. Time will tell if Cole’s the real deal or just another prospect that can only handle lower level hitters.