Draft Blog: Day Two
After the 8,000+ word effort on Tuesday, we're back to highlight the interesting tibdits from the second day of the the draft. Refresh often for the latest news on the draft.
Hut-Hut, Part II
6:23 p.m.: Another football player drafted in the second day was Damion Carter, a wide receiver and former quarterback at Southern Mississippi. Carter didn't play baseball for the Golden Eagles, but that didn't stop the Rockies from taking him as an outfielder in the 45th round this year. He's a 6-foot-3, 195-pounder out of New Orleans.
--John Manuel
Five Defectors Picked
5:46 p.m.: Five Cuban defectors were selected in the draft, starting with the Nationals taking righthander Hassan Pena in the 13th round. BA has had reports in the past of Pena touching the low 90s with his fastball. Pena, who is listed as a 21-year-old, attended Palm Beach (Fla.) CC. The Cardinals' final pick of the 18th round at the end of day one, outfielder Amaury Casanas (Marti), has a Sept. 1974 birthday according to cocobeisbol.com, a Cuban baseball website. He has power but obviously is advanced in age. The Mariners drafted outfielder Johan Limonta, who defected in 2004 with Braves infielder Yunel Escobar, in the 20th round. And the Diamondbacks took two Cuban defectors, shortstop Osmany Masso and righthander Osbeck Castillo, with consecutive picks in rounds 32 and 33.
-- John Manuel
Proud Papelbons
5:42 p.m.: Today is a proud day for the Papelbon family, as their twin sons, Joshua and Jeremy, join brother Jonathan as professional baseball players. The day is especially sweet for the family, considering Jeremy nearly died earlier this spring. The Boston Globe Magazine reported that Papelbon had been taking Vioxx, a painkiller, after knee surgery. The pill, which has since been taken off the market, caused internal bleeding that nearly killed the North Florida pitcher. While Jeremy will not join his two brothers in the Red Sox organization--the Cubs drafted him before the Red Sox could--today represents an end to a long spring.
--Bryan Smith
No Baseball, No Problem
5:27 p.m.: Tthe Orioles drafted Isaiah Stanback, Washington's starting quarterback, in the 45th round. Washington Huskies sports information guru Jeff Bechtold reports that Stanback, Washington's starting quarterback has never played baseball at UW, though he did come out for a while two springs ago before deciding to concentrate on football. He'll be a fifth-year senior this year, so he's being drafted-and-followed by the Orioles. That means he'll likely play one year with Jake Locker, the Huskies' recruit who was drafted as a righthanded pitcher in the 40th round by the Angels. He's never played baseball at UW, though he did come out for a while two springs ago before deciding to concentrate on football. He'll be a fifth-year senior this year, so he's being drafted-and-followed by the Orioles. That means he'll likely play one year with Jake Locker, the Huskies' recruit who was drafted as a righthanded pitcher in the 40th round by the Angels.
--John Manuel
Turning Down The Money
5:05 p.m.: The Braves were one of a few clubs with an affinity for suburban-Atlanta high school infielder Michael Demperio, but, according to Demperio's father, not even second-round money was enough to persuade his son to sign. "We turned down the Braves' first pick in the second round, turned down a lot of money yesterday," Mike Sr. said Wednesday. "He opted to go to the University of Texas instead of getting the money."
Likely To Return
4:49 p.m.: Big 12 Conference co-player of the year Tyler Mach, a third baseman at Oklahoma State, lasted until the 40th round, where the Cardinals took a chance on him. He hit .364-16-66 for the Cowboys and indicated to the coaching staff he would return to school if he didn't get picked in the draft's first day.
--John Manuel
A's Take A Pass
4:39 p.m.: For the second straight year the Athletics are the first team to pass on a draft pick and will make no more selections. Their final pick was catcher Jeremy Weih from Wilton HS in Iowa in the 41st round.
-- Matt Meyers
Likely Headed Back To College
4:36 p.m.: The Nationals went back to the Northeast well for the ninth time in this year's draft, taking hard-throwing Fordham righthander Javier Martinez, the brother of former Boston College pitcher Joe Martinez, a 12th-round pick of the Giants a year ago. Javier Martinez has a live arm but struggled to control his stuff this year. He has touched 94 mph in the past but pitched more in the 89-91 range this year, and his curveball was inconsistent. He has talent, but it seems unlikely the Nationals will buy him out of his senior year at Fordham based on his shaky results this season.
-- Aaron Fitt
Hometown Discount?
3:38 p.m.: Maryland high school lefty Neal Davis was thought to be a tough sign, having floated a bonus desire that was no commensurate with his talent and performance this spring. But he reportedly has an affinity for his hometown team, the Orioles, and Baltimore wound up drafting him in the 39th round. He has committed to Virginia.
--Alan Matthews
Plenty Of Projection
3:30 p.m.: Ryan Butner was drafted in the 38th round by the Giants. He's tall and skinny with a loose arm, but lacks much present strength. He's committed to Tennessee and, if he chooses to head to college, he could come on as a higher pick in three years.
--Alan Matthews
Pham Still Headed To Cal State Fullerton
3:26 p.m.: Signings and negotiations news has begun stirring, and Tommy Pham took a moment during his preparations for tonight's Playstation high school all-star game in Albuquerque to shed some light on his status. Pham, a talented shortstop and righthanded pitcher from Durango High in Las Vegas, was drafted in the 16th round by the Cardinals, although he was a consensus top-five round talent. He says he was "offered third-round money" but was seeking about "75 thousand more". He could wind up at Cal State Fullerton if he and the Cardinals can't settle on his signing bonus.
--Alan Matthews
A Very Athletic 35th Rounder
3:20 p.m.: The Nationals drafted toolsy OF D'Vontrey Richardson out of Lee County HS in Leesburg, Ga., with their 35th-round pick. Richardson committed to Florida State, where he planned to play football as well as baseball.
--Alan Matthews
No Stranger To The Rays
3:03 p.m.: In the 29th round, the Devil Rays took Leon Johnson, an outfielder who was not playing for a team in 2006 but who has been drafted previously several times. In fact, the Rays drafted Johnson in the 45th round last year, when he was a first-team all-conference choice for the second straight season at Eastern Arizona JC, and in the 41st round in 2003 out of Thatcher (Ariz.) High. Johnson has spent the last two years on his Mormon mission, and the Rays are interested enough to keep going after the 6-foot-2, 190-pound center fielder again and again.
--John Manuel
Maybin's Former Teammate Gets Picked
2:58 p.m.: Josh Thrailkill made a name for himself last summer on the junior National Team and was a guy with some helium. However, he struggled at Roberson High (Cameron Maybin's alma mater) this spring and fell to the Phillies in the 34th round. He is committed to Clemson and will likely end up there.
-- Matt Meyers
D-II All-American Gets Popped
2:46 p.m.: Nationals 31st-round pick Zach Baldwin was dubbed "The Big Unit of the Valley" by one coach in the Valley League last summer because of his 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame and lefthanded delivery. But that's about where the comparisons end, as Baldwin relies on a plus curveball more than his fringy fastball. He earned Division II all-America honors in 2005, and followed it up with a solid 8-0, 2.89 effort this year.
-- Aaron Fitt
Another Intriguing Pick
2:08 p.m.: Carmine Giardina is yet another high-profile high school pitcher who fell in the draft despite impressive credentials. The Red Sox took Giardina (Durant HS, Plant, Fla.) in the 28th round. He was a second-team preseason All-American, but didn't fare as well this spring as expected. He has lots of upside, and could garner a hefty bonus if the Red Sox want to sign him away from University of Texas. Attending a junior college as a draft-and-follow pick is another of Giardina's options.
-- Alan Matthews
Same Size, Same Last Name, Different Stuff
2:05 p.m.: Probably the tallest player in the draft just went off the board. The White Sox took 6-foot-10 lefthander Garrett Johnson from Arizona's Orme School in the 29th round. Johnson doesn't have Big Unit power stuff at this time, but he's fairly athletic and has shown a knack for throwing strikes. He could be a draft-and-follow candidate.
-- John Manuel
Solid Senior Sign
1:54 p.m.: Jeremy Hunt, the Padres 28th-round pick, should prove to be a solid senior sign. The first baseman started slow, but came on strong and led the Big East with 15 home runs for Villanova.
-- Matt Meyers
First From Wyoming
1:45 p.m.: Giants 28th-round pick Dusty Harvard hails from Wyoming, having attended Natrona County High in Casper. Wyoming doesn't have high school baseball, but Harvard has excelled as a three-sport prep star anyway, playing football and basketball while running track. He has emerged as a baseball prospect while playing American Legion baseball and showed toughness and tools. He's an Oklahoma State signee, believed to be the area's first Division I baseball scholarship signee since Mike Lansing 20 years ago.
-- John Manuel
Oh Canada
1:34 p.m.: The Blue Jays drafted Canadian outfielder Chris Emanuele from Northeastern in the 26th round, but unless they bring him straight to the big leagues they'll still have to get him a visa. Expect to see Emanuele in short-season Auburn working on shortening his swing, not in Toronto. A good athlete, Emanuele has plus speed and defensive skills and has shown some promise with wood bats, earning Cape Cod League all-star honors last summer with a .312-2-16 campaign.
-- Aaron Fitt
Another Horizon Leaguer
1:16 p.m.: The Mets tabbed Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Joe Smith in the third round of the draft, making the Wright State pitcher their second choice. Twenty-two rounds later, the Wisconsin-Milwaukee star that joined Smith on the Horizon League awards podium finally was drafted, when the Brewers made Mike Goetz a hometown pick. The senior led the nation in hitting; his average dipped below .500, to .493, near the end of the season. Goetz is an intelligent player with unexciting tools, and a worthy choice in the 25th round.
-- Bryan Smith
More Baseball Bloodlines
1:11 p.m.: Yankees 24th-rounder Brian Baisley is the third Baisley brother to get drafted, following twin brother Jeff, his former South Florida teammate now in the Athletics system, and righthander Brad, a 6-foot-8 righthander and 1998 second-round pick of the Phillies.
-- John Manuel
Heafner Lands With Rangers
1:05 p.m.: Rangers 23rd-round pick Jay Heafner batted .448/.533/.700 with 11 homers as a junior third baseman at Davidson to rank second nationally in average. He moved to shortstop as a senior and slipped to .321/.458/.529 with eight homers, though he saved eight games and struck out almost a batter per inning in double duty as the closer.
-- Will Kimmey
Wilken Gets Another Matulia
1:04 p.m.: The Cubs drafted Matt Matulia in the 24th round. He's an excellent defensive shortstop with some raw power. Matulia's younger brother John was a 10th rounder by the Devil Rays last year from a Florida high school. Tim Wilken drafted both players; this year working as Cubs scouting director and last year working in that capacity for the Devil Rays.
-- Will Kimmey
Big Guy, Little Hits
1:02 p.m.: Boston College catcher Shawn McGill, a 23rd-round pick by the Phillies, has a presence when he walks on the field, thanks to a 6-foot-4, 215-pound build. But despite his size, McGill hit just three home runs in 210 at-bats this spring, and one scout called him "the biggest contact bat in the country." McGill does draw his share of walks and is one of BC's fastest players, and his catch-and-throw skills are very solid.
-- Aaron Fitt
Remember Scott Maine
12:55 p.m.: In the 23rd round the Mariners selected Scott Maine, a lefthander from Miami. Since being named a third-team High School All-American in 2003, Maine has had Tommy John surgery and was in a serious car accident. He wore a protective mask most of his sophomore season and was limited to less than 10 innings before settling into a regular role as a starter this spring. He was at his best in the ACC tournament, holding his velocity at 90 mph late into the game.
-- Alan Matthews
Mills Could Be A Gem
12:53 p.m.: One of the bigger names picked in round 22 (faint praise, indeed), Arizona lefthander Brad Mills apparently lasted that long because of his academic commitment (civil engineering major) and a muscle strain that limited him late in the season. He was a first-three-rounds candidate based on his plus changeup and average fastball.
-- John Manuel
More Love For Walters State
12:48 p.m.: The Padres' 22nd-round pick, Justin Pickett, was the fourth player taken off the Junior College World Series champion Walters State (Tenn.) JC.
-- Alan Matthews
Low 90s Heat In The 19th
12:40 p.m.: The Red Sox took an interesting power arm in the 19th round, grabbing Washington righthander Richie Lentz. Lentz was the top prospect in the New England Collegiate League in 2004, but pitched in only one game in 2005 before having Tommy John surgery. He returned midway through 2006, reached the low-90s with his fastball and struck out 15 batters against no walks in nine innings. Lentz comes with some interesting family history. His father Mike was the second overall pick by the Padres in 1975. His older brother Ryan was an all-Pac-10 third baseman in 1998, while his younger brother Andy is a sophomore on the UW baseball team. The family ties also brought some medical concerns with teams drafting Richie. An arm injury ended Mike's career, and Ryan was derailed by back problems.
-- Will Kimmey
Mets Will Be Patient
12:40 p.m.: Nobody thought Justin Woodall was interested in playing baseball, as the LHP/OF has signed to play safety at Alabama and apparently blew off one predraft workout because it interfered with a trip to Cancun. However, he recently drove several hours to a workout for the Mets who turned around and picked him in the 19th round, with their first pick of Day Two. Some clubs felt he was a first-round type of talent as a pitcher, if he focused on baseball. The Mets plan is likely to sign him for above slot and let him go to Alabama and play football knowing they hold his rights if football does not work out.
-- Matt Meyers
Another Intriguing Pick
12:36 p.m.: The Indians' interesting second day continued in round 21 with another injured college pitcher, Minnesota lefty John Gaub. He touched 96 mph in 2005 as a sophomore reliever, but his stuff was down significantly this sprint, at times sitting in the low 80s. He's also shown a solid curveball and changeup at his best, but he wasn't at his best this spring. The Indians can see if his stuff bounces back this summer and possibly make a run at him in August if he shows he's bounced back.
-- John Manuel
Fireballer In The 19th Round
12:34 p.m.: The Nationals won't sign Sam Dyson for slot money in the 19th round, but if they can persuade him to pass up college at South Carolina, they could land a high ceiling righthander with a second day pick. He has shown a 96 mph fastball this spring, but he pitches up in the zone and his fastball lacks life. Scouts are impressed with his good body and his arm works well. On the other hand, Dyson needs to improve his mound presence, his tempo is too slow, and he lacks a consistent secondary pitch.
--Alan Matthews
Worth The Gamble
12:32 p.m.: The Indians took Cal State Fullerton righthander Vinne Pestano in the 20th round, a worthwhile gamble on one of the nation's top closers. Pestano is out for the postseason with an elbow injury, though he has not had surgery. He's been a dominant performer in college, with 26 saves the last two seasons and a 92-30 K-BB ratio in 87 innings pitched.
-- John Manuel
Papelbon, Part II
12:31 p.m.: The Cubs drafted the brother of Red Sox reliever Jonathan Papelbon, Jeremy Papelbon, in the 19th round. A lefthander who doesn't posses the arm strength of his brother, Jeremy was better last summer when he ranked among the top 10 prospects in the New England Collegiate League. This spring he sat near 86 mph. He has some deception from the left side. He relies on command, which was not as sharp this spring as it was last summer.
-- Alan Matthews
Lutz Doesn't Last Long
12:30 p.m.: Before the 19th round began this morning, BA's Alan Matthews wrote about Derrik Lutz, one of the top players left on our draft board. It didn't take long for Lutz to get snatched up, taken as the eighth pick of the day by the Cincinnati Reds. If healthy, Lutz profiles well as a reliever, the role he starred in at the Cape Cod League. Another Cape star off the board in the 19th was Loyola Marymount OF Chris Pettit. After not performing well in 2006, Pettit received very little attention, but the Angels liked the way Pettit handled a wood bat last summer, hitting 14 extra-base hits while swiping 15 bags.
-- Bryan Smith
Plenty Of Upside
12:25 p.m.: Another 19th-rounder with upside went to the White Sox at the end of the round, with UC Riverside catcher Jeff Dunbar, a draft-eligible sophomore, coming off the board. He's one of the best defensive catchers in the nation, but his bat backed up in the season's final month. Dunbar has excellent arm strength, so much so that his tall (6-foot-4) frame and offensive struggles have some suggesting a move to the mound might be in order. It may take top-five rounds money to buy him out of his junior and senior seasons at Riverside.
-- John Manuel
And The First Pick Is
12:10 p.m.: The first pick of Day Two, in the 19th round, was Bakersfield, Calif., prep righty Jeffrey Inman. A Stanford signee, he got rave reviews early in the season for a power arm that produced 95 mph fastballs. His secondary stuff needs help and the signability factor of his Stanford commitment scared teams off, but he's a good second-day gamble.
--John Manuel
Celebrity Sightings?
12:11 p.m.: Start placing your bets now, which "celebrity" will be taken first? Will it be the recently married Danny Almonte of Little League age-gate fame, or Wesleyan College hit king Jeff Maier, of ALCS fan interference fame?
-- Matt Meyers
Signability Plays A Role
12:05 p.m.: Unlike years past, clubs today make every effort possible to accurately gauge a player's signability, especially high school players who have a college commitment as leverage. Area scouts spend several weeks making in-home visits and phone calls to players in their area in an effort to discover how strong the players' commitment to college is, and how much money they are seeking in order to sign with the team that drafts them. The list of high school players who had signability concerns who were not taken on the draft's first day includes: Dylan Brown, of, Plant HS in Tampa; Wade Kapteyn, Illiana Christian HS, Lansing, Ill; Kyle Gibson, rhp, Greenfield-Central HS, Greenfield, Ind.; and Bryan Morgado, lhp, Florida Christian HS, Miami.
-- Alan Matthews
Still On The Board
12 p.m.: While 556 players were drafted Tuesday, there were a handful of noteworthy names with first-day talent that did no hear their names called. Most of them were high school players who had signability concerns, such as Jason Jarvis, a righthander from Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Ariz., who has signed at San Diego. George Washington righty Derrick Lutz was coming off a mediocre junior campaign, but nonetheless was expected to be taken on the first day, based on his outstanding summer in 2005. Lutz was a Baseball America summer All-American thanks to his performance in the Cape Cod League. He did not allow an earned run in 25 innings, notching 12 saves, 39 punchouts and three walks with Chatham. Elbow tendinitits held him back this spring, and his velocity and stuff had not been as consistently sound as they were last summer, which figures to be a factor in him not being taken Tuesday.
-- Alan Matthews
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PrintAfter the 8,000+ word effort on Tuesday, we're back to highlight the interesting tibdits from the second day of the the draft. Refresh often for the latest news on the draft.
Hut-Hut, Part II
6:23 p.m.: Another football player drafted in the second day was Damion Carter, a wide receiver and former quarterback at Southern Mississippi. Carter didn't play baseball for the Golden Eagles, but that didn't stop the Rockies from taking him as an outfielder in the 45th round this year. He's a 6-foot-3, 195-pounder out of New Orleans.
--John Manuel
Five Defectors Picked
5:46 p.m.: Five Cuban defectors were selected in the draft, starting with the Nationals taking righthander Hassan Pena in the 13th round. BA has had reports in the past of Pena touching the low 90s with his fastball. Pena, who is listed as a 21-year-old, attended Palm Beach (Fla.) CC. The Cardinals' final pick of the 18th round at the end of day one, outfielder Amaury Casanas (Marti), has a Sept. 1974 birthday according to cocobeisbol.com, a Cuban baseball website. He has power but obviously is advanced in age. The Mariners drafted outfielder Johan Limonta, who defected in 2004 with Braves infielder Yunel Escobar, in the 20th round. And the Diamondbacks took two Cuban defectors, shortstop Osmany Masso and righthander Osbeck Castillo, with consecutive picks in rounds 32 and 33.
-- John Manuel
Proud Papelbons
5:42 p.m.: Today is a proud day for the Papelbon family, as their twin sons, Joshua and Jeremy, join brother Jonathan as professional baseball players. The day is especially sweet for the family, considering Jeremy nearly died earlier this spring. The Boston Globe Magazine reported that Papelbon had been taking Vioxx, a painkiller, after knee surgery. The pill, which has since been taken off the market, caused internal bleeding that nearly killed the North Florida pitcher. While Jeremy will not join his two brothers in the Red Sox organization--the Cubs drafted him before the Red Sox could--today represents an end to a long spring.
--Bryan Smith
No Baseball, No Problem
5:27 p.m.: Tthe Orioles drafted Isaiah Stanback, Washington's starting quarterback, in the 45th round. Washington Huskies sports information guru Jeff Bechtold reports that Stanback, Washington's starting quarterback has never played baseball at UW, though he did come out for a while two springs ago before deciding to concentrate on football. He'll be a fifth-year senior this year, so he's being drafted-and-followed by the Orioles. That means he'll likely play one year with Jake Locker, the Huskies' recruit who was drafted as a righthanded pitcher in the 40th round by the Angels. He's never played baseball at UW, though he did come out for a while two springs ago before deciding to concentrate on football. He'll be a fifth-year senior this year, so he's being drafted-and-followed by the Orioles. That means he'll likely play one year with Jake Locker, the Huskies' recruit who was drafted as a righthanded pitcher in the 40th round by the Angels.
--John Manuel
Turning Down The Money
5:05 p.m.: The Braves were one of a few clubs with an affinity for suburban-Atlanta high school infielder Michael Demperio, but, according to Demperio's father, not even second-round money was enough to persuade his son to sign. "We turned down the Braves' first pick in the second round, turned down a lot of money yesterday," Mike Sr. said Wednesday. "He opted to go to the University of Texas instead of getting the money."
Likely To Return
4:49 p.m.: Big 12 Conference co-player of the year Tyler Mach, a third baseman at Oklahoma State, lasted until the 40th round, where the Cardinals took a chance on him. He hit .364-16-66 for the Cowboys and indicated to the coaching staff he would return to school if he didn't get picked in the draft's first day.
--John Manuel
A's Take A Pass
4:39 p.m.: For the second straight year the Athletics are the first team to pass on a draft pick and will make no more selections. Their final pick was catcher Jeremy Weih from Wilton HS in Iowa in the 41st round.
-- Matt Meyers
Likely Headed Back To College
4:36 p.m.: The Nationals went back to the Northeast well for the ninth time in this year's draft, taking hard-throwing Fordham righthander Javier Martinez, the brother of former Boston College pitcher Joe Martinez, a 12th-round pick of the Giants a year ago. Javier Martinez has a live arm but struggled to control his stuff this year. He has touched 94 mph in the past but pitched more in the 89-91 range this year, and his curveball was inconsistent. He has talent, but it seems unlikely the Nationals will buy him out of his senior year at Fordham based on his shaky results this season.
-- Aaron Fitt
Hometown Discount?
3:38 p.m.: Maryland high school lefty Neal Davis was thought to be a tough sign, having floated a bonus desire that was no commensurate with his talent and performance this spring. But he reportedly has an affinity for his hometown team, the Orioles, and Baltimore wound up drafting him in the 39th round. He has committed to Virginia.
--Alan Matthews
Plenty Of Projection
3:30 p.m.: Ryan Butner was drafted in the 38th round by the Giants. He's tall and skinny with a loose arm, but lacks much present strength. He's committed to Tennessee and, if he chooses to head to college, he could come on as a higher pick in three years.
--Alan Matthews
Pham Still Headed To Cal State Fullerton
3:26 p.m.: Signings and negotiations news has begun stirring, and Tommy Pham took a moment during his preparations for tonight's Playstation high school all-star game in Albuquerque to shed some light on his status. Pham, a talented shortstop and righthanded pitcher from Durango High in Las Vegas, was drafted in the 16th round by the Cardinals, although he was a consensus top-five round talent. He says he was "offered third-round money" but was seeking about "75 thousand more". He could wind up at Cal State Fullerton if he and the Cardinals can't settle on his signing bonus.
--Alan Matthews
A Very Athletic 35th Rounder
3:20 p.m.: The Nationals drafted toolsy OF D'Vontrey Richardson out of Lee County HS in Leesburg, Ga., with their 35th-round pick. Richardson committed to Florida State, where he planned to play football as well as baseball.
--Alan Matthews
No Stranger To The Rays
3:03 p.m.: In the 29th round, the Devil Rays took Leon Johnson, an outfielder who was not playing for a team in 2006 but who has been drafted previously several times. In fact, the Rays drafted Johnson in the 45th round last year, when he was a first-team all-conference choice for the second straight season at Eastern Arizona JC, and in the 41st round in 2003 out of Thatcher (Ariz.) High. Johnson has spent the last two years on his Mormon mission, and the Rays are interested enough to keep going after the 6-foot-2, 190-pound center fielder again and again.
--John Manuel
Maybin's Former Teammate Gets Picked
2:58 p.m.: Josh Thrailkill made a name for himself last summer on the junior National Team and was a guy with some helium. However, he struggled at Roberson High (Cameron Maybin's alma mater) this spring and fell to the Phillies in the 34th round. He is committed to Clemson and will likely end up there.
-- Matt Meyers
D-II All-American Gets Popped
2:46 p.m.: Nationals 31st-round pick Zach Baldwin was dubbed "The Big Unit of the Valley" by one coach in the Valley League last summer because of his 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame and lefthanded delivery. But that's about where the comparisons end, as Baldwin relies on a plus curveball more than his fringy fastball. He earned Division II all-America honors in 2005, and followed it up with a solid 8-0, 2.89 effort this year.
-- Aaron Fitt
Another Intriguing Pick
2:08 p.m.: Carmine Giardina is yet another high-profile high school pitcher who fell in the draft despite impressive credentials. The Red Sox took Giardina (Durant HS, Plant, Fla.) in the 28th round. He was a second-team preseason All-American, but didn't fare as well this spring as expected. He has lots of upside, and could garner a hefty bonus if the Red Sox want to sign him away from University of Texas. Attending a junior college as a draft-and-follow pick is another of Giardina's options.
-- Alan Matthews
Same Size, Same Last Name, Different Stuff
2:05 p.m.: Probably the tallest player in the draft just went off the board. The White Sox took 6-foot-10 lefthander Garrett Johnson from Arizona's Orme School in the 29th round. Johnson doesn't have Big Unit power stuff at this time, but he's fairly athletic and has shown a knack for throwing strikes. He could be a draft-and-follow candidate.
-- John Manuel
Solid Senior Sign
1:54 p.m.: Jeremy Hunt, the Padres 28th-round pick, should prove to be a solid senior sign. The first baseman started slow, but came on strong and led the Big East with 15 home runs for Villanova.
-- Matt Meyers
First From Wyoming
1:45 p.m.: Giants 28th-round pick Dusty Harvard hails from Wyoming, having attended Natrona County High in Casper. Wyoming doesn't have high school baseball, but Harvard has excelled as a three-sport prep star anyway, playing football and basketball while running track. He has emerged as a baseball prospect while playing American Legion baseball and showed toughness and tools. He's an Oklahoma State signee, believed to be the area's first Division I baseball scholarship signee since Mike Lansing 20 years ago.
-- John Manuel
Oh Canada
1:34 p.m.: The Blue Jays drafted Canadian outfielder Chris Emanuele from Northeastern in the 26th round, but unless they bring him straight to the big leagues they'll still have to get him a visa. Expect to see Emanuele in short-season Auburn working on shortening his swing, not in Toronto. A good athlete, Emanuele has plus speed and defensive skills and has shown some promise with wood bats, earning Cape Cod League all-star honors last summer with a .312-2-16 campaign.
-- Aaron Fitt
Another Horizon Leaguer
1:16 p.m.: The Mets tabbed Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Joe Smith in the third round of the draft, making the Wright State pitcher their second choice. Twenty-two rounds later, the Wisconsin-Milwaukee star that joined Smith on the Horizon League awards podium finally was drafted, when the Brewers made Mike Goetz a hometown pick. The senior led the nation in hitting; his average dipped below .500, to .493, near the end of the season. Goetz is an intelligent player with unexciting tools, and a worthy choice in the 25th round.
-- Bryan Smith
More Baseball Bloodlines
1:11 p.m.: Yankees 24th-rounder Brian Baisley is the third Baisley brother to get drafted, following twin brother Jeff, his former South Florida teammate now in the Athletics system, and righthander Brad, a 6-foot-8 righthander and 1998 second-round pick of the Phillies.
-- John Manuel
Heafner Lands With Rangers
1:05 p.m.: Rangers 23rd-round pick Jay Heafner batted .448/.533/.700 with 11 homers as a junior third baseman at Davidson to rank second nationally in average. He moved to shortstop as a senior and slipped to .321/.458/.529 with eight homers, though he saved eight games and struck out almost a batter per inning in double duty as the closer.
-- Will Kimmey
Wilken Gets Another Matulia
1:04 p.m.: The Cubs drafted Matt Matulia in the 24th round. He's an excellent defensive shortstop with some raw power. Matulia's younger brother John was a 10th rounder by the Devil Rays last year from a Florida high school. Tim Wilken drafted both players; this year working as Cubs scouting director and last year working in that capacity for the Devil Rays.
-- Will Kimmey
Big Guy, Little Hits
1:02 p.m.: Boston College catcher Shawn McGill, a 23rd-round pick by the Phillies, has a presence when he walks on the field, thanks to a 6-foot-4, 215-pound build. But despite his size, McGill hit just three home runs in 210 at-bats this spring, and one scout called him "the biggest contact bat in the country." McGill does draw his share of walks and is one of BC's fastest players, and his catch-and-throw skills are very solid.
-- Aaron Fitt
Remember Scott Maine
12:55 p.m.: In the 23rd round the Mariners selected Scott Maine, a lefthander from Miami. Since being named a third-team High School All-American in 2003, Maine has had Tommy John surgery and was in a serious car accident. He wore a protective mask most of his sophomore season and was limited to less than 10 innings before settling into a regular role as a starter this spring. He was at his best in the ACC tournament, holding his velocity at 90 mph late into the game.
-- Alan Matthews
Mills Could Be A Gem
12:53 p.m.: One of the bigger names picked in round 22 (faint praise, indeed), Arizona lefthander Brad Mills apparently lasted that long because of his academic commitment (civil engineering major) and a muscle strain that limited him late in the season. He was a first-three-rounds candidate based on his plus changeup and average fastball.
-- John Manuel
More Love For Walters State
12:48 p.m.: The Padres' 22nd-round pick, Justin Pickett, was the fourth player taken off the Junior College World Series champion Walters State (Tenn.) JC.
-- Alan Matthews
Low 90s Heat In The 19th
12:40 p.m.: The Red Sox took an interesting power arm in the 19th round, grabbing Washington righthander Richie Lentz. Lentz was the top prospect in the New England Collegiate League in 2004, but pitched in only one game in 2005 before having Tommy John surgery. He returned midway through 2006, reached the low-90s with his fastball and struck out 15 batters against no walks in nine innings. Lentz comes with some interesting family history. His father Mike was the second overall pick by the Padres in 1975. His older brother Ryan was an all-Pac-10 third baseman in 1998, while his younger brother Andy is a sophomore on the UW baseball team. The family ties also brought some medical concerns with teams drafting Richie. An arm injury ended Mike's career, and Ryan was derailed by back problems.
-- Will Kimmey
Mets Will Be Patient
12:40 p.m.: Nobody thought Justin Woodall was interested in playing baseball, as the LHP/OF has signed to play safety at Alabama and apparently blew off one predraft workout because it interfered with a trip to Cancun. However, he recently drove several hours to a workout for the Mets who turned around and picked him in the 19th round, with their first pick of Day Two. Some clubs felt he was a first-round type of talent as a pitcher, if he focused on baseball. The Mets plan is likely to sign him for above slot and let him go to Alabama and play football knowing they hold his rights if football does not work out.
-- Matt Meyers
Another Intriguing Pick
12:36 p.m.: The Indians' interesting second day continued in round 21 with another injured college pitcher, Minnesota lefty John Gaub. He touched 96 mph in 2005 as a sophomore reliever, but his stuff was down significantly this sprint, at times sitting in the low 80s. He's also shown a solid curveball and changeup at his best, but he wasn't at his best this spring. The Indians can see if his stuff bounces back this summer and possibly make a run at him in August if he shows he's bounced back.
-- John Manuel
Fireballer In The 19th Round
12:34 p.m.: The Nationals won't sign Sam Dyson for slot money in the 19th round, but if they can persuade him to pass up college at South Carolina, they could land a high ceiling righthander with a second day pick. He has shown a 96 mph fastball this spring, but he pitches up in the zone and his fastball lacks life. Scouts are impressed with his good body and his arm works well. On the other hand, Dyson needs to improve his mound presence, his tempo is too slow, and he lacks a consistent secondary pitch.
--Alan Matthews
Worth The Gamble
12:32 p.m.: The Indians took Cal State Fullerton righthander Vinne Pestano in the 20th round, a worthwhile gamble on one of the nation's top closers. Pestano is out for the postseason with an elbow injury, though he has not had surgery. He's been a dominant performer in college, with 26 saves the last two seasons and a 92-30 K-BB ratio in 87 innings pitched.
-- John Manuel
Papelbon, Part II
12:31 p.m.: The Cubs drafted the brother of Red Sox reliever Jonathan Papelbon, Jeremy Papelbon, in the 19th round. A lefthander who doesn't posses the arm strength of his brother, Jeremy was better last summer when he ranked among the top 10 prospects in the New England Collegiate League. This spring he sat near 86 mph. He has some deception from the left side. He relies on command, which was not as sharp this spring as it was last summer.
-- Alan Matthews
Lutz Doesn't Last Long
12:30 p.m.: Before the 19th round began this morning, BA's Alan Matthews wrote about Derrik Lutz, one of the top players left on our draft board. It didn't take long for Lutz to get snatched up, taken as the eighth pick of the day by the Cincinnati Reds. If healthy, Lutz profiles well as a reliever, the role he starred in at the Cape Cod League. Another Cape star off the board in the 19th was Loyola Marymount OF Chris Pettit. After not performing well in 2006, Pettit received very little attention, but the Angels liked the way Pettit handled a wood bat last summer, hitting 14 extra-base hits while swiping 15 bags.
-- Bryan Smith
Plenty Of Upside
12:25 p.m.: Another 19th-rounder with upside went to the White Sox at the end of the round, with UC Riverside catcher Jeff Dunbar, a draft-eligible sophomore, coming off the board. He's one of the best defensive catchers in the nation, but his bat backed up in the season's final month. Dunbar has excellent arm strength, so much so that his tall (6-foot-4) frame and offensive struggles have some suggesting a move to the mound might be in order. It may take top-five rounds money to buy him out of his junior and senior seasons at Riverside.
-- John Manuel
And The First Pick Is
12:10 p.m.: The first pick of Day Two, in the 19th round, was Bakersfield, Calif., prep righty Jeffrey Inman. A Stanford signee, he got rave reviews early in the season for a power arm that produced 95 mph fastballs. His secondary stuff needs help and the signability factor of his Stanford commitment scared teams off, but he's a good second-day gamble.
--John Manuel
Celebrity Sightings?
12:11 p.m.: Start placing your bets now, which "celebrity" will be taken first? Will it be the recently married Danny Almonte of Little League age-gate fame, or Wesleyan College hit king Jeff Maier, of ALCS fan interference fame?
-- Matt Meyers
Signability Plays A Role
12:05 p.m.: Unlike years past, clubs today make every effort possible to accurately gauge a player's signability, especially high school players who have a college commitment as leverage. Area scouts spend several weeks making in-home visits and phone calls to players in their area in an effort to discover how strong the players' commitment to college is, and how much money they are seeking in order to sign with the team that drafts them. The list of high school players who had signability concerns who were not taken on the draft's first day includes: Dylan Brown, of, Plant HS in Tampa; Wade Kapteyn, Illiana Christian HS, Lansing, Ill; Kyle Gibson, rhp, Greenfield-Central HS, Greenfield, Ind.; and Bryan Morgado, lhp, Florida Christian HS, Miami.
-- Alan Matthews
Still On The Board
12 p.m.: While 556 players were drafted Tuesday, there were a handful of noteworthy names with first-day talent that did no hear their names called. Most of them were high school players who had signability concerns, such as Jason Jarvis, a righthander from Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Ariz., who has signed at San Diego. George Washington righty Derrick Lutz was coming off a mediocre junior campaign, but nonetheless was expected to be taken on the first day, based on his outstanding summer in 2005. Lutz was a Baseball America summer All-American thanks to his performance in the Cape Cod League. He did not allow an earned run in 25 innings, notching 12 saves, 39 punchouts and three walks with Chatham. Elbow tendinitits held him back this spring, and his velocity and stuff had not been as consistently sound as they were last summer, which figures to be a factor in him not being taken Tuesday.
-- Alan Matthews
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