Drafted in the 8th round (247th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2004 (signed for $15,000).
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South Florida SS Myron Leslie is a solid senior sign, but scouts seemed to like him less as the years went on. Leslie, an 11th-round pick in 2003, doesn't have a tool or ability that stands out but does everything solidly; he's going to move off shortstop as a pro and looks like a solid organizational player.
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Leslie teamed with Jeff Baisley at South Florida for three seasons, playing shortstop while Baisley manned third. Leslie has made slow but steady progress as a pro, and some scouts believe he's about to break out. His overall ceiling resembles that of Bobby Bonilla, as a switch-hitter with power from both sides who doesn't look pretty but can play third base or a corner outfield spot. That's clearly a lofty comparison for Leslie, as Bonilla was in his second big league season at age 24. But Leslie could be an extra outfielder/first baseman who switch-hits with power but may not hit for enough average to be a regular. His long arms sometimes leave him tied up on balls on the inner half, but when he gets extended, the ball jumps off his bat to all fields. Scouts who didn't see him as an amateur have a hard time believing he played shortstop, and third base might be a stretch at his size, but he has the arm strength and perhaps enough athletic ability to stay on an outfield corner. His hands are good enough for third, but his feet leave him poorly positioned to throw at times. Leslie is ready to move to Double-A, likely moving to different positions to accommodate other prospects.
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