DRAFT NOTEBOOK

BY BLAINE CLEMMENS

Perfect Game

 

This time of year there are numerous draft prognostications being formed.  Who is going in the first round, who is going to go late, who is going to be a draft-and-follow . . . those are all questions we seek answers to. 

 

In putting together those draft predictions and digging for the inside scoop, many things become clear while others still remain murky. One thing that is crystal clear is that some premier Division I programs are going to be sweating on June 6 and 7.

 

The top D-I programs battle it out with each other all summer and fall in the recruiting arena to get commitments from the top players. Once their players sign national letters-of -intent, the work for the college head coaches and recruiting coordinators is not done. Those schools that signed the top recruiting classes then have to turn their attention to the draft. They have to work to get their top signees to attend school in the fall.

 

Some players, like pitcher Chris Tillman and first baseman Chris Parmelee, were acknowledged as top draft prospects last summer and fall. The coaches at Cal State Fullerton were aware of that when they signed the two players. They were very well aware that both Tillman and Parmelee were more likely to sign professional contracts than they were to attend classes at Fullerton next fall. 

 

The Titans signed one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, but when we re-rank the top recruiting classes next fall, based upon who actually goes to school, Fullerton may not be on that list.  It stands to reason that they could lose seven or more high school recruits to pro baseball.

 

Along with Tillman and Parmelee, Fullerton signed the following players, all of whom are top 5-6 round talents, depending on who you talk to…

 

OF Khris Davis (AZ)

SS Nathan Bridges (CA)

LHP Tyler Robertson (CA)

SS Tommy Pham (NV)

RHP Michael Morrison (CA)

 

Now consider that Fullerton could lose a slew of their current juniors to the draft and you understand why coaches at schools like Fullerton may not be as excited about the draft as others. At this time of year, the Titans coaching staff is not only working toward another CWS appearance this June, they are working to secure the opportunity to stay in the hunt for Omaha in the coming years. After having 14 players drafted a year ago, tying a draft record, they could lose the following current underclassmen:

 

SS Blake Davis

1B Brett Pill

OF Brandon Tripp

RHP Lauren Gagnier

RHP Vinnie Pestano

LHP Ryan Paul

C John Curtis

3B Evan McArthur

 

Combined with the incoming players, that is at least 13 players who may or may not be in a Titan uniform next year. It is reminiscent of what happened to Pepperdine a few years ago.  In the 2001 draft, the Waves lost three extremely significant recruits: RHP Dan Denham, RHP Brandon League and C Bronson Sardinha, all drafted in the top two rounds. 

 

The Pepperdine players drafted and signed that year were LHP Noah Lowry, RHP Dan Haren (you may have heard of them), 2B Danny Garcia, OF Woody Cliffords, SS Tony Garcia, 1B Jared Pitney, RHP Jay Adams. Talking to one of the Pepperdine coaches the other day, he said this year the program had finally made a full recovery from the carnage of that 2001 draft.

 

Some other schools that could be most significantly affected by the draft and some of the high school recruits they could very well lose if the price offered by a major league club to forgo school is the right one:

 

Texas

RHP Jordan Walden (TX)

LHP Brandon Belt (TX)

LHP Carmine Giardina (FL)

SS Marcus Lemon (FL)

RHP Nathan Karns (TX)

3B Russell Moldenhauer (TX)

 

Florida

RHP Colton Willems (FL)

SS Adrian Cardenas (FL)

RHP Billy Bullock (FL)

OF Derrick Robinson (FL)

RHP Brandon Holden (FL)

OF Jonathan Piggott (FL)

 

Miami

3B Chris Marrero (FL)

SS Ryan Jackson (FL)

OF David Christensen (FL)

RHP Chris Archer (NC)

SS Mark Sobolewski (FL)

LHP Eric Erickson (FL)

RHP Alex Koronis (FL)

 

USC

C Hank Conger (CA)

SS Grant Green (CA)

RHP Brad Boxberger (CA)

OF D’Arby Myers (CA)

 

Baylor

LHP/1B Aaron Miller

RHP Kendal Volz

3B/1B Dustin Dickerson

RHP Ryan Jenkins

RHP Shawn Tolleson (was injured in spring, likely sending him to college)

 

UCLA

LHP Gavin Brooks (CA)

CF Jeff Rapoport (CA)

1B Casey Haerther (CA)

OF Gabe Cohen (CA)

 

LSU

SS Stephen King (FL)

SS Ryan Adams (LA)

CF Lee Haydel (LA)

LHP Blake Dean (FL)

RHP T.J. Forrest (LA)

RHP Tony Sedlmeyer (IN)

 

These are not the only schools that will be greatly affected by the draft, but they are an example of what is at stake when the top programs sign the top players, which they will and should continue to do. Of course, there are times when those schools sign a player who develops quicker than they expected and becomes a strong draft prospect. 

 

Speaking of which, that could happen to Pepperdine this year with LHP Clayton Tanner from De la Salle High who has gone from a solid college bound lefty to a top five round talent. UCLA felt pretty confident that hard-hitting but less than stellar bodied Haerther was coming to school. They still feel good about it, but he has had a stellar spring with the bat and has trimmed up his frame, drawing more attention from pro scouts than the Bruins staff would have liked to this point.

 

Speaking of players rapidly developing and going from college bound to potential first round, California faces that situation with 1B Lars Anderson.  Anderson was recruited by a number of schools, but few foresaw him slugging his way into first-round consideration as a high school senior. Cal once had to feel like they were getting a steal, but now it doesn’t look like Anderson will be on campus in Berkeley next fall.

 

Again, the aforementioned programs are not the only ones that will be sweating out the draft and the players listed are not the only players that are receiving strong draft consideration.  They are merely a sampling that provides perspective to this discussion.