Lastoria seems to think Lindor will be a tough sign:
Very good pick. Contrary to all the reports from Law and others, the Indians were 100% locked in on a prep player. Had some very good intel this morning would be a high school kid unless something crazy happened where all four guys targetted were gone (Bundy, A. Bradley, Starling, and Lindor). Nice to see the high upside/ceiling pick in the 1st round for once. Lindor is an athlete and excellent defender and will certainly be developed as a shortstop going forward. We'll see down the road about a position change as sometimes development/need dictates that. I don't think center field is completely out of the question in the future.
The tough part now is signing him. Talking to sources tonight, he is gonna be an extremely tough sign. Not a slam dunk at all. Gonna be expensive as hell too. His agent got Detroit 1st round supplemental pick Nick Castellanos, a 3B out of high school last year, a 1st round supplemental record $3.45M signing bonus. So, to me that is the floor to sign Lindor. I think it will be between $4-5M, if not higher. Indians know they are in for a long summer with negotiations, and this will be a signing that because of overslot issues with getting MLB approval and also team/agent talks will go down to the midnight deadline on August 15th.
Re: Draft Folder
77Who’s Left: Josh Bell, Daniel Norris Tops Left On Draft Board
Posted Jun. 6, 2011 10:20 pm by J.J. Cooper
Filed under: Uncategorized
From a talent basis, outfielder Josh Bell and lefthander Daniel Norris are both first-round talents. But their asking price ensured that they are the two highest-rated players left undrafted heading into the second day of the MLB Draft.
Bell (No. 15) and Norris (No. 16) both fell because of their perceived asking prices. Bell sent a letter to MLB teams telling him that he was planning to attend Texas and did not want to be drafted. Norris is a Clemson recruit.
The story is somewhat similar for catcher Austin Hedges (No. 28). Hedges is an excellent defensive shortstop, but he's also a pretty firm UCLA commitment. Oregon State catcher Andrew Susac (30) is coming off of a broken hamate bone, but he has returned to game action recently.
Righthander Dillon Howard (31) is an Arkansas commitment. Lefthander Matt Purke (32) fell because he's missed part of the season with a shoulder injury. Texas A&M RHP Josh Stilson (23) and RHP Kyle Winkler (43) are facing injury questions that explain their falls.
Here are the players from Baseball America's Top 50 still on the board. . .
No. 15. Josh Bell, of
No. 16. Daniel Norris, lhp
No. 28. Austin Hedges, c
No. 30 Andrew Susac, c
No. 31 Dillon Howard, rhp
No. 32 Matt Purke, lhp
No. 39 Jorge Lopez, rhp
No. 41 Josh Osich, lhp
No. 42 Alex Dickerson, of
No. 46 Dillon Maples, rhp
No. 50 Tony Zych, rhp
Posted Jun. 6, 2011 10:20 pm by J.J. Cooper
Filed under: Uncategorized
From a talent basis, outfielder Josh Bell and lefthander Daniel Norris are both first-round talents. But their asking price ensured that they are the two highest-rated players left undrafted heading into the second day of the MLB Draft.
Bell (No. 15) and Norris (No. 16) both fell because of their perceived asking prices. Bell sent a letter to MLB teams telling him that he was planning to attend Texas and did not want to be drafted. Norris is a Clemson recruit.
The story is somewhat similar for catcher Austin Hedges (No. 28). Hedges is an excellent defensive shortstop, but he's also a pretty firm UCLA commitment. Oregon State catcher Andrew Susac (30) is coming off of a broken hamate bone, but he has returned to game action recently.
Righthander Dillon Howard (31) is an Arkansas commitment. Lefthander Matt Purke (32) fell because he's missed part of the season with a shoulder injury. Texas A&M RHP Josh Stilson (23) and RHP Kyle Winkler (43) are facing injury questions that explain their falls.
Here are the players from Baseball America's Top 50 still on the board. . .
No. 15. Josh Bell, of
No. 16. Daniel Norris, lhp
No. 28. Austin Hedges, c
No. 30 Andrew Susac, c
No. 31 Dillon Howard, rhp
No. 32 Matt Purke, lhp
No. 39 Jorge Lopez, rhp
No. 41 Josh Osich, lhp
No. 42 Alex Dickerson, of
No. 46 Dillon Maples, rhp
No. 50 Tony Zych, rhp
Re: Draft Folder
78With the 67th overall pick, the Indians select Dillon Howard, RHP out of Searcy HS in Arkansas. 6'4", 210. Plus fastball with sink and run (touching 95), hard curve (78-80) which is fringe average, and a changeup projected to be average.
He's a Boras client,
He's a Boras client,
Re: Draft Folder
792011 Draft: Dillon Howard
By Mike Axisa
The draft is just seven days away, so between now and then I’m going to highlight some players individually rather than lump a few together in one post.
Dillon Howard | RHP
Background
The best draft prospect in Arkansas, Howard has been on the radar for a long time thanks to his consistently impressive performances at showcase events and with summer traveling teams. He hasn’t had a great senior year at Searcy High School, but no one gets drafted based on high school stats. He’s committed to Arkansas.
Scouting Report
A 6-foot-3, 200 lb. right-hander, Howard has pitched consistently at 91-94 with a fastball that runs in on righties, and he’s gotten it up as high as 96 in the past. He could legitimately sit in the mid-90′s once he’s done growing. Howard’s breaking ball is inconsistent, resembling a curveball on some days and a slider on others, but he’s certainly shown the ability to make the ball spin. His changeup is very much a work in progress, as is his overall command despite a sound delivery. Howard is an athletic kid that played all over the infield in high school, and his passion for the game shows in his play.
Miscellany
Last week we heard that the Yankees are “heavily in” on Howard, who is supposedly asking for big bucks to skip out on the Razorbacks. The kid has a chance for a big time fastball with a power breaking ball, which are instant tools for success. Howard has significant upside, and adding a changeup will give him true top of the rotation ability. The draft class is deep enough that teams unwilling to meet his asking price will have viable alternatives, so it’s not impossible that he could still be around when the Yankees pick at number 51.
Keith Law and Baseball America ranked Howard as the 18th and 31st best prospect in the draft in their latest rankings.
By Mike Axisa
The draft is just seven days away, so between now and then I’m going to highlight some players individually rather than lump a few together in one post.
Dillon Howard | RHP
Background
The best draft prospect in Arkansas, Howard has been on the radar for a long time thanks to his consistently impressive performances at showcase events and with summer traveling teams. He hasn’t had a great senior year at Searcy High School, but no one gets drafted based on high school stats. He’s committed to Arkansas.
Scouting Report
A 6-foot-3, 200 lb. right-hander, Howard has pitched consistently at 91-94 with a fastball that runs in on righties, and he’s gotten it up as high as 96 in the past. He could legitimately sit in the mid-90′s once he’s done growing. Howard’s breaking ball is inconsistent, resembling a curveball on some days and a slider on others, but he’s certainly shown the ability to make the ball spin. His changeup is very much a work in progress, as is his overall command despite a sound delivery. Howard is an athletic kid that played all over the infield in high school, and his passion for the game shows in his play.
Miscellany
Last week we heard that the Yankees are “heavily in” on Howard, who is supposedly asking for big bucks to skip out on the Razorbacks. The kid has a chance for a big time fastball with a power breaking ball, which are instant tools for success. Howard has significant upside, and adding a changeup will give him true top of the rotation ability. The draft class is deep enough that teams unwilling to meet his asking price will have viable alternatives, so it’s not impossible that he could still be around when the Yankees pick at number 51.
Keith Law and Baseball America ranked Howard as the 18th and 31st best prospect in the draft in their latest rankings.
Re: Draft Folder
80Where are the outfielders?????
17 players taken so far and not one outfielder.
How about a 6' 4" 220 lb outfielder.
17 players taken so far and not one outfielder.
How about a 6' 4" 220 lb outfielder.
Re: Draft Folder
81I tend to agree sea. Size matters and we really need some corner bats especially RH bats...
Re: Draft Folder
82Can't draft what is not there. More talent in pitching than hitting in this draft.
Indians drafting a lot of HS players this year.
Indians drafting a lot of HS players this year.
Re: Draft Folder
83Gotta love the 2nd round pick. Keith Law had him at #18 in his top 100. Going to be a very hard sign....way over slot $. Judging by last year, they will be willing to pay
Dillon Howard
RHP | Searcy High School
Weight: 200 lbs.
Height: 6-3
Summary :
Howard is from Little Rock and is committed to Arkansas but stands a good chance of going high enough for someone to buy him out of that commitment.
He sits in the 90-94 range but will show you a 95 or a 96, with the definite physical potential to sit in the mid-90s when he fills out. He can get caught between a slider and curveball but has the wrist action to spin a good curveball given more consistent release. Howard has a clean, classic delivery, with a very high leg kick, a moderate stride, and good shoulder tilt, with a repeatable arm action that has him turning his pitching hand over early. He's largely projection and arm strength, but his delivery is clean, repeatable and very promising.
Dillon Howard
RHP | Searcy High School
Weight: 200 lbs.
Height: 6-3
Summary :
Howard is from Little Rock and is committed to Arkansas but stands a good chance of going high enough for someone to buy him out of that commitment.
He sits in the 90-94 range but will show you a 95 or a 96, with the definite physical potential to sit in the mid-90s when he fills out. He can get caught between a slider and curveball but has the wrist action to spin a good curveball given more consistent release. Howard has a clean, classic delivery, with a very high leg kick, a moderate stride, and good shoulder tilt, with a repeatable arm action that has him turning his pitching hand over early. He's largely projection and arm strength, but his delivery is clean, repeatable and very promising.
Re: Draft Folder
84Tribe stays aggressive on Draft's Day 2
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | 06/07/11 5:42 PM ET
Comments
printe-mailCLEVELAND -- The Indians veered from recent Draft strategies and went for upside over experience with their No. 1 pick in this year's First-Year Player Draft, taking high school shortstop Francisco Lindor at No. 8 overall on Monday night.
When the Draft continued Tuesday, the Tribe continued that trend with its second pick. Right-hander Dillon Howard was plucked out of Searcy High School in Arkansas, and the Indians will attempt to woo him away from his verbal commitment to the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The 18-year-old Howard, a Scott Boras client, is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. He went 9-1 with a 0.31 ERA in 12 starts this season, striking out 115 and walking just 25 in 58 innings pitched. He was recently named the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year and last summer was named the MVP at the Connie Mack World Series while playing for the Midland Redskins.
The Tribe has been aggressive in going over the recommended signing bonus at certain slots to infuse talent into the system after recent Drafts. That might be the case again with Howard.
This is how the next few picks shook out for the Indians on Tuesday, as the Draft continued with Rounds 2 through 30.
Round 3, Jake Sisco, RHP, Merced College: The 19-year-old Merced went 11-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts, this season. He led state junior college pitchers in wins, innings (108 1/3) and strikeouts (124) and helped Merced claim the Central Valley Conference title as a freshman. He was the CVC pitcher of the year and was also a NorCal All-American and pitcher of the year.
The Giants took Sisco in the 37th round of last year's Draft after he went 9-3 with a 1.00 ERA and 114 strikeouts for Grace Davis High School in California, but he opted not to sign.
Round 4, Mark Lowery, C, James Madison University: The Colonial Athletic Association player of the year and Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American hit .359 with 22 doubles, eight triples, 24 homers and 91 RBIs in 61 games. He was one of 13 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award given annually to the top collegiate catcher, and he was one of 30 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the top collegiate player overall. The 6-foot, 200-pound Lowery is a left-handed hitter.
Round 5, Will Roberts, RHP, Virginia: Roberts is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, but his repertoire is based on command, not power. He threw a perfect game earlier this year and graduated in just three years. Roberts went 11-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 16 games, including 15 starts, striking out 90 and walking just 12 in 95 innings. He went 18-1 in his three-year career at Virginia.
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | 06/07/11 5:42 PM ET
Comments
printe-mailCLEVELAND -- The Indians veered from recent Draft strategies and went for upside over experience with their No. 1 pick in this year's First-Year Player Draft, taking high school shortstop Francisco Lindor at No. 8 overall on Monday night.
When the Draft continued Tuesday, the Tribe continued that trend with its second pick. Right-hander Dillon Howard was plucked out of Searcy High School in Arkansas, and the Indians will attempt to woo him away from his verbal commitment to the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The 18-year-old Howard, a Scott Boras client, is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. He went 9-1 with a 0.31 ERA in 12 starts this season, striking out 115 and walking just 25 in 58 innings pitched. He was recently named the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year and last summer was named the MVP at the Connie Mack World Series while playing for the Midland Redskins.
The Tribe has been aggressive in going over the recommended signing bonus at certain slots to infuse talent into the system after recent Drafts. That might be the case again with Howard.
This is how the next few picks shook out for the Indians on Tuesday, as the Draft continued with Rounds 2 through 30.
Round 3, Jake Sisco, RHP, Merced College: The 19-year-old Merced went 11-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts, this season. He led state junior college pitchers in wins, innings (108 1/3) and strikeouts (124) and helped Merced claim the Central Valley Conference title as a freshman. He was the CVC pitcher of the year and was also a NorCal All-American and pitcher of the year.
The Giants took Sisco in the 37th round of last year's Draft after he went 9-3 with a 1.00 ERA and 114 strikeouts for Grace Davis High School in California, but he opted not to sign.
Round 4, Mark Lowery, C, James Madison University: The Colonial Athletic Association player of the year and Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American hit .359 with 22 doubles, eight triples, 24 homers and 91 RBIs in 61 games. He was one of 13 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award given annually to the top collegiate catcher, and he was one of 30 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the top collegiate player overall. The 6-foot, 200-pound Lowery is a left-handed hitter.
Round 5, Will Roberts, RHP, Virginia: Roberts is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, but his repertoire is based on command, not power. He threw a perfect game earlier this year and graduated in just three years. Roberts went 11-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 16 games, including 15 starts, striking out 90 and walking just 12 in 95 innings. He went 18-1 in his three-year career at Virginia.
Re: Draft Folder
85Tribe stays aggressive on Draft's Day 2
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | 06/07/11 11:35 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- The Indians veered from recent Draft strategies and went for upside over experience with their No. 1 pick in this year's First-Year Player Draft, taking high school shortstop Francisco Lindor at No. 8 overall on Monday night.
And when the Draft continued Tuesday, the Tribe continued that trend with its second-round selection of right-hander Dillon Howard, who was plucked out of Searcy High School in Arkansas. The Indians will attempt to woo Howard, a Scott Boras client, away from his verbal commitment to the Arkansas Razorbacks.
"We'll go through the process," amateur scouting director Brad Grant said. "We'll see what happens. He has a scholarship. But we have a great opportunity for him in Cleveland."
The 18-year-old Howard is listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. He went 9-1 with a 0.31 ERA in 12 starts this season, striking out 115 and walking just 25 in 58 innings pitched. He was recently named the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year and last summer was named the MVP at the Connie Mack World Series while playing for the Midland Redskins.
In his junior year at Searcy, Howard went 7-4 with a 2.96 ERA in 54 1/3 innings.
"He has a very good delivery and arm action," Grant said. "He has good life to his fastball, 90 to 95 mph with good sink and good tailing life. He has a very good feel to pitch."
The Tribe has been aggressive in going over the recommended signing bonus at certain slots to infuse talent into the system after recent Drafts. That might be the case again with Howard.
The Indians weren't sure Howard would still be available at No. 67 overall. While the first round of the Draft can often be forecast because of the sheer amount of attention placed on the most prominent amateurs available, this thing gets tricky on Day 2.
"The hardest pick," Grant said, "is the second-round pick."
And though it doesn't get the attention of No. 1, it's nonetheless an important pick. So the Indians took a big leap of faith that the unpolished Howard will not only sign but continue to grow under their tutelage.
Live coverage of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft resumes at noon ET Wednesday on MLB.com, where fans will receive exclusive coverage of Day 3, featuring a live pick-by-pick stream, expert commentary and Draft Tracker, a live interactive application that includes a searchable database of every Draft-eligible player. You can also keep up to date at Draft Central and by following @MLBDraft on Twitter. And get into the Draft conversation by tagging your tweets with #mlbdraft.
This is how the rest of Tuesday's selections went for the Tribe, as the Draft continued through Round 30.
Round 3, Jake Sisco, RHP, Merced College:
The 19-year-old Sisco, listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, went 11-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts, this season. He led state junior college pitchers in wins, innings (108 1/3) and strikeouts (124) and helped Merced claim the Central Valley Conference title as a freshman. He was the CVC pitcher of the year and was also a NorCal All-American and pitcher of the year. The Giants took Sisco in the 37th round of last year's Draft after he went 9-3 with a 1.00 ERA and 114 strikeouts for Grace Davis High School in California, but he opted not to sign.
"We like the size and the power behind it," Grant said.
Round 4, Mark Lowery, C, James Madison University:
The Colonial Athletic Association player of the year and Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American hit .359 with 22 doubles, eight triples, 24 homers and 91 RBIs in 61 games. He was one of 13 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award given annually to the top collegiate catcher, and he was one of 30 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the top collegiate player overall. The 6-foot, 200-pound Lowery is a left-handed hitter.
"He has a very good approach at the plate," Grant said, "a line-drive-oriented swing. And he has plus arm strength behind the plate."
Round 5, Will Roberts, RHP, Virginia:
Roberts is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, but his repertoire is based more on command than power. He threw a perfect game earlier this year and graduated from school in just three years. Roberts, 20, went 11-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 16 games, including 15 starts, striking out 90 and walking just 12 in 95 innings. He went 18-1 in his three-year career at Virginia.
"We like his ability to throw strikes," Grant said. "He's at 92-93 [mph] but he's a very good strike-thrower."
Round 6, Bryson Myles, OF, Stephen F. Austin:
A standout linebacker on his high school football team, the 6-foot, 225-pound Myles has speed in his swing path and speed on the basepaths. Myles, 21, hit .411 with 11 doubles, eight homers, 36 RBIs and 53 stolen bases in 68 attempts this season.
Round 7, Eric Haase, C, Divine Child (Mich.) High School:
The second catcher taken by the Tribe in the first seven rounds, Haase, 18, has committed to attend Ohio State University, despite hailing from Michigan. He is an athletic talent with power, speed and defensive skills.
Round 8, Stephen Tarpley, LHP, Gilbert (Ariz.) High School:
Continuing their early trend of targeting prep talent with athletic upside, the Indians went with the lefty Tarpley. He has been clocked in the low 90s with the early makings of a plus breaking ball, but he missed a good portion of this season while recovering from a torn meniscus. Tarpley, 18, was his team's cleanup hitter, but his future is likely on the mound.
Round 9, Jordan Smith, 3B, St. Cloud State:
The 20-year-old Smith, who just wrapped up his sophomore season, has a plus arm that has allowed him to spend some time at third base while also racking up assists when he's in the outfield. He hit .382 with seven homers, 22 doubles and 57 RBIs in 54 games this season.
Round 10, Jeffrey Johnson, RHP, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo:
Working primarily as the Cal Poly closer, Johnson was 2-0 with five saves and a 1.63 ERA in 18 appearances this season. He struck out 40 and walked nine in 27 2/3 innings.
Round 11, Luis DeJesus, RHP, Angelina College:
If Angelina College sounds familiar, that's because it's where Josh Tomlin pitched before advancing on to Texas Tech. The 19-year-old DeJesus tossed a no-hitter in his first collegiate start against Galveston. He had a 1.99 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 45 1/3 innings in Region XIV East Zone conference play, earning a spot on the all-conference list.
Round 12, Steven Sides, RHP, Samford University:
Listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Sides is a power reliever who received a medical redshirt last season after having Tommy John surgery. He returned this year to post a 1.78 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 13 walks in 25 1/3 innings over 22 appearances.
Round 13, Zachary MacPhee, 2B, Arizona State:
MacPhee, who is 5-foot-8, 172 pounds, was the PAC-10 player of the year in his sophomore season but had a pedestrian junior year. He hit .276 with a .355 slugging percentage and .418 on-base percentage and 26 stolen bases in 33 attempts in 58 games.
Round 14, Cody Anderson, RHP, Feather River College:
A year after the Rays took him in the 17th round, the 20-year-old Anderson goes to the Indians in the 14th. He was the third reliever taken by the Tribe in this Draft. He had a 2.15 ERA, 42 strikeouts and 18 walks in 46 innings over 17 appearances this season.
Round 15, Todd Hankins, 2B, Seminole State College:
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Hankins hit .388 with nine homers, 12 doubles and five triples in 46 games this season. He swiped 34 bags in 41 tries.
Round 16, Ryan Merritt, LHP, McLennan Community College:
Merritt, 19, just wrapped up his freshman season with the Highlanders after being named second-team all-state as a senior in high school in Celina, Texas.
Round 17, Kevin Brady, RHP, Clemson:
Had he not suffered a forearm injury early this season (his sophomore year), Brady likely would have gone much higher in the Draft. He has a mid-90s fastball and a strong curve. He was limited to just 10 appearances this year, with only three starts before the injury. After the injury, he pitched out of the bullpen. All told, he went 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA, striking out 33 and walking one in 23 1/3 innings.
"He's going to throw in the Cape Cod League this summer," Grant said. "He still has some upside because of the injury. We'll see how he progresses."
Round 18, Shawn Armstrong, RHP, East Carolina University:
The 20-year-old Armstrong is listed at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. He was 3-1 with a 4.63 ERA in 19 appearances, including six starts, for East Carolina this season. He struck out 50 and walked 22 in 44 2/3 innings.
Round 19, Shawn Morimando, LHP, Ocean Lakes (Va.) High School:
In addition to being the second consecutive pick of the Tribe named Shawn, Morimando has committed to attend Armstrong's college, East Carolina.
Round 20, Dillon Peters, LHP, Cathedral (Ind.) High School:
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Peters was recently named the 2010-11 Gatorade Indiana Baseball Player of the Year. He has signed with the University of Texas and took a 1.71 ERA and 118 strikeouts into last weekend's regional semifinals, where he tossed a two-hit shutout.
Round 21, Cody Elliott, OF, Ball State University:
Elliott also pitched for the Cardinals, but he was drafted as a position player. He was second-team All-Mid-American Conference this season, batting .325 with three homers, 12 doubles, five triples and 38 RBIs. He stole 14 bases in 19 attempts.
Round 22, Matthew Reckling, RHP, Rice University:
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Reckling went 4-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 17 appearances, including 16 starts, this season. Control appears to be an issue, as Reckling struck out 96 but walked 48 in 78 1/3 innings.
Round 23, Cody Allen, RHP, High Point University:
Draftniks might recognize Allen's name from last year, when the Indians took him in the 16th round. After opting not to sign, his stock fell in his junior season, in which he went 4-6 with a 3.12 ERA in 13 starts. He struck out 89 and walked 29 in 83 2/3 innings.
Round 24, Taylor Sparks, 3B, St. John Bosco (Calif.) High School:
Another high-upside prep position player, Sparks is committed to UC Irvine. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Sparks has power from the right-hand side.
Round 25, Kevin Kramer, 3B, Turlock (Calif.) High School:
The 17-year-old Kramer is committed to UCLA and is likely to opt to go to school. He hit .350 with 30 RBIs and 33 walks this season.
Round 26, Austin Diemer, CF, Rocklin (Calif.) High School:
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Diemer hit .415 with a .522 on-base percentage and .596 slugging percentage in his senior season.
Round 27, Evan Frazar, SS, Galveston College:
Frazar hit .331 with two homers, five doubles and two triples over 121 at-bats in his sophomore season. He swiped 22 bases.
Round 28, Tyler Nurdin, LHP, Temple College:
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Nurdin just completed his freshman season for the Leopards. He went 5-4 with a 2.15 ERA in 12 appearances, striking out 50 and walking 10 in 67 innings.
Round 29, Jared Ruxer, RHP, Lawrence Central (Ind.) High School:
Ruxer has committed to Louisville. He is listed at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds.
Round 30, John Polonius, SS, Genesee Community College:
The West Virginia recruit hit .370 this season. He is a native of Curacao.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and his blog, CastroTurf, and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | 06/07/11 11:35 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- The Indians veered from recent Draft strategies and went for upside over experience with their No. 1 pick in this year's First-Year Player Draft, taking high school shortstop Francisco Lindor at No. 8 overall on Monday night.
And when the Draft continued Tuesday, the Tribe continued that trend with its second-round selection of right-hander Dillon Howard, who was plucked out of Searcy High School in Arkansas. The Indians will attempt to woo Howard, a Scott Boras client, away from his verbal commitment to the Arkansas Razorbacks.
"We'll go through the process," amateur scouting director Brad Grant said. "We'll see what happens. He has a scholarship. But we have a great opportunity for him in Cleveland."
The 18-year-old Howard is listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. He went 9-1 with a 0.31 ERA in 12 starts this season, striking out 115 and walking just 25 in 58 innings pitched. He was recently named the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year and last summer was named the MVP at the Connie Mack World Series while playing for the Midland Redskins.
In his junior year at Searcy, Howard went 7-4 with a 2.96 ERA in 54 1/3 innings.
"He has a very good delivery and arm action," Grant said. "He has good life to his fastball, 90 to 95 mph with good sink and good tailing life. He has a very good feel to pitch."
The Tribe has been aggressive in going over the recommended signing bonus at certain slots to infuse talent into the system after recent Drafts. That might be the case again with Howard.
The Indians weren't sure Howard would still be available at No. 67 overall. While the first round of the Draft can often be forecast because of the sheer amount of attention placed on the most prominent amateurs available, this thing gets tricky on Day 2.
"The hardest pick," Grant said, "is the second-round pick."
And though it doesn't get the attention of No. 1, it's nonetheless an important pick. So the Indians took a big leap of faith that the unpolished Howard will not only sign but continue to grow under their tutelage.
Live coverage of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft resumes at noon ET Wednesday on MLB.com, where fans will receive exclusive coverage of Day 3, featuring a live pick-by-pick stream, expert commentary and Draft Tracker, a live interactive application that includes a searchable database of every Draft-eligible player. You can also keep up to date at Draft Central and by following @MLBDraft on Twitter. And get into the Draft conversation by tagging your tweets with #mlbdraft.
This is how the rest of Tuesday's selections went for the Tribe, as the Draft continued through Round 30.
Round 3, Jake Sisco, RHP, Merced College:
The 19-year-old Sisco, listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, went 11-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts, this season. He led state junior college pitchers in wins, innings (108 1/3) and strikeouts (124) and helped Merced claim the Central Valley Conference title as a freshman. He was the CVC pitcher of the year and was also a NorCal All-American and pitcher of the year. The Giants took Sisco in the 37th round of last year's Draft after he went 9-3 with a 1.00 ERA and 114 strikeouts for Grace Davis High School in California, but he opted not to sign.
"We like the size and the power behind it," Grant said.
Round 4, Mark Lowery, C, James Madison University:
The Colonial Athletic Association player of the year and Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American hit .359 with 22 doubles, eight triples, 24 homers and 91 RBIs in 61 games. He was one of 13 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award given annually to the top collegiate catcher, and he was one of 30 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the top collegiate player overall. The 6-foot, 200-pound Lowery is a left-handed hitter.
"He has a very good approach at the plate," Grant said, "a line-drive-oriented swing. And he has plus arm strength behind the plate."
Round 5, Will Roberts, RHP, Virginia:
Roberts is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, but his repertoire is based more on command than power. He threw a perfect game earlier this year and graduated from school in just three years. Roberts, 20, went 11-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 16 games, including 15 starts, striking out 90 and walking just 12 in 95 innings. He went 18-1 in his three-year career at Virginia.
"We like his ability to throw strikes," Grant said. "He's at 92-93 [mph] but he's a very good strike-thrower."
Round 6, Bryson Myles, OF, Stephen F. Austin:
A standout linebacker on his high school football team, the 6-foot, 225-pound Myles has speed in his swing path and speed on the basepaths. Myles, 21, hit .411 with 11 doubles, eight homers, 36 RBIs and 53 stolen bases in 68 attempts this season.
Round 7, Eric Haase, C, Divine Child (Mich.) High School:
The second catcher taken by the Tribe in the first seven rounds, Haase, 18, has committed to attend Ohio State University, despite hailing from Michigan. He is an athletic talent with power, speed and defensive skills.
Round 8, Stephen Tarpley, LHP, Gilbert (Ariz.) High School:
Continuing their early trend of targeting prep talent with athletic upside, the Indians went with the lefty Tarpley. He has been clocked in the low 90s with the early makings of a plus breaking ball, but he missed a good portion of this season while recovering from a torn meniscus. Tarpley, 18, was his team's cleanup hitter, but his future is likely on the mound.
Round 9, Jordan Smith, 3B, St. Cloud State:
The 20-year-old Smith, who just wrapped up his sophomore season, has a plus arm that has allowed him to spend some time at third base while also racking up assists when he's in the outfield. He hit .382 with seven homers, 22 doubles and 57 RBIs in 54 games this season.
Round 10, Jeffrey Johnson, RHP, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo:
Working primarily as the Cal Poly closer, Johnson was 2-0 with five saves and a 1.63 ERA in 18 appearances this season. He struck out 40 and walked nine in 27 2/3 innings.
Round 11, Luis DeJesus, RHP, Angelina College:
If Angelina College sounds familiar, that's because it's where Josh Tomlin pitched before advancing on to Texas Tech. The 19-year-old DeJesus tossed a no-hitter in his first collegiate start against Galveston. He had a 1.99 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 45 1/3 innings in Region XIV East Zone conference play, earning a spot on the all-conference list.
Round 12, Steven Sides, RHP, Samford University:
Listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Sides is a power reliever who received a medical redshirt last season after having Tommy John surgery. He returned this year to post a 1.78 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 13 walks in 25 1/3 innings over 22 appearances.
Round 13, Zachary MacPhee, 2B, Arizona State:
MacPhee, who is 5-foot-8, 172 pounds, was the PAC-10 player of the year in his sophomore season but had a pedestrian junior year. He hit .276 with a .355 slugging percentage and .418 on-base percentage and 26 stolen bases in 33 attempts in 58 games.
Round 14, Cody Anderson, RHP, Feather River College:
A year after the Rays took him in the 17th round, the 20-year-old Anderson goes to the Indians in the 14th. He was the third reliever taken by the Tribe in this Draft. He had a 2.15 ERA, 42 strikeouts and 18 walks in 46 innings over 17 appearances this season.
Round 15, Todd Hankins, 2B, Seminole State College:
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Hankins hit .388 with nine homers, 12 doubles and five triples in 46 games this season. He swiped 34 bags in 41 tries.
Round 16, Ryan Merritt, LHP, McLennan Community College:
Merritt, 19, just wrapped up his freshman season with the Highlanders after being named second-team all-state as a senior in high school in Celina, Texas.
Round 17, Kevin Brady, RHP, Clemson:
Had he not suffered a forearm injury early this season (his sophomore year), Brady likely would have gone much higher in the Draft. He has a mid-90s fastball and a strong curve. He was limited to just 10 appearances this year, with only three starts before the injury. After the injury, he pitched out of the bullpen. All told, he went 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA, striking out 33 and walking one in 23 1/3 innings.
"He's going to throw in the Cape Cod League this summer," Grant said. "He still has some upside because of the injury. We'll see how he progresses."
Round 18, Shawn Armstrong, RHP, East Carolina University:
The 20-year-old Armstrong is listed at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. He was 3-1 with a 4.63 ERA in 19 appearances, including six starts, for East Carolina this season. He struck out 50 and walked 22 in 44 2/3 innings.
Round 19, Shawn Morimando, LHP, Ocean Lakes (Va.) High School:
In addition to being the second consecutive pick of the Tribe named Shawn, Morimando has committed to attend Armstrong's college, East Carolina.
Round 20, Dillon Peters, LHP, Cathedral (Ind.) High School:
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Peters was recently named the 2010-11 Gatorade Indiana Baseball Player of the Year. He has signed with the University of Texas and took a 1.71 ERA and 118 strikeouts into last weekend's regional semifinals, where he tossed a two-hit shutout.
Round 21, Cody Elliott, OF, Ball State University:
Elliott also pitched for the Cardinals, but he was drafted as a position player. He was second-team All-Mid-American Conference this season, batting .325 with three homers, 12 doubles, five triples and 38 RBIs. He stole 14 bases in 19 attempts.
Round 22, Matthew Reckling, RHP, Rice University:
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Reckling went 4-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 17 appearances, including 16 starts, this season. Control appears to be an issue, as Reckling struck out 96 but walked 48 in 78 1/3 innings.
Round 23, Cody Allen, RHP, High Point University:
Draftniks might recognize Allen's name from last year, when the Indians took him in the 16th round. After opting not to sign, his stock fell in his junior season, in which he went 4-6 with a 3.12 ERA in 13 starts. He struck out 89 and walked 29 in 83 2/3 innings.
Round 24, Taylor Sparks, 3B, St. John Bosco (Calif.) High School:
Another high-upside prep position player, Sparks is committed to UC Irvine. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Sparks has power from the right-hand side.
Round 25, Kevin Kramer, 3B, Turlock (Calif.) High School:
The 17-year-old Kramer is committed to UCLA and is likely to opt to go to school. He hit .350 with 30 RBIs and 33 walks this season.
Round 26, Austin Diemer, CF, Rocklin (Calif.) High School:
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Diemer hit .415 with a .522 on-base percentage and .596 slugging percentage in his senior season.
Round 27, Evan Frazar, SS, Galveston College:
Frazar hit .331 with two homers, five doubles and two triples over 121 at-bats in his sophomore season. He swiped 22 bases.
Round 28, Tyler Nurdin, LHP, Temple College:
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Nurdin just completed his freshman season for the Leopards. He went 5-4 with a 2.15 ERA in 12 appearances, striking out 50 and walking 10 in 67 innings.
Round 29, Jared Ruxer, RHP, Lawrence Central (Ind.) High School:
Ruxer has committed to Louisville. He is listed at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds.
Round 30, John Polonius, SS, Genesee Community College:
The West Virginia recruit hit .370 this season. He is a native of Curacao.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and his blog, CastroTurf, and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Re: Draft Folder
86A link to the blog of serial whiner Dennis Nosco and his take on the Indians draft:
http://www.ciperspective.blogspot.com/
http://www.ciperspective.blogspot.com/
Re: Draft Folder
87BA likes this guy but doesn't think we'll sign him:
• Stephen Tarpley showed good stuff as a lefthander, but was putting out a big price tag and it's unlikely the Indians, who picked him in the eighth round, can steer him away from his Southern California commitment.
• Stephen Tarpley showed good stuff as a lefthander, but was putting out a big price tag and it's unlikely the Indians, who picked him in the eighth round, can steer him away from his Southern California commitment.
Re: Draft Folder
88In their highlights of rounds 16-30 BA lists this hard to sign pick
The Indians snagged Indiana high school lefthander Dillon Peters in the 20th round. Peters' fastball runs from 90-94 mph and he also throws a hard curveball, but he's undersized at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, pitches with a lot of effort and will be a tough sign away from Texas.
The Indians snagged Indiana high school lefthander Dillon Peters in the 20th round. Peters' fastball runs from 90-94 mph and he also throws a hard curveball, but he's undersized at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, pitches with a lot of effort and will be a tough sign away from Texas.
Re: Draft Folder
89Here is the full list of draft choices and comments by BA on most of them. There are lots of high schoolers here who are described as tough and/or unlikely signings.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/draftdb/ ... ?team=1006
http://www.baseballamerica.com/draftdb/ ... ?team=1006
Re: Draft Folder
90Brad Grant’s thoughts on the Tribe’s 2011 draft class
by Stephanie Storm on June 8, 2011 - 6:13 pm
ShareThe Indians wrapped up the 2011 MLB amateur draft early Wednesday evening by including a local Cleveland product in their final 20 picks on Day Three.
With the 41st section (1,238th overall), the Tribe tabbed 6-foot-3, 180-pound outfielder Brian Ruiz from Lincoln West High School.
“He played in the Cleveland Indians RBI program in the past and then played in the Senate League Championship game here at Progressive Field this year,” said Brad Grant, the Indians fourth-year director of amateur scouting.
Grant said Ruiz’s athleticism stood out.
“He’s a very good athlete, has the ability to hit and play centerfield,” Grant said. “We’ll follow him over the summer, he’s going to play on some summer teams here in Cleveland. So we’ll get a chance to watch him play a little further here during the summer.”
Grant said there’s still talent to found among the final day’s drafting activities.
“These rounds still provide some kind of major league talent for us, so we take these (late) rounds seriously…We’ve found we have had some success in these later rounds and wanted to continue to build on that. A lot of our success in these later rounds have been pitching.”
He mentioned current Indians left-handed reliever Tony Sipp (45th round in 2004) as an Indians late-round acquisition that panned out well for the big league club.
Here’s Grant’s overall thoughts on the Indians 2011 draft class:
“We kind of knew it was going to be a deep pitching draft,” he said. “It seemed like there just weren’t as many position in this draft as there has been in the past. So we kind of leaned towards pitching and came out with a lot of it.
“What we were trying to do later in the draft was add high school pitchers and college pitchers with power arms and then just mix in some up-side position players at the same time.”
by Stephanie Storm on June 8, 2011 - 6:13 pm
ShareThe Indians wrapped up the 2011 MLB amateur draft early Wednesday evening by including a local Cleveland product in their final 20 picks on Day Three.
With the 41st section (1,238th overall), the Tribe tabbed 6-foot-3, 180-pound outfielder Brian Ruiz from Lincoln West High School.
“He played in the Cleveland Indians RBI program in the past and then played in the Senate League Championship game here at Progressive Field this year,” said Brad Grant, the Indians fourth-year director of amateur scouting.
Grant said Ruiz’s athleticism stood out.
“He’s a very good athlete, has the ability to hit and play centerfield,” Grant said. “We’ll follow him over the summer, he’s going to play on some summer teams here in Cleveland. So we’ll get a chance to watch him play a little further here during the summer.”
Grant said there’s still talent to found among the final day’s drafting activities.
“These rounds still provide some kind of major league talent for us, so we take these (late) rounds seriously…We’ve found we have had some success in these later rounds and wanted to continue to build on that. A lot of our success in these later rounds have been pitching.”
He mentioned current Indians left-handed reliever Tony Sipp (45th round in 2004) as an Indians late-round acquisition that panned out well for the big league club.
Here’s Grant’s overall thoughts on the Indians 2011 draft class:
“We kind of knew it was going to be a deep pitching draft,” he said. “It seemed like there just weren’t as many position in this draft as there has been in the past. So we kind of leaned towards pitching and came out with a lot of it.
“What we were trying to do later in the draft was add high school pitchers and college pitchers with power arms and then just mix in some up-side position players at the same time.”