June 8, 2007

MLB Draft: Chatsworth goes for two
Moustakas, Dominguez first local teammates drafted in first round

BY HEATHER GRIPP

Chatsworth High shortstop Mike Moustakas hadn't been celebrating his status as the first high school player selected in this year's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft for long when the day got even better for Chatsworth baseball.

After the Kansas City Royals made Moustakas the No. 2 pick overall in the draft that began Thursday, Chancellors third baseman Matt Dominguez joined him as a first-round selection, being taken at No. 12 by the Florida Marlins.

Both players went slightly higher than projected and become the first local teammates drafted in the first round.

They top a list of 11 locals selected in the five rounds of the draft completed Thursday.

"This is unreal," Moustakas said. "When I heard my name, I was in absolute shock. Nobody ever expected this. We got so excited, everybody just jumped up."

Moustakas was considered among the top handful of prospects available, but Cypress High third baseman Josh Vitters was widely viewed as the top high school candidate.

"We were watching on TV, and when the commissioner said `Mike' I said `no way.' When he said `Moustakas,' we almost didn't believe it," Moustakas said. "We just went crazy. It was unreal. It still hasn't sunk in."

Moustakas is the highest local draft pick since current Tampa Bay Devil Rays rookie Delmon Young of Camarillo went No. 1 overall in 2003.

Vanderbilt left-hander David Price was the top pick this time. Price and fellow Vanderbilt pitcher Casey Weathers, who was taken eighth by the Colorado Rockies, join Moustakas and Dominguez as the only teammates to go in this year's first round, not including sandwich picks.

"Mike going No. 2 is amazing," Dominguez said. "I talked to him and I'm really excited for him. This couldn't be a better day. I'm just so happy right now."

Both players were four-year varsity starters for Chatsworth, wherelast week they led the Chancellors to a City Section title, and also starred for the USA Junior National Team.

Moustakas' stock soared this spring as he shattered state home run records. His 24 this season and 52 career home runs are both California prep records. His .577 batting average and 1.505 slugging percentage are school records. The 6-foot, 185-pound slugger also had 59 RBIs, 28 walks and only two strikeouts in 34 games this season as he repeated as City Section Player of the Year.

Moustakas has committed to USC, and his being represented by Scott Boras was perceived by some as a signabilty concern that could have dropped Moustakas' position in the draft. But Moustakas said he is eager to play and doesn't anticipate any problems in negotiations.

Dominguez is a Cal State Fullerton signee who entered the season rivaling Moustakas for top billing.

Dominguez set a school record with 65 RBIs as a freshman. He hit .447 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs this season to finish his Chatsworth career with 178 hits and 187 RBIs, both team records. Baseball America rates his defensive skills as the best among this year's high school seniors.

Dominguez was in Pittsburgh earlier in the week to work out for the Pirates, who had the No.4 pick, but most recent projections had him going in the middle of the first round.

"It was kind of biting nails for a while there," said Dominguez, who watched the draft with his family at an uncle's house. "When I heard my name called it was a big relief. We all went crazy. I couldn't be happier.

Dominguez and Moustakas are among three Chatsworth products drafted Thursday.

Their former teammate Bryan Petersen, an outfielder who went to UC Irvine, was selected in the fourth round by the Marlins.

Pepperdine teammates Barry Enright and Danny Worth, a shortstop from Valencia High, were taken in the second round by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers respectively.

Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks three-sport star Mike Stanton also went in the second round, to the Marlins. Simi Valley pitcher Nick Barnese was a third-round pick of the Devil Rays, and Newbury Park's Andrew Lambo was the Dodgers' fourth-round pick.

The draft resumes today and could last for as many as 50rounds.