June 8, 2007
Marlins have high hopes for third baseman
BY CLARK SPENCER
JUPITER --
Chatsworth High School in Southern California boasted an All-City shortstop in the early 1980s who went on to become a prominent member of the Marlins organization, but not as a player.
Larry Beinfest, who traded in his glove and spikes long ago, heads the Marlins' front office as their executive vice president and general manager. The club is hoping Matt Dominguez, a third baseman who is scheduled to graduate from Chatsworth on June 20, makes his mark for them on the diamond.
The Marlins made Dominguez, 17, their first-round pick in Thursday's draft.
Team officials believe Dominguez, a slick-fielding third baseman who has drawn comparisons to Ryan Zimmerman, the third baseman for the Washington Nationals, will become an offensive threat who can hit for average and power.
''He's always hit and we believe he'll hit, and hit with power,'' said Stan Meek, the Marlins' director of scouting, who said he has had his eye on Dominguez for several years. ``He's a polished third baseman, a little bit ahead of his game.''
Dominguez was chosen 12th overall. But he wasn't the only Chatsworth star taken in the first round. Shortstop Mike Moustakas went to the Kansas City Royals with the second overall pick, making Chatsworth only the fifth high school since the draft was instituted in 1965 to have two of its players taken in the first round.
''I talked to [Moustakas] about five or 10 minutes after I got picked,'' Dominguez said. ``I'm very happy for him. We've been playing together ever since we were 7 or 8 years old.''
LIKELY TO SIGN AS PRO
Dominguez has signed a letter of intent with Cal State-Fullerton but is expected to forgo his college eligibility to sign a professional contract with the Marlins. He'll likely start out in the low minors, posing no immediate threat to current Marlins third baseman, Miguel Cabrera.
It could take Dominguez several years to climb through the ranks.
''There's enough time between those guys,'' Meek said of Dominguez and Cabrera, who can become a free agent after the 2009 season and could be playing first base by that time, even if he remains with the Marlins. ``He is a guy you might be able to move [through the minors] a little quicker because of his polish. Defensively he is above average already. He'll kind of go as fast as his bat lets him.''
Dominguez hit .443 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI in just more than 100 at-bats for Chatsworth, a perennial baseball power. Moustakas, his teammate, established a California high school home run record this past season with 24.
'The guy playing next to him was in the process of setting the state record and I think [Dominguez] pressed early, trying to stay up with the other guy,'' Meek said. ``He kind of started swinging with his body instead of his hands. But he really quieted his body down [toward the end of the season].''ROOTS IN CUBA
Dominguez has Cuban roots. His father, Fernando, is a native of Moron, Cuba.
Matt Dominguez also traveled to Cuba last year to play in a Team USA juniors tournament.
''He played in the same stadium where we grew up watching baseball,'' said his uncle and agent, Gus Dominguez.
Gus Dominguez was convicted in April of smuggling Cuban players into this country and faces decades in prison. Sentencing is set for July 9.
But he said that if the outcome prevents him from serving as his nephew's agent, he would be represented by other members of his firm, Total Sports International.
Drafting Dominguez broke the Marlins' recent trend of focusing on pitchers. But they didn't stop with Dominguez in drafting position players on Thursday, using their second-round choice (77th overall) to take outfielder Mike Stanton of Notre Dame Academy in Sherman Oaks, Calif.