June 11 , 2007

LCSC has best draft in school history

By Tom Fox

Lewis-Clark State grabbed national attention when Beau Mills was drafted 13th overall Thursday in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
The NAIA national champions continued to gain acclaim Friday.

Seven more LCSC players were taken in the second and final day of the draft.

All eight of LCSC's draft picks were taken in the first 22 rounds of the 50-round draft. Overall, it was the program's best-ever draft, topping the 1985 class that had seven players taken.

"It was one of the better teams that we've had," said Warriors coach Ed Cheff, who has won 15 national titles in 31 years at LCSC.

Mills, the first LCSC player ever taken in the first round, was selected 13th overall by the Cleveland Indians.

The Indians used their eighth-round pick to take another LCSC player, shortstop Mark Thompson.

Other LCSC players picked were:

• Pitcher Chris Kissock, ninth round, Philadelphia Phillies

• Catcher Jessie Mier, 12th round, Los Angeles Dodgers

• Pitcher Will Morgan, 12th round, New York Mets

• Pitcher Matt Fitts, 15th round, Houston Astros

• Pitcher Brian Parker, 19th round, Baltimore Orioles

• Outfielder Donnie Ecker, 22nd round, Texas Rangers

Also, Lewiston High graduate Jacob Rogers, a shortstop at South Dakota State, was the Washington Nationals' 22nd round pick, and Northwest Nazarene center fielder Nicholas Ray was taken by the Baltimore Orioles in the 48th round.

No other Idaho players were drafted.

Former Centennial and College of Southern Idaho right-hander Jordan Latham and former Albertson pitcher Jason Roach signed draft-and-follow contracts before the draft with the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals, respectively.

Cubs have another college-heavy draft

After a college-heavy draft last year, the Cubs used 40 of their 49 draft picks to select college players in 2007.

Many of their picks, however, could be delayed to make their way to Boise if they are signed.

Players such as Oregon State shortstop Darwin Barne (fourth round), Oklahoma State outfielder Ty Wright (7th round) and Cal State Fullerton outfielder Clark Hardman (9th round) are still playing with their teams in the NCAA Division I Super Regionals.

"We drafted a lot of postion players that still have a lot to play for with their (college) teams," said Oneri Fleita, the Cubs' director of player development. "So that will come in to play."

On Thursday, the Boise Hawks' parent club used the third overall selection to take California high school third baseman Josh Vitters.

"Obviously, I don't think we're going to get Vitters," Boise Hawks general manager Todd Rahr said. "We may see him at the end of the season. My assumption is that he's going to start the season in Mesa (Ariz.)."

"It's always easier to move them up than to move them back," Fleita said.

Often, high school players start their professional careers in rookie ball, where they can get acclimated to hitting with wood bats. College players often have played in wood-bat summer leagues and are more prepared to start the season in traveling Class A short-season leagues, like the Northwest League.

"With the rookie level below us, that's really meant for the high school kids and the foreign players," Rahr said. "Some of the teams in the (Northwest League) do get high school players, but the league isn't really made for that. It's really a second-year league."

Players who are signed and in camp will be designated for assignment. Then, Rahr will find out who will be in Boise.

"I would say on (June) 14th or 15th we will find out who's going to be here," he said.