RockyMountainNews.com
August 9, 2007
RINGOLSBY: Team-by-team report
Tracy Ringolsby
A look at how teams have done so far in signing their selections from this year's amateur draft.
National League
ARIZONA remains optimistic it can sign RHP Jarrod Parker of Ossian, Ind., the ninth player taken in the draft. Arizona did protect itself by signing it's two selections from the supplemental round between the first and second rounds – RHP West Roemer, Fullerton State, the 50th selection overall, and C Ed Easley, Mississippi State, the 61st selection overall. They also signed fifth-round pick Tyrell Worthington of Winterville, N.C., giving him a $220,000 bonus. That was $76,900 above the slot suggestion, the biggest overpay so far in the draft.
ATLANTA has a history of getting deals done, but this year the Braves are still without three of their top eight selections, including first-rounder Jason Hayward of McDonough, Ga., the 14th player taken overall. They also haven't signed second-round pick Josh Fields, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Georgia, and eight-round pick Colby Shreve, a right-handed pitcher from Community College of Southern Nevada.
CHICAGO has signed all but one of its picks in the first 10 rounds. The Cubs remain in negotiations with 3B Josh Vitters out of Cypress, Calif., the third player taken in the draft. He's among eight of the top 12 selections without a deal.
CINCINNATI has failed to sign three of its picks from the first 10 rounds: 3B/OF Blake Stouffer of Texas A&M, fourth-round, RHP Evan Hildenbrandt of Abbotsford, B.C., sixth-round, and RHP Drew O'Neill of Penn State, eighth round.
COLORADO is the only team to have signed its first 13 selections. OF Kentrail Davis of Theodore, Ark., the 14th-round pick, appears headed to the University of Tennessee. He is represented by Scott Boras, and indications at draft time were it would take a top 50 signing bonus to get him.
FLORIDA is having financial problems, which is evident by its inability to sign four it first picks from the first six rounds, including each of the first three rounds. The Marlins are still waiting on 3B Matt Dominguez of Chatsworth, Calif., first round, 1B/OF Mike Stanton of Sherman Oaks., Calif., second round, C Jameson Smith of Fresno (Calif.) City College, third round, and OF Taiwan Easterling of Hattiesburg, Miss., sixth round. Stanton has an offer from USC to play baseball and football, where he projects as a wide receiver or defensive back.
HOUSTON lost its first two picks as compensation for free agents Carlos Lee and Woody Williams, and hasn't signed No. 3, 3B Derek Dietrich of Cleveland, No. 4, RHP Brad Eibner of The Woodlands, Texas, and No. 8, RHP Chad Bettis of Lubbock, Texas
LOS ANGELES has signed all of its picks from the first 10 round except RHP Kyle Blair of Los Gatos, Calif., who was a fifth-round selection who is committed to the University of San Diego.
MILWAUKEE has signed all of its first 10 picks. RHP Cody Scarpetta, an 11th-round pick from Rockford Ill., is the only selection out of the first 20 rounds who hasn't agreed with the Brewers.
NEW YORK had its first pick at 42nd overall, in the supplemental round, and took RHP Eddie Kunz of Oregon State, who is still unsigned. The Mets also continue to negotiate with ninth-round draft choice Michael Olmstead of Cypress (Calif.) Junior College.
PHILADELPHIA is missing only one pick from the first 10 rounds – RHP Brandon Workman, a third-round draft from Bowie, Texas
PITTSBURGH has signed all its top 10 picks, and is missing only two of its top 20 – No. 11, OF Runey Davis of Georgetown, Texas, and No. 15, RHP Rey Cotilla of Miami Springs, Fla.
ST. LOUIS has four picks in the first two rounds and signed both of them, but the Cardinals haven't come to terms with OF Kyle Russell, fourth-round pick from the University of Texas, and RHP Mike Stotes, ninth-round pick from Oregon State.
SAN DIEGO had five of the first 64 selections in the draft, and signed all of them. RHP Tommy Toledo of Tampa, Fla., who was a third-round pick with a commitment to the University of Florida, is the highest draft choice the Padres didn't sign. Also unsigned are RHP Wynn Pelzar of South Carolina, ninth round, and SS/2B Christian Colon of Canyon Country, Calif., 10th round.
SAN FRANCSICO signed RHP Tim Alderson of Scottsdale, the 22nd overall selection, but hasn't had much success with its two other first-round picks – LHP Madison Bumgarner of Hudson, N.C., who went 10th overall, and OF Wendell Fairley of Lucedale, Mo., who went 29th overall.
WASHINGTON hasn't signed LHP Josh Smoker of Calhoun, Ga., the 31st selection overall, and sixth-round pick Jack McGeary a left-handed pitcher/first baseman from West Roxbury, Ma.
American League
BALTIMORE did not have a second- or third-round pick, and has not reached agreement with No. 1 pick Matt Wieters, a catcher from Georgia Tech who is represented by Scott Boras. The Orioles also have not signed 10th-round pick Eryk McConnell, a right-handed pitcher from North Carolina State.
BOSTON has not been able to sign five players taken in the first seven rounds, but word is they are close to deals with SS/2B Ryan Dent of Long Beach Wilson, a supplemental pick and the 62nd player taken overall; first-round draft Will Middlebooks, third baseman, Texarkana, Texas; sixth-round pick Anthony Rizzo, first baseman/left-handed pitcher, Parkland, Fla.; and seventh-round pick David Mailman, first baseman, Charlotte, NC. Also unsigned is second-round pick Hunter Morris, a first baseman from Huntsville, Ala.
CHICAGO signed all of its first 10 round picks except SS Brian Guinn of Berkley, Calif., who was the 10th-round selection. He is reportedly looking for a bonus more equivalent to the first five rounds of the draft.
CLEVLEAND did not have a second or third round selection. It has not signed LHP T.J. McFarland, fourth round, University of Missouri, and LHP Cole St. Clair, seventh round, Rice University.
DETROIT is facing the deadline with its first pick – RHP Rick Porcello of West Orange, N.J., a Scott Boras client. But that's nothing new. The Tigers went to the last minute a year ago with LHP Andrew Miller and signed him. The Tigers also haven't signed LHP Casey Crosby, fifth round, Maple Park, Ill., and SS Cale Iorg, sixth round, University of Alabama. Iorg, son of former big-leaguer Garth, most likely won't sign. He just returned from a two-year Mormon mission to Portugal, has three years of college eligibility remaining and has transferred to Arizona State.
KANSAS CITY was believed to have a deal in place when it selected 3B Mike Moustakas of Chatsworth, Calif., second overall, but with Scott Boras as the agent, that wasn't realistic. The Royals also have not signed RHP Zach Kenyon, right-handed pitcher, Davenport, Iowa.
LOS ANGELES did not have a second-round choice and has not signed third-rounder Matt Harvey, a right-handed pitcher from Groton, Conn., who is represented by Scott Boras and has a commitment to pitch at North Carolina.
MINNESOTA has not signed fourth-round pick Reggie Williams, third base, Bellflower, Calif., and fifth-round pick Nate Striz, right-handed pitcher, Lakeland, Fla.
NEW YORK has a major-league-leading six players out of the first 10 rounds unsigned, including No. 1 pick Andrew Brackman, a right-handed closer from North Carolina State, who has Scott Boras as an agent and there is speculation he needs reconstructive elbow surgery after being shutdown in mid-May. They are believed close to deals with C Chase Weems, sixth-round, Columbus, Ga., and OF Taylor Grote, eight-round, The Woodlands, Texas Also unsigned are C Austin Romine, second round, Lake Forest, La., 3B Brad Suttle, fourth-round, University of Texas, and SS Carman Angelini, 10th-round, Lake Charles, La.
OAKLAND had 13 selections in the first 10 rounds, and has signed all of them except two left-handers out of the University of Arizona – Daniel Schlereth, the eight-round pick and son of former NFL lineman Mark Schlereth, and Erick Bergen, ninth-round pick.
SEATTLE thought RHP Phillippe Aumont of Gatineau, Quebec was going to be a quick signs but things haven't worked out with the first-rounder so far. The Mariners also have not signed eight-round pick Donnie Hume, a left-handed pitcher from San Diego State.
TAMPA BAY remains confident it will sign LHP David Price of Vanderbilt, the No. 1 pick overall, but the deal is expected to exceed the $5.25 million guarantee Luke Hochevar received from Kansas City a year ago. The Devil Rays also have not signed LHP David Newman, left-handed pitcher, Texas A&M.
TEXAS had a load of early picks thanks to compensation but so far they haven't signed three of their top four selections. While they did sign RHP Michael Main of Deland, Fla., the 24th player taken overall, they have not signed right-handed pitcher Blake Beaven of Irving, Texas, the 17th player taken; OF Julio Borbon of Tennessee, the 35th selection, and RHP Neil Ramirez of Kempsville, Va., the 44th selection. The Rangers also are still talking to fourth-round pick Garrett Nash of Draper, Utah, and fifth-round pick John Gast, a left-handed pitcher from Altamonte, Springs, Fla., who underwent reconstructive left elbow surgery during the spring.
TORONTO took advantage of having 15 selections in the first 10 rounds, and five before the second round. The only one of the 15th still unsigned is RHP Randy Boone, seventh round, University of Texas.