Former Brewers draftees

[colbyjack]

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/okla/sports/m-basebl/auto_wide/2460529.jpeg

 

The University of Oklahoma has a Q&A and 3-part video feature up on Mehdi Djebbar, who transferred from Seminole State College to player for the Sooners for his junior year of eligibility:

 

http://www.soonersports.c...l/spec-rel/110308aaa.html

 

Also, if you have not yet discovered the College Baseball Blog, check it out. It is like Jim's Link Report for college baseball and is an awesome resource:

 

http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/

[colbyjack]

Eric Decker has recently been ranked the 91st best college prospect by Baseball America. He currently is playing WR for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and is among the national leaders in receptions and receiving yards. As the Gophers prepare to take on the Badgers this Saturday in their annual duel for the Paul Bunyan Axe, Decker's status is uncertain, as he has a strained left ankle, originally suffered in Minnesota's game with Northwestern two weeks ago, and limited his playing time in Minnesota's loss against Michigan this past weekend.

 

Give up football and focus on baseball, Eric. Your body will thank you when you're 40+.

[Mass Haas]

In one of the possible ones that got away category, is Kanekoa Texeira (2004 - 31st Round), who was selected in the 22nd round by the White Sox in '06, and was just traded to the Yankees as part of the Nick Swisher deal. He was just named MiLB.com's top Class A ball reliever for 2008.

 

Kanekoa Texeira (22) of Kula, Hawaii, converted 20 of 23 save opportunities for the Winston-Salem Warthogs before being promoted to Double-A in July. Texeira went 3-1 with a 0.93 ERA and fanned 36 in 38 2/3 innings while with the Warthogs. The Chicago White Sox picked him out of Saddleback (Calif.) Junior College.

[colbyjack]

PG Crosschecker has released their top 250 Juco players. Here are the former Brewers draftees of interest:

 

#15, LHP Chad Bell, Walters State

#25, RHP Tommy Collier, San Jacinto

#35, RHP Connor Hoehn, St. Petersburg

#168, RHP Calvin Drummond, Orange Coast

#237, RHP Matt Sergey, Broward

[Mass Haas]

Canadian catcher Aaron Johnson (46th round, 2006) has done very well for himself in the Big 10 with the Illini.

[Mass Haas]

You read articles like this one on 2008 27th round pick Austin Adams (drafted as a shortstop but now throwing 98 MPH on the mound), and you really wish the draft-and-follow process was still in place.

[colbyjack]

BA's John Manuel offers more on Austin Adams:

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=755#more-755

 

Edit -- activate link

[Mass Haas]

Detailed update on Brent Weaver, 38th round pick in 2003 -- quite the story...

[TheCrew07]

Mass Hass... Nugget King.

 

That's a great story and some unreal numbers he's putting up, I wonder if the Brewers have kept tabs on him?

[battlekow]

2008 Brewers draftees eligible for the 2009 draft:

• 27th-round pick Austin Adams (Faulkner University) was drafted by the Brewers as a shortstop but will get taken this year as a RHP. He's the fourth-ranked prospect in Alabama and 172-ranked overall prospect in the country, the only nationally ranked 2008 Brewers draftee. BA says:

  After hitting 95 last year, Adams topped out at 98 mph this spring and pitched at 91-96 mph, even as a starter, and showed the quick arm and athleticism to maintain that velo deep into games. He also throws a curveball and changeup, though scouts prefer the curve, a power breaker in the lower 80s. It has plus potential if he can improve his command. Lacking experience as a pitcher, Adams has plenty of refinements to make. His stuff tends to flatten out the harder he throws, helping explain how a NAIA pitcher with his velocity and breaking ball can go 5-2, 5.83 with ratios of just 8.16 strikeouts per nine innings.

• 39th-round OF Eric Decker (University of Minnesota) is the third-ranked prospect in Minnesota. BA, in addition to calling him "one of the best pure athletes in the draft", says:

  Decker packs plenty of strength in his sculpted 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, and he can get from the left side of the plate to first base in 4.1 seconds. Yet where exactly he'll fall in the draft remains murky. He repeatedly has said he'll return for his senior season of football, and dividing his time between two sports has left him in need of polish on the diamond...He could sign a pro baseball deal this summer, then play one more season of college football before making a decision on his future. Decker withstood a lot of punishment last fall, sustaining a concussion, a sprained shoulder, a sprained ankle that caused him to miss a game, and a knee injury that required minor arthroscopic surgery. He looked banged up early in the spring but finished strong. If he pursues a career in baseball, Decker will have to incorporate his legs more into his swing and improve his instincts on the bases. He's a good center fielder with a playable arm.

• 29th-round RHP Tommy Collier (San Jacinto JC) is the 30th-ranked prospect in Texas. BA:

  The Brewers thought they could sign him for $75,000 after taking him in the 29th round last June, but he opted to attend San Jacinto JC instead. Collier was the leading winner on the Gators this spring, going 12-1, 2.81 with 115 strikeouts in 83 innings. He capped his season with a 13-strikeout win over Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) in the opening round of the Junior College World Series. Collier pitched at 86-91 mph with his two-seam fastball for most of the spring, keeping the ball down in the zone with good sink. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder showed move velocity and touched 94 in the fall. His hard slider is his out pitch and he also throws a curveball, but he relies on his breaking stuff too often.

• 34th-round RHP Calvin Drummond (Orange Coast CC) is the 84th-ranked prospect in California. BA:

  Drafted out of high school by the Yankees [sic] in 2008, Drummond has a tall, lanky and projectable frame. He will flash a low-90s fastball, but he gets little movement. Scouts were concerned with Drummond's poor early season outings and his apparent lack of intensity.

• 42nd-round SS Ryan Wood, Corey Kemp's teammate last year at East Carolina, is the 35th-ranked prospect in North Carolina. BA:

  Wood has plus arm strength and a fairly athletic body. He profiles as a utilityman as he lacks a true position, without the range or agility to stay at second base full-time as a pro. He has big-time arm strength but has pitched sparingly in college, touching 94 mph.

• 36th-round LHP Evan Bronson (Trinity University) is the 108th-ranked prospect in Texas, and Tommy Collier's teammate at San Jacinto, 50th-round LHP Sean Nolin, is unranked.
   
  
• 33rd-round RHP Michael White (Walters State CC) is unranked in Tennessee.
   
  
• 41st-round SS Joe Scott (Cal State Fullerton) is unranked in California.
   
  
• 44th-round RHP Kaleb Herren (University of Oklahoma) and 45th-round 2B James Kottaras (Connors State JC) play in Oklahoma, whose prospect list does not appear to have been published yet.
  

[battlekow]

Previous Brewers draftees selected today or yesterday:

• Austin Adams (27th round, 2008) went in the 5th round to Cleveland
• Ryan Wood (42nd round, 2008) went in the 11th round to Kansas City
• Alex Koronis (40th round, 2006) went in the 11th round to Tampa Bay
• Connor Hoehn (21st round, 2007) went in the 12th round to Oakland
• Chad Bell (25th round, 2007) went in the 14th round to Texas
• Scott Shuman (23rd round, 2006) went in the 19th round to Tampa Bay
• Brent Weaver (38th round, 2003) went in the 26th round to Florida
• Eric Decker (39th round, 2008) went in the 27th round to Minnesota
• Evan Bronson (36th round, 2008) went in the 29th round to Washington

Did I miss anyone?

[TheCrew07]

I was hoping the Brewers would revisit both Adams and Weaver. Weaver certainly could have been had late and it's not the like lower levels are flooded with quality 3B prospects at the moment. I realize his production didn't come against the best competition, but since they have to round out the rosters anyway, take a chance!

[battlekow]

Maybe Ryan Wood will follow in Adams' steps as a middle infielder-turned-pitcher:

East Carolina's Ryan Wood (who just might grace the college All-America team as a second baseman when it is released tomorrow) was drafted in the 11th round by the Royals-as a righthanded pitcher. Wood pitched just four innings this year, but he has flashed power stuff at times, particularly in fall ball, running his fastball up to 94 mph. He could take off once he focuses on pitching for real.

[DHonks]

Wasn't there a stud lefty we liked that went to ASU or some other nice school...something like Bowman? I think it would have been 2 or 3 years ago

[biedergb]

Wasn't there a stud lefty we liked that went to ASU or some other nice school...something like Bowman? I think it would have been 2 or 3 years ago

Drew Bowman, I think. in 2004?

[Mass Haas]

2007 24th round OF Jonathan White (Vanderbilt) drafted by Giants in 40th round, signs (story)

[BrewCrewWS2008]

Wasn't there a stud lefty we liked that went to ASU or some other nice school...something like Bowman? I think it would have been 2 or 3 years ago

Drew Bowman, I think. in 2004?

yeah 21st round in 2004 then he was drafted in the 5th by the Reds I believe in 2007. Played 2 seasons at ASU then transferred to Nebraska

[battlekow]

Andy Seiler has Rice SS Rick Hague, whom the Brewers drafted in the 37th round in 2007, as a 2010 first-rounder.

[colbyjack]

Aaron Fitt of BA has tons of good college tidbits here including this:

 

MINNESOTA: Minnesota two-sport star Eric Decker is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow to fix torn ligaments in his left foot. Decker, an outfielder for the Gophers' baseball team, was drafted in the 27th round by the Twins in June after telling teams he was determined to return for his fifth year at Minnesota to play football. A wide receiver, Decker is Minnesota's all-time leader in receiving yards with 3,119, but his college football career is now over, and his college baseball career looks to be as well. Decker suffered a Lisfranc sprain, a tear of the ligament that holds his first two toes in place, while running a route last week at Ohio State. He won't be able to run for another five months, and he told the Canadian Press that he's been told he'll need eight months of rehabilitation before he's at full speed again. He also said he has not ruled out taking up baseball again, but his focus is still on football.

 

IIRC, Decker ended the 2008 season with an injury as well, and since his speed has never been his strength, this isn't good news for a guy that clearly was hoping to turn his success for the Gophers into an NFL career.

[colbyjack]

I noted in the MLB forum that AL ROY Andrew Bailey was the team's 16th round pick from the 2005 draft. He had TJ surgery that spring, and the Brewers made a strong push to sign him late that summer before he went back to Wagner College.

 

I also noted on the MLB forum that the Brewers drafted George Kottaras' younger brother James in the 45th round of the 2008 draft.

[battlekow]

Looks like Jacobbi McDaniel is indeed going to play baseball as well as football at FSU.

[Mass Haas]

Now a commitment to Auburn University:

 

Andrew Morris, 6-3, 180, RHP, R/R, Gulf Coast CC/Prattville, AL

· Plays for Mike Kandler at Gulf Coast CC

· Drafted in the 44^th round of the 2009 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers

· Went 10-2 with a 2.78 ERA in 2009, striking out 107 in 94 IP

· 2009 Panhandle Pitcher of the Year

· Played for Tommy Goodson at Prattville HS

· Went 10-5 and had a 1.44 ERA in 87 2/3 IP in 2008 at Prattville

· Montgomery Metro Player of the Year and All-State selection

Auburn Coach Pawlowski on Morris…

"Andrew is one of the premier junior college pitchers in the country. Anytime you can get a successful pitcher or player out of the Florida Panhandle Conference, you feel great about it. Andrew was the best in that league last year so we feel extremely fortunate to have him as a part of this signing class. He has an unmatched work ethic combined with exceptional talent and a high baseball IQ."

[battlekow]

Keith Law sees Rick Hague as a 3rd- to 5th-rounder.

[colbyjack]

2008 draftee Marcus Knecht is currently tearing it up at Connors State (OK) juco to the tune of .471/.543/1.029. He has 11 doubles and 15 home runs in 104 at-bats with 41 runs and 49 RBI in 31 games played. Those are Pete Incaviglia-type numbers. His success has caused him to rise to the 62nd best draft-eligible prospect in Perfect Game's most recent revision of their top 500 prospect list.

[DKM4Boston]

As a big Arizona State baseball fan, I must point out that last year's 39th round pick, Brady Rodgers has been stellar for the Sun Devils this year. In 16 games he has allowed just 37 hits and 9 walks and struck out 53 with a 1.44 ERA (in 56.1 innings). He threw 8 shutout innings on Friday allowing just 2 hits against #20 Arizona.