Monday, May 16, 2011

Where Are They Now: 2006 Unsigned Draft Picks

All this week we'll take a look at where the draft picks that the Rays haven't signed have ended up. I'll post a year each day, starting with 2006:

3/79 - Nick Fuller, RHP, HS: He opted to attend the University of South Carolina, but was kicked out of the school his freshman year after being arrested with another player on burglary charges. The other player, Lonnie Chisenhall, rebounded to become a first round pick and a top prospect with the Indians, but Fuller hasn't found similar success. He bounced around smaller schools, and the last place I could find him at was Southern Polytechnic State University in Georgia. His player page says that 2010 is/was his first season there, but he's not listed on the 2011 roster.

12/349 - Antwonie Hubbard, RHP, HS: Hubbard went on to the University of Oklahoma and was drafted in the 26th round of the 2009 draft by the Cleveland Indians. He pitched to a 2.76 ERA in 71.2 innings over the past two seasons in their organization, but is listed as on the disabled list and has not appeared in a game in 2011.

13/379 - Mike Minor, LHP, HS: Quite possible the biggest name drafted and unsigned by the Rays. Minor had a strong commitment to Vanderbilt, and indeed, the Rays couldn't sign him away. After three strong seasons with the Commodores, Minor was drafted 7th overall in 2009 by the Atlanta Braves. He pitched about 40 innings for the big-league club in 2010, and is currently at Gwinnett where he's one of the IL's top pitchers.

17/499 - Ryan Thornton, OF, JC: Played two seasons at American River Community College before transferring to UNLV (the Rays drafted him after the first season there). He hit .327/.395/.553 his senior year with the Runnin' Rebels, but was not drafted and didn't enter pro ball as a free agent.

18/529 - Jay Brown, RHP, JC: The Rays drafted him out of Young Harris JC, but chose not to sign and transferred to the University of South Carolina. He played three years for the Gamecocks but was around for the 2010 championship because he missed a season with Tommy John surgery. He pitched as a reliever/spot starter in 2009 and 2010. He wasn't drafted again and isn't in pro ball.

23/679 - Matthew McCarney, OF, HS: A Canadian, McCarney didn't go on college but rather joined an independent league in his home country. The Mets signed him as a free agent the following summer (2007), but he didn't play until 2008. He got into just 10 games with the Mets' Gulf Coast League affiliate, going 3-28. He was released following the season.

25/739 - Blaine Howell, RHP, HS: Howell went to Brigham Young University and was selected as an eligible sophomore by the Cincinnati Reds in 2008. He's still in their organization, but has pitched just 63 innings in three seasons, with one year lost presumably due to injury. He's currently in the bullpen for their Midwest League affiliate, the Dayton Dragons.

26/769 - Johnathon Parker, RHP, HS: Another Canadian, I can't find any information on him post-draft.

27/799 - Luis Lopez, OF, HS: He was drafted out of Puerto Rico. Can't find any info.

28/829 - Andrew Hagins, OF, HS: He went to a junior college for two before transferring to Western Illinois University. He hit just .202 his senior year and was not drafted or signed after 2010.

29/859 - Leon Johnson, OF, N/A: The brother of current Tampa Bay Ray Elliot Johnson, Leon was first drafted by the Rays back in 2003. Johnson, who went on a two-year Mormon mission and attended Brigham Young University, was drafted again by the Rays in 2005 and 2006. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2007, finally signed, and played two seasons in their system.

32/949 - Emmanuel Morales, OF, HS: Another Puerto Rican draft pick, I can't find any info on Morales.

33/979 - Brooks Lindsley, 2B, JC: Lindsley transferred from one junior college to another after 2006 when he was a draft-and-follow (he may have transferred after 2007), and was taken in the 10th round by the San Francisco Giants in 2008. He played two seasons in the Giants organization but didn't make full-season ball and was released after the 2009 season.

34/1009 - Stephen McCray, RHP, HS: Played two seasons at Young Harris JC (and was drafted in 2007 in the 50th round by St. Louis in 2007) before transferring to the University of Tennessee. He led the Vols' staff in innings pitched in 2010 and was taken in the 16th round by the White Sox. He posted a 2.45 ERA in 54.1 innings in the Pioneer League last year, and as far as I can tell is in extended spring training with the White Sox.

36/1069 - Wally Marciel, LHP, HS: Missed a season at Kansas University due to medical hardship, so he's a redshirt senior with the Jayhawks this season. Has a 4.17 ERA in 54 innings as a reliever/spot starter.

37/1099 - Kalvin Johnson, 1B, JC: Briefly played at the University of Northern Iowa. Mentioned in a press release as having signed with St. Cloud State University in 2009 but I can't find any stats of his.

38/1129 - Chris Dennis, 1B, HS: Went to a junior college and was drafted in 2007 by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 13th round. He currently plays with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Brewers' Midwest League affiliate. His 18 home runs there last season, but scuffled in the Florida State League to start this season before a demotion.

39/1159 - Matt Miraldi, OF, HS: Attended Cal State-Los Angeles and hit .310 as a junior. Played with the Gateway Grizzlies of the independent Frontier League in 2010, where he hit .224.

40/1189 - Brando Casalicchio, RHP, HS: Went to Wallace State Junior College before transferring to Fordham University. Posted a 5.17 ERA last year in his senior season and was not drafted/signed.

41/1219 - Mike Dufek, OF, HS: Played four seasons at the University of Michigan, but was not drafted or signed despite hitting for an OPS over .900 his junior and senior seasons. Played with the Normal CornBelters of the independent Frontier League in 2010, where he put up a .682 OPS.

42/1249 - Brandon Vernon, C, HS: Signed with Volunteer State Community College, but played in just two games there in 2007 before the trail goes cold.

43/1278 - Victor Ramos, OF, HS: Can't find any info on him.

44/1307 - Neil Hardon, OF, HS: Signed with Palm Beach Atlantic University. His .294 in 2009 and .239 in 2010.

45/1336 - Christopher Wilson, RHP, JC: Stayed at Trinidad State Junior College and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 38th round in 2008. Has a career 3.28 ERA and has struck out over a batter per inning as a pro. Currently with the San Jose Giants of the California League.

46/1365 - Candy Maldonado, OF, JC: Tough to find any info since his father had the same name.

47/1393 - Brandon Brown, 3B, HS: Attended the University of South Alabama and was drafted by the New York Mets in the 22nd round in 2010. Played with the Kingsport Mets (.550 OPS) and is either in extended spring training or was released.

48/1421 - Alex McRee, LHP, HS: Went to the University of Georgia, where he played four seasons. Struck out 38 in 22.1 innings his senior season, but also walked 38. The Dodgers drafted him in the 14th round and pitched just one inning in the AZL before voluntarily retiring.

49/1449 - Ryan Fraser, RHP, HS: Attended the University of Memphis. The Mets drafted him in the 16th round in 2010 and he's currently with their low-A South Atlantic League affiliate. He has a 2.13 career ERA but his strikeouts are way down this season.

50/1477 - Travis Tartamella, C, HS: Went to Pepperdine before transferring to Cal State-Los Angeles. The Cardinals drafted him in the 19th round in 2009, and he's currently with Palm Beach in the Florida State League and has a career .229 average.

6 comments:

  1. what ever happened to Lopez the HS infielder 5th-8th rounder. i wanna say he was drafted in 06?

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  2. Do you mean Andrew Lopez, the 8th round pick in 2005? He was traded to the Cubs for Jae Kuk Ryu in 2007.

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  3. Andrew Hagins .202 senior year was due to an elbow, knee, and back injury which kept him out many games. He finished his 2010 season in a series against South Dakota State hitting 3 homeruns on the day. One of those homers came against a South Dakota pitcher that had no runs scored against him for the season.

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  4. It's too bad that all facts aren't considered when posting information. He had a stellar 2 year career in Junior College where he was runner up for MVP of the league. He had a record setting junior year at WIU where he came 1 homerun away from the school record. His glove in the outfield was superior. He had a few injuries as a senior that kept him out of several games. Andrew Hagins was a missed opportunity for the Rays.

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  5. I generally only looked at the most recent year I could find for players, but I did not know about the injuries his senior year.

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  6. His injuries too him out of much of his senior season. Tried to play through injuries when he could. That's the kind of dedicated player he is. Western Il. Coach Stan Hyman's last email before he died was that his only priority was to get Hagins drafted. Too bad he died (cancer) before he could see this through. Hagins still has what it takes, just needs an opportunity.

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