Day 2 Selections

[mingjungtc]

Prince went to bed Wednesday and night and stuck his phone in the other room.

He had seven text messages and several voice mails when he woke up on Thursday at 9 a.m.

“I think everybody else found out before I did,” the 2005 North Kitsap graduate said.

Prince hit .343 with seven home runs and 38 RBI this year at Washington State. It was his best season since his freshman season in which he led the Pac-10 in hitting and was named a freshman All-American. His sophomore and junior campaigns were complicated by a shoulder injury. Prince didn’t make an error patrolling the outfield — he made only one in his four years — as the Cougars finished second in the Pac-10 and advanced to postseason play for the first time in 19 years.

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The Texas Rangers selected Grundy in the 46th round, much later than anticipated going into the draft. Grundy, a 6-foot left-hander who throws in the low 90 mph range, signed with Miami (Fla.) in November, so many teams did not use an early pick because they thought he would not sign.

“All the scouts knew it was going to be hard for me to back out of Miami,” Grundy said. “Scouts categorized me as an ‘extremely tough sign.’ ”

With an 80 percent scholarship to Miami, one of the nation’s elite programs, Grundy likely will not sign.

“I learned a lot about the process for next time if I don’t sign now,” Grundy said. “Now I know how everything works and how to handle it.”

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Batesole said he expects Mendonca and Ahmady, both juniors, to sign pro contracts even though they have bargaining leverage of returning to school for another year.

"Ever since I was little I've wanted to play pro ball," Mendonca said. "Now I've got to take that opportunity and run with it."
roommate as a freshman.

The 2008 College World Series MVP also noted Texas' recent success with developing hitters, a list that includes Mark Teixeira, Michael Young and Ian Kinsler.

"Hopefully, they'll help me fix all those strikeouts," Mendonca joked.

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Shon Landry batted a team-best .349 with five home runs and 33 RBI in a season shortened by a broken collarbone. Now healthy, Landry leaves Tuesday to join a Single-A short-season team in Spokane, Wash.

Landry broke the collarbone by running into a wall April 26 at Texas State. With the injury fully healed, Landry said he returned to hitting in a batting cage about a week ago.

"I'm 100 percent healed," said Landry, a first-team all-Southland Conference player this season.

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Derek Law already has signed to play with Miami Dade College. He doesn't know whether he'll change his mind and turn pro.

"What the Rangers said, they want to do a summer follow and see me a couple more times, so I'm not 100 percent positive on what I'll do," Law said.

A thigh injury top Law caused his stock to drop, Seton-La Salle coach Shawn Trainor said.

"And the weather this spring was going against him," Trainor said. "He was only pitching once every seven or eight days and never really got in a rhythm."

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Robbie Erlin had been quoted in his local newspaper saying he was turning down the Mustangs’ scholarship offer to turn pro after going in the third round to the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

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Kevin Castner had a 7.02 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 20 1 /3 innings pitched. He went in the 28th round to the Texas Rangers, the team who picked him in the 10th round last year but balked at him when a minor elbow issue arose over the summer.

Both Castner and Smith could return and up their draft stock for next season.

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Chris Matlock , who is the MIAA single-season (14) and career (25) saves record-holder, also owns the MIAA record for consecutive scoreless innings at 40.2.

He was also a selection to the first-team Daktronics and ABCA All-America squads as a relief pitcher. Only one reliever is selected to the first-team. Matlock also was the MIAA and South Central Region Pitcher of the Year, and earned first-team honors in the league and region.

He had the nation’s best strikeout-to-walk ratio of 79-to-4 (one of which was an intentional walk), and ranked third in the nation with 14 saves.

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Tate coach Todd Boyd, Jayce Boyd's uncle, said the money figure they were looking for was based largely upon how much a full scholarship to Florida State University is worth. Jayce has already signed with FSU and could end up playing with the Seminoles next year.

Now, Jayce will work with the Rangers and his advisor to determine the best place for him to play this summer. The Rangers will evaluate his play during that time and decide how much money to offer him sometime within the next couple of months.

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Gillespie said incoming recruits Paul Strong (17th round by to the Texas Rangers), would have to be offered money significantly more than players chosen in those rounds are offered, in order for them to sign.
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Johnny Gunter had just got off the phone with a representative from the San Diego Padres, who told the Chattahoochee Valley Community College pitcher the team would select him in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft Wednesday, when he walked into his family’s living room to tell his father the news.

“I was just telling my dad about the call when, all of a sudden, I hear, ‘The Texas Rangers select Johnny Gunter, Chattahoochee Valley, right-handed pitcher in the 11th round,’ ” Gunter said. “I wasn’t even watching the draft on TV. I just walked in the room when it happened.”

Now, Gunter said, he is looking forward to working his way up in an organization led by one of the best right-handers in history, Nolan Ryan.

“Nolan Ryan was a gritty, hard-working kind of pitcher,” Gunter said. “I feel like I’m that kind of player. I can’t wait to get in there and work on getting better.”

Gunter said his conversation with the Rangers was brief, and he expects to be offered a contract and given a reporting date after the draft ends.

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“Summer could be interesting,” said Lemke, whose initial conversation with the Rangers Wednesday led him to believe the club will send front-office personnel out to see him pitch at least a couple more times so they can evaluate him further.

Baldwin, on the other hand, said there will be no beating around the bush in regard to his deciding whether to sign with the Royals or come to Nebraska. “I see this lasting no longer than a week,” he said.

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Braden Tullis, 19, is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-handed pitcher who spent this past season as a freshman at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Wash. He was the school's No. 1 pitcher — after starting the season at No. 4 — and finished the season 9-2 with a 1.56 ERA.

He plans to sign with the Rangers' organization, and could start in Surprise Valley, Ariz. (rookie) or Spokane, Wash. (short season A, Northwest League).

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Reggie Williams Jr., an outfielder who was rated the nation's 119th best prospect by Baseball America, was selected with the 964th overall pick by the Texas Rangers.

Williams Jr. hit .604 with six triples and scored 32 runs this season for the Phoenix. Speed is Williams' biggest asset, evidenced by his 61 stolen bases.