MLB Draft Review
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Published: August 21, 2006
Draft Winners
San Francisco Giants
The Giants have never been a big fan of the MLB draft process but after their 2006 draft, things might change. Washington RHP and 2006 Golden Spikes Award winner Tim Lincecum fell into their laps at the 10th overall pick of the MLB draft and with the 33rd pick, they picked up Emmanuel Burriss, a SS out of Kent St. who stole 92 bases in his three years of college. The Giants also tabbed two talented lefties in the third and fourth rounds, Clayton Tanner out of De La Salle H.S in Concord, Calif. and Ben Snyder from Ball St. The Giants selected solid hitting infielder Ryan Rohlinger from Oklahoma in the 6th round. The Giants focused a lot on their selections and their depleted farm system will get a major boost from this fantastic class of 2006 for years to come.
Boston Red Sox
With 4 picks in the first 44 slots, the Red Sox had a superb chance of adding some gems to their organization in the 2006 MLB draft. In the first round, the Red Sox took OF Jason Place from Wren H.S., Piedmont, S.C., who hit .463 with 36 HR and 90 SB in his high school career. The Red Sox also selected Daniel Bard, a RHP out of North Carolina. Bard was a starter on the Tar Heels team that lost to Oregon St. in the College World Series championship. Bard won 10 games for UNC in 2006 and throws in the high 90's consistently. The Red Sox then took Kris Johnson, a LHP from Wichita St. Johnson was the Shockers ace and slipped into the sandwich round of the MLB draft only because of elbow injuries suffered in 2005, but he looks healthy and the Red Sox look like geniuses. The Red Sox best steal might be 14th round pick Matt LaPorta. A tremendous power hitter from the University of Florida, LaPorta slipped so far because he will be tough to sign but on sheer power, LaPorta might have the most in the entire crop of players available for the MLB draft.
Detroit Tigers
When you have the best record in baseball, it doens't get much better, unless arguably the best pitcher in the MLB draft is still available when you are making your selection. This was the case when the Tigers took Andrew Miller, another stud from North Carolina. Miller went 12-2 with a 2.26 ERA in 15 starts, striking out 108 batters over 103 2/3 innings and holding opponents to a .217 batting average. Not bad when you take into consideration that he could be joining Jeremy Bonderman and Justin Verlander in the Tigers rotation. The Tigers also took 3B Ronald Bourquin from Ohio St. in round 2 and College World Series MVP Jonah Nickerson from Oregon St. in the 7th round. Great MLB draft for the Tigers.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles wanted Billy Rowell and when they got him with the ninth pick of the MLB draft, they were ecstatic. Rowell was the best pure power hitter among high school players in the MLB draft and he plays a solid third base as well. The best pick the O's made though was in the sandwich round, picking up Pedro Beato, a junior college pitcher who throws in the high 90's. Another solid pick was Blake Davis in the 4th round out of Cal-State Fullerton, who led the Titans with a .363 average and scored 56 runs.
New York Yankees
Every year, the Yankees are looking to trade for a star player in exchange for top prospects but lately the Yankees have had nothing to give. The 2006 MLB Draft changes that. With their first two picks, the Yankees took USC pitcher Ian Kennedy and then took Nebraska pitcher Joba Chamberlain. Kennedy, the ace of the Trojans staff had 24 wins in 3 seasons and had 380 career strikeouts. Chamberlain, the Huskers ace had 16 wins in 2 seasons and struck out 100 batters in both seasons. A fantastic pick in the 4th round of the MLB draft was Arizona St. outfielder Colin Curtis. Curtis is a great hitter with good speed and plays all 3 outfield positions well.
Draft Losers
Colorado Rockies
With Andrew Miller not going first overall, the Rockies had a chance to take the best pitcher in the MLB draft, but they stuck to their wishlist and took Stanford RHP Greg Reynolds with the 2nd overall pick. Reynolds is a talented arm but his pitching style is not one that suits well for pitching at Coors Field. Reynolds won 7 games for the Cardinal while sporting a 3.31 ERA.
Chicago Cubs
No one is saying Clemson OF Tyler Colvin is a bad ball player or that Jeff Samardzija cannot pitch but Colvin was a big reach at the 13th overall pick of the MLB draft and Samardzija is an All-American wide receiver at Notre Dame and will likely be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft next April so wasting a 5th round pick on him was just mind-boggling.
Oakland A's
When the A's signed Estaban Loaiza in the offseason, the A's lost their rights to a first-round pick in the 2006 MLB draft and that did not please GM Billy Beane who is famous for his draft day wonders. Their first pick was Trevor Cahill, a hard throwing righty who has promising makeup but one big issue, he signed a letter of intent to pitch for Dartmouth and that could be tough to pull away from him.
San Diego Padres
The Padres surprised many by taking Wake Forest 3B Matt Antonelli with their first pick in the MLB draft. Antonelli is a somewhat promising prospect but he doesnt have a set position and there were better players available at the 17th pick. Antonelli is a solid ballplayer with talent in every area, but he was not expected to go so high. The Padres did well with Kyler Burke in the sandwich round but overall, the Padres seemed to reach often in this years MLB draft.
St. Louis Cardinals
Adam Ottovino in the first round of the MLB draft? The Cardinals must know something that no one else knows because their first 4 picks seemed to be large reaches. Outfielder John Jay out of Miami was a safe pick but he would have been available later. The Cardinals have always had a pretty weak farm system and drafts like this are why. It's a good thing they have Albert Pujols, if not, there future would look bleak.
