2005 Dbacks Draft Thread

[boondockdrunk]

THIS one seems like a very darn weird use of a #4 round pick. We've taken TWO of Boras' less impressive clients with upper-round picks. DAMN weird.

Yea, I am not too sure about this pick, but I have loved the ones up till now. Maybe they saw something in him?

I am going to side with Rizzo though, because he has done a great job in all his drafts.

 

[Dback Jon]

THIS one seems like a very darn weird use of a #4 round pick. We've taken TWO of Boras' less impressive clients with upper-round picks. DAMN weird.

Part of the Drew deal??

 

[AZZenny]

Oh, absolutely - defer to Mike Rizzo ALWAYS.
And other sources say that Romanczuk is extremely polished (said also about Gosling, though...) - I really liked him last year, but he seems to have stumbled a bit this year.

I just had a little conspiracy theory thing starting in the back of my head. LOL. 'Tellyawhat - Drew signs, I have these two pitchers who will sign for slot if they are taken above X round...' Keeps Boras' rep intact.

btw, Drew starts tonight for the Lancaster Jethawks.

 

[Dback Jon]

5th Round - Chris Rahl, OF William & Mary

 

[AZZenny]

William & Mary OF Chris Rahl (14) hit 20 home runs and stole 42 bases as a sophomore, showcasing a power-speed combination that earned All-America honors and put him in position to get drafted in the first five rounds. While he hit 12 homers, slugged .554 and stolen 21 bases (in 30 tries) as a junior, Rahl's .297 average and 27-37 walk-strikeout ratio show how he's tried to do too much in his draft year. Opponents have filled his plate appearances with offspeed pitches, and he has struggled against breaking balls while chasing the rare fastballs he sees--often out of the zone. Still, Rahl's plus speed should put him in the first 10 rounds, and history says he will hit better if he stops trying to impress with his power. A high school second baseman, Rahl doesn’t show true outfield instincts, but he works hard and is helped by his speed and plus arm. He could play center field, but likely settles into a corner.

 

[Dback Jon]

6th Round - Greg Smith LHP LSU


Next up - the Magic 7th Round

 

[AZZenny]

Round 6: Greg Smith, LSU
GREG SMITH, lhp (National rank: 177)
School: Louisiana State.
Hometown: Alexandria, La.
B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 190. Birthdate: Dec. 22, 1983.
Previously Drafted: Never.
Scouting Report: Louisiana State's No. 3 starter is its best pitching prospect. A reliever in his first two college seasons, Smith made a seamless transition to the rotation this spring, highlighted by a scoreless streak of 28 2/3 innings in Southeastern Conference play. His plus curveball remains his best pitch, and he also has a lively 89-90 mph fastball and a decent changeup. While he has the repertoire, command and delivery to succeed as a pro starter, some scouts wonder if he might be more useful coming out of the bullpen. Last year he regularly pitched 90-93 mph while working shorter stints. Though Smith hasn't had major arm surgery like other members of the Tigers staff, there is a medical concern with him. During fall practice of his freshman year, doctors found a tiny hole in his heart. The condition hasn't given him any trouble, so it may not affect his draft status.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Round #6:

Greg Smith

Gregory Smith Louisiana St U LHP L/L 6'2" 190 1983-12-22
COMMENT: Similar to Kenny Rogers. Easy throwing motion. FB rides in to LHH and sinks down and away from RHH. Curve has good tilt and bite to it. Also throws an effective circle change.

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GREG SMITH

Number: 27
Position: P
Ht.: 6-0
Class: Jr.
Experience: 2L
Hometown: Alexandria, La.
High School: Alexandria HS
Birthday: 12/22/1983
Major: business


(updated 1/19/05)

Hard-throwing lefty who has been one of the Tigers' top relievers the past two seasons ... expected to move into the weekend starting rotation in 2005 ... high school teammate of fellow LSU players Jordan Faircloth and Jordan Mayer at Alexandria HS.

2004 Season
Made 22 relief appearances (the second-highest total on the staff), recording a 2-0 mark and a 2.35 ERA with one save in 30.2 innings ... registered 13 walks and 35 strikeouts, and limited opponents to a .222 cumulative batting average ... 2-0 in SEC regular-season games with a 4.85 ERA; seven walks and 13 strikeouts in 13 SEC innings with one save ... pitched one scoreless inning in College World Series vs. Miami (June 19), allowing no hits with one walk and two strikeouts ... posted a relief win vs. Georgia (April 16); fired 1.2 shutout innings with one hit, no walks, one strikeout ... earned save at Auburn (April 4), preserving a 3-2 win by inducing a game-ending double play grounder with runners at the corners ... earned first career victory at South Carolina (March 19); worked two scoreless innings, allowing one hit with four strikeouts.

2003 Season
Made 17 relief appearances, recording an 0-2 mark and a 4.01 ERA with one save ... worked 33.2 innings with seven walks and 30 strikeouts ... limited left-handed batters to a .244 average ... pitched 1.1 shutout innings versus Cal State Fullerton in the College World Series (June 13), allowing no hits with one walk and one strikeout ... worked one inning against Northeastern (May 30) in the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, allowing one unearned run on one hit with no walks and two strikeouts ... pitched effectively at Arkansas (May 17), allowing just one earned run in 3.1 innings with no walks and two Ks ... posted a career-high five strikeouts in three innings at Mississippi State (May 2) ... longest outing of the season came in the Louisiana Superdome against Tulane (April 29), as he worked 4.1 innings and limited the Green Wave to one earned run on three hits with two walks and four Ks ... inherited a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth inning versus Southeastern Louisiana (April 23); he struck out two consecutive batters to end the threat and preserve a three-run lead ... pitched three hitless and scoreless innings versus Winthrop (March 8) with no walks and four strikeouts, earning his first career save.

High School
Named 2002 Mr. Baseball in the state of Louisiana after enjoying a superb senior year in which he posted a 9-0 record and a 0.12 ERA ... worked 60 innings on the mound, allowing just one earned run on 18 hits with 13 walks and 91 strikeouts ... tied the state record for single-game strikeouts with 20 Ks in one contest ... also batted .479 (34-for-71) with 11 doubles, two triples, six homers and 48 RBI ... as a junior, led the Alexandria High to the 2001 Class 4A state championship game ... posted an 8-2 mark and a 0.78 ERA in '01 with 96 strikeouts in 58 innings ... also batted .365 as the team's clean-up hitter ... played quarterback for the Alexandria football team ... an honor roll student throughout his high school career.

Personal
Full name is Gregory Thomas Smith ... parents are Greg and Eileen Smith ... has one older sister, Kristin ... credits his father with having the greatest influence upon his athletic career ... plans to major in business at LSU ... born December 22, 1983.

Smith's LSU Career Highs
Innings: 4.1 vs. Tulane (4/29/03)
Strikeouts: 5 at Mississippi State (5/2/03)
Hits Allowed: 8 at Long Beach State (2/28/03)
Runs: 8 at Long Beach State (2/28/03)
Earned Runs: 5 vs. Loyola-New Orleans (5/6/03)
Walks: 3 vs. Arkansas (4/10/04)



Round #7:

Anthony Cupps

Anthony Cupps U Mississippi RHP R/R 6'3" 198 1983-05-31 4YR
COMMENT: RHP that is similar to Charles Nagy in terms of build. FB has effective movement and velocity. CB has a good downward plane w/ an occasionally tight rotation. Also throws slider and circle change.

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Anthony Cupps

Player Profile
Class:
Junior

Hometown:

Madison, Miss.
High School:
University Christian

Height / Weight:
6-4 / 210
Position:
RHP
Birthdate:
05/31/1983
Experience:
2L
B-T:
R-R

SUMMER 2004: Played for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League ... Teammate of current sophomore C Justin Brashear ... Went 1-1 with two saves and a 3.48 ERA in 10 appearances, including four starts ... Struck out 25 and walked 12 in 41.1 IP.

2004: Made 20 appearances, drawing five starts ... Recorded only save of the season in the 5-2 win over Birmingham-Southern on Feb. 22 (2.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) ... Registered a career-long streak of 12.1 scoreless innings over four appearances from March 17-April 3 ... Went 1-1 with a 1.96 ERA (18.1 IP, 4 ER) in seven appearances, including one start, in April ... Made first start of the year against Southern Miss on April 27 (L, 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) ... Drew his first SEC start of the season against Arkansas (5/8), striking out a career-high seven in 6.0 innings (L, 10 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB) ... Worked a career-long 8.0 innings in earning a 3-1 win at Florida on May 15 (5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO) ... Suffered the loss in his start against Arkansas (5/27) in the SEC Tournament (7.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO).

2003: Finished sixth in the SEC in ERA at 2.92 ... Appeared in 19 games, making 15 relief appearances ... Pitched 5.0 scoreless innings of relief in his first career appearance versus SW Missouri State on Feb. 19 (ND, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 SO) ... Made seven appearances during March, including two starts, going 2-0 with a save and a 0.76 ERA (23.2 IP, 2 ER) ... Made first career start against McNeese State (3/5) and took a no decision (6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SO) ... Earned his first career win in the start against Memphis on March 12 (6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) ... Notched his first career SEC win with 4.0 innings of relief against Kentucky on March 16 (5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO) ... Pitched 2.0 scoreless innings of relief against Murray State (3/25) to earn first career save (2 H, 0 BB, 2 SO) ... Made first career SEC start versus Alabama on April 19 (L, 1.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO).

SUMMER 2002: Member of the Danville (IL) Dans of the Central Illinois Collegiate League ... Was 2-2 with one save and a 2.51 ERA (32.1 IP, 9 ER) in seven appearances, including five starts ... Struck out 26 and limited opponents to a .171 batting average ... Was a teammate of current senior catcher Xan Barksdale and former Rebel LHP Dwayne Hall.

2002: Redshirted.

HIGH SCHOOL: Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 47th round out of high school in the 2001 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft ... Went 5-3 with one save and a 1.18 ERA as a senior ... Struck out 66 in 38.2 innings pitched ... Also batted .508 with one home run and 28 RBIs ... Team's Most Valuable Pitcher ... Played in the 2001 MPSA All-Star Game ... Coached by Lamont Echoles.

MISCELLANEOUS: Full name is Anthony Ryan Cupps ... Son of Mark and Patricia Cupps ... Majoring in Marketing ... Named to the Fall 2001 UMAA Honor Roll.

CAREER HIGHS
IPs (Starter): 8.0, at Florida (5/15/2004)
IPs (Relief): 5.0, vs. SW Missouri State (2/19/2003)
STRIKEOUTS (Starter): 7, vs. Arkansas (5/8/2004)
STRIKEOUTS (Relief): 5, vs. SW Missouri State (3/5/2003)
WALK HIGH: 3, 4x, MR: at Florida (5/15/2004)
WIN STREAK: 3, March 12-April 6, 2003
CONSECUTIVE SCORELESS IP: 12.1, March 17-April 3, 2004
SAVES/SAVE OPPORTUNTIES: 5/5 (1.000)
INHERITED RUNNERS STRANDED: 11/26 (42.3 percent)

 

[AZZenny]

Anthony Cupps, rhp, U Miss?

I get the impression our central-southern states scout had a lot of say this year.

 

[Dback Jon]

Next up - the Magic 7th Round

Woo hoo - Dbacks take SEC pitcher in 7th Round!! Good Omen!

Anthony Cupps Arizona Diamondbacks RHP Ole Miss

 

[Dback Jon]

8th Round
Ryan Schreppel Arizona Diamondbacks P Cal State Fullerton

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Round #8:

Ryan Schreppel

Ryan Schreppel Cal St Fullerton LHP L/L 6'2" 195 1984-06-02
COMMENT: Has an ideal pitchers frame. Good upper-body strength. Well-defined arms. FB has a left-handers natural sinking action, especially when down in the zone. Deceptive circle change is best pitch, comes at hitters with late sink. Tough pickoff move to first. Good competitor.

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004 Baseball

RYAN SCHREPPEL
Left-handed Pitcher
6-2 • 195
L/L
Sophomore
Stockton, Calif.
Lincoln H.S.

TITANS ’03: Was honored with freshman All-American recognition from Collegiate Baseball despite missing two months after surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee • Posted a 5-3 record and 2.45 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) • His ERA was under 2.00 until he was roughed up for five runs in three innings by Arizona State in a super regional loss on June 7 • Became the first Titan pitcher ever to earn wins in each of his first four appearances • Opponents hit just .227 against him and he had a strikeout to walk ration of 3:1 • Allowed just a run on five hits in 5.2 innings vs. Notre Dame in the second regional game, but was denied a win when the Irish tied it up against the Titan bullpen • Named Kia Baseball Bash Most Outstanding Pitcher and Big West co-Pitcher of the Week after holding No. 21 Tulane scoreless on just two hits in seven innings...he did not get a decision since the Titans rallied for the win in the ninth • With two outs and runners on base, opponents had just three hits in 25 at bats (.120) • Only losses came vs. Minnesota (3/7), Long Beach State (5/17) and Arizona State (6/7) • In seven of his 10 starts, he allowed one run or less and five hits or less • Allowed just a run in five innings against Stanford in his collegiate debut to earn the win • Did not pitch at the College World Series.

LINCOLN H.S.: Was a three-year standout pitcher and first baseman at Lincoln H.S. in Stockton, Calif., where he played for Coach Randy Ortega • Was a three-time first-team All-San Joaquin Athletic Association pitcher and area Pitcher of the Year as a sophomore (6-2, 1.85 59 Ks in 52 innings) and as a senior (7-1, 1.65 ERA, 69 Ks in 46.2 innings) • His best game came against Tokay H.S.,when he allowed just one hit over five innings in an 11-0 win • Helped the Trojans to a 25-8 overall record and 13-1 league mark as a senior • Also batted over .300 in each of his three seasons • Also the starting quarterback his senior season for Lincoln’s football team.

PERSONAL: Born on June 2, 1984, in Stockton, Calif. • Parents are Geoff and Kim Schreppel • Has an older brother (Jason) • Major is undecided • Favorite web site is teammate Sean Martin’s college baseball page (http://hometown.aol.com/seancsf48/index.html) • Would like to be a teacher for the deaf • Says his father has had the most influence on him • Selected by Minnesota in the 20th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball first-year player draft • Full name is Ryan Geoffrey Schreppel • Favorites…Barry Zito (player), Oakland A’s (team), Baseball Tonight (TV show), Nicholas Cage (actor), political science (class).

Round #9:

Joshua Ford

Joshua Ford Baylor U C R/R 6'2" 235 1983-01-17 4YR
COMMENT: Tremendous upper body. Physically tapering to small waist. Similar to Jason Varitek. Powerful pull hitter w/ arcing swing. Hits ball middle-in very hard. Will hammer mistakes. Adequate arm strength to throw out runners. Has good speed.

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Josh Ford

Player Profile
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Baytown, Texas
High School:
Baytown Lee HS

Height / Weight:
6-2 / 235
Position:
C/1B
Experience:
3L
B/T:
R/R

Career Honors
• 2004 Second-Team All-Midwest Region (ABCA)
• 2004 First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Waco Tribune-Herald)
• 2004 Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Austin American-Statesman)
• 2004 Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Dallas Morning News)
• 2004 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches)
• 2003 Johnny Bench Award Semifinalist
• 2003 Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Waco Tribune-Herald)
• 2003 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches)
• 2003 Big 12 Conference All-Tournament Team
• 2003 Minute Maid Park College Classic All-Tournament Team
• NCBWA National Player of the Week -- May 25, 2004
• Big 12 Conference Player of the Week -- March 23, 2004
• Big 12 Conference Player of the Week -- May 25, 2004

Baylor Career Records Book
• t-9th in home runs (28)
• 7th in Big 12 home runs (14)
• 10th in Big 12 total bases (136)
• 8th in Big 12 slugging percentage (.574)
• t-4th in Big 12 hit by pitch (10)
• 7th in Big 12 putouts (239)

Summer 2004
Remained at Baylor to continue rehabilitation.

2004 (Junior)
Bears' everyday starter at DH ... Sidelined from C duties after off-season shoulder surgery ... Hit .354 (34-for-96) with two runs, four doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 22 RBI in Big 12 games ... Hit safely in each of final four Big 12 games ... Also enjoyed Big 12 hitting streaks of six and five games ... Hit safely in 20 of 25 conference games ... Shared team lead with six multiple-RBI games in Big 12 play ... Ranked seventh in batting average, tied for fifth in triples, tied for first with teammate Michael Griffin in home runs and third in total bases in league play ... Home run total tied for second-best single-season Big 12 total ever by a Baylor player ... Big 12 slugging percentage of .719 ranked third in school history ... Tied for sixth in Big 12 with 14 home runs in all games ... Overall slugging percentage of .579 ranked ninth in Big 12 ... Steady hitter, posted .310 batting average both with bases empty (36-for-116) and with runners on base (31-for-100) ... Hit .309 (17-for-55) with runners in scoring position ... Tied for third on team with 13 two-out RBI ... Hit .296 (37-for-125) with eight home runs, 30 RBI and five doubles at Baylor Ballpark ... Strong hitter away from home, going 26-for-76 (.342) with three doubles, two triples and five home runs away from Baylor Ballpark ... Hit .311 (38-for-122) in day games, .309 (29-for-94) in night games ... Went 1-for-5 with a run and two RBI in season opener against LMU ... Was 1-for-2 with two walks, a run and an RBI in first game of Feb. 15 doubleheader against LMU ... Went 1-for-3 with two runs and a key two-run double Feb. 17 against UTSA ... Posted a 2-for-4 outing in first game of Feb. 21 doubleheader at Long Beach State ... Went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and a double in game one of Feb. 28 doubleheader against Arizona ... Posted a 1-for-3 evening March 12 against Vanderbilt with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of first inning that sparked Baylor offense to 12-0 victory ... Went 3-for-4 with two home runs, four RBI and two runs March 16 against Texas State ... It was the third two-homerun game of his career ... Backed that with a 3-for-5 outing March 19 at Texas A&M with a home run and two RBI ... Went 2-for-4 and homered for third straight game with two RBI March 20 against Texas A&M ... Went 2-for-5 with a run March 26 at Oklahoma ... Recorded two hits and a run scored March 30 against TCU ... Blasted a solo homer April 4 at Missouri ... Went 4-for-7 with three runs, two RBI, a double and a triple in the Oklahoma State series ... Was 1-for-2 with three runs, a sacrifice fly and two walks in series opener against the Cowboys ... Followed that with a 3-for-5 outing with an RBI, a double and a triple in the second game ... Homered in both games of Kansas series, a two-run, game-tying shot over the batter's eye April 23 and a three-run blast to left-center April 25 ... Laced a two-run triple April 27 at TCU ... Homered and went 2-for-4 April 28 against Texas Southern ... Went 6-for-11 with two runs and two doubles in the Kansas State series, including a 4-for-4 outing in the nightcap of the May 1 doubleheader ... Was 2-for-4 May 4 against Dallas Baptist ... Enjoyed a career-long nine-game hitting streak that ended May 12 against Texas State ... Also ended a stretch of 18 consecutive starts in which he reached safely ... Went 1-for-3 with a game-winning grand slam and five RBI May 16 against Nebraska ... Was 2-for-4 with a double and a home run May 19 against Texas Southern ... Went 3-for-4 with a pair of homers, four runs and four RBI May 22 at Texas Tech ... Was 4-for-4, hitting for the cycle, with two runs and an RBI May 23 at Texas Tech ... Blasted 427-foot home run into the third deck at Ameriquest Field in a first-round game May 26 against Texas Tech at the Big 12 Tournament ... Went 2-for-4 with a run, two RBI and two doubles May 29 against Missouri ... Hit safely in nine of last 10 games.

Summer 2003
Spent his second straight summer in the Cape Cod League, playing with the Wareham Gatemen ... Hit .188 in 39 games with two home runs and 12 RBI ... Appeared in 28 games at catcher, 11 as designated hitter ... Threw out 12 of 34 runners attempting to steal (35 percent), tied for sixth-best in the league.

2003 (Sophomore)
Went 4-for-5 with four RBI Feb. 14 against Houston at the Minute Maid Park College Classic, including a blast to left that landed on the railroad tracks ... Hit a sixth-inning grand slam that gave the Bears the lead to stay in a 9-8 win Feb. 23 over USC ... Also doubled, scored three runs and totaled five RBI in the game as Baylor completed a doubleheader sweep of the seventh-ranked Trojans ... Two-out, bases-loaded single in the fifth scored two runs and broke a 4-4 tie in an eventual 7-4 Baylor win March 4 against UT-Arlington ... Powered out an opposite-field home run to tie the game at 5-5 in an eventual 6-5 Baylor win May 21 against Oklahoma ... The next day, drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single in the seventh that scored two in a 4-3 win over the Sooners ... Singled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored three times April 1 against UT-San Antonio ... First-inning homer got Bears off to early lead in 18-6 win April 11 at Oklahoma State ... Later doubled and finished the day 3-for-4 with four runs scored against the Cowboys ... Recorded first career two-homer day April 15 at Texas State, driving in three runs ... Led off the 10th inning with a home run, his second of the night, to give Baylor a 5-4 walk-off win April 30 against Houston ... Went 3-for-5 that day with two homers, two runs and three RBI ... Went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI in a 7-6 loss May 18 at Nebraska ... Earned All-Big 12 Tournament honors after hitting .280 (7-for-25) with two doubles and five runs scored; also threw out 3-of-5 baserunners attempting to steal ... Drove in the winning run with an eighth-inning, two-out single June 1 against Southern Mississippi in the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional title game ... Went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI May 6 in game one of the Super Regional at LSU ... Threw out 31 percent of runners attempting to steal on the season (18-of-59) ... Finished among the Big 12 leaders in home runs (t-6th), RBI (6th), hits (t-8th), doubles (8th), runs (10th) and total bases (10th).

Summer 2002
Hit .206 with six doubles, 11 RBI and nine runs scored in his first season in the Cape Cod League ... Saw the majority of his playing time at first base ... Helped lead Wareham to the league title.

2002 (Freshman)
Shared duties behind the plate and also saw time at first base and DH as a true freshman ... Went 2-for-3 Feb. 9 against TCU at the Astros College Classic in his second collegiate start with an RBI and a run scored ... Was 3-for-4, including a bases-loaded double that drove in three runs, March 6 against Winthrop ... Connected on his first collegiate home run, a two run shot, in a 12-4 Baylor win April 9 over Texas State ... Added a second round-tripper later in the week, a solo shot in an 11-5 victory April 13 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi ... Pinch-hit RBI double added insurance in a game Baylor eventually squeaked out 6-5 April 28 at Kansas State ... Had a single and a double May 23 against Kansas State in game two of the Big 12 Tournament.

High School
Earned first-team all-state honors three times while playing at Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, Texas, under coaches Craig Herrington and James Hillin ... For his career, hit .452 with 34 home runs and 165 RBI ... Was named district MVP as a junior ... Followed that with preseason All-Greater Houston and preseason All-America selections his senior season ... Also earned two varsity letters in football and played freshman basketball ... Member of National Honor Society ... Graduated in the top seven percent of his class.

Personal
Full name is Joshua Michael Ford ... Born Jan. 17, 1983, in Baytown, Texas ... Son of Mike and Debbie Ford ... Chose Baylor over Stanford and Texas because of "great baseball and great academics" ... Majoring in health/fitness ... Says that if he were not playing baseball, he would be in a Strong Man competition.

Bareer Bests
Hits: 4, four times
Runs: 4, twice
Doubles: 2, twice
Triples: 1, three times
Home Runs: 2, four times
RBI: 5, twice
Stolen Bases: 1 vs. UT-San Antonio (2/17/04)
Walks: 3 at Kansas (4/27/03)
Hitting Streak: 9 games (4/23/04 through 5/11/0

 

[Lefty]

I said I would hope they would pick some college pitchers early, but this is crazy. But I like it.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Round #10:

Cody Evans

Cody Evans Cal St Long Beach RHP R/R 6'5" 190 1983-09-03 4YR
COMMENT: Tall, lean, projectable body. Room to carry more weight. ML FB w/ occasional plus velocity, 89-92. Hides ball well. Solid mechanics. Good motion on tailing, sinking change. Around plate w/ all pitches.

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LONG BEACH STATE

#36
Cody Evans
6-5 | 195 lbs. | Junior
Righthander
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Huntington Beach, CA
Edison HS / Golden West JC

ll

Summer League: Went 1-2 with a 3.51 ERA for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League... struck out 41 and walked just 16 over nine starts and 51.1 innings.

Golden West Junior College: Ranked fourth in the state in ERA, producing a 2.98 ERA over 84.2 innings, which included a 9-2 record over 11 starts and three complete games… also had three saves… ranked amongst the state’s leaders in wins and strikeouts… gave up 83 hits and struck out 78 and walked just 17… named first team All-Orange Empire as a sophomore… team won the Orange Empire in 2004… went 1-0 with a 6.59 ERA as a freshman over 13.2 innings... gave up 15 hits... struck out 14 and walked five with a .268 opponent batting average.

High School: Lettered four years in baseball as the team won the CIF Championship in 2001… was named the Spring Athlete of the Year in 2001.

Personal: Son of Nick and Gloria Evans… majoring in communication


Round #11:

Brett Jacobson

Brett Jacobson Cactus Shadows HS RHP R/R 6'6" 190 1986-11-09 HS
COMMENT: Good projectable/ Athletic body. Tall & long. Ideal pitcher's frame. Quick, easy arm action. Good downhill plane. FB comfort level at 90-91 mph early in games. Feel for hard, tight, late-breaking CB. 3/4 sweep and depth for strikes.

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Jacobson tops on field, in class
Cactus Shadows star does it all

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/preps/articles/05294A5Abasepoy0529.html

Jose E. Garcia
The Arizona Republic
May. 29, 2005 12:00 AM

4.2.

It's a figure that gets lost when Cave Creek Cactus Shadow's ace Brett Jacobson's name is mentioned. The 90-plus mph fastball dominates conversation about Jacobson.

The word is that he lost some velocity during the high school season, dropping him from a probable top-10 pick to a possible sandwich pick in next month's major league draft. Amid the preseason hype, the pressure to produce for a state title contender, and the latest reports, Jacobson still delivered on the field and more importantly in the classroom.
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The senior registered a 4.2 grade-point average, graduating 24th in a class of about 360 students.

"Life outside of baseball is a different thing," Jacobson said. "I'm glad I did enjoy my senior year and didn't get too caught up with everything."

On the field, The Republic's Big School Baseball Player of the Year didn't disappoint state semifinalist Cactus Shadows, leading the team on the mound and the plate.

Jacobson went 10-1 with a 0.85 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings. He pitched 10 complete games, allowing 16 walks and nine earned runs.

At the plate, Jacobson led Cactus Shadows with a .427 average and was second on the team with eight homers and 33 RBIs.

"Brett plays with a lot of heart and has outstanding physical tools," Cactus Shadows coach Tom Scala said.



Jacobson started to get some limelight when his fastball reached the 92 mph mark, playing summer ball after his freshman season. Just as the notice started, Jacobson was humbled by a shoulder injury that forced him not to pitch and just play center his sophomore season.

"I was real high on myself before the injury," Jacobson said. "My mechanics were messed up when I came back, and it was real frustrating."

Once healed, Jacobson came back to earn second-team All-State honors his junior season as a pitcher.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander caught the eye of scouts last summer. That's when the publicity really started to grow, and his fastball reached 95 mph.

Jacobson said he is eager for draft day to come.

He had a pre-draft workout recently with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and flew out to Anaheim for another workout with the Angels. He'll work out for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

If he doesn't sign with a team, Vanderbilt is waiting for him.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=42088

Varsity Extra
Jacobson is Tribune baseball player of the year
May 27, 2005
By Brad Falduto, Tribune
Great expectations sometimes can lead to great disappointment.
Brett Jacobson knew that all too well as he headed into the recently completed high school baseball season.
A senior pitcher/outfielder at 4A Cactus Shadows, Jacobson entered the season as the ninth-rated player in the nation according to the publication Baseball America. The honor came with a cost.

"A lot of pressure was on me at the beginning of the year," Jacobson said. "As far as I was concerned, I wasn’t really worried about it. My only goal was to help my team win. I went in with that attitude."

That attitude worked just fine. Jacobson went 10-1 on the mound with a miniscule .085 ERA. He also hit .407 with eight home runs in helping lead the Falcons to the 4A state tournament semifinals. Jacobson’s performance earned him the honor of the Tribune’s Player of the Year.

In a heartbeat, Jacobson would trade the Tribune award for the state title.

"It was a disappointment," said Jacobson of the Falcons falling a game short of getting to meet Chaparral, which won its third straight title, in the championship. "I think everybody felt that way. We just came up short. I was really looking forward to at least playing Chaparral."

A 6-foot-5 righty, Jacobson has a major league fastball. He has been clocked at 95 mph. Scouts drooled whenever he pitched. What he really was proud of, though, was his play when he didn’t have the ball and roamed center field for the Falcons.

"I think it was surprising to everyone I was a center fielder," said Jacobson, who starred in the winter for Cactus Shadows’ basketball team. "I look tall and uncoordinated and gangly. People don’t think I would be fast."

Jacobson enjoys hitting about as much as pitching, but he thinks his hitting career may be over.

"The semifinals, that was probably my last game hitting for a long time," said Jacobson, who refreshingly is overly modest despite his immense talents. "That was probably the end of that. I’ll focus only now on pitching."

While Jacobson has committed to play next season at Vanderbilt, his comment about being done hitting is a clue he probably won’t be playing college baseball, where he could double again as a pitcher and outfielder.

Jacobson likely will be a first-round pick in major league baseball’s June amateur draft — exclusively as a pitcher. The decision he is facing about whether to turn professional has cut into any thoughts over his fantastic high school season.

"We’ll see what happens, where I go," Jacobson said of the draft. "I don’t have a lot of time (now) to sit there and say, ‘Wow, I had a wonderful time in high school.’

"I will always remember the teammates. All the guys on my team supported me. No one was ever mean to me or thought I was a prima donna."

 

[AZZenny]

11th Round - if he signs, its a steal, but looks likely for college.
5. BRETT JACOBSON, rhp (National rank: 91)
School: Cactus Shadows HS.
Hometown: Carefree, Ariz.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 195. Birthdate: Nov. 9, 1986.
College Commitment: Vanderbilt.
Scouting Report: Jacobson was the No. 1-ranked player in Arizona entering the 2005 season, but a drop in velocity has caused his stock to dip a round or two. With a college scholarship to Vanderbilt, his chances of signing now are shaky and he could take a significant drop if that becomes a central issue. Jacobson’s velocity in the fall was 94-95 mph, but this spring it’s been down to 88-91 while touching 92-93. With his coach calling most of his pitches, he relied much more on his improving breaking stuff to post a 9-1, 0.94 record with 96 strikeouts in 67 innings. Scouts have been perplexed by his drop in velocity and his change in approach and wondered if Jacobson might have been suffering from a sore arm. But they have not written him off and have expressed a long-held belief that if they’ve seen it once, it’s in there. It would surprise no one if a team with extra picks popped Jacobson in the sandwich round.

 

[Dback Jon]

12 Round Bryan Byrne Arizona Diamondbacks 1B St. Mary's
Has one of the sweetest left handed swings on the West Coast. Former 3B was moved to 1B due to a considerably below average arm.

 

[AZZenny]

St. Mary’s junior 3B Bryan Byrne (68 ) has been compared throughout his career to his predecessor, Mark Teahen, a defensive whiz and a supplemental first-round pick of the Athletics in 2002. Byrne’s stock dropped this spring when a suspect arm action forced him from third to second to first, and finally to DH. Byrne compares favorably to Teahen as a hitter, and has demonstrated better pull power, though it may not be consistent enough for him to play first—if a position switch is in order.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Round #12:

Bryan Byrne

Bryan Byrne St Marys Col 3B L/R 6'3" 200 1984-04-30 4YR
COMMENT: Slender frame. Room for added strength. Similar to Chipper Jones. Line drive type hitter w/ occasional power to all fields. Proper hitting approach. Arm very playable at 3B. Good fielding instincts, soft hands w/ good ball transfer.

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Bryan Byrne

Player Profile

Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Danville, CA
High School:
De La Salle HS

Height / Weight:
6-3 / 200
Position:
INF
Experience:
2V

2004: Tied for the team lead after starting all 55 games...led the team with 209 at-bats and was second with 64 hits...third on the team with a .306 overall batting average...led the team with a .414 OBP...recorded six homeruns with 28 RBI and a team-high 35 walks on the season...tallied four doubles, one triple, and three stolen bases...went 3-for-5 with a homerun and two RBI against Pepperdine on April 8...second on the team with 19 multi-hit games...posted two six-game hitting streaks on the season from January 31 to February 13 and from March 2 to March 20...second on the team with 141 assists.

2003: Was named West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year...earned First Team All-WCC honors...was the only player to start all 56 games...tallied a .358 batting average overall, third best in the conference, .366 average in conference games...his overall average ranked best on team and among freshman and third baseman in the WCC...was named the team's co-Most Valuable Player...led the team in nine offensive categories including batting average, runs (42), hits (78), doubles (15), RBI (46), total bases (112), slugging percentage (.514), walks (26) and on-base percentage (.429)...reached base safely in 53-of-56 games...recorded 22 multiple-hit games...collected three or more hits in 10 games...recorded an 11-game hitting streak from February 6 to March 2...had 14 multiple-RBI games...finished a game with four hits, four times, against Oral Roberts (4-for-5, two RBI), Pepperdine (4-for-4, one run scored), San Diego (4-for-6, one RBI and one run scored), Santa Clara (4-for-5, one RBI)...recorded a .930 fielding percentage at the hot corner.

High School: Enters Saint Mary's after earning two letters in baseball at De La Salle High School...finished his senior season with a .410 batting average, five homeruns and 20 RBI...was a two-time All-Bay Valley Athletic League honoree...helped lead his team to a co-league championship in 2001...was also recruited by Santa Clara, California, Hawai'i and Georgetown.

Round #13:

Daniel Roberts

Daniel Roberts Chipola JC LHP R/L 6'3" 175 1985-01-23 JR
COMMENT: Slim, Kris Benson type build. Throws w/ a loose, easy arm action. FB hovers in high-80s w/ late tail down in the zone. CB is his go-to pitch w/ late, tight bite.

 

[AZZenny]

Daniel Roberts, LHP, Chipola JC Florida. This may take some digging.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

This may take some digging.

You got that right... Only came up with one article that was just a game recap......

Round #14:

Rusty Ryal

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Rusty Ryal
# 10
Infielder - INF
Height: 6-3 Weight: 185
Senior
Bats: R Throws: R
Previous Affiliations
Perry HS
Cowley County CC
Perry, Okla.
Printable Page

Courtesy: Athletic Media Relations
Release: 01/21/2005
2004: Played in 60 games with 56 starts, all at second base ... finished fifth on the team in hitting with a .315 average ... had 24 multi-hit games ... had a career best four hits against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (3/21) ... had a career high three RBIs against Louisiana Tech (3/12) ... went 2-for-3 against Texas-Arlington ... went 2-for-4 with two RBIs against top ranked Texas ... went 3-for-8 with two RBIs in two games against Southeast Missouri State ... went 4-for-13 with two runs scored in a three game series against Texas A&M ... went 2-for-5 with two RBIs against Baylor (4/11) ... went 5-for-16 with two RBIs in three games against Kansas ... went 5-for-14, including a double and knocked in three runs in a three game series against Kansas State ... was 2-for-13 against OU ... was 5-for-13 with three runs scored against Nebraska ... was 3-for-12 with two doubles and three runs scored vs. Texas Tech ... went 5-for-9 with a double and four runs scored against Western Illinois ... hit .238 (5-21) in the Big 12 Tournament with three RBIs and was named to the all-tourney team ... was 4-for-13 with two doubles and four RBIs in the NCAA tournament ... had a three-run double with two outs in the ninth to tie the contest against UCF (6/5).

2002-03: Played two seasons at Cowley County Community College ... was a NJCAA second team All-American in 2003 ... a two-time All-Jayhawk selection ... played for the El Dorado Broncos in 2003 summer league action and helped lead them to a seventh place finish at the NBC World Series ... hit .300 with eight homers and 37 RBIs and was named to the Midwest Regional All-Tournament team ... also considered Oklahoma, Fresno State, SMS and Wichita State among other schools.

HIGH SCHOOL: Went to Perry High in Perry, Okla.

PERSONAL: A health promotion major ... son of Tracy and Susan Reed and Mark and Renae Ryal ...born March 16, 1983 ... has one brother, Rhett, and two sisters Kacie and Karlie ... father played 14 seasons in professional baseball ... his career goal is to be a Division I baseball coach ... chose OSU because of the level of competition in the Big 12 and because his friends and family are now more able to watch him play.

Round #15:

Gregory Thomson

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Greg Thomson

Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Levittown, N.Y.
High School:
Island Trees

Height / Weight:
6-0 / 185
Position:
OF
Birthdate:
06/13/1984



2004: Led the team in batting despite missing 29 games with an injury ... Batted .371 (41-for-110) in 31 games ... Was leading the team and among the leaders in the BIG EAST with a .420 average (20-for-51) at the time of his injury ... Overall, finished fifth on the team with 30 runs scored ... Hit 10 doubles, three home runs and was eighth on the team with 25 RBI ... Appeared in six conference games, batting .333 (8-for-24) with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBI ... Closed the 2004 season out with an eight-game hit streak, batting .438 during that span with seven runs scored, nine RBI and four doubles ... Batted .583 (7-for-12) during the NCAA Tournament ... Had seven multi-hit games during the first 15 games of the season ... Finished the season with 14 multi-hit games

2003: A starter in the outfield his freshman season ... Appeared in 50 game, starting 44 ... Eighth on the team in batting with a .287 average (47-for-164) ... Hit seven doubles, four triples, four home runs and drove in 27 runs ... Tied for third on the team in home runs and fourth on the team in RBI ... Stole six bases ... Had 10 multi-hit games and tied for the team lead with eight multi-RBI games ... Had two hits seven times and three hits three times ... Drove in two runs five times and three runs on three occasions ... Had a season-high nine game hit streak during which he batted .375 (9-for-24), with seven runs scored, eight RBI and two home runs ... Hit two solo home runs in a 13-0 win over Boston College (5/10) ... Also made four appearances on the mound, posting a 2-1 record with a 5.73 earned run average ... Threw 11.0 innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits, with 10 walks and 13 strikeouts ... Threw three innings of scoreless relief for his first collegiate win, a 12-2 decision over FDU (3/12) ... Allowed two runs on five hits in four innings during an 11-3 win over Fairfield (3/19).

At Island Trees: Batted .520, with 11 home runs, 33 runs batted in, and was 25-for-25 in stolen base attempts as a senior. Led Nassau County in home runs (11) as a senior, and led the county in batting average (.586) and RBI (56) during his sophomore year. Earned all-state honors as a sophomore, junior and senior, and was named All-Long Island as a junior and senior. Helped lead Levittown to the county title as a junior and to conference championships his final three years.

Personal: Born on June 13, 1984 in Levittown ... The son of Robert and Barbara Thomson ... Has one brother, Sean ... ... Lists his family as most influential in his athletic career ... Most thrilling moment of his athletic career came in winning the Nassau County Championships ... Won the Nassau County Diamond Award for position players ... Undeclared.

 

[AZZenny]

High School info - looks like he was going to U of Southern Alabama but switched to Juco.

Daniel Roberts, a standout pitcher from state powerhouse St. Paul’s High School and outfielder Lance Howard of Faulkner State (Ala.) Community College have signed letter of intents to play for the Jaguars.

Roberts, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound left-handed pitcher from Citronelle, played the last two seasons for coach Andy Robbins at St. Paul’s. This past season, he helped the Saints to the 5A state championship by recording an 8-0 record and a 0.79 earned run average. In the semifinal round of the state playoffs, he fired a no-hitter against Sylacauga. He also played four seasons of football for coach Eddie Guth. “Daniel is a strong left-handed pitcher who throws hard,” said USA
head coach Steve Kittrell. “We’re really excited he chose to play college baseball close to home.”

 

[AZZenny]

Rusty Ryal, 3B, Oklahoma State. Listed as 'also worthy of note' in BA's huge predraft state-by-state listing, but that's it so far.

 

[AZZenny]

Round 15: Gregory Thompson, OF

OF Greg Thomson was St. John’s best offensive player this spring, leading the team in average (.377), on-base percentage (.480), slugging percentage (.639), home runs (7), RBIs (43) and stolen bases (17). He projects as a fourth outfielder in the big leagues as his tools are a bit short, though he has a good approach at the plate, runs well and is a good center fielder with an accurate arm. Injury prone, Thomson missed 29 games last year and was forced to wear a mask this spring when he was hit by a pitch that broke a bone in his face.

 

[AZZenny]

That appears to be it for the day. Thanks, KLL, for your prompt and thorough updates. You'll be on your own tomorrow! Nice to find others as nuts about the baseball draft as I am.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Round #16:

Craig Pfautz

Craig Pfautz Darton Col LHP R/L 6'3" 190 1984-09-13 JR
COMMENT: Smaller version of Mitch Williams. Easy, sneaky deliver. FB come in at high-80s, sinks down and away from RHH. Throws a slider w/ late, downward break. Also has a curve.

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Number: 17
Name: Craig Pfautz
Hometown: Lititz, PA
High School: Manheim Township
Position: LHP
Major: N/A
Bats L Throws L
Classification: Sophomore
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 195


Round #17:

Jason Urquidez

Jason Urquidez Arizona St U RHP R/R 6'1" 165 1982-09-12 4YR
COMMENT: Medium-large frame. Lean, wiry strong build. Compact balanced delivery. Clean arm action. Avg arm speed, good extention out front. Feel for hard, 3/4, sweep slider w/ late bite. Deceptive change-up w/ good fade and sink. Gamer that knows how to win.

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Jason Urquidez

Player Profile
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Simi Valley, Calif.
High School:
Royal

Last College:
Central Arizona CC
Height / Weight:
6-2 / 170
Position:
RHP
Experience:
1V
Bats/Throws:
Right/Right

**2005 All-America Candidate**
**Clemens Award Candidate**

WHAT TO KNOW: Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year and All-America candidate... polished pitcher who returns for his senior season after earning All-Pac-10 honors last season... is one of only eight pitchers in the NCAA who returns with 12 or more wins from last season... wants the ball when the game is on the line... an experienced pitcher who dominated at the junior college level before coming to ASU... possesses a tremendous arsenal of pitches... member of the 2002 Junior College National Championship team at Central Arizona... has an advanced pitching plan... possesses a lethal combination of a power arm and pitching knowledge.

2004 (Junior): First-Team All-Pac-10 selection after leading the league with 12 wins... awarded the Pitcher of the Year Award at annual team banquet... honorable mention All-American by CollegeBaseballInsider.com... ace of the Sun Devil pitching staff going 12-3 with a 3.41 ERA... also ranked third in ERA (3.41), sixth in opponents batting average (.251), eighth in innings pitched (97.2) and sixth in strikeouts (94)... ranked tied for 10th in the NCAA with his 12 victories... selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round (318th overall) in the 2004 MLB Draft... named to the Clemens Award (National Pitcher of the Year) Watch List... lasted five or more innings in 12 of his 17 starts and had five or more K's in 10 starts... recorded season-high 12 strikeouts in 8.1 innings against Oregon State (5/15)... gave up only three hits in 7.1 IP against Arizona (5/22)... earned Pac-10 and National Pitcher of the Week honors after throwing a complete-game, three-hitter against No. 1 and defending national champion Rice (2/22)... struck out seven and walked only two and gave up only one run against the Owls... struck out nine batters in ASU debut against Florida State (2/8)... earned victory with 5.1 strong innings against Minnesota in NCAA Regional... allowed only three runs and struck out 17 in the first inning of his 17 starts (1.59 ERA).

Junior College: Played two years at Central Arizona College for former Sun Devil Clint Myers... also played with current ASU teammate Josh Asanovich... as a sophomore in 2003, named first-team All-ACCAC and first-team all-region... ACCAC Conference Pitcher of the Year... third-team NJCAA All-American... went 9-4 with three saves and a 1.89 ERA... also struck out 103 batters in 85.2 innings while leading CAC to a 41-19 record... led the league with nine wins and second with 103 strikeouts... as a freshman in 2002, helped lead CAC to the NJCAA National Championship... named to the NJCAA World Series All-Tournament team... earned two wins during CAC's 5-0 run to win the NJCAA World Series... named second-team all-ACCAC and second-team all-region... went 10-1 with a 3.18 ERA.

High School: Attended Chaminade College Prep freshman through junior years and Royal High School his senior year... earned varsity letters in baseball all four years... coached at Chaminade by Scott Drootin and at Royal by Dan Maye... had his best year as a sophomore when he went 7-4 with a 1.74 ERA... named varsity pitcher of the year, all-Mission League and All-CIF second team (southern section)... participated in various showcases, including TeamOne and Best of the West.

MLB Draft: Selected in the 48th round of the 2002 draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays... also selected in the 11th round of the 2004 MLB draft (318 overall) by the Cincinnati Reds.

Personal: Pursing a degree in interdisciplinary studies... parents are James and Kim Urquidez of Simi Valley, Calif... describes his most exciting moment in sports when he was with CAC and won the NJCAA World Series by going 5-0... favorite baseball team is the Oakland Athletics and favorite player is Nolan Ryan... enjoys water sports (wake boarding, water skiing, tubing) and collects baseball cards... born Sept. 12, 1982 in Tarzana, Calif... full name is Jason Carl Urquidez.

Round #18:

Jake Elder

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Jake Elder - #9
School Year:
Height/Weight: 6-1 / 205
Hometown: Delta, British Columbia Canada
Position: C
Old School: North Delta Senior HS

Bio information:

Second-Team All-Big Ten catcher for Minnesota in 2004  senior catcher who has impressive offensive tools and is one of the Golden Gophers primary threats in their lineup  strong defensive catcher who calls a good game and has a good arm  Played for the Canadian Student-Athlete National team this past summer, and led the team in hitting with a .333 batting average against U.S. team in an exhibition tour, and tied for the team lead at .304 at the FISU World University Championships in Tainen, Chinese Taipei.

2004  SOPHOMORE SEASON: Second-Team All-Big Ten catcher  batted .317, with seven home runs, 32 RBI and 32 runs  was second on the team in home runs with seven  played in 54 games and started 50  threw out 19 of the 58 runners (33 percent) that tried to steal against him  led Minnesota in home runs in Big Ten play with six, and was tied for third on the team in conference RBI with 20  third on the team in conference batting average at .353, and was second with a .559 Big Ten slugging percentage  only allowed 14 stolen bases in 28 Big Ten games  threw out 39 percent (9-of-23) of the runners who tried to steal in conference play  had 18 multi-hit games, six multi-RBI games and eight multi-run games  scored a season-high three runs in a 12-6 win over Cal-State Northridge on Mar. 17  went 6-for-13 with four home runs, four runs and five RBI in a four-game series against Penn State on Apr. 16-18  went 9-for-18 with a home run, four runs and four RBI in a four-game series against Illinois on May 15-16  went two-for-four and tied a career-high four RBI in Big Ten regular season title clincher against Ohio State on May 22  went two-for-five with a run and an RBI in the Big Ten tournament championship clincher against Ohio State on May 30  went one-for-three with a home run and an RBI against No. 9 Cal State Fullerton in the NCAA Tournament on June 4  That home run was the only one hit off the College World Series Most Outstanding Player Jason Windsor from Cal Sate Fullerton the entire tournament.

2003  SOPHOMORE SEASON: Hit .339 with two homers, 15 RBI and 19 runs  played in 43 games and started in 34  also had a .415 on-base percentage, which was good for third on the team among regular players  batted .333 with 11 runs in Big Ten play  batted .375 against left-handed pitching and .355 (22-62) with runners on base  batted .395 (17-43) at Siebert Field with eight runs, one homer and seven RBI  had two seven-game hitting streaks during the season (Apr. 15 to Apr. 27 and May 23 to May 31)  had RBI in five of his last six games, with seven RBI in that span  started off the season in big fashion going 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs in a 13-10 opening day victory at Arizona  had a career-high four hits and three runs against Penn State on Apr. 11  named to Big Ten All-Tournament team after batting .583 with five RBI in four games  named Academic All-Big Ten & Minnesota Scholar-Athlete.

2002  FRESHMAN SEASON: Batted .267 with 14 RBI in 41 games for Minnesota in his freshman season  played in 15 games in Big Ten play and batted .281  batted .625 with five RBI and two runs in a three-game series against Valparaiso on Mar. 8-10  hit his first collegiate home run against Michigan State (3/30)  knocked in two RBI against Ohio State on (May 19) in the first game of the doubleheader  had six multi-hit games on the season.

HIGH SCHOOL: Graduate of North Delta Senior Secondary School in Delta, British Columbia, Canada  high school coach was Ari Mellios  two-time second team conference all-star as a catcher  hit .437 with nine home runs, 44 RBI, and 30 runs scored his final year  member of Team Canada in 2000 and 2001  competed in the World Baseball Championships with Team Canada in 2000  five-year Honor Roll student  three-time top academic student  earned excellence awards in science, English, and social studies in junior year  earned another excellence award for science as a senior  top physical education student four years  voted the most valuable player on his club team, the North Delta Blue Jays, in 2001  also participated in basketball for three years, volleyball for three years and soccer for two years  two-time volleyball MVP  two-time basketball MVP  elected as the top athlete in his class in grades eight and 10.

PERSONAL: Kinesiology major  hails from British Columbia  son of Phil and Diane Elder  born 3/21/83.