Texas Rangers Rule IV Draft Picks......

[Drbio]

It's draft day! Here are Texas picks thus far courtesy of Mike Hindman of the Newberg Report.


With the #10 overall pick in the draft the Rangers select.....

Thomas Diamond: (RHP — University of New Orleans)
Diamond is a 6'2", 230 lb. power pitcher featuring a heavy 93-97 mph fastball that he locates well and has been clocked as high as 96 in the ninth inning this spring. His slider has been described as "late, quick and hard at 83-84." And what makes him especially appealing is his plus change which he subtracts to 79-82 with sinking action. He has fanned 125 hitters while walking only 38 in 98 innings this spring.


#30 pick: Eric Hurley

The Rangers went with a Florida high school right-hander, Eric Hurley, as the #30 overall selection to close out the first round of the Rule IV draft. Hurley, a 6'4" 195 pounder, was Baseball America's 15th ranked pitcher in this draft.

BA reports that "Hurley was closing the season as well as any of his peers, and his improvement will be reflected in his draft position. Heading into Florida's all-star games in Sebring, he was pitching his way toward the middle of the first round thanks to some of the best fastball velocity in the country. Hurley has gone from pitching in the 90-93 mph range to 92-95 consistently, hitting at least 96 in eight straight outings and maintaining his velocity deep into games. Pitching for one of the nation's top teams, he went 13-1, 0.70 with 11 walks and 139 strikeouts in 90 innings. Hurley has a loose arm, and now that he's ironed out a small mechanical issue--staying more upright in his delivery and keeping his elbows in--he's put all the pieces together. He's flashed an average slider and changeup. At times he gets around his breaking ball a bit, when he drops his elbow, and doesn't command it. Detractors say he has a slight head jerk in his delivery that causes him to eleva! te his fastball, but with Hurley's velocity and life, he might be the kind of pitcher who can live up in the zone, even against professionals."

MLB.com's scouting report on Hurley is as follows:

COMMENT: TALL, LEAN, WIRY BUILD. LONG ARMS & LEGS. BUILT SIMILAR TO EX-MAJOR LEAGUER OREL HERSHISER. 3/4 TO LOW 3/4 DELIVERY. FB MOSTLY 91-93 W/ SOME BORING ACTION. EASY, LOOSE, WHIP-LIKE ARM ACTION. LOCATES PITCHES DOWN IN ZONE. SHORT, LATE BREAK SLIDER W/ HARD BITE. WILL PITCH IN. CHANCE TO HAVE 2 PLUS PITCHES & NOT FAR FROM THERE NOW.



#51 Pick: K.C. Herren

Grady Fuson held true to his indication that he would take two pitchers and a position player with his first three picks by tapping Auburn, Washington, center fielder K.C. Herren with the #51 overall selection. By taking two high school players with his first three picks, Fuson also went against his perceived preference for college players. Herren, who has signed to play with the University of Washington, was projected by many to go somewhere in the 5th to 10th rounds.

MLB.com's scouting report on Herren follows:

"COMMENT: THICK, COMPACT FRAME. EVENLY PROPORTIONED. STRONG, STURDY BUILD. MINIMAL PHYSICAL PROJECTIONS. THICK THROUGH SHOULDERS, CHEST. HEAVY ARMS. POWERFUL LEGS, CALVES. MATURE FEATURES. SIMILAR TO BRIAN GILES. UPRIGHT, SPREAD STANCE. HIGH LEFT ELBOW. QUIET SETUP. PROPER MECHANICS IN HIT APPROACH. SHORT, QUICK, SLIGHT UPPERCUT SWING. LOOKS TO PULL. GEARED FOR FB. STRONG, EVEN STRIDE RUNNER. AGGRESSIVE. KNOWS HOW TO PLAY. STRONG, PHYSICAL OUTF PROSPECT. LH BAT, PWR POTENTIAL CARRY."


Next Pick - 3rd Round

Rangers scouts have evidently hanging out at a lot of high school proms this spring as the club has now dipped in for a third consecutive high school player, this time a big right handed pitcher from Georgia named Michael Schlact who goes 6'7", 205 lbs.

MLB.com's scouting report on Schlact follows:

COMMENT: SAME BODY TYPE AS BRAD RIGBY. HIGH WINDUP, 3/4. LIFTS LEFT KNEE ABOVE BELT, HIP TURN AT TOP OF DELIVERY. SHORTENS ARM OUT FRONT ON CB. MOST FB 88-90 W/ ABILITY TO LOCATE. LATE, ARM SIDE TAIL W/ SOME HOP LIFE ON FB, VERY EASY DELIVERY. SLURVE-CB TIGHT, DOWN ROTATION. GAINING FEEL FOR TURNOVER CHANGE, SINK LIFE. LIVE FB, EASY DELIVERY, VERY PROJECTABLE BODY.