Draft Primer: Rangers Draft Picks 11-30

11) Gunter, Johnny Chattahoochee Valley CC RHP R/R 6'04" 230 1988-03-10 J3

-Say’s he’ll sign-

http://forum.newbergreport.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8614&p=159562#p159562

* 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.

12) DiFazio, Vincent U Alabama Tuscaloosa C R/R 6'00" 215 1986-05-15 SR

-Signed-

http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/difazio_vincent00.html

TR Sullivan on DeFazio: The Rangers used their 12th-round pick on catcher Vin DiFazio from the University of Alabama. He lost his uncle, also of the same name, in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. His uncle was his first baseball coach.

DeFazio then contracted a viral nerve disorder that limited his strength and mobility. It caused him to miss the entire 2007 season. He hit .329 in part-time action for the Tide this season. If he reclaims the form he showed while attending Indian River Community College, DeFazio could be an excellent pick.

13) Jamison, Justin Strongsville HS (OH) RHP R/R 6'08" 1991-01-10 HS

 -Committed to Ohio State

I can't find anything out about this kid other than he's committed to home state school Ohio State.  While their baseball program isn't great a lot of kids up there dream about playing for that school.  I imagine the Rangers would have to offer a pretty good contract to buy him out.  I wouldn't be surprised if he signs or not.

14) Bell, Chadwick Walters State CC LHP R/L 6'03" 200 1989-02-28 J2

-Draft and Follow this Summer- -Committed to Tennessee

Told Jason Cole, he was going to pitch this summer and that the Rangers plan to follow him before offering a contract.

http://www.ws.edu/athletics/Mens_Baseball/Players/2008/BioBell.htm

15) Campbell, Keith Everett CC RHP L/R 6'02" 190 1987-10-12 J2

http://baseballnwblog.com/2009/05/11/baseball-nws-pre-draft-analysis/

* Good arm strength—coming off Tommy John surgery. Not drafted in high school.

http://media.www.clipperonline.info/media/storage/paper1338/news/2009/04/24/Sports/Pitchers.Continue.To.Throw.Quality.Outings.For.Trojan.Baseball.Squad-3724637.shtml

Campbell likes to overpower hitters with his fastball that consistently reaches the low 90s miles per hour.

"For me I like to dominate the plate and go with a little swagger out on the mound," Campbell said. "Just showing [the opposing hitters] that I'm better than them and my fastball is going to beat them."

16) Revell, Michael Florida HS (FL) 3B L/R 6'00" 189 1989-09-06 HS

-Wants over-slot to sign- Committed to Chipola JC in Florida 

* Was committed to FSU but has since backed out. So he may not be as strident on his money demands because of that. Or he’s going to JC in order up his draft stock, reinforcing his money demands.

17) Strong, Paul Marina HS (CA) LHP L/L 6'02" 195 1990-08-18 HS

-Wants over-slot to sign- Committed to UC Irvine

http://www.ocvarsity.com/articles/strong-sometimes-lot-2357324-last-renfrow

His fastball can touch the low 90s, though he’s in the high 80s with greater frequency. He throws three pitches for strikes – fastball, curve, changeup.

"I’m going to UC Irvine, but we’ll see what happens in the draft," Strong said. He said he has no set number that Major League clubs must hit to lure him away.

Marina coach Paul Renfrow said. "He wants to go to college, though. He’s a smart kid. … He wants to go to UCI. … It would take a lot."

* Gillespie said incoming recruit 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 him to sign.

18) Schaaf, Michael Arthur Hill HS (MI) RHP S/R 6'07" 235 1991-06-18 HS

-Committed to St. Peter’s College (NJ)

From TR Sullivan: Michael Shaaf, the Rangers' 18th-round pick, was a three-sport star at Arthur Hill High School in Michigan. He was considering playing quarterback at Michigan State or Rutgers but appears to be headed to St. Peter's College in New Jersey for baseball.

19) Boyd, David J M Tate HS (FL) 3B R/R 6'03" 180 1990-12-30 HS

- Draft and Follow this Summer- Committed to FSU

 http://www.powershowcase.us/profiles/2009-PLAYER-profiles/profile-fl-boyd.php

http://www.pnj.com/article/20090610/SPORTS/906100353/Boyd+could+be+picked+in+MLB+Draft+today

http://forum.newbergreport.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8614&p=159562#p159562

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.

20) Werniuk, Jerome Neil McNeil HS RHP R/R 6'06" 215 1991-09-10 HS

-Committed to Lemoyne

#7 out of Canada: Jerome Werniuk is a hulking 6-foot-6, 220-pound righthander. Because of his size, he has difficulty repeating his delivery and his fastball is just average right now. If it all clicks for him he has a chance to be special.

Video: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4757981

21) Matlock, Christopher Central Missouri St U RHP R/R 6'02" 190 1986-07-04 SR

-Expected to be easy senior sign-

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4757981

 * 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, and ranked third in the nation with 14 saves.

He had the nation’s best strikeout-to-walk ratio of 79-to-4 (one of which was an intentional walk).

Coach Myers Says: Chris is a returning All-American closer from last season. He is a highly competitive person that enjoys the late inning challenges. He can locate 3 pitches really well, hold runners, and field his position.

22) Brown, Samuel North Carolina St U RHP R/R 6'05" 215 1987-06-10 JR

-Signed-

* BA: The Wolfpack has several other pitchers who could go in the first 15 rounds, such as righthander Sam Brown, a tease who was a seventh-rounder out of high school in 2006 and an 18th-rounder last year as an eligible sophomore. He has low-90s velocity from a low-three-quarters slot.

23) Lima, Daniel Barry U SS R/R 6'01" 192 1987-02-21 SR

-Signed-

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/L/daniel-lima.shtml

24) Blackwell, Shawn Clear Creek HS (TX) RHP R/R 6'05" 195 1990-11-15 HS

-Committed to Kansas

* From PG: SCOUTING PROFILE: Blackwell has a long-limbed build with loose, easy actions and projects well. He throws from a tricky over-the-top release point, which forces him to clear his head in order to get his arm through, but his arm action is more natural than most young pitchers with his release point. He does a good job staying on line and getting over his front side on release. Blackwell’s fastball is routinely between 88-91 mph and pretty straight, but he does a solid job of spotting his fastball off the center of the plate. His out-pitch is a mid- to upper-70s curveball that has 12-to-6 shape and a hard, sharp bite that freezes hitters. Blackwell also throws an occasional sinking changeup in the mid-70s that could develop into a nice pitch for him with more use. When Blackwell is in sync with his curveball, it is a definite out-pitch, even when hitters know it is coming. Blackwell’s fastball velocity has been pretty steady for the last three years, but it’s easy to project him gaining a bit more speed when he gets stronger.-DAVID RAWNSLEY

http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=6db810ac1494d783

Blackwell said he doesn’t have a magic number that will tip the scales either way, but any pro contract would have to include eight-semesters of college tuition so he could go to school when his career is over.

"I’m hoping it isn’t going to be a hard decision," Blackwell said. "Basically, I’m really hoping I get offered the money I want where it is a no-brainer, or the money isn’t enough so it’s an obvious decision to go to Kansas.

"If (the money) is close, it’s going to be a hard one to make."

25) Cooper, Riley U Florida RF R/R 6'04" 215 1987-09-09 JR 

-Wants over-slot to sign- Plays both football and baseball at U Florida

- Draft and Follow this summer-

* Florida's most complicated case is outfielder Riley Cooper, a premium athlete with tremendous speed who doubles as a wide receiver on the football team. He made little contact this spring with the bat, striking out 41 times in 89 at-bats. Cooper plans to play for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League this summer, rather than attend summer school like most football players do, so he’s likely to be a summer follow.

26) Castner, Kevin Cal Poly San Luis Obispo RHP R/R 6'04" 230 1987-08-03 SR

According to Cole: Agreed to terms last year but failed physical with bone spurs so the Rangers reduced his offer and Castner went back to school. He’s healthy now and will sign.

27) Barrett, Aaron U Mississippi RHP R/R 6'04" 200 1988-01-02 JR

For a guy who pitched at an SEC school there is absolutely nothing out there on him.  If someone has got something google missed please do let me know.

28) Law, Derek Seton LaSalle Catholic HS (PA) RHP R/R 6'02" 1990-09-14 HS

-Committed to Miami Dade College

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4757981

http://forum.newbergreport.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8614&p=159562#p159562

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 to 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."

29) Watson, Charles (CC) Cleburne County HS (AL) LHP L/L 5'11" 1851990-09-18 HS

- Committed to Mississippi State U

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2188747/

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=404

Watson is listed at 6-feet but that could be generous—either way he is undersized. Lefthanded, Watson’s fastball was 87-88 mph as he pitched from a ¾ arm slot. Hitters have a hard time picking up the ball from Watson’s hand as he creates deception with a short arm stroke.

"With his size, arm action and arm slot, you have to see crazy movement or high velocity to jump on a guy like that," an American League scout said.  Then the scout used a common phrase heard in the scouting community. "For me, he’s a college guy," he said.

30) Fogle, Bryan Erskine Col RF R/R 6'02" 235 1988-01-14 JR

Couldn't find anything on him.