Draft Day Thoughts....
The first of the two day 2007 MLB draft was, as always a bitter sweet day. Great kids and great families see dreams come true but when you also want to see great players come to Texas A&M to and improve their game and get drafted again in a couple of years after staring at my school, it is a good and bad day all at the same time.
Congratulations to Brandon Hicks (third round to Atlanta), David Newmann (fourth round to Tampa Bay, and Blake Stouffer (fourth round to Cincinnati). Each improved their draft stock at Texas A&M and show that hard work and perseverance does pay off. Expect Kyle Nicholson, Ben Feltner, Parker Dalton, Gary Campfield, Jordan Chambless, Josh Stinson and Craig Stinson to have their name called today as well. I don't think that Chambless or Campfield will leave after this year but Feltner could go high enough to have to make a tough choice. Each one of these players have improved their draft positions by attending Texas A&M and even with Chambless injury problems the past two seasons, he will still go higher next year than he did coming out of high school.
Recruiting, looking very promising until 5:45 yesterday had a big surprise waiting for the Aggie coaches. Kevin Ahrens was projected to go as high as #15 in the first round and he was drafted by Toronto at #16. Eric Eiland as projected either go in the first five rounds or not at all after an injury plagued senior season and a strong desire to attend Texas A&M. I was shocked when Toronto drafted him in the second round at #88. The good news for the Aggies was Will Middlebrooks fell out of the first round and was not drafted until #174 in fifth by Boston. Lets take a look at the numbers on the players drafted at each position and the bonus money that has been paid in the past four years.
The pick #88 has averaged $427,000 in bonus with the 2005 draft pick Bryan Morris not signing (instead he played for his father's junior college and signed as a first round pick in last years draft for $1,325,000). If you get the average bonus and work in taxes, you would average about $277,000 in actual bonus money for the #88 pick.
It drops of even more for the #174 pick. That pick has averaged $145,500 over the past four years and actually bonus money, when figuring in taxes is just $95,000.
Drew Stubbs was in the same position in the 2003 draft, he was taken with the #89 after being projected as at least a second round pick. The Astros, with MLB cracking down on paying high bonuses outside the "slot range" of the picks around you, were unable to sign him for $425K. He went to Texas and was the key player on Texas' College World Series and National Championship team and went with the eighth pick in last year's draft. He signed for a bonus of $2,000,000 and has the prestige of being a first round pick. That prestige is important as well, it puts you in the spotlight with the big league club and they keep track of you much more closely than later picks.
Both Eiland and Middlebrooks have the same choice in front of them. With Texas A&M's resurgence and the majority of a great recruiting class in place, the Aggies will enter next season as a program that will be among the favorites to advance to the College World Series. Texas A&M will have to fill starting spots in the outfield and infield and these two players have the talent to start as freshmen in Aggieland.
I am biased, I want to see them at Texas A&M and the opportunity so significantly increase their draft position and bonus money is available at Texas A&M as well. First round picks, like Ahrens, should go play pro ball but a player that can be a first round pick in just a couple of years is better served to play college baseball. Ask Nick Papasan if the $125,ooo (81K after taxes) he signed for last year is worth sitting in Ft. Meyers Florida (and not even playing rookie ball so far this spring) or if he would rather be in the lineup tonight against Rice with a trip to the College World Series on the line?
Congratulations to Brandon Hicks (third round to Atlanta), David Newmann (fourth round to Tampa Bay, and Blake Stouffer (fourth round to Cincinnati). Each improved their draft stock at Texas A&M and show that hard work and perseverance does pay off. Expect Kyle Nicholson, Ben Feltner, Parker Dalton, Gary Campfield, Jordan Chambless, Josh Stinson and Craig Stinson to have their name called today as well. I don't think that Chambless or Campfield will leave after this year but Feltner could go high enough to have to make a tough choice. Each one of these players have improved their draft positions by attending Texas A&M and even with Chambless injury problems the past two seasons, he will still go higher next year than he did coming out of high school.
Recruiting, looking very promising until 5:45 yesterday had a big surprise waiting for the Aggie coaches. Kevin Ahrens was projected to go as high as #15 in the first round and he was drafted by Toronto at #16. Eric Eiland as projected either go in the first five rounds or not at all after an injury plagued senior season and a strong desire to attend Texas A&M. I was shocked when Toronto drafted him in the second round at #88. The good news for the Aggies was Will Middlebrooks fell out of the first round and was not drafted until #174 in fifth by Boston. Lets take a look at the numbers on the players drafted at each position and the bonus money that has been paid in the past four years.
The pick #88 has averaged $427,000 in bonus with the 2005 draft pick Bryan Morris not signing (instead he played for his father's junior college and signed as a first round pick in last years draft for $1,325,000). If you get the average bonus and work in taxes, you would average about $277,000 in actual bonus money for the #88 pick.
It drops of even more for the #174 pick. That pick has averaged $145,500 over the past four years and actually bonus money, when figuring in taxes is just $95,000.
Drew Stubbs was in the same position in the 2003 draft, he was taken with the #89 after being projected as at least a second round pick. The Astros, with MLB cracking down on paying high bonuses outside the "slot range" of the picks around you, were unable to sign him for $425K. He went to Texas and was the key player on Texas' College World Series and National Championship team and went with the eighth pick in last year's draft. He signed for a bonus of $2,000,000 and has the prestige of being a first round pick. That prestige is important as well, it puts you in the spotlight with the big league club and they keep track of you much more closely than later picks.
Both Eiland and Middlebrooks have the same choice in front of them. With Texas A&M's resurgence and the majority of a great recruiting class in place, the Aggies will enter next season as a program that will be among the favorites to advance to the College World Series. Texas A&M will have to fill starting spots in the outfield and infield and these two players have the talent to start as freshmen in Aggieland.
I am biased, I want to see them at Texas A&M and the opportunity so significantly increase their draft position and bonus money is available at Texas A&M as well. First round picks, like Ahrens, should go play pro ball but a player that can be a first round pick in just a couple of years is better served to play college baseball. Ask Nick Papasan if the $125,ooo (81K after taxes) he signed for last year is worth sitting in Ft. Meyers Florida (and not even playing rookie ball so far this spring) or if he would rather be in the lineup tonight against Rice with a trip to the College World Series on the line?
posted by scott@aggiebaseball.net | 7:54 AM
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