Major League Baseball held it annual amateur draft yesterday. The Rangers had nine picks, seven of which came in the draft's first two rounds (including three supplemental picks sandwiched between the first and second rounds).
Texas selected left-handed pitcher David Wells out of Point Loma High School in San Diego with its first pick. Wells has a low 90's fastball and a big, slow curve. The 6-4 220lb lefty figures to start out in the bullpen but the Rangers hope to convert him to a starter over the next few seasons.
The Rangers had three supplemental picks which they were granted after losing free agents during the prior off-season. The Rangers used those picks to select right-fielder Todd Benzinger, first baseman Jack Daugherty and pitcher Vicente Palacios. Neither of the three is considered a top-tier prospect but are expected to all be solid Major Leaguers.
The second round saw the Rangers select three more players, pitchers Jeff Ballard and Blake Gideon and catcher Jeff DeWillis. Ballard is considered the best prospect of the group with Gideon and DeWillis being more long-shot prospects.
The Rangers selected third baseman Chuck Jackson in the third round before wrapping up their draft by taking catcher Terry McGriff in the fourth.
Pitching was the focus of the draft as a whole as the first four picks were pitchers as were six of the first eight. Kansas City selected right-handed John Burkett with the first overall pick followed by lefty Joe Magrane by Atlanta. Righty Jack McDowell went third to the Mariners and left Tom Glavine went No. 4 to Oakland before Montreal stopped the run on pitchers by selecting third baseman Edgar Martinez.
Here is the entire first round:
Kansas City: John Burkett, P
Atlanta: Joe Magrane, P
Seattle: Jack McDowell, P
Oakland: Tom Glavin, P
Montreal: Edgar Martinez, 3B
Pittsburgh: Matt Williams, SS
Chicago (A): Al Leiter, P
Philadelphia: Melido Perez, P
St. Louis: Ken Caminiti, 3B
Chicago (N): John Farrell, P
Los Angeles: Shane Mack, CF
Seattle: Ellis Burks, CF
San Diego: Jose Mesa, P
Cincinnati: Bryan Harvey, P
Cleveland: Jeff Montgomery, P
Pittsburgh: Jeff Blauser, SS
Milwaukee: Tim Belcher, P
Houston: Ron Gant, 2B
Chicago (N): Gregg Jefferies, 3B
Texas: David Wells, P
Minnesota: Mike Dunne, P
Toronto: Jay Buhner, CF
San Francisco: Pete Smith, P
Chicago (N): Randy Milligan, 1B
San Diego: Jeff Robinson, P
Los Angeles: Lance Johnson, CF
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