Eight amateur players to attend 2013 MLB Draft
Eight amateur players are scheduled to attend Major League Baseball’s 2013 Draft, which will be held on Thursday, June 6th at MLB Network’s Studio 42 in Secaucus, New Jersey, it was announced today.
The eight scheduled attendees are East Central Community College infielder Tim Anderson; high school catcher Nick Ciuffo; high school infielder J.P Crawford; high school catcher Jon Denney; high school outfielder Clint Frazier; Fresno State outfielder Aaron Judge; high school outfielder Billy McKinney; and high school first baseman Dominic Smith. Smith and Crawford are products of the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California.
TIM ANDERSON, SS
East Central (MS) Community College
HT: 6-1
WT: 180
B/T: R/R
Born: 6/23/93
Hometown: Tuscaloosa, AL
College Choice: University of Alabama-Birmingham
As a freshman in 2012, Tim received All-Region 23 and MACJC All-State honors after hitting .360 with seven doubles, one triple, four home runs, 37 RBI, 30 stolen bases and 42 runs scored. He began the 2013 season with a team-best .495 batting average, 20 RBI and 25 stolen bases.
NICK CIUFFO, C
Lexington?H.S. (SC)
HT: 6-0
WT: 192
B/T: L/R
Born: 3/7/95
Hometown: Lexington,?SC
College Choice: University of South Carolina
As a senior Nick was named South Carolina AAAA State Player of the Year after hitting .468 with five home runs and 33 RBI. In addition, he hit .507 during a 25-game hitting streak this season. Nick was named to the 2013 Louisville Slugger Preseason High School All-American Team. Following his junior season in 2012, he earned Perfect Game and Under Armour All-American honors.
JOHN (J.P.) CRAWFORD, SS
Lakewood H.S. (CA)
HT: 6-2
WT: 180 B/T: L/R
Born: 1/11/95
Hometown: Lakewood, CA
College Choice: University of Southern California
J.P. was selected a First Team All-American by Rawlings and All-Region?First Team prior to the 2013 season. During his senior season, he hit .448 with 12 RBI, 37 runs scored, 17 stolen bases and 13 extra-base hits.
JON DENNEY, C
Yukon H.S. (OK)
HT: 6-2
WT: 205
B/T: R/R
Born: 9/28/94
Hometown: Yukon, OK
College Choice: University of Arkansas
Jon hit .462 with 11 home runs, 46 RBI, 40 walks, 13 doubles and six triples this year. He played in the 2012 Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley?Field last summer after batting .327 with 12 home runs as a junior. Prior to the 2013 season, he was named a First Team Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American.
CLINT FRAZIER, OF
Loganville?H.S.?(GA)
HT: 5-11
WT: 185
B/T: R/R
Born: 9/6/94
Hometown: Loganville,?GA
College Choice: University of Georgia
Through the end of April, Clint was hitting .521 with 13 home runs, 34 RBI and 39 runs scored. He was named a Preseason All-American and was a First Team?All-American in 2012 after hitting .424 with 24 home runs.
AARON JUDGE, OF
Fresno State University
HT: 6-7
WT: 245 B/T: R/R
Born: 4/26/92
Hometown: Linden, CA
As a sophomore in 2012, Aaron hit .308 with 62 hits, 14 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 27 RBI in 201 at-bats. Through 56 games in 2013, he hit .369 with 76 hits, 15 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 36 RBI in 206 at-bats. He added 12 stolen bases with a .655 slugging percentage and a .461 on-base percentage.
BILLY McKINNEY, OF
Plano West Senior H.S.?(TX)
HT: 6-0
WT: 185
B/T: L/L
Born: 8/23/94
Hometown: Plano,?TX
College Choice: Texas Christian University
Prior to the 2013 season, Billy was named All-Region First Team and Second Team All-American by Rawlings. Last summer, he played in the Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field.
DOMINIC SMITH, 1B
Junipero Serra H.S.?(CA)
HT: 6-0
WT: 185 B/T: L/L
Born: 6/15/95
Hometown: Los Angeles,?CA
College Choice: University of Southern California
As a junior in 2012, Dominic batted .551 with 49 RBI, 43 runs scored and nine home runs over 25 games. Through his first 13 games of the 2013 season, Smith was hitting .514 with three home runs and 19 RBI. In addition, he posted a 1.62 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 13.0 innings pitched over three appearances in his team’s first 18 games.
“Major League Baseball is very pleased with the turnout for this year’s Draft,” Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig said. “We look forward to showing these young men and their families a memorable evening, on such a special occasion in their lives, with the many accomplished baseball figures who will represent our 30 Clubs at MLB Network’s Studio 42.”
The previous high for the most players attending a Draft was five, last year’s total. Among last year’s attendees was the number one overall choice, shortstop Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros organization. Attendees in previous years have included the 2012 American League Rookie of the Year, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Mike Trout (2009); Minnesota Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks (2008); and Washington Nationals pitcher Ross Detwiler (2007).
Three Hall of Famers, three Most Valuable Players, three World Series-winning managers and 25 All-Stars are among the baseball legends who are scheduled to represent the 30 Clubs at the 2013 Draft. Hall of Famers George Brett, Senator Jim Bunning and Tommy Lasorda lead a decorated contingent that is scheduled to attend the 2013 Draft on Thursday, June 6th at MLB Network’s Studio 42 in Secaucus, New Jersey. BBWAA Most Valuable Players Frank Thomas (1993-1994) and Ivan Rodriguez (1999) are slated to be on hand, as is fellow winner Brett (1980).
Other former All-Stars who will represent the Clubs are (alphabetically): Andy Ashby (representing the San Diego Padres), Bob Boone (WSH), Al Bumbry (BAL), Will Clark (SF), Jose Cruz (HOU), Alvin Davis (SEA), Eric Davis (CIN), 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein (LAA), Ryan Franklin (STL), Ralph Garr (ATL), Luis Gonzalez (ARI), Roberto Hernandez (TB), Charlie Hough (LAD), Fred McGriff (TOR), three-time American League batting champion Tony Oliva (MIN), Willie Randolph (NYY), Darryl Strawberry (NYM), Jim Sundberg (TEX), Kent Tekulve (PIT), former Red Sox captain Jason Varitek (BOS) and Kerry Wood (CHI). World Series-winning managers Tony La Russa (MLB) and Jack McKeon (MIA) also will join Lasorda at the festivities, along with the 2011 winner of the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, executive Roland Hemond (ARI). (A complete list of the Club representatives who are scheduled to attend the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft accompanies this press release.)
The Draft will begin live on MLB Network and MLB.com on Thursday, June 6th at 7:00 p.m. (ET). Prior to the start of the Draft, MLB Network will air a Draft preview show, also simulcast on MLB.com, at 6:00 p.m. (ET).
The selection order of the First-Year Player Draft is determined by the reverse order of finish at the close of the previous championship season. The Houston Astros will have the first overall selection of the 2013 Draft, marking the second consecutive year, and the fourth time in Club history, that they hold the top selection (previous: 1976, 1992, 2012). It also marks the third time ever that a Club has the top pick in back-to-back years, joining the Tampa Bay Rays, who had the first pick in 2007 and 2008, and the Washington Nationals, who held the first selection in 2009 and 2010. The New York Yankees have a league-high three first round picks (26th, 32nd and 33rd overall). Four Clubs have two first round picks: the Pittsburgh Pirates (9th and 14th), the St. Louis Cardinals (19th and 28th), the Tampa Bay Rays (21st and 29th) and the Texas Rangers (23rd and 30th). The Yankees and the Miami Marlins each have four of the first 73 selections.
For the first time, the Draft will feature Competitive Balance rounds, which were agreed upon as a part of the 2012-2016 Basic Agreement between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The Competitive Balance rounds give Clubs with the lowest revenues and in the smallest markets the opportunity to obtain additional draft picks through a lottery, which was held last July. The 10 Clubs with the lowest revenues and the 10 Clubs in the smallest markets were entered into a lottery for the six selections immediately following the first round of the First-Year Player Draft (picks 34-39). The eligible Clubs that did not receive one of the six selections after the first round, and all other payee Clubs under the Revenue Sharing Plan, were entered into a second lottery for the six picks immediately following the second round of the Draft (picks 69-73; only five picks will be made in this round for 2013 after the Cleveland Indians forfeited their pick for the signing of free agent Michael Bourn).
The Draft will have 40 rounds, and a Club may pass on its selection in any round and not forfeit its right to participate in other rounds. Like each of the previous four years, the 2013 Draft will span three days. For day one on June 6th, MLB Network and MLB.com will provide live pick-by-pick coverage during the first round, Competitive Balance Round A, the second round and Competitive Balance Round B. The intervals between selections will last four and a half minutes during the first round, two minutes during Competitive Balance Round A, and one minute during the second round and Competitive Balance Round B. The Draft will resume at 1:00 p.m. (ET) on both Friday, June 7th and Saturday, June 8th via conference call from MLB headquarters in New York City. Friday, June 7th will cover rounds three through 10, and Saturday, June 8th will cover rounds 11 through 40. Rounds three through 10 will have one minute between selections, and the remainder of the selections will be made without delays.
Beginning with the Draft preview show, MLB Network’s live coverage will feature interviews with Club front office personnel and representatives, footage from Club draft rooms, interviews with prospects and newly drafted players, and news and analysis from MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger, Larry Bowa, Peter Gammons, John Hart, Brian Kenny, Al Leiter, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds, Bill Ripken, Alanna Rizzo, Sam Ryan and Matt Yallof, as well as Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com and Jim Callis of Baseball America.
MLB.com will begin its exclusive live programming of the Draft’s final two days with a live draft show from its New York studios at 12:30 p.m. (ET) on June 7th, followed by a live pick-by-pick stream and draft and scouting expert commentary from Mayo and Callis. It also will provide DraftCaster, a live interactive application that includes a searchable database of every draft-eligible player supplemented by statistics, scouting reports and video highlights.
The 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft is supported by T-Mobile, the official wireless telecommunications sponsor of Major League Baseball, and The Topps Company, the exclusive trading card licensee of Major League Baseball.