D-backs select eight players in second day of 2013 First-Year Player Draft
The Arizona Diamondbacks selected eight additional players in rounds 3-10 of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft today, according to D-backs' Director, Scouting Ray Montgomery. Of the D-backs' first 11 picks over the first two days, they have selected one catcher, two infielders, three outfielders, four right-handed pitchers and one left-handed pitcher. Yesterday, the D-backs selected University of Nevada right-handed pitcher Braden Shipley in the First Round (15th overall), Marshall University right-handed pitcher Aaron Blair in the Competitive Balance Round-A (36th overall) and Terrebonne High School (Houma, La.) outfielder Justin Williams in the Second Round.
"Today we continued to target position-specific, athletic players and I think we definitely accomplished that," said Montgomery. "We worked to bring in good-character guys and players we know will take their work seriously. We were able to select a mix of high school players who are ready to start their careers and college players who are ready for the next level."
Today's selections of note include:
- Infielder Daniel Palka (Third Round, 88th overall) garnered 2013 All-Atlantic Coastal Conference First-Team honors after batting .342 (81-for-237) with 13 doubles, 17 home runs and 66 RBI. The Collegiate Baseball Third-Team All-American was rated by Baseball America as the ninth-best college outfielder in the draft.
- Outfielder Matt McPhearson (Fourth Round, 120th overall), a University of Miami, Fla. recruit, was named a 2013 Rawlings Second-Team All-American. The 2012 Under Armour All-American, is rated by ESPN as the No. 62 overall prospect and by Baseball America as the 13th-best centerfielder in the draft.
- Infielder Jamie Westbrook (Fifth Round, 150th overall), a Chandler, Ariz. high school standout, batted .434 with 6 home runs, 13 RBI and 17 runs scored. The D-backs Elite Scout Team participant has committed to play at Pepperdine University.
- Outfielder Colin Bray (Sixth Round, 180th overall) is rated by PerfectGame.Org as the No. 1 junior college prospect in the draft. He batted .444 with 8 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs, 32 RBI, 60 runs scored and 23 stolen bases this season.
- Left-handed pitcher Daniel Gibson (Seventh Round, 210th overall) appeared in 32 games for the Gators, going 2-1 with a 4.42 ERA (19 ER in 38.2 IP) and 31 strikeouts. He is ranked by Baseball America as the eighth-best prospect in the state of Florida.
- Right-handed pitcher Brad Keller (Eighth Round, 240th overall) was named to the Georgia Region-8 5A All-Region First-Team and garnered Second-Team pitcher of the Year honors. He is committed to play at Presbyterian College.
- Catcher Grant Nelson (Ninth Round, 270th overall) batted .338 (77-for-228) with 8 doubles 3 triples, 5 home runs and 32 RBI for the Bilikens and was added to the 2013 Johnny Bench Award Watch List during the year.
- Right-handed pitcher Jimmie Sherfy (10th round, 300th overall) went 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA (10 ER in 40.0 IP) with 21 saves for the Ducks and is a finalist for the 2013 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award for the second consecutive year.
The draft concludes tomorrow/June 8, with rounds 11-40.