Marlins select high school RHP Tyler Kolek with second overall pick in 2014 First-Year Player Draft
Marlins Select Three High School Players on First Night of Draft
MIAMI - The Miami Marlins tonight selected Texas high school right-handed pitcher Tyler Kolek with the second overall pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. The announcement was made by Vice President of Scouting Stan Meek.
Kolek pitched for Shepherd High School in his native Shepherd, Texas. He posted a 5-2 record and a 0.35 ERA in his senior season, with 126 strikeouts and eight walks in 60.1 innings pitched. He allowed just 23 hits, and no home runs. The campaign earned Kolek Gatorade Texas Player of the Year honors for 2013-14.
Kolek, 18, is the eighth high school pitcher selected by the Marlins with their first pick in the draft, and the first since Jose Fernandez, who was selected 14th overall out of Alonso High School (Tampa, FL) in 2011. It was the highest the Marlins have selected in the draft since taking Adrian Gonzalez No. 1 overall in 2000 out of Eastlake High School (San Diego, CA), and tied for the highest they have ever selected a pitcher, having also taken Josh Beckett No. 2 overall in 1999 out of Spring High School (Spring, TX).
With their second pick of the night, in Competitive Balance Round A (#36 overall), the Marlins selected catcher Blake Anderson out of West Lauderdale High School (Collinsville, MS). Anderson batted .438 (46x105) in his senior season, with 14 doubles, eight home runs and 40 RBI.
Miami selected a third high school player with its final pick of the night, taking shortstop Justin Twine out of Falls City High School (Falls City, TX) in the second round (43rd overall). Twine, a three-sport star in high school (football, track), batted .538 (28x52) in his senior season, with 28 runs scored, seven doubles, five triples, six home runs, 22 RBI and 19 stolen bases.
Twine was a Texas state champion in the long jump in his senior season, and placed fourth in the 100-meter dash; he also was the 1A Division II MVP in football, rushing for 1,906 yards and 32 touchdowns as a quarterback.
The Draft will resume tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. with Rounds 3-10; the Marlins have the second pick of the third round (#76). The Draft will conclude on Saturday with Rounds 11-40, beginning at 1:05 p.m.
Additional information is available on the team's official website, www.marlins.com and on mlb.mlb.com.