Texas Rangers select OF Lewis Brinson with 29th overall selection in 2012 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft
The Texas Rangers with the 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, selected outfielder Lewis Brinson of Coral Springs High School in Coral Springs, FL.
“We are very excited to select a player of Lewis Brinson’s ability,” commented Rangers Director of Amateur Scouting Kip Fagg. “We have done a ton of work on him. He is a player with great upside and makeup who can throw, run and hit with power.”
The right-handed batter and thrower is 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds. Brinson batted .394 with 4 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs, 21 RBI, and 11 stolen bases as a senior for Coral Springs. Brinson was a 4-year starter for the Colts, leading them to postseason play in 3 of his 4 seasons, after Coral Springs had qualified for the postseason only 5 times previously. The outfielder also batted .473 and 29 runs scored as a junior.
Brinson was named an Under Armour All-American and participated in the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field on August 13, 2011 and the Perfect Game showcase in Jupiter, Florida. He has committed to the University of Florida.
It marks the fourth consecutive year that the Rangers have taken a high school player with their first selection in the First Year Player Draft and the 19th time in 41 seasons in Texas. It is the sixth time Texas has selected an outfielder with the first pick, the last being Jake Skole in 2010.
The Rangers have 3 of the 1st 53 selections in the draft with two picks in the compensation round: the 39th overall pick (for Type A C.J. Wilson, Angels) and the 53rd overall pick (for Type B Darren Oliver, Blue Jays).