High school players scarce on second day of MLB draft

The second day of the Major League Baseball First Year Player draft needed to wait only four picks before the first high school player, Garnet Valley (Glen Mills, Pa.) shortstop Joe DeCarlo, was chosen, but it was an otherwise slow day for high school players in general.

Of the 488 players chosen in the first 15 rounds of the draft (including compensation rounds), only 145 high school players have been chosen. This does not include high school players from Puerto Rico or the state of Montana, which does not sanction high school baseball but has an extensive American Legion program.

The reason for the low number of high school players chosen stems from the new cost controls put in place to limit spending on players in the draft. Each MLB team is given signing bonus pools and teams that go over the signing bonus are dealt harsh penalties. Teams thus try to minimize the amount of money they will have to pay a draft pick over the slot money by finding players who will sign for the amount of money offered.

This means fewer high school players, particularly highly-ranked players who did not go in the first 60 picks, were chosen in rounds two through 15 on the second day. Instead, teams spent their picks on college players, particularly college seniors who have less negotiating leverage than high school players.

The strategy left a number of MaxPreps Top 100 players still undrafted heading into Day 3 of the draft. Among those still available include: No. 18 C.j. Hinojosa, Klein Collins (Spring, Texas); No. 20 Mitchell Traver, Houston Christian (Houston, Texas); No. 26. Taylore Cherry, Butler (Vandalia, Ohio); No. 27 Freddy Avis, Menlo (Atherton, Calif.); No. 32. Nathan Kirby, James River (Midlothian, Va.) and No. 33 Rhett Wiseman, Buckingham Browne & Nichols (Cambridge, Mass.).

DeCarlo, ranked No. 53 in the MaxPreps Top 100, went with the No. 64 overall pick to the Seattle Mariners. He was one of 20 high school players to go in the second round, joined by the likes of Dylan Cozens of Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.), No. 77 overall to the Philadelphia Phillies, and No. 86 overall Carson Kelly of Westview (Portland, Ore.) to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Nine schools had at least two players drafted by the end of Day 2 including two schools, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.) and Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), with three.

Olympia had Connor Lien joined first-day picks Jesse Winker and Walker Weickel. Lien went with pick No. 389 to the Atlanta Braves. Meanwhile Archbishop McCarthy had 3B/SS Nick Basto go to the White Sox at No. 171 and LHP Andre Martinez go to the Twins at No. 190. Nick Travieso was chosen Monday at No. 14.

Other schools with at least two included Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), Rockwall (Rockwall, Texas), Raytown South (Raytown, Mo.), IMG Academies (Bradenton, Fla.), Winter Springs (Winter Springs, Fla.), Coral Springs (Coral Springs, Fla.) and Dillon (Dillon, S.C.).

Florida continues to lead all states with 35 high school selections. California is second with 30 picks while Texas has 16.

The Toronto Blue Jays have taken the most high school players with 10. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the San Francisco Giants each have the fewest with one apiece.

The Texas Rangers have one of the more intriguing high school drafts, loading up on athletic high school outfielders. Besides Lewis Brinson of Coral Springs, chosen in the first round, the Rangers have taken Jermyll Jarmon of Indian River (Dagsboro, Del.), Nick Williams of Ball (Galveston, Texas), Kwinton Smith of Dillon and Jameis Winston of Hueytown (Ala.).

Winston was one of two football standouts taken on the first day. Winston, who signed with Florida State to play quarterback, will likely honor his football commitment after going in the 15th round on Tuesday. The other quarterback, Anthony Alford of Petal (Miss.), went to the Toronto Blue Jays with the No. 112 overall pick. Alford has said that he will honor his commitment to play football at Southern Mississippi.

The draft continues Wednesday with rounds 16 through 40. The MLB draft is 10 rounds shorter this year.