Top Pick in Draft by Astros Is Surprise
SECAUCUS, N.J. — With a move to the American League planned for next season, the Houston Astros faced the choice of a safe college pitcher or a high schooler loaded with potential. But the team chose neither, selecting Carlos Correa, a shortstop from Puerto Rico, with the first pick in the 2012 first year player draft.
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Dennis M. Rivera-Pichardo for The New York Times
Shortstop Carlos Correa, 17, of Puerto Rico, was chosen by the Astros as the No. 1 pick.
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The consensus before the draft began was that the team was trying to decide between Mark Appel of Stanford or Byron Buxton, a Georgia high schooler. But Correa, a shortstop who has drawn comparisons to Alex Rodriguez, proved too tempting to pass up.
The highest selection ever out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Correa is a lanky 6-foot-4 infielder, just like his favorite player, Derek Jeter.
“There were a lot of good choices in this year’s draft, and we really felt like Carlos had a chance to be an impact player here in Houston for a long time,” Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow said after the selection.
In 1992, the Astros also faced a choice between a safe college player and a youngster with potential. The team chose Phil Nevin of Cal State Fullerton over Jeter of Kalamazoo Central High School. That move proved disastrous, as Nevin’s maturity problems led to his playing just 18 games for the Astros before being traded away. Jeter has led the Yankees to five World Series titles.
This time, the Astros went with a player who oozes potential, even if at 17 he does not have the pedigree, or the Houston connections, of Appel.
“I always followed Derek Jeter,” Correa said when asked about the link to his favorite player. “It’s not just because he’s good inside the field, but it’s because he’s good outside the field. And that’s what I’m looking for.”
The highest pick previously from the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy was Ramon Castro, the No. 17 pick in 1994, who also went to the Astros.
“It means a lot for me,” Correa said when asked about being the top pick from an island with a rich baseball tradition. “It’s history, man. I just feel happy.”
Correa worked long days at the academy, rising at 5 a.m. and not getting home until after 6 p.m., at which point he would do extra work with his father, a construction worker also named Carlos.
The pace seems hectic, but Correa has his eyes on bigger things.
“I just want to be a big leaguer and be a Hall of Famer,” he said. “That energy comes from that.”
Correa, who had a 4.0 grade-point average in high school and was valedictorian, committed to play for the University of Miami next year but is planning to forgo college and sign with the Astros.
With the second pick in the draft, the Twins chose Buxton, considered by Baseball America and a number of other scouting services to be the most talented member of the draft class, drawing comparisons to Matt Kemp, Eric Davis and even Willie Mays.
From the town of Baxley, Ga., population 4,509, Buxton, 18, is a long-term pick but is already major league-ready in terms of speed and outfield defense.
Appel ended up falling all the way to the No. 8 pick, with Mike Zunino of Florida having the distinction of being the first college player off the board at No. 3 by the Seattle Mariners.
A top defensive catcher, Zunino is hitting .316 with 18 homers and 60 runs batted in for the Gators as they try to make the College World Series. The only knock on him was that he struggled in the strong Southeastern Conference, hitting .255 in conference play, though his slugging percentage was still a respectable .509.
It is unclear whether the decision to pass over Appel was based on concerns about his talent or the ability to sign him, but it certainly came as a surprise. A first-team all-American, Appel grew up rooting for the Astros even though his family moved to California when he was 12. On top of that, his schoolmates Andrew Luck and Nneka Ogwumike were chosen with the first picks in the N.F.L. and W.N.B.A. drafts this year, making the package appear all too perfect.
Day 1 of the draft consisted of the first round and the compensation round for free-agent signings. The draft will continue Tuesday with Rounds 2 through 15 and will end on Wednesday.
Enlarge This Image
Dennis M. Rivera-Pichardo for The New York Times
Shortstop Carlos Correa, 17, of Puerto Rico, was chosen by the Astros as the No. 1 pick.
Keep up with the latest news on The Times's baseball blog.
Go to the Bats Blog
.Major League Baseball
Live Scoreboard
Standings | Wild Card
Stats | Injuries
Yankees
Schedule/Results
Roster | Stats
Mets
Schedule/Results
Roster | Stats
The consensus before the draft began was that the team was trying to decide between Mark Appel of Stanford or Byron Buxton, a Georgia high schooler. But Correa, a shortstop who has drawn comparisons to Alex Rodriguez, proved too tempting to pass up.
The highest selection ever out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Correa is a lanky 6-foot-4 infielder, just like his favorite player, Derek Jeter.
“There were a lot of good choices in this year’s draft, and we really felt like Carlos had a chance to be an impact player here in Houston for a long time,” Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow said after the selection.
In 1992, the Astros also faced a choice between a safe college player and a youngster with potential. The team chose Phil Nevin of Cal State Fullerton over Jeter of Kalamazoo Central High School. That move proved disastrous, as Nevin’s maturity problems led to his playing just 18 games for the Astros before being traded away. Jeter has led the Yankees to five World Series titles.
This time, the Astros went with a player who oozes potential, even if at 17 he does not have the pedigree, or the Houston connections, of Appel.
“I always followed Derek Jeter,” Correa said when asked about the link to his favorite player. “It’s not just because he’s good inside the field, but it’s because he’s good outside the field. And that’s what I’m looking for.”
The highest pick previously from the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy was Ramon Castro, the No. 17 pick in 1994, who also went to the Astros.
“It means a lot for me,” Correa said when asked about being the top pick from an island with a rich baseball tradition. “It’s history, man. I just feel happy.”
Correa worked long days at the academy, rising at 5 a.m. and not getting home until after 6 p.m., at which point he would do extra work with his father, a construction worker also named Carlos.
The pace seems hectic, but Correa has his eyes on bigger things.
“I just want to be a big leaguer and be a Hall of Famer,” he said. “That energy comes from that.”
Correa, who had a 4.0 grade-point average in high school and was valedictorian, committed to play for the University of Miami next year but is planning to forgo college and sign with the Astros.
With the second pick in the draft, the Twins chose Buxton, considered by Baseball America and a number of other scouting services to be the most talented member of the draft class, drawing comparisons to Matt Kemp, Eric Davis and even Willie Mays.
From the town of Baxley, Ga., population 4,509, Buxton, 18, is a long-term pick but is already major league-ready in terms of speed and outfield defense.
Appel ended up falling all the way to the No. 8 pick, with Mike Zunino of Florida having the distinction of being the first college player off the board at No. 3 by the Seattle Mariners.
A top defensive catcher, Zunino is hitting .316 with 18 homers and 60 runs batted in for the Gators as they try to make the College World Series. The only knock on him was that he struggled in the strong Southeastern Conference, hitting .255 in conference play, though his slugging percentage was still a respectable .509.
It is unclear whether the decision to pass over Appel was based on concerns about his talent or the ability to sign him, but it certainly came as a surprise. A first-team all-American, Appel grew up rooting for the Astros even though his family moved to California when he was 12. On top of that, his schoolmates Andrew Luck and Nneka Ogwumike were chosen with the first picks in the N.F.L. and W.N.B.A. drafts this year, making the package appear all too perfect.
Day 1 of the draft consisted of the first round and the compensation round for free-agent signings. The draft will continue Tuesday with Rounds 2 through 15 and will end on Wednesday.
itexam - 5. Jun, 05:21
