2011 Draft Recap

Yesterday marked the final day of the 2011 MLB Draft.  Much like Rounds 2-30 held on Tuesday, a league-wide conference call had front office personnel tabbing players from across the nation for Rounds 31-50.

View all 49 of the Tigers’ Picks Here

Having lost their first round selection for signing Victor Martinez as a Free Agent, the Tigers’ first pick was not until the 2^nd round.  With the 76^th overall pick, the Tigers selected Arkansas catcher James McCann (6’ 2”, 215).  McCann, captain of the Razorbacks in both 2010 and 2011, is considered one of the top defensive catchers in college baseball, committing just four errors and posting a .992 fielding percentage this spring.

The Tigers stayed in the batter’s box for their next 4 picks, selecting Vanderbilt 1^st baseman Aaron Westlake (6’ 4”, 235), Kansas State 3^rd baseman Jason King (6’ 0”, 216), Texas shortstop Brandon Loy (6’ 0”, 190) and Tyler Collins (5’ 11”, 190) an outfielder from Howard College (TX), in Rounds 3-6.

Westlake, a First Team All-SEC selection who has started in every game this season, leads the Commodores with 14 HRs.

King, who led his team in hitting this spring (.326), was a 2011 Second Team All-Big 12 selection.

Loy, who received a sparkling review from Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, was named All-Big 12 First Team in 2011 and is regarded as one of the top defensive shortstops in the nation.

Collins hit .488 with 19 home runs at the Texas junior college.  The Trophy Club, TX native was named to the 2011 Western Junior College Athletic Conference (WJCAC) All Conference Team and was the WJCAC Most Valuable Player Award Winner.

Detroit went to the mound for their 7^th round selection, nabbing Brian Flynn (6’8”, 239).  The lefty struck out 77 batters in 83 2/3 innings for Wichita State this season.

8^th round pick Jason Krizan (6’ 0” 185) put up some very impressive offensive stats for Dallas Baptist.  The rightfielder had a school-record 39-game hitting streak this year.  In addition, the Pflugerville, TX native set a new NCAA single-season record with his 37th double in a win over Alcorn State back on May 13.  Krizan exhibited his prowess on the basepaths, swiping 13 bases.

Kentucky University centerfielder Chad Wright (5’ 10”, 195) was picked by Detroit in the 9^th round.  A left-handed hitter, Wright hit .359 with team-highs in hits (78), triples (three), walks (23) and stolen bases (16).

The Tigers’ 10^th round selection should be familiar with “The Nutmeg State”.  Vanderbilt catcher Curtis Casali , hails from New Canaan, CT.  The senior backstop has 20 2Bs and 50 RBI to date.  The Corporate Communications Major has also greatly impacted the team’s moundsmen.

“Having Curt back in our program for a fourth year is certainly a boost to our team and specifically our pitching staff. There are not many kids who possess the size, arm strength and catching ability that Curt does. Besides being a quality catcher, Curt has distinguished himself as one of the better offensive players in our league. He will start for us behind the plate and hit in the middle of our order.” – Tim Corbin, Head Coach, Vanderbilt Baseball.

In the 26^th round, Detroit picked Colin Kaline (5’ 10”, 180), the grandson of Hall of Fame Tiger Al Kaline.  The 2^nd baseman out of Florida Southern College, was the 797th player chosen.  He hit .287 with a home run and 17 RBI this season.  He started all but three games, led the team in walks each of the last three seasons and was third in the team in on-base percentage with a mark of .437.  The four-year starter had a fielding percentage of .976, committing just four errors in 165 chances.

Off the diamond, Kaline was this year’s recipient of the Pat McFadden Award as FSC’s top male scholar-athlete, posting a 3.61 grade point average.

Some of the Tigers’ Day 3 draftees also had baseball connections, as the Tigers continued a tradition of drafting family members of current and former players:

Pitcher Nick Avila (6’ 2”, 220), an Honorable Mention for the 2011 All-Sunshine State Conference Team, was drafted by the Tigers in the 37^th round.  The righty is the nephew of Tigers assistant GM Al Avila, and the cousin of Tigers’ starting catcher Alex Avila.

One round later, high school catcher Blaise Salter (6’ 5”, 225) was picked.  The grandson of former Tigers catcher Bill Freehan, (1961, `63-76) is committed to Michigan State.  Freehan was an 11 time AllStar, won 5 Gold Gloves and played a vital role on the 1968 World Championship team.

Andrew Allen (6’ 4”, 230), selected by the Tigers in the 45^th round, is the son of former Major League Outfielder (Tigers’ color commentator) Rod Allen.  The 1^st baseman recently completed his junior season at Cal State-Los Angeles.

46^th rounder Alexander Fernandez (5’ 10”, 180), an outfielder/pitcher from Archbishop McCarthy High School, is the son of former Major League pitcher Alex Fernandez.  The younger Fernandez hit a 3 run homer to help his team win their second consecutive 4A State Championship.

The Tigers also hit the State of Michigan very hard for talent.  12^th rounder Jeff Holm (6’ 3”, 220) was named Big Ten Player of the Year.  The 1^st baseman/outfielder hit .376 with nine home runs this season for Michigan State.

Holm’s teammate, Brandon Eckerle (5’ 11”, 175) was drafted by the Tigers in the 32^nd round.  The Spartans’ centerfielder is the program’s all time hit leader (261).  Off the field, the 2011 Big Ten batting champion (.379) earned Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor and Chester Brewer Leadership Award.

31^st rounder Brian Stroud (6’ 4”, 215) was nabbed out of Western Michigan.  The 2008 MAC Freshman of the Year was named Most Valuable Pitcher Award at the team banquet.

A few rounds later, the Broncos’ closer, Eric Heckaman (6’ 2”, 215) went to Detroit.  The senior notched 10 saves and was voted as his team’s Most Valuable Relief Pitcher at the team banquet.

At Central Michigan baseball’s annual awards dinner, pitcher Jacob Sabol (6’ 5”, 220) was presented The Chippewa Award, symbolic of the player who best represents the baseball program’s mission statement.  The Tigers’ 36^th rounder went 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA this year.

Detroit also selected numerous Michigan high schoolers on Day 3.  In addition to Salter, players Ryan Krill (1B) Jimmy Pickens (OF/C), Greg Fettes (C), and Brett Impemba (C), heard their names called earlier today.

Many pairs of teammates were selected over the course of the draft.

School	Player	Round	Player	Round
Arkansas	James McCann	2	Trent Daniel	23
Vanderbilt	Aaron Westlake	3	Curtis Casali	10
Wichita State	Brian Flynn	7	Mitch Morrmann	25
Michigan State	Jeff Holm	12	Brandon Eckerle	32
Florida Southern	Colin Kaline	26	Zach Maggard	34
Western Michigan	Brian Stroud	31	Eric Heckman	35
Bishop Carroll Catholic HS (Wichita, KS)	Tucker Chadd	42	Brandon Weber	50

Casali was one of the many players with ties to Connecticut drafted this week.  The University of Connecticut, which played 3 contests this spring at Dodd Stadum, had 10 players selected.  History was made on Monday night when, in the words of Commissioner Bud Selig,
“With the 11th selection of the 2011 First Year Draft the Houston Astros select George Springer an Outfielder from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.”  Watch the selection here

The 2011 Big East Player of the Year became the highest drafted player in program history.  Previously Charles Nagy had been the highest selected player.  Shortly there after, pitcher Matt Barnes was selected by the Red Sox 19^th overall.  The righty was selected as the 2011 Big East Pitcher of the Year.

Both of UConn’s first round picks hail from Connecticut, Springer from New Britain and Barnes from Bethel.

Round	Player	Position
1	George Springer	OF
1	Matt Barnes	RHP
2	Nick Ahmed	SS
16	John Andreoli	OF
18	Greg Nappo (Madison)	LHP
19	Kevin Vance	RHP/IF
21	Mike Nemeth	1B
30	David Fischer	RHP
35	Doug Elliot	C
39	Elliot Glynn	LHP

There were also some selections of players with ties to Southeastern Connecticut:

In the 10^th round, Taylor Lewis (Montville) was selected by the Pirates with the 302nd overall pick. The Most Outstanding Player of the 2011 America East Tournament set a school and America East record with 13 triples playing for the University of Maine this spring.

Later that day, the Padres selected Marist Outfielder Michael Gallic (Tolland) with the 563rd overall pick. Gallic led the Red Foxes in home runs (six), runs batted in (43), stolen bases (12) and triples (three) and was a Second Team All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference selection.

Pitcher Sean Donatello (UConn – Avery Point) was selected by the Marlins in the 25th round. The right hander hails from Salem.
Later that round, the Rays selected Occidental pitcher Brooks Belter (Lakeville). The 780th overall pick was named Second Team All-the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) this spring.

The Red Sox selected Keene State righty Corey Vogt with their 39th round (1192 overall) pick. Vogt, from Suffield, is a Yankees fan and a two-time All-LEC reliever.

• Posted on June 9, 2011 at 11:38 am
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