2005 Cincinnati Reds Draft Selections

[WVRed]

Im going to set this up similar to last years, rather than have everybody search through the 800+ pages in the draft thread.

1 12 12 Jay Bruce of West Brook HS, Beaumont, Texas TX
2 12 60 Travis Wood lhp Bryant HS, Alexander, Ark. AR
3 12 92 Zach Ward RHP Gardner-Webb U. NC
4 12 122 Sam LeCure rhp U. of Texas TX
5 12 152 James Avery rhp Niagara U NY
6 12 182 Jeff Stevens rhp Loyola Marymount U. CA
7 12 212 Brandon Roberts OF Cal Poly U. CA
8 12 242 Michael Jones SS Wayne County HS, Jesup, Ga. GA
9 12 272 Milton Loo 3b Yavapai (Ariz.) CC AZ
10 12 302 Bo Lanier RHP U. of Georgia GA
11 12 332 Carlos Fisher rhp Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) College ID
12 12 362 Adam Rosales ss Western Michigan U. MI
13 12 392 Logan Ondrusek rhp McLennan (Texas) CC TX
14 12 422 Michael Griffin 2B Baylor U. TX
15 12 452 Michael De Jesus 2B Coastal Carolina U. SC
16 12 482 Jason Vecchio rhp U. of Texas-San Antonio TX
17 12 512 David Wilson LHP Lander (S.C.) U. SC
18 12 542 Kevyn Feiner ss Sun Prairie (Wisc.) HS WI



Scouting reports as I find them.

[WVRed]

Jay Bruce from MLB.com

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=cin

CINCINNATI -- Pitching is a priority for the Reds in the first-year player draft, but the team couldn't pass up on what it deemed to be a five-tool outfielder.
The Reds made center fielder Jay Bruce from West Brook High School in Beaumont, Texas, the 12th overall pick in the draft. It marks the first time the Reds have taken a position player with their first pick since 2000, when they selected shortstop David Espinosa.

Bruce, a National High School Player of the Year candidate who bats and throws left-handed, hit .538 with 12 home runs, 31 RBIs and 13 stolen bases during his senior season.

"He was the best athlete and best player [available] on the board for us," said Terry Anderson, the Reds' director of amateur scouting. "We had him real high. He's a guy we had targeted going into the day. We're really happy to get him."

Anderson was happy because he said Bruce, 18, has all five tools, meaning he is skilled at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning, throwing and fielding.

"[Five-tool players] are kind of rare," Reynolds said. "All five [of Bruce's] tools are average to above. And we're projecting that by the time he's 21, they'll all be above."

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Bruce signed to play at Tulane next year, but he said he is going to forego the college route to begin his professional career.

"I'm definitely signing," he said. "I'm a first-round pick. You can't ask for much more than that."

Bruce is the second high school player drafted by the Reds with their first pick in as many years. Homer Bailey was taken out of LaGrange (Texas) High School in 2004.

"We've got a few Texas guys," Bruce said. "Maybe we can bring the 'Big Red Machine' back."

Complete coverage >The Reds aren't quite sure where Bruce would fit into said "Machine." He played center field in high school, but his size might require a move to one of the corner outfield spots at some point.

"We're going to put him in center field, and that's where he'll start, but we'll just have to see what nature does here," Reynolds said.

Once signed, Bruce is expected to join the Reds' Gulf Coast League team in Sarasota, Fla.

Reportedly once linked to agent Scott Boras, Bruce is now hooked up with Matt Sosnick. That should help the Reds' chances of locking him up rather quickly.

"I'm going to make [the signing] fairly quick," Bruce said. "I'm not going to be in any huge rush, but I'm not going to draw it out for any huge amount of time."

Bruce said the Reds were the first professional team he ever tried out for last May.

The Reds compare Bruce to the Cardinals' Jim Edmonds. It's a comparison that sat just fine with Bruce.

"I hope one day I'm as good as Jim Edmonds," he said. "I think it's a feasible task. I love defense. It's a big part of my game, so that's a great comparison."

But Bruce's greatest asset is his bat.

"We think he has a chance to hit .300 or better with 30 home runs," Anderson said. "Time will tell."

With projected numbers like those, the Reds felt they had no choice but to take Bruce, even if he doesn't call the mound his place of work.

"We just had this guy higher on the board than anybody else," Anderson said.

[WVRed]

Jay Bruce from BBA-

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...irstround.html

Bruce has been compared by scouts to Larry Walker. Though he has average to plus tools across the board and enough athleticism to play center field, Bruce profiles better in right field. His swing can get a little long at times, but Bruce is a polished high school hitter. He centers the ball well and already understands the importance of using the entire field. He also has the strength and skill to eventually hit 30-plus homers annually in the majors. His average speed is probably his worst tool, but he plays quicker than his stopwatch readings on the bases and in the outfield. He has more than enough arm to handle the move to right field in pro ball.

[WVRed]

Travis Wood-

http://www.baseballamerica.com/onlin...sas.html#nat98


1. TRAVIS WOOD, lhp (National rank: 98)
School: Bryant HS.
Hometown: Alexander, Ark.
B-T: R-L. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 170. Birthdate: Feb. 6, 1987.
College Commitment: Arkansas.
Scouting Report: Wood is a long-term project, albeit an intriguing one because there aren't many lefthanders who can reach 95 mph. His fastball sat at 88-91 mph for much of the spring, but he started making more frequent forays into the mid-90s as the draft drew closer. Wood isn't tall, but he generates his velocity with a quick arm and athleticism. Scouts aren't crazy about his delivery, as he throws with a lot of effort and with some recoil. Wood hasn't shown much aptitude for spinning a breaking ball, and his curveball ranges from below-average to decent. For the most part, he just rears back and blows fastballs by inferior competition, so he'll have to make adjustments at the next level. Wood is considered a tough but not impossible sign. If teams decide he can't be steered away from Arkansas, the state may not have a player drafted in the first 10 rounds.

[WVRed]

Zach Ward

http://www.baseballamerica.com/onlin...50217ward.html

Lightly Recruited Ward Increases Draft Stock
by Will Kimmey
March 17, 2005

Gardner-Webb coach Rusty Strouppe and his wife Karen were driving north on Interstate 85 toward her hometown in Salisbury, N.C., when he noticed the shining lights of an American Legion field just off the highway. Strouppe remembered hearing a tip about a player on the Concord team and asked his wife to drop him off to watch the game.

Three years later, Strouppe can’t remember the name of the player he stopped to see. But he can clearly recall Zach Ward pitching for Kannapolis, throwing some sort of 78-80 mph slider that the Concord batters couldn’t hit. Strouppe asked Kannapolis’ first-base coach what Division I school the righthander planned to attend that fall and found out he only had one scholarship offer, from North Carolina A&T.

Ward visited Gardner-Webb’s campus two weeks later and signed with the Bulldogs. He has developed into their top pitcher, and opened his junior year with 161/3 hitless innings, which included a nine-inning no-hitter against Akron. Ward’s combination of a low-90s sinking fastball, mid-80s power curveball and improved changeup helped him to a 3-0, 1.11 overall record with 31 strikeouts, 12 walks and seven hits allowed in 24 innings.

Ward sees it simply as a continuation of a summer in which he allowed three earned runs and struck out 57 batters in 43 Cape Cod League innings. That came after he ranked eighth nationally with 12.0 strikeouts per nine innings as a sophomore at Gardner-Webb, where he went 5-1, 1.95 in Atlantic Sun Conference play.

“For me, it’s a confidence thing,” Ward said. “I definitely have more confidence now after the summer in the Cape.

“I always wanted to be a major leaguer—when I was a mediocre high school pitcher, when I was a legit Division I college pitcher. Everybody talks about that their whole life, but this summer in the Cape is when I believed I could do it.”

Ward’s transition from getting overlooked in high school to ranking as the Cape’s No. 13 prospect started with a leap of faith. He threw his breaking ball about 75 percent of the time as a prep because he didn’t have confidence in or command of his low-80s fastball. Still, Ward and Strouppe were both surprised when Gardner-Webb pitching coach Dan Roszel banned the pitcher from throwing his breaking ball. Roszel wanted the 6-foot-4, 235-pound athlete to unleash and then build his arm strength by focusing on his fastball and some mechanical tweaks.

“I told him ‘If you make a few adjustments, you can be the best pitcher that ever came out of Gardner-Webb,’ ” Roszel said. “At the time, I kind of thought that was a line. I just wanted him to get up to 90 before he graduated. He was up to 96 by the end of his freshman year.”

Roszel called Ward a quick study, crediting the pupil with nightly work on drills in his dorm room. He also quickly developed a feel for a hard curveball to go with his new fastball.

Ward took his new arsenal to the mound, producing a 5-1, 4.14 record with 51 strikeouts in 50 innings. He spent the summer back on his Kannapolis Post 501 Legion team and drew interest from a handful of larger Division I schools, who wanted to add Ward as a transfer. These were some of the same schools that told Ward the previous summer that he’d never be good enough to play for them. The roles reversed, he opted to remain loyal to the coach and school that took the original chance on him.

“He’s never thought he was above us,” Strouppe said. “He had his dad out there telling people he liked being at Gardner-Webb and not to even try.”

That’s part of the humble persona Ward maintains. He takes pride in playing at Gardner-Webb and being a part of the nearby community, where he has become something of a local celebrity. He has joined Strouppe on visits to nearby Spring More Elementary School to speak with the students. Ward patiently fielded autograph requests at the school, around town and even after a recent start at North Carolina. Nonetheless, he remains grounded.

“He tries as much as he can not to draw attention to himself,” Strouppe said. “He’s just another guy on the bus. He’s very appreciative of where he’s come from and what he has been able to do. He’s been very careful not to put himself on the same pedestal other people try to put him on.”

Ward’s celebrity has spread to scouts this year. He’s attracting 15 to 20 at each start. Ward is a lock to become the third Gardner-Webb player drafted since 1985 and will become the highest-drafted player in school history if he comes off the board before round three.

Some scouts feel Ward’s short arm action, which looks a bit like that of Red Sox closer Keith Foulke, could lead to a career in relief, but they all agree he should be selected in the first two rounds.

“Sometimes with a smaller school, you don’t get the recognition you want,” Ward said. “But I’m starting to get it now by proving that I belong with the elite players.”

[WVRed]

Zach Ward-

http://www.baseballamerica.com/onlin...na.html#nat117

4. ZACH WARD, rhp (National rank: 117)
School: Gardner-Webb.
Hometown: Kannapolis, N.C.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 235. Birthdate: Jan. 14, 1984.
Previously Drafted: Never.
Scouting Report: Ward was unheralded out of high school and began to emerge as a prospect while pitching in American Legion ball the summer after his freshman year in college. Ward first attracted attention for his slider, but he has since earned attention and outs with two potential plus pitches. His fastball reaches the low 90s with good sink, and his breaking ball has morphed from his high school slider to a power curveball. Add in a show-me change, and Ward has a chance to throw three pitches for strikes from a durable, innings-eating body. He was dominant in the Cape Cod League last summer, striking out 57 in 43 innings, yet failed to dominate the Atlantic Sun Conference this spring. Ward was used heavily (five of his 15 starts were complete games) and at times lacked command of his fastball, leading to 49 walks in 109 innings and 19 wild pitches. He has a short-arm delivery reminiscent of the late Darryl Kile, and some scouts think it will lead to an arm injury unless Ward moves to the bullpen, where he could concentrate on his fastball and curve.

[WVRed]

Sam LeCure(and not a good article)

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...203lecure.html

Junior righthander Sam LeCure, the likely Friday starter for Texas, will not play this season.

LeCure was dismissed from the university for violating his academic probation during the fall semester. A federal judge on Wednesday ruled against forcing Texas to re-admit him for this semester.

"I let a lot of people down, my teammates and my family for the most part," LeCure told the Austin American-Statesman. "My career is not over; I hope to pitch in orange and white again someday."

LeCure went 14-3 in his Longhorns career, including 9-3, 2.34 in 2004, serving as the Saturday starter on a team that advanced to the championship round of the College World Series.

"Sam has made tremendous contributions to the baseball program here at the University of Texas both through his performance and the spirit he brought to his team," coach Augie Garrido said in a statement. "He will be missed by his teammates and our entire staff.

"We are confident that Sam's character will help him overcome the adversity he is facing and profit from the difficult experience that has come into his life because of these recent events. Hopefully, he will find that his future is still at the university, but whatever he and his family determine is best, is what we want for Sam."

The 6-foot-1, 188-pound LeCure ranks as the No. 51 college prospect for the draft, meaning he could be selected in the first five rounds in June.

Senior lefthander Buck Cody will replace LeCure in the rotation, joining sophomore righthanders Kyle McCulloch and Randy Boone.

[WVRed]

James Avery

http://www.baseballamerica.com/onlin...rk.html#nat152

4. JAMES AVERY, rhp (National rank: 152)
School: Niagara.
Hometown: Moose Jaw, Sask.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 200. Birthdate: June 10, 1984.
Previously Drafted: Twins 2002 (29)
Scouting Report: Mike McRae, who has since moved on to Canisius, was the only Division I coach from Canada when he was at Niagara and tapped heavily into his homeland for talent, getting Avery from Saskatchewan. Avery’s fastball has been clocked between 90-94 mph, but he has never approached his full potential because he hasn’t developed a serviceable breaking pitch. He also has been bothered by nagging injuries the last two years. He has a decent split-fingered changeup, but scouts project him as a short reliever because of his limited pitch selection. A loosening of visa restrictions means Avery should have an opportunity to begin his minor league career this summer.

[WVRed]

Jeff Stevens

http://www.baseballamerica.com/onlin...fornia.html#62

Elsewhere in the West Coast Conference, Loyola Marymount junior RHP Jeff Stevens (62) outpitched Stephen Kahn, his more celebrated teammate, though he went just 6-7, 3.97 himself with 76 strikeouts in 100 innings. He has good stuff, gets good deception on a 90-91 mph fastball and improved breaking ball, and demonstrated better command and competitiveness than Kahn.

[WVRed]

Brandon Roberts-

http://www.baseballamerica.com/onlin...fornia.html#51

OF Brandon Roberts (51) is a third Cal Poly player who could be drafted in the top seven or eight rounds. Speed and hitting for average are his best tools. A slap hitter who makes regular contact, he led the Alaska League with a .373 average last summer. He’s been clocked in the 60-yard dash in 6.41 seconds and from the left side of the plate to first in 4.0. But his speed is often wasted in the outfield because he doesn’t get good enough reads on balls to play center, and his arm is better suited for left. His poor instincts have often relegated him to DH, which creates a problem for scouts because he lacks the raw power to play anywhere but center.

[WVRed]

Milton Loo-

http://www.baseballamerica.com/onlin...na.html#nat176

10. MILTON LOO, ss (National rank: 176)
School: Yavapai (Ariz.) CC.
Hometown: Molokai, Hawaii.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 185. Birthdate: April 2, 1986.
Previously Drafted: Reds 2004 (17).
Scouting Report: Loo created little buzz as Hawaii's first high school draft pick in 2004. He chose not to sign with the Reds in favor of attending junior college in Arizona, though he remains under Reds control. Yavapai coach Sky Smeltzer agreed to take Loo sight unseen, and after one year says Loo is the best player he’s ever had in the 11 years he’s been at the school. Loo was the top position talent in the Arizona juco ranks this spring, hitting .404 while ranking third in the state with 21 stolen bases. He showed five-tool potential, with power being the only tool still in the undeveloped stage. He played third base instead of shortstop in deference to a returning player but would take over the position a year from now—if he doesn’t sign. The Reds were expected to make a serious run at him before the draft, and if he goes back into this year’s pool he could go in the first five rounds.

[KronoRed]

Thanks WvRed..Doog

[DoogMinAmo]

Thanks WvRed..Doog

Any time

[Ravenlord]

the Reds first five rounds look nothing like the one i grabbed in UC's computer lab this afternoon...but with the exception of Wood and LeCure, i like the Reds first 5-rounds.

RHP Cesar Carillo-i've been pimping him for awhile as the Reds' pick. with the injury to Hansen, it made it easier to take Carillo.

RF Brian Pettway-thought about taking Maiques before him, but the weight loss and training he did put him above Maiques for me.

RHP Kenny Maiques-see above. i didn't think he'd make it to the fourth round though. i had Justin Sellers marked here orignally, but Billy Beane happens. then i had James Avery here. but Maiques is far superior to him IMO.

SS Reese Havens-the A's took my SS who i was going to take in round 3. wanting to draft a MI, i took Havens as i think he'll be emerging as FeLo becomes too expensive.

1B Justin Smoak-i like him as a LF more than a 1B, i think. i was going to take Slayden in the 5th round, but his injuries scared me off. i doubt Smoak will/would sign though, which is probably why he made it to this point

[traderumor]

Bo Lanier and Jason Vecchio are two great mysteries on how a scout sold these two. Look at Vecchio in the prior two years:

http://www.sports-wired.com/profiles/VE/tbc41702.asp

Year  	Team  	Lg.  	Ag  	Org  	Lvl  	W  	L  	ERA  	G  	GS  	CG  	SH  	GF  	SV  	IP  	H  	R  	ER  	HR  	BB  	SO  	WP  	BK  	H9  	W9  	K9  	whip
2003 	UT-SA 	NCAA 			NCAA 	0 	2 	13.20 	12 	2 	0 	0 		0 	15 	22 	26 	22 	3 	21 	9 	5 		13.2 	12.6 	5.4 	2.87
2004 	UT-SA 	NCAA 			NCAA 	1 	2 	9.60 	12 	3 	0 	0 		0 	30 	45 	34 	32 	6 	13 	13 	7 		13.5 	3.9 	3.9 	1.93

Lanier's ERA is over 6 this year, seems like he might be able to get some Ks, but my gosh, how could he get drafted?

Year  	Team  	Lg.  	Ag  	Org  	Lvl  	W  	L  	ERA  	G  	GS  	CG  	SH  	GF  	SV  	IP  	H  	R  	ER  	HR  	BB  	SO  	WP  	BK  	H9  	W9  	K9  	whip
2002 	UG 	NCAA 			NCAA 	2 	1 	11.25 	12 	0 	0 	0 		0 	16 	26 	22 	20 	0 	13 	9 	8 		14.6 	7.3 	5.1 	2.44
2003 	UG 	NCAA 			NCAA 	0 	0 	10.12 	3 	0 	0 	0 		0 	3 	4 	3 	3 	0 	3 	2 	0 		13.5 	10.1 	6.8 	2.62
2004 						4 	1 		24 	0 	0 	0 		2 	46 	44 	19 	16 	4 	19 	42 	7 		-- 	-- 	--