BB: D-3 Players in minor leagues/MLB

[OshDude]

Great list OshDude,I'm going to make a copy to follow some of the northeast players in 2011.Since it appears that you like stats,would you have a breakdown on the number of  players ,on average, drafted and signed each year from D1,D2,D3,Juco,Naia,High School and undrafted free agents.

I don't know the draft breakdown, but that info is probably out there somewhere.

[OshDude]

The Orioles released Whittier P Thomas Phelps.
The Giants signed Whittier P Tom Vessella.

[OshDude]

The Padres released Chapman P Matt Irsfeld.
The Mariners released Montclair P Michael Vitale.
The Marlins re-signed Montclair P Jeff Gogal.

[OshDude]

Trinity (TX)/UC Santa Barbara P Chuck Huggins retired.

[ArkRiverSnake]

Does anyone know of the where abouts of lasts years DIII National Players of the Year in Dave Kahn and Brian Youchak of Johns Hopkins?

[OshDude]

Does anyone know of the where abouts of lasts years DIII National Players of the Year in Dave Kahn and Brian Youchak of Johns Hopkins?

Kahn signed a contract in November with the Frontier League's Evansville Otters, who selected Chapman's Wayde Kitchens in December's dispersal draft. Ithaca's Nick Sottung is also on the Evansville roster.

Kitchens's former team, Oakland County, will not play in the Frontier League while its new stadium is being built. If he doesn't move up, Kitchens will rejoin Oakland County when the stadium is ready, in 2012.

I think Youchak will play for the Frontier League's Traverse City Beach bums.

[ArkRiverSnake]

Thanks for the info on Kahn and Youchak. 

But how do guys of that caliber, not get drafted.  They both rake, fly on the bases, and have good arms.  Not to mention, they were D3 National Players of the Year.  Meanwhile, 22 other kids get drafted in D3.  How does this happen?

[infielddad]

Ark,
I have never seen those two play so I cannot comment on them. Also, I can only relate to the experience of our son, a few others, and some discussions with scouts and Milb people where our son played.
As it relates to the draft, the scouts really are not looking at what numbers are put up in DIII.  
They are trying to evaluate what skills exist and how they project into Milb.
If  a scout does not feel the player projects into Milb, that is what tells the story, even if the kid goes 5-5 with 2HR's in a DIII game.
For many position players, what happens in Wood Bat leagues probably does as much, if not more, for scouts projections than any numbers that come from DIII baseball. Playing and having success in good Summer Wood bat leagues helps...a lot.
 For pitchers, it is much easier because they have a gun and things can be looked at objectively compared to a DI pitcher they watch the same day.
Our son's roommate stuck out something like 17-18 guys during a night game in San Antonio a few years back with upwards of 15 scouts and cross-checkers in attendance.  The kid was a terrific pitcher who was also an All-American his senior year at Trinity. Not one said a word to him after the game about the next level.
From what we heard, of the 15 or so who said anything, more than 1/2 found every reason our son couldn't project into Milb.  Enough projected he could and one liked him a lot and got him drafted.  
Turned out that scout was right, but he also had information about 2 Summer Seasons and games against Team USA each Summer to use for his evaluations.
Scouts will tell you they have a hard time projecting most position players into the skills and talent needed in Milb. It is a huge, huge jump to Milb.

[CrashDavisD3]

Ark,
I have never seen those two play so I cannot comment on them. Also, I can only relate to the experience of our son, a few others, and some discussions with scouts and Milb people where our son played.
As it relates to the draft, the scouts really are not looking at what numbers are put up in DIII. 
They are trying to evaluate what skills exist and how they project into Milb.
If  a scout does not feel the player projects into Milb, that is what tells the story, even if the kid goes 5-5 with 2HR's in a DIII game.
For many position players, what happens in Wood Bat leagues probably does as much, if not more, for scouts projections than any numbers that come from DIII baseball. Playing and having success in good Summer Wood bat leagues helps...a lot.
  For pitchers, it is much easier because they have a gun and things can be looked at objectively compared to a DI pitcher they watch the same day.
Our son's roommate stuck out something like 17-18 guys during a night game in San Antonio a few years back with upwards of 15 scouts and cross-checkers in attendance.  The kid was a terrific pitcher who was also an All-American his senior year at Trinity. Not one said a word to him after the game about the next level.
From what we heard, of the 15 or so who said anything, more than 1/2 found every reason our son couldn't project into Milb.  Enough projected he could and one liked him a lot and got him drafted. 
Turned out that scout was right, but he also had information about 2 Summer Seasons and games against Team USA each Summer to use for his evaluations.
Scouts will tell you they have a hard time projecting most position players into the skills and talent needed in Milb. It is a huge, huge jump to Milb.

DIII baseball is not DI....Some terrific players but look at the numbers and see how many last beyond 2 years...in MILB or even Indepent ball. Very very few. Also it is cheaper for baseball to fill the minor league rosters with players from other countries and pay them much less also.

[infielddad]

Crash,
I agree completely with your first point on the difference between levels and especially with Milb.
On the second point of Latin players being cheaper than signing a DIII player, I believe we are on opposite positions there.
First of all, every Milb player during the first 6 years of their contract receives the same monthly salary.  Those are set by MLB and are based on the level where you are playing...and none of the monthly salaries are much money unless the player is beyond his 6th year and able to be a free agent.
A players salary doesn't matter: a #1 pick, the last in the 50th round, or a Latin, Asian, Dutch or other free agent  get the same salary which depends on their level of assignment. If you are on the roster, the salary is fixed from player to player.
The comparative cost difference is bonuses. The amounts being paid to young Latin players who end up in Milb can be considerably higher than a DIII player who is a senior sign, which might be  the majority for DIII.
The DIII player who is a senior sign will receive $1,000 or less.  The draft controls his bonus and the draft rights of a team does the same. Once he is drafted, he has no real ability to negotiate. These are one way deals...take this or don't play.
Those not in the draft are free agents. As a result, most of those players from other Countries are able to have the clubs bid against each other for their contract. The number of young Latin players and Asian players in Milb who signed for  6 figure bonuses is eye opening...and the numbers are escalating. In fact, they are now to the level where MLB is trying to assess ways to control free agent competition for players not subject to the draft.
While we will never see true numbers from MLB, my sense is that it is much cheaper, overall, to sign DIII players through the draft than players from the rest of the world who sign as free agents.

[Just_Some_Guy]

Just to add to this conversation re: DIII players vs. Latin or even HS Senior draftees, most of the DIII draftees/senior signs are 22-23 years old. I've heard multiple instances of MiLB coaches explaining to these guys after a year or two, "Look - you're more polished than player X,Y, & Z, and maybe you can have some success at the A, High-A levels, BUT the likelihood of you contributing to an MLB team isn't very high therefore when there's money to be spent it makes sense to invest in the kid 4 years younger, or 6+ years younger in the case of some Latin players."

I've known a many of a players traversing the country playing MiLB. They all say the same thing: Never before have you had to realize just how much you love the game to keep going. The daily grind (typically away from your old friends/family), on the road, etc. is taxing -- not to mention 7,8,12 guys all competing for that one shot to get to the next level.

JSG

JSG

[OshDude]

The following are at spring training. ST stats are available at the links:
Joe Paterson, DBacks
Chris Heisey, Reds
Charlie Furbush, Tigers
Nelson Figueroa, Astros
Joe Nathan, Twins
Zach Lutz, Mets
Chris Denorfia, Padres
Cole Kimball, Nationals
Jordan Zimmermann, Nationals
Non-roster invitees
Blake Maxwell, Red Sox
Jonah Bayliss, Rays
Yazy Arbelo, DBacks
Vinny Rottino, Marlins
Joe Bateman, A's
Anthony Recker, A's
Erik Kratz, Phillies

[OshDude]

An MLB.com feature on Charlie Furbush. It tells how a Maine kid went from St. Joseph's to the Cape Cod League to LSU to the cusp of a MLB career.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110222&content_id=16706308&vkey=news_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det

Here's a feature about former Messiah star Chris Heisey's battle to make the Reds roster.
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110304&content_id=16820948&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin

Here's a feature on Centenary's Cole Kimball and his bid to become the Nats' first player from the 2006 draft to reach the bigs. The article suggests that Kimball may be a future closer.
http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110223&content_id=16717008&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was

[OshDude]

The DBacks released Allegheny C Alex Herrnberger.
The Reds released Lynchburg OF Jeff Taylor.
The Giants released Linfield P Reese McCulley.

The Tigers optioned St. Joseph's (ME) P Charlie Furbush to Triple-A.
The Nationals optioned Centenary P Cole Kimball to Triple-A.
The Mets optioned Alvernia 3B Zach Lutz to Double-A.

Pomona-Pitzer SS James Kang, Pomona-Pitzer 1B Drew Hedman and Wesleyan 2B Drew Dominguez are all at Red Sox camp.

Montclair P Jeff Gogal is at Marlins camp.
Old Westbury P Robert Whitenack is at Cubs camp.
Marietta P Mike DeMark is at Padres camp.
Ithaca P Shane Wolf is at Astros camp.

[OshDude]

Linfield P Joe Paterson made his MLB debut on 4/2.
UW-Stevens Point P Jordan Zimmermann is the No. 3 starter for the Nationals.
Brandeis P Nelson Figueroa is the No. 5 starter for the Astros.
Stony Brook (then D3) P Joe Nathan returned to the mound with a save in a Twins win on 4/3.
Chris Denorfia – Wheaton (Mass.) – has appeared in all three games as the Padres' fourth OF.
Chris Heisey has appeared in two games as the Reds' fourth OF.

The Twins released William Paterson P Brett Carroll.
The Rays released UW-Whitewater P Aaron Dott and Trinity (Conn.) P Jonah Bayliss.
The Nationals released Lynchburg 1B Ronnie Labrie and Concordia Chicago 3B Jack Walker.

Also, I failed to mention in an earlier post that Otterbein P Dan Remenowsky was at White Sox camp.