MLB teams load up on Arizona talent

By foxsports
Published

Boston's selection of Arizona State shortstop Deven Marrero in Monday night's first-round of the MLB draft was a prelude of much more to come for Arizona-based baseball talent on Tuesday.

The first Arizona name off the board on Tuesday was Scottsdale Chaparral outfielder Dylan Cozens, a Rich Rodriguez football recruit at the University of Arizona. Cozens, who hit 19 home runs for the state champions, was a second-round pick (77th overall) of the Philadelphia Phillies and told the East Valley Tribune that he intended to sign a contract, which is likely to be worth in excess of $600,000.

Four Arizona State players had their names called on the draft's second day, starting with pitcher Brady Rodgers to the Houston Astros with the first pick of the third round (96th overall). Later in the third round, second baseman Joey DeMichele went to the Chicago White Sox (108th overall) and reliever Jake Barrett went to the Diamondbacks (120th). Outfielder Andrew Aplin joined Rodgers as a Houston draftee, going with the first pick in the fifth round (159th).

The Arizona Wildcats had five players drafted on Tuesday. Shortstop Alex Mejia, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, went to St. Louis in the fourth round (150th overall), outfielder Robert Refsnyder went in the fifth round (187th) to the New York Yankees, who intend to try him at second base, and ace pitcher Kurt Heyer was a sixth-round choice of St. Louis (210th). Cincinnati selected third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean in the eighth round, and Tampa Bay took outfielder Joey Rickerd in the ninth.

From the high school and junior college ranks, Hamilton High third baseman Mitch Nay, an ASU signee, was a Compensation A Round choice of the Toronto Blue Jays (58th overall) and is expected to go pro.

Central Arizona College catcher Fernando Perez went in the third round to San Diego (102nd), Gateway CC pitcher Trey Lang went in the sixth (194th) to the Chicago Cubs, and Mountain Pointe outfielder Joey Curletta went in the sixth (206th) to the L.A. Dodgers.