 06/04/2002 8:43 pm ET
Cubs complete day one of draft
Chicago goes heavy on pitching, taking four hurlers
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
• Cubs' round-by-round picks
Call it the Mark Prior factor. One year after making Prior the top pick in the draft, the Chicago Cubs selected four college pitchers with their first four picks of Tuesday's amateur draft.
Prior, 21, starred at USC and then totaled just 51 innings in the minors before joining the Cubs rotation in May. However, the team's first four selections probably won't make the same leap as quickly.
Besides top pick Robert Brownlie of Rutgers, selected 21st overall, the Cubs also chose left-hander Luke Hagerty of Ball State 32nd overall in the sandwich round followed by right-hander Chad Blasko of Purdue 36th, and right-hander Matthew Clanton of Orange Coast College 38th.
"Those were the best guys there," Cubs scouting director John Stockstill said.
Because of the losses of David Weathers, Rondell White and Todd Van Poppel via free agency last fall, the Cubs had 10 of the first 123 selections in the draft. The team received three compensation picks in the sandwich round between the first and second rounds -- when they chose Hagerty, Blasko and Clanton -- along with one extra selection in the second to fourth rounds.
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Bobby Brownlie
School:
Rutgers
Position: RHP B/T: R/R
H: 6-0 W: 210
Born: 10-05-80 Class: SR
Scouting report:
Strong, compact, durable body. Looks taller than he is. Body similar to Rick Reed. Does it easy with live, quick arm. Ball jumps out of hand. Late-darting hammer knuckle curve is out pitch. Circle change is a late diver.
Scouting video:
 56k | 300k
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Brownlie, Hagerty and Blasko were listed among the top 100 prospects by Baseball America.
"There's a lot of arms that the Cubs have selected today and it's pointing in the right direction," Brownlie said. "There's a pretty good pitching staff up there right now and I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to come in and help them out a little bit."
"What we've found in looking at the realities of each draft, is that college pitchers move quicker," Stockstill said. "We looked at these guys and if they had average curveballs and power arms, they will get to [Class A] Lansing and Daytona fairly soon.
"As to the high school pitcher, regardless of how much ceiling you think he has, he's destined to spend the summer in [rookie ball in] Mesa and then go to extended [training camp] or [short-season Class A] Boise and Lansing," Stockstill said. "We've had more success with college pitchers and that makes them a little more attractive than high school pitchers."
Prior would agree.
"I think [college pitchers] are better prepared," Prior said. "I'm not saying there's no talent in high school but if they're looking for somebody to make an impact sooner rather than later, the college guys are the guys to take."
It was a hectic stretch for Stockstill in the Cubs war room.
"What was interesting is that with the nine picks [in the first four rounds], you were very busy for about an hour and 15 minutes and you had to constantly reshuffle," he said. "After we got a few power arms, we went for some position players."
Here's a list of the Cubs picks from the first five rounds:
First Round
Robert Brownlie, 21, RHP, Rutgers University, 6-0, 210, 21st player taken
Comment: He was 22-10 in three seasons at Rutgers with a 2.81 ERA, going the distance 20 times in 38 starts. He struck out 241 over 266 innings and walked 63. "He's a power, curveball pitcher," Stockstill said. "We've had him anywhere from 89, 90 to 96 [mph] over the years. We followed him his whole career. He's a very good young man from a good family. We're very pleased to have him at 21."
Sandwich Round
Luke Hagerty, 21, LHP, Ball State, 6-7, 230, 32nd player taken
Comment: "He has a very good upside," Stockstill said. "We've had him up to 93 [mph] and he's touched 94. He has an average slider. He started pitching late last year as far as a starting pitcher. We think he has a fresh arm and tremendous upside. We'll think he'll continue to improve his velocity." The Defiance, Ohio, lefty was 7-4 with a 2.30 ERA in 13 games, striking out 85 over 78 innings. He has added 10 mph to his fastball and 30 pounds to his physique since he was recruited out of high school.
Chadd Blasko, 21, RHP, Purdue, 6-6, 215, 36th player taken
Comment: The Mishawaka, Ind., native was 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 11 games for the Boilermakers. He struck out 75 over 78 innings. "He's a power armed guy again," Stockstill said. "He gets into the mid 90s and up to 96 (mph). He throws a slurve and a change. He's another player that has a very high ceiling for us. We're happy to get him." Blasko has had to deal with high expectations. His fastball has been clocked as high as 95 mph but, according to Baseball America, his mechanics have been inconsistent.
Matthew Clanton, 21, RHP, Orange Coast College, 6-2, 210, 38th player taken
Comment: His velocity has been clocked at 90-91 mph and he has a curve and decent changeup. Clanton quit his team for a short time over a dispute regarding soreness in his arm. "They suspended him for a little bit but it's nothing serious at all," Stockstill said. Clanton did rejoin the team.
Second Round
Brian Dopirak, 19, 1B, Dunedin (Fla.) HS, 6-4, 225, 56th player taken
Comment: A free swinger with tremendous bat speed, he can play first or left field. "He's a big power guy and he hits the ball 450 feet and we're very happy to have him in a Cub uniform," Stockstill said. "He's a strong young man. We think he has a solid future."
Justin Jones, 17, LHP, Kellam (Virginia Beach, Va.) HS, 6-4, 185, 62nd player taken
Comment: Jones can throw up to 93 mph. "He has an average slider and is a big kid. He'll grow," Stockstill said.
Third Round
William Petrick, 18, Morris (Ill.) HS, RHP, 6-6, 220, 93rd player taken
Comment: The right-hander possesses a power fastball and curveball. "He'll go 87 to 92 (mph) and has an average curve now," Stockstill said. "He has good size and we think he'll get bigger and stronger." A football player, Petrick was ranked fifth in the state of Illinois in terms of talent by Baseball America.
Matthew Craig, 21, University of Richmond, SS, 6-2, 198, 96th player taken
Comment: "He's a switch-hitting shortstop and can play third or first," Stockstill said. "He's kind of a baseball rat type."
Fourth Round
Richard Hill, 22, Michigan, LHP, 6-4, 185, 112th player taken
Comment: "We think he has a real good upside," Stockstill said. "We saw him late with some better breaking stuff. He's a big, tall lefty and has had good success in the summer leagues." Baseball America described Hill as a "hot and cold pitcher." He posted a 3-6 record and 3.50 ERA this year after going 3-5 with a 3.84 ERA last year. He throws an 88-90 mph fastball and has developed a harder curve, which he used as a strikeout pitch this year. His strikeout per nine innings ratio was 12.9, which ranked third in NCAA Division I. Bryan Bullington, the top player taken in the draft Tuesday, ranked fourth. Hill was selected in the seventh round by Anaheim last year as a draft-eligible sophomore.
Samuel Rick, 18, Palatka (Fla.) HS, C, 6-3, 205, 123rd player taken
Comment: "He's good, tall and wiry," Stockstill said. "His father is a coach and he's been a baseball player his whole life."
Fifth Round
Shawn Scobee, 17, Rio Linda (Calif.) HS, OF, 6-1, 205, 153rd player taken
Comment: "He has a very good bat and can play several positions," Stockstill said. "We've had a lot of success with West Coast guys."
Carrie Muskat covers the Cubs for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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CUBS 2002 DRAFT PICKS |
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| 21 |
ROBERT M BROWNLIE |
RHP |
ST U NJ RUTGERS |
| 32 |
LUKE J HAGERTY |
LHP |
BALL ST U |
| 36 |
CHADD E BLASKO |
RHP |
PURDUE U |
| 38 |
MATTHEW J CLANTON |
RHP |
ORANGE COAST COL |
| 56 |
BRIAN A DOPIRAK |
1B |
DUNEDIN HS |
| 62 |
JUSTIN W JONES |
LHP |
KELLAM HS |
| 93 |
WILLIAM J PETRICK |
RHP |
MORRIS HS |
| 96 |
MATTHEW J CRAIG |
SS |
U RICHMOND |
| 112 |
RICHARD J HILL |
LHP |
U MICHIGAN |
| 123 |
SAMUEL A RICK |
C |
PALATKA HS |
| 153 |
SHAWN J SCOBEE |
CF |
RIO LINDA HS |
| 183 |
CHRISTOPHER D WALKER |
OF |
GEORGIA SOUTHERN U |
| 213 |
JOEY P MONAHAN |
SS |
LIBERTY U |
| 243 |
JASON A FRANSZ |
LF |
U OKLAHOMA |
| 273 |
ADAM GREENBERG |
RF |
U NORTH CAROLINA |
| 303 |
KEITH I BUTLER |
OF |
LIBERTY U |
| 333 |
CHRISTOPHER J MILLER * |
C |
U CALIFORNIA |
| 363 |
JASON A WYLIE |
RHP |
U UTAH |
| 393 |
JAMES M HOFFPAUIR |
RF |
LAMAR U |
| 423 |
ROCKY T CHERRY |
RHP |
U OKLAHOMA |
| 453 |
CLIFTON J MEDLIN |
C |
SEMINOLE ST COL |
| 483 |
JEMEL L SPEARMAN |
SS |
GEORGIA SOUTHERN U |
| 513 |
FORREST B BEVERLY |
LHP |
CONWAY HS |
| 543 |
DONALD G HOOD |
SS |
KENNESAW ST COL |
| 573 |
THOMAS R ATLEE |
RHP |
LAMAR U |
| 603 |
MATTHEW P HINES |
RHP |
OLIVET NAZARENE U |
| 633 |
PAUL J O'TOOLE |
C |
U NOTRE DAME |
| 663 |
TAYLOR H TEAGARDEN |
C |
CREEKVIEW HS |
| 693 |
STEPHEN J O'SULLIVAN |
SS |
MARIST COL |
| 723 |
J B THURMOND |
RHP |
WINTHROP U |
| 753 |
RONALD P BAY |
RHP |
ANGELINA COL |
| 783 |
JEFFREY R JACOBSEN |
RHP |
DURANGO HS |
| 813 |
TRAVIS WELSCH |
SS 2B |
U NORTHERN IOWA |
| 843 |
EVAN F SEIBLY |
LHP |
LA PIERCE JC |
| 873 |
BRETT LEWIS |
RHP |
GEORGIA SOUTHERN U |
| 903 |
KYLE EMMONS |
SS |
CHAPARRAL HS |
| 933 |
KURT E STEELE |
RHP SS |
CRESCENT VALLEY HS |
| 963 |
JOSE J RIOS |
SS |
PABLO GONZALEZ BENDECIA |
| 993 |
ADAM M HARVEY |
C |
CELINA HS |
| 1023 |
GRANT STANISZEWSKI |
C |
MARQUETTE SR HS |
| 1053 |
ANTHONY MCLIN |
C |
MCLAURIN HS |
| 1083 |
KALEN R GIBSON |
RHP |
WEBSTER HS |
| 1113 |
KYLE DUBOIS |
RHP |
MANATEE JC |
| 1143 |
RANDY D WELLS |
C |
SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS COL |
| 1173 |
DANIEL DESOUZA |
LF |
XAVERIAN HS |
| 1203 |
COLLIN WALKER |
RHP |
MINOOKA HS |
| 1233 |
MARK E HOLLIMAN |
RHP |
GERMANTOWN HS |
| 1263 |
GEOFF ORR |
SS |
CARL SANDBURG HS |
| 1292 |
CORY ANDERSON |
RHP |
CHAPARRAL HS |
| 1320 |
JOSE M CORTEZ |
C |
POMONA-PITZER COL |
| 1347 |
CHRISTOPHER J ERICKSEN |
LHP |
JOLIET CATHOLIC ACADEMY |
| 1374 |
PATRICK J MCINTYRE |
C |
WALLA WALLA CC |
| 1400 |
JOSHUA E MORGAN |
C |
THOMASVILLE HS |
| 1426 |
CLEMON L BAILEY |
CF |
SOUTHERN DURHAM HS |
| 1451 |
GARY J KERSCHKE |
RHP |
BARTLETT HS |
| 1475 |
BRYAN C KAYSER |
1B |
BARTLESVILLE HS |
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