Tampa Bay takes high school star with its first pick

Delmon Young sat in front of his computer with family, friends and high school teammates and coaches, waiting to find out when he would be selected in Tuesday's draft.

He didn't have to wait long.

And when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays took Young with the No. 1 pick, a roar filled Young's Southern California home.

"It was like the NCAA selection show or something -- everyone started jumping up and down and going crazy," said Young, a slugging outfielder from Camarillo High School who listened to the draft on major league baseball's Web site. "Being the No. 1 pick is a great opportunity and it means a lot to me."

Young, the brother of Detroit Tigers outfielder Dmitri Young, thought the Devil Rays were going to take Southern University second baseman Rickie Weeks -- who ended up going second to Milwaukee.

"I had all my Brewers stuff ready to go," Young said.

Young, 17, hit .544 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs and was intentionally walked 26 times this season for Camarillo High School. Young, 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, has starred at the high school level for several years and shown great power potential and patience at the plate, an outstanding arm and good speed.

"He should develop into a fine major league hitter," Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella said. "With his brother at the big league level, the genes already are good. It was a wise selection and I just hope it pans out quickly."

Dmitri Young, the fourth overall selection by St. Louis in the 1991 draft, was with his younger brother because the Tigers were playing at San Diego later Tuesday.

"I never thought about the draft and going higher than him," said Delmon, whose goal is to be in the majors within two years.

A tough decision

The Devil Rays wrestled between picking Young and Weeks before going with Young, widely regarded as the top high school position player available. The thinking was similar to the last time they had the No. 1 pick and took outfielder Josh Hamilton in 1999.

Weeks certainly made a case for himself with one of the best college careers in Division I history. Weeks hit .483 with 17 homers and 73 RBIs and will be the second player to lead the nation in batting for two straight seasons.

Undrafted out of high school, Weeks has been praised for his speed and power.

Detroit took Wake Forest right-hander Kyle Sleeth with the third pick. He tied the NCAA record with 26 consecutive victories, and was 7-3 with a 2.81 ERA this season. Drafted in the 18th round by Baltimore three years ago, he had been more highly regarded as a football player.

Richmond University right-hander Tim Stauffer, a strikeout artist who was 9-5 with a 1.97 ERA and 146 strikeouts in 114 innings this season, was taken by San Diego with the fourth pick.

Kansas City then drafted speedy outfielder Chris Lubanski, from Kennedy-Kenrick High School in Pennsylvania.

The Royals also took Toledo catcher Mitch Maier with the 30th overall selection.

Ryan Harvey, a five-tools outfielder from Dunedin High School in Florida, was selected next by the Chicago Cubs.

Seattle, Atlanta, Houston and Philadelphia didn't have picks in the first round.

The draft, which lasts 50 rounds, will continue today.

Noteworthy

Three Ohio Valley Conference players were taken in Tuesday's 20 rounds. Eastern Kentucky outfielder Josh Anderson, the OVC Player of the Year, went to Houston in the fourth round. After Borowiak was selected, Austin Peay catcher A.J. Ellis went to Los Angeles in the 18th round.

Southwest Missouri State, which won a regional title last weekend, had five selections: pitcher Shaun Marcum (third round, Toronto); pitcher Bob Zimmermann (fourth, Anaheim); pitcher Chad Mulholland (eighth, Toronto); catcher Tony Piazza (12th, New York Mets); and pitcher Brad Ziegler (20th, Philadelphia).

Missouri had three selections: pitcher Justin James (fifth round, Toronto); outfielder Jayce Tingler (10th, Toronto); and shortstop Ian Kinsler (17th, Texas).

Springfield Hillcrest pitcher Jon Barratt was the first Missouri high school player selected, going to Tampa Bay with the first pick in the fifth round, No. 128 overall.

De Soto High School pitcher Andy Sides was taken by the New York Mets in the 11th round.