By Michael N
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on June 2, 1999.
By all accounts, the 1999 Free Agent Draft is light on the college prospects but loaded with High School flame-throwers. In my estimation, this is not likely to be a draft looked back upon as one where many teams were able to help themselves considerably. This draft is just not that deep, which in some ways makes this process a lot of fun. Some kid from East Nowhere, South Dakota drafted in the 37th round may emerge as the real star and make some scout look like a genius when he probably never saw the kid play more than once.
Josh Beckett and Josh Girdley (HS pitchers), Jason Jennings and Omar Ortiz (college pitchers) and Carl Crawford (HS outfielder, Nebraska QB signee) are the players with Texas connections most likely to be taken in the first round. But I suppose you, the reader, are saying, “Who cares? Tell me who the Astros are likely to take!”
OK, I’ll take a shot. But first of all, let me give you a bit of background on the Astro draft tendencies under Gerry Hunsicker. The last three seasons, Hunsicker has taken a college player with the first selection and then high school talent, primarily pitchers, that the organization has trouble signing. I like the draft strategy, but I do not like that the kids are not signing. Hunsicker and company need to do a better job of knowing the potential draftee’s intentions. For example, last year the Astros took Jason VanMeetren and Brad Busbin in the second and third rounds. Each were quality HS players and look to have a good future, but they were already signed by Stanford and Georgia Tech, respectively. How difficult would it have been to know their compensation demands and how strong their commitments were to these great baseball schools?
Hopefully, this kind of thing does not happen again in 1999.
Most draft gurus see the Astros addressing the lack of depth at OF in the lower minors by selecting one of three college OFs expected to slip out of the first round and to the 42nd or 55th picks owned by Houston. These three players are Michael Rosamond (Ole Miss), Ryan Ludwick (UNLV) and Matt Cepicky (SW Missouri St.). Of these three, Michael Rosamond (6’5″, 225) is the guy who probably has the best raw tools. He can run like a deer and has a cannon that would allow him to play right field. Rosamond has awesome power potential as a right-handed hitter, but that is the problem as I see it. Potential. He is 21 years old, has played 3 years of college ball with the damned aluminum bat and I don’t think he’s ever hit 20 HRs.
Ryan Ludwick (6’4″, 205) has been a guy that scouts have followed very closely and has almost as much potential as Rosamond. But he has also been a disappointment to many as he has yet to fulfill his promise in college ball. As an aside, Ludwick is a freak. He hits righty and throws lefty.
Rosamond or Ludwick’s potential may be worth the 42nd or 55th picks, but if the Astros are gonna take an OF with one of the first two picks, my suggestion is that they take Matt Cepicky. During his three year stint at SWMS, Cepicky has steadily increased his average, power and strikezone control to where I see him, at least right now, as the most polished hitter of the three. Cepicky also participated in the Cape Cod league last year and the wood bats did not slow him down as he received MVP honors for the eventual league champs. He is a left-handed hitter and I am told that he has the ability to play right field. He’ll be no Raul Mondesi out there, but he will make the necessary plays.
As for pitchers, the Astros have tended toward college pitchers or HS kids who throw serious gas and in this draft, there is plenty of the latter to choose from. Two kids of note that will probably be available are Ruddy Lugo and Josh Vitek. Is it just me or is every other HS kid in this draft named Josh….I once had a dog named Josh, but I digress.
Does the name Ruddy Lugo sound familiar? It might as he is the little brother of Astro AA shortstop Julio Lugo. Ruddy also plays SS but the kid also possesses a 95 MPH heater. A pretty talented kid.
Josh Vitek is from the little town of Fayetteville, TX (not Arkansas) and a kid who can throw a low to mid-90s sinker merits some attention heading into a stadium that has grass.
I hope all is going well at the draft and that the Astros are able to pick guys that are willing to sign and head for Auburn and short-season A-ball as quickly as possible. With all the injuries in Houston, some of these kids might be needed…
Yeah, yeah… I’m biting my tongue.