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06/05/2002 7:12 pm ET
Pirates confident about draft
MLB.com
With two days down and 43 picks in the books, Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield is confident that scouting director Ed Creech and his staff have made strides to improve the organization.
"I feel very good about the draft that we had," said Littlefield. "It's an exciting time for the Pirates to have had the first pick overall and in each round."
Having had that advantage, Littlefield knew that this draft was vitally important to the rebuilding of his organization. For a small-to-mid revenue team, the draft offers a relatively level playing field in talent acquisition where scouting is more important than financial resources.
"The first year player draft is an essential part of procuring talent for the market place that we are in," said Littlefield.
There were several notable selections among the 43 prospects, which included nine college pitchers, 14 high school pitchers, 12 college position players and eight high school position players:
Bryan Bullington, a right-handed pitcher from Ball State, who was the just the Bucs' third ever No. 1 overall selection.
Four other pitchers that the team had very high on their draft board and whom they consider to be potential big league starters: Washburn Rural High School right-hander Blair Johnson (2nd round), Elkins High School right-hander Wardell Starling (4th round), right-hander Alex Hart (5th round), a player who was selected in the second round of the 1998 draft by the Baltimore Orioles before electing to attend University of Florida, and Robert S. Alexander High School right-hander Matthew Capps (7th round).
Taber Lee, a shortstop from San Diego State who was considered "unsignable" by Creech and his staff before the draft because he seemed determined to return to school for his senior season. Selected in the third round, Lee could be steal. Lee is the brother of Philadelphia Phillies outfielder/first baseman Travis Lee.
Ed Eagle covers the Pirates for MLB.com and can be reached at ed.eagle@pittsburghpirates.com. This story was not
subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PIRATES 2002 DRAFT PICKS |
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| 1 |
BRYAN P BULLINGTON |
RHP |
BALL ST U |
| 42 |
BLAIR D JOHNSON |
RHP |
WASHBURN RURAL HS |
| 73 |
TABER R LEE |
SS |
SAN DIEGO ST U |
| 103 |
WARDELL D STARLING |
RHP |
LAWRENCE E ELKINS HS |
| 133 |
ALEX M HART |
RHP |
U FLORIDA |
| 163 |
BRADLEY R ELDRED |
1B |
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL U |
| 193 |
MATTHEW D CAPPS |
RHP |
ROBERT S ALEXANDER HS |
| 223 |
ROBERT R KINGSBURY |
CF |
FORDHAM U |
| 253 |
JOSEPH C HICKS |
CF |
FOREST BROOK HS |
| 283 |
DAVID L DAVIDSON |
LHP |
DENIS MORRIS HS |
| 313 |
ANTHONY S BOCCHINO |
RF |
MARIST COL |
| 343 |
BRIAN T HOLLIDAY |
LHP |
MOON AREA HS |
| 373 |
CHRISTOPHER CUNNINGHAM |
C |
U ARIZONA |
| 403 |
JOHN M SMITH |
2B |
MIDDLE GEORGIA COL |
| 433 |
JONATHAN G SCHNEIDER |
RHP |
LIBERTY U |
| 463 |
JOHN F HUMMEL |
LHP |
SCHAUMBURG HS |
| 493 |
CHRISTOPHER N DEMARIA |
RHP |
CALIFORNIA ST U |
| 523 |
JEFFREY B WATCHKO |
RHP |
GEORGIA TECH |
| 553 |
HERBERT D ANDRES |
RHP |
W.J. MOUAT SS |
| 583 |
RUSSELL BAYER |
LHP |
MIAMI U |
| 613 |
CHRIS A HOLT |
RHP |
FLAGLER COL |
| 643 |
PAUL HARP |
RHP |
MIDDLE GEORGIA COL |
| 673 |
DEAN J DEVINE |
3B 2B |
U SOUTH DAKOTA |
| 703 |
ERON S CHRISTENSEN |
1B |
U SOUTHERN COLORADO |
| 733 |
MATTHEW A CUNDIFF |
RHP |
COOPER CITY HS |
| 763 |
CALVIN R BEAMON |
CF |
SMOKY HILL HS |
| 793 |
GENE C FILYAW |
SS |
JASPER HS |
| 823 |
ANTHONY W STEVENS |
SS |
SOUTH DOYLE HS |
| 853 |
FRANCIS T PONI |
C |
LA HARBOR JC |
| 883 |
CHRISTOPHER G TONEGUZZI |
RHP |
MARKVILLE SS |
| 913 |
WILLIAM A WEBSTER |
C |
MOON VALLEY HS |
| 943 |
ANGEL M COLON |
OF |
SAN VICENTE DE PAUL HS |
| 973 |
NYJER J MORGAN |
CF |
WALLA WALLA CC |
| 1003 |
ADAM M HOWARD |
RHP |
OOLTEWAH HS |
| 1033 |
ERIC A KING |
2B |
LOS MEDANOS COL |
| 1063 |
RICHARD R ALDRIDGE |
RHP |
WAYNE COUNTY HS |
| 1093 |
ANTHONY SNOW |
RHP |
CASCADE HS |
| 1123 |
PHILLIP STILLWELL |
RHP |
NORTH FLORIDA JC |
| 1153 |
CHASE M MOORE |
CF RF |
ST MARYS COLLEGE HS |
| 1183 |
MATTHEW M MAROPIS |
SS |
FRANKLIN REGIONAL HS |
| 1213 |
ROLLIE J GIBSON |
LHP |
BUCHANAN HS |
| 1243 |
CHAZ J LYTLE |
CF |
U GEORGIA |
| 1273 |
MICHAEL B HICKS |
LHP |
ST STEPHENS HS |
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