Blogs > Out of Left Field

A sometimes-irreverent look at Detroit's Boys of Summer, the Tigers, as they try to return to the top of the American League Central.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tigers sign four more picks, three undrafted FAs

The Tigers added some hitters to the organization this week, announcing Tuesday they'd signed four picks from the recent MLB First-Year Player Draft, as well as three undrafted free agents.

The Tigers signed their eighth-, 11th-, 14th- and 19th-round draft picks, along with a pair of Mississippi State players — catcher Wes Thigpen and shortstop Jonathan Ogden, — along with infielder/outfielder Zach Maxfield, one of the most prolific hitters in the history of the Florida Gulf Coast University program. The only FGCU player to hit double-digit home runs in three straight seasons, Maxfield owns four career and two single-season hitting records in the program.

He's got nothing on the Tigers' eighth-round pick, though. Dallas Baptist's Jason Krizan put a serious challenge toward matching Robin Ventura's NCAA Division I-record 58-game hit streak, hitting in 39 consecutive games as a senior. The first-team All-American outfielder broke the D-I single-season record for doubles, and led the nation in hits this season.

The Tigers' 11th-round pick, first baseman Dean Green, was a consensus D-II All-American and Sunshine Conference Player of the Year as a senior after transferring from Oklahoma State. He hit .400 with 19 homers and 77 RBI, setting the school record for intentional walks and extra-base hits.

Pat Smith, the Tigers' 14th-round pick, led Middle Georgia College in nearly every offensive category as a freshman, a year after the Red Sox picked him in the 43rd round out of high school.

Florida State closer Dan Bennett was the Tigers' 19th-round pick, after recording 15 saves for the Seminoles, who fell one game shy of a College World Series appearance.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home