As expected, Colorado schoolboys chosen Tuesday on the first of the two-day Major League Baseball amateur draft were few and far between. There were only two, and both occurred in the fifth round.
And they vowed to sign.
Pomona (Arvada) right-handed pitcher Kyle Winters was chosen 156th by the Florida Marlins and Lewis-Palmer (Monument) outfielder Reid Engel was taken 12 picks later by the Boston Red Sox.
“It’s about where I expected to go,” the 6-foot-4 Winters said.
With an 8-1 record, a 0.79 ERA and 88 strikeouts as a senior, Winters was courted by the Marlins throughout this season.
Ditto for Engel and the Red Sox, who recently had him take batting practice and flyballs at night at fabled Fenway Park.
“Oh, gosh, I’m just ecstatic about it,” Engel said. “I really couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
A decidedly lean year for schoolboy draft prospects was played out through 18 rounds the first day – today will the final 32 rounds – as Winters and Engel were the only in-state players selected.
There were other former in-state high-school stars chosen, led by right-handed pitcher Luke Hochevar.
But the former Fowler star, who is leading Tennessee in the NCAA super regionals, dropped to the 40th overall selection, by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Earlier speculation had Hochevar possibly being the second pick overall, but teams may have been hesitant after he signed with agent Scott Boras, notorious for high salary demands and holdouts.
Other local first-day draftees:
