Posted by basebal5 on Friday, June 8, 2007 at 3:02 am

Detroit Tigers

 

The Detroit Tigers today selected righthanded pitcher Rick Porcello from Seton Hall Prep High in West Orange, NJ with their first pick (27th overall) in the 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

 

Porcello has compiled an 8-0 record and 0.50 ERA as a senior at Seton Hall Prep High in 2007.  He has fanned 96 batters in 56 innings pitched, while issuing only 11 walks.  Porcello fired a 77-pitch perfect game on May 12 against Newark Academy.

 

“The Tigers organization is pleased to select Rick Porcello today,” Tigers Vice President, Amateur Scouting David Chadd said. “We look forward to adding a pitcher of Porcello’s caliber and potential to our system.”

 

The 6-5, 195-pound righthander is rated by Baseball America as possessing the second-best fastball and secondary pitch among all draft-eligible high school prospects this year, while he is rated as the third-closest high school prospect to reaching the major leagues.

 

Atlanta Braves

 

The Atlanta Braves today selected outfielder Jason Heyward from Henry County High School (McDonough, Ga.), with their first selection (14^th-overall) in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. With the compensation-round selection (33^rd overall), the Braves chose third baseman Jonathan Gilmore, from Iowa City (Iowa) High School.  

 

Rated by Baseball America as the ninth-best player in the 2007 draft, Heyward hit .520 (29-for-52) with eight home runs, seven doubles and 29 RBI in his senior year for the Warhawks. The 6-foot-5, left-handed hitting outfielder was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 Aflac All-American game. In 2006 Heyward led Henry County High School to their first-ever state championship when he hit .456 with five home runs and 23 stolen bases. For three consecutive seasons he was named the All-Southern Crescent Conference by the Henry Herald and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Heyward, 17, is regarded by Baseball America as having the most upside as any player in the draft.

 

“We are delighted Jason was available at the time of our selection,” said Roy Clark, the club’s director of scouting. “We have been scouting him for the past year and are very impressed with his make-up and ability. He is a special person and we are confident he will represent the Braves organization well.”

 

Chicago White Sox

 

The Chicago White Sox selected left-handed pitcher Aaron Poreda of the University of San Francisco with their first-round pick (25th overall) in today’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

 

Poreda, 20, was named First-Team All-West Coast Conference for the second consecutive year in 2007 after going 7-6 with a 2.89 ERA (32 ER/99.2 IP), two complete games and 66 strikeouts in 14 starts during his junior season with the Dons.  The left-hander limited opponents to a .252 (93-369) average and issued 18 walks.

 

“Aaron is a hard throwing left-handed pitcher with a good fastball, excellent movement and control,” said Duane Shaffer, White Sox Senior Director of Amateur Scouting.  “We expect him to rise through our minor-league system at an accelerated pace.”

 

The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder is tied for third on San Francisco’s all-time list in wins (17), ranks fifth in ERA (2.61) and eighth in strikeouts (167) and IP (245.0).  He earned the victory over the University of Nebraska, then ranked No. 6, in the NCAA Regional in 2006.

 

“I am glad to be a part of the White Sox family,” said Poreda, who was teammates at San Francisco with Stefan Gartrell, Chicago’s 31st-round selection in 2006.  “I am grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to get my professional career started.”