Draft History Update
North Carolina finding success on field despite recent rash of first round busts
You have to go back 8 drafts to find a 1st round pick made by North Carolina who is currently suiting up for the Aviators. The 2029 draft yielded 3 current Aviators; 1B Shane Schute (round 1), and pitchers Rob Williams (round 3) and Dean Edwards (round 4). But of the boatload (57 to be exact) players drafted SINCE that 2029 draft, only 1 - 2030 2nd round pick Luis Aragon - is playing in the bigs.
Here's a look at our last 7 1st round picks and where they are today:
2030 - Don Ray - 11th Overall
Don Ray, originally drafted as a starting pitcher, is now a bullpen prospect, but at age 24 time is running out. Currently rated 1.0/2.0 stars, Ray still has the stuff (7/9) and the movement (8/8) that made him a first round pick. But his control, which scouts once thought would max out at 7, is 4/4 right now, and that, as evidenced by his 9 walks in 8 IP this season in AAA Raleigh, is what is keeping him in the minors. The odds are good that Ray will make the big league pen in September, but his odds of sticking with the team are very low unless he can get a bump in control.
2031 - Jim O'Brien - 8th Overall
This 23-year-old slugger is actually on pace from a development standpoint, but he's run into a crowded outfield in North Carolina. Jim actually made his big league debut last fall to much fanfare after a .384-54-126 campaign in AAA Raleigh, but he struggled to a .160-2-6 line in 15 games. He was the starting left fielder for the first half of spring training this year, but a sub-.200 average led to him starting the year in AAA. Currently 2.0/3.5 stars, Jim might not be top 10 in the draft material, but he's definitely not a bust (yet, anyway). Look for him to lead the Aviators in HR as early as next season.
2032 - Dan Curry - 14th Overall
Curry may well be a big league catcher soon, but he'll still be a disappointment after the early promise he showed. Curry hit .271-24-84 in rookie ball after being drafted 14th overall, and followed that up with a .322-25-114 campaign in his 2nd year in rookie ball. His 3rd year as a pro, he began the year in A ball and hit .350-10-57 and was promoted directly to AAA where he hit .295-5-25 to finish the season. After 3 pro seasons, he had been named an All-Star 3 times and won 2 gold gloves. However, during his 4th season, scouts inexplicably dropped their predictions on Curry's ceiling, even though he hit .366-20-85 for AAA Raleigh that year. He now is rated 2.0/2.0 stars, and scouts think he has reached his maximum potential. He's off to a .447-4-22 start this year, so maybe he'll prove them wrong.
2033 - Eddie Wheeler - 19th Overall
Wheeler, now 24, is still one of our top prospects, but like Curry, his potential ratings have taken a beating. Currently rated 3.5/4.5 stars, Wheeler is coming off a .340-15-86 season for AAA Raleigh. He is currently the #34 prospect in the AFBL, up from #52 last year and #62 the year before. Wheeler is an amazing defensive SS and has blazing speed and ability on the basepaths, but he's already suffered a pair of notable injuries. He made his big league debut last fall and struggled to a .133-1-1 line in 9 games. Look for him back in an Aviators uniform soon.
2034 - Jose Medrano - 14th Overall
Potentially one of the biggest busts in Aviators draft history. We really missed on this guy, who is now rated 0.5/1.5 stars and is still in rookie ball to start his 3rd pro season. Medrano has hit okay; .306-19-90 his first year and .313-12-76 his second. But, he has developed slowly and his projections have fallen mightily. Once projected to be an 8/6/5 hitter, he now looks to be a 5/5/2 hitter. Additionally, he has struggled in the field. He was only 16 years old when drafted, so he does have time on his side. But right now Medrano needs to focus on making it to A ball before he can worry about making it to the bigs.
2035 - Cal Yarn - 15th Overall
Cal looks to be on pace to be a big league starter. He's rated 0.5/4.0 stars, and has 8/7/6 potentials as a pitcher. He skipped rookie ball and was 12-11 with a 3.66 ERA in 30 starts for A OBX last season. 3 starts into his second year, which he began in AA Greensboro, he looks comfortable and has a 2-1 record despite an inflated 4.80 ERA.
2036 - Chris May - 17th Overall
Chris has made his pro debut for the Delray Beach Grasshoppers, posting a 1.80 ERA in his first 5 appearances. He still is rated at 0.5/4.5 stars and scouts still like him, but he seems to be upset with the team's chemistry. The Grasshoppers are off to a 3-9 start, so there's probably a lot of misery in the clubhouse.