2038 We finished as the Federation Cup runner-ups, so we have the 19th pick.
We also have Kentucky's 3rd round pick (#52 overall), which we acquired in a trade for P Yu-zeng Sung.
We also nearly had Pennsylvania's 2nd round pick, which we acquired in a trade for C Dan Curry, but that will now be a 2039 pick because I was slow to respond.
As far as our needs go, we need 3 infielders, 4 outfielders and a pair of pitchers. With 9 picks in the draft, we will be drafting for need rather than best available player this season.
1st Round, #19 OverallJim SimpsonDallas High School Hammerheads - Third Base17-year-old Jim Simpson has been tabbed as our first round pick. A hard working young man and a good leader, Jim led his Dallas High squad to the postseason thanks to a .381-12-68 line in 49 games. He's raw, as are most 17-year-old players, but he projects to be a good power hitter that is hard to fan, and he should be an above average contact guy who can also draw a fair number of walks. Defensively, he need a lot of work, but his glove is great and his arm is good. He needs to develop his footwork so he can cover a little more ground. He looks to be strictly a 3B or 1B; he's too slow for the outfield and too clumsy to handle turning DP's in the middle infield. He'll be headed to Delray Beach (R) to begin his pro career, and that team could use someone with Jim's intangibles very, very desperately.
2nd Round, #39 Overall
Luis MartinezLackland AFB High School Bombers - ShortstopThe Aviators take another infielder, opting for 17-year-old Bowie, Maryland native Luis Martinez. Luis, whose father is an actual Aviator in the Air Force, has one of the strongest arms our scouts have ever seen, and he's got a good glove as well. His range is just average, but he's got excellent speed and should develop into a nice defensive shortstop. Luis is good at avoiding the strikeout, and just slightly above average at hitting and drawing walks. His power - both to the gaps and over the fences - is very average, as is his base running. Don't ask him to bunt, or you'll regret it.
Luis showed a lot of improvement from his Junior to Senior year, going from a .328 average to a .361 mark. His career line at Lackland High: .345-17-91 in 100 games played.
With all the trouble we've had in Delray Beach (R) lately, we're taking a closer look at everyone's personality this year. Luis is loyal, but he's also a bit selfish. He's a pretty average Joe in all other aspects. He should fly under the radar in the locker room, unless his selfishness brings down some of the other players. At least he doesn't have the character flaws we've seen in some of our other draftees over the past few seasons.
3rd Round, #52 Overall (Pick Acquired from Kentucky for P Yu-zeng Sung)
Carlos 'Stoner' PikeHouston High School Hornets - ShortstopWith their third pick, the Aviators take their third (and final) infielder of the draft. He projects to be a slightly above average hitter with slightly above average power. He's got great hand-eye coordination, but he is not patient at the plate. He's got good range, a good glove, a good arm, and is gifted at turning two. Scouts are not confident he will transition to pro ball, but at the high school level he was better than our previous two picks.
Carlos was an absolute beast at the plate in high school, hitting .420 and earning the nickname 'Stoner'. In 99 career games, he blasted 29 homers and drove in 156 runs. He once blasted 3 HR in a game vs Mesa High, and he had two different 22-game hitting streaks during his career.
Pike is well known in the Houston area for his play, both at the plate and in the field. His junior year, he was runner-up for the AHS RL Outstanding Hitter Award, and his senior year he won the Glove Wizard Award at SS.
Finally, Pike is a great leader, something sorely needed in Delray Beach (R) where he will be assigned.
3rd Round, #59 Overall
Jesus ChavezLong Beach High School Terriers - Relief PitcherJesus has good height (6'5") and is the cerebral type of pitcher North Carolina loves to draft.
He was actually available last year, but was undrafted and returned to high school. In his first two years of high school, he posted ERA's of 6.26 and 5.40, so it's no wonder he was undrafted. But after returning for a 3rd year of high school baseball, he put up a respectable 1.84 ERA with 11 saves.
Chavez has a decent fastball, but it's his slider that will make him successful in the pros. He does not have a lot of stamina, but he's got good stuff, good movement, and good control. He should fit in well in the clubhouse, and is the first of two pitchers NC is hoping to take in this draft. Jesus will be assigned to Delray Beach (R).
4th Round, #79 Overall
Steve ElliotKansas City High School Buzzers - Relief PitcherSteve probably flew under the radar during this draft due to his lofty High School ERA and a severe injury he suffered as a Sophomore, but North Carolina decided to take a chance on him in the 4th round. He's very young, graduating high school early at the age of 16 to join the Aviators organization. He's got size, at 6'6", and is a real high character guy. He works hard, has a good head on his shoulders, and he doesn't need to play for a winner. That's gonna help him in Delray Beach. Scouts love his control and his movement, although they think his stuff is just average. He throws a nice curveball, has an average fastball, and has a changeup he might want to never throw again.
He started 9 games for Kansas City High, but he'll be strictly a reliever in the Aviators system. His ERA as a Sophomore in the bullpen was an even 4.00, but it ballooned to 7.26 as a starter his Junior year. Scouts have assured us that the elevated ERA was not related to a torn rotator cuff he suffered late in his Sophomore campaign. Elliot is a great kid, has excellent control, and very well may be a diamond in the rough.
5th Round - #99 Overall
Jeirgif Baisak International amateur free agent from Russia - OutfielderBaisak plays all three outfield positions, has good range, a good glove, and a good arm. He's a great leader, has good speed, is great at stealing bases, and runs the bases like a real pro. He has great bat control and can lay down bunts either to move the runner over or to reach first base much better than most modern players. He's just average at the plate, and has below average power. At this point in the draft, the Aviators are drafting solely for need, and what they need now are (1) outfielders and (2) high character guys. Baisak may not be a great prospect, but he fits both those bills. He also will only be 17 years old next season, so there's a chance he could develop into something better.
6th Round - #119 Overall
St?phane SerreSan Luis Obispo College Monsoon - Center FieldSerre is nothing special right now, but we like his leadership and work ethic and think he can help with the development of some of our better outfielders we drafted last year. He was a stellar defensive player in college. He has good speed, but is clumsy on the basepaths and not really good at stealing bases. The 20-year-old will begin his pro career at OBX (A).
7th Round - #139 Overall
Greg McJannettFt. Wayne College Steamrollers - Center FieldAnother outfielder goes to the Aviators, and another college player at that. Greg McJannett is already a polished defensive player, and has elite speed. He can steal bases, but gets knocked for poor judgement when trying to stretch singles to doubles. Greg works hard, and while he's not a top level prospect, he should be able to be an extra outfielder in September at the very least. A talent bump here or there and he could be a big league center fielder.
In a rare move, the Aviators will assign McJannett to their double-A Greensboro squad straight out of college.
