Jun
17
2012

Mets Have Signed 15 Of Their Draft Selections

An article by Hojo's Mojo

In addition to Louisiana high school shortstop Gavin Cecchini (12th overall pick) and Purdue catcher Kevin Plawecki (35th overall), the Mets have confirmed the signings of 13 other selections from last week’s draft according to ESPN..

Rd. 3 (107), Matt Koch, RHP, Louisville
Rd. 4 (140), Branden Kaupe, SS, Baldwin (Hawaii) HS
Rd. 5 (170), Brandon Welch, RHP, Palm Beach State
Rd. 7 (230), Corey Oswalt, RHP, Madison (Calif.) HS
Rd. 8 (260), Tomas Nido, C, Orangewood Christian (Calif.) HS
Rd. 9 (290), Richie Rodriguez, 2B, Eastern Kentucky
Rd. 10 (320), Paul Sewald, RHP, San Diego
Rd. 12 (380), Rob Whalen, RHP, Haines City (Fla.) HS
Rd. 13 (410), Matt Bowman, RHP, Princeton
Rd. 17 (530), Stefan Sabol, C, Orange Coast CC
Rd. 19 (590), Tyler Vandenheiden, RHP, Samford U
Rd. 20 (620), Tim Peterson, RHP, Kentucky
Rd. 38 (1160), Jeff Reynolds, 3B, Harvard

Plawecki, Koch, Welch, Rodriguez, Sewald, Whalen, Bowman, Sabol, Vanderheiden, Peterson and Reynolds will play for Brooklyn, which opens play Monday. Cecchini, Kaupe, Oswalt and Nido will play for Kingsport, which begins play the following day.

Yesterday, before the Mets game against the Cincinnati Reds, 2012 first-round pick Gavin Cecchini and supplemental first-round pick Kevin Plawecki took part in batting practice in what has become somewhat of a new tradition with the Mets of late.

The team announced that Louisiana high school shortstop Gavin Cecchini, 18, will be joining the Mets Rookie League affiliate Kingsport, while the former Purdue catcher Kevin Plawecki will begin his pro career with the short-season Class-A Brooklyn Cyclones.

Cecchini wore uniform No. 2 in homage to his idol Derek Jeter.

“Derek Jeter’s my favorite player,” he said. “The reason he’s my favorite player is because he plays the game hard, always. He runs out balls hard, and he’s a great [role] model for me and all the rest of the kids.”

Cecchini and Plawecki were selected 12th and 35th overall, and the Mets wasted no time signing them. Both will begin playing next week when Kingsport and Brooklyn open their seasons.

About the Author: Rob Johnson

10 Comments + Add Comment

Angelo June 16, 2012 at 1:22 pm

well lets hope you can put this picture up again in 15 years , reminding how 2 HOFs arrived here . LGM
- Angelo June 16, 2012 at 1:23 pm
  
  lets give em 20 years
Little Nicky June 16, 2012 at 2:13 pm

I hope they are as good as I’ve read. I’m really glad we are moving in the right direction.
Petey Pete June 17, 2012 at 8:21 am

To me the most encouraging early signs from this year’s draft are the number of high-schoolers drafted and signed already. That is how you build a solid farm system from the ground up, by adding guys who are young, undamaged, and have high ceilings as pro’s.
- Metsie June 17, 2012 at 2:18 pm
  
  Hey pete how much of that is due to the fact there is a new CBA limiting total spending and/or the fact they did not go after players who would demand an overslot because they didn’t take those types of players?
  - Fonzie13 June 17, 2012 at 3:35 pm
    
    The signing deadline was also moved up a month earlier.
  - Petey Pete June 17, 2012 at 4:51 pm
    
    I don’t see how the change in the CBA would get the Mets to draft more high school kids. If they wanted to spend less in those slots, they would draft college seniors and guys with very little leverage, and low ceilings too I’m afraid.
    
    No I think the fact that this Mets regime is drafting high school players despite the fact it will cost more is due to a system-wide philosophy change to get the system younger and more athletic.
    - Metsie June 17, 2012 at 5:39 pm
      
      Well it could be said they went for the lower cieling when they passed on Hawkins no?
      
      I was more hinting that the Agents know they were not going to be able to play hardball and were maybe less aggressive in thier approach to negotiations as far as the new CBA having an affect.
      
      As for taking HS kids I think that makes some sense in regards to if they didn’t sign someone that would be much more to spend on the others with the chance they could get another shot at them after they went to college.
      - Petey Pete June 17, 2012 at 6:12 pm
        
        I think you have something there about the agents changing their strategy a bit this year, they have to evolve too.
        
        I was all for the Mets taking Hawkins or Giolito at the time they drafted, but you really can’t compare Cecchini and Hawkins anymore than you can compare apples to oranges. They are such different kinds of players and each may or may not be a star. But they will surely take very different paths and each wind up in very different places.
        
        Metsie June 17, 2012 at 8:06 pm
        
        Well maybe you can’t compare them from a performance POV but perhaps they had some suspicion that Hawkins would be harder to sign…
        
        It’s all just supposition though…

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