Austin Nola moves to the pro level after a stellar four-year college career as LSU's starting shortstop.
Two prep players from the state of Louisiana were chosen today in the 3rd round of the MLB Draft. Parkview Baptist (Baton Rouge) lefthanded pitcher, Colin Rodgers, went to the Kansas City Royals with the 100th overall pick.
Rogers is a 5-foot-11 hurler that will touch the low 90s and is an Auburn commitment. Parkway High (Bossier City) OF Kolby Copeland went in the supplemental portion of the 3rd round to the Miami Marlins. Copeland, committed to Baton Rouge CC, is expected to sign after a prep career spent as a quarterback on the gridiron as well.
Selected by the Minnesota Twins with the 63rd overall pick of the draft was Northwestern State (Natchitoches) lefty reliever Mason Melotakis. Melotakis went early in the second round, just missing the "sandwich" round last night. He is my first player projected to make the bigs from in-state from the draft class of 2012. The former Demon has a wicked fastball clocked regularly at 95-96 mph and can chop down lefty hitters in the bigs in the near future.
LSU shortstop Austin Nola was selected in the 5th round by the Miami Marlins with the 167th pick of the draft. Nola, a four year starter for the Tigers, should sign for a little less than 250k. His value starts in the clubhouse as a leader and extends onto the field as a defensive stalwart with his glove. Nola will hit enough with the wood to make up for any power deficiences. This is the third time Nola has been drafted by a big league club.
Nicholls State southpaw William Delatte flew under a lot of radars and was taken in the 5th by Toronto. The St. Amant High alum led the Colonels with 31 appearances in 2012 and is valued as a situational lefty out of the bullpen.
Evangel Christian's Hayden Jennings, an LSU signee, was the Class 2A most valuable player in his senior season. Jennings hit .439, slugged 12 home runs, and stole 23 bases for the Eagles. Jennings was taken by Washington in the 6th round and will surrender the opportunity to play college baseball to sign a professional contract with the Washington Nationals. The Nationals selected Jennings in the 6th round and is expected to sign him for the slotted money of $174,900 for the 204th spot in the draft.
LSU right-handed closer Nick Goody went late in the 6th round with the 217th overall pick to the New York Yankees, who also picked him last year as a JUCO prospect (22nd round). Goody should be able to get money slotted to him at the spot he was taken because of the high dollars the Steinbrenners can toss around. He became the Tigers' closer early in the 2012 season and is now one of the top closers in the country.
Goody is a mid-90s fastball pitcher who should move up in the organization's system as a 7th or 8th inning setup man. He is the third Tiger to be selected in the 2012 amateur draft.
Alabama all-time hits leader Taylor Dugas, a Lafayette native, taken as 2nd to last pick of 8th round by the New York Yankees. A four-year college player, the Teurlings Catholic alum is a scrappy hitter and outfielder. Dugas hit .360 for his career and was a teenage travel ball teammate of current LSU senior Grant Dozar and former LSU star Mikie Mahtook, a 2011 first round pick by the Rays.
ULM senior shortstop Jeremy Sy, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, was chosen 388th overall (12th round) by the San Francisco Giants. Sy was 4 for 11 in the Regional and hit .330 on the season while stealing 14 bases. He could move to second base at the pro level.
Brock Hebert, the Southland Conference player of the year from Southeastern, was taken by the Mariners in the 14th round (431st overall). Will the second baseman out of South Terrebonne High come back to the Lions for his senior year to try and up that draft stock? We shall see.
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