Texas Rangers agree to terms with top five selections in 2012 draft
The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has agreed to terms with its top five selections in the 2012 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. The five players are:
1st Round (29th overall)—OF Lewis Brinson, Coral Springs (FL) High School
Compensation Round (39th overall)—3B Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman High School, Henderson, NV
Compensation Round (53rd overall)—RHP Collin Wiles, Blue Valley West High School, Overland Park, KS
2nd Round (83rd overall)—OF Jamie Jarmon, Indian River High School, Dagsboro, DE
2nd Round (93rd overall)—OF Nick Williams, Ball High School, Galveston, TX
In addition, Texas has agreed to terms with its 11th round selection, RHP Eric Brooks from McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas.
Brinson, Gallo, Wiles, Jamon, and Williams will report to the Rangers complex in Surprise, Arizona on Wednesday while Brooks will report to short season A Spokane in the Northwest League.
With the agreements, Texas has 26 of its 43 selections in the 2012 Draft under contract.
CF LEWIS BRINSON (29th overall) - The right-handed batter and thrower is 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds…batted .394 with 4 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs, 21 RBI, and 11 stolen bases as a senior for Coral Springs…was a 4-year starter for the Colts, leading them to postseason play in 3 of his 4 seasons, after Coral Springs had qualified for the postseason only 5 times previously…was named an Under Armour All-American and participated in the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field on August 13, 2011 and the Perfect Game showcase in Jupiter, Florida…won the home run derby contest at the Under Armour All-American Game…has committed to the University of Florida.
3B JOEY GALLO (39th overall) - The 2012 Nevada Gatorade State Player of the Year, Gallo led the Gaels of Bishop Gorman to their 7th consecutive Nevada 4A state title, hitting .509 with 21 home runs, 80 RBI, 66 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases…the left-handed swinging Gallo’s 80 RBI set a new Nevada single-season record, while his 65 career home runs are the most in state history…a two-way player as a right-handed pitcher, Gallo also went 1-1 on the mound with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/13.2 IP) and 23 strikeouts against 10 walks in 5 games, including a no-hitter…measuring at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, the 18-year-old Gallo was tabbed by Baseball America as the Best Power Hitter and having the third-best arm among high school draft prospects…the left-handed hitter is committed to LSU.
RHP COLLIN WILES (53rd overall) – With its second compensation pick, the 53rd overall selection received for Type B free agent Darren Oliver, (Blue Jays), Texas selected RHP Collin Wiles from Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, KS…the right-handed thrower and batter is 6-foot-4 and 187 pounds…went 8-0 with a 0.10 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 49.1 innings. Wiles also batted .375 with 11 RBI and 10 runs scored, while leading the Jaguars to a 21-3 record and the Class 6A state final in 2011…was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year for Kansas and is a finalist for the national award…was also a first team all-state selection in Kansas…has committed to Vanderbilt University.
CF JAMIE JARMON (83rd overall) – The 17-year-old centerfielder, who turns 18 on June 21, was selected in the 2nd round out of Indian River High School in Dagsboro, Delaware…the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Jarmon was a finalist for the 2012 Gatorade Delaware State Baseball Player of the Year award…the right-handed batter and thrower hit .491 with 6 doubles, one triple, 2 home runs, 21 RBI, and 10 stolen bases…the Millsboro, Del., native was also the 2011 Gatorade Delaware State Football Player of the Year as a dual-threat quarterback for Indian River…led the Indians to a perfect 12-0 record and the Division II state championship in 2011 and earned his conference’s offensive player of the year honor after passing for over 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 1,300 yards and 26 scores…serves as a volunteer firefighter in the community…played in the Canes Baseball program and the Perfect Game U17 National Championship…ranked the no. 92 prospect in this year’s draft by ESPN and no. 133 by Baseball America…is the first Rangers draft pick out from a Delaware high school since RHP Randy Truselo was taken in the 2nd round in 2000…is committed to play only baseball at the University of South Carolina.
OF NICK WILLIAMS (93rd overall) – The 18-year-old outfielder was the club’s second selection in the second round…the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Williams batted .422 with 25 stolen bases this spring during his senior season fro Ball High School in Galveston, Texas…Williams batted .537 with 13 home runs and 30 RBI in 2011 as a junior for the Tors…he was rated by Baseball America as the 100th-best position prospect overall and the 31st-highest at the high school level…Williams has committed to Texas A&M University.
RHP ERIC BROOKS – The 21-year-old righthander spent the 2012 season at McLennan Community College in Waco after spending two years at the University of Houston…was a redshirt in 2010 and went 5-2 for the Cougars in 2011…was a three-year letter winner at Taylor (TX) High School, earning first team all-state honors as a senior in 2009.