5 June 2008

Cape League players go high in Major League Draft

By Staff reports

REGIONAL -

Led by Florida State catcher Buster Posey, the Cape Cod Baseball League champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox had three of the top 10 players picked in the Major League Baseball Draft.

The San Francisco Giants made Posey the fifth player selected. Former Red Sox teammates Gordon Beckham, shortstop from Georgia (No. 8, Chicago White Sox) and Stanford catcher Jason Castro (No. 10, Houston Astros) were the others.

Brewster Whitecaps first baseman Yonder Alonso of Miami was the No. 7 pick, by the Cincinnati Reds and 2006 Cotuit Kettleers first baseman Justin Smoak of South Carolina (No. 11, Texas Rangers) were also selected, giving the Cape League six of the top 11 picks. Alonso’s teammate David Cooper of California was the No. 17 pick by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Other Cape League players picked were: 18, Ike Davis, 1B, Wareham, NY Mets; 20, Josh Fields, P, Y-D, Seattle; 21, Ryan Perry, P, Orleans, Detroit; 22, Reese Havens, SS, Cotuit, NY Mets; 23, Allan Dykstra, 1B, Chatham, San Diego; 25, Christian Friedrich, P, Falmouth, Colorado; 31, Shooter Hunt, P, Falmouth, Minnesota; 37, Conor Gillaspie, 3B, Falmouth, San Francisco; 41, Ryan Flaherty, SS, Hyannis, Chicago Cubs.

The Tampa Bay Rays made high school shortstop Tim Beckham of Georgia the No. 1 pick in the draft. High school players also were selected No. 3 and 6.