NEW YORK (AP) - Matt Anderson, a right-handed pitcher from Rice, was taken by the Detroit Tigers yesterday with the first pick of baseball's amateur draft.
Anderson, 6-foot-4, is the Owls' career leader in wins (30), saves (14) and appearances (82).
Philadelphia, picking second, chose Florida State centerfielder J.D. Drew, regarded by many scouts as the best college outfielder ever. The 21-year-old junior is the only Division I player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season.
Anaheim then selected Troy Glaus third, an infielder from UCLA, and San Francisco drafted Jason Grilli, a pitcher from Seton Hall, fourth.
No. 5 was Vernon Wells, an outfielder from Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas, who was chosen by Toronto. The New York Mets then took Geoff Goetz, a left-handed pitcher from Jesuit High School in Tampa, Fla.
Kansas City selected Daniel Reichert, a right-handed pitcher from Pacific. Pittsburgh, choosing eighth, went with J.J. Davis, a first baseman from Baldwin Park High School in Pomona, Calif.
Minnesota, at No. 9, drafted Mike Cuddyer, a shortstop from Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Va. And at No. 10, the Chicago Cubs chose Jon Garland, a right-handed pitcher from Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, Calif.
The Tigers steered clear of Drew, mainly because it might take $10 million or so to get him. Drew is represented by Scott Boras, the same tough negotiator who got a $10.2 million signing bonus last year from the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays for high school pitcher Matt White.
"This year, signability is a factor with everybody," Phillies scouting director Mike Arbuckle said. "Baseball ability is a prime concern, but signability has to be thought about. All the factors have to be weighed.
"Whoever we pick, it's going to be a lengthy process. This year will be the longest process for everybody, the longest baseball has ever seen."
Certainly it pays to be cautious. While recent No. 1 picks like Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez and Chipper Jones all zoomed to stardom, there are plenty of stories about guys like Brien Taylor and Ryan Jaroncyk.
Taylor, the top pick of 1991, got a $1.55 million signing bonus negotiated by Boras. But he injured his shoulder in a fight a few years ago and is languishing in extended spring training for the New York Yankees.
Jaroncyk, a high school shortstop who was the 18th overall choice in 1995, recently retired at 20 because he was bored with baseball. The Mets gave him a $850,000 bonus.
Only the results of the opening round were announced. The remainder of the draft, which lasted 100 rounds last year, will be announced next week.
The No. 1 choice in last June's draft was Clemson pitcher Kris Benson, taken by Pittsburgh and paid a $2 million signing bonus by the Pirates.
As of last week, Benson was 5-2 with a 2.58 ERA for Class A Lynchburg. In fact, only two of last year's first-round picks had reached Double-A by last weekend.
AP PHOTO
Florida State centerfielder J.D. Drew (left), considered to be the best outfielder to come out of college, was selected second overall by Philadelphia in baseball's amateur draft yesterday. Detroit, which held the first pick, passed on Drew because of concerns that he would demand more money than the Tigers were willing to pay.
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