Adams headed for Apple?

By Jay Jenkins

Published: June 6, 2008

After watching the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft on television in his parents’ home, David Adams decided it was time to try something different: dinner.

Moments after Adams strolled into a Bonefish Grill in Florida, his phone rang.

The area scout from the New York Yankees told the former Virginia second baseman that the organization had just used their third round pick, the No. 106 overall selection, to secure his services.

“It was certainly exciting and it is a great opportunity for me,” Adams said. “It is an honor to play for the best organization in baseball.”

Adams’ selection was the first in a flurry of picks among players with ties to Virginia’s program.

In the following round, the Boston Red Sox took an incoming player in the Cavaliers’ recruiting class. Peter Hissey, an outfielder from Unionville High in Pennsylvania, was taken No. 142, marking the second time in three years that the organization drafted a player scheduled to report to Virginia.

UVa shortstop Greg Miclat was selected in the fifth round (No. 146) by the Baltimore Orioles, 14 picks before the Atlanta Braves landed starting pitcher Jacob Thompson.

“It makes you proud as coach because the three third-year players got drafted higher than they were or would have been out of high school,” said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. “It is rewarding to the program and now we will see what they decide to do. Now it goes into negotiations and we will see if they get paid what they are looking for.”

It is widely expected, at least at this point, that Adams will be the first among the group to sign a contract, forgoing his final year of eligibility.

“I am a pretty easy sign,” said Adams, who was the first UVa player taken by the Yankees since Brian Buchanan was picked in the first round in 1994.

“I am leaving no matter what. I am trying to get out of here fast and I am going to report as soon as possible so I can get started as soon as possible, and hopefully I can move up quickly.”

Thompson could not be reached for comment, but told The Daily Progress before the draft that he was ready for the next chapter in his baseball career. At that point, however, the school’s all-time wins leader expected to be taken in the first three rounds, only to slide to the Braves in the fifth.

Miclat, just 12 months after undergoing shoulder surgery, said the events from the first day of the draft, which concludes today, seemed to crawl by. In fact, after a serious of discussions between Miclat’s advisor and the Orioles, a deal appeared in place for his selection in the fourth round.

When Baltimore selected center fielder Kyle Hudson instead with the 116th overall pick, Miclat thought it was a “fourth round or nothing” situation.

“I think the longest time was when my advisor called me saying they were wanting to pick me and the money they were offering in the fourth round wasn’t quite was I was asking for,” Miclat said. “We said ‘Go ahead and draft me,’ and the time from then until hearing that they didn’t draft me was forever. It felt like an hour, but it was only 15 minutes.

“They said they really like me and they know what it is going to take to sign me. They drafted me regardless of my [price tag], and they want to get something worked out as soon as possible.”

Miclat has leverage and could report to the Cape Cod League later this month if a deal seems unlikely.

Hissey said publicly before the draft that he had a figure set in place that he would require to skip college, but despite his lofty demands, the Red Sox clearly have the financial resources necessary. The organization inked outfielder Ryan Kalish out of high school to a contract in ‘06, paying well over the expected slot value for a player selected in the corresponding round.

It reminded O’Connor of the fine line that college baseball coaches walk in offering scholarship money to potential draftees.

“You can’t call them all right, and in Hissey’s case, he is a great athlete and in his senior year he got stronger and really took off,” O’Connor said. “I can see why Boston drafted him in the fourth round. He is a great player, and we will just have to see where the process takes him.”

Several Virginia players remain hopeful that their names will be called today as the final 44 rounds of the draft unfold. St. Anne’s-Belfield prospect Kyle Long also was not drafted in the first five rounds.

According to sources, based on conversations with Major League teams, potential clubs were concerned about Long’s strong commitment to play baseball at Florida State and questioned their chances of signing him to a professional contract.