Thursday, June 03, 1999

Reds draft 'best' high school lefty

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Team happy with picks

BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Ben Broussard, with wife Brenda, was the Reds' No. 2 pick. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

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        DeJon Watson, the Reds' director of scouting, stood before the cameras and microphones and went down the list of draftees.

        First pick, Ty Howington: “The best left-handed pitcher in the draft. We were very excited to get him.”

        Second pick, Ben Broussard: “We were really surprised he was available.”

        Fifth pick, Michael Esposito: “A right-handed pitcher. Potentially a third or fourth starter.”

        Seventh pick, Okorie Barrow: “As an athlete, he reminds me of Ron Gant.”

        And on down the list, Watson went gushing all the way.

        Scouts love every player they take on draft day. But as anyone who has checked 1996 top pick Johnny Oliver's career track knows, draft day is not the day to judge drafts.

        “You judge a draft by looking back on it,” assistant general manager Doc Rodgers said.

        That said, Rodgers was happy with Wednesday's draft.

        “I think when you look back on it,” Rodgers said, “this draft will rate with the last two.”

        The Reds are pleased with the last two drafts. The 1997 draft produced two players — Scott Williamson and Mike Frank — who already have made the big leagues. And the top draft choice, Brandon Larson, is starting to play up to his potential.

        Last year's draft produced Austin Kearns and Adam Dunn, two high school players already playing in high-A ball.

        The Reds stayed true to their plan to draft left-handed pitchers and hitters.

        Howington, a 6-foot-5 high schooler out of Vancouver, Wash., was in for a workout over the weekend. The Reds like his fastball, which reaches 94 mph, and his breaking ball.

        “We were hoping he'd be there at the 14th pick,” Watson said. “We had heard the rumors he was going earlier. I said my prayers.”

        Said Howington: “They told me they'd take me if I was there. They said I'd be a steal at 14th.”

        Howington has not signed a letter of intent with a college. He is likely to sign with the Reds but not any time soon. He doesn't graduate from Hudson's Bay High School until June 21.

        “I'd like to sign by early July,” he said.

        Howington was 12-3 with a 2.19 ERA his senior year. He struck out 149 and walked only 24 in 84 innings. He struck out 17, including the first 10 batters, in Hudson's Bay's victory in the state semifinals Friday.

        Broussard, a senior at McNeese State in Louisiana, already has signed with the Reds. He was at the draft press conference Wednesday.

        The Reds had him in for a workout over the weekend.

        “The Reds organization has been great,” he said. “We really liked Cincinnati. I was hoping the Reds would take me.”

        Broussard, a first baseman whom the Reds will convert to outfielder, hit .427 with 27 home runs and 91 RBI (second in the nation).

        “He can run, too,” Watson said. “He's not a station-to-station guy. He's 6.7 in the 60. Major-league average is 7.0.”

        Broussard fits the Reds future blueprint. They want to stockpile left-handed hitters because the new stadium will have a short porch in right field.

        Interesting tidbit about Broussard: He's a nursing major, with a 3.4 GPA.

        The Reds used their third, fourth and fifth picks for right-handed high school pitchers: Brandon Love of Viola, Ark.; Kenneth Lutz of Collinsville, Ill.; and Esposito, who is from Las Vegas.

        Love throws in the 92-94 mph range. He allowed only nine hits and struck out 120 in 54 innings this year.

        Other highlights from the draft:

        • Sixth pick Ronald A. LeFlore is the son of former big-leaguer Ron LeFlore. Watson said LeFlore, at 6-2, 195 pounds, is a strong, physical player.

        • Ninth pick Casey Bookout, a first baseman out of Oklahoma University, is another powerful left-handed batter. “He's going to be 260 pounds,” Watson said.

        • Tenth pick Scott Dunn, RHP from the University of Texas, is what area scout Johnny Almaraz calls “the steal of the draft. A lot of people stayed away from him because they didn't think he'd sign. We've already signed him.”

Reds draft picks
1. Ty Howington, LHP, Hudson's Bay HS (Vancouver, Wash.).
2. Ben Broussard, OF, McNeese State.
3. Brandon Love, RHP, Viola (Ark.) HS.
4. Kenneth Lutz, RHP, Collinsville (Ill.) HS.
5. Michael Esposito, RHP, Cimarron HS (Las Vegas).
6. Ronald A. LeFlore, OF, Pinellas Park (Fla.) HS.
7. Okorie Barrow, OF, Clark HS (Athens, Ga.).
8. Ryan Lundquist, C, University of Arkansas.
9. Casey Bookout, 1B, Oklahoma University.
10. Scott Dunn, RHP, University of Texas.
11. John Darnell, LHP, Tarleton State.
12. Joshua Spoerl, 3B, University of Texas.
13. Travis Wong, 1B, Timberline (Idaho) HS.
14. David Bradley, RHP, Marietta College .
15. Rafael Erazo, RHP, Oklahoma Christian.
16. Paco Escamilla, RHP, Lubbock Christian.
17. Kyle Moncrief, 1B, West Monroe (La.) HS .
18. Matthew Dehner, SS, Oklahoma City U. .
19. B.J. Hawes, SS, Augusta (Ga.) Christian.
20. Mark Burnett, 2B, University of Arkansas.
21. Brad Salmon, RHP, Jefferson-Davis CC.
22. Michael Fawcett, RHP, Central Michigan.
23. Matthew Nanninga, RHP, Bellevue University.
24. Carlos Hinges, RHP, Selma (N.C.) HS.
25. Kevin Schnall, C, Coastal Carolina.
26. Jason Huth, 2B, Texas Tech.
27. Michael Landkammer, RHP, Mankato St..
28. Thomas Pike, RHP, McMurray University.
29. Michael Neu, RHP, University of Miami.
30. Jonathan Sheaffer, OF, South Mountain (Ariz.) JC.
31. Corey Ward, OF, Odessa (Texas) JC.
32. Anthony Arroyo, RHP, E. Union HS (Manteca, Calif.).
33. Jason Howard, C, East Carolina.
34. Stace Pape, RHP, Texas-San Antonio.
35. Evan Conley, SS, Manatee (Fla.) HS.
36. Richard Hill, LHP, Milton (Mass.) HS.
37. Jerymaine Beasley , OF, E. Washington University.
38. Blake Bodenmiller , LHP, W. Orange (Fla.) HS.
39. Joshua Andrade, RHP, Sandalwood (Fla.) HS .
40. Matthew Allen, RHP, Vernon (Texas) HS .
41. Garrett Alwert, LHP, Bethel (Wash.) HS .
42. Bryan Erstad, OF, Jamestown (N.D.) HS.
43. Nathan Rewers, 2B, University of Richmond.
44. Marlyn Tisdale, RHP, University of Tennessee.
45. Paul Brown, LHP, Citrus (Calif.) JC.
46. Matthew Lynch, LHP, Carroll (Fla.) HS.
47. Leon Smith, OF, Greenbrier (Ga.) HS.
48. Scott Hindman, LHP, Fremd (Ill.) HS.
49. Gerritt Simpson , RHP, Conners St. (Okla.) JC.
50. Cory Whitrock, SS, Desota (Texas) HS.

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