[BA]2004 Draft Report Card
Best Pro Debut: OF Mitch Einertson (5) tied a 44-year-old Rookie-level
Appalachian League home run record with 24. He was named MVP and topped the
league in extra-base hits (39), RBIs (67) and slugging (.692) while hitting
.308. He also homered twice in the playoffs and again in his first game after
a promotion to the short-season New York-Penn League. SS Ben Zobrist (6) was
old for the NY-P at 23, but he did lead the league in hitting (.339) and
on-base percentage (.438).
Best Athlete: Zobrist is a switch-hitter with average tools across the board.
OF Hunter Pence (2) is a gangly 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, but he's a pretty
good athlete and played a solid center field in his pro debut. OF Jordan Parraz
(3) was the highest unsigned draft-and-follow from 2003, failing to sign with
the Phillies as a sixth-rounder铘fter they took him as a pitcher.
Best Pure Hitter: Pence was a surprise second-round pick, but his hitting
ability was obvious. He batted .395 at Texas-Arlington to win the Southland
Conference batting title during the spring, then hit .296 with eight homers in
the NY-P.
Best Raw Power: Despite Einertson's exploits, the Astros say he doesn't have
the most pop in their draft class. That honor belongs to C Lou Santangelo (4).
Parraz and Pence also possess a lot of power.
Fastest Runner: OF Luke Barganier (30) goes from the left side of the plate
to first base in 4.05 seconds.
Best Defensive Player: C J.R. Towles' (20) catch-and-throw skills stand out
in an organization that lost a big chunk of its catching depth when it included
John Buck in the Carlos Beltran trade.
Best Fastball: RHP Chad Reineke's (13) fastball received a boost when he moved
to the bullpen last spring at Miami (Ohio). He now throws 89-94 mph.
Best Breaking Ball: LHP Troy Patton (9) had one of the best curveballs in the
draft, and hitters can't sit on it because he also has a low-90s fastball. He
signed for $550,000, easily the highest bonus in 2004's ninth round.
Most Intriguing Background: RHP Jared Brite (26) was a punter and placekicker
at Kansas State. He signed with the Astros, but a pre-existing elbow injury
led them to void his contract. RHP Garrett Murdy (16) was the NCAA Division II
2004 player of the year after leading that level in wins (14-1,1.88) and strike
outs (158 in 115 innings) for Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Closest To The Majors: Pence or Zobrist. Patton, who had a 1.93 ERA at Rookie-
level Greeneville, is advanced for a high school lefty.
Best Late-Round Pick: Reineke or Towles. Towles also has some power to go with
his defensive ability.
The One Who Got Away: The Astros signed their top 17 picks but couldn't get
RHP Jared Clark (19) to turn pro rather than attending Cal State Fullerton.
Clark, who has an 89-91 mph fastball, also could see time as an outfielder
for the Titans.
Assessment: Houston reassigned scouting director David Lakey after this draft,
but he did well for not having a first-round pick. The system had been thin
in position players, a weakness addressed with the first five choices⑯ence,
Parraz, Santangelo, Einertson and Zobrist.
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