With the third overall pick in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft, the Seattle Mariners select...
For three University of Virginia baseball players, June 7, 2005 will determine the future of their baseball opportunities. This day marks the start of the amateur baseball draft when college and high school players across the country will wear their lucky pair of socks and wait to hear the fate of their baseball careers.
Juniors Matt Avery, Mike Ballard and Ryan Zimmerman, who happen to be roommates as well as teammates for the Virginia baseball team, represent three of the many athletes who will await the news from the draft. These three Virginia players share another common thread: they have the choice of staying at Virginia for another year or taking their services to a major league squad. All three players expect to be taken at some point in the 50-round amateur draft, but the exact rounds will remain uncertain until the player is selected.
According to numerous baseball sources, Ryan Zimmerman is considered as high as the third-best college prospect in the country. With Baseball America describing him as 'the best defensive third baseman, with looseness and snap in his swing,' Zimmerman should have a chance to go high in the first round of the draft.
"Ryan's a terrific player," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "He's one of the best players in the country. He's worked hard to afford himself this opportunity. I would imagine if he goes where everybody is talking about him going in the draft, he'll be gone out of Virginia after this year."
While it appears Zimmerman will be headed to a Minor League team next year, Avery and Ballard have more uncertain futures. Both pitchers have had up-and-down seasons filled with spectacular moments that would catch any scout's eye. With draft rumors swirling, the players will experience a gut-wrenching few months leading up to the draft.
"You think about all the variables, but you really don't know which ones will come into play until the actual draft occurs," pitcher Matt Avery said. "You see if you go, where you go, [and to] what club. There are more variables that come into play after draft day that decide whether you think you might come back or go pro."
Each time they take the mound, Avery and Ballard must balance the desire to perform well for scouts with the equally strong desire to see Virginia succeed.
"It can be nerve-wracking, but you can't let that get in the way of your performance -- That's going to end up affecting the other 35 people on your team," Avery said. "At the end of the day, come June, someone will either like you or not like you. I don't know how much you can change their mind with them seeing you or by your numbers."
Because most college students have never been through a draft scenario, agents are available to guide them through the process. Many baseball players use the summer to find an agent they can trust. Third-baseman Zimmerman spent the summer showcasing his skills playing for USA baseball in Japan. The southpaw Ballard rehabbed his arm from surgery in a summer league in Virginia. While his past injury may concern some scouts, the fact that he is a left-handed pitcher in a class dominated by right-handers should improve Ballard's draft position. Meanwhile, Avery had a strong summer in the heavily-scouted Cape Cod league.
"There are herds of agents looking for people they like," Avery said. "You meet with them and your parents, and find the best fit for you. It's a really important decision to find someone you can trust, treats you fairly and can be a friend to you when you are going through rough times. The hardest part of it was not wanting to hurt [any agents] that we didn't want to go with."
Once the agents are chosen and the skills are displayed, it is time for draft day. Unlike other major sports, where the event is broadcast on network television, the baseball draft is a huge conference call announced only via the official Major League Baseball Web site. Most college players will await their fate by refreshing the site every few minutes or waiting by the phone for the pivotal call from the scout who got them drafted. Avery and his friends have their own unique plans for the day.
"I know I'm playing golf," Avery said. "I'm sure Ryan will be expecting his call pretty soon after the start of the draft. He might get his call on the T-box of the first hole; I might just have to wait a couple of holes. I want to just get away from it, have fun, [and] whatever happens, happens."
Each player must decide where to spend his next year by the time classes start in the fall. While the decision will be a tumultuous one, all of the players agreed that no matter what happens in the draft, they have a great option of staying at the University.
"I feel pretty thankful that if it doesn't work out [this year], I'm at a great college with great coaches and players and a great institution to come back to," Avery said.
With close friends, family and a solid support system of coaches and agents, there's no better place to spend June 7 than out on the links.
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