The MLB Signing Deadline is fast approaching as all teams have until midnight on August 15th to sign their draft picks or they will head to college for the 2012 season. Here is the latest news and notes from around the country.
College Baseball Daily has learned that Vanderbilt closer Navery Moore has signed with the Atlanta Braves. Moore had an outstanding season with the Commodores appearing in 28 games going 4-2 with 11 saves and an ERA of 1.21 in 29.2 innings. CBD Sr. Writer Kat Cornetta wrote an excellent feature on Moore during the regular season which can be checked out by clicking here.
Seattle Mariners third round pick Carter Capps of Mount Olive College has agreed to a deal with the team according to Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times. Capps was unbelievable this summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Harwich Mariners going 4-1 with a 0.60 ERA in 16 games. He struck out 34 batters in his 30 innings pitched. Both Kat Cornetta and myself were very impressed with Capps during the CCBL All-Star game as we detailed in our Breakdown of Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game Pitchers. The Mariners also signed 19th-round pick Luke Guarnaccia and 35th-round pick outfielder Cory Scammell.
Keith Law of ESPN reports that the Blue Jays signed fourth round pick Tom Robson for $325k. The Canadian born pitcher is known for having a good pitcher’s build and will not be attending Central Arizona Community College where he was committed.
The Detroit Tigers announced on Tuesday that they have agreed to terms with Arkansas catcher James McCann. He was a second round pick by the Tigers as he hit .306 with six homers and 38 RBI. McCann ranked second on the team with 14 doubles, drew a team-high 24 walks and stole 11 bases. He is considered an excellent defensive catcher finishing the year with a .992 fielding percentage, committing just four errors on the season. (Press Release from Arkansas)
The Cleveland Indians signed 14th-round selection RHP Cody Anderson, 38th-round selection shortstop Yhoxian Medina and 41st round pick Brian Ruiz who was committed to Community College of Baltimore County according to a report from Zack Meisel of MLB.com.
It is highly unlikely that the Washington Nationals sign 15th round selection Zach Houchins a shortstop from Louisburg College hit .349 with 35 RBI this past season. The Nationals have not had contact with Houchins since he posted some racist comments on his twitter page outlined by Washington Post’s Adam Kilgore.
Patrick Magee of The Hattiesburg American says that no decision has been made on whether Southern Miss shortstop B.A. Vollmuth will return to school or sign with the Oakland A’s. Vollmuth was ranked 46th on our Top 100 Players for the 2011 season and proceeded to live up to that ranking by hitting .301 with 12 homers and 49 RBIs last season.
Mark Berman of Fox26 in Houston reports that the Houston Astros will aggressively pursue Vanderbilt RHP Jack Armstrong in the upcoming weeks. Armstrong’s father is acting as his agent as he played seven years in the majors with the Reds including being the starting pitcher in a MLB All-Star Game.
