The 2000 draft marked a new beginning for the Brewers before most fans even realized it. While Dean Taylor didn't exactly leave a lasting impression on the Milwaukee faithful, he did oversee an effort to re-build the farm system; a system devoid of talent that regularly ranked towards the bottom of all Major League organizations. Under Sal Bando's direction, the Brewers suffered through several unsuccessful drafts littered with questionable picks that never panned out. If the Milwaukee Brewers were successful today, it likely would be because Bando and his support staff did a much better job stockpiling the system with talent. Unfortunately, that's not the case, although he did leave us with Geoff Jenkins, Ben Sheets, Ben Hendrickson and Bill Hall. Please feel free to review an earlier story covering the drafting efforts of both Sal Bando and Dean Taylor:

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewArticle.do?articleId=117

Not many people knew the significance of Dean Taylor hiring scouting director Jack Zduriencik five years ago, but we certainly feel it now. Fives years after being hired, Jack Zduriencik has filled the system with talent using the draft, taking one of the worst farm systems in baseball to a number one overall ranking in regards to talent this past year according to Baseball America.

It is often said that you can't rate a draft for several years, therefore it is virtually impossible to accurately gauge how the players turn out. The summer following a draft and the following year it often looks as though the team may finally have struck gold with so many players drawing rave reviews. There's no way Dane Artman, Jon Steitz and Josh Murray could quickly fade away, right? All three of them had talent that deserved a better fate, but unfortunately that talent didn't translate into production. But, those three players all required a premium draft pick and signing bonus, in addition to the equally high expectations that followed. Such mistakes can make or break an organization. While Murray still is in the farm system, I think it's safe to say that his days are numbered if he doesn't start living up to his lofty expectations, and fortunately the success of others have made their struggles, and in some cases, complete failures, not as crucial.

I don't mean to place so much blame on players like Artman, Steitz or Murray, because it's not their individual fault. The draft still remains a "crap-shoot" in many regards, but there are ways teams can minimize mistakes by risk calculation. Ultimately most draft picks will never live up to expectations, and in some cases will never make it to the big leagues. The key is drafting strong prospects year after year, round after round. With every high profile draft "failure" you hope to have a sleeper that has risen above and beyond all expectations to produce at the big league level. The sleepers are just as much of a key in making a good farm system as the high profile picks, and they define the true ability of the scouting staff.

So what makes a good draft? Doug Melvin himself has said that developing two to three big league players indicates a good draft. Of course, the rankings aren't always that cut and dry. I think it's fair to say that the 1999 draft, which coincidentally was Bando's last as Brewers' GM, can easily be rated an "A" for Ben Sheets alone. Throw in Ben Hendrickson, who just made it to the big leagues this past season, and the ‘99 efforts could easily be rated an "A+" (that is if Hendrickson proves valuable to the organization for years to come). Getting two-fifths of your starting rotation out of one draft is one heck of an effort, especially when most people thought two-fifths of the Brewers future starting rotation came from the year before with J.M. Gold and Nick Neugebauer. Even if ‘98 sixth rounder Bill Hall continues to progress, he's all that's left from that year, as it's hard not to view Bando's second to last draft as a flop.

While I think it's too early to fairly rank the 2003 and 2004 drafts, I do believe enough time has passed to assess Jack Zduriencik's first two drafts, while identifying some of the key 2002 draftees that have or need to step up to help the future of the Milwaukee Brewers. I'm going to start with the 2000 draft, and in the weeks to come I will focus on the years thereafter.

The 2000 Draft
Since the farm system was in such rough shape, the Brewers could have taken any player available in the 2000 draft and filled a glaring need. Jack Zduriencik brought a strong philosophy of drafting the best player available, regardless of the immediate prospective need. He started off by focusing on athletes, well-rounded players with multiple tools that have the potential to be exciting big-league ballplayers in the future. This focus has continued throughout Zduriencik's tenure as the Brewers scouting director and has led to a heavy preference for high school players.

The hope remains
These are the players still in the system that remain key parts of the Brewers future, and the players that are the true test of a good draft. While only two players remain from the 2000 draft that offer any kind of long-term promise, both of them are among the club's top 10 prospects. David Krynzel stands alone as a symbol of hope for the future of the ballclub. It took Krynzel four full years to make it up the ladder, but that was anticipated as he was an unpolished high school draftee with good potential. Fellow ‘00 draftee Corey Hart actually beat Krynzel to the big leagues, but it was a brief stay.

David Krynzel
Jack Zduriencik quickly proved he wasn't lying when he said he was looking for baseball players with extraordinary athletic skills. A talented overall athlete, it didn't take Krynzel long to leave a strong impression as a pro. Blessed with outstanding speed, scouts and managers named David the number one prospect in the Pioneer League the summer after he was drafted as he hit .359. He was bumped up to High Desert in 2001 after hitting .305 in just 141 at-bats at Beloit. Upon his promotion, Krynzel started extremely slow, but he finally put his swing together and finished the season strong. Opening 2002 back at High Desert, Krynzel spent half of the season in the California League before being bumped up to Huntsville. He opened 2003 back at the AA level after turning some heads with a strong performance in the Brewers spring training camp, and picked up where he left off with an incredibly strong first half that caused David to be named to the Future's Game along with teammate J.J. Hardy. He led off that game with a walk off of current A's starter Rich Harden, stole second, and scored the game's first run, defining his role as a leadoff hitter. Krynzel in that same game displayed his strong throwing arm doubling off a runner at first base on a shallow fly to centerfield. Unfortunately the second half of 2003 didn't go as well. The same struggles felt in the latter half of 2003 seemed to carry over to spring training this past year. However, Krynzel bounced back at AAA Indianapolis this summer, even though he missed over a month due to a broken foot.

Basically, when Krynzel is good, he's very good, but the opposite is true when he's not at his best. He still may be looking for an identity in the lineup. Drawing comparisons to both Steve Finley and Johnny Damon, Krynzel has the power potential to hit lower in the lineup, but his speed and improved patience at the plate make him an ideal top of the order threat. He has all of the tools and overall athleticism to succeed, but he still needs to refine key parts of his game while becoming more consistent. Fortunately, Krynzel's defense isn't an area that requires a lot of attention, so any growing pains at the plate shouldn't magnify problems in the field. Working with hitting coach Butch Wynegar may improve Krynzel's approach at the plate, as he needs to drastically cut down on his strikeouts. However, Scott Podsednik has proven in 2003 (and at times in 2004) to be a solid leadoff man and he certainly strikes out more than he should. Speaking of Scotty Po', Krynzel would aid his future career greatly if he learns how to steal bases with greater efficiency, which is what Podsednik does best. Working one on one with first base coach Dave Nelson could be exactly what Krynzel needs.

This year Krynzel was rewarded with a September callup. After striking out seven times in his first 14 at-bats, he busted out with a three for five performance against the Cardinals, scoring three runs in the process. It should be noted that this game included an amazing highlight reel catch. However it still remains to be seen whether or not Krynzel will start the ‘05 season with the big league club, especially if Scott Podsednik is still roaming centerfield full-time, but it's almost certain that he'll be up for good at some point next year. Krynzel was drafted as the Brewers centerfielder and leadoff hitter of the future, and while he's had his ups & downs, nothing has changed those labels since the 2000 draft.

Corey Hart
As an 11th round pick, Hart didn't enjoy the immediate fanfair that Krynzel did. However, his athleticism was always evident, especially for a young man of his stature. It's that same stature that has started to generate more power in his second season with Ogden. Hart refined his swing, which led to unfair comparisons to Richie Sexson. His successful ‘01 season at Ogden, where he hit .340 with 11 home runs, allowed him to skip low-A Beloit in 2002, moving him up to High Desert to begin his second full season, where he continued to quickly climb the organizational ladder finishing the ‘02 season at Huntsville after slugging 22 home runs at high-A. Hart just kept getting better as he moved up the ranks, being named the Southern League's MVP after the 2003 season in which he hit .302 with 13 home runs, 40 doubles and 94 RBIs in a league that favors pitchers. Hart had another good year this past season at AAA Indianapolis, hitting .281 with 15 home runs, and he was even called up for a brief stay with the Brewers. He hit a towering foul ball before striking out in his only at-bat.

Unfortunately a shoulder injury prevented Hart from joining Krynzel with the Brewers this September when the rosters expanded. Hart is expected to make a full recovery, and is taking a break in the offseason from organized baseball in hopes of heading into spring training at full strength.

Like Richie Sexson, Hart's frame can also be his own worst enemy, as it offers an incredibly large strike zone for pitchers. This can also create a very long swing. When Hart is swinging the bat well, he keeps his hands back and is short to the ball. His extension does the rest. One can tell when Hart's not on his game because he tries to muscle the ball too much and chases bad balls in the dirt. Like Krynzel, Hart's biggest weakness is his plate discipline, as his own AAA manager, former Brewers star Cecil Cooper, has expressed concern about Hart's approach. He needs to draw more walks while working the count better and not swinging at bad pitches. It's nothing that can't be fixed, but it needs to be his primary focus if he intends to enjoy a productive big-league career.

While Hart is still learning to play the outfield, he is a very gifted athlete, with a strong arm and very good speed. He could be a Gold Glove caliber first baseman, but the presence of Prince Fielder has turned more than one Brewers minor league first baseman into a corner outfielder (Brad Nelson). If Hart lives up to his potential, he could very well prove to be a productive hitter much like Richie Sexson but with better speed and versatility on the field. This being said he should be in Milwaukee to stay at some point in 2005. Most importantly, as an 11th round pick, Hart is a true testament of the Brewers scouting staff, and lessens the blow of more highly touted 2000 draft picks that have since lost the luster off of their once shining stars.

Still around
While these players are still with the organization, none of them offer much hope for the future of the Milwaukee Brewers. For the players drafted within the top five rounds I will also add any notable drafted players that were available in between the Brewers pick at hand and their subsequent pick, if for nothing else to note that a future productive and/or potential big leaguer could have been had at the respective selection.

Eric Henderson
Drafted in the fourth round, Henderson didn't enjoy his first full season with the Brewers until 2003. He had arm problems for the first three years in the organization, missing the entire 2001 season. A good overall athlete with a big, strong frame, he even filled in as a hitter for the Mavericks last summer given their depleted and seemingly ignored roster. At his best, and before his arm problems, Henderson threw in the high-80s with a pretty good slider. Given his age (he turned 25 in September) and career path to date, it doesn't seem likely that Henderson will ever offer help for the big-league Brewers, and he might not even be with the organization when camps breaks in April.

Players of note selected in between the Brewers fourth and fifth round selections: Yadier Molina (Cardinals, now the backup catcher to Mike Matheny), Koyie Hill (Dodgers, now with the Diamondbacks, acquired as part of the Steve Finley deal), Garrett Atkins (Rockies, a good hitter ready to make the leap to the big leagues), Bobby Jenks (Angels, a raw fireballer that has had his ups & downs).

Ryan Miller
Ninth rounder Ryan Miller has had a nice, quiet, successful career as a Brewer farmhand. While he was never taken seriously as a prospect, Miller has moved up the chain over the past five years. He began his career in Helena the summer of 2000 and spent the last two years in Huntsville (even though he missed most of this season due to injury). There's nothing flashy about Miller, he's a solid pitcher that throws in the high-80s with an effective slider and changeup. Miller had Tommy John surgery as a freshman at the University of Evansville only to work his way back to being named the Missouri Valley Conference pitcher of the year in 2000, leading to his top-10 round selection. There hasn't been much word on his progress since he was placed on the disabled list a few times this year, so it's hard to say where and if he'll be back for 2005. There is a chance that Miller could see some time at some point in his career in the big leagues, but if it's for more than just a cup of coffee it will be a pleasant surprise. Miller turns 27 in February, so time unfortunately isn't on his side.

Scott Candelaria
Aside from his versatility, 22nd rounder Scott Candelaria hasn't done much since being drafted in 2000. Having finished his third tour with the High Desert Mavericks at the high-A level, it will be interesting to see if he still has a place with the Brewers organization once camp breaks next spring. He left the Mavs for undisclosed reasons earlier this year and was placed on the inactive list, so the Brewers liked him enough as an organizational soldier to keep him around instead of releasing him.

High hopes, long gone
Onto the players that at one point or another offered promise as future big league players, to varying degrees of expectations.

Dane Artman
As a third rounder, the expectations for Dane Artman were almost as high as those for David Krynzel. Artman was a very talented lefty with great size, a 93-94 fastball and a curveball that was considered a plus pitch when it was working for him. His importance was intensified since the Brewers didn't have a second round pick after signing type A free agent Jose Hernandez. Artman quite simply never was really good in the minors. He struck out his fair share of batters (87 in 123 innings of work), but he allowed far too many baserunners, and didn't post an ERA under 5.38, and that was during his debut season in 25 innings of work with Helena the summer after he was drafted. Doug Melvin and his staff had seen enough of Artman after only one spring under their watch, as he was one of the many former Brewers draftees released in the spring of 2003.

Players of note selected in between the Brewers third and fourth round selections: Todd Wellemeyer (Cubs, now part of the Cubs bullpen), David DeJesus (Royals, considered their centerfielder of the future after dealing Carlos Beltran), Cliff Lee (Expos, a big part of the Indians starting rotation as a key part of the Bartolo Colon trade).

Jason Belcher
Belcher also had high expectations, especially given his impressive hitting ability as a prep player. Ranked the number one player coming out of Arkansas available for the 2000 draft, many thought he had a chance to be drafted in the first round, so getting him in the fifth was considered a huge steal for the Brewers. A strong commitment to the University of Oklahoma reportedly is what caused him to fall given signability issues, but the Milwaukee Brewers had a bigger draft budget to help re-build their ballclub with. Baseball America ranked him as the second best high school pure hitter after he hit .679 with 15 home runs as a high school senior, striking out only twice. Belcher got off to a good start, hitting .333 for Helena of the Pioneer League, and continued to hit well at Beloit (.326) the following year. However, he never could stay healthy for an entire year, as he was unable to log more than 350 at bats coming into the 2004 season. He also was never considered very strong defensively as a catcher, and was moved to right field after his two years in Beloit. His offensive prowess started to come into question at hitter's haven High Desert when he only hit 31 extra base hits in 350 at-bats. While he continued to hit reasonably well for the Huntsville Stars while exhibiting his refined plate discipline (128 walks versus 127 strikeouts overall in 1132 at-bats as a Brewer farmhand) in the Southern League, Belcher was traded with Jason Childers for Peter Bergeron and Saul Rivera of the Montreal Expos minor league system.

No players of note taken after Jason Belcher in the fifth round, and it's hard to argue with the selection even today.

Brian Hicks
Sixth rounder Brian Hicks followed Krynzel as a pure athlete added to improve the overall athleticism of the farm system. Touted as a high profile football recruit, the Brewers were able to sign Hicks away from a career on the gridiron. Unfortunately, his career was very, very short, having missed the entire 2002 season for undisclosed reasons, which led to his release as part of the late-March overhaul of 2003. Between 2000 and 2001 he hit .224 with three home runs in 370 rookie league at-bats.

Gerry Oakes
Oakes' velocity went from the mid-80s as a high school junior to the low to mid-90s as a high school senior. He never offered much more than his fastball, but that alone was enough to get him drafted in the seventh round. His lack of a second pitch, control and composure led to his own self-destruction. However, he wasn't a complete failure, as he along with Matt Yeatman were traded to the Minnesota Twins to obtain Javier Valentin and Matt Kinney.

Bill Scott
A hand injury caused Scott to fall to the eighth round after hitting .421 with 21 home runs as a college junior at UCLA. Despite his hitting prowess in college, scouts questioned his bat speed, suggesting most of his productivity came from using an aluminum bat. His arm, speed and overall athleticism were also in question, as he was limited to left field or first base, and probably would have been better suited to an American League ballclub even if his bat was legitimate. After signing in September of 2000, Scott was sent to High Desert to begin his professional career in 2001, and he responded very well hitting .283 with 16 home runs and 102 RBIs. However, he struggled to stay healthy the following season at AA Huntsville which effected his productivity. Scott was released in late March of 2003, one of the many players let go as the new management team led by Doug Melvin continued to clean house.

Brian Nielsen
Nielsen didn't have the same kind of high expectations that Artman, Belcher and Scott had, but as a tenth rounder some people, including myself, still believed he had a chance. He did show good control and the ability to strike batters out. In 78 professional innings with the Brewers he struck out 71 and walked only 21, although he did give up quite a few hits in the same amount of time, including 11 home runs. While he didn't seem to get a fair shake, he was released in late May of 2002.

Heath McMurray
Used as a closer at perennial D1 powerhouse LSU, McMurray's low to mid-90s fastball caused him to be drafted in the ninth round. Unlike Gerry Oakes, McMurray didn't struggle with control, at least not nearly as bad, but like Oakes McMurray didn't have much to offer past his fastball. He did at least show his dominance over 66 professional innings (31 appearances) by striking out 70 batters, yet he did allow 9 home runs over that time. He lasted two seasons in the Brewers organization, topping out at Beloit in 2001.

Matt Yeatman
13th rounder Matt Yeatman quickly made a name for himself after signing late in the summer of 2000, flashing a 93-94 mph fastball at the Brewers instructional camp. He struggled the next season at Ogden in the Pioneer League, but still drew rave reviews for his stuff, which included a big-breaking curveball. He started to put it together at Beloit in 2002, and probably was more valuable to the Snappers rotation than fellow fire-balling righty Mike Jones. The following offseason Yeatman was traded to the Twins along with Oakes in the aforementioned deal for Matt Kinney. Fortunately for the Brewers the move didn't come back to haunt them, as Yeatman has seemingly disappeared off of the prospect map since being dealt.

D.J. Clark
No one thought much of Clark as a 17th rounder, but he quickly changed that after hitting .339 with 15 home runs at Ogden, and for once Brewer fans thought we might actually have a third base prospect worth talking about. He continued to hit well for the Snappers the following year, but his 47 errors caused the Brewers to move Clark to the outfield. While he smacked 19 home runs in High Desert in 2002, he only hit .244, which caused him to start the 2003 season back in the Desert, where he re-discovered his swing, causing the Brewers to bump him up to AA. He never seemed to find his groove above A-ball. Despite his success at the plate, Clark was a player without a position, and another guy that would likely have more value with an American League ballclub. And that's where he ended up, as the Brewers traded Clark to the Texas Rangers last offseason, and has since been released, only to play for both the Cardinals and Royals farm systems before the 2004 season ended.

The Others
These are the players that never received much attention as legitimate prospects, and are no longer with the Milwaukee Brewers farm system.

Todd West
West, a 14th round pick out of the Unversity of Texas, was all glove at the shortstop position. While he could make any play, and was as sure-handed as they come, he hit .249 in 1,373 minor league at-bats, which included only 1 home run and 61 extra-base hits overall. He made it as far as AA Huntsville in 2002, but was released in 2003 after 389 at-bats at High Desert. West was selected in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft by the Cleveland Indians in December of 2003.

Daniel Hall
A 15th rounder out of Campbell University, Hall served as an organizational soldier in the Brewers system, with his best year coming in 2002 with the Snappers posting a 12-3 record with a 2.92 ERA in just under 100 innings of work. Like so many other pitchers, he got torched at High Desert the following season, giving up 19 home runs in 123 innings of work. Hall was released in March of 2004.

Jonah McClanahan
An 18th round pick with very good athletic skills, McClanahan at one point was somewhat of a sleeper pick. After three seasons in the Pioneer League (one with Helena, two with Ogden), McClanahan managed only 45 at-bats above rookie ball. While not a fair barometer given the limited opportunity, he hit only .222 at Beloit in that time, and in 343 professional at-bats with the Brewers organization, he didn't hit a single home run. He was released in late March of 2003.

Jeremy Shorey
Shorey, a right-handed pitcher, was drafted in the 21st round. He spent two seasons with the Brewers at Helena and Beloit, almost exclusively in relief. In 70.1 pro innings he gave up 103 hits, which included nine home runs. 2001 marked his last season with the Brewers.

Jude Voltz
A first baseman with good size and power potential, Voltz as a 24th rounder offered promise as a sleeper with an encouraging pro debut at Helena in 2000, batting .285 with 12 home runs in just 242 at-bats. He continued to show his power the following year in Beloit, swatting 18 dingers, but struggled to hit for a decent average, batting .236. Those struggles continued the following year in High Desert which led to his release in July of 2002.

Travis Hake
As a second baseman, Hake's career as a 27th rounder didn't last very long. He like Voltz showed promise hitting .310 in 210 at-bats during his debut at Ogden, adding 19 stolen bases in 21 attempts. However, in 2001 he was only around for 15 Beloit at-bats.

Todd Gelatka
28th round righty Todd Gelatka didn't show up on the mound until 2001, and that was only for 1.1 innings of work with the Arizona Brewers. He recorded only one out in 2002, again for Arizona, followed by six innings of work with Helena in 2003 before being handed his release.

Kelly Werner
You always run across a name that you have absolute zero recollection of who they were, where they came from and what happened to them. Werner, a LHP, was drafted in the 32nd round out of the University of Minnesota. He tossed 13 innings between Ogden & Helena the summer after he signed, and never stepped foot on the mound for the Brewers again.

Shaun Gragg
Remember Shaun Gragg, a catcher drafted in the 37th round from Central Michigan Unversity that hit .254 in 177 at-bats at Ogden the summer after he was drafted? Unfortunately Gragg falls under a similar category as Werner, as he hasn't donned the tools of ignorance for the Brewers since his debut season.

Ryan Trytten
As a 39th round RHP, Trytten signed late, and didn't appear on the mound until 2001. He allowed far too many baserunners and didn't miss many bats, and stalled out at Beloit in 2003 after 152 professional innings. Trytten was released in August of 2003.

Byron Batson
Daniel Hall's pitching mate at Campbell, Batson was taken in the 42nd round. Like Werner & Gragg, Batson never made an appearance after the 2000 season.

Kevin Shrout
Shrout was drafted in the 44th round, and showed promise as a reliever with a strong 2001 campaign with the Snappers. In 47 appearances that season, he tossed just over 93 innings, striking out 97 and allowing only 75 hits. He missed most of 2002, and found himself out of the organization before the 2003 season.

Mike Shwam
A 44th round pick that for a short while looked like he might be an interesting sleeper candidate as a relief pitcher after a strong showing in Beloit in 2001. Then, he missed all of 2002 due to injury, and was yet another ‘00 draftee released in March of 2003.

Ryan Nohr
Throw 49th round outfielder Ryan Nohr on the one and done pile. He hit .252 in 147 Ogden at-bats after he was drafted which wrapped up his pro career.

The Ones that got away
Players that the Brewers drafted, but didn't sign. With the Brewers re-focused efforts to develop their farm system, they also did a much better job signing draft picks. In 2000, they signed their first 15 picks, and 17 out of their top 20. No Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi or Matt Morris go away from this year.

Scott Roehl
RHP Scott Roehl highlighted a weak Wisconsin draft class in 2000. After being drafted in the 16th round, Roehl decided to honor his commitment to Arkansas, tossing a no-hitter in his three years as a Razorback. In 2003 he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 10th round, and hasn't done anything since to cause the Brewers to regret not signing him. He does have decent control, and misses his fair share of bats, but has allowed far too many hits.

Casey Myers
Myers had a big 2000 season at Arizona State University, as he hit .412 with 18 home runs, but most scouts didn't think his tools translated well to the pro level. His defense wasn't good enough to stay behind the plate, his bat wasn't good enough for 1B and he didn't fit in anywhere else on the diamond. Myers dropped to the 30th round, and decided to return for his senior year. The Oakland A's selected him in the 9th round in 2001, and while he still is in the A's system, spending time at catcher, 1B and DH, he hasn't enjoyed success above the high-A level.

Comparative analysis
Just to keep things in perspective, I thought it would be helpful to analyze how some of the other teams fared with their early picks in the 2000 draft. The draft itself was without a legitimate number one overall talent. Matt Harrington's mid-90s fastball led many to believe he was one of, if not the best prospect available, but after turning down a four million dollar bonus from the Rockies as the seventh overall selection, he has since toiled and has yet to make an appearance as a professional. The Rockies didn't help themselves by giving their second round pick, Jason Young, a right-handed pitcher from Stanford, a $2.75 million dollar bonus. Young has yet to come close to living up to that financial commitment.

The draft also featured two prominent prep shortstops in Luis Montanez (Cubs, #3 overall) and David Espinosa (Reds, #23 overall), both hailing from high schools in the Miami area, and both are struggling to live up to their lofty expectations. High school lefties Mike Stodolka (Royals, #4 overall), Mark Phillips (Padres, #9 overall) and Joe Torres (Angels, #10 overall), have fell way short of their big league potential. Stanford two-way star (a potential NFL quarterback prospect) Joe Borchard received a bonus in excess of five million dollars, and has yet to find his swing with the White Sox.

Two more players that were candidates for the number one overall pick, prep catcher Scott Heard (Rangers, #25 overall) and California third baseman Xavier Nady (Padres, second round) have also disappointed as professionals. Nady has at least seen time with the Padres at the big league level, and has enjoyed some success. But at 25 years old (soon to be 26) he was expected to be a permanent fixture in the middle of the Padres' lineup by now.

There were a few players that have flourished, including the actual number one overall pick, Adrian Gonzalez (Marlins), who has since been traded to the Rangers. #7 overall pick Rocco Baldelli is a fixture in centerfield for the Devil Rays, and may have fit Jack Zduriencik's blueprint as an extraordinary athlete more so than David Krynzel that could have very well been the Brewers first round pick had he fallen five picks further. Chase Utley, the Phillies first-round pick out of UCLA (15th overall) has spent time in the big leagues, and likely will be the Phillies full-time second baseman next season. One prep lefty has advanced through the minor leagues onto the big league level with success, Pirates first-rounder Sean Burnett (19th overall). Braves' first-rounder Adam Wainwright (29th overall) has enjoyed a productive minor league career, and still shows promise now with the Cardinals system as part of the trade for J.D. Drew.

The supplemental and second rounds didn't offer many more long-range prospects, with Dustin McGowan (Blue Jays), Jason Stokes (Marlins), Bobby Hill (Cubs, now with the Pirates) and J.D. Durbin (Twins) remaining as the most notable players. Laynce Nix is one of the most notable later round picks as a fourth-rounder for the Texas Rangers. The A's selected Rich Harden in the 17th round, but didn't sign him until the spring of 2001 as a draft and follow candidate.

During the fall of 2000, Baseball America came out with their annual report cards. At that time they rated the Marlins, Reds and White Sox as having the best drafts. The Marlins ‘00 draft class certainly hasn't disappointed, even if more of the high profile players are no longer with the system. They used Adrian Gonzalez and sixth rounder Will Smith to acquire Ugeth Urbina from the Rangers, a player that helped the Marlins win the World Series in 2003. Second rounder Jason Stokes remains as one of the most talented power hitters in the minor leagues, while third rounder Rob Henkel was used to obtain Mark Redman from the Tigers, another key player to the Marlins World Series title.

The Reds 2000 draft has been a major disappointment. They gave first rounder David Espinosa and second rounder Dane Sardinha big league deals in an effort to sign them both, since they had both fallen further than expected. Espinosa was dealt to the Detroit Tigers along with 10th rounder Gary "Noochie" Varner, while Sardinha remains in the Reds system. Right-handed pitcher Dustin Moseley was taken in the supplemental round, and was rated the Reds fourth best prospect in a weak system according to Baseball America entering the 2004 season. Another second round pick, Ryan Snare, was traded to the Marlins with two other prospects in which the Reds acquired RHP Ryan Dempster, who is now with the Chicago Cubs.

The White Sox draft was rated so high because of their commitment to select and sign Joe Borchard away from a promising football career. While Borchard remains in the White Sox system, he was expected to be in the middle of their lineup by now while holding down an outfield spot for years to come. He might get his chance by default to open the 2005 season, but he has a lot to prove. Second rounder Tim Hummel was traded to the Reds for relief pitcher Scott Sullivan, who pitched all of 14 innings in a White Sox uniform late in 2003.

The most notable draft not mentioned above has to go to the Montreal Expos. While they don't have the players left to show for it, first rounder Justin Wayne was traded as part of a deal for Cliff Floyd of the Marlins, while third rounder Grady Sizemore and fourth rounder Cliff Lee were traded to the Indians along with one other player (Brandon Phillips) for Bartolo Colon.

Assessment
When the Milwaukee Brewers drafted David Krynzel with the 12th overall selection, many people questioned the pick, and several Brewers fans were reminded of 1996 first-round pick Chad Green, a fellow speedster that was also ordained as the Brewers' centerfielder and leadoff hitter of the future. It's not that Krynzel wasn't considered a first-round pick, but there were players available that were considered better overall prospects, including Texas righty Beau Hale, Notre Dame righty Aaron Heilman and several players that had fallen due to signability concerns including David Espinosa, Joe Borchard, Jason Stokes, Xavier Nady and Scott Heard. Krynzel has made the Brewers look good with the selection, as he's one of very few 2000 draftees that is still considered a legitimate prospect. Not only did he prove people wrong, but he has also helped Jack Zduriencik's reputation as an effective evaluator of talent.

Dean Taylor quickly learned his lesson by losing his second round pick by signing type A free agent Jose Hernandez from the Braves. Hernandez himself wasn't that bad of a signing, but for a rebuilding team like the Brewers, it's not wise losing draft resources by your own doing. Since then, Taylor only signed players that had not been offered arbitration, and therefore would not cost the team draft picks, a trend current GM Doug Melvin has continued.

Not too long ago, players like Dane Artman, Jason Belcher, Bill Scott and Matt Yeatman made it look as though Jack Zduriencik's first draft may be one of his best. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be, but 11th rounder Corey Hart's potential may go a long way to help Brewer fans forget the shortcomings of his fellow yet more heralded members of the Brewers 2000 draft.

And if Matt Kinney would have even turned into a serviceable 5th starter the Brewers might have at least one big leaguer to hang their hat on, crediting two of the players, Yeatman and Oakes, obtained from this draft.

So what's the final grade? Two big positives surrounded by several disappointments. Until Krynzel and Hart make it to the big leagues it's hard to give the Brewers scouting department anything better than a low B or high C. I'm going to give it a C+, because Krynzel and Hart still have a lot of promise, and very well may prove to be integral parts of the Brewers future, but unfortunately they're not there yet, and they're all that's left. If they both prove to be productive big leaguers for three to five years, the grade could easily become an A. Of course, if they both fail to produce that grade could easily become an F. The C is for a happy medium, and the plus is for hope.

Stay tuned for the next installment of this four part series, which will break down the 2001 draft.

Please contact pebert@brewerfan.net with any questions or comments.