Thursday, Jun. 11, 2009

Pro teams beckon Tigers’ prized arms

Royals claim lefty Dwyer in 4th round; Red Sox call righty Younginer in 7th

CLEMSON — Turns out the first day of the pro baseball draft might have served to tease Clemson's program.

Players the Tigers wanted to drop beyond the opening three rounds Tuesday did, holding firm to their signing-bonus price tags.

But Wednesday, a couple of prized pitchers were chosen by teams for whom money appears no object, creating the possibility — if not probability — neither will be on Clemson's team next season. The draft concludes with rounds Nos. 30-50 today.

Freshman left-hander Chris Dwyer went in the fourth round to the Kansas City Royals, while Mauldin High right-hander Madison Younginer was taken in the seventh round by the Boston Red Sox.

Redshirt sophomore pitcher Graham Stoneburner was picked in the 14th round by the New York Yankees — the organization that lured Tigers pitcher D.J. Mitchell with third-round money for the 10th-round pick last summer.

Two other Clemson players were drafted, senior pitchers Ryan Hinson (10th round, San Diego) and Trey Delk (29th, Chicago White Sox) of Elgin.

Clemson was spared in a few regards, as junior second baseman Mike Freeman went undrafted after turning down several offers between rounds 5-10, his dad, Bill, said. Younginer was the team’s only recruit drafted high enough to merit immediate concern.

The team's other top signee, corner infielder/pitcher Richie Shaffer of Charlotte said he turned down one team's offer Tuesday to be a supplemental first-round pick.

Schaffer was picked in the 25th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers and expects to enroll at Clemson.

The odds appear stacked against the return of Dwyer, whom Major League Baseball believes to be its first draft-eligible college freshman.

A year ago, Dwyer spurned teams interested in drafting him in the fifth round when it became evident his second-round price tag would not be met.

While his financial demands were expected to be higher this year, the Royals didn't shy from selecting Dwyer in the fourth round.

Kansas City set the league draft record for spending on last year's picks (more than $10 million), including giving $1.25 million to its fourth-rounder.

In this year's third round, the Royals took prep catcher and USC signee Will Myers — who reportedly is seeking at least $1 million — and have expressed the belief they will be able to sign him.

Attempts to reach Dwyer were unsuccessful.

Younginer, meanwhile, told teams it would take $1 million to steer him away from honoring his Clemson pledge.

The 6-foot-3 fireballer said he plans to pitch on a local travel team this summer and let the chips fall where they may. But it might not be a good sign for the Tigers that Younginer was intrigued by the fact Boston has a Single-A affiliate in nearby Greenville.

Boston's fourth- and fifth-round picks last year netted uncharacteristically high $1 million and $2 million bonuses, respectively.

"I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do," Younginer. "But this just worked out perfectly."

Hinson could not have asked for a better outcome, having been projected as a mid- to late-round pick after two inconsistent seasons in Clemson's bullpen. As a junior, Hinson went in the 31st round.

Three former Clemson transfers were drafted Wednesday: St. John’s first baseman Tim Morris (11th round, Seattle), Florida catcher Buddy Munroe (22nd, Minnesota) and Washington State catcher Alex Burg (24th, San Francisco).

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