Devil Rays Weigh 3 Players for Top Pick

David Price's blazing fastball might be too overpowering for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to pass up with the No. 1 pick in the draft. ``We just think that he has everything we're looking for in a

Thursday, June 7th 2007, 7:37 am

By: News On 6

David Price's blazing fastball might be too overpowering for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to pass up with the No. 1 pick in the draft. ``We just think that he has everything we're looking for in a front-line major league starter,'' Devil Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison said of the Vanderbilt left-hander. Tampa Bay is in quite a quandary because the team thinks Georgia Tech catcher Matt Wieters and California high school third baseman Josh Vitters will also be big stars in the majors.

``I wish we had the first three picks in the draft,'' Harrison said. ``I'd like to have all three of these guys.''

Tampa Bay will pick No. 1 overall Thursday, the third time in franchise history the Devil Rays are kicking off the draft _ and first since selecting outfielder Delmon Young in 2003. Unfortunately for the Devil Rays, they can take only one of the three players they covet.

``The biggest thing for us is we're going to take who we believe to be the best player in the country,'' said Andrew Friedman, the Devil Rays' executive vice president of baseball operations. ``From that, we're going to try to sign him and get him into our system and get our player development folks on the same page and try to accomplish the things that we want them to accomplish.''

Baseball fans will be able to see who the Devil Rays select _ and the rest of the draft's first round _ on television for the first time. The opening round will be broadcast on ESPN2 from the event's site at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., and the network will provide analysis of other picks from subsequent rounds. In previous years, the draft was held exclusively by conference call.

The Royals will pick after the Devil Rays, marking the third straight year they've had one of the first two selections.

``We're just looking at the best player,'' Kansas City scouting director Deric Ladnier said. ``We just want to take the best player we feel like is the best fit, the best talent, and go from there.''

The Chicago Cubs pick third, followed by Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, Milwaukee, Colorado, Arizona and San Francisco to round out the first 10 selections.

Price has made scouts drool since his freshman year at Vanderbilt and he was the best pitcher in the nation this season as a junior. Many believe Tampa Bay will take the dominant 6-foot-5, 215-pound lefty with the first pick, and the Devil Rays certainly sound as though they'd like to have him in their rotation.

``His character is unquestioned by those people who have been around him,'' Harrison said.

Price went 11-1 this year, with the only loss coming Monday when he gave up a winning home run in relief against Michigan in a regional final _ three days after striking out 17 against Austin Peay. He was the ace of the team ranked No. 1 most of the year, and led Division I with 194 strikeouts.

``He's big, he's strong, he's athletic, he's left-handed,'' Harrison said. ``He has two-plus pitches and we believe that the changeup is not far behind.''

If taken No. 1, Price would be just the fourth left-hander selected with the first pick _ and first since the New York Yankees took Brien Taylor in 1991.

``I feel pretty strongly about this guy,'' Harrison said. ``Everything's been done correctly with him.''

There could be as many as nine lefties selected in the first round, which would top the record of seven set three years ago. Others who could go in the first 30 picks include: Missouri State's Ross Detwiler, Clemson's Daniel Moskos, Rice's Joe Savery and Arkansas' Nick Schmidt.

If the Devil Rays decide for a position player, Wieters might be their guy. The 6-foot-5 switch-hitting catcher is considered an outstanding defender behind the plate with a strong, accurate arm.

``We think he has all the capabilities of being an everyday major league catcher with middle or close to middle of the lineup offensive production,'' Harrison said.

Vitters also excites teams with his compact, powerful swing. He hit .360 with nine HRs and 29 RBIs for Cypress High School _ despite missing two weeks with pneumonia.

``We feel as a group that this guy is going to hit and is going to hit with power,'' Harrison said. ``He's going to be a middle of the lineup major league ballplayer. I think he's going to move along at a pretty good clip, too.''

Other players who could go early include: New Jersey high school right-hander Rick Porcello, Lewis-Clark State third baseman Beau Mills, California high school infielder Mike Moustakas, Canadian righty Phillippe Aumont and North Carolina State right-hander Andrew Brackman.

``I think it's deep,'' Ladnier said. ``There are probably more high school players as a pool, quality high school players, than there are college players.''

Kansas City took right-hander Luke Hochevar with the first pick last year. This year's event begins at 2 p.m. Thursday and lasts 50 rounds through Friday.