Watch out A-Rod, Yanks list Bichette Jr. as 3rd baseman
June, 6, 2011
6/06/11
11:51
PM ET
By
Andrew Marchand | ESPNNewYork.com
Here is the press release from the Yankees.
The New York Yankees tonight selected 18-year-old third baseman Dante Bichette Jr. out of Orangewood Christian High School in Maitland, Fla., with their first selection (51st pick overall in Compensation Round A) in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.
Bichette, listed at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, batted a team-high .640 (55-for-86) with 58 runs 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 30 games as a senior in 2011, as Orangewood Christian fell in the Florida Class-2A state finals. He has been named the “All-Central Florida Baseball Player of the Year” by the Orlando Sentinel in each of the last two seasons. Following his junior year, he was selected as an Under Armour All-American and named his team’s most valuable player.
He is the son of former Major Leaguer Dante Bichette, who played in 1,704 career games across parts of 14 seasons with California, Milwaukee, Colorado, Cincinnati and Boston, batting .299 with 274 home runs.
“Dante is one of the guys in this draft we thought had an impact bat and the potential to hit for big power in the middle of the order,” said Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees Vice President of Amateur Scouting. “He’s someone with an advanced makeup and work ethic who possesses the desire and drive to be a special major leaguer.”
The right-handed batter was ranked by Baseball America as the 15th-best overall player out of the state of Florida in this year’s draft. In 2005, Bichette participated in the Little League World Series with his Maitland, Fla. team.
The selection of Bichette marks the fourth straight year the Yankees have taken a high school player with their first selection in the First-Year Player Draft.
The New York Yankees tonight selected 18-year-old third baseman Dante Bichette Jr. out of Orangewood Christian High School in Maitland, Fla., with their first selection (51st pick overall in Compensation Round A) in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.
Bichette, listed at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, batted a team-high .640 (55-for-86) with 58 runs 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 30 games as a senior in 2011, as Orangewood Christian fell in the Florida Class-2A state finals. He has been named the “All-Central Florida Baseball Player of the Year” by the Orlando Sentinel in each of the last two seasons. Following his junior year, he was selected as an Under Armour All-American and named his team’s most valuable player.
He is the son of former Major Leaguer Dante Bichette, who played in 1,704 career games across parts of 14 seasons with California, Milwaukee, Colorado, Cincinnati and Boston, batting .299 with 274 home runs.
“Dante is one of the guys in this draft we thought had an impact bat and the potential to hit for big power in the middle of the order,” said Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees Vice President of Amateur Scouting. “He’s someone with an advanced makeup and work ethic who possesses the desire and drive to be a special major leaguer.”
The right-handed batter was ranked by Baseball America as the 15th-best overall player out of the state of Florida in this year’s draft. In 2005, Bichette participated in the Little League World Series with his Maitland, Fla. team.
The selection of Bichette marks the fourth straight year the Yankees have taken a high school player with their first selection in the First-Year Player Draft.
Andrew Marchand
ESPNNewYork.comAndrew Marchand is a senior writer for ESPNNewYork. He also regularly contributes to SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, ESPNews, ESPN New York 98.7 FM and ESPN Radio. He joined ESPN in 2007 after nine years at the New York Post. Follow Andrew on Twitter »
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Wallace Matthews
Wallace Matthews has covered NY sports since 1983 as a reporter, columnist, radio host and TV commentator. He joins ESPNNewYork to cover the Yankees, which he's done since the days of Stump Merrill for Newsday, the New York Post, the New York Sun and ESPN New York 98.7 FM.
Andrew Marchand
Andrew Marchand is a senior writer for ESPNNewYork.com. He also regularly contributes to SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, ESPNews, ESPN New York 98.7 FM and ESPN Radio. He joined ESPN in 2007 after nine years as a sports writer at the New York Post.
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UPCOMING GAMES
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOR | 17-26 | 9-12 | 8-14 | L2 | |
| NYY | 27-16 | 15-9 | 12-7 | W2 |
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYY | 27-16 | 15-9 | 12-7 | W2 | |
| BAL | 23-19 | 9-10 | 14-9 | L4 |
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYY | 27-16 | 15-9 | 12-7 | W2 | |
| BAL | 23-19 | 9-10 | 14-9 | L4 |
TEAM LEADERS
| WINS LEADER | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Hiroki Kuroda
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| OTHER LEADERS | ||||||||||||
| BA | R. Cano | .295 | ||||||||||
| HR | R. Cano | 12 | ||||||||||
| RBI | R. Cano | 31 | ||||||||||
| R | R. Cano | 25 | ||||||||||
| OPS | R. Cano | .899 | ||||||||||
| ERA | H. Kuroda | 1.99 | ||||||||||
| SO | C. Sabathia | 54 | ||||||||||
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