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Nationals scouting director Dana Brown was the man behind drafting Chad Cordero, Bill Bray and Ryan Zimmerman, and at this year's First-Year Player Draft, he finally got to flex his muscles with an increased budget and a focus on rebuilding Washington's minor leagues. The Nationals used their first six picks on high schoolers, and Brown was ecstatic when we caught up with him after day one Tuesday.
Why are you so excited?
I was definitely like a kid in a candy store. We took six high school players in a row and we hadn't been able to do that.
Did you think that Miami prep outfielder Chris Marrero would be there with the 15th pick?
"We were shocked that Marrero was there. We were shocked that [prep righty Colton] Willems was there and we were really totally floored that the kid Sean Black [a high school righty from Mount Laurel, N.J.] was there in the second round. This is a kid, a young kid that is 90 to 95 [mph] with his fastball and he is still sitting on your board in the second round. You get that type of talent, that could really help your system.
Is there one player that you wish you just missed on drafting?
If there was one that got away it would probably be [Kent State shortstop Emmanuel] Burriss. We really liked him a lot and we knew we had to get some young high school players for the future and he was in our mix. We were able to get a power arm high school kid at 22 [Willems] and then we were considering Burriss in the second round but he went before we picked.
What late round pick do you like the most?
We got [Arizona State closer] Zechry Zinicola in the sixth round, who really gets me excited. I saw him 90 to 95 [mph] with a really good slider. He could be the guy. We have taken some relievers who can get there quick. He could be one of those guys. That's why I was thrilled to get him. He could be a fast mover. He has a closer mentality. He is a bulldog type.
How do you judge the risk-reward between picking a high school player versus a college player?
That's why when you take a high school guy with a high ceiling, and you've got to take a high school guy who you feel in those upper rounds, if they go to school they have chance to come out and be a first round, second round pick. Then you know you are projecting on getting the best high school player.
How long could it take for high school players to arrive in the big leagues?
They always say the good ones get here quick, so I think we feel good about them moving pretty quickly through the system. They may get here in three to four years. They may not really reach their peak until year five, but the good ones can get here quick.
What's the toughest position to draft?
The catching, because there's not a lot of it and when you see catching it disappears really quickly. You go out and see it, and sometimes you have to overshoot in order to get a catcher. It's the one that's not real consistent.
