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June 07, 2007
Austin Romine
Here's the scoop on the Yankees second pick this year in the draft - via Baseball America:
Austin Romine, c
School: El Toro HS, Lake Forest, Calif. Class: Sr.
B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 195. Birthdate: 11/22/88.Scouting Report: Romine's brother Andrew is Arizona State's starting shortstop, and his dad Kevin played there before his brief big league career. Austin also has committed to the Sun Devils, but the consensus in Southern California is he'll never make it to Tempe. That's despite a left hand injury that has plagued him all season. In May, he reaggravated what was diagnosed as a torn ligament in his thumb and had surgery. Rather than sit out the rest of the season, he focused on being El Toro's closer. His arm is his best tool, among the most powerful in a strong draft crop of catchers. Romine's pop times to second base have ranged from 1.78 to 1.85 seconds, putting him near an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Romine's receiving is less advanced, but he's no slouch there and has the athletic ability to improve his deficient footwork. Offensively, Romine has gap power and makes consistent contact, and he's got enough strength to project to hit for average home run power down the road.
Here's a report that said the Indians were interested in him:
Don't be surprised if the Indians pick California high school catcher Austin Romine with their first-round selection in next month's amateur draft. Word is some of the Indians' top front-office execs have been personally scouting Romine and have begun weighing his "signability." (Romine will play college ball at Arizona State if he doesn't sign a pro contract before fall classes start.) Romine's father, Kevin, was a Boston Red Sox outfielder from 1985 to 1991.
According to a Baseball Prospectus study last year: "While high school catchers were terrible picks (-72%) from 1984 to 1991, since 1992 they actually return positive value at +17%, better than any other high school position other than third base."
Let's hope that new trend continues.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at June 7, 2007 08:20 PM