Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Experiment pays dividends for Parraz

Why not, Nick Garritano thought. Go along with the kid's request and toss a stud like Jordan Parraz into the bullpen and let him throw. Maybe his broken elbow is healed and Parraz can become the Gators' closer.

"I never dreamed it would amount to being a sixth-round draft choice," Garritano said.

Not only did Parraz close for Green Valley, but he also pitched a complete game with 13 strikeouts in front of two dozen scouts in the Gators' opening win against Carson in the 4A State Tournament. It was the start of great things for both the Gators, who went on to win the state title, and for Parraz, who was picked in the sixth round Tuesday by the Philadelphia Phillies on the opening day of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft.

Parraz, also a center fielder, was the first local high school player selected. Though he was happy about that, Parraz, a hard-throwing right-hander, thought his 95-mph radar gun hits might be worth a pick in the top five rounds.

"I was definitely thinking higher, but it's definitely a cool opportunity," Parraz said. "You're happy, but you're disappointed at the same time."

Parraz is not sure if he will sign with the Phillies or stick with Community College of Southern Nevada. He hoped that a pick in the first five rounds would equal at least a $300,000 signing bonus.

He pointed out that although the Phillies chose him in the sixth round, he was really their fourth pick because Philadelphia lost earlier selections via free-agent signings.

"Basically, I'm their fourth pick, so that may affect the money," Parraz said.

Parraz expects to begin negotiations with the Phillies in the next few days, and he plans to have his signing decision made within the next two weeks. Parraz's older brother, Zeke, was chosen out of CCSN by the Cleveland Indians in the 21st round last year.

The only other prep player chosen Tuesday was Mike Dunn. A Cimarron-Memorial standout outfielder and left-handed pitcher and the Southern Nevada player of the year, Dunn was selected by the Houston Astros in the 14th round.

Four UNLV players heard their names called on Tuesday, led by senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Braun. The Kansas City Royals tabbed Braun, the Rebels' closer, in the sixth round. An All-Mountain West choice, Braun went 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA and seven saves along with 53 strikeouts this season. Braun also was drafted out of high school by the Anaheim Angels in the 18th round.

Rebels junior left-hander Robbie Van, a Silverado graduate, was tabbed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the eighth round after a season in which he went 9-4 with a 4.51 ERA and a team-high 97 strikeouts. He improved his draft standing by 13 rounds over his selection out of high school by the Seattle Mariners.

The San Diego Padres chose Fernando Valenzuela, the Mountain West player of the year, in the 10th round. The son of the former big-league pitching star, Valenzuela, the Rebels' junior first baseman, hit .337 with 14 homers and also went errorless for the year.

The final UNLV player chosen was junior outfielder Patrick Dobson, the 18th-round choice of the San Francisco Giants. Dobson, the Mountain West tournament MVP, hit .358 with 12 homers in 2003.

Only one player -- freshman outfielder Calvin Beamon -- was chosen from national junior college champion CCSN. The St. Louis Cardinals picked Beamon in the 12th round.

Three local residents playing college ball elsewhere also were drafted.

Durango graduate Chris Kelly, who plays in the outfield at Pepperdine, was selected by the White Sox in the sixth round, Silverado alum Jeremy West, a hitting star at Arizona State, went to the Boston Red Sox in the seventh round and fellow Skyhawk Joe Carque was chosen by Arizona in the 20th round.

Kelly hit a team-best .337 with 23 doubles, 15 home runs and 55 RBIs at Pepperdine. West is hitting .384 with 17 homers and a .704 slugging percentage for the Sun Devils, who ousted UNLV from the NCAA baseball tournament Sunday. Carque, a right-hander, went 5-5 with a 4.81 ERA.

Rounds 21-50 were to continue today, with a number of players with local ties expected to be taken.

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