Thursday, June 23, 2005
Yankees sign first-rounder Henry
As expected, C.J. Henry chose baseball over basketball on Tuesday, signing a contract with the Yankees after being selected with the 17th overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft.
Henry, a two-sport standout at Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City, Okla., had committed orally to play hoops at the University of Kansas, but after being taken in the first round, he decided that the Yankees offered him a better opportunity.
"I think once I concentrate fully on baseball, I think I'll surprise everybody with how good I can be," Henry said on the day he was drafted. "Maybe two or three years from now, I'll be able to make it to the show."
The 19-year-old shortstop led his team at Putnam City in every offensive category this season, batting .481 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs in 37 games.
"We spent a lot of time scouting him, all the way back to watching him play basketball," said Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees' vice president of scouting. "He's a guy that can play in the middle of the diamond, is very athletic and has the kind of skills that made him very attractive to us."
As the 17th overall pick in this year's draft, Henry became the highest first-round selection for the Yankees since 1993, when they selected right-hander Matt Drews with the 13th overall pick. Henry has reported to the Yankees' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Tampa.
"I think I'm a five-tool player with a high ceiling and unlimited potential," Henry said earlier this month. "I need to work on every phase of the game, get better everywhere. You can never be good enough. I'm ready to work hard."
New York also signed 18 other draft picks on Tuesday, including its third-rounder, center fielder Brett Gardner, and its fourth-rounder, right-hander Lance Pendleton.
The other signings include left-hander Garrett Patterson (seventh round), right fielder James Cooper (ninth round), third baseman Kyle Anson (10th round), catcher Joseph Muich (12th round), center fielder Joel Perez (14th round), right-hander Joshua Schmidt (15th round), second baseman Chris Malec (16th round), right-hander Keaton Everitt (17th round), catcher Joseph Burke (18th round), right-hander James Conroy (19th round), left-hander Bryan Rueger (21st round), right-hander Michael Mlotkowski (27th round), first baseman Felipe Garcia (30th round), catcher Bradley Canada (34th round), left-hander Jesse Bahr (41st round) and right-hander Andrew Carter (43rd round).
In addition, the Yankees signed non-drafted free agent catchers Jared Greenwood and JT Lafountain, first baseman Kyle Larsen, second baseman Tony Roth and right-hander Steve Schroer.
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
Henry, a two-sport standout at Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City, Okla., had committed orally to play hoops at the University of Kansas, but after being taken in the first round, he decided that the Yankees offered him a better opportunity.
"I think once I concentrate fully on baseball, I think I'll surprise everybody with how good I can be," Henry said on the day he was drafted. "Maybe two or three years from now, I'll be able to make it to the show."
The 19-year-old shortstop led his team at Putnam City in every offensive category this season, batting .481 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs in 37 games.
"We spent a lot of time scouting him, all the way back to watching him play basketball," said Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees' vice president of scouting. "He's a guy that can play in the middle of the diamond, is very athletic and has the kind of skills that made him very attractive to us."
As the 17th overall pick in this year's draft, Henry became the highest first-round selection for the Yankees since 1993, when they selected right-hander Matt Drews with the 13th overall pick. Henry has reported to the Yankees' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Tampa.
"I think I'm a five-tool player with a high ceiling and unlimited potential," Henry said earlier this month. "I need to work on every phase of the game, get better everywhere. You can never be good enough. I'm ready to work hard."
New York also signed 18 other draft picks on Tuesday, including its third-rounder, center fielder Brett Gardner, and its fourth-rounder, right-hander Lance Pendleton.
The other signings include left-hander Garrett Patterson (seventh round), right fielder James Cooper (ninth round), third baseman Kyle Anson (10th round), catcher Joseph Muich (12th round), center fielder Joel Perez (14th round), right-hander Joshua Schmidt (15th round), second baseman Chris Malec (16th round), right-hander Keaton Everitt (17th round), catcher Joseph Burke (18th round), right-hander James Conroy (19th round), left-hander Bryan Rueger (21st round), right-hander Michael Mlotkowski (27th round), first baseman Felipe Garcia (30th round), catcher Bradley Canada (34th round), left-hander Jesse Bahr (41st round) and right-hander Andrew Carter (43rd round).
In addition, the Yankees signed non-drafted free agent catchers Jared Greenwood and JT Lafountain, first baseman Kyle Larsen, second baseman Tony Roth and right-hander Steve Schroer.
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
