Pro teams gobble up local catchers

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, June 7, 2001 | 11:20 a.m.

Thirteen players with ties to Southern Nevada were selected on day two of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft Wednesday, bringing the area total to 21, one better than last year's number.

In particular, major league teams snatched up local catchers, with Cimarron-Memorial's Robert Grana, Bishop Gorman's Cooper Fouts and former Green Valley catcher John Grose joining Durango's Danny Kahr, who went on day one.

The Toronto Blue Jays took Grana in round 31, the Braves selected Grose -- now a freshman at Chandler-Gilbert (Ariz.) Community College -- in round 35 and the Athletics plucked Fouts in round 36.

Green Valley shortstop Zeke Parraz went to the Royals in round 30, upping the number of current of former Gators taken in the 2001 draft to five.

Along with Grana, Fouts and Parraz, three other area high schoolers heard their names called on day two: Basic pitcher Jesse Craig (36th round, Braves), Las Vegas High pitcher Ryan Coiner (48th, Royals) and Bishop Gorman outfielder Joe Cosentino (47th, Brewers). All three signed early with CCSN in January

Four current Coyote players were selected Wednesday: left-handed pitchers Cliff McMachen (27th, Diamondbacks) and Jino Gonzalez (31st, Rockies), right-hander John Kerschen (36th, Yankees) and outfielder Brent Tarbett (45th, Red Sox). McMachen and Tarbett were both sophomores for CCSN's 2001 club, while Gonzalez and Kerschen were in their first collegiate season.

CCSN also saw one of its out-of-town early signees, outfielder Alhaji Turay from Auburn (Wash.) High School, get drafted early on Tuesday. The Mets selected Turay with their second-round pick, No. 70 overall.

Two former area stars also went in Wednesday's draft. The Cardinals selected one-time Las Vegas pitcher Jared Blasdell (now at Cal Poly) in round 38, and the Devil Rays grabbed former Durango outfielder Nick Aiello (now at Oklahoma Christian) in the draft's final round, the 50th.

Additionally, three players from Northern Nevada heard their names called Wednesday: Galena outfielder Dustin Hahn (21st, Orioles), Galena first baseman Billy Paganetti (45th, Cardinals) and catcher Brent Cordell (23rd, Devil Rays), an Incline Village product who spent the 2001 season at California's Cosumnes River College.

Pagnetti was expected to be Nevada's first overall selection before the standout hitter announced his intention to attend Stanford early this week.