Cardinals draft two prep stars on 2nd day

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, June 6, 2002 | 8:59 a.m.

Selections with local ties in this year's MLB draft

Throughout their four-year varsity baseball careers, Basic's Matt Elliott and Las Vegas High's Sean Kazmar have been two of the area's steadiest performers and most consistent winners.

Apparently, they made an impression on the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals drafted both on day two of the Major League Baseball draft on Wednesday, one day after St. Louis selected Cimarron-Memorial product Brad Thompson.

"Players have got to have the tools, but more importantly, they've got to have great makeup, and all three of these guys are great makeup guys," said Manny Guerra, Cardinals' scouting supervisor for five states including Nevada. "If you're going to play pro ball, you'd better be dedicated, because it's not an easy game."

Elliott, a right-handed pitcher, went to the Cards in round 27. The UNLV signee won 30 games during his four prep seasons, going 9-3 with a 1.11 ERA as a senior this spring.

"Matt knows how to pitch and get hitters out," Guerra said. "I like his demeanor. He's a bulldog on the mound."

St. Louis took Kazmar, a shortstop, in round 32. The CCSN signee batted .313 with nine homers and 53 RBIs in his final season with the Wildcats.

"He may be 5-9, but he plays bigger than 5-9," Guerra said. "He needs some strength, but he's got a great makeup and he's a determined young man."

On Tuesday, the Cardinals tapped Thompson, a right-handed pitcher for Dixie College, with their 16th-round pick. Guerra said that Thompson's success in a wood-bat conference this year helped him at draft time.

"I think he has a good chance to be a good pitcher against hitters with wood bats, and that's important to see," Guerra said.

All told, 11 local products were selected on Wednesday, bringing the area's two-day draft total to 19.

UNLV junior right-hander Jared Bonnell got things started on day two, going to the Diamondbacks in the 23rd round. The Durango graduate appeared in 17 games for the Rebels, going 4-5 with a 7.46 ERA this spring.

Four other Durango products heard their names called on Wednesday. The Cubs took 6-foot-7 right-hander Jeff Jacobsen in the 26th round, the Devils Rays nabbed Coltyn Simmons -- an outfielder who projects as a catcher -- in the 33rd and the A's selected catcher Robbie Jacobson and first baseman Don Sutton in the 35th and 41st, respectively.

Three Cimarron-Memorial graduates were drafted on Tuesday, and another Spartan trio went on Wednesday: right-hander Jared Johnson to the Twins in the 26th, catcher Robert Grana -- a CCSN freshman -- to the Royals in the 28th and Rejino Gonzalez -- a CCSN sophomore -- to the Devils Rays in the 46th.

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