Parraz expected to be selected high

Adam Candee

Monday, June 7, 2004 | 9:38 a.m.

Don't be surprised if the first local name called in today's Major League Baseball first-year player draft sounds a lot like the one that caused the biggest stir last year.

Jordan Parraz, a Green Valley High School graduate who just finished his freshman season at the Community College of Southern Nevada, is likely to be the highest pick from the Las Vegas area.

Parraz, a powerful pitcher who would prefer to be drafted at his other position of outfielder, turned down "several hundred thousand" dollars from the Phillies after they chose him in the sixth round last year, said CCSN coach Tim Chambers. After leading the Scenic West Conference in hitting at .381 and winning four games on the mound this season, Parraz is projected to go even higher in 2004.

"Jordan will obviously be the highest pick in the state, I'm sure," Chambers said.

Chambers has spoken to about 15 teams and he does not expect Parraz, a 6-foot-3, 212-pound right-hander, to last beyond the third round of the draft. Parraz may be the only Coyote to go in the first 15 rounds, Chambers said, with only Tyler Coon likely to challenge that thought. A year ago, the Giants drafted Coon in the 26th round.

CCSN outfielder Calvin Beamon, projected as a top junior college prospect in the preseason, struggled to a .285 average, but should still be off the board on the first day of the draft. St. Louis drafted Beamon in the 12th round last year.

"He didn't have the year he expected," Chambers said of Beamon.

Both Beamon and Coon are signed with Texas for next year and would likely need to be drafted in the first 10 rounds to consider turning pro instead of continuing their college careers.

Chambers also expects 2003 local draftees P/OF Mike Dunn (14th, Astros), C Spud Low (41st, Cubs), 3B Ryan Castellanos (41st, Cardinals), LHP Ryan Tabor (46th, Phillies) and 2B Kyle Price (49th, Braves) to hear their names called in the next two days. Chambers also includes SS Chris Siewert in that group.

UNLV outfielder and Silverado graduate Eric Nielsen could be the only local player to challenge Parraz at the top of the draft board. The Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, Nielsen hit .410 with 16 homers and 86 RBIs and earned first-team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

Fellow Rebels and local grads OF Brent Johnson (Durango) and LHP Jake Vose (Cimarron-Memorial) are also likely draftees. Toronto tabbed Johnson in the 44th round in 2003.

The high school senior class in Southern Nevada is not of the caliber of last year and is not likely to produce as many draft picks. Centennial catcher and UNLV signee Bryce Massanari is the best bet as an early pick, with some projections showing him as high as the seventh round. Outside of Massanari, though, not many local prep players are expected to go before the tail end of the draft, down in the "draft and follow" range.

"From a draft perspective, it's down," Silverado coach Brian Whitaker said. "The parity was definitely there. It was a good league and a good season. I don't think this is the best crop Vegas has had."

Chambers concurred, mentioning Las Vegas' Cameron Johnson and Silverado's Casey Coon -- who missed most of the season with a broken wrist -- as possible draftees. Green Valley's Brian Sizemore and Foothill's Justin McDaniel are other names being mentioned as possibilities.

"This is a slim pickings year for seniors," Chambers said.