Drizzle & Fizzle (as Snooop D-O-double Gizzle might’ve called the Draft & Follow) has been on something of a hiatus while I adjust to some changes in my personal and professional life.  My slow slog back into TRDMB activity begins with the first part in a multi-part series looking back on the first professional seasons of the players chosen by the Mets in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

With the regular season already complete for the GCL Mets of the Gulf Coast League and the Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League, and with just 1 game remaining for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League and 2 games left for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League we begin our look back.

• 2nd round - Steven Matz: the high school LHP signed late, was assigned to the GCL Mets, didn’t play.

• 3rd round - Robbie Shields: the college SS signed after the season was underway and started his pro career in Brooklyn ice cold.  His final numbers in 142 at bats were .176/.273/.268.  He did show some improvement after the NYPL All-Star break hitting .238/.319/.286 from then on.  The high point of his season may have been scoring the game winning run on rehabbing Carlos Beltran’s single recently.

• 4th round - Darrell Ceciliani: the college OF had a line of .234/.313/.310 in 158 at bats for Kingsport.  He had a fine month of July going .303/.361/.447.  He did better in away games, batting .298 outside of Kingsport.  He stole 14 bases in 16 attempts.

• 7th round - Darin Gorski: the college LHP pitched in 13 games, starting 11, for Brooklyn.  He is 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA in 62 1/3 innings including his September 5th start against Lowell in which he allowed 1 run in 5 2/3 innings on 1 hit and 4 walks while striking out 7.  For the season walks seem to have been the negative.  He allowed just 51 hits in his 62 1/3 innings, but walked 26.  His ERA, ground ball out percentage and batting average against all improved notably after the All-Star break.

• 8th round - John Freeman: the college C played in 39 of Kingsport’s 65 games compiling a line of .221/.271/.305 in 131 at bats.  He finished strong with a .308/.383/.462 line in 52 August at bats.  Like Ceciliani, he hit much better away from Kingsport, with a .289 away BA compared to .127 at home.

• 9th round - Jeffrey Glenn: like Matz, the HS C signed late, was assigned to the GCL but did not play.

• 10th round - Nick Santomauro: the college OF spent the season with Brooklyn, compiling a .241/.368/.441 line in 145 at bats.  His .809 OPS is 2nd on the team and his 6 HR leave him tied for the club lead with 1 game remaining.

Nick salutes one of his 6 home runs

Gulf Coast League

• The GCL Marlins beat the GCL Mets 4-2 Sunday.  4 2009 draftees played.  P Taylor Whitenton threw 2 scoreless innings, allowing 3 walks.  RF Chase Greene went 0 for 5 at the plate.  1B Travis Ozga reached on an error in the 6th inning and walked in the 8th as part of his 0 for 3 game.  He also dropped a pick off throw for his 5th error of the season.  LF ZeErika Hall walked in the 2nd, doubled and came around to score in the 4th to go 1 for 3.  See the box score and recap for more.

Appalachian League

• The Kingsport Mets won a doubleheader at the Bristol Sox Sunday.  In the 2-1 first game win, 5 2009 draftees played.  P Brian Needham picked up his 1st hold of the season with 1 inning of scoreless relief.  He allowed 1 hit and recorded 1 strikeout.  3B Joseph Bonfe was 0 for 3 at the plate.  C John Freeman, DH Ronald Harris and CF Darrell Ceciliani all singled to go 1 for 3.  See the box score and recap for more.
• In the 5-4 second game victory, 7 2009 draftees played.  P Thomas Chism picked up his 1st hold of the season with 2/3 scoreless innings.  He allowed 1 hit and 1 walk.  Harris played CF in this game and had a 3rd inning single and a 4th inning sacrifice fly in going 1 for 3.  Bonfe played 1B and walked in the 1st and singled in the 5th to go 1 for 3.  3B James Schroeder was 0 for 4 with a 3rd inning RBI ground out.  RF Kurt Steinhauer singled and scored in the 4th to go 1 for 3.  LF John Semel had an RBI single in the 4th and came around to score to go 1 for 4.  2B Ryan Mollica singled in the 1st and singled and scored in the 5th to go 2 for 4.  For more see the box score and recap.

New York-Penn League

• The Brooklyn Cyclones won a doubleheader at the Aberdeen IronBirds Sunday.  In the 1st game, a 5-0 victory, Brandon Moore threw a 7 inning complete game no-hitter.  Moore was taken in the 14th round of the 2008 draft but I couldn’t hold his draft year against him considering the no-hitter.  3 2009 draftees played.  DH Nick Santomauro was 0 for 2 with a walk.  SS Robbie Shields singled in the 3rd inning and was hit by a pitch and scored in the 7th as part of his 1 for 2 game.  1B Alex Gregory had a 4th inning RBI double and singled and scored in the 7th to go 2 for 3.  See the game story, box score and recap for more.
• In the 5-1 second game victory, Shields had a 6th inning double to go 1 for 3 and Gregory walked in the 4th and singled and scored in the 6th to go 1 for 2.  For more see the box score and recap.

South Atlantic League

• The Savannah Sand Gnats beat the Rome Braves 5-4 Sunday.  2009 draftee RF Joseph August was 0 for 3.  See the game story, box score and recap for more.

Gulf Coast League

• The GCL Nationals beat the GCL Mets 7-2 Thursday.  5 2009 draft picks played.  P Taylor Whitenton threw a scoreless inning, allowing only a walk while recording 1 strikeout.  Chase Greene started the game in RF and was 1 for 3 with a 1st inning single at the plate.  In the 5th inning ZeErika Hall replaced Greene in RF and Hall was 0 for 2 at the plate.  1B Travis Ozga singled in the 2nd inning and doubled in the 7th to go 2 for 4.  C Nelfi Zapata doubled and scored in the 2nd and singled in the 4th to go 2 for 4.  See the box score and recap for more.

Appalachian League

• The Kingsport Mets beat the Bluefield Orioles 9-3 Thursday.  4 2009 draftees played.  Darrell Ceciliani started in CF and was 0 for 2 at the plate.  Kurt Steinhauer replaced him in CF in the 4th inning.  He hit an RBI double in the 6th to go 1 for 3.  3B Joseph Bonfe was 0 for 5.  DH Ronald Harris singled and scored in the 4th, walked in the 5th and singled in the 9th to go 2 for 4.  For more see the box score and recap.

New York-Penn League

• The Brooklyn Cyclones beat the State College Spikes 4-3 Thursday.  3 2009 draftees played.  LF Nick Santomauro was 0 for 5.  1B Sam Honeck singled in the 1st inning and walked in the 9th to go 1 for 4.  SS Robbie Shields had an RBI single in the 4th and walked in the 9th to go 1 for 4.  See the box score and recap for more.

Gulf Coast League

• The GCL Cardinals beat the GCL Mets 7-2 Wednesday.  2 2009 draft picks played.  C Camden Maron went 0 for 4 at the plate and committed his 2nd passed ball of the season defensively.  RF ZeErika Hall walked leading off the 1st inning, singled in the 3rd, hit his 7th double of the season and scored in the 8th as part of his 2 for 3 game.  See the box score and recap for more.

New York-Penn League

• The Brooklyn Cyclones beat the State College Spikes 6-1 Wednesday.  4 2009 draft picks played.  P Darin Gorski (3-3) started and won for Brooklyn.  Gorski went 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 5.  SS Robbie Shields singled in the 3rd inning and singled and scored in the 5th as part of his 2 for 4 game.  1B Sam Honeck walked in the 1st, singled in the 5th and had an RBI ground out in the 7th as part of his 1 for 3 game.  LF Nick Santomauro singled in the 2nd, reached on a fielder’s choice and scored in the 4th, walked in the 6th and had an RBI ground out in the 7th as part of his 1 for 3 game.  For more see the box score and recap.

"The kid throws a wicked analysis"

Toby Hyde at Mets Minor League Blog has an interesting analysis of the draft spending of all 30 MLB teams and how the Mets compare.

Appalachian League

• The Kingsport Mets beat the Princeton Rays 7-0 Monday.  2 2009 draft picks played.  CF Darrell Ceciliani singled and scored in the 1st inning, singled and stole his 12th base of the season in the 3rd and was hit by a pitch in the 6th as part of his 2 for 4 game.  DH Ronald Harris singled and scored in the 1st and singled and scored in the 6th to go 2 for 4.  See the box score and recap for more.

Deadline 2009 First Year Player Draft Signings

• 2nd rounder Steven Matz signed per Jon Heyman of Twitter, MLB.com has a brief article with some video attached of Matz

• 9th rounder Jeff Glenn signed per Jim Callis of Baseball America

• 13th rounder Zach Dotson signed per Jim Callis of Baseball America

• TRDMB condolences go out to reader WannyBackstra - their is no news of a Damien Magnifico signing

In summary then, below is a list (to the best of my amateur knowledge) of 2009 draft picks and their signed/unsigned status:

1. (no first round pick)
2. Steven Matz - signed
3. Robbie Shields - signed
4. Darrell Ceciliani - signed
5. Damien Magnifico - unsigned
6. David Buchanan - unsigned
7. Darin Gorski - signed
8. John Freeman - signed
9. Jeff Glenn - signed
10. Nick Santomauro - signed
11. Sam Honeck - signed
12. James Ewing - signed
13. Zach Dotson - signed
14. Ronald Harris - signed
15. Casey Schmidt  - unsigned
16. Jeff “Chase” Greene - signed
17. Alex Gregory - signed
18. Cody Holliday -  signed
19. Nelfi Zapata - signed
20. Joseph August - signed
21. Joseph Bonfe - signed
22. Zachary Von Tersch - signed
23. John Church - signed
24. Michael Johnson - signed
25. Josh Dunn - signed
26. John Semel  - signed
27. Kurt Steinhauer - signed
28. Brian Needham - signed
29. ZeErika Hall - signed
30. Jordan Harrison - unsigned
31. Mitchell Haniger - unsigned
32. Thomas Chism - signed
33. James Schroeder - signed
34. Camden Maron - signed
35. Wes Wrenn - signed
36. Lance Hoge - signed
37. Brandon Sage - signed
38. William Cherry - signed
39. Anthony “Taylor” Whitenton - signed
40. Jerome Pena - unsigned
41. Travis Ozga - signed
42. Ryan Gunhouse - unsigned
43. Robert Rinard - unsigned
44. James Wooster - unsigned
45. Jacob Johansen - unsigned
46. John Pilkington  - unsigned
47. Ryan Mollica - signed
48. Joseph Mantiply - unsigned
49. Joshua Easley - unsigned
50. Zachary Godley - unsigned

Please understand the “signed/unsigned” designations are unofficial and simply “to the best of my knowledge.”  You can find a more thorough and official listing at Baseball America. Those that were signed before yesterday can be found on the rosters of either the GCL Mets, the Kingsport Mets, the Brooklyn Cyclones or the Savannah Sand Gnats.

Links that were initially found around draft day in June to information about many but not all of these players can be accessed at Picks 1-30 and Picks 31 -50.

Monday (tonight) at midnight is the deadline for teams to sign their picks from the June First-Year Player draft. TheSunNews.com has an article about Steven Matz, the Mets 1st pick (2nd round, # 72 overall) who will either be signing with the Mets today or begin classes at Coastal Carolina on Wednesday.  Any signings made before the deadline will be noted in tomorrow’s Draft & Follow. Alex Nelson of Mets Geek has written a very informative article on the Mets unsigned draft picks.

Appalachian League

• The Kingsport Mets split a doubleheader with the Princeton Rays Sunday.  Princeton won the first game 3-2.  3 2009 draftees played.  LF Ronald Harris and C John Freeman were both 0 for 3.  CF Darrell Ceciliani had a 1st inning single to go 1 for 3.  See the box score and recap for more.
• In the second game, 8 2009 draftees played and the K-Mets won 4-3.  P Zachary Von Tersch started and threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing 3 runs, none earned, on 3 hits and 4 walks while recording 2 strikeouts.  P Brian Needham followed Von Tersch with 2 1/3 scoreless innings.  Needham allowed just 1 walk while striking out 3.  P Thomas Chism (1-1) followed Needham with 1 1/3 scoreless innings and picked up the win.  3B James Schroeder saw his first action of the year for Kingsport and was 1 for 2.  RF John Semel walked in the 1st inning, stole his 9th base of the season and came around to score, finishing the game 0 for 3.  2B Ryan Mollica singled and scored in the 1st inning as part of his 1 for 4 game.  1B Joseph Bonfe walked in the 1st inning, and singled, stole his 3rd base of the season and scored the game winning run in the bottom of the 8th to go 1 for 3.   LF Kurt Steinhauer hit a sacrifice fly in the 1st inning and drove in Bonfe with a single in the 8th to win the game.  He finished 1 for 3.  See the box score and recap for more.

New York-Penn League

• The Brooklyn Cyclones beat the Oneonta Tigers 2-1 Sunday.  4 2009 draftees played, including the starting and winning pitcher Wes Wrenn.  Wrenn (2-0) threw 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 6.  1B Sam Honeck hit an RBI double in the 3rd inning to go 1 for 4.  SS Robbie Shields singled in the 5th and walked in the 7th as part of his 1 for 3 game.  RF Nick Santomauro had a 1st inning RBI double and walked leading off the 6th as part of his 1 for 3 game.  See the box score and recap for more.  The latest entry of Wes Wrenn’s diary is up.

South Atlantic League

• The Savannah Sand Gnats lost a doubleheader to the Delmarva Shorebirds Sunday, losing the first game 4-2 and the nitecap 4-3.  In the first game, 2009 draftee LF Joseph August went 0 for 3.  See the box score and recap for more.
• In the second game, August hit a 4th inning triple and was intentionally walked in the 6th as part of his 1 for 2 game.  For more see the box score and recap.