Phillies select RHP Kyle Drabek with first pick

The Phillies take a chance on a high school pitcher with great talent, but questionable makeup, according to scouts.

Baseball America thought Drabek could go as high as 12 or fall out of the first round altogether. Instead, he fell to the Phillies at 18.

The 6-1, 18-year-old right-hander is the son of former Cy Young winner Doug Drabek. According to Baseball America, his best pitch is a 78-82 mph spike curveball, to go with a 94-95 fastball.

"When his fastball and curve are one, he has one of the best two-pitch combinations in the draft," an American League scout told BA.

He’s also a good hitter, playing shortstop for Woodlands HS in Texas, perhaps the richest state for high school baseball talent. Scouts said he could also make a case for being the best high school position player in the draft. The Phillies are extremely thin with minor league middle infielders.

As for that makeup, Baseball America says the reason some teams are backing away from Drabek is he’s "high-strung" on the field, in addition to some negative off-field issues. Those issues were not specified by BA.

Stay posted for the Phillies’ next pick, No. 37 overall.

Comments

[pawnking]

Let's see. Million Dollar Arm, ten cent head? How long until the nickname "Nuke" attaches itself to this kid?

[Chris B]

Thanks Jason for the post Jason.
Sounds like this guy might be worth a shot. Possible #1 talent if some immaturity can be overcome. It's not like this kid is holding up the local seven eleven, he seems to be a spoiled son of a major leaguer and hopefully can outgrow this and follow in utley-howard-hamels' footsteps. Nice pick for #18.

[Chris B]

Thanks Jason for the post Jason. Wow. Proofreading.

[pat]

Spoiled was the term that ive heard thrown around about this kid. Fantastic.

[Carson Book]

we can only hope this turns out to be the best decision the brass could have made. hopefully better than our last 3 first picks.

[Lake Fred]

I'll repost this here:

While on Katrina evacuation temporary assignment in Houston, TX for 8 months, I lived about 10 miles south of the Woodlands, the home of Kyle Drabek. The Woodlands is a nice planned suburb, where the cutting of trees is severely restricted, hence the name. About his public intoxication, drinking in the South is considered noble. If he hit a tree with his SUV in the Woodlands, it was probably unavoidable as they are all over the place. Probably a "wild" streak would be good for the docile Phillies pitching staff. Send Brito down, bring on Drabek!! Haha!

[J. Weitzel]

Phillies selected HS middle infielder Adrien Cardinas with their second pick, No. 37 overall. Scouts believe Cardinas projects as a second baseman with power, or left fielder.

With their second-round pick, No. 65 overall, the Phillies went with college right-hander Andrew Carpenter. Carpenter was a junior college transfer to Cal St. Long Beach, with a low-90s fastball and nice slider.

All three picks were taken higher than most mock drafts indicated.

[voice of reason]

The draft is such a roll of the dice anyway...why not take a chance on a spoiled brat with Top 5 talent?
After blowing away high school hitters the last few seasons, professional baseball could be the humbling experience he needs to set his head straight.

[RickSchuBlues]

Interesting choice. I always liked his father Doug as a pitcher, and from the looks of that picture, he's got a very similar delivery. Sounds like it's worth the chance, despite the maturity issues. You can always settle a guy down but you can't give him better stuff. I foresee a series of lectures from Dickie Noles in this kid's immediate future.

[SamDracula]

I wish they'd stick with college kids. High school = High risk. Washington and Oakland drafted kids out of college and the next year, one was rookie of the year and the other may be this year's ROY. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[gr]

HE'S 18! i'd be worried if he *weren't* high-strung. that would probably mean he's on the weed.

[MG]

Another high school pitcher with supposedly alot of upside. Can't possibly criticize Drabek now but the odds of a high school pithcer developing into a major league starter aren't too good.

[Walter]

A left-handed hitting 2B as the sandwich pick? Where are right-handed bats in the system? By 2009, the Phillies will be fielding all left-handed hitters.

[zach]

Thanks Jason for the post Jason. Wow. Proofreading.

I think it was proofread. Pawnking is obviously trying to get Weitzel to join his cult.

[Tx Aggie]

I grew up in The Woodlands (actually played ball with Kyle in little league) and what everyone is saying him being spoiled I guess is about as bad as it is. The Woodlands is an interesting place. A majority of the kids have the same issue, nothing extreme and nothing that won't go away quickly after a few weeks in the big leagues. I believe in him and can see him going further than his father. He was also our star quarterback until his car accident. He's quite a big athlete. It will be interesting to watch him play. Ive seen him crank grand slams out of Minute Maid (granted it was with an aluminum bat) so the kid can hit as well.

[Astros rule]

I just graduated from the woodlands hs and while i never had much interaction with drabek during school the guy is an athletic god, watching him play football was amazing and baseball was even better it seems like he can do anything on a field that he wants i wish he had fallen to the astros

[Jordan]

I know this is an old topic but you guys are retards, kyle never played quaterback... he was a wide receiver. and you guys who think hes spoiled are just jelious you never have had the oppertunites that people get in the woodlands.
Don't worry kyle will come back to houston where he belongs.
TWHS FOOTBALL '07 state or bust
http://www.highlanderfootball.net/profiles/0013.html
_______________________________________________

[ricky simes]

drabek was the most spoiled kid in the woodlands..i went to school with him and his house is a mansion..the coaches and community treated him like he was babe ruth coming back to life..so he got a big head and got wasted and crashed his car and the coaches never got mad.. it was always omg ill be here and give u whatever u need to be ok. but he is a hot head on the mound and thats good..but his first year will be miserable.any 18 year old highschooler with about 10 million dollars under his belt is gunna get cocky and do stupid things..jusr pray fot he best

[Max Evans]

I watched young Drabek all through HS. The comments for those who actually know him are well taken, spoiled, etc. but as an older (seventies) guy who has watched and played a lot of ball I was certainly impressed with his hitting and fielding ability. The problem I see the lad having in the pro's is how to pitch to people that can get around on a fast ball and won't swing at bad pitches. The other players on the Woodlands HS team should also get credit for helping Kyle look good in some situations. I hope he does well but he will find out that it's not an automatic sure thing. Mantle and Willie Mays both started exceedingly slow and we all know what they accomplished.

[Nick Hall]

Kyle Drabek is nasty at baseball and makes the hoes go ohhhhhhh!

[Dennis Shafer]

I have played against Kyle. He is absolutely the best pitcher I have ever faced. Hands down, he throws hard. But if I could get around on him, I think big leaguers will too. The only thing he has is a a wicked curve that looks just like his fastball that dives into the dirt. It's tough to read, but if you lay off and wait for one over the plate, you can definately rip it.

[Nick Hall]

Shut up Shafer, you couldnt hit off a tee!

[Nick Hall]

Shut up Shafer, you couldnt hit off a tee!