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[Jeff Cunningham]

Texas Rangers take Kempsville's Ramirez
By Jeff Cunningham | jcunningham@hrvarsity.com

Thursday was a good day for high school players in the 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in Orlando, Fla., with 17 of the first round's 30 picks going to prep athletes.

But Neil Ramirez wasn't one of them.

Kempsville's right-hander, who figured prominently in the Chiefs' run through the Beach District and Eastern Region tournaments, fell to the compensatory round, going No. 44 overall to the Texas Rangers.

"It feels great," Ramirez said. "I can't wait to see how things are gonna go."

Some MLB insiders expected Ramirez to be a first-round selection, so his fall to the Rangers at No. 44 might be surprising. But aside from that, Ramirez said there wasn't much worry.

"I'm not really disappointed," he said. "This is a great opportunity to play ball, and it just feels really good."

The 6-foot-3 senior was drafted for his prowess on the mound; a pro scout clocked his fastball as high as 95 mph during the district tournament. Ramirez has shown the ability to command his fastball, but scouts have noticed a lack of consistency in controlling his changeup and curve ball.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays took Vanderbilt left-handed pitcher David Price with the No. 1 overall pick. Chatsworth (Calif.) High School shortstop Mike Moustakas was the highest-selected high school player, going second overall to the Kansas City Royals.

The compensatory round, also known as the "sandwich round," takes place between the first and second rounds. Any team that drafted a player in the prior year's first round but did not sign that player receives a compensatory round pick the following year.

Ramirez has committed to Georgia Tech, but admitted a decision now has to be made.

"I'll talk with my agent and my family, see where things are at," he said. "See how things unfold over the next few days, next few weeks."

Other players with Virginia connections taken in the draft include James Madison University left fielder Kellen Kulbacki, who went 40th overall to the San Diego Padres, and Virginia first baseman Sean Doolittle, who went No. 41 to the Oakland Athletics.

Princess Anne right fielder Tyler Mann was taken 298th overall (ninth round) by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.