June 11, 2001
Charlotte, NC
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With the 2001 amateur draft complete, here is a quick look at the top selections made by Carolina GM Ben Teague:
CF Pat Park
Round 1, Pick #2
Age: 22
Exp: College
Part of the Kraken's frustrations with current starting center fielder Edward Framaggio is that despite his continued failure to perform up to expectations at the plate, his phenomenal defense in center field can't be replaced by anyone currently in the team's organization. So when the chance came to grab Park, Teague wasted no time. Park's 15 rating in center along with an outfield range of 16, while still falling short of Framaggio's numbers, will give management the room to sacrifice just a little amount of defense in return for far superior offensive production provided he can develop as predicted. He has a high ceiling in every offensive category, a great work ethic, and well above-average speed.
Aurelio Miller
Round 2, #32
Age: 22
Exp: College
Even though 3 of the top 5 prospects in the Kraken organization are pitchers, it's still an area of need for the team. That was made even more so with the trade of Mack Milholm earlier this year. So with their second pick Carolina took a player they felt was the best pitcher still available. Miller is a two-pitch guy with the potential for above-average control and a devastating fastball and slider. He is probably more suited for the bullpen, but that suits management just fine as there is a glut of pitchers with the stamina to start at the AAA and major league levels right now.
Tomás Mota
Round 4, #57
Age: 22
Exp: College
Even though Carolina has super prospect first baseman Vicente Vasquez in the pipeline, Mota was not a bad pick. He is another kid with an extremely high work ethic and the potential to be a well-rounded offensive presence in the lineup.
