Thanks to cubs.com-
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs were looking for offensive talent Thursday with the No. 3 pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, and they found it in high school third baseman CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs were looking for offensive talent Thursday with the No. 3 pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, and they found it in high school third baseman Josh Vitters.
Vitters, who turns 18 on Aug. 27, ranked as the top pure high school hitter by Baseball America and batted .371 with eight homers and 25 RBIs for Cypress (Calif.) High School. Baseball America also touted him as the player closest to playing in the Major Leagues among all high school pitchers and position players.
"We're extremely happy to have Josh," said Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken. "I've been fortunate to be around good first rounders in the past, and I think he's got those capabilities."
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected pitcher David Price with the No. 1 overall pick Thursday. With the second pick, the Kansas City Royals took high school third baseman/catcher Mike Moustakas.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Vitters was considered one of the top hitting prospects in the Draft because of his compact swing, bat speed and athleticism.
"Nobody really taught me how to swing the bat," Vitters said. "My swing's all natural; I haven't really done any hitting instruction or anything like that. It's just always come to me."
One person he did give credit to for helping him develop into the baseball player he is today was his older brother Christian, who played at Fresno State and was a 10th-round pick by the Oakland Athletics last June.
"I think a lot of it, I can attribute to my brother, because he's always played baseball and he's always helped me out with everything," Vitters said. "Him, along with my parents, have played a huge role in my success."
The selection of Vitters marks the second straight year Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken has selected a position player rather than a pitcher. Last year, the Cubs and Wilken chose Clemson outfielder Tyler Colvin in the first round. Prior to that, the Cubs had taken a pitcher with eight of their last 11 first-round selections.
The third baseman has received numerous honors, including MVP honors at the 2006 Cape Cod High School Classic last July, and he was named Gatorade's 2007 California Player of the Year.
In the 2006 Aflac All-American Classic last summer, he was 3-for-4 with two doubles, and collected those hits off Michael Main, Madison Bumgarner and Rick Porcello, all pitchers who went in the first round of the Draft on Thursday.
Wilken said he had not had much time to talk contract negotiations with Vitters, who has committed to attend Arizona State this fall on a baseball scholarship. But both sides were optimistic about getting the deal done soon.
"We haven't gotten too far because there was some mystery as to what Kansas City was going to do," Wilken said. "I think we can get Josh Vitters in a Cubs uniform, and hopefully in some time period, in a Major League uniform."
Vitters, who said he was a little nervous about falling lower in the draft after a bout with pneumonia forced him to sit out nearly three weeks of his senior season, said he is excited about being a part of the Cubs organization.
"I really started taking notice of the Cubs when the whole Sammy Sosa/Mark McGwire thing was going on [in 1998]," Vitters said. "I was watching a lot of the Cubs on WGN because I get that station down in California. That's probably when they first got on my radar.
"I just love their whole tradition and how they play ball, and it's just a great fit for me.".
Vitters, who turns 18 on Aug. 27, ranked as the top pure high school hitter by Baseball America and batted .371 with eight homers and 25 RBIs for Cypress (Calif.) High School. Baseball America also touted him as the player closest to playing in the Major Leagues among all high school pitchers and position players.
"We're extremely happy to have Josh," said Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken. "I've been fortunate to be around good first rounders in the past, and I think he's got those capabilities."
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected pitcher David Price with the No. 1 overall pick Thursday. With the second pick, the Kansas City Royals took high school third baseman/catcher Mike Moustakas.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Vitters was considered one of the top hitting prospects in the Draft because of his compact swing, bat speed and athleticism.
"Nobody really taught me how to swing the bat," Vitters said. "My swing's all natural; I haven't really done any hitting instruction or anything like that. It's just always come to me."
One person he did give credit to for helping him develop into the baseball player he is today was his older brother Christian, who played at Fresno State and was a 10th-round pick by the Oakland Athletics last June.
"I think a lot of it, I can attribute to my brother, because he's always played baseball and he's always helped me out with everything," Vitters said. "Him, along with my parents, have played a huge role in my success."
The selection of Vitters marks the second straight year Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken has selected a position player rather than a pitcher. Last year, the Cubs and Wilken chose Clemson outfielder Tyler Colvin in the first round. Prior to that, the Cubs had taken a pitcher with eight of their last 11 first-round selections.
The third baseman has received numerous honors, including MVP honors at the 2006 Cape Cod High School Classic last July, and he was named Gatorade's 2007 California Player of the Year.
In the 2006 Aflac All-American Classic last summer, he was 3-for-4 with two doubles, and collected those hits off Michael Main, Madison Bumgarner and Rick Porcello, all pitchers who went in the first round of the Draft on Thursday.
Wilken said he had not had much time to talk contract negotiations with Vitters, who has committed to attend Arizona State this fall on a baseball scholarship. But both sides were optimistic about getting the deal done soon.
"We haven't gotten too far because there was some mystery as to what Kansas City was going to do," Wilken said. "I think we can get Josh Vitters in a Cubs uniform, and hopefully in some time period, in a Major League uniform."
Vitters, who said he was a little nervous about falling lower in the draft after a bout with pneumonia forced him to sit out nearly three weeks of his senior season, said he is excited about being a part of the Cubs organization.
"I really started taking notice of the Cubs when the whole Sammy Sosa/Mark McGwire thing was going on [in 1998]," Vitters said. "I was watching a lot of the Cubs on WGN because I get that station down in California. That's probably when they first got on my radar.
"I just love their whole tradition and how they play ball, and it's just a great fit for me."
The Cubs made a great pick this year. Vitters has great upside and he is a great talented baseball player. He is the closest to be ready and we could see him as early as 09 season. Tho Aram is here for 5 years, I imagine Vitters will be tried out at SS and 2B. Will be interesting how this guy develops.
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