A WAY TOO EARLY 1935 MOCK DRAFT
The contracts have yet to be signed by most of the 1934 draftees but the 16 FABL scouting directors are already looking ahead to next December and the next crop of draft prospects. Let's join them and make a very early attempt at identifying the top 10 prospects for the 1935 draft. Keep in mind this group, while very talented already, is an unfinished one as a total of 400 players will be drafted next December but there are only 245 listed so far as draft eligible. More will arrive when the complete draft pool is revealed sometime in June after the high school and college seasons are completed.
But as things stand right now here are my first round selections.
1- RUFUS BARRELL II LHP MACON (GA) HIGH SCHOOL
A part of baseball's first family, the grandson of scouting guru Rufus Barrell and son of gridiron star Joe Barrell, Deuce was dominant as a junior on the Macon (Georgia) High School team last season, going a perfect 12-0, with a 0.81 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 122 innings and led high school arms in virtually every pitching category. Scouts have been drooling over him since his freshman year and whoever finishes last in the Continental Association will likely be just as happy as the pennant winner will be since Rufus already seems a lock to go first overall. He was a high school All-American selection as a junior and is expected to challenge for National High School Player of the Year this season.
It has been an incredible run of highly touted pitching talent over the past half dozen years including Bobo White, Joe Hancock, Dick Higgins, Curly Jones and Lefty Allen but Barrell might prove to be better than all of them.
2- GEORGE GARRISON RHP CATHAGE (IL) HIGH SCHOOL
This year the Continental Association cellar dweller gets the number one pick but there is a great consolation prize for the bottom feeder in the Federal Association. I don't think you will find a scout alive who would say he prefers George Garrison over Rufus Barrell but every one of them will tell you Garrison is an outstanding prospect. Born in Arkansas, Garrison grew up in Illinois and holds dual American-Canadian citizenship. With a late birthday (October) he will be one of the youngest players in the draft pool and is coming off an 11-0 season with a 0.94 era and 153 strikeouts in 115 innings, which earned him honourable mention for the High School All-American team as a junior.
3- LEON CAVASOS LHP ST EDMUND PREP, BROOKLYN, NY
The run on high school arms continues with Cavasos, a groundball specialist who saw limited action as a junior. He was 5-1 with a 1.33 era in 9 starts and fanned 80 while walking 17 in 74 innings of work. He has outstanding control and a great mental makeup to take on the responsibility of fronting a rotation.
4- FREDDY BARTLE CF AMARILLO METHODIST UNIVERSITY
Speedy centerfielder stole 37 bases in 58 games and should be a plus defender. 30 of his 67 hits (.268 average) were for extra bases and he does have a good eye at the plate. There is some concern about the New Bedford, Massachusetts native's effort so he will need a big season to remain this high in the rankings.
5- MARK BURNS 3B BRUNSWICK COLLEGE
Burns is looking like he has the potential to be a much better prospect than any of the third baseman from this past season's class. A Maryland native who looks to be an offensive force while also handling defensive chores at the hot corner with ease, Burns hit .267 with 8 homers and 49 rbi's in 58 college games this past season as a sophomore.
6- BILL KEITH RHP ST BENEDICT HIGH SCHOOL, CHICAGO
Bill moved down from Milwaukee for high school to have the opportunity to pitch against higher competition and he was dominant as a junior, posting a 9-1 record with a 1.19 era and 122 strikeouts vs just 16 walks in 98 innings of work. His changeup is the best of his three pitches and he is blessed with terrific control and the ability to induce ground balls. He will be hard pressed to surpass the top three pitchers but looks to fit comfortably into the second tier of arms.
7- BILL SEABOLT RHP CENTRAL OHIO UNIVERSITY
The top college arm, Seabolt is a 20 year old native of Brooklyn, New York who went 8-5 with a 3.04 era this past season for the Aviators. He possesses a 5 pitch repertoire but there is concern about his stuff.
8- JIM LIGHTBODY 2B ALEXANDRIA (LA) HIGH SCHOOL
A cousin of current FABL outfield brothers Doug and Frank Lightbody, Jim seems to possess the same sweet swing that won Doug a pair of Continental Association batting titles. He boasts plus speed as he stole 34 bases in 26 high school games a year ago while batting .514 and earned a spot on the High School All-American team.
9- JACK HALE RHP MIAMI STATE
In a mock draft leaning heavily on high school players the 20 year old Hale looks like an ideal selection for a team wanting a lower risk option out of it's first round pick. The El Dorado, Arkansas native was 7-4 with a 3.77 era in 14 starts for the Gulls last season.
10- RED JOHNSON 1B CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, PORTLAND, OREGON
It will be an interesting battle between Red Johnson and Memphis High School first baseman Chuck Adams to see who gets drafted first. Adams had slightly better numbers as a junior (.594,12,46) compared to Johnson (.566,11,40) as both were named High School All-Americans. Scouts give a slight nod to Johnson as having the higher pro potential but I could see both sneaking into the first round despite the fact a first baseman has not been selected in the opening round since Toronto drafted Pete Hunt in 1932.
OUTLOOK - It appears to be another draft where a lot of pitchers will go in the opening round and there are several others who presently slot just outside the top ten like Sadler College's Frank Barker or Joe Boyd, a 17 year old from Morris High School in the Bronx. There are some other position players to watch closely as well such as a pair of Mississippi catchers in Northern Mississippi University's Eddie Miller or Ed Wallace of Senetobia High School. I am not sure we will see a situation like this season when a college and high school catcher from Tennessee both spent time at #1 in the OSA mock draft and were each selected in the first 8 picks of the draft, but Miller and Wallace each could be gone by the midway point of the second round.
Outfielders worth watching include Larry Ryder of George Fox University, Jim Hanshaw of Calumet Catholic College or Cambridge (MA) High Schooler Eli Harkless. I would suggest FABL fans also remember the names of Artie Carter, a high school first baseman from Millville, Massachusetts and Garden State University second sacker Austin Moore.
There will be more updates on the 1935 draft class over the summer.