JIGGS MCGEE THOUGHTS ON DAY 1 OF 1935 DRAFT
While the start of the 1935 draft was fairly predictable in terms of who was selected there was still plenty of excitement with a flurry of draft day trades. Despite many rumours of big offers coming in to Baltimore for the number one pick a trade never materialized and the Cannons selected the most highly touted prospect in years when they grabbed Georgia High School lefthander Rufus "Deuce" Barrell first overall. The nephew of the five Barrell brothers already in the big leagues becomes the third member of the family to be selected first overall, joining pitcher Tom (1929) and shortstop Harry (1931). Rufus was 23-0 with an almost unbelievable 384 strikeouts vs just 10 walks in 239 innings of ball for Macon High School the past two seasons.
The dealing actually got started shortly after the first pick was announced as Toronto sent 26 year old pitcher Bill Anderson (15-18, 4.83) to Washington for outfielder Larry Vestal (.292,8,63), who is also 26. Drafted as a center fielder it is clear Vestal is below average at that position but might look pretty good in a corner outfield spot for the Wolves. The Eagles had been actively scanning the trade wire for pitching help and Anderson, a 1927 first rounder out of Elmira High School, should be a solid middle of the rotation piece in the nation's capital.
Detroit, as expected grabbed Portland, Oregon high school first baseman Red Johnson second overall. Johnson has been compared to Max Morris in this column previously and I feel is a perfect fit for the Dynamos' Thompson Field with it's short leftfield porch. I feel so strongly about Johnson I think he has a great chance to hit 500 homers if he spends his career as a Dynamo. While that pick was not a surprise, seeing Detroit move up to grab another high schooler with plenty of power potential was a bit of one. The Dynamos sent their first and second round picks acquired from Brooklyn in the blockbuster Al Wheeler/Frank Vance deal to the Chicago Cougars in exchange for the fifth pick which was used on Milwaukee High School third baseman Hard Boiled Henry Koblenz. Hank is almost a copy of Johnson, a righthanded hitting corner infielder with power who could prosper in Thompson Field. All in all, not a bad day for the Dynamos.
Prior to the Koblenz selection the Toronto Wolves tabbed George Garrison, a righthanded pitcher from Carthage(IL) High School who had been rising up the mock draft of late. Many feel Garrison has front of the rotation potential. It was a mild surprise as that left slugging third baseman Mack Sutton, from Arkadelphia High School in Arkansas, available for Washington at pick four. Unfortunately, I expect the Eagles were counting on Garrison being there for them so they fielded several offers for the spot and with a rising young star in Mel Carroll already manning the hot corner, decided to move the pick to Boston getting a very good pitching prospect in 24 year old Roy Price and a second round pick in return.
Boston immediately selected Sutton, dubbed the Arkansas Artilleryman, fourth and after the Dynamos nabbed Koblenz, the Minutemen were back on the clock with their own pick which they used on Ohio high school catcher Bill Van Ness, who was very highly thought of by just about every scouting director in the league.
Next up was the New York Stars at seven and they may have reached a bit in looking for a pitcher. Right hander Bill Keith from St Benedict High School in Chicago was their choice. Keith, like Koblenz is a Milwaukee native giving the midwestern city two of the top 7 selections, which is quite something since Milwaukee has only produced two other first round picks in the history of the draft. They are Joe Richards, a former Boston catcher taken 16th overall in 1915 and Joe Chattman, a former second baseman taken 12th overall by the Baltimore Cannons in 1917. Keith does have some impressive high school stats and OSA feels he could potentially anchor a rotation some day so despite being pegged as a mid-second round pick in the mock draft he may not be as big a reach as the mock suggests.
After the long run on high schoolers we finally saw our first college player come off the board at 8 when the Chicago Cougars, who had traded up a couple of spots in a deal with their cross-town rival Chiefs, went with Smithfield College shortstop Hal Wood. That opened the floodgates a bit for older talent as Montreal and the Chicago Chiefs each followed with a college infielder. The Saints, with a new GM making his first selection for Montreal - but not first in the league as he did run Washington for a spell close to a decade ago - chose shortstop Biff Henson from Lane State and the Chiefs, who were said to be eying Billy Dalton all along, got the Perry College third baseman they had coveted with 10th pick.
What appears to be the final pick of the evening went back to the high school ranks and back to the mound as the Philadelphia Sailors took Puerto Rico native Luis Tapia, an 18 year old lefthander out of Madison High School in Brooklyn. This pick really seems to be a reach for a pitcher as OSA had Tapia earmarked for the fourth round but at the same time he looks like a solid groundball pitcher who potentially could be a middle of the rotation piece one day. In addition the Sailors have a pretty good track record of finding quality arms.
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1935 DRAFT PICKS
PICK TM NAME POS SCHOOL HOMETOWN MOCK RANK
1- BAL Rufus Barrell P Macon (GA) High School Egypt, GA 3
2- DET Red Johnson 1B Central Catholic HS Portland(OR) Portland, OR 1
3- TOR George Garrison P Carthage (IL) High School Piggott, AR 10
4- BOS Mack Sutton 3B Arkadelphia (AR) High School Murfreesboro, AR 2
5- DET Hank Koblenz 3B Milwaukee (WI) High School Milwaukee, WI 5
6- BOS Bill Van Ness C Suffolk (VA) High School Dayton, OH 4
7- NYS Bill Keith P St Benedict HS, Chicago (IL) Milwaukee, WI 23
8- CHC Hal Wood SS Smithfield College Houston, TX 8
9- MON Biff Henson SS Lane State University Seattle, WA 11
10-CHF Billy Dalton 3B Perry State College St Louis, MO 9
11-PHS Luis Tapia P Madison HS, Brooklyn (NY) San Juan, PR 58
In addition to the multiple trades involving first round draft picks there were several other deals made with the St Louis Pioneers being the most active. Desperate for pitching to fill the back end of their rotation in a bid to knock off two time Federal Association champion New York Gothams, the Pioneers added a pair of highly touted AAA arms in Mel Leonard and George DeForest. Leonard is a 23 year old who was originally taken in the second round by the Gothams. The 23 year old split last season between AA and AAA, going 14-14 with a 4.65 era. He was acquired from the Chicago Cougars for 19 year old George K Brooks, who was a 7th round pick of St Louis a year ago and went 17-18 at Class B this past season. Next up the Pioneers dealt their second round selection in this draft to Brooklyn for 26 year old George DeForest, who was a very impressive 18-6, 4.20 for AAA Rochester last season. DeForest could never quite crack the Kings pitching staff but is expected to be given every opportunity to earn a spot in the Pioneers rotation next spring.
So by all accounts a busy start to the draft with 11 picks down and 6 trades made already. Plenty of excitement throughout the league as there always is at this time of year.