Phillies draft Virginia outfielder Adam Haseley in the first round
They chose him with the eighth overall selection. He also pitched for the Cavaliers.
Adam Haseley watched Monday night as his college roommate Pavin Smith was drafted by the Diamondbacks. One pick later, it was Haseley's turn.
The Phillies selected Haseley, an outfielder with a knack for getting on base who doubled as a pitcher at the University of Virginia, with the No. 8 pick in the Major League Baseball Draft. It is the first time the Phillies drafted a college hitter in the first round since Chase Utley in 2000.
Haseley batted .390 this season in 223 at-bats with an .491 on-base percentage. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder walked 44 times this season in 58 games, reaching base in all but one of them. The lefthanded hitter will put aside his pitching duties with the Phillies and focus on playing the outfield. Johnny Almaraz, the team's director of amateur scouting, said Haseley has "everything you look for a in a hitter." Haseley's advanced bat could put him on a quick path to the majors, perhaps as early as 2019.
"It doesn't feel real at all," Haseley said. "I just feel extremely grateful and blessed and I know the Phillies are an amazing organization. I'm just super excited to get started and go through the process."
The Phillies began scouting Haseley last summer in the Cape Cod League. They dispatched everyone in their front office - including senior advisers Charlie Manuel and Pat Gillick - to get a look during the college season. Haseley, Almaraz said, was "very desirable for everyone." Haseley is able to play any of the three outfield positions, has good speed, and has developed an ability to hit for power. He hit 14 homers this season after hitting six as a sophomore. Almaraz said Haseley can hit between 20 to 25 homers per year.
"He's strong. He's a college player that still has projection as far as his body strength is concerned," Almaraz said. "His hitting ability is above average and when he gets stronger that ball is going to travel some more. What'd he hit, .390 with 14 home runs this year? Pretty good."
The Phillies were drawn to Haseley's approach at the plate, which produced a walk-rate that nearly doubled between his sophomore and junior seasons. Haseley said he began working on his approach in the fall after walking just 14 times with 34 strikeouts in 41 games last summer in Cape Cod.
"It helps you in more ways than you think, being able to get on base when you're struggling. You can draw a walk and build some momentum with that," Haseley said. "It's something you have to put a lot of mental focus on. It's how disciplined you can be. It's something I worked on in the fall and it kind of rolled over into the spring."
Haseley worked on his approach with Smith. The roommates, Haseley said, prided themselves "to be selective as we could." Smith heard his name called on Monday and then told his draft party to quiet down. He had a feeling Haseley was next. He was right. It was the first time since 1988 that two position players from the same college were drafted in the Top 10.
"He's a really close friend to me," Haseley said. "That's just something that you just rarely ever see. It's extremely special and I couldn't be more happy for him."
The Phillies drafted righthanded pitcher Spencer Howard from Cal Poly with their second-round pick. He had a 1.95 ERA this season in 872/3 innings. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder struck out 97 batters and walked 23. He contemplated playing volleyball instead of baseball as a high school senior after no colleges were recruiting him but he walked on at Cal Poly. He throws a mid-90s fastball with a slider.
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