The Laker/Lutz News

Carson Ragsdale

Former big leaguer is Bishop McLaughlin’s new coach

By

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School has tapped a decorated big leaguer to lead its pedigreed baseball program.

Rob Ducey spent parts of 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1987 to 2001 — playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, California Angels, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos. (He also played two professional seasons in Japan, for the Nippon Ham Fighters and another handful of seasons in the minor leagues.)

A left-handed hitting outfielder, Ducey played over 700 games in the majors, posting a .242 batting average, .331 on-base percentage, .396 slugging percentage, with 309 hits, 190 runs, 146 RBIs, 31 home runs and 22 stolen bases.

Ducey achieved another unique designation by the time he retired — the longest career of any Ontario position player since Jeff Heath played 14 seasons from 1935 to 1949.

New Bishop McLaughlin baseball coach Rob Ducey played parts of 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1987 to 2001. The Cambridge, Ontario, native is enshrined in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. (Courtesy of Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame)

Ducey’s involvement in baseball doesn’t end there.

Following his professional playing days, Ducey competed for Canada at the 2004 Olympics, and served as a coach at the 2006 World Baseball Classic and 2008 Olympics.

He was a hitting coach in the minor leagues for the New York Yankees, Expos and Phillies. And was a talent scout for the Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.

Ducey’s baseball lifer status — and one of the very few Canadian big leaguers — has him enshrined into both the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame (2006) and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (2013).

All told, Ducey has been involved with professional baseball in some shape or form for over 37 years.

“Baseball has been a unique staple of my life, almost my entire life,” Ducey told The Laker/Lutz News in an exclusive interview.

Big plans for Bishop
The 56-year-old Tarpon Springs resident is now tasked with leading the Bishop McLaughlin Hurricanes, which has won five district championships and two regional championships, and has made a pair of state final four appearances.

The program has produced several pro ballplayers of late, including Blue Jays big league pitcher Nate Pearson, Red Sox Double-A pitcher Frank German and San Francisco Giants Low-A pitcher Carson Ragsdale, to name a few.

“We are trying to build this program into the best program that it can be,” said Ducey, adding he has always had a desire to coach high school baseball.

“Every year there’s going to be an influx of different types of ability, and hopefully we can build and build and build. …And regardless of how good physically players are, they play the game the right way and bring respect to not only the game, but to the school.”

Ducey takes over for Marc Eskew, who coached the team the last two seasons. Eskew’s tenure included a 20-8 mark and Class 2A playoff appearance in 2021.

Ducey officially was announced as the new head coach in a news release sent last month from Bishop McLaughlin athletics director Jay Bowen.

The release also mentioned Kenneth Burroughs as the team’s assistant coach. Burroughs played in the minor leagues for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox and is a certified pitching coach with the National Pitching Association.

Bowen explained why Ducey was the top fit to steer the Hurricanes baseball program, in an email to The Laker.

“When we began the baseball search, we were looking for family men, professional, moral, ethical and knowledgeable,” Bowen wrote.

“We want great teammates in our family. We also wanted a good fit into our athletic philosophy of family first and promoting multiple sports athletes.

“A quote by coach Ducey that stuck with me in our very first meeting was the goal to, ‘be a part of a championship-quality family, and shape the youth of today in personal growth and development.’”

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School has tabbed former major leaguer Rob Ducey, pictured, to lead its baseball program. (Courtesy of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School athletics department)

Over the past few weeks, Ducey has been coordinating fall ball practices with a 32-member roster split across junior varsity and varsity.

It has given him a chance to learn the makeup of the Hurricanes program.

“It’s a huge time for me getting to know the kids, getting to understand their abilities,” Ducey said. “We don’t have a lot of upperclassmen, so the JV program is very, very important, and we’re trying to figure out exactly what we have and put processes in place for them to improve.”

Ducey has clear expectations.

“Obviously, I want the pitchers to throw strikes, I want the defenders to handle the baseball, and the hitters to be able to situational hit,” he said.

He added, “We may not have the most ability on the field, but you’re going to know that you’ve got to fight, and if we do that every single day we come out and work improves in those areas, then it’ll be a successful year.”

The former major leaguer emphasized that strikeouts will not be tolerated on offense.

This comes in the face of a shifting philosophy across the game — particularly in the pro ranks — which suggests all types of outs are the same, and strikeouts can be stomached if a particular team is hitting for power and drawing walks.

Take the hometown Rays, who have the best record in the American League, for example.

They rank sixth in MLB in home runs and seventh in walks, but also have accumulated second-most strikeouts among all 30 ballclubs.

The high school game is a little different, of course.

“Strikeouts, not OK,” Ducey said pointedly. “I’ve made that abundantly clear that strikeouts are not OK. We need to have a solid two-strike approach, and treat every at-bat like it’s gold, grind out every at-bat.”

Aside from instilling traditional fundamentals, Ducey and his staff will incorporate high-tech analytics and advanced video equipment.

This includes Blast Motion bat sensors to analyze hitters’ swings with raw data, like bat speed and attack angle, as well as plane, connection and rotation metrics.

The team also will have access to computerized baseballs to measure velocity and spin rates, among other details.

“I think that it’s important that if we do have new technology then we should utilize it,” Ducey said. “I think that goes a long way with the kids. I think that goes a long way with the school that has provided the technology for us. And, for recruiting purposes going forward for the kids, that’s what colleges want to have, those types of numbers, that’s how they see players now.”

Memorable moments
Ducey has been in a slew of historical moments, during the course of his lengthy career.

He was in the last-ever game pitched by Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, in 1993.

He was playing left field when Hall of Famer and Kansas City Royals great George Brett recorded his 3,000 career hit, in 1992.

In other baseball career footnotes, Ducey:

  • Played the first-ever game at Toronto’s SkyDome (now called Rogers Center) in 1989
  • Set an all-time record for pinch batting with the Phillies in 2000 (73 appearances)
  • Tied an all-time record in Japan in 1996 when he hit eight leadoff home runs
  • Was the final Rangers player to hit a home run in the old Arlington Stadium (1993) before the team moved to Globe Life Park in Arlington

In addition to a rare athletic skill set, Ducey credits a dependable work ethic and focused attitude for his staying power at the game’s top levels.

“I tried to be the best I could be every single day,” the retired pro said. “I felt that I was consistent as far as when I showed up to the ballpark, the manager knew when I walked in the door what effort was going to be made that day. …There wasn’t a question that I came to play, came to win every single day, regardless of who I was competing against, or, the amount of playing time I actually got.”

Published September 22, 2021

Several local athletes taken in 2021 MLB Draft

By

Aspirations of playing professional baseball may soon become a reality for a handful of athletes from local high schools and colleges in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) 2021 first-year player draft spanned 20 rounds (and 612 picks) from July 11 through July 13.

The draft is held every summer by conference call among the 30 Major League clubs.

The clubs take turns selecting players in reverse order of their won-lost records at the close of the previous regular season.

Generally, a player is eligible for selection if the player is a resident of the United States or Canada and the player has never before signed a Major League or Minor League contract. Residents of Puerto Rico and other territories of the United States also are eligible for the Draft.

The basic categories of players eligible to be drafted are:

  • High school players, if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college
  • College players, from four-year colleges who have either completed their junior or senior years or are at least 21 years old; and
  • Junior college players, regardless of how many years of school they have completed.

Representing the highest selection from the local community was Sunlake High alum Tommy Mace, now a fourth-year junior from the University of Florida.

Sunlake High product Tommy Mace has been an impactful right-handed pitcher for the Florida Gators baseball program the past four seasons. He was selected 69th overall by the Cleveland Indians in the 2021 MLB first-year player draft. (Courtesy of University of Florida athletics department)

The imposing 6-foot-6, 230-pound right-handed pitcher was taken 69th overall by the Cleveland Indians — in Competitive Balance Round B between the second and third round.

The recommended bonus slot value for that lofty pick is just under $1 million, at $929,800.

If and when Mace signs, he’ll join another local product in the Indians organization — Gaither High product Oscar Mercado, who earned a call-up with the big league club in June.

Mace, 22, very well could’ve turned pro last year, but opted to return to school with hopes of further improving his draft stock.

This past season at Florida he posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 90.1 innings pitched, along with a 6-2 record.

Across his four-year college career, Mace compiled a combined 4.37 ERA, 1.279 WHIP and 258 strikeouts in 269.2 total innings pitched, with a 22-7 mark.

Mace was ranked as the No. 45 draft prospect, according to MLB.com’s 2021 pre-draft rankings.

He exhibits a four-pitch mix — fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. This includes a sinking two-seam fastball that is viewed as his top offering, touching 96 mph with cutting action, according to various scouting reports, including MLB.com.

MLB.com’s draft profile on Mace otherwise states: “Mace has gotten a bit bigger physically, which could help with consistency of velocity and stuff. He’s always been good at throwing strikes, but has been more a contact, ground ball kind of pitcher, rather than one who misses tons of bats. He did increase his strikeout rate while continuing to fill up the strike zone in 2021.”

Mace has been highly-regarded since his prep days at Sunlake, where he was a three-year varsity letter winner.

As a senior, Mace tallied a 1.29 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 77.2 innings, with an 8-2 record in 11 appearances — guiding the Seahawks to the Class 7A regional finals.

He won 19 games during his high school career, posting a combined 1.65 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 165.2 innings.

Mace was rated as No. 72 prep player in the class of 2017 by Perfect Game and No. 15 overall prep player in all of Florida — including the fifth-ranked, right-handed pitcher in the state.

Wharton High senior baseball standout Zach Ehrhard, left, won Hillsborough County’s 2021 Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award on the basis of athletic, scholastic and community achievements. Ehrhard was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Also pictured here is Boggs, middle, and Ehrhard’s older brother, Drew, who also won the award in 2017. (File)

Among other accolades, he was named MaxPreps Second Team All-American and National High School Coaches Association All-Southeast Team.

Mace previously was drafted out of high school in the 12th round (347th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2017.

He, of course, didn’t sign with the Reds, instead opting to pitch for the Gators, which had then come off a 2017 College World Series crown — the first national championship in the program’s history.

Others drafted in later rounds
Mace was one several area players taken, albeit those in later rounds, on day three of the baseball draft.

Wharton High School senior Zach Ehrhard — an Oklahoma State University signee — was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round (367th overall).

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound switch-hitting shortstop batted .438 this season for the Wildcats, with three homers, 12 doubles, 29 runs scored and 21 RBIs, along with 26 stolen bases.

Ehrhard was this year’s recipient of the Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award, which honors a high school baseball player in Hillsborough County on the basis of outstanding athletic, scholastic and community achievements.

Baseball talent runs in the Ehrhard family.

His older brother, Drew, received the same prestigious county award in 2017 and went on to play collegiate baseball at the University of Tampa.

Another area prep position player, Gaither High senior A.J. Graham, was taken with the first pick in the 18th round (523rd overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 6-3, 180-pound right-handed shortstop batted .346 with two homers, seven doubles, 18 runs scored, 14 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 78 at-bats across 23 games this season.

Also picked in the 18th round was Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette, landing 542nd overall to the Toronto Blue Jays.

This season the 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt senior led the Lions in innings pitched (45.0), wins (three) and strikeouts (53) to go along with a 5.80 ERA and 1.53 WHIP and a pair of complete games.

Burnette appears to have emerged in the inaugural MLB Draft League, a summer showcase for top draft-eligible prospects providing exposures to scouts, coaches and advanced baseball technologies.

Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. (Courtesy of University of Texas athletics department)

Playing for the league’s Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Niles, Ohio, Burnette posted a 3.09 ERA, 1.4 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 23.1 innings pitched.

A Chicago native, Burnette transferred to Saint Leo from the University of Illinois this past season.

Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams was taken in the 19th round (559th overall) by the Kansas City Royals.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Odessa native starred for a Longhorns squad that had a third-place appearance at the 2021 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

The fourth-year senior led Texas with 20 doubles and was second with 12 homers, to go along with .295 average, 42 runs scored and 51 RBIs spread across 61 starts at third base.

Prior to college, Williams led Gaither to the 2016 7A state championship his senior year and was named Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American.

He was drafted out of high school in the 39th round by the Seattle Mariners, but didn’t sign, opting for Dallas Baptist University and San Jacinto College before transferring to Texas.

Williams’ father, Reggie, played four MLB seasons with the Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers.

(Note: While slightly outside our coverage area, Fivay High/University of Mississippi product Gunnar Hoglund went in the first round (19th overall) to the Blue Jays. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander from Hudson was viewed as one of the draft’s most polished arms, but slipped slightly after having Tommy John elbow surgery in May.)

Robust draft history
It’s not uncommon for at least a few ballplayers from area high schools and colleges to be drafted each year.

In 2020, Steinbrenner High/Florida State University right-handed pitcher CJ Van Eyk went to the Blue Jays in the second round (42nd overall), and Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of South Florida right-handed pitcher Carson Ragsdale went in the fourth round (116th overall) to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University athletics department)

(Though slightly outside our coverage area on the west side of Pasco, Trinity native/Mitchell High catcher Jackson Miller went in the second round (65th overall) to the Reds.)

The 2019 MLB Draft also yielded a trio of area selections.

Land O’ Lakes High/St. Petersburg College second baseman Dustin Harris was selected in the 11th round (344th overall) by the Oakland Athletics; Pasco-Hernando State College/University of Tampa pitcher Tyler Beck was selected in 30th round (899th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in the; and Steinbrenner High/Mississippi State University pitcher Cole Gordon was selected in the 32nd round (958th overall) by the New York Mets.

Prior drafts yielded several community picks as well, including four in 2018 and six in 2017, respectively.

Locals picked in the 2021 MLB Draft

  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace (Cleveland Indians, Comp B, 69th overall)
  • Wharton High shortstop Zach Ehrhard (Boston Red Sox, 13th round, 376th overall)
  • Gaither High shortstop A.J. Graham (Pittsburgh Pirates, 18th round, 523rd overall)
  • Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette (Toronto Blue Jays, 18th round, 543rd overall)
  • Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams (Kansas City Royals, 19th round, 559th overall)

Published July 21, 2021

2020 had shining moments in sports, despite COVID-19

By

New recreation facilities opened, prep teams competed for state titles and local athletes accomplished memorable achievements, despite challenges imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Here is a look at some of the top moments in sports, from across Pasco and Hillsborough counties, in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. (This is part one of a two-part series.)

Upon winning the Gasparilla Classic 8K women’s race, 11-year-old Elli Black poses for a photo with long-distance Olympic medalists Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi. (File)

Land O’ Lakes youth sets race record
Land O’ Lakes Elli Black didn’t just win the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic 8K women’s race on Feb. 21, she became the youngest winner in the event’s 40-plus year history, at just 11 years old.

Black clocked 30:57 in the 4.97-mile course to best more than 2,200 female participants in the popular annual race on Tampa’s Bayshore Boulevard. The second-place female finisher, St. Petersburg’s Mary Beth Layfield, 37, timed 32:23.

On becoming race champion and making history, Black said: “It’s a really big accomplishment and I’m really proud of myself, and I just know that I’ve been very blessed with a God-given talent, and I’m just really happy to be able to use it to the fullest.”

Previously, the event’s youngest winner was 13-year-old Ellie Pleune, who won the race in 2017, with a time of 31:13.

A home-schooled student, Black runs for Cambridge Christian School’s varsity girls cross-country and track teams.

The Sunlake High varsity girls weightlifting won its second consecutive state crown at the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 2A State Weightlifting Championships in Panama City Beach.

Sunlake girls weightlifting repeat at states
For the second straight year, the Sunlake High School varsity girls weightlifting program cemented itself as the state’s top dog at the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 2A State Weightlifting Championships in Panama City Beach.

Coached by Denise Garcia, the Seahawks tallied 28 points to edge second-place finisher Navarre High School (26) and third place Winter Springs High School (24) — to become back-to-back state champions on Feb. 15.

The Seahawks program experienced another milestone — as two weightlifters earned individual state titles in the same year: Seniors Gianna Levy (139 pounds) and Juliette Pacheco (169 pounds) took first place in their respective weight classes. Pacheco also set a state record 225-pound bench press in her weight class.

All told, five of Sunlake’s seven state lifters earned points with top-six finishes in the bench press and clean-and-jerk aggregate lifts.

  • Madison Guincho, junior — second place, 119-pound (180-160 — 340)
  • Gianna Levy, senior — first place, 139-pound (175-180 — 355)
  • Juliette Pacheco, senior — first place, 169-pound (225-185 — 410)
  • Brianna Caban, senior — third place, 183-pound (200-170—370)
  • Antoinette Farmer, senior—second place, 199-pound (210-190 — 400)
Land O’ Lakes High varsity boys basketball coach Dave Puhalski

Land O’ Lakes hoops coach retires after 31 years
Land O’ Lakes High School varsity boys basketball coach Dave Puhalski was finally ready for a timeout.

After 31 years roaming the Gators sidelines, barking orders, drawing up plays, and molding boys into young men, the longtime coach announced his retirement following the 2019-2020 season, which ended Feb. 25.

Puhalski’s swan song was a memorable one — sending off eight seniors to the tune of a 21-6 mark, a 5A-7 district title and an appearance in the 5A regional semifinals.

He exited as one of the longest-tenured and among the most-decorated coaches in Pasco County sports history.

Puhalski compiled a 479-349 career record since taking over the Gators program in 1988.
The coach frequently emphasized “rebounding the ball, taking care of the ball and defending the ball.”
He was particularly well-regarded for his defense-first mentality — a philosophy that centered heavily on the man-to-man variety, with little regard for zone defenses.

“We play man to man,” Puhalski once told The Laker/Lutz News. “In 31 years (at Land O’ Lakes), we’ve probably played a minute worth of zone.”

In total, Puhalski spent more than 35 years coaching hoops.

Before taking over at Land O’ Lakes, Puhalski was an assistant at state champion Ocala Vanguard for three seasons and an assistant at University of Tampa for a year.

He put the meaning of his retirement into perspective: “After 35 years, I’ve never had a Christmas vacation, (or) a Thanksgiving vacation; the month of June is all summer league, kids playing, so really, it’s just time.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on April 20 announced it would cancel all FHSAA-affiliated events, including the state series and championships events, for spring sports.

Spring sports axed amid COVID-19
There was a glimmer of hope the 2020 Florida high school spring sports season would resume following its mid-March postponement, even through coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

But, optimism vanished when the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on April 20 announced it would cancel all affiliated events for the remainder of the school year.

The cancellations included the state series and championships events, for all spring sports.

Affected FHSAA-sanctioned spring sports included baseball, flag football, lacrosse, softball, tennis, track & field, boys volleyball, water polo and boys weightlifting.

The statewide sports organization also then announced no additional eligibility would be granted for spring sport athletes, including seniors, “under the guidance of the Florida Department of Education regarding grade level retention, and upon review of Florida Statutes and FHSAA Bylaws.”

Just like that, high school senior athletic careers abruptly came to a close.

Several local athletes weighed in on the decision with The Laker/Lutz News, like Land O’ Lakes senior tennis standout Courtney Piltaver, a two-time Sunshine Athletic Conference East Girls Tennis Player of the Year who was poised to shine in her final high school tennis season.

“I was pretty upset because it was my senior year, and it really sucks that I didn’t get to enjoy the full season with my team and my coaches, and kind of just close out,” said Piltaver, who had signed a college scholarship with NCAA Division II University of Montevallo in Alabama.

Back on March 31, the FHSAA issued a statement that left open the possibility of a spring sports season, saying they could run from as soon as May 3 through June 30.

The FHSAA also indicated if a spring sports season is canceled altogether, it was working on a solution to create additional athletics eligibility for students who were unable to participate.
However, as days and weeks pressed on, many saw the writing on the wall that spring sports would not return this year, due to the pandemic.

A trio of locals were taken in the 2020 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, broadcast nationally on June 10 and June 11.

Locals taken in 2020 MLB Draft
Childhood dreams of playing professional baseball became a reality for a couple athletes with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Major League Baseball (MLB)’s 2020 first-year player draft was shortened to five rounds and 160 picks, from the usual 40 rounds in previous years, due to COVID-19.

The consolidated draft, however, didn’t stop some locals from hearing their name called — and seeing their bank accounts richen significantly  —  on Day 2 of the nationally televised draft on June 11.

  • The highest-drafted local was Steinbrenner High/Florida State product CJ Van Eyk, taken by the Toronto Blue Jays in the second round, at pick No. 42 overall. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound right-hander signed with the Blue Jays for $1.8 million.
  • Trinity native/Mitchell High catcher Jackson Miller was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the third round (65th overall). The 6-foot, 195-pound lefty signed with the Reds for $1.29 million.
  • The Philadelphia Phillies selected Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of South Florida product Carson Ragsdale in the fourth round (116th overall). The 6-foot-8, 225 pound right-handed pitcher signed with the Phillies for $225,000.

All three players are expected to begin their pro careers in the minor league ranks come 2021.

Swimming & diving was one of six fall high school sports allowed to return to action on Aug. 24, following an FHSAA board decision to resume athletics, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Florida high school sports make fall return
After months of inactivity amid the COVID-19 pandemic, high school sports practices and games returned to action when Florida High School Athletic Association’s board members (FHSAA) voted 11-5 to allow member schools to begin fall sports on Aug. 24.

It signaled a long time coming, as prep sports had been in a sort of holding pattern since mid-March or so.

The FHSAA decision to all but immediately ramp up fall sports was far from easy — taking more than two hours of heated dialogue among board members during an Aug. 14 meeting at the Best Western Grand in Gainesville.

The contentious meeting was live-streamed for public viewing.

The organization’s decision contradicted a unanimous recommendation from the FHSAA’s 14-member Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC). That committee strongly advised sports not begin in any part of the state until the coronavirus is controlled, and declining in state and local regions. They also wanted to be able to study the impact of reopening schools on the COVID-19 infection rate, for at least a few weeks.

A majority of board members, however, voted in favor of bringing sports back for the fall, citing an overwhelming amount of support from student-athletes, parents, and even sport officials and school superintendents, from their respective district.

That point was emphasized when Jamie and Tami Kent spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting.

As parents of a Tampa Cambridge Christian High School football player, they created an online petition titled “Let Us Play” attracting over 40,000 signatures urging the FHSAA to begin the fall sports season this month.

Those voices were heard, by the end of the day.

FHSAA executive director George Tomyn perhaps best summed up the board’s decision, which came at his recommendation.

“I’ve always thought of what can we do for our member schools, not what we cannot or will not be able to do,” Tomyn said at the meeting.

“I’m a firm believer in flexibility, especially in this challenging, challenging time that we’re in. I’m a firm believer in parental choice, and I’m a firm believer in local decision-making.”

Published December 23, 2020

Locals among top MLB draft prospects

By

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Baseball (MLB)’s 2020 first-year player draft has been shortened to five rounds, from the usual 40 rounds in previous years.

The draft, scheduled for June 10 and June 11, assigns amateur baseball players to MLB teams.

Even with the new consolidated format, however, several locals from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area have a solid chance at being among the 160 athletes drafted. And, they have the possibility of living out their boyhood dreams and landing signing bonuses of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.

Steinbrenner High product CJ Van Eyk, now at Florida State University (Courtesy of Florida State University athletics department)

Four athletes with area ties are listed among MLB.com’s top 200 nationwide draft prospect rankings, including two within the top 100.

The highest-rated local is Steinbrenner High alum CJ Van Eyk, a junior right-handed pitcher at Florida State University (FSU) — listed as the No. 39 overall draft prospect, by the website.

The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Van Eyk registered an 18-5 win-loss record, 3.21 ERA, 1.274 WHIP and 225 strikeouts in 176.2 innings pitched across three college seasons.

The Lutz native has been a known commodity going back to his prep days, earning first-team All-American honors and a gold medal with the 18U USA National Team. He also led Steinbrenner to its first state championship as a junior in 2016 and was crowned Florida Dairy Farmers’ Class 8A Player of the Year.

Van Eyk was drafted out of high school by the New York Mets in the 19th round of the 2017 draft, but didn’t sign, opting for college instead.

A snippet of MLB.com’s analysis on Van Eyk reads: “The Florida State ace is capable of being a complete pitcher because of his willingness to pitch in with his fastball, his ability to throw his breaking ball at any point in the count and his feel for mixing his pitches to keep hitters off-balance, though issues with his command persisted over his first four starts in 2020. His potential as a starter still should have him in consideration in the top two rounds of the Draft.”

Sunlake High product Tommy Mace, now at the University of Florida (Courtesy of University of Florida athletics department)

The next highest-ranked local is Sunlake High product Tommy Mace, a junior-right handed pitcher at the University of Florida — rated the No. 70 overall prospect for the 2020 draft.

In three seasons at Florida, the 6-foot-6, 200-pound Mace compiled a 16-5 win-loss record, 4.37 ERA, 1.299 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 179.1 innings pitched. He was off to his best college campaign this year, tallying a 1.67 ERA in a team-high 27 innings, until the remainder of the season was canceled thanks to COVID-19.

Mace was a three-year varsity player at Sunlake. His senior year he guided the program to a 17-12 mark and the Class 7A regional final. He then was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 12th round of the 2017 draft, but like Van Eyk, didn’t sign to pursue the college route.

MLB.com’s profile on Mace reports states the following: “Mace generally does a nice job of throwing strikes, keeping the ball down in the zone and getting ground ball outs. He gets high marks for his mound presence and makeup, putting him among a solid crop of top two round college pitchers in Florida.”

Though slightly outside our coverage area, an athlete in west Pasco County also cracked MLB’s top 200 prospect list.

Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High product Carson Ragsdale, now at the University of South Florida (Courtesy of University of South Florida athletics department)

Trinity native Jackson Miller, a senior catcher at Mitchell High, is rated as the 2020 draft’s No. 105 prospect. The Wake Forest University commit posted a .414/.498/.591 slash line in 88 games across four varsity seasons.

Meanwhile, Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High product Carson Ragsdale, a redshirt junior right-handed pitcher at the University of South Florida (USF), is ranked as the draft’s No. 170 prospect.

The 6-foot-8, 225-pound Ragsdale transitioned to a starter’s role this year at USF, after pitching out of the bullpen his freshman and sophomore seasons. (He missed the 2019 season following Tommy John surgery). He posted a 3.75 ERA, 1.391 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in 50.1 innings across three college seasons. Off the field, he was selected to the 2018-2019 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.

Ragsdale was a four-year letter winner at Bishop McLaughlin. He compiled a 1.58 ERA and .352 batting average in his high school career. Those Hurricanes teams that Ragsdale played on went a combined 77-21 from 2013 to 2016.

MLB.com’s report on Ragsdale observes: “Ragsdale threw a lot of strikes this spring, but is still more control than command at this point. Given that scouts only saw four outings from Ragsdale as USF’s Sunday starter, there’s very limited track record for teams to look at, but his size and arm strength, even if it ends up in the bullpen, could be enough for teams to take a chance on him in this year’s Draft.”

Robust draft history
It’s not uncommon for at least a couple locals from area high schools and colleges to be drafted each year.

Last year, Land O’ Lakes High/St. Petersburg College second baseman Dustin Harris was selected in the 11th round by the Oakland Athletics, while Pasco-Hernando State College/University of Tampa pitcher Tyler Beck was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 30th round.

The 2018 draft yielded four local products:

  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of North Florida pitcher Frank German (fourth round, New York Yankees)
  • Saint Leo University pitcher/first baseman Jake Sims (31st round, San Diego Padres)
  • Saint Leo University second baseman Zach Scott (32nd round, Seattle Mariners)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High/University of North Florida pitcher Austin Drury (34th round, Los Angeles Dodgers)

The 2017 draft also was particularly kind to local talent. In addition to Van Eyk and Mace getting drafted out of the prep ranks, six other athletes with local ties were chosen:

  • Odessa native/Bishop McLaughlin/College of Central Florida pitcher Nate Pearson (first round, Toronto Blue Jays)
  • Steinbrenner High/USF shortstop Kevin Merrell (first round compensatory, Oakland Athletics)
  • Steinbrenner High first baseman Patrick Morris (14th round, Toronto Blue Jays)
  • Steinbrenner High/Bishop McLaughlin/University of Pittsburgh pitcher Josh Falk (17th round, Oakland Athletics)
  • Odessa native/Alonso High pitcher Jordan Butler (34th round, New York Yankees)
  • Bishop McLaughlin outfielder Paul Coumoulos (40th round, Philadelphia Phillies)

Locals on MLB.com’s top 200 prospect rankings

  • Steinbrenner High/Florida State University pitcher CJ Van Eyk (No. 39 overall draft prospect)
  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace (No. 70)
  • Trinity/Mitchell High catcher Jackson Miller (No. 105)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of South Florida pitcher Carson Ragsdale (No. 170)

Published May 27, 2020