By Jen Marder
June 8, 2010
Today the Tampa Bay Rays selected Derek Dietrich in the second round (#79 overall) in the 2010 MLB Draft. Baseball Beginnings has been scouting Dietrich from the start of the draft cycle. Enjoy links to the content we have published on him through the year.
Watch Derek Dietrich Video
Read Derek Dietrich Scouting Report
Read Derek Dietrich Q&A
By John Klima
June 4, 2010
Derek Dietrich should be a very solid major league infielder in the coming years. I saw the Georgia Tech shortstop in a prolonged look on the Cape and then had eyes on him during the college season. Dietrich told me he wants to follow the Gordon Beckham career path, though I hope he doesn’t make like Beckham is in 2010, and let distractions get in the way of what he came to do.
By John Klima
May 9, 2010
Derek Dietrich should be the best hitter of the college shortstops in the 2010 draft over the long haul. The best you can say is I see no reason why this guy should not hit. Everything else will be adequate. He won’t run a lot, his arm will be more than enough, his glove will work. You might see him wind up at second base, where his arm strength would play on the double play pivot. You could find him at third if there’s more power. I think you move him to second and you get an above-average offensive player at the position.
By John Klima
February 19, 2010
Derek Dietrich turned down the Houston Astros in the third round of the 2007 draft out of St. Ignatius HS in Parma, Ohio. He took his old school chip on his shoulder, one he inherited from his grandfather, who spent decades in the game, to college baseball. Dietrich had a great freshman year in 2008 for Georgia Tech and then followed it up with a solid 2009 season.
Dietrich enters the 2010 season as one of the few offensive oriented college shortstops available. Dietrich will give you two tools right now. One is the ability to spray the gaps. Two is the arm strength to play you shortstop or third base. Dietrich believes his power ability will fill in as he ages, and for that, as well as his old school baseball acumen, he thanks his grandfather.
By John Klima
October 15, 2009
Love that drive to Wareham, especially on a Saturday. I’m from Los Angeles and the traffic jam there wanted to make me cry. Good thing I got there and there were some good players. We enjoyed our PB&Js in the parking lot five hours before the game. (more…)
By John Klima
September 30, 2009
Moving onto infielders, this list is mostly drawn from the clubs Baseball Beginnings had a look at on the Cape. As we stated in our high school lists for pitchers, infielders, outfielders and catchers, and our college list of pitchers, our college lists are not meant to be taken as definitive this early in the process. As Letterman used to say, please, no wagering in the audience (unless you’re an agent or a team).
