The 2010 MLB First Year Player Draft began Monday evening. With the 16th pick of the first round, Tim Wilken selected Hayden Simpson a right-handed pitcher out of Southern Arkansas, a Division II school.
Baseball America labeled the Cubs’ pick as the “biggest shocker so far”. Baseball America ranked Simpson 191 on their Top 200 prospect list prior to the draft.
The Cubs made yet another unconventional pick, despite the fact Hayden Simpson was the pitcher of the year at Division II. Tim Wilken said, “This guy just made sense.”
For Picks in Rounds 2 – 30 – Read after the fold According to Baseball America, Hayden Simpson was listed as a middle reliever by many scouts. The 21-year old right-hander (05/20/89) is 6-foot, 175-pounds and features a fastball in the low to mid 90s.
Hayden Simpson posted a 13-1 record with a 1.81 ERA for Southern Arkansas with six complete games. Simpson struck out 131 with only 35 walks in 99 1/3 innings … and recorded a 42 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings streak this past season, second-longest in Gulf South Conference history.
In three seasons at SAU, Simpson compiled a 35-2 record with a 2.39 ERA (72 earned runs in 271 innings) in 48 games, 39 starts. Simpson holds the school record for strikeouts (323), which translates to 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings pitches. Simpson recorded 12 career complete games and seven shutouts.
Tim Wilken on Hayden Simpson from Scout.com:
“I feel Hayden is a potential starter who has four average-to-plus pitches and is very athletic with a good feel for pitching. I think we’re fortunate to have received really good coverage from our scouts with this selection.”
Click here for a report on Hayden Simpson from Baseball Daily Digest that puts Simpson in the same company as Stephen Strasburg and Tim Lincecum.
Hayden Simpson said he was shocked to be picked in the first round by the Chicago Cubs.
Click here for Video of Hayden Simpson from MLB.com
If Tim Wilken has found a jewel in what many feel should have been a fourth or fifth round pick, maybe Hayden Simpson’s nickname should be “Shocker” because that has been the overwhelming reaction so far to the Cubs’ first round draft pick in 2010.
The 2010 MLB First Year Player Draft resumes Tuesday at 11:00am CDT. The next three picks for the Chicago Cubs are:
Second round – Pick 65
Third round – Pick 97
Fourth Round – Pick 130
The 2010 MLB draft concludes on Wednesday, June 9.
Cubs 2010 First Year Player Draft Picks:
2nd round pick, no. 65 overall: Reggie Golden, centerfielder, Wetumpka (Ala.) High School
3rd round pick, no. 97 overall: Micah Gibbs, catcher, Louisiana State University
4th round pick, no. 130 overall: Hunter Ackerman, left-handed pitcher, Louisburg (Va.) College
5th round pick, no. 160 overall: Matthew Szczur, outfielder, Villanova University
6th round pick, no. 190 overall: Ivan De Jesus, outfielder, Cupeyville (Puerto Rico) High School
7th round pick, no. 220 overall: Benjamin Wells, right-handed pitcher, Bryant (Ark.) High School
8th round pick, no. 250 overall: Cameron Greathouse, left-handed pitcher, Gulf Coast Community College
9th round pick, no. 280 overall: Kevin Rhoderick, right-handed pitcher, Oregon State
10th round pick, no. 310 overall: Aaron Kurcz, right-handed pitcher, College of Southern Nevada
11th round pick, no. 340 overall: Eric Jokisch, left-handed pitcher, Northwestern University
12th round pick, no. 370 overall: Austin Reed, right-handed pitcher, Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) High School
13th round pick, no. 400 overall: Pierre LePage, second baseman, University of Connecticut
14th round pick, no. 430 overall: Colin Richardson, right-handed pitcher, Winter Haven (Fla.) High School
15th round pick, no. 460 overall: Elliot Soto, shortstop, Creighton University
16th round pick, no. 490 overall: Ryan Hartman, right-handed pitcher, Mt. Zion (Ill.) High School
17th round pick, no. 520 overall: Steven Brooks, Centerfielder, Wake Forest University
18th round pick, no. 550 overall: Ronald Pinckard, right-handed pitcher, Baylor University
19th round pick, no. 580 overall: Dustin Fitzgerald, right-handed pitcher, Hill (JC)
20th round pick, no. 610 overall: Ryan Cuneo, first baseman, University of Delaware
21st round pick, no. 640 overall: Cody Cox, right-handed pitcher, Grassfield High School
22nd round pick, no. 670 overall: Jeff Vigurs, catcher, Bryant University
23rd round pick, no. 700 overall: Matthew Loosen, right-handed pitcher, Jacksonville University
24th round pick, no. 730 overall: Dustin Geiger, right fielder, Merritt Island High School
25th round pick, no. 760 overall: Eric Rice, right-handed pitcher, Palm Beach CC
26th round pick, no. 790 overall: Danny Muno, shortstop, Fresno State University
27th round pick, no. 820 overall: Bryan Harper, left-handed pitcher, College of Southern Nevada
28th round pick, no. 850 overall: Joseph Zeller, right-handed pitcher, The Masters College
29th round pick, no. 880 overall: Casey Harman, left-handed pitcher, Clemson University
30th round pick, no. 910 overall: Karsten Strieby, first baseman, Arizona Western Col