2011 MLB Draft: Texas Rangers Select Center Fielder Desmond Henry

The Texas Rangers had used their last two picks on pitchers but they will use their pick at No. 144 on a high school center fielder.



Photo courtesy: Scott Kurtz



CF Desmond Henry (5'10" 150 lbs) - Centennial HS

Henry, a virtual unknown at the time, wowed those in attendance with his speed and bat. He was 6-for-14 with a pair of doubles and, with a little luck, could have done even better. -- Ron Guild, Los Angeles Wave

This kid can really, really really, run. -- Jason Parks, Baseball Prospectus

Henry's combination of speed, hustle and athleticism have been evident .... Through three games played, his slugging percentage of .667 tied three other guys for seventh and his batting average of .444 ranked him 10th overall out of the 220 total players here. -- Victoria Sun, ESPNRise

2011 MLB Draft: Texas Rangers Use Their 4th Round Pick on Right Hander Kyle Castro

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The Texas Rangers used their third round pick on a left handed pitcher, Will Lamb, out of Clemson University but opted to go with a high school pitcher for their fourth round pick.


RHP Kyle Castro (6'4" 190 lbs) - Pleasant Grove HS

Prototypical body; crazy amazing athlete; present stuff is suspect, but the dream is very promising. -- Jason Parks, Baseball Prospectus

Castro is a 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher, who also played defensive back for his high school team.
This season, he went 5-4 with a 3.56 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 55 innings. -- T.R. Sullivan, MLB.com

When he's not pitching, he plays third base and hits in the middle of the order. Teams prefer him on the mound, though, where he sits in the 88-90 mph range, topping out at 92. He throws a curveball that is inconsistent but shows flashes of being an above-average pitch. His mechanics are free and easy because of his athleticism, which along with his competitiveness and lack of a college commitment may push him up draft boards. -- Rick Cabral, BaseballSacramento.com

2011 MLB Draft: Texas Rangers Use 3rd Round Pick on Left Hander Will Lamb

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The third round of the 2011 MLB Draft is underway and the Texas Rangers have made their one and only pick in the third round.

LHP Will Lamb (6'6" 180 lbs) - Clemson University

Will Lamb should be an open-and-shut case for Major League scouts. He is 6-foot-6, left-handed and throws 90 mph.

Lamb is also a first-rate center fielder, so good this season at Clemson that scouts are telling him he's likely to begin his professional career there. -- David Teel, Virginia Daily Press

Lamb threw only 24 2/3 innings this year, with an ERA north of 5, spending more time in centerfield than on the mound. -- Adam Morris, Lonestarball.com

Clean delivery; excellent arm action; long levers; plus FB; promising SL; will improve when focused on pitching. -- Jason Parks, Baseball Prospectus 

2011 MLB Draft: Texas Rangers Draft Kevin Matthews, Zach Cone on Day One

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On Monday night, Major League Baseball opened day one of the 2011 first year player draft and the Texas Rangers would have just two picks on day one.

They went with high school left hander Kevin Matthews, who seems committed to playing baseball at the University of Virginia, and outfielder Zach Cone from the University of Georgia. A pick which seemed to draw more questions and laughs than approval.

LHP Kevin Matthews (5'11" 180 lbs) - Richmond Hills HS

Matthews is a small for a pitcher at 5 feet 10 and 160 pounds, but he can dunk a basketball. His fastball was timed as high as 94 mph this year, but it was usually in the 88-90 mph range.

Comparisons for Matthews range from Rangers' minor-league lefthanders Kasey Kiker and Robbie Ross to former major-league closer Billy Wagner. Matthews may have to move into the bullpen. -- Gerry Fraley, Dallas Morning News

Smaller frame with some present strength. Well paced delivery with clean easy arm circle, accelerates well to the plate, quick arm through release, bit cross bodied, 3/4's release point, repeats mechanics very well.

Steady 88-90 mph fastball gets on hitters quickly, big sweeping mid 70's curveball with very good size/depth, nice sink on change up. Good feel for all his pitches and how to locate. Should dominate left handers at the next level and be immediately successful. -- Perfectgame.org


Richmond Hill [HS] finished the season with an 11-11 record, but Matthews earned All-Greater Savannah honors for the second year in a row by compiling a 4-2 record with a 1.68 ERA. He struck out 94 batters in just 41 2/3 innings. -- Dennis Knight, Savannah Morning News


OF Zach Cone (6'2" 205 lbs) - University of Georgia

Cone looks as good in the uniform as any college position player in this year's draft but the tools have never translated into on-field performance. He has bat speed and upper-body strength, but doesn't keep his head steady and has long had trouble recognizing off-speed stuff.

He's an above-average runner who should be fine in left or right field in pro ball but needs to work on his reads. His spring was also affected after he collided with another Georgia outfielder, Jonathan Taylor, who was left partially paralyzed by the accident. -- ESPN Scouting Report


Cone hit .275 in 2011 for the Bulldogs with four home runs and 12 doubles. He led Georgia in steals with 13 out of 16 attempts.

Cone won Georgia's triple crown in 2010, hitting .363 with 10 home runs and 53 RBIs. -- Travis L. Brown, ESPN


Cone is a righthanded hitter who is considered to be a quality athlete, with good speed and defense in centerfield, but questions about his ability to hit.  Cone has been a sub-.300 hitter at Georgia this year, and his scouting report makes him sound like a more athletic version of another supplemental first rounder the Rangers took out of the SEC, Tennessee centerfielder Julio Borbon. -- Adam Morris, Lone Star Ball