Czyz’s draft status an anomaly

Kansas University’s Don Czyz looms as a rarity – a college senior who could go high in the June baseball draft.

According to Baseball America magazine, Czyz has a “legitimate chance” to be picked in the top five rounds when the two-day draft begins Tuesday.

A college player becomes eligible to be drafted after his junior year. If he isn’t selected then, he usually isn’t considered a major-league prospect. Czyz may shake that stigma, however.

A 6-foot-2 right-handed relief pitcher, Czyz was ignored in the 2005 draft, but the Blue Valley High product’s stock has soared this season. A check of the numbers shows why.

Czyz is basically the same pitcher he was last year with one notable difference. He has surrendered fewer walks.

Going into Saturday’s game against Oregon State, Czyz had a 6-0 record with an NCAA-leading 19 saves and a 1.59 earned-run average. He had fanned 60 batters in 621â3 innings.

Coincidentally, Czyz pitched in 621â3 innings all of last season and also had 60 strikeouts. But his record was 3-4 with 10 saves and a 3.47 earned run average. His hits-surrendered numbers are virtually the same, too – 50 last year and 48 this spring.

Don Czyz pitches against Northern Colorado ealier this year.

The difference has been free tickets issued – 26 last year and only 14 this spring. A smaller factor has been hit batsmen – seven in ’05 and four this year.

Anyway, it’s clear that Czyz has pushed himself into prospect status through better command. Right now, the only aspect working against him is age. He’ll be 23 in September.

Outfielder Gus Milner is the only senior on the KU squad who was drafted last June. The 6-5 right-handed hitter was taken in the 47th round by the Cleveland Indians, but elected to return to school.

Going into Saturday’s game, Milner was hitting .331 with a team-leading 57 RBIs – both better numbers than last year (.298 and 45) – but those stats aren’t likely to translate into a high draft round for the Olathe North product.

First baseman Jared Schweitzer, another senior, leads the Jayhawks in hitting with a .368 average, but he hit .366 last season and wasn’t drafted.

Two other senior position players – shortstop Ritchie Price and outfielder Matt Baty – may have to opt for the best free-agent deal if they’re interested in pro ball.

Senior pitchers Kodiak Quick and Ricky Fairchild aren’t high on scouting radar, either. Quick set a school record with 11 victories, but opposing batters hit .308 against him. Fairchild went 6-6 with a 5.65 ERA and surrendered a team-high 14 home runs.

A more likely draft prospect among KU’s pitchers is junior Sean Land, a 6-5 left-hander. Foes hit only .255 against Land. Right-hander Brendan McNamara, another junior who transferred this season from a California juco, is another possibility. McNamara’s record is 3-2 with a 3.65 ERA.

Eight former Kansas University baseball players are currently playing professional baseball. They are (draft year in parenthesis):

Mike Zagurski (2005) – A 12th round choice of the Phillies, this left-handed pitcher is with Philadelphia’s Class A Lakewood, N.J., farm team.

Sean Richardson (2005) – Offensive-minded catcher was 19th round selection of the Twins. Listed on roster of Minnesota’s Rookie League farm at Elizabethton, N.C. Also played in Elizabethton last summer.

A.J. Van Slyke (2005) – Tapped by the Cardinals in the 23rd round after his junior year, this left-handed hitting outfielder/first baseman is with St. Louis’ Class A farm in the Quad Cities.

Travis Metcalf (2004) – Eleventh-round pick of Texas Rangers has advanced to the Rangers’ Class AA farm in Frisco, Texas, where he is the starting third baseman.

Ryan Knippschild (2004) – Left-handed pitcher who was a 35th-round draft pick of Cleveland Indians. Now with Tribe’s Class A farm in Kinston, N.C.

John Nelson (2001) – Eighth-round draft choice of Cardinals is still in the St. Louis minor-league system. Now 27 years old and in his second summer as the starting shortstop with the Cards’ Triple-A farm in Memphis, Nelson has always had trouble making contact (141 strikeouts last season), but his arm has been rated the best among St. Louis minor-league infielders.

Brent del Chiaro (2001) – Taken by the Angels in the 41st round, he’s still in the club’s minor-league system. Del Chiaro is currently a back-up backstop for the Angels’ Class AA farm team in Little Rock.

Les Walrond (1998) – Left-handed pitcher was 13th round pick of Cardinals. Had a cup of coffee with the Royals in 2003 (0-2, 10.12 ERA). Now toiling for the Cubs’ AAA farm in Des Moines, Iowa. Will turn 30 in November.