SB Nation Arizona - Diamondbacks Get Their Guy In Stryker Trahan

Stryker Trahan Officially Signs With Arizona Diamondbacks (Or So He Tweets)

2012-06-09T19:12:06Z

The Arizona Diamondbacks and first round pick Stryker Trahan have agreed to terms on his first contract, according to a tweet from his personal twitter account. Trahan was taken with the 26th overall pick in this week's MLB Draft and was eager to sign, which is always nice for all parties involved.

We have Trahan's tweet for you after the jump...

Here it is from Stryker's Twitter account, @strykert25

Officially an Arizona Diamondback#sweetmoment
— Stryker Trahan(@strykert25) June 9, 2012

The Diamondbacks are yet to officially confirm the news, but you'd sure have to think the player himself would have a pretty good idea of where his contract negotiations stand. No word on the official numbers, but the slot signing bonus for the 26th pick typically sits in the range of $1.2 million or so. Not too bad for an 18-year-old catcher.

Trahan will likely report to Rookie Ball in a few weeks and get his feet wet against younger competition before the season wraps up. Look for him to begin the 2013 season in A-Ball as he begins his journey towards the big leagues.

For more on Trahan and the Diamondbacks be sure to check out AZ Snake Pit.

2012 MLB Draft Results, Day 3: Arizona Diamondbacks Picks

2012-06-06T23:50:36Z

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced they selected 25 additional players in rounds 16-40 of the 2012 MLB Draft today. Of the D-backs’ 40 picks over the last three days, they selected 4 catchers, 10 infielders, 8 outfielders, 3 left-handed pitchers and 15 right-handed pitchers.

Today’s selections of note include: LHP Mathew Dermody (23rd round, 723 overall) from the University of Iowa; RHP Chris Capper (26th round, 813 overall) the co-captain for BYU's baseball team; RHP Chase Stevens (30th round, 933 overall), coming off a strong season at Oklahoma State University; outfielder Cam Gibson (38th round, 333rd overall), a 2012 Louisville Slugger Pre-Season High School All-American who's headed to Michigan State, and right-handed pitcher Zane Hemond (40th round, 1,233rd overall) is the grandson to D-backs staff member Roland Hemond.

Here's a list of today's draft picks.

513th pick: SS Landon Lassiter, North Davidson HS, North Carolina
543rd pick: OF Yogey Perez-Ramos, Miami Dade CC South< FL
573rd pick: 2B Kevin Medrano, Missouri State, MO
603rd pick: RHP RJ Hively Ole Miss, MS
633rd pick: 1B Jacob House, Texas A&M, Texas
663rd pick: 1B Rudy Flores, Florida International, FL
693rd pick: RHP Holden Helmink, Willis HS, TX
723rd pick: LHP Matthew Dermody, Iowa, IA
753rd pick: 3B Mark Ginther, Oklahoma State, OK
783rd pick: RHP Vincent Spilker, Lee University, TN
813th pick: RHP Christopher Capper, BYU, UT
843rd pick: CF Damion Smith, Holy Names Catholic HS
873rd pick: SS Max Schrock, Cardinal Gibbons HS, NC
903rd pick: SS Adam McConnell, Richmond, VA
933rd pick: RHP Shelby Stevens, Oklahoma State U, OK
963rd pick: RHP Andrew Potter, Eastside HS, CA
993rd pick: LHP Daniel Watts, Jacksonville State University, AL
1023rd pick: RHP Jonathan Pulley, Spartanburg Methodist College, SC
1053rd pick: RHP Jared Ray, U Houston, TX
1083rd pick: RHP Robbie Buller, Houston Baptist U, TX
1113rd pick: LHP Andrew Barbosa, South Florida, FL
1143rd pick: CF Breland Almadova, Hawaii U, HI
1173rd pick: CF Cameron Gibson, Grosse Pointe South HS, MI
1203rd pick: C Rafael Garcia, Gilroy HS, CA
1233rd pick: RHP Zane Hemond, Montrose HS, CO

Check out AZ Snake Pit for more coverage of Diamondbacks baseball.

MLB Draft 2012: Diamondbacks Have Strong Showing In Early Rounds

2012-06-06T12:01:03Z

The Arizona Diamondbacks have done a very nice job of drafting, developing and sending their homegrown players to the Major League level in recent years. The club was picking a bit later than they're accustomed to at the 2012 MLB Draft due to their strong run last season, but most scouts seem to like their picks thus far.

Keith Law of ESPN took a look at the D-backs' first five picks ($) and gave some thoughts on each player. Here is a snippet from his evaluations:

I loved Stryker Trahan (1) with the first pick; he's improving as a catcher, and he's athletic enough to do it, but more importantly I think he'll hit and hit for power, so if he has to move out from behind the plate he still has a chance to profile. Jose Munoz (2) was a mild surprise, a lean-bodied shortstop with a plus arm and future above-average power who has a pretty high ceiling if he can stay at the position. Jake Barrett (3) has outstanding stuff, up to 96 mph with a plus slider and pretty good control, but it's a violent delivery and he's had multiple bouts of elbow soreness. Chuck Taylor (4) can run and play center, but the bat is a huge gamble. Ronnie Freeman (5) projects as a backup catcher who's good enough to the play the position but not plus and doesn't have the bat to profile as a regular.

These are simply one man's opinions, but it does seem like Arizona did a nice job in the first few rounds this week. With the first two days in the books (rounds 1 through 15) it is imperative for the club to find a few of the diamonds in the rough on Wednesday, especially in the later rounds.

The third and final day of the 2012 draft will begin at 9 a.m. MST on Wednesday. Rounds 16 through 40 will be completed in what will be a very busy day for young baseball players all across the country.

Get more Diamondbacks coverage over at AZ Snakepit.

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MLB Draft 2012: A Rundown Of the Arizona Diamondbacks' Picks

2012-06-06T01:43:35Z

After a fast and furious second day at the MLB Draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks have now made 15 selections. With the 26th overall pick, the D-Backs went with catcher Stryker Trahan, a high schooler out of Acadiana in Louisiana. With their 2nd and 3rd picks, they took a shortstop out of Los Altos HS California named Jose Munoz and a right-handed pitcher out of Arizona State, Jake Barrett.

With the 153rd overall pick, the D-Backs chose CF Chuck Taylor. With 183 overall, they went with another catcher, Ronnie Freeman out of Kennesaw State. According to MLB.com's scouting report on Freeman, he "is a good power-hitting college catcher who isn't a bad defender, either. Freeman has shown he is capable of being a middle-of-the-order bat this season at Kennesaw State by driving in runs and showing off his above-average power. He has good strike-zone discipline and has shown the ability to draw walks consistently. Defensively, he has a decent arm but doesn't have the quickness behind the plate that you want out a catcher. He should have the ability to stay behind the plate in pro ball, and this, combined with his power potential, should make him a valuable prospect in the Draft."

With the 213th pick, Arizona grabbed 3B Jacob Lamb of the Washington Huskies. Check out the 6'3, 215 pound left-handed batter's scouting video here.

Here are the rest of the Diamondbacks picks from Tuesday, with analysis soon to follow.

243 Overall: SS Andrew Velazquez, Fordham Prep School, NY

273 Overall: CF Evan Marzilli, South Carolina

303 Overall: RHP Jeff Gibbs, University of Maine - Orono

333 Overall: OF Daniel Poma, Hofstra

363 Overall: Ben Eckels, Davis Senior HS, CA

393 Overall: CF Keith Glenn, Arizona Christian

423 Overall: C Phildrick Llewellyn, Trinity Christian Academy, FL

453 Overall: RHP Derrick Stultz, South Florida

483 Overall: RHP Michael Forslund, Liberty University

Get more Diamondbacks coverage over at AZ Snakepit.

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MLB Draft 2012: Diamondbacks Select SS Jose Munoz, RHP Jake Barrett

2012-06-06T01:16:40Z

With the 90th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Jose Munoz, a shortstop out of Los Altos HS, California. Scouting video, courtesy of MLB.com, found here.

With the 120th overall pick, the D-Backs went with 6'4, 220 lb RHP Jake Barrett. Per MLB.com's scouting report, "The Blue Jays made a run at signing the big right-hander when he was an Arizona high school product, but he headed to ASU instead. Three years later, he's emerging as one of the hardest-throwing arms from the college crop.Getting body comps to big relievers like Heath Bell and Jonathan Broxton, Barrett can flat-out bring it. He has the stuff to be a starter -- a role he fills in college -- with the plus fastball, a slider and a changeup. But his size to go along with a maximum effort delivery and spotty command have many believing he'll be in the back end of a bullpen as a reliever.A team could send him out as a starter in order to let him work on his pitches, but with a fastball that hits the upper-90s and the kind of aggressive mentality you like to see in a short reliever, he could move more quickly in a bullpen role."

More coming soon on the rest of the Diamonbacks' 2012 MLB Draft selections...

Get more Diamondbacks coverage over at AZ Snakepit.

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Stryker Trahan Thrilled To Be a Diamondback

2012-06-05T04:39:18Z

Stryker Trahan comes from a family of catchers in Louisiana. That much we learned Monday night after the Diamondbacks made him the 26th overall pick of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft Monday night.

Trahan said he's been a catcher since he started playing baseball. His parents, uncles, an aunt and a few cousins all served behind the plate, and his favorite major-league catcher is Jonathan Lucroy of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Trahan hopes everything goes smoothly with contract negotiations so that he can join the D-backs organization. He is committed to Mississippi for college, but admittedly wasn't thinking about that as he and his family reveled in the joy of his selection.

"Before I knew it, I was being thrown in the pool," Trahan said of the draft day celebration at his home, where family and friends gathered.

After Monday's day of congratulations for the high-school senior, there's a sense from both the D-backs and Trahan that both parties can agree to a deal and bonus money.

D-backs' Execs Discuss Selection Of Stryker Trahan In MLB Draft

2012-06-05T03:24:40Z

The Arizona Diamondbacks have their guy in Louisiana high-school star catcher Stryker Trahan after choosing him in the first round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft Monday, and all I can think of is the "Airplane!" movie character played by Robert Hays.

He played the lead role, and ex-military pilot named Ted Striker.

We move on. Trahan has a name not easily forgotten, and Diamondbacks director of scouting Ray Montgomery and general manager Kevin Towers are looking forward to seeing what their big prize of the day will do within the organization.

Montgomery told reporters Monday after the selection of Trahan that he likes the youngster as a catcher, his natural position, and that it was his ability to hit that really stood out.

"Obviously he's going to have some work to do back there (behind the plate)," Montgomery said. "But I think with the bat profile where it is and the position he plays and the fact that he hits left-handed, it's a pretty good package and I'm very happy to get it at (pick) No. 26."

Montgomery feels Trahan is athletic enough to play perhaps left field, though the plan is to keep him at catcher.

As a hitter, Montgomery likes Trahan's swing and feels he will develop more power. The D-backs feel confident in being able to sign Trahan, who has committed to Ole Miss.

Towers said Trahan addresses an organizational need and that scouts scoured the U.S. and Latin America looking for quality catching prospects. He said the club felt Trahan was one of the top two catchers in the draft.

"Stryker certainly has all the intangibles to be able stay back there for a long time," Montgomery said. "He's a leader on the football team, so I think you put that combined with his overall athletic package and you get a pretty nice package behind the plate. And again, the bat being the key."

Trahan moved from linebacker to quarterback of his high school team.

2012 MLB Draft: Arizona Diamondbacks Select Stryker Trahan With 26th Pick Overall

2012-06-05T02:10:48Z

After waiting almost the entire first round, the Arizona Diamondbacks were able to draft the guy they were targeting. With the 26th pick in the MLB Draft, they selected high school catcher Stryker Trahan.

The young left-handed hitting catcher, from Louisiana, has a big bat. He batted .460 with five homers and 39 RBI, slugging .736.

Before you think that the D-backs have drafted the eventual replacement for catcher Miguel Montero, there are doubts about his ability to play catcher at the highest level. His bat is way ahead of his glove and there is the possibility he gets moved to another position, such as a corner outfield position.

However, with his youth, swing and strength from the left side of the plate, Arizona was able to get the guy they really wanted.

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