The 2011 MLB Draft pressed on as the Washington Nationals selected infielder Anthony Rendon with the sixth pick. Rendon, while extremely talented, fell out of the draft's top-3 due to injury concerns.
Anthony Rendon of Rice university is considered the top offensive talent in the 2011 MLB Draft. At one point, he was preferred by scouts over last year's top pick, Bryce Harper. He's put up silly numbers in his first two years at Rice with a drop off this year being attributed to multiple factors but mainly a shoulder injury.
A National League scouting director described Rendon's prospects at the major league level, "He's going to hit, and you just can't say that about a whole lot of people in any draft. The downside is he has a history of injuries. And sometimes people with a history of injuries continue to have a history of injuries."
The injuries are where things get interesting for Rendon. He's suffered through a should strain all season that's kept him on the bench as a DH instead of playing third base. He did play second a few times late in the year and many feel that's his natural position as a pro. In addition to the shoulder injury which has limited his throwing, he's had two ankle surgeries already.
Offensively however, his numbers pop. As a freshman he hit .388 with 20 homeruns improved as a sophomore to .394 with 26 bombs. In this "down year" he's still at .327 with a .535 slugging percentage. Rendon is listed at 6-0, 190 lbs and turned 21-years-old on the day he was drafted, June 6. Happy birthday, young man!
The Arizona Diamondbacks are up next with the seventh pick in the 2011 MLB Draft.
For more on the 2011 MLB Draft, visit AZ Snake Pit for in-depth coverage of the Arizona Diamondbacks and SB Nation's Baseball Nation for national draft coverage.