Here are 5 of the most memorable Rhode Islanders who had their names called in MLB's draft
This weekend is just the beginning of the story.
It’s the moment of a lifetime to hear your name called in the Major League Baseball draft. All the hours spent taking extra batting practice and making adjustments in bullpen sessions have finally paid off. Professional evaluators have deemed you good enough to play the kid’s game for money.
One chapter closes and another starts fresh. Accomplishments in high school and college become part of your biography in a media guide but there's a new future to shape. Several with Rhode Island ties, either high school graduates or college players from the state, have enjoyed considerable success in that fantasy arena.
Who’s done it the best? The top pick in a given year won’t always reach what’s expected to be his potential. Steven Chilcott and Ken Griffey Jr. have both enjoyed the honor of going 1-1 — first round, first selection. You’re likely only familiar with one of those men.
Let’s take a look at some of the top selections from the state since the first-year player draft was established in 1965. This list, like the game itself, will remain fluid over the years. Jeremy Peña, Michael King, Alex Clemmey — they and several others are still in the process of shaping what will be their baseball legacies.
More: Which players with RI ties might be taken in upcoming MLB Draft?
Billy Almon
The former star at Warwick Veterans High and Brown University is part of an exclusive club. Almon was selected in the 11th round out of high school by the San Diego Padres before electing to continue in college. He was the No. 1 overall pick again by San Diego in 1974, signing and leaving the Bears after three years.
Almon was a terrific defensive infielder whose bat never quite caught up in the professional ranks. He still enjoyed a 15-year career in the big leagues, appearing for seven different teams and playing in 1,236 games. Almon has since been inducted into both the Brown Athletics and College Baseball halls of fame.
Rocco Baldelli
His freak athleticism prompted college recruiters in a handful of different sports to take notice. Baldelli ultimately selected baseball as his future during his career at Bishop Hendricken, committing to Wake Forest before being selected sixth overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2000. He signed for a bonus of $2.25 million and began a quick rise through the minor leagues.
Baldelli finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2003 and seemed bound for stardom. A rash of injuries — knee, elbow, hamstring — slowed his progress, and Baldelli was eventually diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder that resulted in chronic fatigue. He persevered for seven years — including the 2009 campaign with the Boston Red Sox — before retiring and beginning a second career that landed him the manager’s job with the Minnesota Twins in October 2018.
Davey Lopes
Lopes didn’t debut in the big leagues until he was 27, and he was certainly in no rush to leave after finally making his breakthrough. The former La Salle Academy star and East Providence native played 16 seasons with four different teams, making four All-Star teams and winning a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Lopes was a versatile speedster, a second baseman and outfielder who stole 557 career bases and won a Gold Glove in 1978. He was selected twice in the draft, going unsigned by the San Francisco Giants in 1967 and agreeing to terms with the Dodgers after being tabbed in the second round in 1968. Lopes followed his playing days with nearly three decades in coaching, finally retiring after the 2017 season with the Washington Nationals.
Chris Iannetta
The level didn’t seem to matter — Iannetta was a rock-solid catcher throughout his baseball career. Three-time All-Stater at St. Raphael, a standout at North Carolina, a star with the Newport Gulls, a 14-year stint in the big leagues — he excelled at every stop. Iannetta retired after 2019 having appeared in 1,197 games with four different teams, spending the majority of his time with the Colorado Rockies.
That was the team that drafted him in 2004, as Iannetta was selected in the fourth round and left the Tar Heels. He debuted two years later in 2006, cracked 18 home runs and posted an .895 OPS in 2008 and was established as a reliable contributor for a decade to come. Iannetta now owns and operates a successful business, Jack Winery, with former Los Angeles Angels teammate Vernon Wells.
Dan Wheeler
It’s not always about where you start. Wheeler was undrafted out of Pilgrim High so he enrolled at Central Arizona, a junior college power smack between Phoenix and Tucson. He was the 1,024th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 1996 and elected to sign, beginning his professional career as a teenager.
Wheeler was in the big leagues by 1999 and eventually pitched in more games than any other Rhode Island native. The right-handed reliever worked for 13 years in five different bullpens, including a lone season with the Boston Red Sox in 2011. He was part of four different postseasons, including a World Series appearance with the Houston Astros in 2005.
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI players who have been selected in the MLB draft
