Zaun Changes Course, Signs With Orioles

Gregg Zaun, who had signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Texas on a baseball scholarship, reconsidered this week and signed a contract Friday night with the Baltimore Orioles, the team that drafted him in the 17th round of the amateur draft.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Zaun, 18, The Times Glendale Player of the Year, will report to the Orioles’ instructional league team in Sarasota, Fla., on Sept. 11.

The All-Del Rey League catcher from St. Francis High batted .475 and drove in 32 runs last season. He also was the starting catcher on the U. S. Junior National team that recently won its second consecutive Junior World Championship in Quebec.

When talks broke down with the Orioles at his home in Glendale Thursday night, Zaun was prepared to leave for Texas. “We were negotiating (Thursday) night and things didn’t work out and they called back (Friday) morning with an offer I couldn’t refuse,” Zaun said.

Zaun said he has been unable to contact Texas coaches to inform them of his decision. Zaun said he reconsidered his decision to play for the Longhorns, runners-up in the 1989 College World Series, when he was approached daily in Quebec by an Oriole scout who was staying in the same hotel.

Zaun is a nephew of Dodger catcher Rick Dempsey and Oriole scout Paul Fryer said the lineage is evident in Zaun’s play.

“The first time I saw (Zaun), I really liked him,” said Fryer, who lives in Chatsworth. “He has what you would call intangibles. He’s a very good receiver with a good arm. He’s a leader on the field and, of course, he has bloodlines. He’s the reincarnation of Rick Dempsey, probably more than Dempsey’s son (John, who played for Crespi last season).”

Fryer added Zaun is “so polished for his age” that he might be able to bypass the rookie league and go directly to a Class-A team.