Darrell Ready to Make a Dent as Big Leaguer

If Darrell Dent reaches the next goal he has set for himself--and he fully expects to-- the Baltimore Orioles got a bargain when they signed him for a $150,000 bonus Monday.

“I am ready to get out there and start my major league career,” the former Montclair Prep outfielder said Tuesday morning, hours before his flight to the Orioles’ rookie-level club in Sarasota, Fla. “I know this is just a steppingstone to where I am going to be a few years from now.”

Dent, a third-round pick, was the first local player selected in the major league amateur draft last month. Of the area players taken in the first 30 rounds, Dent was the last to sign.

Negotiations between Dent and the Orioles had slowed for several weeks while Paul Fryer, the Oriole scout who covers the Valley, was scouting minor league teams on the East Coast. But once Fryer returned to California, the deal was done in a matter of days.

“My goal was not to receive a record-breaking signing bonus,” Dent said. “My goal was to get enough for what was fair for the round I went in.”

In addition to the $150,000 cash bonus Dent received, the Orioles added college money that pushed the total value of the deal close to $200,000.

Dent’s signing bonus exceeds the $115,000 the Orioles paid to former Quartz Hill right-hander Roger Worley, the club’s third-round pick in 1994.

Dent, a center fielder, attracted the Orioles with major-league speed, a strong arm and a quick left-handed swing.

By beginning his pro baseball career, Dent has reached the first goal he set for himself after his father committed suicide two years ago.

“I know that he’s with me and he’s blessing me,” Dent said, “but basically it’s up to me to go out and perform and do what I have to do now.”

The highest local pick who remains unsigned is former Quartz Hill right-hander Darrell Hussman, a 31st-round pick of the Detroit Tigers.

Hussman has a scholarship to Arizona.

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The Chosen Few

Listed are area players selected in the major league amateur draft. Players who have signed are with an asterisk (*) and indicated in bold.

Player Pos School ML Team Darrell Dent* OF Montclair Prep Orioles Wayne Nix* RHP Monroe HS Athletics Russ Ortiz* RHP Oklahoma, Montclair Prep Giants Judd Granzow* OF Faith Baptist HS Dodgers Jon Tucker* 1B Chatsworth HS Dodgers Brandon Knight* RHP Ventura Col., Buena HS Rangers Andy Hall* 2B Cal Poly SLO, Camarillo HS Cardinals Eric Flores* SS-3B Rio Mesa HS Dodgers Justin Marine* RHP Moorpark Col., El Camino Real HS Reds Eric Cole* 3B Ant. Valley Col., Ant. Valley HS Astros Jeff Howatt* RHP UCLA, Rio Mesa HS Mets John Romero* RHP Mission Col., San Fernando HS Angels John Mitchell* RHP Cal State Fullerton, Rio Mesa HS Blue Jays Darrell Hussman RHP Quartz Hill HS Tigers Ryan Seidel* OF So. California Col., Westlake HS Cubs Jason Shanahan* 3B Cal State Northridge Marlins Chad Thornhill* SS Cal State Northridge Indians Jose Villafana* RHP Mission College, Sylmar HS Cardinals Steve Mikesell C Glendale College Angels Robert Fick C CSUN, Ventura Col., New. Pk. HS Tigers Phil Derryman RHP Moorpark College, Royal HS Expos Chris Paxton* C Palmdale HS Orioles Jose Sandoval SS Poly HS Phillies Bennie Lemos C Royal HS Phillies Gabe Kapler* 3B Moorpark College, Taft HS Tigers Mike Delano LHP North Hollywood HS Cardinals Mike Glendenning C Pierce College, Crespi HS Cardinals

Player Rd Darrell Dent* 3rd Wayne Nix* 4th Russ Ortiz* 4th Judd Granzow* 4th Jon Tucker* 8th Brandon Knight* 14th Andy Hall* 16th Eric Flores* 16th Justin Marine* 18th Eric Cole* 20th Jeff Howatt* 24th John Romero* 25th John Mitchell* 25th Darrell Hussman 31st Ryan Seidel* 34th Jason Shanahan* 35th Chad Thornhill* 37th Jose Villafana* 38th Steve Mikesell 40th Robert Fick 44th Phil Derryman 44th Chris Paxton* 45th Jose Sandoval 51st Bennie Lemos 52nd Gabe Kapler* 57th Mike Delano 57th Mike Glendenning 64th