Baseball Draftees Pondering All Their Options

Two of the Big West’s top pitchers this past season, Long Beach State’s Marcus Jones and Cal State Fullerton’s Brent Billingsley, have been thrust into big decisions by this week’s amateur draft.

Jones, the conference’s pitcher of the year who finished with a 9-5 record and a 2.29 earned-run average, was picked in the eighth round by the Chicago White Sox. Billingsley, who was 11-2 with a 3.02 ERA, was a fifth-round choice of the Florida Marlins.

They were eligible for the baseball draft this year as sophomores after earlier redshirt seasons, but both see possible advantages in returning to their college teams for another season.

“It’s the decision of my life right now,” said Jones, who pitched in high school at Esperanza. “It’s a tough one, and very important. Both of us could come back, and then be first- or second-round picks next year.”

Jones said he plans to talk further with the White Sox this week. Billingsley, who talked the Marlins Tuesday, met Wednesday with Fullerton coaches and is considering his options.

The draft continued Wednesday in New York. Announcement of all rounds except the first is delayed 10 days, but other selections involving area players became known.

Cal State Fullerton shortstop Jack Jones, a three-year regular, was a sixth-round choice of the Dodgers, and Titan outfielder Skip Kiil was picked in the 22nd round by Philadelphia. That brought the number of Titans selected to seven.

Four Fullerton recruits also have been drafted.

Left-handed pitcher Michael Garner of Fullerton High, The Times’ Orange County player of the year, was chosen in the 14th round by Detroit. Garner had a 10-2 record with an 0.42 ERA. He said Wednesday night he will tell the Tigers that he plans to enroll at Fullerton in the fall.

Another Titan recruit, El Dorado High catcher Craig Patterson went in the 17th round to San Diego. Pitcher Jon Cannon of Canada College was picked in the seventh round by the Chicago Cubs.

Shortstop Ryan Owens, regarded as one of the top 100 pro prospects, was taken in the 13th round by Florida. But his family made it known that he intends to play college baseball at Fullerton, probably hurting his position this year in the draft.

Eight Long Beach State players, including Jones, had been drafted through Wednesday. Reliever Ryan Brannan of Huntington Beach, who was 4-1 with 14 saves this season, was the highest 49er player picked, taken in the fourth round by Philadelphia.

Pitcher Steve Hueston went in the 10th round to Kansas City, pitcher Justin Siegel went in the 13th to Texas, and shortstop Jason Knupfer in the 13th to Philadelphia. Catcher Casey Snow, the son of 49er baseball Coach Dave Snow, was taken in the 15th round by the Dodgers. First baseman Jeff Tagliaferri went to Detroit, and utility player Will Skett to Toronto, both in the 22nd round.

Among other area high school players drafted were pitcher Joe Fraser of Katella and power-hitting catcher Bobby Brito of Cypress. Fraser was taken in the third round by Montreal and Brito in the fifth round by Boston.

Stanford outfielder Cale Carter was drafted by the Angels in the 20th round. Carter, who played at Mater Dei, started four years at Stanford and was named All-Six Pac as a junior. He hit .325 with 52 runs and 39 runs batted in.

He hit only .224 this season, but missed four weeks because of a staph infection. Carter was drafted by the Cleveland Indians out of high school.

Cypress College freshman shortstop Junior Rodriguez, who played at Sonora High School, was drafted by the Yankees in the 23rd round. Infielder Wade Jackson, who played at El Toro High and Nevada, was taken in the 30th round by the Angels.