Baker, Zuniga Expected to Bypass Long Beach State

The major league free-agent draft could be taking a toll on the 1997 lineup at Long Beach State.

Sources indicated Thursday that scholarship players Derek Baker and Tony Zuniga had or were poised to become professionals. Baker, a third baseman who was a third-round pick of the Texas Rangers, reportedly had come to terms. Zuniga, a shortstop who was an 11th-round selection of the San Francisco Giants, was set to meet with team officials today to sign a contract.

“If it happens,” said Tony Gervase, Long Beach interim sports information director, “there goes the whole left side of next year’s infield.”

Three players from Rancho Santiago have signed: Scott Glasser, an infielder taken in the 25th round by the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks; catcher Mike Brambilla, selected in the 11th round by Kansas City, and right-handed pitcher Orin Kawahara, also taken in the 11th round by Seattle.

Another former Rancho Santiago player, Ryan Anderson, signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs. Anderson was drafted in the 21st round. A shortstop, Anderson spent the past season at Dallas Baptist University, batting .409 with nine home runs and a team-leading 69 runs batted in.

Other area players who were drafted:

* Tony Milo of Laguna Hills High, was chosen in the seventh round by the New York Mets. As a pitcher, Milo was 11-3 with a 2.18 earned-run average; as a hitter, he had eight homers and 26 RBIs.

* Justin Lynch of Marina High was picked in the 14th round by the Boston Red Sox. Despite a 4-6 record, Lynch had a 2.07 ERA at Marina.

* Bret Halbert, a senior left-hander at Western High, was taken by the Royals in the 53rd round. Halbert, who was 9-2 last season, said he plans to play at Cypress College next season.

* Cal State Fullerton junior pitcher Kirk Irvine was picked in the late rounds Thursday by the Chicago White Sox, but Fullerton coaches expect him to return to the Titans for his senior season.

* Another Titan pitcher, senior reliever Mark Chavez, also was drafted in the late rounds by the Diamondbacks.

Staff writers Lon Eubanks and Steve Kresal contributed to this story.