Dodgers Take Top Prospect From the Titans

Cal State Fullerton lost its second pitching recruit from Fresno College Friday when Ted Lilly signed with the Dodgers. But the Titans are optimistic about holding on to the other players who have committed to Fullerton.

“It could be a long summer before we know, but we hope we’ll be all right on the others,” Titan recruiting coordinator Rick Vanderhook said.

Fullerton lost Fresno pitcher Mike Hughes to the Angels when he signed just before the start of the amateur draft this week.

Lilly had been regarded as a top prospect by Vanderhook on the strength of his 10-2 record as a freshman at Fresno, although he was bothered by back problems this season and dropped to 4-7 with a 4.14 earned-run average.

The Titans have recruited two other community college pitchers, Brandon Duckworth of Southern Idaho and Jon Cannon of Canada College. Fullerton’s top four high school recruits are expected to pass up pro offers.

Pitcher Michael Garner of Fullerton High was taken in the 14th round by Detroit, shortstop Ryan Owens of Sonora in the 13th by Florida, and El Dorado catcher Craig Patterson in the 17th round by San Diego. Infielder Danny Phillips of Chatsworth High had told scouts before the draft that he was committed to enrolling at Fullerton, and apparently was not drafted.

Fullerton’s top pitcher this season, sophomore Brent Billingsley, was picked in the fifth round by Florida, but is still unsigned.

Two players who helped lead Long Beach State to its Big West regular-season championship, Will Skett and Jeff Tagliaferri, have signed, according to 49er athletic department sources. As juniors, they were regarded as potential returning players.

Skett, the 49ers’ regular center fielder, was drafted in the 20th round by Toronto. Tagliaferri, a first baseman, was taken in the 22nd round by Detroit.

Two Fullerton seniors, third baseman Tony Martinez and pitcher Mark Chavez, signed Friday with the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks after being drafted in the late rounds. Martinez hit .326 with only 11 errors in 61 games. Chavez, who was troubled late in the season by tendinitis in his pitching arm, finished 2-3 with a 3.45 ERA and a team-leading nine saves.

Two other junior Titan pitchers were drafted in the late rounds, Luis Estrella by San Francisco and Matt Wise by the New York Yankees. A draft-eligible sophomore, catcher-infielder Mike Lamb, was taken in the late rounds by Minnesota, but is expected back at Fullerton.

In other draft news:

* Concordia’s Derrick Bly was drafted in the 42nd round by the Chicago Cubs, Bly said Friday.

Bly, a senior third baseman from Tucson, batted .465 with 10 home runs, 11 triples and 45 runs batted in for the Eagles. Bly will report Tuesday to instructional camp in Fort Myers, Fla.

Also Friday, Bly was named to the NAIA All-American honorable-mention team.

* Chad Baum, 18, a freshman catcher at Golden West, was selected in the 41st round by the San Francisco Giants. Allan Baum said his son will remain at Golden West another year. He graduated from Canyon High in 1995.