Upton, Zimmerman made MLB draft history
Editor’s note: As we wait for the sports world to return, we’re occasionally looking back at some of our favorite Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press stories. This story appeared in The Pilot in June 2005. This year’s major league draft — reduced to five rounds — is Tuesday. To read other stories in this series, visit pilotonline.com/sports or dailypress.com/sports and search Our Greatest Hits.
— Jami Frankenberry, s ports editor
CHESAPEAKE — Manny and Yvonne Upton, with sons B.J. and Justin, sat on a table in Great Bridge High School’s crowded media center Tuesday afternoon. They stared at a large, flat screen hooked to a laptop as news cameras stared back.
Yvonne grimaced. Justin snapped his bubble gum. Manny and B.J. were stoic, belying the anticipation in the room. Already thick, the tension was exacerbated by technical glitches in starting the 1 p.m. webcast of Major League Baseball’s amateur draft, in which Justin Upton was expected to be chosen first.
Twice, the promised announcement was met with abrupt silence by dozens of students, friends and family — and followed by a burst of nervous laughter as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ pick was delayed.
The alleged hold-up? The New York Yankees’ tardiness in joining the official draft conference call.
Ultimately, though, even the Yankees couldn’t forestall the inevitable forever:
“Arizona selects Draft No. 8526,
Upton,” came the voice of a Diamondbacks executive through the speaker.
Anything said after that was buried in an eruption of shouts, whistles and applause for the first Virginian ever taken No. 1 in the baseball draft. Justin Upton was selected one slot higher than the Tampa Bay Devil Rays plucked B.J. in 2002.
That makes the Uptons the highest-drafted siblings since the draft began in 1965. It bests the standard set by Dmitri and Delmon Young, picked No. 4 and No. 1, respectively, 12 years apart.
And moments later, not far away in Sandbridge, another local player also struck gold in the greatest draft day ever for South Hampton Roads baseball.
Surrounded by family and friends at his parents’ home, Ryan Zimmerman listened to his selection by the Washington Nationals as the fourth overall pick. That makes Zimmerman, a third baseman for the University of Virginia, the highest Southside player ever taken not named Upton.
The latest, and last, Upton prodigy to go is expected to command a signing bonus in excess of $5 million to enter Arizona’s minor league system and to forgo a scholarship to North Carolina State.
“This is good. It’s a lot of weight off my shoulders,” said Justin Upton, who was a promising high school freshman when his brother signed for $4.6 million three years ago.
B.J. Upton, a 20-year-old shortstop for the Triple-A Durham Bulls, coincidentally began a two-game series against the Norfolk Tides on Tuesday at Harbor Park.
“I think I’m as prepared as I’m going to be for 17 years old,” Justin Upton said. “When I get out there, I’ll find out what I’m made of.”
Upton — recently named Gatorade’s national Player of the Year among high school players — is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound, powerhitting infielder, although he struggled defensively at shortstop and third base this season. Many pro scouts, however, predict a quick ascent to the big leagues if Upton is moved to the outfield.
“That sounds good to me,” Upton said. “I’ve always played shortstop, but if they say I could adjust easily, why not? It’s their call; I don’t really care. Whatever’s best for me to get to the big leagues.”
By going No. 1, Upton already has joined an exclusive list, becoming the fifth Hampton Roads athlete to be chosen first in a pro sports draft. Norfolk’s Bruce Smith and Newport News’ Michael Vick were No. 1 picks in the National Football League, and Norfolk’s Joe Smith and Allen Iverson of Newport News went first in the National Basketball Association draft.
“His sophomore year, just the way he’s built, I’d have said, ‘Yeah, this is a good possibility,’ ” said B.J. Upton, who arranged his own early-morning flight Tuesday from Ottawa, Canada, to join his family in time for the draft.
Zimmerman, 20, was largely unheralded coming out of Kellam High but blossomed in college.
“I’ve worked my whole life for this,” said Zimmerman, who twice set the U.Va. record for hits in a season and is considered a future Gold Glove fielder. “To realize it actually came true for me is pretty crazy.”
Zimmerman, 6-3 and 210 pounds, surged to the top of draft lists last summer when he was named USA Baseball’s Athlete of the Year for his play with the U.S. National Team.
Within minutes of taking Zimmerman with the No. 4 overall selection in Tuesday’s draft, Nationals officials announced they had already agreed to contract terms with the standout third baseman. They then said Zimmerman will be sent directly to Double-A Harrisburg to start his professional career.
“This is a player who will be on a fast track to the major leagues,” general manager Jim Bowden said.
“They made it clear that they want me to play and they’re trying to get me up to the big leagues as soon as they can,” Zimmerman said. “I think that shows what they think of me … and how much they trust my baseball skills if they’re going to go ahead and do that.”