Josh Hamilton Is No. 1 Pick

June 2, 1999 / 3:03 PM EDT / AP

High school outfielder Josh Hamilton of Raleigh was taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with the first pick in today's baseball draft.

Hamilton, from Athens Drive High School in North Carolina, became the first high school player selected first since the Seattle Mariners chose Alex Rodriguez with the top pick in 1993.

Hamilton, 6-foot-4, is an outstanding hitter projected to be a pro right fielder, even though he has a 94 mph fastball. He hit .514 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs this season, and is also regarded as a sound defensive player.

Florida chose high school right-hander Josh Beckett with the second pick. Beckett, from Spring High School in Texas, was the first high school righty taken as high as second since Bill Gullickson in 1979. He was 13-2 with an 0.39 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 89 innings this season.

Beckett, also 6-4, has impressed scouts with a fastball that hits the mid-90s consistently, and a lively curveball.

Detroit then chose Southern California catcher Eric Munson. Munson, who will be playing in the NCAA's super regionals against Stanford starting Friday, is hitting .338 with 14 homers and 40 RBIs.

Munson, a left-handed power hitter, missed 21 games because of a broken hand midway through the season, but picked up where he left off.

Arizona unexpectedly chose high school shortstop Corey Myers. Myers hit. 560 with 22 homers and 77 RBIs for Desert Vista High School.

Minnesota then picked high school outfielder B.J. Garbe with the fifth pick.

Garbe, from Moses Lake High School in Washington, hit .500 with six homers and 22 RBIs this season. He is recognized by scouts as a five-tools player. Garbe, an exceptional athlete, was the first high school quarterback in the state to run and pass for over 1,000 yards.

Montreal selected left-hander Josh Girdley from Jasper High School in Texas. Girdley struck out 29 in 10 innings earlier this season.

With the seventh pick, Kansas City chose North Carolina right-hander Kyle Snyder. Snyder was 8-5 during an inconsistent season during which he missed two weeks with triceps tendinitis.

Pittsburgh chose high school right-hander Bobby Bradley with the eighth pick. Bradley threw seven one-hitters this season for Wellington High School in Florida, and was 12-1 with an 0.38 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 92 innings.

Oakland took Southern California left-hander Barry Zito with the ninth pick. Zito, 11-2, had three 16-strikeout games for the Trojans.

Milwaukee chose Northeast Louisiana right-hander Ben Sheets with the 10th pick. Sheets was 14-1 and is a pure strikeout artist. He had a 20-strikeout game against Louisiana Tech earlier this season.

Seattle took high school catcher Ryan Christianson with the 11th pick. Christian, from Arlington (Calif.) High School, hit .507 with seven homers and 39 RBIs this season. Many scouts consider him the best all-around catcher in the draft.

Next, Philadelhia took right-hander Brett Myers from Englewood High School in Florida. With the 13th pick, Baltimore chose Clemson right-hander Mike Paradis. Then Cincinnati selected left-hander Ty Howington from Hudson's Bay High School in Washington.

The Chicago White Sox chose high school righty Jason Stumm with the 15th pick. Stumm, an excellent athlete who starred in baseball, basketball and football at Centralia (Wash.) High School, was 10-0 with an 0.84 ERA.

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