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This is kind of old, but its very interesting. This is Jeff Kolpeck column from Feb 4th.
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/ind...Jeff%20Kolpack
Scouts eye Bison pitcher
Jeff Kolpack,The Forum
Published Friday, February 04, 2005
North Dakota State head baseball coach Mitch McLeod has been moonlighting lately as a mail carrier. He brought relief pitcher Neil Wagner a couple of more letters earlier this week.
The return addresses are the likes of 1060 West Addison, 34 Kirby Puckett Place or Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y. The Bison relief pitcher and his mid-90 per hour fastball are attracting the interest of major league baseball teams. So much that Wagner is projected anywhere from the first round to the fifth round in June's major league draft. Baseball America magazine tagged him as the top prospect among 12 Division I independent teams. First-round picks, by the way, command signing bonuses in the millions of dollars.
"The planets would have to line up for that happen," Wagner said. "But I think I could go high enough to say that it would be good for this program. It would be nice if someone came out of here in the draft."
Wagner could be an agent's dream. He is a junior, meaning he could decline to sign a contract, return for his senior year and go back in the draft. He's a pre-medicine major with a 3.7 GPA, meaning he could go back to school, and mean it, if the baseball money isn't right.
He has, as they say, hand.
"If they want him bad enough, they'll sign him," McLeod said.
He has, as they say, a live arm. And that's his main focus. NDSU begins its first Division I season in two weeks with games against Utah Valley State and Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo. Wagner, who was 6-0 with a 1.40 ERA last year, will see better competition this year. NDSU has 49 games schedule against Division I opponents. The plum home games are April 26 against Minnesota and May 18-19 against Creighton.
Wagner has a good idea of what to expect. He played in a summer league with players from Sacramento State, Kansas State, Kansas and Minnesota -- all teams on NDSU's schedule.
"A lot of these teams have us on their schedule because they think they're going to shellac us," Wagner said. "It would be fun to stick it to some of them."
The goal, Wagner said, is a .500 Division I record. A good individual game goal would be to get a lead and get Wagner the ball in the seventh inning.
"Neil is a real bright kid, he knows what he needs to do," McLeod said.
What he's been doing lately is filling questionnaires from major league teams. It's not as if he has a ton of free time, but they need to get done.
"You want to make sure you get them back quick but at the same time -- you have a test tomorrow," he said. "It's not any worse than having a job and going to school."
The kid, really, has no worries. He either has a good season and goes high in the draft or he continues on his pre-med path.
"Not only that, he's a coach's dream," McLeod said. "He's never complained."
Readers can reach Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546 or jkolpack@forumcomm.com
Forum Communications Company
©2005 Forum Communications Co. Fargo, ND 58102 —
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/ind...Jeff%20Kolpack
Scouts eye Bison pitcher
Jeff Kolpack,The Forum
Published Friday, February 04, 2005
North Dakota State head baseball coach Mitch McLeod has been moonlighting lately as a mail carrier. He brought relief pitcher Neil Wagner a couple of more letters earlier this week.
The return addresses are the likes of 1060 West Addison, 34 Kirby Puckett Place or Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y. The Bison relief pitcher and his mid-90 per hour fastball are attracting the interest of major league baseball teams. So much that Wagner is projected anywhere from the first round to the fifth round in June's major league draft. Baseball America magazine tagged him as the top prospect among 12 Division I independent teams. First-round picks, by the way, command signing bonuses in the millions of dollars.
"The planets would have to line up for that happen," Wagner said. "But I think I could go high enough to say that it would be good for this program. It would be nice if someone came out of here in the draft."
Wagner could be an agent's dream. He is a junior, meaning he could decline to sign a contract, return for his senior year and go back in the draft. He's a pre-medicine major with a 3.7 GPA, meaning he could go back to school, and mean it, if the baseball money isn't right.
He has, as they say, hand.
"If they want him bad enough, they'll sign him," McLeod said.
He has, as they say, a live arm. And that's his main focus. NDSU begins its first Division I season in two weeks with games against Utah Valley State and Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo. Wagner, who was 6-0 with a 1.40 ERA last year, will see better competition this year. NDSU has 49 games schedule against Division I opponents. The plum home games are April 26 against Minnesota and May 18-19 against Creighton.
Wagner has a good idea of what to expect. He played in a summer league with players from Sacramento State, Kansas State, Kansas and Minnesota -- all teams on NDSU's schedule.
"A lot of these teams have us on their schedule because they think they're going to shellac us," Wagner said. "It would be fun to stick it to some of them."
The goal, Wagner said, is a .500 Division I record. A good individual game goal would be to get a lead and get Wagner the ball in the seventh inning.
"Neil is a real bright kid, he knows what he needs to do," McLeod said.
What he's been doing lately is filling questionnaires from major league teams. It's not as if he has a ton of free time, but they need to get done.
"You want to make sure you get them back quick but at the same time -- you have a test tomorrow," he said. "It's not any worse than having a job and going to school."
The kid, really, has no worries. He either has a good season and goes high in the draft or he continues on his pre-med path.
"Not only that, he's a coach's dream," McLeod said. "He's never complained."
Readers can reach Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546 or jkolpack@forumcomm.com
Forum Communications Company
©2005 Forum Communications Co. Fargo, ND 58102 —