N'Awlins News Volume 5 Draft Special Part 2
With no second round pick this year due to
trading with Buffalo, the Crawdads were forced to wait until the third round to make their second selection in the 1995 Amateur Draft.
Rumors swirled arund New Orleans, speculation that 1B/3B
Jack Dark was being offered up as trade bait for a round 2 pick and cash were never realized, and Dark remains in The Bayou.
So, with the tenth selection in the third round, New Orleans went with starter
William Kelly out of Rice.
Kelly put up fantastic numbers in college last year, going 16-3 with a 2.11 ERA. He walked 39 and allowed 110 hits over 140 innings, while striking out 164 batters. He features a fastball that can touch 94, a curveball, slider, and changeup. "We're happy with the pick," said GM Mike Voelker. "Anytime you can get a guy like Will, a proven college talent who is already showing signs of development, you make that move." Some scouts were apprehensive towards Kelly due to his perephial pitches not being all that great, but not Voelker. "Honestly, I really don't care if a guy throws 100mph, or buckles your knees with a curve, or whatever. He can keep the ball in the park, his control is above average, and he gets guys out. I'm more interested in results than with how they're achieved, but we plan on having our guys work with him to improve his stuff a little, yes."
New Orleans has 2 picks in the next round, also a result of the Buffalo trade mentioned previously. Look for the Crawdads to add some more depth in what has been a reasonably deep draft this year.