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Stockton Ports Receive Influx of Talent
Stockton, CA- The Texas Rangers overly average season last year paid off with the twelth overall pick in the 2004 June Amateur Draft. With their pick, the Rangers worked on fixing major gaps in their minor league system, especially here at Stockton.
The Rangers, notoriously a desert of pitching, used their number 1 pick to bring in twenty year old starting pitcher Lawrence Edmundson. In addition to having tremendous skills on the mound, the pitcher is physically intimidating at 6'7" and 200 pounds.
"When I was a scout the last few years this was a kid that was always on our radar, I'm glad to see him join the organization but I know that he'll start out at least in AA rather than here," said Ports manager Jorge Lopez.
Although it doesn't look like Ports fans will get to Edmundson, the remaining six picks will more than likely don Ports jerseys this year. Manager Jorge Lopez will benefit from three new outfielders, a new shortstop, and a pair of pitchers to add to the Ports' depth.
Connie Poteet and Christian Ortega, both naturally leftfielders, add some veteran leadership and maturity to the young Ports team. The players, respectively twenty-two and twenty-four, join a team filled with players under the age of twenty-one.
The third outfielder is Carlos Salgado, an eighteen year old, is the most exciting of the outfield prospects. He has tremendous speed and is an acrobatic centerfielder. The Rangers are hoping that Salgado will develop into a true, solid leadoff hitter with some power.
Rounding out a very solid infield will be new shortstop Michael Elmer. The nineteen year old native Californian is known for good bat control and could develop into a good number 2 hitter. The Rangers will probably hope to see some improvements in his defense at Stockton.
The Ports will welcome both a new starting pitcher, Andre Hicks, and a middle reliever, Frank Corman. Hicks will be joining a club that has been struggling to score enough runs to support their pitchers but claims to look forward to the challenge. Corman seems to be in the mold of number 1 pick Edmundson as he is also 6'7" but is bulkier at 225 pounds.
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