ANAHEIM, CA – The Angels selected switch-hitting third baseman Kaleb Cowart out of Cook County High School in Adel, Georgia as their first pick (1st round, 18th overall) in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. This announcement was made by Angels’ Director of Scouting Eddie Bane.
“We are thrilled to draft a player of Kaleb’s caliber,” said Bane. “His skills are matched by his intensity for the game and we look forward to his advancement in our system.”
Cowart, pronounced “Cow-ert”, was named the 2010 Gatorade National High School Baseball Player of the Year out of Cook County High School in Adel, GA. A dual-purpose threat as a pitcher and third baseman, Cowart batted .654 with 11 home runs, 55 runs scored, 59 RBI and 36 stolen bases (in 36 attempts) at Cook County. His batting average ranked second all-time in Georgia state single-season history.
On the mound, the right-hander was 10-1 with one save and a 1.05 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 73 IP. The 6’ 3”, 210-pounder signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Florida State.
Cowart is the first of three 2010 first-round selections for the Angels: #18 from the Mariners (compensation for C. Figgins), #29 from the Red Sox (compensation for J. Lackey) and #30 (regular slotted pick).
The Angels also have #37, for Lackey, and #40, for Figgins, in the supplemental first round. 2010 marks the second time in club history that the Angels have had three picks in the first round. The first time was 1986 when, just as in 2010, the Angels had two sandwich picks in addition to their three first round picks.
In last year’s First-Year Player Draft, the Angels selected outfielder Randal Grichuk of Lamar Consolidated High School in Lamar, TX as their first pick (1st round, 24th overall) and outfielder Michael Trout of Millville (NJ) Senior High School as their second pick (1st round, 25th overall).
Trout is batting .366 (79/216) this year with six HRs, 31 RBI and 31 stolen bases in 55 games with the Angels’ single-A affiliate Cedar Rapids Kernels. He received the Angels first player of the month award for April.
Grichuk, was batting .229 (25-for-109) with four HRs and 21 RBI through May 9th before going on the disabled list with a sprained thumb.
--ANGELS--
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