The Benson plan

Sporting News, The, June 17, 1996

19. Astros. Pitcher Mark Johnson is a 6-3, 217-pound righthander from the University of Hawaii. Houston scouting director Dan O'Brien says Johnson "has three major league pitches--fastball, slider and changeup."

20. Yankees. Maryland's Eric Milton, 21, isn't going to overwhelm anyone with his won-loss record. He was 4-7 with a 4.20 ERA this year, but his strikeout-to-walk ratio was outstanding at almost 7-to-1.

21. Rockies. The team had rated righthander lake Westbrook fifth overall on its list. Colorado had hoped to grab righthander John Nicholson at No. 21, and as it turned out, he was still there when it picked in the second round.

22. Mariners. Gilbert Meche, 17 is nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning II" because he is from the fame hometown as Ron Guidry. The team thinks it has a potential star.

23. Dodgers. A football and baseball star from Kansas City, Kan., Damian Rolls, 18, will have to decide between Los Angeles and the University of Kansas. Rolls batted .512 with 19 runs and 17 RBIs for his high school team.

24. Rangers. The team had a second pick in the first round as compensation from the Yankees for Kenny Rogers and used it to select 6-6 righthander Sam Marsonek out of Jesuit High in Tampa.

25. Reds. Outfielder John Oliver, 18, appears to lit the mold of players that G.M. Jim Bowden loves, carrying a variety of skills. Oliver hit .648 with 12 home runs, 43 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 26 attempts this season. In three seasons, he hit .574 with 14 homers and 88 RBIs.

26. Red Sox. Righthander Josh Garrett, 18, has a fastball clocked between 90 and 92 mph. He has signed a letter of intent with Vanderbilt but says he's leaning toward signing a professional contract.

27. Braves. For the first time since 1993, Atlanta didn't take a pitcher with its first pick. It took lefthanded-hitting first baseman A.J. Zapp, 18. Zapp hit .507 with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs in 27 games this spring.

28. Indians. University of Texas first baseman Danny Peoples is considered the top power-hitting prospect in the draft. "He's the prototype player we look for when we scout prospects," says scouting director Jay Robertson. Peoples batted .375 with 17 homers and 86 RBIs in 216 at-bats this season.

29. Devil Rays. The team surprised everybody by taking a prospect not listed among the nation's top 100 players. But six scouts in the organization recommended Paul Wilder, 18, because he's a lefthanded power hitter whom they believe also can hit for average.

30. Diamondbacks. The organization saw the same things in Nick Bierbrodt that made him this year's top recruit at Arizona State--an impressive fastball, a strong curve and a changeup. "We see him as a potential top-three starter in the big leagues," scouting director Don Mitchell says.

The teams that didn't pick in the first round:

Angels. They gave up their first-round pick to the Yankees for Randy Velarde. Their first pick was Austin Peay shortstop Chuck Abbott, whose 42-game hitting streak this season was an Ohio Valley Conference record and the fourth longest in NCAA history. He hit .376 in 64 games with 22 doubles, four homers, 22 steals and 33 RBIs.