Nay gets the ball rolling for Arizona prep BB draftees

June 5, 2012 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Hamilton High third baseman Mitch Nay may not have started an avalanche of Arizona prep players to be drafted in the 2012 MLB First Year Player Draft, but he did start the ball rolling in style.

Nay was a sandwich pick (58th overall) to the Toronto Blue Jays late Monday. The MLB draft made first-round selection and compensatory picks Monday leading up to the second round. The second round through 15th round will be held Tuesday June 5  starting at 9 a.m. Arizona time. The final day of the draft is Wednesday June 6 for rounds 16 through 40. That day's picks also begin at 9 a.m. Arizona time.

Nay was the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year for 2012. He batted .380 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs with an on-base percentage of .520 and a slugging percentage of .837. Toronto had five picks among the first 60 and Hamilton coach Mike Woods said Nay anticipated being one of those five  picks since they had talked with Nay extensively prior to the draft.

Nay, a three-year standout at Hamilton, has signed a letter of intent to ASU so he has options. Nay brings a strong arm and power bat. He could play a corner professional or perhaps move to a corner outfield position. Nay is the highest drafted player from Hamilton, which has churned out a number of solid players in the last decade plus. Only one or two previous Hamilton players were draftee in the first 10 rounds.