Prep baseball: Goetzman makes grand debut

(photo by Paul Videla)

Granden Goetzman's professional baseball career is alive and well.
Sidelined earlier in the week with a tweaked groin, the Palmetto grad went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a double and two stolen bases Wednesday to lead the Gulf Coast League Rays to a 5-1 win over the Twins.

Goetzman was the Rays' 75th pick during the second day of this month's baseball draft. He signed the following week at Tropicana Field.

Goetzman and the GCL Rays come close to home Friday when they play the GCL Orioles at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota.

Prep baseball: Goetzman not in lineup for GCL Rays

(photo by Paul Videla)
PORT CHARLOTTE - Palmetto grad Granden Goetzman is not in the lineup this afternoon for the Gulf Coast League Tampa Bay Rays, who are playing their season-opener against the GCL Red Sox at Charlotte Sports Park.
The game is being played on field No.5, located just behind the stadium. The Rays trail the Red Sox 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth.
An outfielder wearing No. 6, Goetzman on the bench and listed as active on the team's roster. It appears as if he is taking video of from the Rays' bench along the the third-base line.
Goetzman was taken by the Rays during the second round of this month's amateur draft. He was the 75th overall pick and signed with Tampa Bay last Tuesday at Tropicana Field.
Stay tuned to Prep Rally to track Goetzman's progress today and throughout the rest of the summer.

Prep baseball: Why Goetzman is off to the GCL

(photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays) ST. PETERSBURG - Granden Goetzman's path to the major leagues will begin where so many others have started: the Gulf Coast League.
Goetzman, a Palmetto graduate, signed with the Rays on Tuesday after they made him the 75th overall pick of last week's draft. He will report to the Rays' GCL team in Port Charlotte.
The Gulf Coast League is the furthest thing from the glamorous life of a big-league baseball player. Games are played in the middle of the day in front of a handful of fans brave enough to bear the broiling heat.
There is no public-address announcer or seventh-inning stretch, nor is there a whole lot of shade.
According to Evan Brannon, who scouted Goetzman and is seated to Goetzman's right in the above photo, it is the perfect place for a high school player to begin his pro career.
"It's a good introduction to professional baseball," said Brannon, who referred to the GCL as the Gulf Roast League. "It's hot, it's hard, (players use) wood bats, they're playing every day...it will be one of the most important things (Goetzman) does."
The 14-team GCL is sliced into North, East and South divisions, and the season runs from the end of June through the end of August. The GCL Rays play in the South along with the Orioles, Red Sox and Twins, and do not play the GCL Pirates, who are based out of Pirate City and play in the North Division.
The Rays open their season noon Monday against the visiting Red Sox. Goetzman will be close to home June 24, when he and the Rays head to Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota to face the Orioles.

Prep baseball: Goetzman signs with Rays

(photo by Paul Videla)

ST. PETERSBURG - Granden Goetzman has signed with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Palmetto outfielder passed his physical today and just got done addressing the media on the field at Tropicana Field. Joined by his mother, sister and former Palmetto coach Joe Collis, Goetzman will stay for the Rays' game against the Boston Red Sox.

The Rays made Goetzman the 75th overall pick of last week's draft, taking him in the second round. He had signed with Florida Gulf Coast University in November but quickly decided to go pro.

"Professional baseball was always what I wanted to do," Goetzman said moments ago, "and I'm just happy it turned out this way."

Goetzman is the Rays' highest pick to sign from this year's draft. He will report to the organization's Gulf Coast League affiliate in Port Charlotte, which opens its season next week.

For more on this story, including quotes from Evan Brannon, who scouted Goetzman, check out Wednesday's edition of The Bradenton Herald.

Prep baseball: Goetzman expects to sign with Rays on Tuesday

Palmetto's Granden Goetzman said he expects to sign Tuesday with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Goetzman, who didn't dislcose the terms of the deal, will undergo a physical during the day and expects to sign in the evening.

The Rays host the Boston Red Sox for the first of a three-game series Tuesday.

The Rays made Goetzman the 75th overall pick of last week's amateur draft, plucking the shortstop/outfielder in the second round during the draft's second day.
The Herald's All-Area Player of the Year, Goetzman, who had signed with Florida Gulf Coast University, batted .413 with eight home runs with 26 RBIs in 25 games.

Prep baseball: Rays take Goetzman

The Tampa Bay Rays chose Palmetto High's Granden Goetzman in the second round with the 75th overall selection during Major League Baseball's 2011 First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday.

Goetzman played shortstop primarily this season, but is projected as an outfield prospect. He previously signed to play college baseball at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Goetzman was recently selected as the Herald's All-Area Player of the Year for a season that included a .413 batting average, .526 on-base percentage and .950 slugging percentage in 25 games.

For more on this story, check out Wednesday's edition of the Bradenton Herald.

- Jason Dill, Bradenton Herald sports reporter.

Prep baseball: MLB Draft to tap local talent

(prospectnation.com)

The 2001 amateur baseball draft will be broadcast live beginning 6 p.m. Monday on the MLB Network.
It's a safe bet to say some locals will be watching.
Palmetto's Granden Goetzman had a workout with the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday at Tropicana Field, spending roughly two hours taking batting practice, shagging flies, showing off his arm and running the 60-yard dash.
An outfielder turned shortstop, Goetzman was ranked 52nd overall in Baseball American's draft rankings. He hit .413 this season with eight home runs, 26 RBIs, 14 steals and a .950 slugging percentage.
"I'm excited," said Goetzman.
Goetzman signed with Florida Gulf Coast University in November, but he could get selected pretty high next week. During an online chat in May, Baseball America's Conor Glassey said Goetzman could be a supplemental pick, which would be between the first two rounds, or a second-round pick. R.J. Harrison blogged on theprocessreport.com that Baseball American's reports praised Goetzman's "prodigious power" and drew comparisons of Goetzman to sluggers Jayson Werth - Goetzman's favorite player - and Jay Buhner.
Aside from the Rays, Goetzman has also worked out for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres.
Also drawing interest is Southeast outfielder Michael Suchy, who, like Goetzman, is signed to Florida Gulf Coast next. Suchy worked out for the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates this past week.
He batted .338 with five home runs, 18 RBIs, 11 steals and a .613 slugging percentage. A contact hitter, Suchy struck out eight times in 108 plate appearances.