Gonzaga Stars Sign; Six Cougars Drafted Blood, Morgan Get Bonuses; Norton Expecting His Today
Gonzaga University stars Darin Blood and Scott Morgan have signed professional baseball contracts this weekend, and GU catcher Andy Norton is expected to sign today.
Blood signed with the San Francisco Giants Saturday morning. Morgan signed with the Cleveland Indians on Friday afternoon. Blood was drafted in the third round, and Morgan was drafted in the seventh.
Norton, a senior, was drafted in the 20th round by San Francisco. He will meet with a Giants scout in his hometown of Woodinville, Wash., today.
Mike Kinkade, a three-time AllPac-10 North first-team selection at Washington State, was selected in the ninth round by the Milwaukee Brewers. The catcher and first baseman was among six Cougars drafted.
The others: Wayne Vezzetti, lefthanded pitcher, in the 10th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates; Ken Cameron, outfielder, 14th, St. Louis Cardinals; Mark Hendrickson, left-handed pitcher, 16th, Detroit Tigers; Robert Ramsay, left-handed pitcher, 17th, Minnesota Twins; and Kyle Kawabata, right-handed pitcher, 30th, Philadelphia Phillies.
The selections of Blood and Morgan came as no surprise. But, at least to him and his family, Norton’s selection was a surprise.
“There had been very little contact until about halfway through the season,” said Andy’s father, Gary.
“The Phillies and the Padres had expressed the most interest, but the Giants didn’t start looking at him until late.”
San Francisco most likely will send Norton to its short-A season Northwest League farm club at Bellingham, where Blood may also land.
“I think it will help both of us in the adjustments we’ll have to make,” Blood said.
Blood, a right-handed pitcher, collected numerous postseason awards after compiling a 13-3 record with a 2.57 ERA this season. He wouldn’t reveal how much money he received for signing. In 1994, third-round picks signed for an average of $100,000.
Morgan also wouldn’t say how much money he received, but as of Saturday, he is the owner of a 1995 Chevrolet 4x4 Blazer.
The right fielder will drive his new vehicle to Cleveland’s Single-A New York-Penn League farm club in Watertown, in upstate New York. He will report June 15.
Blood will join Bellingham a few days after Wednesday’s report date.
In leaving GU one year early, Blood and Morgan will have the remaining year of their education paid for by their respective teams. Norton, whose eligibility has expired, is one semester short of graduation.
, DataTimes