High school baseball players weigh cash vs. college

In the past eight years, there has been only one instance in which a Richmond-area high schooler was drafted in the top 10 rounds, and then accepted the offer. In 2010, St. Christopher’s outfielder Kurt Fleming was taken by the Atlanta Braves in the eighth round.

There are two local high schoolers, however, who could buck that trend: Hanover’s Derek Casey and Cosby’s Hunter Williams. Both are hard-throwing pitchers. Casey is a righty committed to Virginia. Williams, a lefty, will play for North Carolina if he doesn’t accept a professional contract.

While both players have made college commitments, there’s no penalty for breaking the commitment to play professionally.

Both are expected to be drafted. The selection process begins today with the first two rounds and continues through Saturday. Whether they sign professional contracts depends on the money they’re offered.

“If the chance is there, I want to take that chance,” Williams said. “It’s always been a dream to go pro.”

Williams said last week he and his family still were settling on the dollar amount it would take for him to become a professional. Casey said the same.

“U.Va. is awesome. It would probably take a good amount to go away from it,” Casey said. “I plan on going to school. If I get life-changing money thrown at me, it’s hard to say no.”

Casey has been told by some scouts he’s a late second-round or early third-round prospect. Most third-rounders scored signing bonuses near $500,000 last year. First-round draft picks got $1.6 million or more.

Every major-league team except the Baltimore Orioles has sent a scout to his home to meet him. Major League Baseball deemed Casey one of the top 200 prospects, which requires him to take a drug test, numerous medical tests and a personality test.

Among the questions major-league teams want to know about the Hanover pitcher: “Boxers or briefs?”

“They’re weird,” Casey said of the personality tests. “I don’t know how they help.”

Casey throws a low-90s fastball that has peaked at 96. In his arsenal are a curveball, slider and change-up. The slider has been one of his more effective pitches this year.

Williams, too, has a low 90s fastball that has topped out at 95. He also mixes in a hard slider. Scouts have been less up front with him as to when he might get selected. He’s gotten in-home visits from six major-league teams.

“He changes speeds, he pitches to location,” Cosby coach Tim Lowery said. “I think that’s his key. I think that’s where he’s been successful.”

Both of Lowery’s sons, Jake and Luke, were potential draft picks. But both asked for a good deal of money and were passed over by major-league franchises. Jake went on to James Madison and was eventually drafted in 2011. Luke currently plays at East Carolina.

There are numerous Richmond-area players employed by professional baseball teams. But the most prominent among them, Justin Verlander, Jackie Bradley Jr., Graham Stoneburner and Deck McGuire, all went to college first.

A few players, however, decided to go straight from high school to the minor leagues. Scott Taylor was selected out of Hermitage by the Chicago Cubs in the fifth round in 2005. Two years earlier, Matt Moses of Mills Godwin went to the Minnesota Twins with the 21st overall pick.

If Casey or Williams choose college, they have to wait three years before they are eligible for the draft again. If they go to college and improve, their stock could rise three years down the road. But they risk the chance of injury or their game stalling at the next level.

“It’s going to be life-changing if (the draft) is the path I choose to go,” Casey said. “If not, I’m still going to U.Va. and it’ll be equally as awesome.”

Waiting for the call

Baseball players with state ties who could be drafted this weekend: