MLB Draft Preview

Major League Baseball’s amateur player draft is tomorrow and while the first overall pick will undoubtedly go to fireballing phenom Stephen Strasburg out of San Diego State, the number two pick is far from settled upon. While many experts predict the second pick will come from this year’s big time division I program ranks, an exclusive source from within the MLB GM community has alerted Deucedbrains to a fast-rising darkhorse prospect. The source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information he revealed, suggested that he would not be surprised to see right handed pitcher Peter Burd of the University of the South selected by the Seattle Mariners at the number two slot.

Major league teams tend to emphasize upside even over amateur performance when evaluating top prospects, and the 6’4, 260 pound Burd displays tremendous physical potential. Not much exists in print on the Sewanee ace, but the school’s 2009 media guide convincingly testifies he is a “big, strong hurler.” Scouts have purportedly clocked his fastball somewhere in the 72-74 mph range, but insist his mammoth hips and humongous ass could easily help him gain 20-25 mph of velocity. Burd’s waist measures in at an impressive 42 inches and one talent evaluator even calls the Burdman’s behind “the largest I’ve seen since Rod Beck.” Burd also exhibits the most impressive display of body hair in this year’s draft class. “Body hair has always been a tell-tale predictor of success at this level,” Washington Nationals scout Dusty McNamara tells Deucedbrains, “especially for middle-to-late relievers.”

Burd projects well as a closer or setup man, late inning roles that would suit his uncompromising tenacity on the field. Tales of Burd’s intensity are well-known. Rumors persist that, in one after-practice ritual, Burd significantly scarred the psyche of an unassuming college professor who walked in on one of his unique post-outing traditions. Little is known of what actually transpired in the Sewanee men’s varsity locker room, but the professor required extensive psychological counseling to deal with whatever it is he witnessed.

Burd’s primary and secondary pitches require considerable development before he can make the leap to the big leagues, but Mariners management seems confident the farm league ranks will forge his considerably raw abilities into consistency and success.

The Mariners, having been forced to combat character issues in the past with players like Adrian Beltre, are excited about the young stud’s character. Recent Sewanee graduate and former president of the school’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter J.D. Hague told Deucedbrains that when it came to handing out bids at the conclusion of fraternity rush in Burd’s freshman year, not a single E-dogg objected to giving him a bid, with just about all of the actives agreeing he was “a great guy.”

Burd’s substantial ability on the mound may only be equaled by his prowess at the plate. Despite never making a collegiate plate appearance, Burd regularly swings the lumber in the cage, putting on a remarkable show. In his high school career, Burd led perennial national power Hotchkiss in homeruns, doubles, RBI, swiped v-cards and “really awesome boarding school pranks,” making him a dual threat comparable to noted sweet-swinging hump dwellers Carlos Zambrano and Jason Marquis.

With his varied talents and physical gifts, don’t be surprised to see Burd take the stage early tomorrow and ink a record contract in the coming weeks. We here at Deucedbrains hope this small look at an off-the-radar talent provides a wider perspective on the coming draft and wish Burd nothing but the best on draft day.