With a fifth-round pick, the Twins keep the Armwood standout from heading to the University of Florida - for now.
By MIKE READLING
Published June 4, 2003
TAMPA - Brandon McArthur not only had a round in mind, he had a destination when the amateur baseball draft started Tuesday. He wanted to be picked in the first five rounds and he wanted Minnesota to be the team that took him.
It seems baseball does have a way of making wishes come true.
The Twins picked the Armwood infielder in the fifth round (148th overall) Tuesday, making McArthur the only Hillsborough County high school player to be drafted on the first day of the two-day event. McArthur's selection came just 10 spots from the sixth round and helped save what would have been a disappointing day.
"It was a relief," McArthur said. "I was just about ready to shut the computer off. I figured if I didn't go by the sixth round then it was probably time to go to the University of Florida."
Of course, it probably helped that he has been working out with Twins scout Brad Weitzel for the past four or five years.
If McArthur doesn't sign with the Twins he will play for the Gators next season. In the meantime, he's going to listen to what Minnesota has to offer.
"I'm going to look at the average amount of money for that round. I'm not going to try to do anything stupid like ask for a million dollars in the fifth round," McArthur said. "I just want to get a good set amount and have it be fair and see what happens. It's always been my dream to play pro ball but, if not, I'd love to go to UF and come out again in three years."
McArthur hit .419 this season and had a 7-3 record with a 1.34 ERA. His pitching days are over, however, and he will concentrate on becoming a position player the rest of his career, he said.
"I always look at him as a complete player, he does all the little things well," Armwood coach Joey Fernandez said. "He runs a little above average, hits for average. With his frame, once he matures out, he should be able to drive the ball in the gaps a little bit."
