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Daniel Boyd will report to Odgen on Monday while ex-Ram Mike Rabelo hopes to come to terms with Detroit soon.
By JOHN C. COTEY
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 9, 2001
NEW PORT RICHEY -- Former Pasco standout Daniel Boyd, the 1997 North Suncoast Player of the Year, officially became an Ogden Raptor on Friday. Boyd signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers and will report to the Raptors, their advanced rookie minor-league club in the Pioneer League, on Monday.
The Brewers drafted the versatile 5-foot-11, 180-pounder in the 27th round of the draft Wednesday.
"I'm just glad it's over and I can start moving on," Boyd said. "I've worked my whole life for this, and I'm really looking forward to it."
Another former Pasco County standout, Mike Rabelo, said Friday he is close to signing with Detroit, which drafted him in the fourth round Tuesday. He said he expected to sign this weekend.
Boyd, 22, did not disclose his signing bonus, but he said he will make $850 a month.
After the short season concludes, Boyd said the Brewers will send him to an instructional league in Arizona. His performances in both -- he said he will play rightfield and centerfield -- will determine where he starts next season. "The scout told me if I go up there and do what I did in college, I should move up through the organization," Boyd said. "He mentioned Baseball America a lot and (how they've written) that the Brewers don't have a lot of position player prospects."
Boyd led Pasco to the 1997 state final, pitching it to victory in the semifinals and leading the team in hitting, batting .440 with 11 homers and 41 RBI.
A 22nd-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins coming out of high school, Boyd elected to honor his scholarship at South Florida, where he was one of the best players in Bulls history.
In four seasons, Boyd hit .330 and did not have a season under double figures in home runs. He hit 47 during his career and drove in 290 runs.
Rabelo is looking to become the first Ridgewood player to sign a professional contract since Dave Doorneweerd in 1991 and the fourth overall (joining Doorneweerd, Kevin McGuire and Joe Bertucci).
The former Ridgewood standout and 1998 North Suncoast Player of the Year said Detroit scout Steve Nichols made an offer Thursday night and he was expecting to hear back either late Friday or Saturday.
"We were pretty happy, but we're going to weigh both sides of the equation," Rabelo said.
The University of Tampa junior, considered the best catcher in Division II, could return to the Spartans for his senior season if no deal is struck.
But "that's probably not going to happen," he said.
Rabelo had tenuous negotiations almost all summer with Boston when it drafted him out of high school in 1998. But they did not come to terms, and he went to UT.
"That's why we have a cutoff this time -- June 19," said Rabelo, who hit .371 with 10 home runs and 57 RBI this season. "We definitely want to sign by then. This time, I know I'm going to sign. It's just a matter of the little details."
June 19 is the start of the short season at Oneonta. He said he hopes to complete a deal by this weekend so he can report to the Tigers' camp in Lakeland on Monday.
"I'm excited to get going," Rabelo said.