The draft, Part I

Justin Smoak, gone. Reese Havens, gone. Jordan Lyles, gone. James Darnell … you get the point.

They’re gone from the draft board of major league teams, and probably all gone from the board in the USC baseball office than plans out next year’s team. Now we await word on Justin Dalles and others.

As I write this Thursday evening, the Gamecocks are getting hit hard by the major league draft, which was expected. Smoak and Havens were both first-rounders, and there’s no indication they’re going to drive a hard bargain with Texas and the New York Mets, respectively, so they will likely not return for their senior years. Havens said on a Mets’ teleconference that he expected a “quick process” towards signing, and was ready to start playing.

Darnell told me that he didn’t “see too many issues or things like that” with San Diego, which picked him in the second round. He repeated several times he was “excited” to be a Padre.

It may be quicker with Lyles, a Hartsville High School pitcher, who was taken 36th overall by Houston. The indication was he was going to sign very quickly.

But all that may not be the most interesting thing that happened in the first round, as far as the Gamecocks are concerned.

Former player Lonnie Chisenhall was picked by Cleveland with the 29th pick. It’s quite a comeback for a player who was dismissed from the team in 2007, after starting 19 games as a freshman. You’ll recall that Chisenhall and fellow freshman Nick Fuller were charged with burglary and grand larceny, and eventually both received probation.

Chisenhall, an infielder, ended up at Pitt Community College, where he resurrected his career. The Indians went over Chisenhall with a fine-tooth comb, having him speak with the team psychologist.

“We truly believe it was a one time mistake, he was in the wrong spot at the wrong time,” Cleveland director of scouting Brad Grant told mlb.com. “We believe he’s learned from it and moved on. At 19 [years old], he has two years of college experience, and with that incident, a lot of maturity.”

Here’s the link to the story, which deals directly with Chisenhall’s past:

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080605&content_id=2845260&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle

Meanwhile, we’ll continue to update you in this spot on what’s going on with the draft, and possible signings.