Liddle signs with Twins

by Barca Blog - Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune is reporting that 15th-round draft pick Steven Liddle has signed with the Minnesota Twins.

Liddle, a second team All-SEC performer, had a standout sophomore year batting .348 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs. He led the team in virtually every offensive category during conference play including batting average (.374), runs (33), hits (43), doubles (tied-11), homers (7), total bases (75), slugging percentage (.652) and on-base percentage (.474).

Liddle was also spectacular in the outfield during his career, registering five assists while committing only four errors in two seasons.

The Franklin High product, and nephew of Twins bench coach Steve Liddle, was draft eligible because he redshirted his first year at VU. He will report to Elizabethton (Tenn.) of the Appalachian Rookie League Wednesday.

More Signing News: Earlier in the week, junior ace Mike Minor agreed to terms with the Atlanta Braves. He received a $2.42 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a seventh overall selection.

“We were excited about being drafted in the first round, and then to be picked by the Braves was like a dream," Minor told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "Now to get a bonus like this — it’s a little overwhelming.”

David Boclair of The City Paper also reported that pitcher Drew Hayes will be coming back for his senior season. Hayes is having a solid summer as a reliever for Yarmouth-Dennis, the Eastern Division regular season champions in the Cape Cod League. In 10 appearances, he's 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA in 21.2 innings. Y-D is currently down 1-0 to Cotuit in a best-of-3 playoff series.

Still to be Determined: Pitcher Caleb Cotham, a fifth-round selection of the New York Yankees, as well as the 'Dores incoming recruiting class have until Monday, August 17, to decide whether to enroll at Vanderbilt or go pro.

Minor's first quotes

by Barca Blog - Here are a couple of Mike Minor's first statements (courtesy of the Associated Press) about being selected by the Atlanta Braves earlier tonight.

On being drafted by the Braves
"Being so close to home, all my friends and family can come see me play when I do make it. Everyone is going wild. It's awesome to be with the Braves."

On contract negotiations
"I see it happening pretty quick, probably in the next week or two or whatever. I'm definitely not planning to hold out. If they have a fair offer, it should be pretty soon."

Scouting director comments on Minor

by Barca Blog - Atlanta director of scouting Roy Clark has released a statement on the Braves' decision to select Vanderbilt junior pitcher Mike Minor with their first round pick.

"This guy is a winner," Clark said. "We've been tracking him for a long time. We were hoping for the opportunity to select him and now I'm just hoping for the opportunity to sign him."

Read more here on AtlantaBraves.com.

Fans can continue to follow the first day of the draft on MLB.com.

Braves take Minor with 7th overall pick

By Travis Young -- Vanderbilt junior left-hander Mike Minor was drafted by the Atlanta Braves as the No. 7 overall selection in the first round of 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Minor became the sixth first round pick the Commodores have had in the last six years and the 12th in the history of the program. Vanderbilt has now had five players taken in the first round dating back to the 2007 season, including four top-10 overall selections. Minor joins David Price, Casey Weathers, Pedro Alvarez and Jeremy Sowers as the five players that have been selected in the top 10 under head coach Tim Corbin.

It also marks the third consecutive season that Vanderbilt had the first player from the Southeastern Conference drafted.

The baseball draft is upon us

by SID - With the new format of the baseball draft, we are likely to find out the draft status of a couple of Commodores this evening when things begin at 5 p.m. CT.

All of the experts agree that junior left-hander Mike Minor is a first round pick, but where he gets drafted is up in the air. Unlike David Price and Pedro Alvarez the last two years, two definite top five picks, Minor has been projected to go as high as No. 3 by some and as low as in the 20's by others. In any case he will be the sixth first round pick the Commodores have had in the last six years and the 12th in the history of the program.

Righthander Caleb Cotham, a redshirt sophomore in his third year at Vanderbilt, could also be picked today or early tomorrow. Several other Commodores are draft eligible and could be picked during the three day draft. We will have a full recap when things are complete on Thursday.

Today will consist of the first 111 picks, including Round One, Compensation Round A, Round Two, Round Three and Compensation Round B. There will be four minutes between first-round picks and one minute between all other selections. On Wednesday, the Draft will resume in the fourth round at 11 a.m. and will be tentatively scheduled to go through the 30th round. The Draft will conclude on Thursday with the 31st through 50th rounds, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

MLB Network will televise the entire first round live for the first time at its new studios in New Jersey, after two years of ESPN broadcasting the event at Disney World in Florida.

The 32 first-round selections will also be simulcast live on MLB.com. Beginning with the 33rd pick, up-to-the-minute on-air coverage from the remaining rounds will shift exclusively to MLB.com/Live, where host Vinny Micucci will be joined by MLB.com Draft expert Jonathan Mayo and Major League Scouting Bureau director Frank Marcos.

Here is MLB.com's scouting report on Minor.

Video: Mike Minor highlights

by Barca Blog - Get ready for this week's MLB Draft by watching highlights of Mike Minor during his Vanderbilt career.

Minor on list of likely impact players

by Barca Blog - Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com lists Vanderbilt junior ace Mike Minor as one of five players who could have the first Major League impact among those drafted on Tuesday, June 9. Read More

Video: Mike Minor interview

by Barca Blog - Earlier this week, Eric Jones caught up with junior ace Mike Minor, Vanderbilt's game 1 starter against Middle Tennessee in the 2009 NCAA Louisville Regional. Watch the video below:

Minor feature on Golden Spikes site

by Barca Blog - Click Here to read Aaron Fitt's Golden Spikes Spotlight on junior southpaw Mike Minor.