Mets sign 10th round pick Phillips Orta

[Jose7]

Western Nebraska pitcher Orta inks seven-year-deal with Mets

Saturday, May 19, 2007 11:55 PM CDT

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. - A Western Nebraska pitcher signed a seven-year deal with the New York Mets on Saturday, nearly a year after he was drafted in the 10th round.

A Mets scout for the midwest said Phillips Orta could end up as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter in the major leagues in a few years.

"The more time he gets on the mound, the better he's going to get," said Larry Chase, who scouts for the Mets in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. "I think you'll see him as one of our bright spots in the New York Mets organization in the next few years."

That would be fine with Orta, who says his favorite player is the Mets' Pedro Martinez.

"This has been a dream all my life and today is a big day for me," Orta said.

Orta was the ace for Western Nebraska this season, leading the Cougars to the first regional championship in school history. Western Nebraska finished a few wins shy of the Junior College World Series.

Orta will return to his native Venezuela for a work visa, then report to Port St. Lucie, Fla., for extended spring training.

Chase said Orta will likely end up playing short-season rookie ball in Kingsport, Tenn., or with the Mets' single-A team in Brooklyn.

http://www.beatricedailysun.com/article ... 7scug0.txt

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Orta, the 6-foot-2 flame-throwing righthander from Venezuela, was taken by the Mets with the 304th overall pick. The selection was the highest ever for any WNCC player.
"Playing major league baseball has always been a dream of mine," said Orta during a phone interview from Miami on Tuesday afternoon. "It's always been my dream to be a big-league baseball player and I'm very excited. After working out with the Mets, I knew how interested they were in me. I'm just very grateful to be drafted."
Orta is currently playing in a competitive summer baseball league in Miami.
With another year of eligibility remaining at WNCC, Orta has yet to make any decisions in regards to his future with the program. He hopes to meet with the Mets in the coming weeks before making any final decisions.
"I'll have a big decision to make," Orta said. "I'll think about my options and do what's best for me and my family."

What made Orta so difficult for opposing hitters throughout the season was his velocity. His fastball consistently averaged between 88 and 94 miles per hour, and was one of a number of things the scouts fell in love with.
"His ability to throw the ball 92-94 is his biggest strength," Jones said. "Being able to do that, at his age, really bodes well for him. As he gets older, gets more mature and gets stronger, they predict he'll throw even harder."
As happy as Jones is for Orta and his future, he wouldn't mind seeing the Cougar talent return for his sophomore season.
"We've been on the phone a lot lately over the last two weeks," Jones said. "It all depends on the offer that the Mets put together for him. If it's a good opportunity for him, he'll definitely move on and head into professional baseball right away. If he doesn't feel like it's quite the offer that he wants, he'll be back here at WNCC."
By drafting Orta, the Mets have the sole rights to him for a full year. No other team can sign him to a contract or offer him any money until next year's June draft.
"He could go into rookie ball and Class A ball right now and be successful," Jones said. "He's got a lot of talent and he has a chance to be a great player."
The Mets' Class A affiliate is in Brooklyn.

http://www.starherald.com/site/news.cfm ... 3363&rfi=6

[DocZaius]

first name is Phillips?

LOL

[YungNeef]

I hope they attempt to sign Barfield too.