Will opportunity knock?

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, June 6, 2007

The wait is nearly over.

At long last, Steven Souza and other hopeful local prep baseball players will exchange projections and hearsay for answers.

The 2007 Major League Baseball draft begins today. The two-day event could produce life-changing opportunities for talented athletes like Souza, a shortstop from Cascade High School.

On Tuesday, the Cascade senior reflected on his excitement leading up to what he hopes is a fulfilling experience.

“I’m just really looking forward to the draft – really finding out where my future is headed,” said Souza.

The 6-foot-3 infielder has received interest from several pro teams and recently flew across the country for pre-draft workouts with the Washington Nationals, the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Souza said his hitting and fielding workouts apparently helped him impress the right people. Souza said his adviser told him he might realistically get drafted as early as the second round. The Nationals could take Souza with the sixth selection of the round, No. 70 overall, Souza said. He doesn’t expect to get drafted later than the early-third round, possibly 96th overall by the Royals or by the Pirates with the 98th selection.

Still, nothing is certain.

“That’s not 100 percent,” said Souza. “Guys fall (further) than they’re supposed to go.”

Souza, a Washington State University recruit, said he would give up his college scholarship if he receives a favorable pro contract offer.

Souza is ranked No. 15 in Baseball Northwest’s Class of 2007 Top 50 Players list. The rankings include athletes from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Baseball America magazine did not list Souza among the top 200 national prospects in its draft preview issue.

The only prep Washington player to crack Baseball America’s national top 100 was Travis Mattair, a 6-5 shortstop/third baseman from Southridge High of Kennewick.

Another local standout keeping a close watch on today’s draft is Geoff Brown of Jackson.

The left-handed pitcher helped lead Jackson to a state championship in 2006. After completing a solid senior season, Brown, a University of Washington recruit, hopes to complete his childhood dream.

“Ever since I was little I’ve always said that I wanted to be a professional baseball player,” Brown said Tuesday. “It’s been a huge dream of mine, and hopefully I can fulfill it.”

Ranked No. 12 in the region and No. 9 in the state among seniors by Baseball Northwest, Brown is known for having excellent command of his pitches and for throwing fastballs that consistently hit the low-90-mph range.

Brown said he’s heard he could get picked by the 10th round. Interested teams include the Royals and the Dodgers, whom he worked out for Monday in California.

The pre-draft buildup is a non-stop mixture of fun and stress, Brown said.

“A lot of it’s just kind of nerve-racking, but it’s also exciting because it’s your life coming at you right now.”

As if his upcoming graduation and senior prom, which Brown plans to attend Saturday, weren’t enough to keep Brown busy, he’s juggled a variety of pre-draft activities.

Brown said some scouts aren’t sure how Brown’s 5-foot-11, 190-pound body will hold up at the pro level. It’s similar to criticism that former Washington star Tim Lincecum dealt with a year ago.

Lincecum, a 5-11, 160-pound right-hander, is now a rookie starter for the Giants. In his first six starts with San Francisco, Lincecum was 2-0 with 39 strikeouts and a 4.05 earned-run average in 40 innings pitched.

Brown would love to eventually prove critics wrong the same way Lincecum has.

“I’m not very tall,” Brown said. “But obviously, I’ve shown that I can go out there and get by with what I have.”