Today Stratton Tomorrow Zunino

By Josh (9 Inning Know It All):

Baseball fans in the Salem area will have a rare opportunity to get to see two top prospects as they either make their professional debut or play in one of their first professional games.

Tonight making his professional debut with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes is Chris Stratton.  Stratton was taken by the San Francisco Giants in the first round, 20th pick overall, in the 2012 draft.  Stratton attended Mississippi State where he went 11-2 and had a 2.38 ERA this season.  In his 17 appearances Stratton started 12 games and had an amazing strikeout to walk ratio (127 k’s to 25 bb’s).  The Giant’s organization has been excited to get to see what Stratton can do on the field and for good reason.  The Giants have seemed to do pretty well with college pitchers drafted in the first round.  Tim “the franchise” Lincecum was the last college pitcher the Giants selected in the first round and after 2 Cy Youngs and a World Series ring later, that pick has seemed to turn out pretty well.

Tomorrow night is just as exciting for fans as the Mariners top pick, 3rd overall, Mike Zunino comes to Salem.  Zunino made his professional debut on Saturday and Mariner fans all across the Salem area are counting down the minutes until they can see just how good this young catcher can be.  Although the Mariners have seemed to have some struggles in selecting catchers, but Zunino’s resume as a college player gives Mariner’s fans a reason to think this pick could be different. Zunino won the Golden Spikes award this year, which is the award given to the top amateur player in America, and when you look at the list of winners over the past 10 years you understand just why fans are excited.

Both of these players may be destined to have great careers, but the beauty of the future is that it starts right here in the Northwest league.  A small little short season Single A league is playing host once again to the future of Major League Baseball.