Shorter MLB Draft puts squeeze play on LI talent

Johnny Castagnozzi remains cautiously optimistic.

The Massapequa High School shortstop and his family hosted 11 home visits for professional scouts representing 11 big-league baseball teams during the past few months.

They were preparing for Castagnozzi’s impending selection in MLB’s amateur draft June 10. The blue-chip prospect, who has committed to the University of North Carolina, is Long Island’s highest-regarded high school player.

But the odds that Castagnozzi will be drafted took a big hit Friday when MLB reduced the amateur draft from 40 rounds to five rounds.

Only 160 players will be drafted this year, by far the fewest since the annual selection started in 1965. In a 40-round draft, 1,280 would have been picked. That will have an adverse effect on some Long Island players, especially high school players.

“Of course I’m disappointed because I would have liked to see what might have happened,” Castagnozzi said. “It’s definitely a big change for the high school prospects, especially guys like me, who didn’t have a spring season. I needed a big spring and that was taken away from me. They’ll draft mostly proven college guys with only five rounds. And that’ll push a lot of high school kids right to college. There’s still a slight chance for me. I’m not giving up on it. It’s always been the dream.”

Castagnozzi said for now, he’s focusing on North Carolina.

According to Stony Brook University coach Matt Senk, the smaller draft likely will leave college seniors with difficult decisions if they are offered a free-agent contract after the draft, which would come with a top offer of only $20,000. Do they take the offer, or go back to school for the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic, or graduate and just move on in life?

A prime example is Stony Brook’s Chris Hamilton, a 6-1, 220-pounder who was hitting .298 when the season was canceled in March. In his junior year, he had a career-high eight home runs and 42 RBIs.

“Chris would be a senior sign, but he’s coming back to Stony Brook if the draft doesn’t work out,” Senk said. “He is open to signing as a free agent. But the other determining factor and maybe the biggest of them all, as far as signing as a free agent, is if there is even going to be any minor league summer ball. Who knows? He’s earned his degree and he’ll work on his master’s and have another year with us to work for the draft next year. The pandemic has turned everything upside down.”

Hofstra senior first baseman Rob Weissheier, a 6-4, 235-pounder, was hitting .361 with five extra-base hits when the season was halted.

“He’s coming back for a fifth year and we’re excited about that,” coach John Russo said. “He’s our captain and an excellent leader. He was off to a very good start and putting it all together.

“It’s really too bad that more than 1,000 players will not get drafted this year and have the opportunity to play professional baseball. They were eliminated when they decided to shorten the draft. Players work their entire lives for that chance, and it won’t be there. It basically ended the hopes of more than 1,000 kids to live the dream.”

The other draft notables on Long Island include Stony Brook senior righthander Brandon Bonnano, who was clocked consistently at 92-93 mph this spring and has a nasty slider.

“Brandon was putting up some numbers with a filthy slider and live fastball,” Senk said. “His stuff is all there and I believe he would have earned a shot. But he’s really committed to becoming a physician assistant and ready to put all his efforts into his degree.”

Other high school players highly regarded as potential late draft picks: Whitman catcher/pitcher Andrew Ledbetter and Sachem East first baseman/catcher Don Willie.

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.