Drafted in the 14th round (429th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2002.
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Like his outfield mate Davidson at Washington, Jay Garthwaite has impressive bat speed and can put a charge in the ball. He ranked among Pac-10 leaders in both homers and RBIs even after his bat cooled off at midseason. Garthwaite was a 12th-round pick three years ago and should go a little higher this year, though he'll still be the fourth U-Dub player picked. It's not clear he can make the necessary adjustments to hit professional pitching. He pulls his head out on pitches, causing him to swing and miss a lot. A center fielder in college, he projects as a left fielder in pro ball
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Garthwaite played football in high school and still has the physique to prove it. The Athletics drafted him in the 12th round after his prep career, but Garthwaite instead attended Washington, where he set a freshman record with 12 home runs. His uncle Larry Angel played in the minors and reached Triple-A. Garthwaite has a nice assortment of raw tools, including power to all fields. But he's overaggressive at the plate and gives away too many at-bats with long swings when he fails to recognize breaking balls. A center fielder in college, Garthwaite plays an above-average right field with good speed for his size. His arm is average. He still can play center in a pinch, as he did when Marland Williams missed time at Lancaster with a hand injury last year. Garthwaite is a consummate pro and solid character guy. He'll try to refine his raw tools next year at Double-A, and could show 30-homer power at the major league level.
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