Rick Porcello
From Detroit Tigers
Fredrick Alfred "Rick" Porcello III (December 27, 1988) is a pitcher<ref>Draft Report for Rick Porcello</ref> in the Detroit Tigers organization. He is regarded by many to be the best pitching prospect in baseball. He was drafted #27 overall in the first round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.<ref>MLB.com 2007 Draft Tracker.</ref> He graduated from Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange, New Jersey in 2007. Porcello signed a letter of intent to attend University of North Carolina but Porcello decided to skip college and go straight to the Tigers organization. The Tigers signed Porcello to a $7.29 million 4 year deal with 2 one year options. The total contract is worth $11.1 million. Porcello became the highest paid high schooler ever with that deal.<ref>Beck, Jason. "Tigers sign Porcello, two other picks", MLB.com, August 15, 2007. Accessed August 21, 2007.</ref> He received a $3.5 million signing bonus, the second largest given out by the Tigers only surpassed by the $3.55 million they gave to 2006 first round pick Andrew Miller.Porcello has been described as an "ace" who could be a "bona fide No. 1 starter".<ref>Reeves, Jim. "Postcards From the Ledge: Rangers may regret passing on next Verlander -- twice", Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 10, 2007. Accessed June 25, 2007. "How often does a major league baseball team have an opportunity to pick up a potential "ace?" I mean, a top of the rotation, bona fide No. 1 starter?... Don't get me wrong, I really like this Rangers draft. But it could have been, should have been, so much better. Rick Porcello, the top-rated high school pitcher in America in several publications, a right-hander tabbed as a "can't miss" prospect when he was only 15, was still sitting there when the Rangers selected Beavan at No. 17."</ref>
As part of his 8-0 record at Seton Hall Prep as a senior, Porcello threw a perfect game on May 12, 2007, versus Newark Academy.
His maternal grandfather was Sam Dente, who played for the Cleveland Indians in the 1954 World Series.<ref>1954 World Series - NYG vs. CLE - Baseball-Reference.com</ref>
Porcello had been projected by Sports Illustrated to be among the first few picks in the 2007 draft. His choice of agent Scott Boras to represent him may have scared away other teams and knocked him down to the 27th spot.<ref>Remsberg, Matt. "Top 20 high school prospects: Porcello No. 1 heading into Thursday's MLB draft, Sports Illustrated, June 6, 2007. Accessed June 25, 2007. "He is the top pitcher in a very deep class of hurlers and appears on target to be selected among the first five picks, possibly as high as No. 2. If Porcello falls out of the top five, he can blame his agent, Scott Boras, for scaring teams away."</ref>
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[edit] Minor League Career
Porcello began his 2008 season in class A ball playing for the Lakeland Flying Tigers and earned his first victory against the Tampa Yankees on April 3, 2008. On July 19, 2008, Porcello took part in a 7-inning combined no-hitter against the St. Lucie Mets.<ref>"Porcello No-Hitter"[1]</ref> As of August 30, 2008 Porcello is 8-6 with a 2.66 ERA in 125 innings pitched.
[edit] Awards and recognition
In 2006, Rick was selected to the AFLAC High School All American Classic Baseball game in San Diego, California.<ref>Rick Porcello, 2006 AFLAC All-American High School Baseball Classic. Accessed June 25, 2007.</ref> Other winners of the award include Alex Rodriguez (the 1992-93 awardee) and the inaugural winner, Gary Sheffield (1985-86).<ref name=DailyRecord>Hofmann, Joe. "Chester's Porcello is best in U.S.", Daily Record (Morristown), June 1, 2007. Accessed June 25, 2007. "Porcello has a 2.94 GPA and is a member of both the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.... Other notable players who have won Gatorade's national player of the year include Alex Rodriguez (1992-93) and Gary Sheffield (the first winner, 1985-86)."</ref>
Porcello was the lone individual selected as the 2006-07 Gatorade national baseball player of the year.<ref>"Seton Hall Prep's Porcello wins Gatorade honor", USA Today, May 31, 2007. Accessed June 7, 2007. "Rick Porcello of Seton Hall Prep was named the 2006-07 Gatorade national baseball player of the year on Thursday."</ref>
[edit] Personal
Porcello, a resident of Chester, New Jersey, was inducted into both the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society at Seton Hall Prep.
