Scott Kingery has read all the mock drafts, looked at all the scouting reports and watched all the videos.
It’s all made him come to this conclusion regarding Monday’s Major League Baseball draft: “I have no idea what’s going on.”
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In the 40-round, three-day draft, very few have an idea of what’s going to go down before the draft.
So Kingery, a projected top-50 pick, shouldn’t feel too bad.
“I’m excited, but at this point, I’m ready to get it over with and figure out where I’m going,” Kingery said Friday. “There are about 100 mock drafts and they have me going to like 20 different teams. I’m just ready to start playing.”
Kingery, who was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year last month, has seen his draft stock soar this season as a junior.
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The right-handed hitting second baseman hit .392 this past season with 53 runs scored, 15 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 36 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. He entered the year projected to go in the first four rounds, but catapulted himself into a possible first-round pick.
In fact, there’s an outside chance Kingery could go before his middle infield partner, Kevin Newman.
ESPN’s Keith Law has Kingery ranked as the 25th-best player in the draft.
“Kingery led all major-conference hitters in batting average this spring and is an extremely tough hitter to strike out,” Law wrote on ESPN.com. “A walk-on as a freshman, Kingery played center field until this year; he’s a 70 runner who should at least make an above-average defender at second base in pro ball.”
Law projects Kingery to go No. 25 to the Baltimore Orioles. Baseball America has Kingery going in the compensatory round at No. 34 to the Detroit Tigers.
Kingery worked out for the Los Angeles Angels last week and like Newman, had major league personnel coming to watch him this season as he emerged.
“For the most part, it was pretty easy to zone everything out on the field,” Kingery said. “There would be a time during the season when you’re not swinging it hot and you know there are scouts watching. But I just stayed focused on the game.”
Arizona’s second baseman said it’s been a long few weeks since leaving Tucson without any baseball to play.
“I haven’t been around baseball for like two weeks now and I don’t know what to do with myself,” Kingery said.
“I’ll find something to do, and then like an hour later, I’ll say ‘OK, what am I doing now?’ It’s weird without school and baseball.”
That will likely change Monday, but could stretch into Tuesday if Kingery doesn’t go as early as expected.
Newman, who like Kingery, said he plans on staying strong when his name is called and refrain from crying, added his teammate will make a good pro.
“He’s got one of the greatest stories you’ll hear,” Newman said. “From walk-on to first-round pick. I’m so happy for him.”
There is a tiny chance the middle infield partners could end up in the same organization.
“I know there’s barely any chance, but that would be so great,” Newman said.
“It would be great to keep being able to be his teammate.”
