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Our Best Guess: Major Leaguer
Our
Top Pick:
1. Nate Cornejo
RHP, 22-years old
Organization: Detroit Tigers
"Not much can be said about Nate Cornejo, except he's awesome," says Toledo Mud Hens Director of Media Relations Jason Griffin, about Detroit's 1998 second round pick.
Indeed,
Cornejo, a right-handed-pitcher who possesses a low-90's fastball, a good
slider and an adequate change, made it all the way to the majors last
season by mowing down nearly every minor league hitter that he faced.
Although
he ended up at Detroit, his year started with the AA Erie Sea Wolves.
He won his first five starts, posting a stingy 0.55 ERA in the month of
April. He was called up to AAA Toledo Mud Hens on July 16th after compiling
an impressive 12-3 record with a respectable 2.68 ERA, pulled off on the
back of 105 strikeouts in 124.1 innings pitched at Erie.
Cornejo breezed through Toledo, winning four games in four starts, to go 4-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 29.2 innings pitched with the Mud Hens. He finally got his shot at the big leagues on August 6th.
After
a few jittery starts, he posted a .500 record going 4-4 for the Tigers. Not enough to guarantee him a place at
the Tiger's table this season, but enough to get him an invitation to
spring training.
Cornejo compiled an impressive 16-3 record in the minors, while allowing
opposing batters to hit a measly .207 against him. He also had quality
starts; going six or more innings in 18 starts, and striking out six or
more batters in 13 starts. He
was unbeatable in the month of July, winning 8 consecutive starts from
June 23rd to August 3rd, before being called up to Detroit.
Nate thoroughly dominated the minors last year, and he stands a good chance of a more permanent berth in Detroit. For that reason, he gets the nod as the top pick in the MLN Fabulous 50 for 2002.
If
Cornejo wants the number five spot on the Tiger's rotation for the 2002
season, he's going to have to work for it.
If he shines at spring training, Mudhens fans may have seen the
last of Nate Cornejo.
-Jonathan Roybal
