Trying times in Washington

The Frontier League will hold a two-day open tryout today and Tuesday at Consol Energy Park. After the tryout, a draft will be held with each of the FL's 14 teams required to select at least two players.

While the tryout and draft provides any player who shows up in Washington -- provided they are less than 28 years old -- the opportunity to take a shot at living their dream and play for a professional baseball team, the odds are stacked against these guys.

There was a time when Frontier League teams stocked much of their roster with players from the tryout. In 1994, before the league's second season, there were only 100 players who showed up for the open tryout at Chillicothe's V.A. Memorial Stadium. More than half of those players were drafted.

Today, FL teams build much of their roster long before the tryout. Those rosters are heavily stocked with players released from major league organizations. Even with the Frontier League's Rookie rules, it has become increasingly difficult for players with only college experience to make it through a tryout camp and onto a FL roster, then stick around for more than a few games or weeks.

The Wild Things have been one of best teams over the last 10 years at finding diamonds in the rough at these tryouts, and even their success rate is less than stellar. There were, however, a few impact players for Washington who took a chance and attended the league tryout with only a glove, a bat and plenty of hope.

Here are the 8 best draft picks made by the Wild Things and the year they were selected:

1. Jack Headley (2004) - The Wild Things selected Headley, who had played at Santa Clara University and spent one year in the Philadelphia Phillies' system, with the 11th pick. The outfielder batted .325 and stole 18 bases, despite missing part of the season with an injury. He made the league's end-of-season all-star team.

2. Stephen Spragg (2005) - Spragg was a steal in the 2nd round out of NCAA Division II Augusta State. The sidearming right-handed relief pitcher played two seasons in Washington, winning 13 games and saving 16 others.

3. Kyle Werman (2006) - One of the Wild Things' first-round picks that year, Werman was a sure-handed second baseman who started for  1 1/.2 seasons.

4. Justin Mattison (2006) - The left-handed relief pitcher was drafted by the Wild Things in2006, but  he didn't play in Washington until 2007. Mattison signed with San Diego after the Frontier League draft, was released at seasons' end and then joined the Wild Things. He played one season, going 6-1, 2.37 with two saves as a reliever.

5. Rene Quintana (2007) - A valuable backup infielder, Quintana was selected in the first round out of Union (Ky.), an NAIA school. Quintana batted .286 in 87 games over two seasons.

6. T.J. Graves (2005) - The corner infielder was at the league tryout for only one day but was still drafted by the Wild Things in the first round. Graves spent the entire season on the roster and batted .309 with 11 stolen bases.

7. Dan Horvath (2008) - Lefty reliever out of Bowling Green was drafted in the first round (4th overall). He pitched in 38 games over one season had a 4-1 record.

8. Mike Grady (2005) - Another lefty reliever. Was Washington's third-round draft pick but made the team and had a 3-2 record over 26 appearances.

Frontier League tryout returns to Washington

The Frontier League's annual open tryout and player draft will be returning to Washington's Consol Energy Park April 30-May 1.

This will be the first time the tryout has been held in Washington since 2009.

All 14 Frontier League teams will be represented at the tryout, and Major League Baseball scouts have been in attendance each of the past seven years. Advance registration is available on the Frontier League's website under the ”tryouts” link. Walkup registration will begin at 8 a.m. April 30 with the workouts beginning at 9 a.m.

Following the second day of workouts, the league draft will be held. Each team is required to draft a minimum of two players. With the league expanding this year to 14 teams, at least 28 players will be selected. With the league at either 10 and 12 teams, an average of 35 players have been drafted and signed to spring training contracts over the past seven years. Several draftees have gone on to be signed by major league organizations, including pitcher Chris Jakubauskas who has pitched in 69 games in the majors.

And, keep in mind, no metal cleats will be allowed.

Frontier League draft

Results of the Frontier League draft held Tuesday afternoon at Consol Energy Park. Washington took two players, one outfielder and the player who was the Wild Things' bullpen catcher last year:

Team, player, position, last school/organization
Round 1
1. Midwest – Chris Rollins, RHP, Chicago Cubs
2. Washington (from Lake Erie) – Chris Demons, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
3. Evansville – Nathan Fike, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies
4. Evansville (from Florence) – Bobby Brown, OF, Maine
5. Rockford (from River City) – Chad Dawson, RHP, Chicago White Sox
6. Rockford – Kurt Hayer, RHP, Boston College
7. Washington – Jon Leber, C, California University
8. Traverse City – David Hurst, LHP, L.A. Angels
9. River City (from Gateway) – Matt Restivo, LHP, Washington
10. Southern Illinois – Brad Meier, C, Rockford
11. Kalamazoo – Jon Sprowls, RHP, Cleveland State
12. Windy City – Justin Costi, RHP, Kansas City (Northern)
Round 2
1. Midwest – Ralph Rosas, 1B, Lincoln Memorial
2. Lake Erie – Reid Lamport, RHP, Kent State
3. Evansville – Jon Montague, C, Eastern U.
4. Florence – Henry Sanchez, SS, Lambuth, U.
5. River City, Mike Hart, RHP, Carson-Newman
6. Lake Erie – Rob Vernon, OF, Chillicothe
7. Traverse City – Kyle Stahlberg, RHP, Dayton
8. Gateway – Shawn Ellis, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
9. Southern Illinois – Kellen Kimiecik, OF, Southern Wesleyan
10. Kalamazoo – Mike Jacobson, LHP, Wisconsin-Whitewater
11. Windy City – Zach Aakhus, C, Northwest Nazarene
Round 3
1. Lake Erie – B.J. Richmond, RHP, L.A. Dodgers
2. Florence – Luis Santiago, C, Queensboro CC
3. River City – Joe Welsh, LHP, Washington Nationals (Welsh traded to Gateway)
4. Traverse City – Eric Theisen, RHP, Illinois State
5. Gateway – Jareck West, OF, Oakland A’s
6. Kalamazoo – Ross Fetterly, RHP, Old Dominion
7. Windy City – Sean Conley, OF, Pitt
Round 4
1. Gateway – Scott Kelly, RHP, N.Y. Yankees
2. Windy City, Joseph McIntyre, P, North Carolina A&T
Round 5
1. Gateway – George Roha, LHP, Univ. of Findlay

Welcome to Pennsyl-rainia

The first day of the Frontier League's open tryout at Consol Energy Park and Washington & Jefferson's Ross Memorial Park was rained out Monday. The tryout will be condensed into one day with the draft to follow. Players are scheduled to be on the field Tuesday at 8 a.m. for 60-yard dashes.

Washington has two picks in the first round. The Wild Things hold the No. 2 overall selection, which was acquired in a trade last year with the Chillicothe Paints (Washington traded the 10th picks in the first and second rounds last year for Chillicothe's first-round pick in 2009). The Wild Things also own their own first-round pick, which is No. 7.

There were 220 players who showed up at CEP Monday morning. Another 15 had preregistered but were no-shows. There are some interesting names on the player list, including two former Wild Things, pitcher Alan Stidfole and outfielder Rob Vernon, at least one player with Triple-A experience and another who made it to Double-A. There are 93 pitchers and 56 outfielders in the tryout.