Chesapeake-Anne Arundel baseball coach Jim Simms said his former player, Zach Moore, has the ability to play almost any position on the field.
Moore, who played catcher his whole career, will get the chance to prove it very soon.
The Pasadena native is projected as an outfielder by the Florida Marlins, who selected Moore on Friday in the 24th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
The 6-foot-4 190-pound left-hander was the area?s top junior college prospect after he batted .448 with five home runs, 23 stolen bases and 28 RBIs for CCBC-Dundalk as a redshirt freshman this past spring. He signed with the Marlins on Tuesday, agreeing to a deal which gave him a $15,000 signing bonus and three years of tuition at the college of his choice.
“You couldn?t have asked for a better deal in the 24th round,” Moore said. “This is what I?ve worked toward ever since I was a kid.”
The Orioles and Cubs also expressed interest in Moore, but he said the Marlins have been the most persistent in pursuing and scouting him during the past year. Moore said he spent most of Friday at home with family and friends following the draft on his computer to find out which team called his name.
“The Orioles called me Friday and told me they were thinking about drafting me,” Moore said. “Then, right after I hung up the phone with them, the Marlins called and said they were drafting me.”
Moore will head to Jupiter, Fla., today to prepare for his career which will likely begin with him playing for the for Jupiter Hammerheads, the Marlins? Single-A affiliate.
Moore said the biggest adjustments he has to make as a professional are hitting with a wooden bat and playing outfield after a career at catcher. Moore knew he would likely have to switch positions after the Marlins drafted catcher Kyle Skipworth, with the sixth overall pick.
“If I get the right coaching, which I?m sure I will, I feel confident I can get used to playing the outfield while also trying to remain sharp at catcher when they need me to be there,” said Moore, who has never played in the outfield.
Simms said Moore has all the tools necessary to make the transition from junior college to professional baseball.
“Zach has a cannon of an arm who can hit for average and power,” Simms said. “He is also an intense competitor and is surprisingly fast and has extremely quick feet for someone who has played mostly catcher in his career. He won?t have any problems playing in the outfield.”
