Bio and stats for Mullins at MiLB, Baseball Cube, Baseball Reference
Tennessean
Thursday, 06/02/05
Draft key to Mullins' plans
Vandy star won't return if picked in rounds 1-3
By BRYAN MULLEN
Staff Writer
It's very simple to Ryan Mullins.
If his name isn't called during the first three rounds of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft next week, he's coming back to Vanderbilt for his senior season.
But according to mock drafts, national publications, and even Mullins' own words, it looks like Mullins has thrown his final pitch for the Commodores.
"I won't go in the first round like it was predicted at the beginning of season, but I'll probably still go in the first three rounds," Mullins said.
Mullins added that his time with the Commodores has been a positive experience.
"I would think of my time at Vanderbilt as having had a good career, and the team had a good stretch while I was there," he said. "I wish I could go back for a fourth year because it didn't end the way I wanted it to. This is just what works best for me and it's time to go to the next level."
The 6-foot-6, 190-pound lefty would not say if he has hired an agent or not, but Mullins did say he has someone "who is speaking on my behalf" with professional baseball organizations.
If that person is an unpaid advisor, and if Mullins isn't drafted as high as he is projected, Mullins would be allowed to return to Vanderbilt for his senior year.
High school and college players are allowed to have unpaid advisors to help with the draft. The players do not lose their amateur status if they decide to stay in amateur baseball.
Mullins, a former Father Ryan standout, went 6-1 with a 3.62 ERA this season. He struck out 61 batters in 72 innings.
But he made his best impressions on scouts during his sophomore year, going 9-3 with a team-leading 2.58 ERA.
Mullins had better statistics that year than teammate Jeremy Sowers, who was picked No. 6 overall by the Cleveland Indians. Sowers later agreed to a contract with Cleveland and received a $2.475 million signing bonus.
"I didn't have that good of a year, especially after what I showed during my sophomore year," Mullins said. "But I was 6-1 and that's still pretty good. As a pitcher I had a decent year."
Mullins added that pro scouts "look at my past, my first two years, and the way I played during the summers" as a boost to his draft status.
An off-the-field incident during the season doesn't appear to be hurting Mullins' draft status. He was charged with driving under the influence in March, but the charge was later downgraded to reckless driving.
Mullins was suspended from the Vanderbilt program for three weeks and apologized to his coaches and teammates.
A scouting director for an American League team recently told Baseball America that the incident was isolated and that it was a lapse in judgment.
"That's not going to be an issue," Mullins said. "That happens to people all the time. That doesn't really have anything to do with my performance playing baseball."
Baseball America has Mullins rated as the 73rd best prospect in the nation.
Considering Mullins either jumps a few spots or drops a few spots, he would still be drafted late in the second round or in the middle to the late portion of the third round.
Mullins said he doesn't plan on getting overly excited when the draft starts Tuesday.
He said he will have reserved optimism and isn't hoping for too much pomp and circumstance.
"All they're going to do is call me and ask if I will sign or not," he said. "It's really an exciting time, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal."
Tennessean
Thursday, 06/02/05
Draft key to Mullins' plans
Vandy star won't return if picked in rounds 1-3
By BRYAN MULLEN
Staff Writer
It's very simple to Ryan Mullins.
If his name isn't called during the first three rounds of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft next week, he's coming back to Vanderbilt for his senior season.
But according to mock drafts, national publications, and even Mullins' own words, it looks like Mullins has thrown his final pitch for the Commodores.
"I won't go in the first round like it was predicted at the beginning of season, but I'll probably still go in the first three rounds," Mullins said.
Mullins added that his time with the Commodores has been a positive experience.
"I would think of my time at Vanderbilt as having had a good career, and the team had a good stretch while I was there," he said. "I wish I could go back for a fourth year because it didn't end the way I wanted it to. This is just what works best for me and it's time to go to the next level."
The 6-foot-6, 190-pound lefty would not say if he has hired an agent or not, but Mullins did say he has someone "who is speaking on my behalf" with professional baseball organizations.
If that person is an unpaid advisor, and if Mullins isn't drafted as high as he is projected, Mullins would be allowed to return to Vanderbilt for his senior year.
High school and college players are allowed to have unpaid advisors to help with the draft. The players do not lose their amateur status if they decide to stay in amateur baseball.
Mullins, a former Father Ryan standout, went 6-1 with a 3.62 ERA this season. He struck out 61 batters in 72 innings.
But he made his best impressions on scouts during his sophomore year, going 9-3 with a team-leading 2.58 ERA.
Mullins had better statistics that year than teammate Jeremy Sowers, who was picked No. 6 overall by the Cleveland Indians. Sowers later agreed to a contract with Cleveland and received a $2.475 million signing bonus.
"I didn't have that good of a year, especially after what I showed during my sophomore year," Mullins said. "But I was 6-1 and that's still pretty good. As a pitcher I had a decent year."
Mullins added that pro scouts "look at my past, my first two years, and the way I played during the summers" as a boost to his draft status.
An off-the-field incident during the season doesn't appear to be hurting Mullins' draft status. He was charged with driving under the influence in March, but the charge was later downgraded to reckless driving.
Mullins was suspended from the Vanderbilt program for three weeks and apologized to his coaches and teammates.
A scouting director for an American League team recently told Baseball America that the incident was isolated and that it was a lapse in judgment.
"That's not going to be an issue," Mullins said. "That happens to people all the time. That doesn't really have anything to do with my performance playing baseball."
Baseball America has Mullins rated as the 73rd best prospect in the nation.
Considering Mullins either jumps a few spots or drops a few spots, he would still be drafted late in the second round or in the middle to the late portion of the third round.
Mullins said he doesn't plan on getting overly excited when the draft starts Tuesday.
He said he will have reserved optimism and isn't hoping for too much pomp and circumstance.
"All they're going to do is call me and ask if I will sign or not," he said. "It's really an exciting time, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal."
