D-backs' top pick Drew enrolls at FSU for senior year
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Posted 6:00AM on Friday, August 27, 2004
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - Stephen Drew enrolled in classes at Florida State on Thursday, a move similar to his older brother and one that could rob the Arizona Diamondbacks of the rights to their top pick.<br>
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Arizona selected Drew with the No. 15 pick in the June amateur draft. The Diamondbacks would lose their rights to the speedy shortstop if he attends classes before signing a deal.<br>
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Drew's first class is Tuesday, so he still could discuss a contract with the team until the time he attends that class.<br>
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``If there were classes on Friday, he would be attending,'' Florida State baseball coach Mike Martin said. ``If he and the Diamondbacks do not come to an agreement, he will attend class on Tuesday.''<br>
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Drew was widely considered the top college position player when he entered the draft a year early after he hit .344 with 17 home runs and 56 RBIs for the Seminoles last season.<br>
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However, signability was a factor because of his adviser, Scott Boras, and Drew slipped into the middle of the first round. Boras, known for being a hard-nosed negotiator, also represents the other two Drew siblings, Tim and J.D.<br>
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A message left at Boras' office was not immediately returned.<br>
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J.D. Drew, now an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves, was the No. 2 pick overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997, but spurned the team's offer and re-entered the draft. He was picked and signed by the St. Louis Cardinals the following year.<br>
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The three brother are the only trio of sibling first-rounders in draft history.<br>
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Tim Drew is currently on the Braves' disabled list.