BASEBALL FREE-AGENT DRAFT : Janicki Also Chosen in the First Round

Not only did two Orange County players go in the first round of Monday’s free-agent draft, but both played together on the same Southern Section 5-A championship team at El Dorado High School in 1989.

After the Houston Astros made Cal State Fullerton’s Phil Nevin the No. 1 overall pick, the Angels chose UCLA pitcher Pete Janicki with the eighth selection in the first round.

Janicki, from Placentia, threw a three-hitter in El Dorado’s 2-0 victory over Long Beach Millikan, topping off a senior year in which he went 8-1 with a 1.51 earned-run average.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound right-hander finished his junior season this year at UCLA with a 9-4 record and a 3.63 ERA. He averaged almost eight innings per start and struck out 150 while walking only 58.

Nevin called Janicki to congratulate him--and rub in the fact that the Titans were in Omaha for the College World Series and the Bruins weren’t.

“He was thrilled for both of us,” Janicki said. “And he said if he didn’t get drafted first he wanted to be drafted by the Angels.”

Janicki says his main goal at the moment is making the U.S. Olympic team, but he believes he will move swiftly through the Angels’ system.

“If I go by what I’ve read in the paper, they’ve said I was the most polished player available,” he said. “When I’m throwing all my pitches for strikes, I’m confident I can get anybody out.

“I’m not saying I can get Jose Canseco out, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Huntington Beach High pitcher Jon Ward was taken by the New York Mets in the supplemental round, the 30th pick overall, and four other local players--Cal State Fullerton catcher Jason Moler, El Dorado pitcher Shawn Holcomb, Capistrano Valley outfielder Scott Patton and Arizona State shortstop Kurt Ehmann--went in the fourth round.

Ward, a right-hander who was 9-1 with a 1.27 ERA last season, also has signed a letter of intent with Cal State Fullerton.

“I’m not sure what I want to do yet,” Ward said. “I’ll wait and see what kind of money is put in front of me.”

Moler, a senior who was chosen by the Philadelphia Phillies, took a .374 average with 26 doubles, eight home runs and 58 RBIs into the College World Series.

“When I moved behind the plate, that’s the biggest reason I got drafted so high,” said Moler, who played first and third base for the Titans last year and was also an infielder at Esperanza. “I’ve gone from never being drafted to getting picked in the fourth round. If I don’t change positions, it’s a whole different story. I’m really excited.”

He couldn’t be much happier than Holcomb, though. The Angels took the right-hander, who was 11-1 with a 1.04 ERA this year. He also batted .351 with six homers and 33 RBIs.

“They called at about 11:30 this morning and my mom came and got me out of school,” Holcomb said. “It’s awesome. That’s all I can say. It’s just awesome.”

Patton was drafted by the Chicago White Sox. Patton, son of Capistrano Valley football Coach Eric Patton, hit .369 with four home runs, 20 RBIs and 16 stolen bases this season. He was also a three-year starter on the Cougar football team, two years as a wide receiver and one at quarterback.

“He has everything a major league team is looking for,” Capistrano Valley baseball Coach Bob Zamora said. “He’s got size, runs well, hits with power and has a good arm.”

Ehmann, a former Corona del Mar High standout, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants. A junior, he hit .340 and was an All-Pacific 10 selection last season.

Ehmann said he plans to skip his senior year at Arizona State and sign with the Giants.

“I have the Olympic tryouts coming up on Thursday,” he said, “so I’ll see how I do there. But I plan to sign and go play after that. I’m really excited about going to the Giants.”

Jason Bates, a junior shortstop at Arizona, was taken in the seventh round by the Colorado Rockies. Bates also played at Cypress College and Esperanza High School.

Andy Trumpour, a freshman right-hander from Cypress College, was selected in the ninth round by the New York Mets. Trumpour, from Savanna High School, was 7-3 with a 3.56 ERA. He allowed 76 hits in 83 1/3 innings, striking out 80 and walking 44.

Times staff writers Helene Elliott, Tom Hamilton, Steve Kresal and Mike Reilley contributed to this story.

Baseball Draft

Local players selected and players selected by local teams in the first round of the major league baseball draft (the Dodgers and Padres did not have first-round picks):

Team Player Pos. School 1. Houston Phil Nevin 3B Cal State Fullerton 8. Angels Pete Janicki RHP UCLA 11. Chicago Cubs Derek Wallace RHP Pepperdine 20. Oakland Benji Grigsby RHP San Diego State 23. Pittsburgh Jason Kendall C Torrance High 25. Toronto Todd Steverson CF Arizona State 30. NY Mets Jon Ward P Huntington Beach High 4th Rd. Philadelphia Jason Moler C Cal State Fullerton 4th Rd. Angels Shawn Holcomb P El Dorado High 4th Rd. White Sox Scott Patton OF Capistrano Valley High 4th Rd. Giants Kurt Ehmann SS Arizona State