We’re inside of two months away from Opening Day and we’re going to continue looking at some potential 2010 BlueClaws. Today, Jiwan James.

Previously: Sebastian Valle

One of the more intriguing prospects in the system, James was a two-way player in high school and actually began his career as a pitcher with the Phillies, throwing in 2007 and missing all of 2008 with injury. Last year, he moved over to outfield full-time and that’s where he is now.

Last year, he hit .264 with seven steals in 121 at bats with Williamsport in the NY-Penn League, and missed some time then too with a left wrist injury.

A 22nd round pick in 2007, he was discovered/signed by Chip Lawrence, the same scout who signed Domonic Brown in 2006. Brown, who had committed to play RB at Miami, was always more of a baseball-lean and signed. James, however, while he wanted to play baseball, couldn’t decide where (from an article on GatorSports.com just a few days after the 2007 draft).

After being selected by Philadelphia in the 22nd round of the Major League draft the first week of June, the 6-foot-4, 185-pound James said he was surprised because he already had turned down a contract offer from the Phillies when they called to say they would take him in the sixth round..

That afternoon he said UF, playing for a junior college (where he would be draft-eligible again after just one year) and the Phillies were the options he was considering.

A few days later James said he was 80-percent sure he would be a Gator and had removed junior college from consideration. But less than a week later, after a few visits with Philadelphia management in Clearwater that number had dropped to 50 percent.

He was still uncertain when he travelled to Clearwater five days ago.

“When he went to visit the Phillies on Saturday (in Clearwater), they upped their money offer and he decided he was going to sign with them,” said Smith of James, a three-time Gainesville Sun small-school player of the year. “But I told him before he went not to sign anything until I see the contract, and I couldn’t go with him because it was my dad’s birthday. I wanted to make sure he got everything coming to him. So, he didn’t sign then.

“Then, (Monday) he met with (new UF coach Kevin) O’Sullivan at 5 (p.m.) and it went well, but Jiwan didn’t give a definitive answer. That night around 11, he decided he wanted to go to Florida, but woke up at 3 a.m. wavering.”

Reached by phone just before noon on Tuesday, James said he was registering for classes and would enroll at UF. But he called Smith an hour-and-a-half later to say he was unsure.

Smith said he told James to go to orientation later that afternoon to see how it went, but not to sign up for classes. They decided to meet in the evening with hopes of coming to a conclusion.

Which of course he did. He basically missed two years, pitching, but he has been called the best athlete in a system that looks long and hard for them. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing Jiwan James play for Lakewood this year. Should be a lot of fun.

(Photo from CrosscutterBoosters.org)

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