Esperanza’s Redington Signs With the Braves

Tom Redington, the former all-everything shortstop at Esperanza High School, said Friday he has signed to play for the Atlanta Brave organization for a signing bonus and incentive package worth $100,000.

That is exactly what Redington had decided not to do in June when he signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Arizona. The Braves made a similar $100,000 offer in June, but Redington turned it down for a college scholarship because “the college life and baseball seems a lot of fun.”

By August, fun had taken a distant third to career goals and big money. Redington said he had reassessed what was important and his life, found it to be baseball and decided that the best way to pursue it would be with a professional organization.

“I was still leaning toward college three weeks ago,” he said. “But I thought about it, about what I really wanted to do, and that was play baseball, play big league baseball. I figured three years in the minors would get me closer to that than three years in college.”

Bob Wadsworth, the Brave scout who pursued and signed Redington, figured that Redington would stagnate in college.

“His ability right now is that of a college junior,” he said. “I think he saw that he wouldn’t make that much progress in college. It would be like him treading water.”

Redington, The Times’ 1987 Orange County baseball Player of the Year, helped Esperanza to the 1986 4-A Southern Section title when he was a junior. In 1987, he led the Aztecs to the 4-A final, which they lost to Lakewood, 1-0.

Redington (6-foot 1-inch, 190 pounds) hit .366 (26 for 71) with 9 home runs, 30 RBIs and 36 runs scored in 1987. He tied the Orange County record held by Andy Ruscitto of Valencia of 22 career home runs, and he also tied the Southern Section record for walks in a season with 38 in 1987.

The Braves think so much of Redington that they have assigned him to their Class-A team in Sumter, S.C. Wadsworth said most young players are assigned to rookie leagues.

“He’s very advanced for a high school player,” Wadsworth said. “Most kids, even college kids, are automatically assigned to rookie ball.

“But he has the ability--potential power, very good hands--to be a prototype major league third-base prospect.”

Redington worked out with the Braves at Dodger Stadium Friday night and will leave for Sumter Monday morning. Wadsworth said Redington will earn the basic minor league player salary of $700 per week.

Redington said that when the season is over, he will come home for a week and then head for West Palm Beach to participate in instructional league baseball.

“I can’t wait,” he said.

For Wadsworth, the waiting is over.

“I’m tickled to death,” he said. “I’ve worked all summer for this. It’s been a long bus ride for me, but I finally reached my destination.”