(Major League Baseball’s annual draft starts on Thursday, and a handful of players from Arizona’s high schools are expecting to get selected, fulfilling a dream of many young players.

More than 400 in-state players have been drafted from 1965-2012. On Friday, aia365.com started running the names of Arizona players who were drafted, beginning in the 1960s, along with a story on a player who was drafted in that decade.

To view the list of the players drafted in the 1970s go here.

For the 1980s go here. 

Below is a story on a player drafted in 1990s, Shadow Mountain's Marc Kroon. Below the story is the list of Arizona high school players drafted in the 1990s.) 

Out of minor league options in 1998, a desperate Marc Kroon believed he was literally throwing away his final major league chance as he uncorked one wild pitch after another — in the bullpen during a Spring Training game.

After spotting his erratic reliever, Dave Stewart, the San Diego Padres’ pitching coach at the time and former World Series MVP with Oakland, took the uncommon step of leaving the dugout to go calm down a pitcher in the bullpen.

“As long as I am the pitching coach, you (Kroon) are going to be on this team, so you need to just relax,” Kroon remembers Stewart telling him.

A stern Stewart then took three steps, turned around and pointed a finger at Kroon.

“You know what Kroon?” Stewart said. “You’ll be the biggest waste of talent I’ve ever seen if you don’t make $1 million.”

Kroon went on to make $20 million.

Believe it or not, Kroon considers his encounter with Stewart as one of his top moments of his mercurial career, as he looked up to Stewart and didn’t want to disappoint him. But Kroon went on to make his riches in Japan, where he became “a Black rock star” after becoming the first pitcher in Japan to reach the 100 mph pitch plateau.

The right-handed pitcher travelled an uncustomary road to achieve the success Kroon sought. His long, bumpy and wild baseball road trip started at Shadow Mountain High in Phoenix.

Kroon would have preferred a Bronx tale. The Bronx is where he lived since his was two until he moved to Arizona when he was a junior.

But his mom and No. 1 fan, Raquel Altreche, wanted something better for her son and family. After researching where her son could play year-round, Altreche moved her family to Phoenix, with debts in tow.

Kroon didn’t start pitching until the end of his junior season, but he spotted glimpses of his strong right arm while playing on the streets with friends in the Bronx.

“It was the worst part of my life,” said Kroon about moving to the Valley, where he now resides. “My mom is my No. 1 fan, but I hated that woman in 1989.”

His athleticism helped him start in sports and adjust at Shadow Mountain, where he was one only of four Black students.

On the baseball field, he made his first big impression as a center fielder when he threw a “missile” to home plate during tryouts. A senior was penciled in as the starting center fielder, so Kroon was told that he’d pitch.

But a bad grade in a class kept him from showcasing his lively 90-mph plus fastball until the end of Kroon’s junior season. In his senior season, Kroon said he struck out about 135 players, but he also walked about 73 batters in 79 innings.

“My control haunted me my whole career,” Kroon said. “But I was able to stay in the game for 21 years.”

Scouts had Kroon high on draft boards, but Kroon didn’t hire an agent, and he didn’t know that the minor leagues existed.

In New York, he just grew up with the Mets and Yankees, nothing else. Altreche became Kroon’s agent by default.

When the Mets, the team that drafted Kroon in the second round in 1991, offered a $75,000 signing bonus, Altreche squashed that deal. She wanted her son to go to school, but the Mets kept coming back, and the contract offer was raised to $135,000.

Kroon eventually convinced his mom to let him sign with the Mets, helping him pay off some of Altreche's debts in the process.

“When I sit back and think about it, I ask myself, ‘Why didn’t I have an agent?” Kroon said. “But I was in unchartered grounds, and it happened so fast. I was the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state. I was first-team All-State. It happened so fast. The next thing you knew the Mets came knocking on my front door.”

Kroon’s minor league career got off to a rocky start.

Somebody dumped a bucket of cold water on him while taking a shower. When he exited the shower, Kroon saw a teammate laughing.

A fight ensued. Not knowing that it was a coach who was attempting to break up the fight, Kroon started wrestling with the coach, Kroon said.

“From Day 1 I was smacked with a label as the hot-head inner city kid,” Kroon said. “I should have run. I never got in trouble with the law.”

But the incident didn’t keep him from pitching in the minor leagues for 11 seasons.

Kroon made his major league debut in 1995 with the San Diego Padres.  

“I worshiped baseball when I was a little boy,” he said. “I knew the starting lineup of the 1986 Mets. Baseball was my love, and when I finally made it there, and I’m looking at all those big names, I said, ‘Wait a minute. I don’t belong here.’ I never allowed my natural talents to come out. I felt I didn’t belong.”

Arm issues also slowed Kroon’s career in the early 2000s.

In 2004, Kroon was at a career crossroads again, this time while with the Colorado Rockies. He believed he was down to his final four baseball paychecks when a scout from Japan approached him and offered a 1-year deal worth $400,000.

At the time, Kroon was making $80,000 with the Rockies. Kroon jumped on the offer, but no money and fame could replace his one-year and a half experience in the major leagues.

“When I was a kid I always wanted to be a major league player,” he said. “For me that will always be the highlight of my career, playing in the old Mets and Yankees Stadiums, playing against Ricky Henderson and Fernando Valenzuela, you are like, ‘Wow.”

Kroon spent six years in Japan and had 177 saves.

But his life changed once he heard the roar of the crowd when the “100” flashed on the scoreboard. During that game in his first season in Japan, he first tied the Japanese record (98 mph) before setting a new record.

“When I tied the record the crowd went crazy, and I thought, ‘What the hell?” Kroon said.

“My life changed in the matter of two pitches. I couldn’t walk down the street by myself. It was the greatest six years of my life.”

Kroon said he doesn’t regret that his major league career didn’t offer him what he found in Japan.

“Everything happens for a reason,” he said. “That’s why I never quit. I was going to catch a break at some point in time.”

Through the ups and downs, Kroon’s wife, Tricia, and three children were by his side.

He considers Tricia his families’ rock. When he was one, Kroon’s father walked away.

Kroon sometimes feels guilty about the time he spent away from his family when he played baseball, but his family doesn’t hold that against him, he said.

“I am blessed to have the family I have,” Kroon said. “They know I was trying to make a better life for them, so there is no animosity.

“By far I am beyond blessed to come from where I came from as an inner city kid and to have a mom who had the courage to pack and leave to give me an opportunity. I wouldn’t change the way things happened. All of those years in the minors kept me hungry.”

(To view pictures of Marc Kroon, go here.)

Arizona high school players drafted in the 1990s

1990

Tavo Alvarez, 2^nd round, No. 50 overall, RHP, Tucson High, Expos

Scott Emerson, 21^st round, No. 584 overall, LHP, Shadow Mountain, Padres

Steve Williams, 45^th round, No. 1,171 overall, OF, Santa Cruz High, Astros

Willie Morales, 56^th round, No. 1,358 overall, C, Tucson High, Tigers

Johnny Booker, 61^st round, No. 1,430 overall, Greg Quinn, OF, Shadow Mountain, Braves

1991

Marc Kroon, 2^nd round supplemental, No. 72 overall, RHP, Shadow Mountain, Mets

Daniel Fregoso, 6^th round, No. 136 overall, RHP, Catalina High, Orioles

Billy Seaton, 25^th round, No. 664 overall, RHP, Mohave High, Rangers

Bob Howry, 32^nd round, No. 833 overall, RHP, Deer Valley High, Astros

Paul Reynolds, 36^th round, No. 941 overall, 3B, Snowflake High, Phillies

Brett Ames, 44^th round, No. 1,144 overall, LHP, Tucson, Orioles

Kevin Allen, 45^th round, No. 1,163 overall, RHP, Mesa Mountain View, Twins

Trevor Blake, 47^th round, No. 1,232 overall, OF, Greenway high, Mets

Gregory Theron, 54^th round, No. 1,369 overall, RHP, Dobson High, Mariners

James Lezeau, 62^nd round, No. 1,482 overall, OF, Prescott, Mariners

Jay Sissener, 64^th round, 1,502 overall, RHP/1B, Mohave High, Expos

1992

Jon Saffer, 5^th round, No. 127 overall, OF, Amphitheater High, Expos

Anthony Sanders, 7^th round, No. 205 overall, 3B/OF, Santa Rita High, Blue Jays

William Urbina, 10^th round, No. 284 overall, RHP, Pueblo High, Athletics

Travis Palmer, 16^th round, No. 455 overall, OF, Camp Verde, Pirates

Ted Tiffany, 17^th round, No. 455 overall, Cactus High, Angels

Widd Workman, 20^th round, No. 563 overall, Gilbert High, Dodgers

Dietrich Evans, 26^th round, No. 710 overall, C, Cibola High, Giants

Daniel Sarmiento, 27^th round, No. 759 overall, LHP, Tempe High, Dodgers

Raymond Miller, 33^rd round, No. 922 overall, 3B, Dobson High, Mariners

Mike Williamson, 44^th round, No. 1,226 overall, 1B, Gilbert High, Royals

Jacob Steinkemper, 44^th round, 1,227 overall, C, Brophy, Cubs

Dominic Demark, 45^th round, 1,253 overall, OF, Prescott High, Mets

Matt Pridgen, 47^th round, No. 1,327 overall, OF, Hayden, Rockies

Cody Mckay, 48^th round, 1,335 overall, SS, Horizon High, Giants

Brian Stanley, 49^th round, 1,368 overall, 2B, Horizon, Brewers

1993

Matt Perisho, 3^rd round, No. 75 overall, LHP, McClintock High, Angels

Josh Watts, 3^rd round, No. 76 overall, OF, Ironwood High, Phillies,

Toure Knighton, 4^th round, No. 115 overall, LHP, Tucson High, Rangers

Ernie Delgado, 5^th round, No. 155 overall, RHP, Sunnyside High, Marlins

Jayson Durocher, 9^th round, No. 258 overall, RHP, Horizon High, Expos

Doug Brewer, 14^th round, No. 404 overall, OF, Snowflake High, Braves

Jason Bond, 15^th round, No. 426 overall, LHP, St. Mary’s High, Expos

Aaron Gardin, 20^th round, No. 574 overall, LHP, Chaparral High, Blue Jays

Shane Gift, 27^th round, No. 762 overall, C, Gilbert High, Expos

Tracy Johnson, 35^th round, No. 970 overall, OF, Deer Valley, Dodgers

Philip Davis, 35^th round, No. 996 overall, RHP, Yuma High, Rockies

Brian Haebig, 45^th round, No. 1,268 overall, LHP, Sahuaro High, Blue Jays

John Strasser, 46^th round, No. 1,281 overall, SS, Greenway High, Yankees

Kyle Richardson, 48^th round, No. 1,321 overall, 3B, Casa Grande, Angels

Brian Bejarano, 53^rd round, No. 1,440 overall, SS, Alhambra High, Padres

Jason Kendler, 54^th round, No. 1,461, Corona del Sol, Padres

Jaymie Bane, 55^th round, No. 1,472 overall, LHP, Paradise Valley, Dodgers

Brian Reid, 74^th round, No. 1,670 overall, 2B, Corona del Sol, Marlins

1994

Paul Konerko, 1^st round, No. 13 overall, C, Chaparral High, Dodgers

Jason Camilli, 2^nd round, No. 44 overall, SS, Thunderbird High, Expos

Mike Littlefield, 10^th round, No. 284 overall, RHP, Mohave High, Giants

Michael McGehee, 13^th round, No. 358 overall, C, Cubs, Trevor Browne, Cubs

Dan McKinley, 16^th round, No. 448 overall, OF, Dobson, Expos

Trent Brown, 20^th round, No. 543 overall, LHP, San Manuel, Brewers

Joe Germaine, 25^th round, No. 686 overall, RHP, Mesa Mountain View, Rockies

Rosario Ortiz, 30^th round, No. 836 overall, RHP, Globe High, Astros

Norris McKenzie, 32^nd round, No. 879 overall, RHP, Dobson, Brewers

Jay Gospodarek, 39^th round, No. 1,076 overall, RHP, Canyon del Oro, Marlins

Robert Price, 39^th round, No. 1,092 overall, RHP, Deer Valley, Expos

Eliot Montijo, 42^nd round, No. 1,175 overall, 3B, Benson, White Sox

Jonathan Shank, 46^th round, No. 1,278 overall, RHP, Chaparral, Blue Jays

Greg Goligoski, 47^th round, No. 1,289 overall, OF, Prescott High, Mariners  

William Munoz, 50^th round, No. 1,347 overall, OF, Kofa High, Twins

Cameron Flower, 50^th round, No. 1,356 overall, OF, Rincon High, Phillies

Jason Thrower, 52^nd round, No. 1,398 overall, SS, Yuma High, Giants

Diego Rico, 57^th round, No. 1,478 overall, OF, Sunnyside High, Cubs

Derek Ballard, 80^th round, 1,681 overall, 1B, Moon Valley, Astros

1995

Brad Williams, 6^th round, No. 170 overall, LHP, Sabino High, Yankees

Trey Martin, 8^th round, No. 227 overall, RHP, Arcadia High, Expos

Jason Kershner, 12^th round, No. 325 overall, LHP, Saguaro High, Phillies

Ryan Mills, 13^th round, No. 366 overall, Horizon High, Yankees

Kris Stading, 15^th round, No. 399 overall, LHP, Trevor Browne, Cubs

Greg Clark, 29^th round, No. 807 overall, C, Paradise Valley, Dodgers

Chris Weekly, 33^rd round, No 924 overall, SS, Highland, White Sox

Greg Halvorson, 38^th round, No. 1,044 overall, C, Canyon del Oro, Athletics

Michael Campbell, 40^th round, No. 1,098 overall, OF, Coronado, Mariners

Brandon Lenox, 40^th round, No. 1103 overall, SS, Red Mountain, Rockies

Shaylar Hatch, 41^st round, No. 1,126 overall, RHP, Gilbert, Mariners

Leo Torres, 41^st round, No. 1,136 overall, LHP, Cibola, Twins

Amury Leon, 43^rd round, No. 1,186 overall, SS, Tucson High, Rockies

Anthony Taylor, 43^rd round, No. 1,187 overall, RHP, Pueblo High, Rockies

Derek Corbett, 44^th round, No. 1,215 overall, RHP, Highland High, Rockies

Cesar Acosta, 54^th round, No. 1,444 overall, OF, Yuma High, Dodgers

Derek Sawyer, 55^th round, No. 1,454 overall, SS, Paradise Valley, Rockies

Roy Roundy, 57^th round, No. 1,483 overall, C, Coronado High, Mariners

Lance Aubrey, 58^th round, No. 1,506 overall, C, Sinagua High, Royals

Darren Brown, 81^st round, No. 1,651 overall, RHP, Brophy, Astros

Ryan Moskau, 85^th round, No. 1,662 overall, 1B/LHP, Sabino, Dodgers

1996

Marc Van Wormer, 9^th round, No. 275 overall, RHP, Prescott High, D-Backs

Mark Ernster, 12^th round, No. 352 overall, SS, Ironwood High, Cubs

Mike MacDougal, 22^nd round, No. 651 overall, RHP, Mesa High, Orioles

Russ Jacobson, 23^rd round, No. 694 overall, Horizon, Devil Rays

Pat Kelleher, 24^th round, No. 718 overall, OF, Paradise Valley, Dodgers

Thomas Pace, 25^th round, No. 730 overall, OF, Mesa High, Expos

Dennis Anderson, 26^th round, No. 768 overall, C, Canyon del Oro, Mets

Kevin Candelaria, 28^th round, No. 823 overall, C, Page High, Brewers

Jay Sitzman, 37^th round, No. 1,093 overall, OF, Horizon High, Brewers

Steve Wombacher, 37^th round, No. 1,103 overall, LHP, Mingus High, Rangers

Wesley Warren, 42^nd round, No. 1,258 overall, OF, Arcadia High, Red Sox

Michael Brown, 45^th round, No. 1,319 overall, OF, Saguaro High, Expos

Steven Lacy, 51^st round, No. 1,461 overall, RHP, Alhambra High, Blue Jays

Michael Lopez, 52^nd round, No. 1,482 overall, SS, Maryvale High, Blue Jays

Travis Johnson, 58^th round, No. 1,574 overall, RHP, Snowflake High, Marlins

Spencer Young, 68^th round, No. 1,646 overall, RHP, Mingus High, Devil Rays

Kevin Huff, 71^st round, No. 1,659 overall, RHP, Horizon High, Dodgers

1997

Shane Loux, 2^nd round, No. 53 overall, RHP, Highland High, Tigers

Chris Patton, 10^th round, No. 307 overall, SS, McClintock High, Brewers

Scott Fredericks, 10^th round, No. 310 overall, RHP, Saguaro High, Astros

Robbie Miner, 13^th round, No. 407 overall, RHP, Deer Valley, Rangers

Dustin Seale, 16^th round, No. 479 overall, LHP, Safford High, Blue Jays

Chad Cislak, 17^th round, No. 528 overall, RHP, Sabino High, Dodgers

Andrew Jones, 19^th round, No. 572 overall, OF, Mountain Pointe, Pirates

Ben Mitchell, 26^th round, No. 803 overall, RHP, Horizon High, D-Backs

Tanner Herrick, 27^th round, No. 827 overall, 1B, Show Low, Rangers

Trevor Mote, 32^nd round, No. 963 overall, SS, Kingman High, Twins

Ryan O’Donnell, 32^nd round, No. 980 overall, C, Casa Grande, Padres

Carlos Arvizu, 33^rd round, No. 1,009 overall, Tucson High, Yankees

Craig Carter, 33^rd round, No. 1,012 overall, SS, Lake Havasu, Braves

Phillip McKaig, 34^th round, No. 1,043 overall, RHP, Corona del Sol, D-Backs

Jeff Phelps, 36^th round, No. 1,082 overall, SS, Kofa High, Pirates

Josh France, 38^th round, No. 1,160 overall, C, Brophy High, Padres

James McKnight, 39^th round, No. 1,186 overall, C, Washington High, Expos

Kelly Martin, 39^th round, No. 1,193 overall, RHP, Arcadia High, D-Backs

Brandon Wells, 52^nd round, No. 1,455 overall, LHP, Bagdad High, D-Backs

Samuel Mendoza, 56^th round, No. 1,501 overall, RHP, Highland High, D-Backs

Justin Echols, 69^th round, No. 1,582 overall, OF, Thatcher, Braves

1998

Ben Diggins, 1^st round supplemental, No. 32 overall, 1B/RHP, Bradshaw Mountain, Cardinals

Andy Pratt, 9^th round, No. 263 overall, LHP, Chino Valley, Rangers

Pedro Zazueta, 10^th round, No. 288 overall, RHP, Amphi High, Cardinals

Jon Pridie, 11^th round, No. 319 overall, RHP, Prescott High, Twins   

Jason Pruitt, 16^th round, No. 489 overall, LHP, Marana Mt. View, Orioles

Jason France, 22^nd round, No. 650 overall, LHP, Chandler, Reds

Caleb Reger, 24^th round, No. 719 overall, 1B, Bradshaw Mountain, White Sox

Jason Lind, 32^nd round, No. 951 overall, LHP, Moon Valley, Blue Jays

Clay Bried, 32^nd round, No. 965 overall, OF, Apache Juncion, Mariners

Brian Wojtkowski, 41^st round, No. 1,226 overall, OF, Peoria High, Brewers

John Gusich, 45^th round, No. 1,338, 3B, Deer Valley, White Sox

Kenny Hugg, 47^th round, No. 1,377, OF, Horizon High, Blue Jays

Michael Wojtkowski, 50^th round, No. 1,435, OF, Peoria High, Brewers

1999

Corey Myers, 1^st round, No. 4 overall, SS, Desert Vista High, D-Backs

Chris Duncan, 1^st round supplemental, No. 46 overall, 1B, Canyon del Oro, Cardinals,

Jerrod Fuell, 10^th round, No. 297 overall, RHP, Palo Verde, Tigers

Matt Abram, 10^th round, No. 298 overall, 3B, Chaparral High, D-Backs

Justin Echols, 11^th round, No. 298 overall, RHP, Greenway High, Rangers

Drew Hassler, 13^th round, No. 397 overall, RHP, Arcadia High, Orioles

Dennis Sarfate, 15^th round, No. 465 overall, RHP, Gilbert High, Rangers

Scott Hairston, 18^th round, No. 549 overall, SS, Canyon del Oro, White Sox

Nick Garcia, 19^th round, No. 577 overall, SS, Desert View High, Orioles

Chris Snow, 21^st round, No. 644 overall, OF, Desert Vista High, Dodgers

Shane Hall, 27^th round, No. 833 overall, RHP, Buena, Astros

Sean Lichter, 29^th round, No. 891 overall, RHP, Deer Valley, Yankees

Robert Lorona, 35^th round, No. 1,068 overall, SS, Hayden High, Giants

Eddie Menchaca, 36^th round, No. 1,085 overall, RHP, Westwood High, Mariners

Beau Vaughn, 39^th round, No. 1,169 overall, RHP, Mountain Ridge, Twins

Chad Williams, 39^th round, No. 1,185 overall, LHP, Tucson High, Rangers

Michael Pelsnik, 40^th round, No. 1,214 overall, RHP, Horizon High, Dodgers

Kyle Bateman, 43^rd round, No. 1,298 overall, RHP, Coconino High, Dodgers

Ryan Coffin, 43^rd round, No. 1,303 overall, RHP, Desert Vista, Red Sox

Jered Liebeck, 45^th round, No. 1,336 overall, RHP, Mountain Ridge, D-Backs

Keith Schuttler, 48^th round, No. 1,420 overall, RHP, Greenway High, Angels