Mets, Yankees take different draft routes

After taking two high-upside high-school players with their first two picks in baseball's First-Year Player Draft, the Mets yesterday tapped into the deep crop of college pitching prospects in the 2011 draft class.

The Mets took a college pitcher with each of their first four picks yesterday, beginning with right-hander Cory Mazzoni from North Carolina State in the second round.

They followed that selection by taking Baylor right-hander Logan Verrett in the third round, Cal State-Fullerton right-hander Tyler Pill in the fourth and University of Massachusetts-Lowell left-hander John Leathersich in the fifth.

"A good day for the New York Mets," the Mets' scouting director, Chad MacDonald, said on a conference call with reporters.

"Some things fell our way. You never know how the draft is going to unfold, with who gets to you, but some of the guys we wanted got to us, and we took them."

After the Yankees waited until the 51st overall pick Monday night to make their first selection, high-school third baseman Dante Bichette Jr., they continued that trend by taking high-school players with each of their picks in rounds 3-7 yesterday.

The Yankees' first pick yesterday was Sam Stafford, a left-hander from the University of Texas, in the second round.

They followed that selection with New Hampshire high-school right-hander Jordan Cote, New Rochelle High School third baseman Matt Duran, Colorado high school catcher Greg Bird, Virginia high school outfielder Jake Cave and Washington state high school first baseman Austin Jones.

Both teams selected intriguing talents in the later rounds.

Two of the Mets' more interesting selections of the day came in back-to-back rounds, when they drafted California high-school shortstop Phil Evans in the 15th round before taking Texas outfielder Brad Marquez in the 16th.

The Mets got Evans, ranked No. 168 on Baseball America's Top 200 list of prospects entering the draft, because he's expected to command a large signing bonus to turn pro, rather than honor his commitment to play for Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn at San Diego State.

Meanwhile, Marquez already is enrolled in summer classes at Texas Tech, where he is planning on playing running back for the Red Raiders. But, like former Yankees prospect Drew Henson, Marquez has expressed an interest in signing a two-sport contract, allowing him to retain his football eligibility.

After drafting Bichette, the son of four-time All-Star outfielder Dante Bichette, with their top pick, the Yankees drafted another player with pro bloodlines in the 13th round in Justin James.

The son of former Yankee Dion James, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound outfielder hit .309 with 19 stolen bases for Sacramento City College this year.

Yesterday saw teams make selections from rounds 2-30. Today marks the final day of the draft, with teams making selections from rounds 31-50.

tbontemps@nypost.com