As the ball left Alex Rodriguez's aluminum bat, 63 stopwatches started their split-second counts. His toe touched first base, the timers clicked in unison. The draft-day race had begun.

Though it was only the first game of the season, the 63 scouts at Westminster Christian School in Miami were studying Rodriguez's every stride and stroke. The major league draft is on June 3, and although Rodriguez, a 6'3", 195-pound senior shortstop, has already accepted a scholarship to Miami, he is expected to be the No. 1 pick.

"The next Cal Ripken," croons one scout. "He's not just a field-and-throw guy, he's got all of the tools," says another. Based on statistics alone—a .606 batting average with 21 RBIs, seven homers and 12 steals in the first 10 games this season—Rodriguez has enough tools to stock a hardware store. He also happens to be the best player on the nation's No. 1-ranked team: Westminster finished last season at the top of USA Today's high school poll, and the Warriors were first again in this year's preseason poll.

Amid all this attention Rodriguez has remained modest. He asked a reporter from out of town, "How did you hear about me?" and he seemed genuinely surprised to find out that his abilities are considered extraordinary. "My mom told me that all the scouts are here because they see something they like," he says. "She said, 'Don't change, just be yourself.' "