Cubs take two IU pitchers in MLB Draft – Indianapolis Star
A lot of Indiana University pitchers were selected Wednesday in the Major League Baseball Draft, including two by the Chicago Cubs.
Right-handers Jake Kelzer (14th round, 413th overall) and Scott Efross (15/443) were taken by the Cubs, who have been pleased with their top 2014 draft pick, catcher Kyle Schwarber.
Other IU pitchers selected include righties Ryan Halsted (21/636/Giants), Christian Morris (33/993/Yankees) and Luke Harrison (35/1,061/Cardinals).
IU catcher Brad Hartong was taken by the Twins in the 29th round, 860th overall.
Others with Indiana ties picked Wednesday: RHP Brian Bayliss (18/549/Royals) of St. Jospeh’s College; 3B Jacob Lanning (24/720/Braves) Holy Cross College; C Jesse Wilkening (28/826/Diamondbacks) of Hanover Central High School; RHP Keegan Long (29/856/Diamondbacks) of St. Joseph’s; RHP Josh Degraaf (31/932/Blue Jays) of Taylor University; RHP Bryan Hoeing (32/946/Diamondbacks) of Batesville; OF Conor Biggio (24/1,009/Astros) of Notre Dame (He’s the son of Astros great Craig Biggio); RHP Drew Hasler (34/1,012/White Sox) of Valparaiso University.
PICKS FROM PREVIOUS DAYS
Round 1:
Pick No. 21: Ashe Russell, RHP, Cathedral High School, Kansas City Royals
The 6-4, 205-pound Russell was a dominant pitcher during his time at Cathedral, featuring a 95 mph fastball and biting slider that helped him win two consecutive Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year awards. MLB.com ranked Russell as the 14th best prospect in the nation going into the draft. According to MLB.com, his best major league comparison is Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz, who, interestingly, Russell resembles so much he looks like he could be Buchholz’s younger brother.
Pick No. 33: Nolan Watson, RHP, Lawrence North High School, Kansas City Royals
Watson, a 6-2, 200 pound right-hander out of Lawrence North, was also selected by the Royals. He has a 92-95 mph fastball to go along with a good slider, curveball and changeup. He’s a strike-thrower, thanks to a consistent and smooth delivery. He’s committed to Vanderbilt, but being selected earlier in the draft than some had anticipated may make his decision on whether to turn pro or play in college a difficult one.
Russell spoke about his potential new teammate Watson, who was on the Wildcats team that defeated Russell’s Irish in a Class 4A sectional game last month:
Round 2:
Pick No. 57: Jeff Degano, LHP, Indiana State, New York Yankees
Degano missed much of the previous two seasons, having to undergo Tommy John surgery, but once he got back on the mound he became one of the top pitchers in college baseball. Degano set a Sycamore single season record with 126 strikeouts. He’s big (6-4, 200 pounds) and left-handed, making him an attractive big league choice.
Round 8:
Pick No. 245: Cody Mobley, RHP, Mt. Vernon High School (Mt. Vernon, Ind.), Seattle Mariners
Mobley, a 6-3, 190-pound right-hander, posted a 1.69 ERA for Mt. Vernon this season, accumulating 104 strikeouts in 54 innings. Opposing batters hit just .114 against him. He’s committed to the University of Evansville.
Round 9:
Pick No. 269: Kevin Kaczmarski, OF, University of Evansville, New York Mets
Kaczmarski led all Division I college hitters with a .465 batting average this season (33 points higher than the second player on the list). His OPS was a whopping 1.289. His batting average on balls in play was .509, and he drove in 57 runs in 46 games. The Mets will hope that bodes well for his future as he enters their farm system.
Round 11:
Pick No. 333: Josh Rogers, LHP, University of Louisville (New Albany HS), New York Yankees
From MLB.com: “A talented left-hander who came to Louisville in 2014, Rogers had an amazingly successful high school career in Indiana, going 24-2 with a 1.07 ERA and 259 strikeouts. Included in the 2014 Louisville Regional All-Tournament Team, Rogers finished his freshman season with a 3-3 record and a 3.63 ERA, while striking out 47 batters in 52 innings. His workload increased in 2015, going 8-1 with a 3.53 ERA, while striking out 76 in 86 2/3 innings.”
Round 14:
Pick No. 413: Jake Kelzer, RHP, Indiana University (Bloomington South HS), Chicago Cubs
Round 15:
Pick No. 443: Scott Effross, RHP, Indiana University, Chicago Cubs
From MLB.com: “A 6-foot-1 right-hander from Twinsburg, Ohio, Effross spent most of his collegiate career at Indiana University working as a reliever. Effross compiled a career 15-8 record and a 2.27 ERA in 81 college appearances, only eight of them starts. He was selected to the 2014 Cape League All-Star Game while playing for the Wareham Gatemen. As a sophomore, he led the Big Ten with a school-record 32 appearances and his 1.98 ERA was the 10th-best mark in Indiana history.”
Round 18:
Pick No. 549: Brian Bayliss, RHP, St. Joseph’s College, Kansas City Royals
Pick No. 555: Travis Herrin, RHP, Wabash Valley College (Lebanon HS), Los Angeles Angels
Round 21:
Pick No. 636: Ryan Halstead, RHP, Indiana University, San Francisco Giants
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