Valparaiso University outfielder Kyle Gaedele was selected 203rd by the San Diego Padres, and Clark grad Trent Howard was picked 215th by the Baltimore Orioles during the MLB entry draft Tuesday.
Gaedele hit .312 with 17 doubles and seven homers this season for the Crusaders, adding a .511 slugging percentage. A pick in the 32nd round of the draft out of high school, he had scouts watching him at nearly every game this season, coach Tracy Woodson said.
"I think this season he showed his tools that he had," Woodson said. "I would never have said he'd have gotten to the sixth round, but I think the number of strikeouts he had, which some of it was the new bats, maybe put up a red flag. I think the Padres got a steal in the sixth round."
Hitting with a wooden bat during the Northwoods League last summer, Gaedele hit .315 with nine homers -- good for third in the league -- and 38 RBIs. He was also in the All-Star game, going 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Clark grad Howard was 4-4 with a 2.78 ERA as a lefty for Central Michigan during his junior season. He also amassed 96 strikeouts in his 87 1/3 innings for the Chippewas.
Read more about locals selected in the MLB draft in Wednesday's Times.
Please Wait…