Kyle Bloom, Jeremy Pickrel, Josh Kauten and Todd Stein were all drafted in Major League Baseballs amateur draft last week and they have now all signed professional contracts to continue their baseball careers. In addition, former Redbird Kyle Zaleski has signed a contract to play for the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League.
I think its great that all of their contract negotiations went real quick, said Illinois State head coach Jim Brownlee. They get to go out and play right away and thats important, because it gives your organization a chance to evaluate you even more and it gives the player the chance to move up. Im really happy for all of them.
After forming a dominant one-two punch over the past two years on the mound for Illinois State, Bloom and Kauten will now be on opposing teams in the New York-Penn League. Bloom was selected in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and will join the Williamsport Crosscutters in Williamsport, Pa. Kauten was selected in the 11th round by Detroit and will begin with the Oneonta Tigers in Oneonta, N.Y. The New York-Penn League is considered a short season Class A ball league and they begin their season on Friday, June 18.
Pickrel will begin the season in the Appalachian League playing the outfield for the Elizabethton Twins in Elizabethton, Tenn. The Galesburg, Ill., native was selected in the 10th round by Minnesota in the draft. If Pickrel works his way up in the organization, his next stop my be very close to the area,as the Class A team in the Twins organization is located in Davenport, Iowa,, which is only a little more than two-hours from Illinois State.
Stein will open up the season Friday night as well, playing in his first game for the Missoula Osprey in Missoula, Mont. The Arizona Diamondbacks chose the left-hander in the 25th round of the draft.
Zaleski has already appeared in one game for the Gateway Grizzlies. The right-hander pitched two innings and struck out two in a no decision.
