Two OVC players drafted on first day

The OVC came up big Tuesday as the baseball draft got under way with the first three rounds.

Two OVC players were selected in the first 101 picks, led by Eastern Illinois junior lefthanded pitcher Tyler Kehrer.

In somewhat of a surprise, Kehrer was the first OVC player taken. He went No. 48 overall to the Angels, in the first of the compensatory round picks that are sandwiched between the first and second rounds.

Ben Tootle, Jacksonville State's highly touted junior righthanded pitcher, was regarded as a likely first-round selection when the season started.

But an injury-plagued campaign dropped Tootle's stock considerably. He was drafted in the third round, No. 101 by the Twins.

Rounds four through 30 of the draft will be Wednesday. The draft finishes up Thursday with rounds 31 through 50.

Junior catcher Jim Klocke is considered SEMO's best draft prospect, possibly as early as somewhere in the middle rounds.

Senior lefty James Leigh and senior first baseman Matt Wagner could also be drafted in the late rounds.