ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 14, 2017 – The St. Louis Cardinals concluded the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by selecting 38 players, 30 from the college ranks and eight from high school or prep academies.  The list included 22 pitchers (7 left-hander & 15 right-handers), four catchers, eight infielders and four outfielders.

Four of the players are still playing in the NCAA College World Series: outfielder Scott Hurst and infielder Taylor Bryant of Cal-State Fullerton, shortstop Kramer Robertson of LSU and pitcher Jim Voyles of Florida State.

The draftees came from hometowns covering 18 states and Puerto Rico.  The top producing state was California with nine players selected and Florida, Georgia and Texas were represented with three apiece.

Only one player drafted today by the Cardinals had been previously drafted, that being left-handed pitcher Andrew Summerville in the 34th round of the 2014 draft by the Seattle Mariners.

Four sets of college teammates were selected: Cal State-Fullerton had Scott Hurst (3rd round) and second baseman Taylor Bryant (33rd round); San Diego State had left-handed pitcher Brett Seeburger (10th round) and right-handed pitcher C.J. Saylor (28th round); Coastal Carolina had right-handed pitcher Will Latcham (17th round) and second baseman Wood Myers (29th round), although both transferred in and did not play for the 2016 National Championship squad; University of Arkansas-Little Rock had catcher Cameron Knight (32nd round) and right-handed pitcher Cory Malcom (34th round).

Players with athletic ties in their family included catcher Saul Garza (31st round) whose father Santana Garza played college baseball for University of Texas-Pan American; pitcher Jim Voyles (38th round) who has a twin brother Ed on the Florida State baseball team, and his father Ben and uncle Bill both played golf at Florida State.

Two-way players and players who switched positions include third baseman Drew Mendoza (11th round), who also pitched at North Carolina State, but was drafted as a third baseman, and C.J. Saylor (28th round), a converted catcher to relief pitcher, who nailed down 24 career saves for the Aztecs, tied for the second-most in the school’s history with current MLB pitcher Addison Reed.

Several of the team’s draftees came with exemplary athletic accolades.  Outfielder Brandon Benson (20th round) batted .395 with 22 home runs, 79 RBI and a .819 slugging percentage at Georgia College and State University, ranking among the NCAA Division II leaders in home runs (2nd), RBI (3rd) and slugging (4th).  Right-handed pitcher Jake Walsh (16th round) ranked 2nd in NCAA Division II with 12 wins while at Florida Southern College.  Jake Dahlberg (21st round), a left-handed pitcher out of the University of Illinois-Chicago, was the first pitcher to be named Horizon League Pitcher of the Year twice, accomplishing the feat in 2015 and 2017.  Thomas St. Clair (24th round), a right-handed pitcher out of Lenoir-Rhyne University, ranked 7th in NCAA Division II strikeouts with 116 including games with 17 and 16 strikeouts during the 2017 season.  Right-handed pitcher Cory Malcom (34th round) set the University of Arkansas-Little Rock single-season school record with 109 strikeouts this year.

See the following for a complete listing of the Cardinals 2017 draft.

2017 FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT – RECAP
Rd., Player (overall pick)                Pos.        B-T     Ht.      Wt.     School                                                        Hometown

•   3.  Scott Hurst (94)                       CF           L-R      5-10    175     Cal State University, Fullerton             Glendora, Calif.
•   4.  Kramer Robertson (124)        SS            R-R     5-10    166     Louisiana State University                    McGregor, Texas
•   5.  Zach Kirtley (154)                   2B           R-R     6-1      190     St. Mary’s (Calif.) College                      Highland, Calif.
•   6.  Zach Jackson (184)                 C              L-R      6-3      215     Winter Haven (Fla.) HS                          Haines City, Fla.
•   7.  Chase Pinder (214)                  CF           R-R     6-1      190     Clemson University                                Poquoson, Va.
•   8.  Wilberto Rivera (244)            RHP        R-R     6-3      207     Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy       Naranjito, Puerto Rico
•   9.  Evan Kruczynski (274)          LHP        L-L      6-5      215     East Carolina University                        Franklin, Wis.
• 10.  Brett Seeburger (304)             LHP        L-L      6-2      225     San Diego State University                    Oceanside, Calif.

——————————————————–DAY THREE————————- ——————————

• 11. Evan Mendoza (334)               3B           R-R     6-2      200     North Carolina State University           Sarasota, Fla.
• 12. Andrew Summerville (364)   LHP        L-L      6-3      195     Stanford University                                 Seattle, Wash.
• 13. Jacob Patterson (394)              LHP        R-L      6-2      190     Texas Tech University                            Garland, Texas
• 14. Donivan Williams (424)        3B           R-R     6-0      190     Harold L. Richards HS                            Oak Lawn, Ill.
• 15. Terriez “Terry” Fuller (454)  LF           L-R      6-4      240     Griffin HS                                                   Griffin, Ga.
• 16. Jake Walsh (484)                      RHP        R-R     6-1      192     Florida Southern College                       Indialantic, Fla.
• 17. Will Latcham (514)                 RHP        R-R     6-2      200     Coastal Carolina University                  Briarcliffe, Pa.
• 18. Shane McCarthy(544)              RHP        R-R     6-2      190     Seton Hall University                              Fair Haven, N.J.
• 19. Irving Lopez (574)                   2B           S-R      5-10    170     Florida International University          Yuma, Ariz.
• 20. Brandon Benson (604)            OF           R-R     6-1      195     Georgia College & State University      Loganville, Ga.
• 21. Jake Dahlberg (634)                 LHP        L-L      6-0      205     University of Illinois-Chicago              Vancouver, Wash.
• 22. Kevin Hamann (664)               RHP        R-R     6-3      180     Lewis & Clark State (Idaho) College    Bend, Ore.
• 23. Evan Guillory (694)                RHP        R-R     6-3      205     University of Louisiana-Lafayette       Jennings, La.
• 24. Thomas St. Clair (724)            RHP        R-R     6-1      186     Lenoir-Rhyne University                       Winston-Salem, N.C.
• 25. Patrick Dayton (754)               LHP        L-L      6-0      170     Kent State University                               La Jolla, Calif.
• 26. Paul Balestrieri (784)              RHP        R-R     6-0      210     Cornell University                                   West Windsor, N.J.
• 27. Kodi Whitley (814)                  RHP        R-R     6-3      215     University of Mount Olive (N.C.)        Clayton, N.C.
• 28. Cameron “C.J.” Saylor (844)   RHP        R-R     5-10    185     San Diego State University                    West Covina, Calif.
• 29.  Wood Myers (874)                 2B           L-R      5-8      180     Coastal Carolina University                  Chapel Hill, N.C.
• 30. Alex Fagalde (904)                   RHP        R-R     6-3      225     University of California-Riverside      El Dorado Hills, Calif.
• 31. Saul Garza (934)                       C              R-R     6-3      220     Edinburg North HS                                  Edinburg, Texas
• 32. Cameron Knight (964)             C              R-R     6-0      205     University of Arkansas-Little Rock     Moore, Okla.
• 33. Taylor Bryant (994)                2B           R-R     5-11    200     Cal State University, Fullerton             La Quinta, Calif.
• 34. Cory Malcom (1,024)              RHP        R-R     6-0      190     University of Arkansas-Little Rock     Elkhart, Ind.
• 35. Alex Gallegos(1,054)               RHP        R-R     6-3      175     Torrance HS                                              Torrance, Calif.
• 36. Michael Brdar (1,084)             SS            R-R     5-10    180     University of Michigan                           Pleasanton, Calif.
• 37. Adam Kerner (1,114)               C              R-R     5-11    175     Oaks Christian HS                                    Agoura Hills, Calif.
• 38. Jim Voyles (1,144)                   RHP        R-R     6-7      205     Florida State University                          Atlanta, Ga.
• 39. Chris Hunt (1,174)                   RHP        R-R     6-3      210     Henderson State (Ark.) University      Greenwood, Ark.
• 40. Austin Pollock (1,204)            LHP        L-L      6-3      183     Lincoln HS                                                 Tallahassee, Fla.

Iowa baseball fans who are headed to the College World Series opening in Omaha this weekend will notice changes around the stadium in light of recent violence and terrorist attacks overseas. Omaha Police Captain Adam Kyle says one obvious addition is the placement of some 300 large concrete barriers around T-D Ameritrade Park. “I won’t say they run a 360-degree circle around the entire T.D. Ameritrade area, but we’ve got almost all of the area covered,” Captain Kyle says.

The 48-hundred-pound, 12-foot-long barriers, known as jersey curbs, don’t restrict the movement of fans on foot or in vehicles. “It’s provided a barrier between traffic flow and the citizens or pedestrians on the sidewalk,” Kyle says. “It’s just a normal barrier that would divide the street from the sidewalk. There’s a curb there but we’ve enhanced that by putting a jersey curb up on the curb.”

The curbs were brought in for last month’s Berkshire Hathaway stockholders meeting at the nearby CenturyLink Center and they got good reviews. “We did exactly what we’re doing now, we surrounded the CenturyLink perimeter with jersey curbs to protect the citizens,” Kyle says. “We got a lot of positive reinforcement, a lot of good attitudes from the citizens. They felt safer.”

A local art center has already given the barriers a coat of colorful paint for more visual appeal. Omaha has hosted the College World Series since 1950 and the opening ceremonies are Friday night, with the first games on Saturday. Play runs daily through the finals next weekend.

(Radio Iowa)

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Eric Thames homered and drove in three runs, Matt Garza pitched five innings in his first start after a short stint on the disabled list, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 Wednesday night.

AHSTW 10, Essex 2
Atlantic 2, Lewis Central 0 (2 runs scored in the bottom of the 2nd held up for Atlantic. Catherine Leonard singled. Reagan Pellett walked. Leonard scored on a single by Alyssa Derby and Pellett scored on a fielders choice hit by Olivia Engler. Aly Anderson threw a 2 hit, 2 strikeout shutout)
Boyer Valley 4, Ar-We-Va 3
Carroll 4, Kuemper Catholic 3
Exira-EHK 9, Coon Rapids-Bayard 6
Lawton-Bronson 10, Maple Valley-Anthon Oto 5
Perry 7, A-D-M, Adel 5 (8)
Red Oak 11, CB Abraham Lincoln 0 (6 innings)
River Valley 8, West Monona 4
Shenandoah 6, Sidney 5
Underwood 15, Griswold 2
Westwood, Sloan 8, OA-BCIG 1
Winterset 11, Boone 8 (10)

Orient-Macksburg Tournament

Lenox 17, Orient-Macksburg 1
Diagonal 5, East Union 3
Nodaway Valley 4, Melcher-Dallas 1
Murray 20, Mormon Trail 3

AHSTW, Avoca 17, Essex 2 (4 innings)
Ar-We-Va, Westside 14, Boyer Valley, Dunlap 1 (5 Innings)
Ballard 15, Carroll 0
CAM 12, West Harrison 3
Clarinda 17, Southwest Valley 0
EHK-Exira 3, Coon Rapids-Bayard 2 (9 innings)
Earlham 3, Winterset 2
Lewis Central 5, Atlantic 3
Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto 12, Lawton-Bronson 7
Mount Ayr 17, Murray 2 (4 innings)
Orient-Macksburg 12, East Mills 9
Shenandoah 6, Fremont-Mills 1
Tri-Center 13, Logan-Magnolia 2

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Eric Thames homered and drove in three runs, Matt Garza pitched five innings in his first start after a short stint on the disabled list, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 last night. Eric Sogard added a two-run double to lead a four-run second inning as Milwaukee improved to 18-13 on the road.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong left last night’s game against Milwaukee in the sixth inning after suffering tightness in his right forearm. Wong, who went 1 for 2 with an RBI double in the second inning, was replaced by Greg Garcia. Wong has hit safely in all six games since returning from the disabled list on June 6.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mike Moustakas hit his 18th home run leading off the second inning, Jorge Bonifacio and Lorenzo Cain followed with back-to-back shots in the third and the Kansas City Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 7-2 yesterday to complete a two-game sweep. Bonifacio finished with two hits and three RBIs.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Former Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson has been hired by USA Wrestling. The governing body announced yesterday that Jackson will be a developmental coach for the men’s freestyle team. Jackson was an Olympic champion at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, and he also won two world titles.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Former Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson has been hired by USA Wrestling. The governing body announced Wednesday that Jackson will be a developmental coach for the men’s freestyle team.

Jackson was an Olympic champion at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, and he also won two world titles. Jackson later served as the national freestyle coach from 2000-2008, helping Cael Sanderson and Henry Cejudo take home Olympic gold medals.

Jackson was let go by Iowa State at the end of last season after the Cyclones lost their last 10 dual meets. Jackson will work alongside national team coach Bill Zadick.

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Atlantic 8, Denison-Schleswig 7 (8 innings)
Alta/Aurelia 11, OA-BCIG 4
Audubon 18, Griswold 9
Bedford 11, Southwest Valley 1 (5 innings)
CAM, Anita 10, Woodbine 0 (5 innings)
Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln 4, Sioux City, North 3 (8 innings) (Game 1)
Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln 10, Sioux City, North 7 (6 innings, darkness) (Game 2)
EHK-Exira 16, Boyer Valley, Dunlap 1 (4innings)
Glenwood 7, Creston 6
Harlan 5, Kuemper Catholic, Carroll 4
I-35 13, Central Decatur 0 (6 innings)
IKM-Manning 18, Riverside, Oakland 0 (4 innings )
Lenox 6, Nodaway Valley 4
Lewis Central 7, St. Albert, Council Bluffs 5
Missouri Valley 8, Underwood 2
Mount Ayr 14, East Union, Afton 1 (5 innings)
Pleasantville 5, Southeast Warren 2
Red Oak 12, Shenandoah 3
Sioux City, West 11, Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson 3
Sioux City, West 14, Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson 4 (5 innings)
Stanton 15, Essex 5 (6 innings)
Treynor 17, Logan-Magnolia 0 (4 innings)
Tri-Center, Neola 7, AHSTW, Avoca 6
West Harrison 15, Glidden Ralston 0 (4 innings)
Woodward-Granger 10, Earlham 0 (5 innings)