These 3 southwestern Illinois baseball players could be chosen during MLB draft
The top high school baseball player in Southern Illinois and one of the best in the state, Drake Westcott won’t be watching the Major League Baseball Amateur draft this week on the MLB Network.
But the recent graduate of Edwardsville High School will keep tabs on the five round event which begins Wednesday. A key member of a Tigers team which won the IHSA Class 4A state title in 2019, Westcott, along with Belleville West graduate Josh Dima and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville junior Collin Baumgartner, are the top area hopes of being selected.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the MLB Amateur Draft was sliced to just five rounds this year. Both Dima, a left-handed pitcher, and Westcott had their entire senior baseball seasons canceled, while Baumgartner, a right-handed pitcher, had his season with the Cougars end in early March.
While all three could now be considered longshots to be selected, there is always a chance.
“I probably won’t be watching the draft because I have baseball games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday this week. I will be following it though,” Westcott said Monday. “I have several friends that I met through the showcase and travel circuit that I expect will hear their names called. I am really happy they are going to get their shot.”
The MLB Draft begins with the first round Wednesday starting at 6 p.m. and concludes with the final four rounds Thursday beginning at 4 p.m. The draft will be telecast on both the MLB Network and ESPN. Players not chosen are eligible to sign with MLB franchises for up to $20,000.
A first baseman and three time first team all-state selection, Westcott put up staggering offensive numbers in his three years in a Tigers uniform. A pure hitter, Westcott batted .435, .510 and .380 with a collective 28 home runs and 112 RBI.
A year ago, Westcott achieved the pinnacle when he hit nine home runs and drove in 39 runs in helping the Tigers win the 2019 IHSA Class 4A state title.
Westcott committed to the University of Louisville following his freshman year at Edwardsville. He is scheduled to move to Louisville in July. But if he should hear his name called this week ...
“The draft being changed to five rounds certainly changes things in a lot of ways,” Westcott said. “Many of the MLB teams reached out, I did workouts for several, and had a few home visits, but no one really talks rounds at that point. I don’t expect I am in the mix for this year given the shortened rounds and lack of a high school season.
“If the opportunity presents itself it would be exciting to consider, but if not, going to Louisville and being part of that program is a great opportunity.”
Two aces may get a shot
Dima, who spent his first three years attending and playing baseball at Althoff before transferring to Belleville West this year where he had his senior season canceled because of COVID 19, is highly touted 6-2, 185-pound left-handed pitcher.
Ranked by Prep Baseball Report as the No. 1 left-handed high school pitcher in the state for the class of 2020, Dima is committed to attend and play college baseball at Illinois State University in Normal.
A four pitch pitcher whose fastball has been timed up to 95 mph, Dima throws a 2-seam and 4-seam fastball to go along with a change-up and curveball. He turned some heads last summer at showcase events, including the Prep Baseball Report Super 60.
“I felt like I did very well there. I had some scouts come up and talk to me and they said they liked what they saw,” Dima said recently. “But I’m not there yet. I can still get stronger and I’ve still got room to grow.
“My priority is to get ready for the fall. If I should get my name called in the draft then I’m ready to play pro ball. That decision is obviously up to the teams.”
Baumgartner, a native of Brighton who attended Southwestern High School, is a 6-6, 245-pound right-hander who has been a key member of the Cougars staff the past two years. This season he was 1-1 with 31 strikeouts in 20 innings. He made 15 starts a year ago, the most in the Ohio Valley Conference. Baumgartner struck out 82 batters in 74 innings.
The San Francisco Giants are just one of several teams who have shown interest in the Cougars ace.
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 1:46 PM.
