Four Oklahoma State baseball players were selected on the final day of the Major League Baseball Draft. Hudson Barrett went to the Colorado Rockies in the eighth round, Mario Pesca joined the Cleveland Guardians in the ninth, Avery Ortiz was picked by the Washington Nationals in the 18th, and Kollin Ritchie went to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 20th and final round. Alex Conover had already been picked by the San Diego Padres in the fourth round, bringing the Cowboys’ total to five draftees this year. Head coach Josh Holliday continues to see strong draft results, with 82 OSU players picked since 2013 and 40 of those in the top 10 rounds. More than three Cowboys have been picked in the top 10 rounds for five straight years.
Ritchie, who finished an All-America junior season with 31 home runs and a .326 average, told coach Holliday he will return for his senior year instead of signing a pro contract. Barrett, a transfer from UC Santa Barbara, led the team with a 2.58 ERA and went 6-1 in 13 appearances. Pesca made 19 appearances as a senior, earning seven wins and two saves, and finished his OSU career with 140 strikeouts in 137 1/3 innings. Ortiz, despite injuries, played 92 games over three seasons and hit 16 home runs. You can read the full story atokstate.com.
