By Pete Cava
PBR Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS – During the June 6-8 Major League Baseball Draft, 24 players with Indiana ties were selected – 18 collegians and six preps.   

Big league teams plucked 11 players from five Indiana colleges – four from Notre Dame (3B Eric Jagielo, RHP Daniel Slania, 1B Trey Mancini, OF Charlie Markson), three from Indiana University (RHP Aaron Slegers, 3B Dustin DeMuth, RHP Ryan Halstead), two from Indiana State (LHP Sean Manaea, RHP Devin Moore), plus one each from Evansville (RHP Kyle Lloyd) and Valparaiso (2B Tanner Vavra).  

Seven Hoosiers from six out-of state schools were selected, including two native Hoosiers from Cedarville (Ohio) University – right-handed pitchers David and Ryan Ledbetter.  The Ledbetters, who are twins, played for Indianapolis Heritage Christian High School’s back-to-back IHSAA Class 2A championship teams in 2009-2010.  

The rest were drafted out of Louisville (RHP Jeff Thompson), Vanderbilt (1B Conrad Gregor), Arizona (RHP Nick Cunningham), South Alabama (OF Nolan Earley) and Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. (RHP Alex Moore) 

Earley is the younger brother of outfielder Michael Earley, a White Sox farmhand who currently plays for the Birmingham Barons (Southern/AA). 

Cunningham pitched for Arizona’a NCAA championship team in 2012. 

Of the high school players drafted, all six had committed to colleges, including Texas (LHP Trey Ball), Kentucky (RHP Zack Brown), Western Michigan (LHP Danny Ayers), Illinois State (SS Josh VanMeter), Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. (SS Tyler Walsh), and Iowa Western Community College (OF Alex Krupa).   

Two teams selected four players each – the Twins (Slegers, DeMuth, Halstead, Vavra) and Orioles (Mancini, Walsh, Cunningham, Ayers). 

Four teams drafted two apiece – the Rangers (Ryan and David Ledbetter), Padres (VanMeter, Lloyd), White Sox (Earley, Devin Moore) and Brewers (Alex Moore, Markson). 

Other teams that took players with Indiana connections were the Red Sox (Ball), Yankees (Jagielo), Royals (Manaea), Tigers (Campbell), Astros (Gregor), Giants (Slania), Reds (Krupa) and Cubs (Brown) 

Fourteen of the draftees are pitchers – 11 right-handers and three lefties.  Seven infielders and three outfielders were taken. 

Fifteen of the players were born in Indiana (Ball, Manaea, the Ledbetter twins, Gregor, VanMeter, DeMuth, Walsh, Krupa, Cunningham, Earley, Ayers, Alex Moore, Lloyd, Brown).  

In addition, one player with Hoosier ties signed a minor league contract as a non drafted freer agent – Indiana State University third baseman Koby Kraemer, a native of Terre Haute who inked a minor league pact with the Toronto Blue Jays.    

The complete list: 

Round:  1.  No.:  7.  Team:   Boston Red Sox.  Player:   Trey Ball. 

Position:  LHP.  School:  New Castle (Ind.) High School.  Resides:  New Castle, Indiana.   

B/T:  L/L.  Ht./Wt.:  6-6/180.  Birthdate:  June 27, 1994, New Castle, Indiana. 

Full name:  Ronald Eugene Ball III. 

College Commitment:  University of Texas.                                      

 

Round:  1.  No.:  26.  Team:   New York Yankees.  Player:   Eric Jagielo. 

Position:  3B.  School:  University of Notre Dame.  Resides:  Downers Grove, Illinois. 

B/T:  6-3/215.  Ht./Wt.:  6-3/215.  Birthdate:  May 17, 1992, Hinsdale, Illinois. 

Full name:  Eric Stephen Jagielo.      

High School:  Downers Grove (Ill.) North HS.                                                                                  

 

Round:  1a.  No.:  34.  Team:   Kansas City Royals.  Player:  Sean Manaea.    

Position:   LHP.  School:  Indiana State University.  Resides:  Wanatah, Indiana.  

B/T:  R/L.  Ht./Wt.:  6-5/235.  Birthdate:  February 1, 1992, Valparaiso, Indiana. 

Full name:  Sean Anthony Manaea.                                 

High Schools:  South Central HS (Union Mills, Ind.;  Andrean HS (Merrillville, Ind.).                             

 

Round:  3.  No.:  94.  Team:  Detroit Tigers.  Player:  Jeff Thompson.    

Position:   RHP.  School:  University of Louisville.  Resides:  Greenville, Indiana.  

B/T:   R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-6/248.  Birthdate:  September 23, 1991, Louisville, Kentucky.    

Full name:  Jeffrey Leo Thompson.   

High School:  Floyd Central HS (Floyds Knobs, Ind.).                                                                 

 

Round:  3.  No.:  99.  Team:  Texas Rangers.  Player:  David Ledbetter    

Position:  RHP.  School:  Cedarville (Ohio) University.  Resides:  Fishers, Indiana.  

B/T:  L/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-1/185.  Birthdate:  February 13, 1992, Anderson, Indiana.    

Full name:  Jeffrey David Ledbetter.          

High School:  Heritage Christian HS (Indianapolis).                                                                                   

 

Round:  4.  No.:  107.  Team:  Houston Astros.   Player:  Conrad Gregor.      

Position:   1B.  School:  Vanderbilt University.  Resides:  Carmel, Indiana.  

B/T:   L/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-3/215.  Birthdate:  February 27, 1992, Indianapolis, Indiana.    

Full name:  Conrad Martin Gregor.        

High School: Carmel (Ind.) HS.                                                                                                        

 

Round:  5.  No.:  140.  Team:  Minnesota Twins.  Player:  Aaron Slegers.   

Position:  RHP.  School:  Indiana University.  Resides:  Scottsdale, Arizona.   

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-10/250.  Birthdate:  September 4, 1992, Long Beach, California.   

Full name:  Aaron Allan Slegers.     

High School:  Notre Dame Preparatory HS (Scottsdale, Ariz)                                                                                                                        

 

Round:  5.  No.:  148.  Team:   San Diego Padres.  Player:  Josh VanMeter.    

Position:   SS.  School:  Norwell High School (Ossian, Ind.).  Resides:  Ossian, Indiana.

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  5-11/170.  Birthdate:   March 10, 1995, Fort Wayne, Ind. 

Full name:   Joshua Michael VanMeter.           

College Commitment:  Illinois State University.                                                                              

 

Round:  5.  No.:  162.  Team:  San Francisco Giants.  Player:  Daniel Slania.    

Position:  RHP.  School:   University of Notre Dame.  Resides:  Tucson, Arizona.  

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-5/275.  Birthdate:  May 24, 1992, Phoenix, Arizona.    

Full name:  Daniel Alexander Slania.        

High School:  Salpointe Catholic High School (Tucson, Ariz.).                                                        

 

Round:  8.  No.:  230.  Team:  Minnesota Twins.  Player:  Dustin DeMuth.   

Position:  3B.  School:  Indiana University.  Resides:   LaPorte, Indiana

B/T:  L/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-3/205.  Birthdate:  July 30, 1991, Merrillville, Indiana 

Full name:  Dustin William DeMuth    

High School: LaPorte (Ind.) High School.                                                                                          

 

Round:  8.  No.:  249.  Team:  Baltimore Orioles.  Player:  Trey Mancini.      

Position:  1B.  School:  University of Notre Dame.  Resides:  Winter Haven, Florida. 

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-5/205.  Birthdate:  March 18, 1992, Winter Haven. Florida.    

Full name:  Joseph Anthony Mancini III.        

High School: Winter Haven (Fla.) HS.                                                                                             

 

Round:  15.  No.:  459.  Team:  Baltimore Orioles.  Player:  Tyler Walsh.    

Position:  SS.  School:  Evansville Mater Dei High School.  Resides:  Evansville, Indiana.  

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-3/180.  Birthdate:  April 11, 1995, Evansville, Ind.

Full name:  Tyler Anthony Walsh.

College Commitment:  Belmont University (Nashville, Tenn.).                                                     

 

Round:  19.  No.:   580.  Team:  Texas Rangers.  Player:  Ryan Ledbetter.    

Position:   RHP.  School:  Cedarville (Ohio) University.  Resides:  Fishers, Indiana.  

B/T:  6-0.   Ht./Wt.:  195.  Birthdate:  February 13, 1992, Anderson, Indiana.    

Full name:  Joseph Ryan Ledbetter.                    

High School:  Heritage Christian HS (Indianapolis,Ind.).                                                                 

 

Round:  19.  No.:  585.  Team:  Cincinnati Reds.  Player:  Alex Krupa.    

Position:  OF.  School:  Greenwood (Ind.) Community HS.  Resides:  Greenwood, Indiana.  

B/T:  L/R.  Ht./Wt.:  5-9/175.  Birthdate:  December 17, 1994, Valparaiso, Indiana.

Full name:  Alexander James Krupa.       

College Commitment:  Iowa Western Community College.                                                          

 

Round:  20.  No.:  609.  Team:  Baltimore Orioles.  Player:  Nick Cunningham.    

Position:   RHP.  School:  University of Arizona.  Resides:  Indianapolis, Indiana.

B/T:   R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-2/201.  Birthdate:  May 21, 1991, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Full name:   Stephen Nicholas Cunningham.         

High School:  Lawrence North HS (Indianapolis, IN).                                                                                                                                       

 

Round:  22.  No.:  663.  Team:  Chicago White Sox.  Player:  Nolan Earley.   

Position:  OF.  School:   University of South Alabama.  Resides:  Anderson, Indiana.

B/T:  L/L.  Ht./Wt.:  6-0/200.  Birthdate:  March 27, 1991, Anderson, Indiana.   

Full name:  Nolan Lloyd Earley.        

High School: Anderson (Ind.) HS.                                                                                                     

 

Round:  25.  No.:  759.  Team:   Baltimore Orioles.  Player:  Danny Ayers.    

Position:   LHP.  School:  Columbus (Ind.) North HS.   Resides:  Columbus, Indiana.  

B/T:  L/L.  Ht./Wt.:  6-3/205.  Birthdate:  March 24, 1995, Columbus, Ind. 

Full name:  Daniel Preston Ayers.        

College Commitment: Western Michigan University.                                                                      

 

Round:  26.  No.:  770.  Team:  Minnesota Twins.   Player:    Ryan Halstead.

Position:  RHP.  School:  Indiana University.  Resides:  Rancho Cucamonga, California.    

B/T:  L/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-5/230.  Birthdate:   May 13, 1992, Pomona, California.   

Full name:  Ryan Edward Halstead.       

High School:  Los Osos HS (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif)

Round:  27.  No.:  813.  Team:   Chicago White Sox.  Player:  Devin Moore.    

Position:  RHP.  School:  Indiana State University.  Resides:  Springfield, Illinois.

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-3/210.  Birthdate:  April 1, 1991, Springfield, Illinois. 

Full name:  Devon Lindell Moore.        

High School:  Pleasant Plains HS (Springfield, Ill.);  Lincoln Land Community College.                

 

Round:  28.  No.:  842.  Team:  Milwaukee Brewers.  Player:  Alex Moore.    

Position:  RHP.  School:  Lee University (Cleveland, Tenn.).  Resides:  McCordsville, Indiana.  

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-3/212.  Birthdate:  January 16, 1991, Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Full name:   Alex Joseph Moore.     

High School:  Mount Vernon HS (Fortville, Ind.);  Cleveland (Tenn.) State Community College.                  

Round:  29.  No.:  868.  Team:   San Diego Padres.  Player:  Kyle Lloyd.    

Position:  RHP.   School:  University of Evansville.  Resides:  Sacramento, California.  

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-5/210.  Birthdate:  October 16, 1990, Carmel, Indiana.   

Full name:  Kyle Christopher Lloyd. 

High School: Carmel (Ind) HS                                                                                       

 

Round:  30.  No.:  890.  Team:  Minnesota Twins.  Player:  Tanner Vavra.    

Position:   2B.  School:  Valparaiso University. Resides:  Menomonie, Wisconsin.

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.: 5-11/185. Birthdate:  July 6, 1989, Helena, Montana. 

Full name:  Tanner Joseph Vavra.            

High School: Menomonie (Wis.) HS.                                                                                                

 

Round:  38.  No.:  1,128.  Team:  Chicago Cubs.   Player:  Zack Brown.    

Position:  RHP.  School:  Seymour (Ind.) HS.  Resides:  Seymour, Indiana.  

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-1/180.  Birthdate:  December 15, 1994, Seymour, Ind. 

Full name:  Zachery Ryan Brown.        

College Commitment:  University of Kentucky.                                                                              

 

Round:  38.  No.:  1,142.  Team:  Milwaukee Brewers.  Player:  Charlie Markson.

Position:  OF.  School:  University of Notre Dame.  Resides:  Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.  

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  6-2/195.  Birthdate:  February 6, 1991, Milwaukee, Wis. 

Full name:  Charles Asher Markson.        

High School:  Whitefish Bay (Wis.) HS.                                                                                      

  

Free Agent Signings 

Team:  Toronto Blue Jays.  Player:  Koby Kraemer.    

Position:  3B.  School:  Indiana State University.  Resides:  Terre Haute, Indiana.  

B/T:  R/R.  Ht./Wt.:  5-9/188.  Birthdate:  October 14, 1989, Lafayette, Indiana. 

Full name:  Koby Robert Kraemer.        

High School:  Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo HS