The MLB Draft and Ohio's Class of 2012
June 13, 2016
By Chris Valentine
Executive Director
Prep Baseball Report Ohio
This year marks the 5th anniversary of Prep Baseball Report Ohio.
Man, time goes by fast.
In July of 2011, we held our first event.
And, the main focus was uncommitted prospects in the Class of 2012.
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Fast forward four years.
This spring marked the final college season for most of these players.
But, for a select few, their names were called in the 2015 or 2016 MLB Draft.
Their paths were different.
There is no doubt about it.
And, the story lines are fascinating.
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For some, it was simple.
As the top ranked prospect in the class, Solon’s Matt Smoral was the first to get his name called in the first round out of high school by the Toronto Blue Jays.
For others, it took patience and hard work.
Cincinnati Princeton’s Kyle Nowlin, who attended our first PBR Ohio event, made the most of his opportunity at EKU. He was drafted after his junior season in college and once again after his senior season.
Meanwhile, you could not draw up the story of Ottawa Glandorf’’s Casey Schroeder. Early in high school, he committed to the University of Tennessee, but later reopened his recruitment and signed with the University of Kentucky. Despite being drafted out of high school, he headed to Lexington before being “pushed out” after his freshman season. He went on to star at Polk State CC and was drafted for the second time. But, he opted to pursue a career at Coastal Carolina and was ultimately drafted for the third time in the 2015 Draft.
Phillip Diehl was just another name on a talented Moeller roster that dominated the high school scene. He didn’t steal the headlines. There were other “big name” guys that did that. Now, the big southpaw is the last one standing from the Moeller Class of 2012.
JT Brubaker was the hidden gem in Coach Rick Rembielak's first recruiting class at the University of Akron.
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Some guys transferred out of their original destination.
And, their paths were anything but typical.
- Casey Schroeder went from UK to Polk State CC to Coastal Carolina.
- Brandyn Sittinger went from Marshall to Ashland
- Phillip Diehl went from Evansville to Louisiana Tech
- Patrick McGuff went from Sinclair CC to Moorehead State
- Erik Swanson was at Wabash Valley CC (and was suppose to attend Pittsburgh before being drafted)
- Nick Cain went from University of South Carolina Salkehatchie to Faulkner University
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Perhaps, the most intriguing stories belong to the “small” school guys – some of whom weren’t even ranked.
I can still remember the first time that I saw Ryan Colegate of Centerville.
The tall, lanky righty sat in the mid 80’s while participating as an uncommitted senior in the Champions Fall League Showcase down in Cincinnati. He stood out, but not enough for a Division I program to pull the trigger.
So, he ended up at Division II Ohio Dominican, developed his craft, and was ultimately selected in the draft after his junior season (in case you don’t know … it is hard enough for a guy to get drafted out the Division II level … it is even more rare to be selected after your junior season.)
Tyler Kent’s story may be even more fascinating.
After a successful career at Grove City High School, he contemplated even continuing to play at the college level before ultimately becoming a Division III All-American at Otterbein University.
On draft day, he didn’t even know he was drafted.
It had been over a month since the Philadelphia Phillies had seen him play at Wooster, so when the call came, he thought it was prank.
Now, the 6-foot, 190-pound “dirt bag” is attempting to further defy the odds and live the dream.
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While the book is closed for many, the story is still unwritten for 23 players from Ohio’s Class of 2012.
We wish them luck as they represent their families, their high school, their college (for most) and the great State of Ohio
So, join us, and take a look at the complete list below.
Ohio Class of 2012 Players Selected in the MLB Draft
No. 1 - Matt Smoral, LHP, Solon HS – University of North Carolina
Draft: 1st Round, 50th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2012 Amateur Draft (skipped college)
Current Status: Split last season in Rookie Ball and High A
No. 2 – Taylore Cherry, RHP, Vandalia Butler HS – University of North Carolina
Draft: 32nd round by the Chicago White Sox in the 2015 Amateur Draft
Current Status: Single A
No. 3 – Xavier Turner, RHP, Sandusky HS – Vanderbilt
Draft: 19th round by the Texas Rangers in the 2015 Amateur Draft
Current Status: In extended spring training. Split last season in Rookie Ball and Single A
No. 5 – Jacob Bosiokovic, 1B/OF, Delaware Hayes HS – The Ohio State University
Draft: 19th round by the Colorado Rockies in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 6 – Casey Schroeder, C/IF, Ottawa-Glandorf HS – Coastal Carolina
Draft: 8th round by the Chicago White Sox in the 2015 Amateur Draft
Current Status: Single A
No. 14 – Robert Sexton, LHP, Watkins Memorial HS – Wright State
Draft: 14th round by the Boston Red Sox in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 16 – Brandyn Sittinger, RHP, Keystone HS – Ashland
Draft: 17th round by the Detroit Tigers in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 17 – Jesse Adams, LHP, Toledo St. Johns – Boston College
Draft: 14th round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 28 – Chad Sedio, IF, Medina Highland HS – Miami
Draft: 27th round by the Detroit Tigers in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 33 – Scott Effross, RHP, Twinsburg HS – Indiana University
Draft: 15th round by the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 Amateur Draft
Current Status: Single A
No. 36 – Deion Tansel, IF, Anthony Wayne HS – Toledo
Draft: 24th round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 46 – Kyle Nowlin, OF, Cincinnati Princeton HS – Eastern Kentucky
Draft: 21st round by the Oakland A’s in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 51 – Phillip Diehl, LHP, Moeller HS – Louisiana Tech
Draft: 27th round by the New York Yankees in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 63 – Ryan Colegate, RHP, Centerville HS – Ohio Dominican
Draft: 36th round by the Cleveland Indians in the 2015 Amateur Draft
No. 74 – JT Brubaker, RHP, Tecumseh HS – Akron
Draft: 6th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2015 Amateur Draft
Current Status: Single A
No. 99 – Patrick McGuff, RHP, Hamilton HS – Moorehead State/Sinclair CC
Draft: 36th round by the Minnesota Twins
No. 117 – Erik Swanson, RHP, Mariemont HS – Wabash Valley CC
Draft: 8th round by the Texas Rnagers in the 2015 Amateur Draft
Current Status: Single A
No. 153 – Tyler Kent, OF, Grove City HS – Otterbein University
Draft: 26th round by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2016 Amateur Draft
No. 168 – Logan Sendelbach, LHP, Hopewell Loudon - Tiffin University
Draft: 10th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2015 Amateur Draft
Status: Single A
N/R – Patrick Riehl, RHP, Lucasville Valley HS – Mars Hill
Draft: 26th round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2016 Amateur Draft
N/R – Nick Cain, OF, Xenia HS – Faulkner University
Draft: 27th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2016 Amateur Draft
N/R – Mark Zimmerman, RHP/IF, Green HS – Baldwin Wallace
Draft: 33rd round by the San Diego Padres