By Sean Duncan

Wednesday concluded the 2010 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. While Tuesday’s draft of the top 30 rounds was a somewhat disappointment (but not altogether surprising) for Illinois players, the final draft rounds yielded some better results.

In all, 20 Illinois players were selected between rounds 31-50 on Wednesday, with a handful of “favor drafts.” Eleven of the players selected were high school prospects. Overall, 42 Illinois players were picked in this year’s draft, 17 of which were prep players.

St. Rita standout outfielder Mark Payton was the first to go on Wednesday, getting picked by the Twins in the 31^st round. Former PBR 2006 All-State LHP Ryan Copeland (Illinois State, Elk Grove HS) went in the 32^nd round, and Harlem RHP John Lieske was picked in the 35^th round. Both Effingham RHP Chad Green and Harrisburg OF Kollin Dowdy went in the 37^th round. It was a proud day for the Stewart family from Normal West HS, as they had two sons picked in the draft. Luke Stewart, who starred at Alabama-Birmingham this year, went on Tuesday in the 20^th round, while Brock, a left-handed hitting middle infielder, went in the 40^th round to the Mets.

The list of players selected on Wednesday in rounds 31-50:

Round, Pick, Team, Player, School

R31, 945, MIN, OF, Mark Payton, St. Rita HS

R32, 979, STL, LHP, Ryan Copeland, Illinois State University

R33, 998, CWS, RHP, Jamaal Hollis, Miami University, OH

R35, 1066, TEX, RHP, John Lieske, Harlem HS

R37, 1116, TOR, RHP, Chad Green, Effingham HS

R37, 1124, ATL, OF, Kollin Dowdy, Harrisburg HS

R39, 1193, BOS, SS, Nick Robinson, North Central College

R40, 1202, NYM, SS, Brock Stewart, Normal West HS

R40, 1213, DET, SS, Pete Miller, Trinity International University

R40, 1224, NYY, OF, Michael Gerber, Neuqua Valley HS

R42, 1264, SD, SS, Cole Tyrell, University of Dayton

R43, 1290, CLE, SS, Christopher Waylock, Cary-Grove HS

R43, 1300, CHC, RHP, Danny Winkler, Parkland College

R 43, 1315, NYY, LHP, Kyle Hunter, Kansas State

R 45, 1347, PIR, RHP, Connor Sadzeck, Crystal Lake Central HS

R45, 1357, CIN, C, William Hartford, University of Notre Dame

R46, 1388, CWS, LHP, Ronzelle Fort, Harlan HS

R48, 1450, CHC, 3B, Eric Paulson, Fremd HS

R49, 1478, CWS, RHP, Pat Schatz, University of Iowa

R50, 1510, CHC, SS, Eric Jagielo, Downers Grove North HS