SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri State pitcher Trey Turner became the second Bear to be chosen in the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, as the Washington Nationals selected the junior in the 10th round with the 313th overall pick on the second day of the 40-round amateur draft Tuesday afternoon.
Turner, who joins third baseman Jake Burger (1st round, 11th overall) on the Bears' list of 2017 draftees, turned in an electric start to his Missouri State career this spring, holding the opposition to a single run on two hits over his first six appearances out of the Bears' bullpen. The right-hander from Neosho, Mo., struck out 22 hitters in his 13.1 total innings, posting a 2.03 ERA to go along with a 2-0 mound mark. He helped the Bears go 6-1 in his seven appearances before a torn UCL ended his season in late March.
Under the terms of Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement, professional clubs must sign drafted underclassmen and high school seniors by July 7, or the rights to that player are lost and he may re-enter the draft in 2018.
Overall, the Bears have produced 136 players who have gone on to sign professional contracts over their 54 years as a varsity program, including 116 during Keith Guttin's 35-year tenure as head coach.
MLB.com will provide live pick-by-pick coverage of rounds 11-40 on the final day of the 2017 MLB Draft, beginning at 11 a.m. (CDT).
