June 7, 2011
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Three University of Illinois baseball players and signee Charlie Tilson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier HS) were selected on the second day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday. Tilson was picked in the second round by St. Louis, catcher Adam Davis (Bloomingdale, Ill./Driscoll Catholic) was taken in the 11th round by Baltimore, shortstop Josh Parr (Chillicothe, Ill./Illinois Valley Central) was selected in the 12th round by Arizona and left-handed pitcher Corey Kimes (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa) was drafted in the 18th round by Minnesota.
It marks the fifth-straight year that at least two current or incoming Fighting Illini players have been selected in the draft and sixth time in the last seven years.
"The second round is an awfully high round and I think it's going to take some money to sign Charlie, but generally when a club takes someone that high in the draft, they have a good feel that they can sign him," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "It's going to be tough to keep him with him going that high. Hopefully Adam, Josh and Corey all get a good deal and then they can make a decision on what they can do."
Tilson, who was rated the best prospect in the state of Illinois by Baseball America and the No. 38 player in the draft by ESPN.com, was selected by the Cardinals with the 79th overall selection in the second round. He was named the Illinois Gatorade High School Player of the Year. He hit .406 and stole 28 bases for the Trevians this spring. Tilson was the only player to hit a home run at the 2010 Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif., and stole seven bases in three games at the showcase.
Illini catcher Adam Davis was selected in the 11th round of Tuesday's Major League
In the 11th round, catcher Adam Davis was selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the 335th overall selection. He becomes the third Illinois catcher selected in the last seven years and fourth in the last 10 years along with Lars Davis (2007), Chris Robinson (2005) and Patrick Arlis(2002). Davis was an All-Big Ten second team selection and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten Tournament. He hit .290 with a team-high 14 doubles, five home runs and 33 RBIs. He also stole 15-of-19 bases and made only six errors behind the plate for a .983 fielding percentage. He controlled opponents' running games, as foes attempted only 57 steals against the Illini all season and Davis threw out 18-of-52 (35 percent) would-be base-stealers.
"It felt like I had a weight taken off my back," Davis said. "I knew it would happen; it was just a matter of when. When the rounds came and went where people told me I was going to be picked and I didn't get taken, that was a little stressful. But it was great to see my name come up when it finally happened."
Parr was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 12th round with the 364th overall pick. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection and was named to the NCAA Tournament Fullerton Regional all-tournament team. He hit .302 on the season with two home runs, 11 doubles and 36 RBIs, third-most on the team, and he also had the second-most stolen bases with 17-of-19. He committed only nine errors on the season, best among Big Ten shortstops and a major improvement over the 26 he made as a sophomore. "The funny thing is I thought I would get a phone call before I saw it on the computer, so I was waiting by the phone," Parr said. "Then my best friend growing up was right next to me at the computer and he saw Adam Davis' name pop up and we all chered - it was unbelievable, so happy for him. Then a few picks later, he saw my name come up and we all went wild. Then I got the phone call and we all celebrated. It's great."
Kimes was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 18th round with the 568th overall selection. He went 4-4 on the season with a 5.15 ERA in 85 2/3 innings over 16 appearances and 15 starts. He struck out 57 and walked 39 while allowing 106 hits, but came on toward the end of the season, when he allowed one run in a complete-game effort against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. He also gave up just three earned runs over seven innings against top-seeded Cal State Fullerton on Sunday, a game the Illini eventually won 7-5 by scoring six runs in their final three at bats. Illinois won Kimes' last seven starts this season and he allowed only seven earned runs in 21 innings over his last three starts.
"It was kind of unbelievable when I heard my name," Kimes said. "It was just a lifelong dream come true. I couldn't believe it when I saw it."
The final 20 rounds of the draft will be held Wednesday, beginning at 11 a.m. CT.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Three University of Illinois baseball players and signee Charlie Tilson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier HS) were selected on the second day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday. Tilson was picked in the second round by St. Louis, catcher Adam Davis (Bloomingdale, Ill./Driscoll Catholic) was taken in the 11th round by Baltimore, shortstop Josh Parr (Chillicothe, Ill./Illinois Valley Central) was selected in the 12th round by Arizona and left-handed pitcher Corey Kimes (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa) was drafted in the 18th round by Minnesota.
It marks the fifth-straight year that at least two current or incoming Fighting Illini players have been selected in the draft and sixth time in the last seven years.
"The second round is an awfully high round and I think it's going to take some money to sign Charlie, but generally when a club takes someone that high in the draft, they have a good feel that they can sign him," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "It's going to be tough to keep him with him going that high. Hopefully Adam, Josh and Corey all get a good deal and then they can make a decision on what they can do."
Tilson, who was rated the best prospect in the state of Illinois by Baseball America and the No. 38 player in the draft by ESPN.com, was selected by the Cardinals with the 79th overall selection in the second round. He was named the Illinois Gatorade High School Player of the Year. He hit .406 and stole 28 bases for the Trevians this spring. Tilson was the only player to hit a home run at the 2010 Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif., and stole seven bases in three games at the showcase.
Illini catcher Adam Davis was selected in the 11th round of Tuesday's Major League
In the 11th round, catcher Adam Davis was selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the 335th overall selection. He becomes the third Illinois catcher selected in the last seven years and fourth in the last 10 years along with Lars Davis (2007), Chris Robinson (2005) and Patrick Arlis(2002). Davis was an All-Big Ten second team selection and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten Tournament. He hit .290 with a team-high 14 doubles, five home runs and 33 RBIs. He also stole 15-of-19 bases and made only six errors behind the plate for a .983 fielding percentage. He controlled opponents' running games, as foes attempted only 57 steals against the Illini all season and Davis threw out 18-of-52 (35 percent) would-be base-stealers.
"It felt like I had a weight taken off my back," Davis said. "I knew it would happen; it was just a matter of when. When the rounds came and went where people told me I was going to be picked and I didn't get taken, that was a little stressful. But it was great to see my name come up when it finally happened."
Parr was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 12th round with the 364th overall pick. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection and was named to the NCAA Tournament Fullerton Regional all-tournament team. He hit .302 on the season with two home runs, 11 doubles and 36 RBIs, third-most on the team, and he also had the second-most stolen bases with 17-of-19. He committed only nine errors on the season, best among Big Ten shortstops and a major improvement over the 26 he made as a sophomore. "The funny thing is I thought I would get a phone call before I saw it on the computer, so I was waiting by the phone," Parr said. "Then my best friend growing up was right next to me at the computer and he saw Adam Davis' name pop up and we all chered - it was unbelievable, so happy for him. Then a few picks later, he saw my name come up and we all went wild. Then I got the phone call and we all celebrated. It's great."
Kimes was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 18th round with the 568th overall selection. He went 4-4 on the season with a 5.15 ERA in 85 2/3 innings over 16 appearances and 15 starts. He struck out 57 and walked 39 while allowing 106 hits, but came on toward the end of the season, when he allowed one run in a complete-game effort against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. He also gave up just three earned runs over seven innings against top-seeded Cal State Fullerton on Sunday, a game the Illini eventually won 7-5 by scoring six runs in their final three at bats. Illinois won Kimes' last seven starts this season and he allowed only seven earned runs in 21 innings over his last three starts.
"It was kind of unbelievable when I heard my name," Kimes said. "It was just a lifelong dream come true. I couldn't believe it when I saw it."
The final 20 rounds of the draft will be held Wednesday, beginning at 11 a.m. CT.
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