CALDWELL, Idaho – A pair of former College of Idaho baseball players are off to solid starts in the Midwest League, as the duo begin Year 2 of their professional careers.
Both
Riley O'Brien and
Zach Draper starred for the Coyotes during the 2016 and 2017 seasons before being selected in the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Players' Draft.
O'Brien is currently with the Bowling Green Hot Rods, the Class-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays – posting a 2-1 record with a 1.98 ERA in 13 appearances. The right-hander has thrown 36.1 innings this season, walking just 20 and striking out 49 batters. He picked up a victory in his last outing, tossing five innings of two-hit ball in a win vs. West Michigan.
Draper recently was called up from Extended Spring Training to the Lake County Captains, the Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians and had a banner 2018 debut – throwing six shutout innings, allowing just one walk and striking out five against Lansing. The south-paw pitched at three different levels in 2017, combining for a 3.58 ERA.
The two Coyotes could face each other later this month – as Bowling Green travels to Lake County for a three-game series, June 15-17, in Eastlake, Ohio.
