Five K-State baseball players were picked in the Major League Baseball draft earlier this month, and they’ve all begun their minor league stints. Third baseman Jason King was drafted by the Detroit Tigers and already has led his new team to a pair of victories. King hit his first home run, a solo hit for the Connecticut Tigers of the Class A Short Season New York Penn league on Sunday to break a scoreless tie in the 9th inning, and a had a game winning infield single on Tuesday. Outfielder Nick Martini is playing for the St. Louis Cardinals’ short season Class A affiliate, the Batavia Muckdogs. He’ll look to bounce back this week, after getting just 2 hits in his first 24 pro at-bats.
Former K-State pitchers Evan Marshall and James Allen had identical stat lines last week, two appearances, three innings pitched, and no runs surrendered. Marshall is with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ short season Class A club, the Yakima Bears, and Allen in Rookie League with the Cincinnati Reds’ Billings Mustangs. Plus, Kyle Hunter may be making the transition from starter to reliever. He pitched two and two thirds innings of scoreless relief for the Pulaski Mariners, the Rookie League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.
