Approximately 20 Major League baseball scouts from around the country were on hand to watch the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team work out on Sept. 13 for the program’s annual Scout Day. 

Scouts spent a couple of hours at Harris Field watching the Warriors go through a variety of drills and game simulations, allowing them to make notes on players and who they should pay extra attention to during the spring collegiate season. 

LCSC is the two-time defending Avista NAIA World Series champions and had a program-record eight players selected in last June’s Major League draft, all prior to the 23^rd round of the 50-round draft. Included in that number was Beau Mills, who was selected by the Cleveland Indians with the 13^th overall pick, marking the first time a Warrior was selected in the draft’s first round. 

Although any college program can hold a Scout Day, the scouts only visit major programs in the fall to get an early peak at new players and see how some of the underclassmen from a year ago have developed. 

“You are looking at transfers and the new players, but you also want to see some of the returning players that you have notes on,” says Cincinnati Reds scout Jeff Barton, who flew in from Phoenix. “It’s really critical this year to get an early look because they pushed the start of the college season back.” 

The NCAA, according to Barton, passed a rule that won’t allow teams to begin the season before March 1. NAIA schools, like LCSC, can begin earlier and the Warriors usually start their season in early to mid February.

Barton says LCSC’s success on the field, having a large number of players selected in last year’s draft, and having former players have successful professional baseball careers are all factors in why scouts make so many trips to Lewiston. 

“Some of that stuff comes in cycles,” he says. “This year, they may not have a player drafted, but with the success they’ve had and the players they’ve had come out … those are the programs we tend to go to, the successful programs.” 

LCSC has won 15 national titles in coach Ed Cheff’s 31 years at helm. The 2007 title was the program’s fifth in the 2000s, and the 19^th time in the last 26 years LCSC has played in the NAIA national championship game. 

Most of the scouts who visited Harris Field will also watch workouts of Washington, Washington State and Oregon State.