Ex-Warriors get their first taste of professional baseball

6-23-07 

Fresh off winning the 51st annual Avista NAIA World Series title, eight players from Lewis-Clark State College are either beginning or close to beginning their professional baseball careers with rookie league teams. 

Beau Mills and Mark Thompson, who were selected in the first and eighth round respectively in the Major League Draft earlier this month by Cleveland , are both playing for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Ohio . The Scrappers opened their season Wednesday splitting a doubleheader with Jamestown , both winning by 2-1 scores. In the second game, a Jamestown pitcher had a no-hitter going until the ninth inning. Mills and Thompson played in both games and both went an identical 0-for-5. 

Mills, who is being moved to first base, is only expected to be with Mahoning Valley briefly. Last week, Indians minor-league director John Mirabelli said Mills would spend about a week with the club, then move up to join Class A Lake County Captains. Thompson, a shortstop, is expected to stay with Mahoning Valley for the season. 

Jessie Mier, who was selected in the 12th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, is playing for the Ogden Raptors in Utah . He saw action in the team’s second game of the season on Wednesday and went 1-for-4 with a single as the team’s designated hitter. Ogden lists five catchers on its roster. 

Pitcher Wil Morgan, chosen in the 12th round by the New York Mets, pitched the ninth inning in relief for the Brooklyn Cyclones in their second game this year on Wednesday. He pitched a 1-2-3 ninth in a 6-3 loss to Staten Island . 

Infielder Donnie Ecker, selected in the 22nd round by Texas , is currently working out with the Rangers rookie team in Arizona , which opens its season on Friday night. Infielder Zach Evangelho wasn’t drafted but signed a free-agent contract with Kansas City and is on the roster of the Idaho Falls Chukars. He hasn’t seen action in the team’s first two games. 

Pitcher Chris Kissock was a ninth-round selection by Philadelphia , but the Canadian native is waiting for his work visa before he can play with the Williamsport Crosscutters in Pennsylvania , the Phillies’ Class A Rookie team. Kissock is expected to join the team within in the next couple of weeks. 

Brian Parker, a pitcher chosen by Baltimore in the 19th round, is expected to sign a contract with the team by this weekend and likely will end up with the Bluefield Orioles in West Virginia . 

Matt Fitts, a junior pitcher who was chosen in the 15th round by Houston , decided not to sign and return to play for LCSC next season. Fitts is playing for a summer team in Corvallis , Ore.