Ten Big Train Alumni Selected in 2019 MLB Draft

In this week's 2019 MLB Draft, ten Bethesda Big Train alumni had their dreams of being selected by big league ball clubs come true. Here's a look at the newest Big Train alumni in the pros. 

C Logan Driscoll (BT 2017), Second Round (73rd overall), San Diego Padres

Logan Driscoll was first Big Train alum to hear his name called this week. San Diego selected Driscoll with their Competitive Balance Round B selection on Monday. Driscoll batted .323 with seven home runs and 34 RBI’s in his time with Bethesda, earning Cal Ripken League All-Star honors. He played his college ball at George Mason University where he hit .343 with 33 RBI’s in his junior season of 2019, and .337 for his three-year career. If he signs with the Padres, he will join fellow Big Train alum Hunter Renfroe and Ty France in the organization.

RHP Chris Clarke (BT 2018), Fourth Round (132nd overall), Chicago Cubs

The first Big Train Alum to come off the board on day two of the MLB Draft was pitcher Chris Clarke. Clarke was taken by the Chicago Cubs with their fourth-round selection. He appeared in six games and started five for the 2018 Big Train posting a 2.73 ERA and a perfect 4-0 record. Clarke played his college ball at the University of Southern California where he had a dominant 2019 out of the bullpen, pitching to a 1.03 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 52.1 innings and a team-high eight saves.

LHP Ken Waldichuk (BT 2017), Fifth Round (165th overall), New York Yankees

About 30 picks after Clarke was drafted by the Cubs, another Big Train alum came off the board as the New York Yankees selected pitcher Ken Waldichuk with their fifth round pick. In 2017, Waldichuk made six starts for the Big Train pitching to a 3.42 ERA while striking out 24 batters in 23.2 innings of work. The southpaw racked up several honors over the course of his college career at St. Mary's (CA). In 2017 he was named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team, and the following year in 2018 he was named All-WCC First Team Selection and a Second Team All-American after ranking among national leaders with a 2.05 ERA and 118 strikeouts.

RHP Hunter Brown (BT 2018), Fifth Round (166th overall), Houston Astros

The very next pick after Waldichuk was selected by the Yankees, former Big Train pitcher Hunter Brown came off the board as the Houston Astros fifth-round selection. Brown was phenomenal out of the Bethesda bullpen in 2018 making 13 relief appearances in which he posted a 1.26 ERA and struck out 21 batters in 21.1 innings. At division two Wayne State Brown was named to the D2CCA All-America First Team in 2019 after going 9-0 in 14 starts with 114 strikeouts in 85.1 innings.

INF Kevin Milam (BT 2017), 14th Round (435th overall), New York Yankees

In the 14th round, Kevin Milam joined Ken Waldichuk as the second Big Train alum to be selected by the Yankees in the 2019 Draft. Milam was named Baseball America’s freshman of the year in 2017 as both a pitcher and infielder for St. Mary’s University. That same summer he batted .340 with 19 RBI’s for the Big Train and also appeared in nine games on the mound pitching to a 2.88 ERA. Milam followed up his big 2017 by earning All-WCC Second Team honors in 2018 and batted .308 for the Gaels in his junior season of 2019. The two-way college star was listed as a second baseman on the Yankees' draft sheet. 

RHP Blake Sanderson (BT 2017), 31st Round (927th overall), Toronto Blue Jays

The second Big Train alum to come off the board on the third day of the draft was pitcher Blake Sanderson. Sanderson pitched for the Big Train in 2017, making six starts and posting a 4.18 ERA. At Florida Atlantic University he pitched to a 1.50 ERA in 18 relief outings in 2018 earning him a spot as the Owls' Friday night starter in 2019. This spring, he made 16 starts, pitching to a 8-3 record with a 4.10 ERA, earning C-USA First-Team and All-Tournament Team honors.

LHP Carter Bach (BT 2018), 34th Round (1028th overall), Tampa Bay Rays

The first former Big Train player to come off the board outside the top 1,000 picks was pitcher Carter Bach, taken in the 34th round by the Tampa Bay Rays. Bach pitched to a 2.79 ERA in 19.1 innings of work for the Big Train in 2018. At Wake Forest, the lanky lefty posted a 4.70 ERA in 15 appearances in his junior season.

1B Tanner Allen (BT 2017), 34th Round (1029th overall), Colorado Rockies

For the second time in the draft, Big Train alum were taken with back to back selections as Tanner Allen followed Bach when he became the 34th round selection of the Colorado Rockies. As a member of the Big Train in 2017, Allen drove in eight runs on 12 hits. With Mississippi State, Allen was named to the Named to the SEC All-Freshman team in 2018 after hitting .287 with 18 doubles. In 2019 he followed his big freshman season by batting .350 for the Bulldogs en route to SEC First-Team honors. A draft-eligible sophomore, Allen can afford to return for his junior season to improve his draft standing. 

SS AJ Lee (BT 2018), 34th Round (1036th overall), Houston Astros

The Houston Astros assured three Big Train alumni would be taken in the 34th round with their selection of infielder AJ Lee. With the 2018 Big Train, Lee came alive in the postseason where he hit .429 with six hits in four games. At Maryland Lee led the Terps in batting average at .317 in his senior season of 2019. He finished out his college carer with a monster Big Ten tournament where he had eight hits, hitting a home run in three games.

C Cade Hunter (BT 2019), 36th Round (1059th overall), Colorado Rockies

The final Big Train affiliated player selected in this year's draft happens to be a current member. Cade Hunter, who is still finishing up high school, was taken with Colorado Rockies 36th round selection. Hunter still plans to join the Big Train in 2019, and is committed to play at Virginia Tech.