Heart of TCU's recent success likely to go in MLB draft

The heart of TCU baseball's success over the past five years is likely to be saying goodbye in the next couple of days.

The major league first-year player draft begins at 6 p.m. Monday. Rounds 3-10 begin at noon Tuesday and Rounds 11-40 begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Monday's first two rounds air on the MLB Network.

Horned Frogs' mainstays including Luken Baker, Durbin Feltman, Sean Wymer and Josh Watson are projected to be selected. Junior pitcher Jared Janczak, whose season was cut short by surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome, is also eligible but he could return for his senior season.

Seniors Michael Landestoy and Connor Wanhanen and graduate student A.J. Balta are also eligible.

Baker is considered one of the top prospects from the state (college or high school). Baseball America ranks him No. 6 in the state. His junior season ended on April 17 when he fractured a bone in his his lower left leg.

It's the second consecutive season surgery cut the slugger's season short. An injury to his left arm in May of 2017 also required surgery.

The Houston Astros selected Baker in the 37th round of the 2015 draft out of Oak Ridge High School in Conroe but he chose to attend TCU. The slugger hit .347 with 26 doubles, 28 home runs and 129 RBIs in 145 games for the Horned Frogs.

MLB.com ranks Baker the 56th top pick, a ranking that is probably lower than it should be because of the freak injuries.

Feltman, the right-handed closer who was named a third team All-American last week, tied the TCU record with 32 career saves and has a 2.03 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 88 2/3 career innings. Feltman, who is also from Oak Ridge High School, is ranked the 70th top prospect by MLB.com.

Wymer, who attended Flower Mound High School, has 174 strikeouts in 162 1/3 career innings for TCU. He's rated 85th among prospects by MLB.com and ninth from the state by Baseball America.

Watson has started the last 191 games for the Frogs since coming out of Arlington Martin High School. He's hit .274 with 20 home runs, 33 doubles and 114 RBIs in his career. He has 21 extra-base hits, including eight homers, and 32 RBIs while hitting .304 in 2018.

MLB Draft

Monday

Round 1 through Round 2 Comp, 6 p.m.

Tuesday

Rounds 3-10, noon

Wednesday

Rounds 11-40, 11 a.m.

This story was originally published June 4, 2018 at 8:30 AM with the headline "Heart of TCU's recent success likely to go in MLB draft."