After three days, 40 rounds and 1,215 selections, the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft is officially over. Two Hoosiers found themselves among the many young prospects drafted from June 12 to June 14.
The MLB First-Year Player Draft is designed to place up and coming amateur baseball players to big-league teams. This year’s draft saw a rise in the number of college players selected compared to last year.
IU’s senior outfielder Craig Dedelow and sophomore infielder Luke Miller were among the 771 four-year college players drafted this year. Both players were everyday starters in a Hoosier lineup that finished the year with an overall record of 34-24-2.
Craig Dedelow selected in ninth round by the Chicago White Sox, 267th overall pick
Last year, Dedelow was selected in the 34th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and elected to return to Bloomington for his senior season. His risk paid off for him as he was drafted 25 rounds higher than he would have been had he signed to the Pirates.
The three-time Third Team All-Big Ten selection was among the 328 total seniors taken in this year’s draft. He was IU’s 89th all-time draft pick.
The senior slugger had an excellent year at the plate. He finished the season second in the Big Ten in home runs and total bases. Dedelow had the fourth highest slugging percentage in the conference and his 54 RBI were the fifth most in the Big Ten.
Dedelow’s 19 home runs are tied for the fifth most homers hit in a single season by an IU player. For his career, he averaged a .289 batting percentage with 224 hits, 43 doubles, 31 home runs and 135 RBI.
Luke Miller selected in 31st round by the Minnesota Twins, 916th overall pick
One day after watching his teammate get drafted by the White Sox, the IU third baseman heard his name called by the Minnesota Twins, Chicago’s AL Central division rivals.
Miller is the 20th Hoosier selected in the last five years and the 90th all-time draft pick at IU. The 2016 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American came back for his second season after being IU’s first Freshman All-American since 2013.
In the 2017 season, he was tied for third in the Big Ten in runs with 52 and reached base safely for 23 consecutive games.
As a freshman, Miller made the All-Big Ten Freshman Team while starting 51 of the 53 games he played. He was second on IU’s team for batting average (.284), hits (54) and doubles (11).
Austin Ghirardelli
