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7th Round, 111th Overall: SS Ramon Paschal
School: Lubbock State Hawks
Career (A): .255/.310/.348, 235 G, 852 PA, 36 2B, 6 3B, 8 HR, 101 RBI, 3 SB, 74 WRC+, 0.5 WAR
Career (B): .275/.359/.428, 156 G, 602 PA, 24 2B, 6 3B, 15 HR, 72 RBI, 7 SB, 113 WRC+, 1.7 WAR

A college draftee! They do exist!

It wasn't a good pick by any means, but we did grab Ramon Paschal in the 7th, a part-Cuban shortstop who spent two of his three seasons starting at Lubbock State. Paschal excelled in his first taste of pro-ball, playing in 43 games for the Lions before a promotion. The 21-year-old hit .315/.424/.570 (170 OPS+) whacking 11 homers with 5 doubles, 25 RBIs, 26 walks, and 27 runs. This got him a promotion to San Jose, where he hit a solid .244/.340/.380 (103 OPS+) in 99 games with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 9 homers, and 40 RBIs. He started all his games in La Crosse and all but two in San Jose, and maintained a starting role with Lincoln the following season.

He continued at third base, the position he spent most of his minor league career at, and Paschal ran into his first bit of struggle. In a 531 plate appearance sample he hit just .277/.355/.367 (93 OPS+) with 21 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, 40 walks, 60 runs, and 67 RBIs. The defense was better here, but still below average as he was trying to get used to the hot corner. The following season he also time at second, where he played almost all his time back down in San Jose. After hitting .328/.391/.510 (128 OPS+), he went back up to Lincoln, where he returned to third and played 77 of his 132 games for the season. The production was poor, and in his last stint as a starter, he hit just .217/.261/.320 (52 OPS+). His playing time almost completely disappeared the following season, getting just 1 game in La Crosse, 2 in San Jose, and 20 in Lincoln. All coming off the bench. He was cut and then came back, then cut again, retiring when the offseason started at just 25.

8th Round, 127th Overall: RHP Bill Lafleur
School: Northern Mississippi Mavericks
Career (C): 0-0, 6 G, 14 IP, 10.93 ERA, 2.21 WHIP, 9 BB, 19 K, 39 ERA+, -1.1 WAR

Back to the college ranks right after, as we went the pitcher route with Bill Lafleur. A decent starter at Northern Mississippi, he had good movement on his four pitch mix, but the command was rough by his junior year. The poor kid got just over a month, allowing 22 hits, 17 runs, and 9 walks with 19 strikeouts. He surrendered 10 homers in just 14 innings, and was cut towards the end of May. Then he embarked on an epic tail of signing and releasing, with 151 (if I can count right for that long) signings and releasing.

Yes. One hundred and fifty one times.

And guess what?

All before h is retirement in 1934!

Zero innings!

Got to love OOTP!

9th Round, 143rd Overall: LF Bud Taylor
School: Niagara Falls HS Sailors
Career (A): .272/.324/.427, 179 G, 657 PA, 35 2B, 2 3B, 18 HR, 111 RBI, 3 SB, 98 WRC+, 1.4 WAR
Career (C): .364/.441/.585, 121 G, 288 PA, 20 2B, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 3 SB, 157 WRC+, 2.8 WAR

We went back to the high school ranks in the 9th, selecting corner outfielder Bud Taylor, who had some pop despite a mid contact tool. He spent about three and a half seasons in La Crosse, each time posting well above average OPS+ and WRC+ in limited time. None of the stints lasted more then 135 PAs and he never started more then 25 games, both of which came in the half season. That was the clear best, hitting an astronomical .402/.481/.692 (189 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 8 homers, and 31 RBIs. As you'd expect, he earned himself a promotion, and the production kept on coming. In 42 games, all starts, he hit .377/.439/.570 (168 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, and 32 RBIs. This earned him a second promotion, but that's when the gravy train came to a halt.

This time it was 44 starts with Lincoln, but his line drooped to .269/.337/.359 (71 OPS+). Between the three stints, he managed 26 doubles, 16 homers, 84 runs, and 84 RBIs. He was back in Lincoln the following season, taking 435 trips to the plate in 113 games. His .270/.320/.414 (99 OPS+) line was just below average, and it came with 26 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, and 76 RBIs. While not bad for someone who was just 22, it didn't put him on any prospect lists, and when we snagged Jorge Camargo in the independent draft, Taylor was the cost. It was bad luck for him, as with the Tulsa Roughnecks he got into just 22 games (5 starts), and was cut early May despite a .297/.316/.865 (213 OPS+) line and 7 homers in just 38 PAs. He spent a month in the Houston Bulls organization on the reserve roster, but that was it, and he retired that offseason.

10th Round, 159th Overall: LHP Roxy Smith
School: Commonwealth Catholic Knights
Career (A): 10-4, 2 SV, 58 G, 3 GS, 3.95 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 58 BB, 37 K, 138 ERA+, -0.6 WAR
Career (B): 10-8, 3 SV, 55 G, 15 GS, 3.92 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 57 BB, 81 K, 122 ERA+, 1.5 WAR
Career (C): 8-6, 20 G, 19 GS, 4.63 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 32 BB, 105 K, 91 ERA+, 3.1 WAR

A three year starter at the prestigious Commonwealth Catholic, Roxy Smith had a great freshman season as a swingman where he went 5-3 with 2 saves, a 3.23 ERA (143 ERA+), and 1.17 WHIP. He struck out 98 and walked 38, but as a more regular starter he didn't have quite as strong numbers. Debuting in La Crosse in 1932, 19 of his 23 starts (and his one relief outing) came at the lowest level, 8-6 with a 4.63 ERA (91 ERA+) that his 3.27 FIP (77 FIP-) thought was way too high. He struck out 105 in 122.1 innings, walked just 32, and owned a 1.33 WHIP, receiving a late call to San Jose.

He never came close to those start numbers again, just 18 in the next three years before zero starts the rest of his career. Still, he was relatively effective at eating innings for our low minor clubs, pitching for San Jose and/or Lincoln from 1933 to 1940. The lefty was cut following the 1940 season, quickly announcing his retirement when the offseason officially started. His inning total kept going down after his debut season, and he's one of the only players I've seen with a 0 inning stint. That came in one outing for the Legislators in 1936, where he allowed a run on two hits and a walk before someone else ended the inning for him.

11th Round, 177th Overall: RHP Joe Tillman
School: Frankford State Owls
Career (AA): 33-33, SV, 91 G, 84 GS, 565.2 IP, 4.47 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 208 BB, 267 K, 98 ERA+, 6.7 WAR
Career (B): 12-19, 11 SV, 70 G, 70 G, 29 GS, 226.2 IP, 5.28 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 70 BB, 101 K, 89 ERA+, 1.7 WAR

A three year starter at Frankford State, it took awhile before Joe Tillman saw any time with us. 1934 was his first season with more then 35 innings, which is how many he threw in a quick sample with the Lions. It was 5 starts and 3 relief outings, going 2-0 with 2 saves, a 2.31 ERA (225 ERA+), 0.89 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts. It got him a promotion to San Jose, where he was pitching closer to his skill level. Tillman had average ERAs (5.17, 97) and FIPs (4.79, 95) in 85.1 innings, walking 16 and striking out 33. Unfortunately for Tillman, that's the most starts he got with us, but the 24-year-old returned to San Jose the following season. 9 of his 43 outings that year were starts, and he was the opposite average this time. In 102 innings Tillman had a 4.41 ERA (104 ERA+) and 4.84 FIP (105 FIP-), finishing 7-7 with 11 saves. He was cut at the end of the season, beginning his foray into the indy leagues as a starting pitcher.

His biggest sample was in his first stop, spending two seasons with the Houston Bulls of the Lone Star Association. He finished 14-19 with a save, posting ERAs of 4.14 (109 ERA+) and 5.26 (92 ERA+). The '37 season was the only independent season he had relief outings, as his work in the rotation didn't go well. He was cut at the end of the season, and in 1938 the 27-year-old was with a different LSA team, the Austin Violets, and he got revenge with a huge season. Tillman went 11-5 with a 3.03 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 63 walks, and 84 strikeouts. The funny thing is, Austin didn't want him back, and he played his 1939 with the eventual champion San Antonio Gunslingers. They won in spite of him, as Tillman was 8-9 with a 5.62 ERA (80 ERA+), 1.62 WHIP, and something he almost never did before: walk (70) more guys then he strike out (64).

Tillman got one more season after that, playing a level down in the Western Baseball League with the Pueblo Mountaineers. It proved worse then the previous year, where he went 6-11 with a 5.85 ERA (76 ERA+) and 1.82 WHIP. He did have two more strikeouts (60) then walks (58), but once released, he realized that arguably his worst season would be his last. Still, he got over 1,000 innings of minor league ball, and got to win a title. Even if it is just the minor leagues.

12th Round, 193rd Overall: RHP Gene Baker
School: Central Ohio Aviators
Career (AA): 0-0, SV, 17 G, 30.2 IP, 5.58 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 7 BB, 11 K, 99 ERA+, -0.1 WAR

A one year starter at the always competitive Central Ohio, Gene Baker spent three years with 2nd Overall Pick Freddie Jones, though Baker only pitched as a sophomore. It was actually a pretty solid season, going 4-1 with a 3.12 ERA (166 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 14 walks, and 27 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. I think shoulder inflammation is why he didn't pitch as a junior, but Baker didn't even pitch in our system. I cut him two months after he was drafted, and t hen he started his independent quest. He was on a bunch of reserve rosters, but didn't pitch until 1934.

He got plenty of action, starting with a 22.2 inning stint with the Fort Worth Cattleman. In 22.2 innings he allowed 33 hits, 15 runs, and 6 walks, striking out 9 in 12 appearances. Little did he know, that would be the first of four stints with Lone Star Association teams. He got 1.2 innings with El Paso, 3 with Houston, and 3.1 with Dallas, likely encountering plenty of Cougar farmhands along the way. There were more stops with no innings, including in other leagues, and all the travel seemed to wear Baker down. He retired once the '34 season ended, calling it quits at just 24.

13th Round, 209th Overall: CF Les Powers
School: Denver HS Mountaineers
Career (AA): .233/.303/.375, 173 G, 399 PA, 14 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 56 RBI, SB, 95 WRC+, -0.1 WAR
Career (B): .345/.404/.462, 150 G, 265 PA, 6 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 5 SB, 121 WRC+, 1.6 WAR

A longtime organization piece, Les Powers spent nine seasons in our organization, but there was just one stay where he had more starts then bench outings. In fact, Powers had seven stays where he only game off the bench. His starter action came in 1934, where he hit .343/.412/.614 (157 OPS+) in 80 PAs. He managed to drive in 22 in just 21 games, providing the Lions with 5 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 7 walks, and 13 runs. Occasionally he had great stretches like that, including a 109 PA sample where he slashed .433/.486/.629 (179 OPS+), but most of the times there just wasn't enough to like. He got all the way up to Mobile, leaving the organization at the end of the 1940 season.

After leaving he played a little in the Lone Star Association, picking up a year and a half with the Fort Worth Cattlemen and Houston Bulls. Here he excelled, but aside from the 85 PAs in 1943 with Houston, he didn't make any starts. It coincided with his worst offense, hitting just .225/.247/.412 (102 OPS+) before his August release. Unsigned the rest of the way, he called it quits in the offseason, and despite playing until he was 31, he didn't accumulate over 1,000 PAs in his minor league career.

14th Round, 225th Overall: RHP Jerry Coates
School: Chicago Poly Panthers
Career (A): 2 G, 3.2 IP, 4.91 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 4 K, 82 ERA+, 0.2 WAR
Career (B): 4 G, 4.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 3 K, 215 ERA+, 0.1 WAR

A pick that can be considered close to home, Jerry Coates pitched two seasons at nearby Chicago Poly, but was absent from the squad as a junior. He still got selected, but his minor league career was short and sweet. He got into one game in the year following his selection, throwing 2.2 innings with 5 hits and 3 strikeouts with the Class B Cougars. He made three more appearances the following season, but he actually threw fewer innings. He got just six outs, allowing three hits without a walk or strikeout. The then 23-year-old got a promotion to Lincoln, where he threw 3.2 innings in a pair of relief efforts. He struck out 4 with 4 hits and 2 runs.

There wouldn't be a 1934 appearance, as Coates was cut in March and got a few tryouts with Independent clubs before the minor league season started. When he didn't get another call the rest of the way, he called it quits, returning to his home state of Texas to finish the degree he started at Chicago Poly.

17th Round, 273rd Overall: RHP Karl Fowler
School: Central Ohio Aviators
Career (C): 1-1, SV, 4 G, GS, 4.76 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 5 BB,K 4 K, 100 ERA+, -0.0 WAR

A teammate of Freddie Jones and our 12th Rounder Gene Baker, Karl Fowler pitched two seasons out of the Aviators pen. It did not go well, allowing 130 hits, 77 runs, and 63 walks in 96.2 innings. The 20 homers didn't help, but at least his 16 of them came as a freshman in a sample that was a little less then twice the following year. With how bad he pitched in college, I cut him before he pitched for us, and he remained unsigned for over a year and a half.

Fowler's first real shot came in July of 1933, where the Cleveland Foresters gave him $260 to play for their Class C affiliate. The 23-year-old from Detroit appeared in three games for the UMVA champion Ottumwa Owls, allowing 7 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks in 7.1 innings pitched. He struck out just one hitter, but was still invited back to the team for 1934. It didn't last long, just a single start, and Fowler allowed 6 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. That got him released, and from late April until his retirement in October he remained unsigned.