LUBBOCK, Texas — Three more members of the Texas Tech baseball program were selected on the final day of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday afternoon, bringing the total to seven overall picked by six different MLB clubs.
Junior right-handed pitcher John McMillon was the first Red Raider taken on Wednesday, drafted by the Detroit Tigers with the 322nd pick in the 11th round. Junior RHP Caleb Freeman was picked 440th in the 15th round by the Chicago White Sox, while senior first baseman Cameron Warren found a home with the Cincinnati Reds at No. 654 in the 22nd round.
The trio joins junior infielder Josh Jung, who was drafted No. 8 overall by the Texas Rangers on Monday night, sophomore outfielder Gabe Holt and junior right-handers Caleb Kilian and Taylor Floyd.
Tech has had 48 student-athletes selected in the MLB Draft in seven years under head coach Tim Tadlock and his staff.
McMillon showed improvement across the board this season, lowering his ERA from 4.02 last season to 3.32 as a junior. His overpowering arsenal has allowed him to rack up 52 strikeouts in 38.0 innings of work. Since April 12, he has made eight appearances and owns a 2.35 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 23.0 innings while limiting opponents to .150 hitting. Furthermore, after allowing a team-high 47 walks last season, he has only allowed 27 so far in 2019.
Freeman has been a valuable piece to the Red Raider bullpen over the last three years, appearing in 50 games and helping Tech to two Big 12 titles. The Abilene, Texas, product is 2-0 on the year with one of his more impressive outings coming at Kansas State, striking out four in two innings of shutout work. In Tech’s 2018 season that culminated in a trip to Omaha, Freeman was tied for the second-most appearances on the team at 22.
Warren has put up All-American numbers in his senior campaign with a team-leading 17 home runs and Big 12-leading 75 RBI. Warren leads the Red Raiders with a .367 average and .693 slugging percentage and ranks second at getting on base. The two-time Big 12 Player of the Week has blossomed into a lockdown defender at first base as well with just two errors on the year.
The Red Raiders continue their season this weekend in the NCAA Super Regionals against No. 9 Oklahoma State. The best-of-three series gets underway at 2 p.m. on Friday on ESPN 2.
2019 MLB DRAFT
Josh Jung – Round 1 – 8th overall – Texas Rangers
Gabe Holt – Round 7 – 223rd overall – Milwaukee Brewers
Caleb Kilian – Round 8 – 236th overall – San Francisco Giants
Taylor Floyd – Round 10 – 313th overall – Milwaukee Brewers
John McMillon – Round 11 – 322 overall – Detroit Tigers
Caleb Freeman – Round 15 – 440th overall – Chicago White Sox
Cameron Warren – Round 22 – 654th overall – Cincinnati Reds
(Courtesy: Texas Tech Sports Communications Department)