Three Flashes Selected in the 2019 MLB Draft
6/5/2019 6:55:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio – Three Kent State Golden Flashes heard their names called by professional organizations as they were drafted in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft held Monday through Wednesday, June 3-5.
John Matthews, Pavin Parks and Connor Wollersheim joined the 109 previous draft selections in Kent State history since the first draft was held in 1965.
Junior right-handed pitcher John Matthews, Kent State's first selection Tuesday afternoon, was drafted in the eighth round (235th overall) by the Texas Rangers. Matthews turned in a 7-6 overall record in the 2019 campaign, earning Mid-American Conference All-Defensive team honors. He made 16 appearances and starting 11 games, leading the Kent State pitching staff with seven wins. He earned four consecutive pitching wins in relief appearances April 27 to May 17.
On the season, Matthews ranked in the top-10 in the MAC in opposing batting average (.245), innings pitched (77.2), strikeouts (91), batters struck out looking (25), and wins (7).
The Rangers last selected Kent State's Jake Latz in the fifth round of the 2017 Draft.
Senior left-handed pitcher Connor Wollersheim was selected just moments after Matthews as the 238th overall selection in the eighth round by the New York Mets. Wollersheim becomes Kent State's first selection by the Mets since 1991.
In 2019, Wollersheim posted a 6-6 overall record and started in all 15 of his appearances. He ranked second in the conference with 97 strikeouts, fourth in batters struck out looking (25), fifth in innings pitched (83.2) and seventh in opposing batting average (.241).
Senior Pavin Parks rounded out Kent State's selections, picked in the 36th round (1,072nd overall) as a third baseman by the Detroit Tigers.
Parks – also drafted in 2018 - excelled as a two-way player in 2019, starting all 54 games in the heart of the lineup for the Blue and Gold. He led the MAC with 11 home runs and ranked in the top-10 in the conference in both RBIs (44) and walks (36).
Parks also made 16 appearances on the mound, transitioning from the infield on 15 occasions. He posted a 2-1 record with a 3.51 ERA, 32 strikeouts and two saves in 25.2 innings of work.
Parks earned MAC Pitcher of the Week honors April 1 after leading the Flashes to an extra-inning victory over Indiana. Starting the game at second base and batting fourth, the Uniontown, Ohio native closed the game with 4.2 innings pitched and a season-high eight strikeouts while also scoring the winning run.
The Tigers last selected Dylan Rosa and Luke Burch in the 2017 Draft.
The Flashes recently concluded the 2019 campaign, posting a 30-24 overall record and finishing fourth in the conference. The program has won at least 30 games in each of the last 21 seasons.
