WILLMAR - Eleven former Willmar Stingers players heard their names called in the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft, which took place between Monday and Wednesday.
Right-handed pitcher Pearson McMahan was the highest Draft selection, taken by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round with the 116th overall selection. McMahan, known as a flamethrower, pitched for the Stingers in the 2016 season.
Max Green out of Pepperdine University and Phoenix Sanders of South Florida were the only other former Stinger taken in the first two days of the draft, which held the first two rounds. Green, a left-handed pitcher, was taken by the Detroit Tigers in the eighth round. Sanders was the Tampa Bay Rays' 10th round selection.
The Rays took two past Willmar players in the draft, nabbing right-hander Garrett Anderson in the 35th round out of Florida Gulf Coast, a program with a well-established pipeline with the Stingers.
In order of draft selection, the other players taken were shortstop Frankie Rios (Boston, 17th round), right-hander Ty Tice (Toronto, 18th), catcher Troy Dixon (Seattle, 20th), outfielder Greg Lambert (San Diego, 21st), right fielder Lucas Tancas (Pittsburgh, 26th) and outfielder Danny Mayer (Philadelphia, 31st).
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