By Kaila Morales |Staff Writer|
For the first time since 2012, CSUSB has not one but two Coyote baseball players sign a deal with a Major League Baseball team.
Right-handed ace Tyler Wells received the news that he was selected in the 15th round by the Minnesota Twins during the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on June 11.
“It’s a pretty surreal feeling,” stated Wells. “It’s a feeling you can’t explain. When you’ve worked so hard for something, you feel so rewarded and accomplished.”
“I was actually on the phone with the Twins when I was chosen, the timing was perfect,” added Wells.
Wells connected with the Twins prior to the draft when he joined the team for a workout.
Wells, who was named All-West Region pitcher after finishing up the season with 89 strikeouts, 92 innings pitched and a 2.84 ERA, is the first Coyote to be selected by the Twins organization.
“I’m looking forward to making a difference for every level of the organization,” stated Wells. “I want to make my name known and heard throughout the organization, and I won’t stop till that happens.”
Infielder/right-handed pitcher William Ouellette got the news that he was selected as a free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays while he was at a Dodges versus Giants game in San Francisco.
“I was watching the draft on my phone and knew it was coming to an end,” said Ouellette. “I did get a little sad, but 30 seconds after the draft was over I got a phone call, so it really turned my day around.”
Ouellette was not a selected draft pick in the draft, but the Blue Jays expressed their interest when he joined the team for a workout three weeks prior.
“I am just grateful that the Blue Jays organization is giving me the opportunity to do something that I’ve always wanted to do,” continued Ouellette.
This season Ouellette lead the team in on-base percentage with 38 walks and was ranked sixth on the CSUSB single-season charts.
Ouellette took the mound for the first time in his baseball career as a consistent pitcher this season. He finished with six saves, ranking fifth in the CCAA and sixth in CSUSB history.
Ouellette became the first Coyote to be selected by the Blue Jays organization.
“I look forward to being part of a great organization you never hear anything negative about them, I couldn’t be happier to be part of it,” said Ouellette.
Both Wells and Ouellette will start their journeys as soon as they finish up their finals at CSUSB.
“If we didn’t have finals, I would be on a plane to Fort Myers, Florida to the spring training facility right now,” stated Wells.
Ouellette flies out to Florida on June 18 to play for the Dunedin Blue Jays, Toronto’s Advanced A affiliate.
Leave a Reply