Today could be a key day in the life of Bryan Hudson.
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Hudson, the recently graduated ace of Alton's pitching staff, could be drafted by a Major League Baseball team when the 50th Anniversary MLB First-Year Player Draft gets under way this evening at MLB Network's Studio 42 in Secaucus, N.J.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have the first overall pick in the draft, which begins at 6 tonight; the first 75 picks of the draft will be televised on MLB Network, which is available to Charter Communications cable subscribers and to DirecTV and Dish Network subscribers. The entire draft will also be streamed at the Major League Baseball website (mlb.com) for free. Tuesday's draft activities begin at 11:30 a.m. and the conclusion of the draft begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The St. Louis Cardinals will pick 23rd in the first round.
Hudson, who finished the year with a 10-2 record with 70.1 innings pitched, a 0.50 earned-run average and 152 strikeouts, has been rated one of the top pitching prospects in the nation. His appearances on the mound attracted visits from major-league scouts all season, including an appearance by Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein when the Cubs were in St. Louis for a series with the Cardinals in early May.
While Hudson has signed to play with Missouri next season, the prospect of being drafted does have his attention. Despite that, Hudson is staying low-key about the possibilities. “It's an exciting possibility, but at the same time, nothing's promised,” Hudson said. “Having Theo Epstein at one of my games was pretty interesting; I only found out about it after the game he came to, but for him to come out was nice”
Hudson was a key player for the Redbirds' school-record 30-win season against seven losses, including a second-place tie with O'Fallon in the Southwestern Conference with an 11-3 mark. While nothing is assured, Redbird coach Todd Haug is optimistic about Hudson's future, no matter where he ends up.
“Bryan's worked really hard and he's really passionate about the game,” Haug said. “Through it all, he's remained level-headed about the whole thing. Whatever success he's had, he earned it.”
Hudson himself has no preference on what team selects him, should he be drafted. “It's been a fun process,” Hudson said. “Where I go doesn't matter to me; I'll be going somewhere, whether it's Missouri or to a team. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything turns out.”
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