Thursday, April 2nd, 2020
Ohio State's Lonsway declares for MLB Draft
By Colin Foster
Ohio State pitcher Seth Lonsway has declared for the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, the left-hander from Celina confirmed with the newspaper on Wednesday.
Prior to this season being canceled, Lonsway had made four starts and posted a 1-2 record with a 3.00 earned run average, 42 strikeouts and 18 walks in 18 innings. His strikeout total was tied for 10th in the NCAA, and he had significantly less innings pitched than those in front of him.
Ohio State had a record of 6-8 when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancelation of the season and forced several draft-eligible players to make a decision. Lonsway does have the option to return to school if he doesn't sign with a pro team.
"I'm very excited for what's ahead, whether that's in the draft or getting ready for another year at Ohio State," he said. "I'm very grateful and happy with how I progressed at Ohio State. I'm thankful for the time and energy my coaches put in for my development."
This will be Lonsway's second time in the draft. He was selected by the Cincinnati Reds with the 557th overall pick (19th round) coming out of high school in 2017. A lot has changed since then, however.
Lonsway's stock rose in his redshirt freshman season when he went 8-4 and led all Division I freshman with 126 strikeouts. He was named first team freshman All-American by Perfect Game/Rawlings and second team freshman All-American by Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
Ahead of the 2020 campaign, the son of Donovan and Marta Lonsway was named preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball. Over his first three appearances this season, he recorded double-digit strikeouts, allowed just two earned runs and nine hits. He has returned home to workout in Celina.
ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel declared Lonsway had "first-round stuff" in an article published on Feb. 26.
The pandemic forced MLB to postpone its draft from June to July. No exact date has been given, and the amount of rounds in this year's draft has not been clarified.
