June 6, 2018 at 7:42 p.m.
Thwaits picked by Padres
Fort Recovery graduate selected in 15th round, 441st overall by San Diego
Thwaits picked by Padres
Copyright 2018, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
The dream has been realized.
Nick Thwaits, a Fort Recovery High School graduate, was selected by the San Diego Padres today in the 15th round of the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.
“It’s incredible,” said Thwaits, who graduated last month and in November signed with the Kent State University Golden Flashes. “Stressful yesterday, hoping to go higher, but it’s incredible.”
The 6-foot, 2-inch, 195-pound right hander was on the phone with his advisor, Storm Kirschenbaum, when he heard the news he had been drafted. Kirschenbaum is the president of Metis Sports Management LLC based out of Birmingham, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.
“I am thrilled for him,” said FRHS coach Jerry Kaup, who was golfing when he heard the news. “I’m just really thrilled for him. I feel fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to coach him. He is a very diligent, hard-working young man who is really trying to perfect his craft.
“I hope the Padres see that and I hope they see they have a terrific young man.”
Thwaits spent the weekend in San Diego in a workout with the Padres’ staff, and he feels it improved his chances of being selected.
“I think it helped a lot,” said Thwaits. The hurler’s fastball has been clocked as high as 94 miles per hour, with a hard, breaking curveball clocked at 80 to 81 MPH and a changeup between 85 to 87 MPH. “I got to throw right in front of them. They were able to get analytics … They can talk to you and get a feel for who you are.”
As the 441st pick with an NCAA Division I scholarship, Thwaits now has a decision to make. As he begins negotiations with the Padres, he can choose to not sign a contract and instead head to Kent State. If he goes to play for the Flashes, he will not be eligible to be drafted again until his junior season.
If he signs a professional contract, Thwaits will be assigned to the Arizona League, a short-season for drafted rookies. It is the lowest end of the Minor League Baseball ranks.
Other teams in the Padres’ organization are:
AAA – El Paso (Texas) Chihuahuas
AA – San Antonio (Texas) Missions
High-A – Lake Elsinore (California) Storm
Low-A – Fort Wayne TinCaps
Short-season – Tri-City (Pasco, Washington) Dust Devils
“We’ll see how negotiations go,” Thwaits said.
In high school, Thwaits played his freshman season with the Marion Local Flyers before transferring to Fort Recovery ahead of his sophomore year.
In 2016, Thwaits helped guide the Indians to the Division IV state semifinal for the second consecutive year, and during his junior season he was named Midwest Athletic Conference player of the year.
As a junior, Thwaits set the FRHS record with a 0.40 ERA. He posted a 4-1 record in seven starts, striking out 67 and walking just six batters in 35 innings to become the program’s first conference player of the year.
This season, Thwaits led Fort Recovery to the program’s first MAC championship in repeating as player of the year. in 44 2/3 innings, he was 4-2 with one save in nine starts. He struck out 82, walked 11 and had an ERA of 1.41.
“I think what he’s done is he’s raised the bar of what we want to accomplish and where we want to be,” Kaup said. “That’s what he means to the program — someone we can look up to and hopefully young kids will follow.
“That is a big deal.”
All Rights Reserved
The dream has been realized.
Nick Thwaits, a Fort Recovery High School graduate, was selected by the San Diego Padres today in the 15th round of the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.
“It’s incredible,” said Thwaits, who graduated last month and in November signed with the Kent State University Golden Flashes. “Stressful yesterday, hoping to go higher, but it’s incredible.”
The 6-foot, 2-inch, 195-pound right hander was on the phone with his advisor, Storm Kirschenbaum, when he heard the news he had been drafted. Kirschenbaum is the president of Metis Sports Management LLC based out of Birmingham, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.
“I am thrilled for him,” said FRHS coach Jerry Kaup, who was golfing when he heard the news. “I’m just really thrilled for him. I feel fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to coach him. He is a very diligent, hard-working young man who is really trying to perfect his craft.
“I hope the Padres see that and I hope they see they have a terrific young man.”
Thwaits spent the weekend in San Diego in a workout with the Padres’ staff, and he feels it improved his chances of being selected.
“I think it helped a lot,” said Thwaits. The hurler’s fastball has been clocked as high as 94 miles per hour, with a hard, breaking curveball clocked at 80 to 81 MPH and a changeup between 85 to 87 MPH. “I got to throw right in front of them. They were able to get analytics … They can talk to you and get a feel for who you are.”
As the 441st pick with an NCAA Division I scholarship, Thwaits now has a decision to make. As he begins negotiations with the Padres, he can choose to not sign a contract and instead head to Kent State. If he goes to play for the Flashes, he will not be eligible to be drafted again until his junior season.
If he signs a professional contract, Thwaits will be assigned to the Arizona League, a short-season for drafted rookies. It is the lowest end of the Minor League Baseball ranks.
Other teams in the Padres’ organization are:
AAA – El Paso (Texas) Chihuahuas
AA – San Antonio (Texas) Missions
High-A – Lake Elsinore (California) Storm
Low-A – Fort Wayne TinCaps
Short-season – Tri-City (Pasco, Washington) Dust Devils
“We’ll see how negotiations go,” Thwaits said.
In high school, Thwaits played his freshman season with the Marion Local Flyers before transferring to Fort Recovery ahead of his sophomore year.
In 2016, Thwaits helped guide the Indians to the Division IV state semifinal for the second consecutive year, and during his junior season he was named Midwest Athletic Conference player of the year.
As a junior, Thwaits set the FRHS record with a 0.40 ERA. He posted a 4-1 record in seven starts, striking out 67 and walking just six batters in 35 innings to become the program’s first conference player of the year.
This season, Thwaits led Fort Recovery to the program’s first MAC championship in repeating as player of the year. in 44 2/3 innings, he was 4-2 with one save in nine starts. He struck out 82, walked 11 and had an ERA of 1.41.
“I think what he’s done is he’s raised the bar of what we want to accomplish and where we want to be,” Kaup said. “That’s what he means to the program — someone we can look up to and hopefully young kids will follow.
“That is a big deal.”
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