For those keeping track, all six of the Illinois baseball players who were drafted by Major League organizations have been signed by their respected teams.
These players were drafted in the 2019 MLB Draft which occurred June 3-4.
| Player | Team | Round | Pick |
| Michael Massey | Kansas City Royals | 4 | 109th |
| Jack Yalowitz | Colorado Rockies | 10 | 309th |
| Ben Troike | Tampa Bay Rays | 11 | 338th |
| Cyrillo Watson | Los Angeles Dodgers | 23 | 701st |
| Quinten Sefcik | Cincinnati Reds | 24 | 714th |
| Zac Taylor | Chicago Cubs | 25 | 762nd |
There’s more!
Andy Fisher
Free Agent
Cincinnati Reds
In addition, starting pitcher Andy Fisher was picked up and signed as a free agent! He will join teammate Quinten Sefcik with the Cincinnati Reds organization.
And what of Garrett Acton?
The Illinois closer who is still leading the nation in saves with 19, will be returning to the University of Illinois for his senior year. Despite being eligible for the draft in 2019, he has “chosen a different route”, according to FightingIllinois.com.
Most people who I have talked to about have used the words “mature” and “mindful” when describing the decision that Garrett had to face. There is no doubt he faced a lot of pressure throughout the 2019 season. Acton has earned accolades from the college baseball community including four All-America awards for his work as the closer for Illinois.
Regardless, I know Illinois fans will be happy to have Garrett back on the mound in 2020!