By Chris Valentine
PBR Ohio Scouting Director

In total, 26 players with Ohio roots were selected in the 2014 MLB draft. 

Indiana catcher and Middletown native Kyle Schwarber stole the early headlines as the Chicago Cubs called his name with the fourth pick in the first round. 

With the first round concluding, CHCA 2014 RHP Cameron Varga was selected by the Tampa Rays in the second round with the 60th overall selection.

During rounds 3 through 25, 15 collegiate players with Ohio roots were selected. The list was highlighted by Austin Cousino, an University of Kentucky centerfielder and Dublin Coffman graduate, who was selected in the third round with the 80th overall selection. 

That list of 15 players also included two 2012 high school graduates who have since gone on to play JUCO baseball. RHP Erik Swanson, who is committed to Pitt after playing at Iowa Western CC and Mariemont HS, was selected in the 8th round with the 246th overall pick by the Texas Rangers. Additionally, catcher Casey Schroeder, an Ottawa-Glandorf grad who played at Kentucky before transferring to Polk State CC in Florida, heard his named called in the 14th round by the Oakland Athletics.

Rounds 26 through 40 were highlighted by six high school selections from across the state with three of those players having participated in the Super 60 this past February.

Most notably, Lake RHP Jayce Vancena, a Michigan recruit, was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 26th round with the 786th overall selection. The big-right handed pitcher became the hottest name in Ohio this spring with a string of impressive performances and continued development on the mound.

Anderson RHP/1B Zack Shannon, who originally committed to Ohio State and has since committed to Chipola CC in Florida, was not selected.

RD	PICK	NAME	SCHOOL	P	B/T	CLASS
1	4	Schwarber, Kyle	Indiana (IN)	C	L/R	JR
2	60	Varga, Cameron	CHCA	RHP	R/R	HS
3	80	Cousino, Austin	Kentucky (KY)	CF	L/L	JR
6	181	Scott, Tanner	Howard College (TX)	LHP	R/L	J2
6	190	Kivett, Ross	Kansas State (KS)	CF	R/R	SR
8	246	Swanson, Erik	Iowa Western CC (IA)	RHP	R/R	J2
9	258	Clark, Brian	Kent State (OH)	LHP	R/L	JR
10	305	Varner, Seth	Miami University (OH)	LHP	L/L	SR
12	348	Walsh, Connor	Cincinnati (OH)	RHP	L/R	SO
14	432	Schroeder, Casey	Polk State College (FL)	C	R/R	J2
15	461	Dorsch, Eric	Kent State (OH)	RHP	R/R	SR
16	489	Ahart, Devan	Akron (OH)	CF	L/R	JR
18	534	Isaacs, Dusty	Georgia Tech (GA)	RHP	R/R	SR
20	603	Pollock, Kyle	Evansville (IN)	C	R/R	JR
22	652	Powers, Ryan	Miami University (OH)	RHP	R/R	JR
25	741	Nittoli, Vinny	Xavier (OH)	RHP	R/R	5S
25	744	Winemiller, Rob	Case Western Reserve	RHP	R/R	JR
26	786	Vancena, Jayce	Lake HS (OH)	RHP	R/R	HS
28	829	Niggemeyer, Jacob	Olentangy Liberty HS (OH)	RHP	R/R	HS
29	857	Greve, Greg	Ohio State (OH)	RHP	R/R	SR
30	901	Burke, Mike	University of Buffalo (NY)	RHP	R/R	SR
31	936	Fasola, John	Kent State (OH)	RHP	R/R	SR
33	998	Dolan, Peter	Gilmour Academy (OH)	3B	R/R	HS
34	1028	Calloway, Cody	Midview HS (OH)	3B	R/R	HS
38	1149	Ferguson, Caleb	West Jefferson HS (OH)	LHP	R/L	HS
40	1198	Mahan, Riles	Moeller HS (OH)	SS	L/R	HS