Round 23 | Blake Treinen | RHP | South Dakota St U | CONTRACT VOIDED

[dgriot]

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[emkayseven]

Treinen didn't play in an official game in the first three years of his college career, serving a stint on the junior varsity team at NAIA Baker (Kan.), not playing baseball at Arkansas and sitting out 2009 at South Dakota State after transferring. He has been a revelation this spring, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound righthander with a fastball that tops out at 94 mph. He's still learning to pitch, so his hard breaking pitches and command need refinement, but he has more potential that the typical Dakotas prospect. He went 7-0 in the regular season before Oral Roberts routed him with 14 runs in four innings in the Summit League tournament.

from BA

[LocoMarlinFan]

Blake Treinen to leave SDSU, sign with Florida Marlins

One day after being selected in the 23rd round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Draft, right-handed pitcher Blake Treinen has decided to forgo his senior season at South Dakota State and sign with the Florida Marlins.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Kansas native said Wednesday that he’ll fly to Florida on Saturday to sign a contract. He didn’t disclose terms aside from confirming that the franchise met the criteria he had in mind before the draft.

Treinen said that he’ll be assigned to Jamestown Jammers the New York-Penn League, a team in low Class A short season. In other words, he’ll bypass rookie ball, another factor that weighed into his decision.

“I’m 21,” he said. “I want to get out there as soon as possible.”

Treinen went 7-1 this season with the Jackrabbits, his only official experience in four years at the college level.

He is the first SDSU baseball player to turn pro early since pitcher Matt Magers, a 16th-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 1997.

http://www.argusleader.com/article/2...9025/1001/news

Signed

[emkayseven]

Apparently, Blake Treinen makes decisions the way he throws a baseball: fast.

Less than 24 hours after being selected in the 23rd round of the Major League Baseball Draft, the junior right-hander said Wednesday that he will forgo his senior season at South Dakota State and sign with the Florida Marlins.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Treinen plans to fly to Florida on Saturday to undergo a physical and ink the deal. He didn't disclose the terms aside from generalizing that the franchise met the criteria he had in mind heading into the draft.

Beyond the financial aspects, the Kansas native was enticed by the Marlins' plan to send him to the Jamestown Jammers of the New York-Penn League at the low Class A short-season level, therefore bypassing rookie ball.

"I'm 21," he said. "I want to get out there as soon as possible."

Treinen went 7-1 with a 6.09 ERA this season, earning all-Summit League honors and helping the Jackrabbits earn a share of a conference title for the first time since 1995. It was his only official experience in four years at the college level, having started out at NAIA Baker College in Michigan and spending one year out of baseball at the University of Arkansas before landing in Brookings.

His departure figures to have more of an impact than his arrival.

With an imposing frame and a velocity in the low 90s, Treinen was the obvious ace on an offense-heavy squad that won a school-record 39 games this spring and seemed poised for even bigger things next year. All but one regular position player and one starting pitcher were supposed to return for 2010, plus SDSU is in line to host the conference tournament.

The decision made by Treinen - the first non-senior to leave the Jacks for a pro team since pitcher Matt Magers went to the Chicago Cubs in 1997 - will alter the outlook. Even if SDSU could find a top-notch starter this late in the recruiting season, which is highly unlikely, there would be no available scholarship money because Treinen was a walk-on.

"When you're a mid-level Division I team that doesn't have a full allotment of scholarships, it's hard to protect yourself for the draft," SDSU coach Ritchie Price said. "It's going to put us in a tough spot next year. But it'll create an opportunity for some other guys to step up."

Still, the program remains outwardly supportive of Treinen. Price advised him before the draft to take a deal if he received a good one, while numerous teammates have sent congratulatory calls and texts.

The Jacks will try to turn the early exit into a positive.

"It helps in recruiting," Price said. "Kids see that, they know it's a place they can go and continue to chase their dreams and get to the next level. There aren't a lot of colleges in our conference that can say they've had a player drafted four straight years."

Treinen is proud to be part of that building tradition. He sees this move as chasing a dream rather than getting out of SDSU.

"I had a blast with my team - it's probably the best group of guys I've ever been around," he said. "I won't forget them, for sure. Ritchie gave me an opportunity where I didn't think there was an opportunity to get."

http://www.argusleader.com/article/2...32/1077/SPORTS

[LocoMarlinFan]

Contract voided

First Pitch: MLB dream on hold for SDSU's Treinen

The tale of Blake Treinen has taken another unusual turn: He's coming back to Brookings.

The right-handed pitcher said Friday that he will return to South Dakota State for his senior season because his plans to go pro went awry - surprisingly and suddenly.

The Kansas native was in West Palm Beach, Fla., earlier this week, set to sign with the Florida Marlins just days after they selected him in the 23rd round of the Major League Baseball Draft. But the team elected not to give him the opportunity based on the results of a physical that revealed inflammation in his throwing shoulder.


Needless to say, Treinen didn't see it coming. He had been given tentative contract terms via phone - they were good enough to entice him to leave SDSU in the first place - and wasn't aware of any health problems. In fact, scouts said going into the draft that the lack of wear on his arm was a selling point. His fourth year in college was his first with any official innings.

"It's whatever," said Treinen, sounding clearly disappointed. "I have another year to play, and I'm excited for it."

So are the Jackrabbits. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder was the walk-on ace on a junior-loaded team that won 39 games and a share of the Summit League title this spring. Treinen finished 7-1 with a 6.09 ERA and earned first-team all-conference honors.

He will, however, need to get a waiver from the NCAA and repay the Marlins for one flight and two nights at a hotel in order to regain his amateur eligibility. SDSU coach Ritchie Price doesn't expect that to be a problem because the situation - although rare - isn't unprecedented. A couple of his former teammates wound up in similar spots.

"It's a huge disappointment for him and his family, but it's something hopefully we can turn into a positive," Price said. "He'll come back and have a great senior year, and, hopefully, some other organization can look past (the inflammation) or have a second opinion on what the Marlins feel."

Florida will relinquish the rights to Treinen on Aug. 16. Still, the organization has pledged its cooperation in getting him back on the college field, according to Price.

As for the immediate future, the 21-year-old will return to Brookings from his home in Osage City on Tuesday. He'll spend the summer working - remember, he has to repay an MLB club - and conditioning. The SDSU staff will limit his throwing over the next several months in an attempt to clear up the previously undetected inflammation.

It's a setback, for sure. But Treinen is nothing if not resilient. He began his career on the junior varsity team at an NAIA college, tried to walk-on at a Division I powerhouse that doesn't allow walk-ons and wound up at SDSU because of a chance meeting at a camp. He's finally in line for a partial scholarship in 2011.

"There's been a lot of weird bumps in my pursuit of playing ball at a higher level consistently," he said. "I just found it as another one I can overcome, and I will."

http://www.argusleader.com/article/2...28/1002/sports

[tjfla]

Ouch,2 years in a row now that we voided a contract due to medical. However with all these young guys on the 60 Day DL I guess we gotta look into it.

There are like 7 on 60 Day DL

[LocoMarlinFan]

Ouch,2 years in a row now that we voided a contract due to medical. However with all these young guys on the 60 Day DL I guess we gotta look into it.

There are like 7 on 60 Day DL

Yea it's been pretty crazy. Berglund and Mahoney from last yr draft have all already had surgery and I suspect the same from Richards.

[Todd]

Not really sure why they would draft this guy in the first place. Hopefully he gets healthy though.

[tjfla]

Not really sure why they would draft this guy in the first place. Hopefully he gets healthy though.

Well unless u are a Top 250 or so guy they really don't do physicals on ya. Late Round picks are usually guys who scouts like and know would have a chance at signing. When they come here is actually the first time they get all the tests done

Last year's voided contract was embrassing tho. U don't draft a guy that high and have him play a few games then void his contract. This 1 is explainable just like Tyler Curtis was last year,college pitcher who came down to sign and instead was told he was injured

[Todd]

I was meaning I dont know why they would draft a guy who is 22 or 23 years old and has pitched one year since high school.

[Bobbob1313]

Because they like his arm.

[Fish and Chips]

Todd is right, we should draft shelby miller's every round with every pick from now on.

[Todd]

Or, you know, not draft someone who is a giant question mark even without his health problems.

[Bobbob1313]

IT WAS THE 23RD FUCKING ROUND.

[Todd]

So fucking what? I still dont see the merit in taking a guy who has thrown 70 fucking innings in the last 5 years and got knocked around in one of the worst conferences in college baseball. If all you are getting is depth you might as well get depth who has a track record of some kind.