MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Until the Major League Baseball draft signing deadline passes July 12, Mountaineers coach Randy Mazey said next season’s roster will remain unsettled.
Four West Virginia baseball players and another incoming recruit were drafted last weekend. Though all were selected between the 29th and 38th rounds, making it likely they’ll be playing college baseball next season, Mazey told MetroNews “Sportsline” he isn’t taking any returnees for granted.
“The draft is a lot like the weather — as soon as you think you can predict it, it changes,” Mazey said. “I’ve learned over the years not to count on anyone until the clock strikes 12:01 on that final day. That’s the only time you’ll really ever know who’s coming to school and who isn’t.”
Big 12 pitcher of the year Harrison Musgrave (Phillies, 33rd round) and redshirt pitcher Sean Carley (Padres, 34th round) have stated their intentions of returning to WVU. Third baseman Ryan Tuntland (Giants, 29th round) and first baseman Ryan McBroom (Royals, 36th round) also face a decision, as does incoming freshman Dmitri Casas (Phillies, 38th round) of Greenwood Village, Colo.
College coaches have long lamented the timing of the MLB draft, which distracts high-profile college players from their NCAA tournament games and occurs mere weeks before high school recruits report to campus.
“It throws a wrench into the (recruiting) plans,” Mazey said. “I asked Coach (Dana) Holgorsen what would he do if he signed the best quarterback in the nation and a month before school started the kid turned pro on him?”
As young players weigh the allure of professional baseball against extending their college careers, Mazey aims to stay deeply involved in the process.
“It’s not my job to make decisions for these kids, but it is my job to educate them on what they’re getting into,” he said.
“Take a guy like Ryan McBroom. It’s my job to show him what has happened to all the 36th-rounders in the last 10 years. How many of them have made the big leagues? How long have their careers lasted? And what happens to him if he turns down the offer and comes back as a a senior? What are his chances of getting drafted again?”
Watch the complete interview from Thursday night’s MetroNews “Sportsline” above.