Leger Named To Collegiate Baseball All-America Teams

[NewsCopy]

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball junior Gunner Leger became the fifth Cajuns player since 2014 to be named to the Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division I All-American baseball teams as he was tabbed to the 2017 third team, the publication announced last week.

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UL SI

[CajunEXPRESS]

When is MLB draft?

[cajun_lannister]

When is MLB draft?

june 12th

[Rougarou]

Well deserved. Congrats to Gunner.

[Turbine]

june 12th

Can you imagine the ratings buzz if they held the draft immediately after the last out of the College World Series?

[barchief]

I was watching the MLB Network Top 100 draft prospect show the other day, and he wasn't in the top 100... and according to their website, he's not in the top 200... what is the possibility that he sticks around another year?

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017/?list=draft

[LifeTimeCajun]

Better than 50% if u ask me

[sportsfanatic21]

I think we will be pleasantly surprised at who is back next year.

I believe Sensley will be gone.

As for pitchers, the top rounds of the draft are for guys who throw 95+ mph. Culture now is to acquire flamethrowers, use them up, and get some more. If Gunner or Wyatt had another 4-5 mph on their fastballs, I think they'd be gone. But guys who throw 88-92 just don't get drafted high enough to command the money to make it worth it to sign.

That said, and we all know that these kids dream of playing professional baseball, we've seen it over and over when kids sign just because they are drafted...and are out of baseball within 3 years. I hope, for the Cajuns sake, and even more so, the kids' sake, they don't fall into that trap. Hopefully, Gunner's dad Tim Leger, a 4th round pick out of HS who signed and was playing football at McNeese a few years later will be the example to show Gunner and Wyatt what life in the minors is like when you're not a first round "bonus baby". Hell, even Stryker Trahan from Acadiana HS, drafted in the first round a few years ago is already out of baseball and never made it to the big leagues.

I have many friends who've played minor league ball, and they all have stories of good times and places they've been, etc., but every one of them have said that minor league baseball is an awful existence. And VERY FEW realize the Major League dream.

Without life changing money, it's just not worth it if you still have college eligibility remaining.

We shall see.

[MountainDew]

So many guys leave school and then get tossed around the minors for a few years. Then get cut, call it quits, etc. That happens to juniors, seniors, drafted guys, free agent signings, everybody. My thought process is...unless you are a top 5 round pick or so, you might as well finish your eligibility and get your degree and then head to play professional baseball after your senior year. Yes I know about the money leverage. I also was not blessed with the ability to play professional or even college baseball, so I really don't know what really is going through these kids' minds.

Here's to hoping they have some unfinished business to take care of here and choose to stay. If they decide to leave, I'll be pulling for them.

[Rougarou]

I agree with all the sentiment regarding junior signs. The only thing I will say for guys who go their junior year even though they don't get huge signing bonuses is that their dream is to play professional baseball, however, if they are a senior sign, they will probably get $1,000 signing bonus. Which would mean they cannot afford to play professional baseball, which is their dream. Whereas if they go and sign in their junior year, they will get a larger signing bonus they can use to support themselves financially in pro-ball until they run out or get released.

So the fear, I'm sure, is that they won't get to play professionally unless they go their junior year. I'm not saying I agree with their thinking, but I'm sure that has something to do with it.

[CajunAmos]

I agree with all the sentiment regarding junior signs. The only thing I will say for guys who go their junior year even though they don't get huge signing bonuses is that their dream is to play professional baseball, however, if they are a senior sign, they will probably get $1,000 signing bonus. Which would mean they cannot afford to play professional baseball, which is their dream. Whereas if they go and sign in their junior year, they will get a larger signing bonus they can use to support themselves financially in pro-ball until they run out or get released.

So the fear, I'm sure, is that they won't get to play professionally unless they go their junior year. I'm not saying I agree with their thinking, but I'm sure that has something to do with it.

MLB has been reducing signing bonus slots (with players association approval), so the amounts go down much faster than in the past. Keep in mind if you're after the first five or so round you're more filler than prospect. They need guys who can fill minor league team slots (and maybe find an extremely rare diamond) so their true prospects can get playing time. They'll give those prospects multiple chances to fail but not so much for the fillers. Could you live on $600/mo for 4-5 months a year?

[campo118]

MLB has been reducing signing bonus slots (with players association approval), so the amounts go down much faster than in the past. Keep in mind if you're after the first five or so round you're more filler than prospect. They need guys who can fill minor league team slots (and maybe find an extremely rare diamond) so their true prospects can get playing time. They'll give those prospects multiple chances to fail but not so much for the fillers. Could you live on $600/mo for 4-5 months a year?

Wow! Is that number pretty accurate? I knew minor league guys didn't make much, but I had no idea they made less than a burger flipper at mcdonalds...