Ryan Longstreth’s pick by the Detroit Tigers in the recent Major League Baseball draft is big news for the former Kellogg Community College pitcher, but it’s also big news for his hometown.
According to a recent article in the Midland Daily News, Longstreth, of Beaverton, is the first Beaverton High School graduate to be drafted by a Major League baseball team.
The Daily News quotes John Mishler, who they write coached Longstreth at Beaverton for three seasons, as saying, “I’m awful proud as a coach to have one of my former players in the professional (ranks). That’s awesome. The kid’s worked his whole life for this. He put everything into it and it’s paid off.”
Eric Laskovy, who coached Longstreth during his sophomore year at Kellogg Community College, said the college is thrilled to hear of such a great opportunity for a former Bruin. In 2010, Laskovy, said, Longstreth helped pitch the team to a conference championship.
“Ryan has a tremendous work ethic, so it’s great to see it culminate into a professional opportunity with the Detroit Tigers,” Laskovy said. “The Kellogg baseball family is very proud of his success.”
Among the other news outlets covering Longstreth’s drafting this past weekend was MLive.com’s Saginaw Sports section.
For more information about the baseball program at Kellogg Community College, visit www.kellogg.edu/athletics/baseball/index.html.
For photos of the Kellogg Community College baseball team in action, visit the college’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KelloggCommunityCollege/photos.