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Saint Louis Billikens’ Miller Hogan selected by Brewers in MLB Draft

By Patrick Karraker

Mar 15, 2017; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; General view of a Milwaukee Brewers hat, glove and sunglasses during the game against the Colorado Rockies during a spring training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2017; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; General view of a Milwaukee Brewers hat, glove and sunglasses during the game against the Colorado Rockies during a spring training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
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For the fifth straight year, a player has been taken from Saint Louis University in the MLB Draft.

The Saint Louis Billikens program continues to become more prestigious each June, and this year was no exception, as another SLU player was taken in the Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday afternoon. Righthanded pitcher Miller Hogan, a sophomore who was eligible to be picked because he’s 21 years old, was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 32nd round (pick 954 overall) on the third and final day of this year’s draft.

Since Hogan has only played two years of college ball and doesn’t stand to earn much of a signing bonus if he goes pro, it’s entirely possible that he’ll return to the Billikens for his junior season. Obviously, though, it’s a major accomplishment that he’s already put himself on the radar of major-league clubs.

Hogan was the ace of the Billikens’ staff in 2017, posting a 2.70 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP in 90 innings over 15 starts. A native of Overland Park, Kansas, Hogan was also solid during his freshman season at SLU, posting a 3.27 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 22 walks over 71 2/3 innings.

In an incredible testament to how strong the Billiken baseball program has become, this is the fifth straight year that a SLU player has been taken in the MLB Draft. Hogan follows catcher Grant Nelson (Arizona Diamondbacks, 2013), righthanded pitcher James Norwood (Chicago Cubs) and infielder Alec Solé (Tampa Bay Rays), both of whom were selected in 2014, catchers Jake Henson (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Colton Frabasilio (Kansas City Royals), who were both selected in 2015, and pitcher Matt Eckelman, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates last June.

Next: SLU basketball walk-on Aaron Hines earns scholarship

While no SLU alumni have played in the major leagues since pitcher Ken Sanders in 1976, there will now be five former Billikens playing the minor leagues–Norwood, Solé, Frabasilio, Eckelman, and Hogan (assuming he signs)–so the odds are increasing that the drought will end sooner than later. Former SLU reliever Nick Vichio, who pitched three seasons for the Billikens before transferring to Missouri Baptist this past year, was also selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 27th round and will help increase those odds if he signs with the Orioles.

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