Red Sox pick Southeast senior pitcher on first day

It's been a big week for Brandon Smith.

On Tuesday, four days after pitching Southeast Missouri State University to a NCAA regional tournament win over sixth-ranked Alabama, Smith became the school's highest selection ever in the Major League Baseball Draft, chosen in the 18th round by the Boston Red Sox.

Smith tied the school record for wins in a single season with the victory over Alabama, finishing his final season at Southeast with a 12-2 record. A graduate of Eureka High School in Eureka, Mo., Smith went 4-5 in his first three years at Southeast, including 1-1 his junior year.

"I'm thrilled for Brandon," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "Brandon for a long time has been a guy the scouts have been interested in, and he put it all together and showed the maturity to put him over the hump. I think he'll be a terrific pro."

There's never been a question about the right arm of Smith, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 200 pounds.

He throws in the upper 80s to low 90s and scouts project him to throw even harder. He combines power with a sharp breaking ball and good change-up. While his arm has been valued, he's never been a pitcher who's produced the results.

"He's a guy everybody wanted last year, but I think they needed to see that maturity come through," Hogan said. "He's had brilliant flashes, but they wanted to see consistency and this year that's what he gave them."

Hogan said Smith turned the corner when he learned he could get batters out without his best stuff. That led to consistency and big year for him and the Indians. After three years being used primarily as a reliever, Smith moved int the starting rotation and blossomed.

He struck out 82 batters in 94 innings and posted a 4.31 ERA. He threw a one-hitter at Eastern Kentucky in OVC games and picked up a win over perennial Big 12 power Oklahoma State. As a team, Southeast won both the OVC regular season and tournament titles in a 37-20 season.

Hogan said he was surprised by Smith's high placement in the draft since he's a senior and teams emphasize younger players in the lower rounds, but he understood the Red Sox's thinking.

"He's mature enough and strong enough where I think he can move up quickly," Hogan said.

The Indians could have a few other players drafted today. Possible draftees are senior pitcher Brad Purcell, junior shortstop Zach Borowiak, senior center fielder Vern Hatton and senior second baseman Roberto Bonilla.

"I have my fingers crossed for those other guys," Hogan said.