The Champaign Room · Jun 5, 2018
2018 MLB Draft: Illinois closer Joey Gerber selected by the Mariners in eighth round
Two rows of MLB scouts would pull out their radar guns and pop a squat right behind home plate whenever closer Joey Gerber took the mound at almost every Illinois Baseball game this season.
And the scouts must’ve liked what they saw.
Gerber was selected 238th overall by the Seattle Mariners in the eighth round in the 2018 MLB Draft on Tuesday, June 5.
Gerber had a dominant year out of the bullpen for the Illini in his junior season with a 3.14 ERA in 28.2 innings pitched, striking out 45 of the 119 batters he faced in his 25 appearances. He also held opponents to a .182 batting average.