During last year's MLB Draft, the Mid-American Conference had to wait until the sixth round to hear its first athlete's name called, with former Akron RHP J.T. Brubaker getting selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Mere days away from this year's draft, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that we won't have to wait nearly that long on the first MAC draftee this year.
That's thanks in large part to a pair of junior left-handed pitchers, Kent State's Eric Lauer and Western Michigan's Keegan Akin, putting together dominant seasons in 2016. Lauer's been in the spotlight much longer than Akin has, getting drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays out of high school but choosing to honor his commitment to the Golden Flashes.