Lemont's Tyler Jay Selected Sixth Overall in MLB Draft

University of Illinois lefthanded pitcher Tyler Jay—a 2012 Lemont High School graduate—has been selected by the Minnesota Twins with the sixth pick of the first round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft. An all-state performer as a prep player at Lemont, Jay has emerged as one of college baseball’s premier pitchers over the last two seasons, and has helped key an historic season for the Fighting Illini baseball program.

Jay helped Illinois to a school-record 50 wins in 2015. The Fighting Illini won the Big Ten Conference regular-season title, earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and captured their first-ever NCAA Regional. Entering the NCAA Super Regional against defending National Champion Vanderbilt University, Jay had compiled a 5-1 record and totaled a school single-season record 14 saves while compiling a miniscule 0.60 ERA. In 60.1 innings of work, he had allowed just 30 hits and 37 baserunners in all. He leads the NCAA in WHIP (0.61) and in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (4.48).

Entering the NCAA Super Regional, Jay had struck out 70 batters while walking just seven, and he ranks fourth in the NCAA in strikeout-to-walk ratio (10.00 strikeouts per walk). All of these numbers have led to an impressive array of postseason honors.

Jay was cited as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) District V Player of the Year, making him one of just 10 district winners from across the country. He also is a finalist for the NCBWA’s Stopper of the Year award, which is given to the nation’s top relief pitcher.

A first-team Louisville Slugger All-America honoree, Jay was chosen as the 2015 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. He is a semifinalist for the National Pitcher of the Year award; a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy; and was a semifinalist for USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the nation’s top player.

Jay has set an Illinois career record with his 24 saves, and also is on pace to be the school’s all-time leader in career ERA. Though he was used mostly as a reliever at Illinois, he is expected to be groomed as a starter as a professional.

Last summer, Jay was selected to the 24-man squad for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. One of just two lefthanded pitchers on the team, as well as the Big Ten’s only representative, Jay posted a 2-0 record with a 0.00 ERA in 15 appearances for the 18-8-2 squad. He fanned 21 batters and limited opposing batters to a .130 average.

At Lemont, Jay earned Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 3A All-State accolades as a senior in 2012 after batting a team-best .512 with 10 doubles, three triples, a home run, and a team-high 32 RBIs. He also led the squad in hits (43) and on-base percentage (.543), and was second on the team with nine stolen bases. On the mound, he went 7-3 with a 1.24 ERA, and struck out 80 in just 45.0 innings (12.4./7 innings). He established career bests in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched and ERA. Lemont went 21-8 and captured the 2012 SSC Blue title under former coach Joe Rodeghero.

In his three-year varsity career at Lemont, Jay went 16-6 with two saves, posted a 2.28 ERA, and struck out 182 batters in 119.2 innings. He also was a .430 career hitter who drove in 52 runs and scored 33 times.

Lemont had two players from its 2014 IHSA Class 3A State Champion squad selected in the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft. Lefthanded pitcher Jake Latz ‘14 was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 11th round, while catcher Mike Papierski ‘14 was tabbed by the Blue Jays in the 16th round. Both decided to play baseball at Louisiana State University, which is one of the nation’s premier programs.

Latz and Papierski were the first players to be drafted out of Lemont High School since Jeff Duncan ‘97, a 41st-round selection by the Chicago Cubs in the 1997 draft. Lemont’s only known Major League Baseball player was Robert “Dale” Johnson ‘61, the 1970 American League “Rookie of the Year” runner-up who pitched nine Major League seasons.