By Craig Pearson
TERRE HAUTE — After being taken as the second catcher overall and the 38th pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft on Tuesday, Josh Phegley — a Terre Haute resident — is now the highest draft pick to hail from the Wabash Valley.
The previous high pick was when Terre Haute South product Harold Allen was drafted out of Indiana State in the fifth round by the Houston Astros in 1987. Jason Hickman of South went in the eighth round in 2000. The most recent Vigo County product to be taken was left-handed pitcher Blake Holler of Terre Haute North and Stanford (13th round, 2006).
Fairly certain he would be taken in the first three rounds, the 2006 Mr. Baseball at Terre Haute North watched the first round of the draft on television with his girlfriend and parents, John and Joan Phegley, while out to dinner in Terre Haute.
“We thought the first three rounds would be televised, then they said the rest was online on the computer,” Phegley said. “We high-tailed it home and got the computer running. As soon as I got the computer running, my named popped up. It almost took some of the anxiety away.”
Phegley was taken by the Chicago White Sox in Compensation Round A, a series of picks sandwiched between the first and second round for teams that got compensatory picks due to free agent losses.
“Just to have the opportunity to go this high, it didn’t matter which team picked me, I was going to be excited to get going [as a professional],” said the 5-foot-11, 215-pounder who hit .344 with 17 home runs and 66 RBIs in 2009 for the Hoosiers.
Phegley got a hint from his advisor Tuesday morning that he was high on the White Sox’s priority list.
“They said they were really interested in taking me with one of their first three picks,” Phegley said.
“They had a pick at 23rd, 38th and 61st. They said I was definitely a guy, that looking back after the draft, I was a guy that they didn’t want to be without.
“It felt good hearing that.”
Before getting a minor-league assignment, Phegley will undergo a physical and have to come to terms on a contract. The 38th pick in the 2007 draft received a $810,000 signing bonus and it was more than that in 2008, Phegley said.
The White Sox area scout called to congratulate Phegley minutes after his selection, telling him “all your hard work has paid off.”
Phegley drew attention from MLB scouts after his senior year at Terre Haute North in which he batted .592 with 13 home runs, 16 doubles and 50 RBIs for coach Shawn Turner. However, he went undrafted and went on to IU, where he had already signed to play for coach Tracy Smith.
Phegley struggled mightily as a freshman, batting just 232 with 16 RBIs in 42 starts. The summer following that season, Phegley played in the esteemed Cape Cod League and regained his confidence.
“I was pretty raw coming out of high school so college was a no-brain decision. But having talked about the possibility of getting drafted then having a freshman year like I had was pretty devastating to say the least,” Phegley said. “That’s a big transition. I just sat down and said let’s forget all this stuff on the outside — the awards, any talk of getting drafted — all I wanted to do was sit down and put everything in the past. Just work on my game from there and improve immediately.”
Phegley resurrected himself and in effect helped the IU program reach the NCAA tournament this spring.
“When coach Smith brought me in to IU saying he wanted to build the program around a player like me, and that’s just what’s happened in the last month, having three top picks like that to go along with a Big Ten tournament championship,” Phegley said.
Phegley was not the first IU player drafted Tuesday, with right-handed pitcher Eric Arnett going 26th to the Milwaukee Brewers. Lefty Matt Bashore was also taken 46th by the Minnesota Twins.
Phegley was a 2009 first-team Preseason All-American after finishing second in the nation with a .438 average as a sophomore in 2008. He also had 15 home runs and 80 RBIs.
According to a scouting report on MLB.com, “Phegley has some serious hitting talent, he makes great adjustments at the plate, will take walks, drive the ball the other way, even with a slightly unorthodox setup with a deep crouch and the bat over his head.”
The knock on Phegley is his defense. “While he calls his own game, he’s not great at handling pitchers with a ton of movement. His hands are not soft,” the scouting report states.
Apparently his abilities with the bat outweigh any defensive liability. Phegley believes in himself as a catcher.
“I think definitely staying behind the plate is going to be the way, if I make it to the major leagues, that is my path to get there,” Phegley said. “I proved this year, just the athleticism I bring behind the plate. If they feel like there’s some deficiencies, then I think I can adjust fairly quickly with a little instruction.”
Phegley is honored to be the highest Wabash Valley pick. As far as position players, West Vigo’s Lenny Leclercq was taken in the 11th round by the Brewers in 2005. Catcher Brian Dorsett was taken in the 10th round in 1983 by the Oakland Athletics.
“It’s kind of amazing that I’m the guy that’s kind of bringing some recognition to the guys and the quality of baseball around here,” Phegley said. “Just the support that the city of Terre Haute has given me throughout my career has been great. I’ve talked to all kinds of people throughout my career that are following me from former coaches and players to fans.”
Phegley, who led Wayne Newton Post 346 to a national runner-up finish in the summer of 2006, expects a pair of former teammates on that team to get calls as the draft continues today and Thursday.
Indiana State standouts Brady Shoemaker (Northview) and Nick Ciolli (Terre Haute North) are considered draft prospects.
“I’m sure they’ll both go,” Phegley said. “Both great ballplayers. Nick’s been one of my best friends since we were young. It’s going to be exciting to see those guys get picked. I’m sure they’ll be great additions to whatever organization picks them up.”
