The RoundHouse | 6/5/2018 9:23:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Alec Bohm wisely declined to start his professional baseball career labeled as "the kid who wants to homer off Max Scherzer."
 
Wichita State baseball enjoyed its biggest day since 2013 on Monday when it provided dramatic proof its coaches can recruit undrafted high schoolers and help develop them into first-day draft choices. Bohm (drafted third overall by Philadelphia) and Greyson Jenista (second round by Atlanta) put in the work over the past three seasons and on Monday night it paid off for them and the Shockers.
 
Those selections made all kinds of history for Wichita State: 
 
Bohm, a third baseman, is the program's first first-rounder since 2014 (first baseman Casey Gillaspie at No. 20 to Tampa Bay) and the highest pick since 1996 (Braden Looper also at No. 3 to St. Louis). Jenista, who played outfield and first base, went No. 49 overall, giving the Shockers their first top-50 duo since 1983 (pitcher Erik Sonberg No. 18 and outfielder Russ Morman No. 28).
 
And while none of that eases the disappointment of another season watching NCAA regionals, it is a recruiting and motivational chip coach Todd Butler and his assistants can profit from in many ways. Oregon State and Florida, with three each, are the schools that produced more top-50 picks. Wichita State, Oklahoma, Stanford and Virginia each checked in with two. South Florida (pitcher Shane McClanahan at No. 31) is the only other American Athletic Conference school with a top-50 pick.
 
The draft, which continues Tuesday and Wednesday, will wrap up a 2018 season that showed progress, but not enough to return the Shockers to NCAA play. Ending that drought (which extends to 2013 on the field and 2009 according to the NCAA) likely requires a few more like Bohm and Jenista. They signed in November 2014 – products of Butler's first nearly full run at recruiting -  and emerged as building blocks during their freshmen season.
 
Bohm-and-Jenista or Jenista-and-Bohm, for much of the past three seasons, were joined together as the Shocker foundation. Together, they played a lead role in Wichita State's records improving from 21-37 (2016) to 28-30 (2017) to 35-21 in 2018.

On Monday, they completed that journey and their new teams expect similar foundational results.
 
Bohm celebrated as expected during his post-handshake questions from the MLB Network. He politely declined to offer any hint of projection or entitlement into the big leagues. He spoke quietly and succinctly, as always.
 
"I'm just ready to go play ball," he said.
 
When asked to name a prominent pitcher he might look forward to homering against, Bohm pulled the veteran move of spitting on a pitch in the dirt. Nobody wants Max Scherzer to remember that quote if, indeed, they do meet in a big-league park in a few years.
 
"Those guys are pretty good," Bohm said.
 
The Phillies followed Bohm closely this season and surprised no one with the selection. Bohm goes to a team starved for a premium player at third base.
 
"He can really hit," Phillies amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz told reporters Monday night in Philadelphia. "He's got a lot of leverage in that swing, he can drive the ball out to all parts of the field. He's got what I call wide-field power, meaning that he can hit home runs from gap to gap. He commands the zone unbelievably well."
 
Both Bohm and Jenista starred last summer in the Cape Cod League to continue their ascent on draft boards. Jenista earned Cape MVC honors and played with Cape Top Pro Prospect Griffin Conine (picked No. 52 by Florida) on Cotuit. After the summer, Jenista said he considered Bohm the best talent in the league. Monday's draft showed Jenista's eye for evaluation. 
 
Bohm, from Omaha, hit .339 with 16 home runs and .625 slugging percentage as a junior with the Shockers. He improved his control of the strike zone – walking 39 times and striking out 28 - and his defense at third base. Scouts seem to differ on his long-term potential at third and, perhaps, he ends up at first or in the outfield. He made significant progress in his footwork and quickness at third during his time at Wichita State and maintains he wants to stay at that spot.
 
Jenista, from Eudora, hit .309 with a .475 slugging percentage, nine home runs and seven doubles. His athletic ability and defensive versatility adds to his value – he started 32 games in center field and 21 at first. 
 
"We really like what (Jenista) brings, definitely with the left-handed swing in our ballpark, gives us a potential to tap into that power," Braves scouting director Brian Bridges told MLB.com. "You can't teach size, and you can't teach strength. You can't teach power. We . . . get the most out of their abilities."
 
Monday was a good day for Shocker baseball, as draft days should be. The next step is making draft day one of several good days in late May and early June.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.