Swaggerty, LSU signee Turang picked in first round of MLB Draft

Former Denham Springs outfielder Travis Swaggerty and LSU signee Brice Turang were selected in the first round of Major League Baseball’s draft Monday night.

Swaggerty, who played the last three years at the University of South Alabama, was taken with the 10th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The pick carries an approximate slot value of $4.6 million.

Turang, a shortstop from Santiago High School in California, was selected 21st overall by the Milwaukee Brewers. The slot value for the 21st pick is approximately $3 million.

The first two rounds and compensatory selections were completed Monday night, at the same time three NCAA regional finals were being completed.

Because of the overlap, no fewer than five players were selected while their teams were on the field – the University of Florida trio of Jonathan India, Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar, Ole Miss left-hander Ryan Rolison and Florida Atlantic shortstop Tyler Frank.

The draft/game overlap produced significant discussion on social media about moving the draft to a different day to avoid such issues. In recent years, Major League Baseball has started the draft on either a Monday or Thursday, when fewer big-league teams are playing. Only five games were scheduled in the majors on Monday.

This is unreal. Ryan Rolison’s team is on the ropes in a regional championship game and he’s over here having to check his cellphone to see if he got drafted. That’s not remotely fair, or memorable.

— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 5, 2018

Again, imagine the NBA having it’s draft in the middle of the 3rd quarter of a Sweet 16 game.

Or the NFL having it’s draft as a conference championship kicks off.

This is what @MLB does to college baseball players playing in NCAA regional elimination games.

Ridiculous.

— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) June 5, 2018

Situations like last night — with the draft going on in New Jersey and Florida draft picks playing in games at the same time — benefit no one, writes @tedcahill https://t.co/b0nbOewrNe

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) June 5, 2018

Rounds 3-10 will be held Tuesday beginning at 11:30 a.m. CDT. The top Louisiana-based prospects on the board are a pair of LSU draft-eligible sophomores, Zach Watson and Zack Hess.