Phillies Select Eastern's McGowan in MLB Draft

Article courtesy of Derek Hatridge, McAlester News-Capital

Christian McGowan is being called up to the big show.

The Eastern Oklahoma State College baseball player was selected in the seventh round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.

Officially the 205th pick of the draft, McGowan has been a star force for Eastern in his time as a Mountaineer.

The right-handed pitcher from Bokchito, Oklahoma, made 12 appearances in the 2021 season with nine wins and zero losses, posting a 2.55 ERA in 74 innings pitched — putting him in the top 30 for junior college players nationwide. McGowan racked up a team best 109 strikeouts — ninth best in the nation — while only giving 30 walks and allowing only 26 runs.

He helped lead the Mountaineers to both a regular season and Region II tournament championship, with Eastern also making a run during the NJCAA postseason — coming within one game of advancing to the NJCAA World Series.

McGowan has been lauded for his talents and command on the mound, including his splitter, slider, and a scorching fastball that has seen up to near 100mph speeds.

Eastern coach Matt Parker tweeted his congratulations to McGowan on Twitter after the selection was announced.

"Congratulations to (Christian McGowan)!" Parker wrote. "We couldn't be more excited for a guy who put in this much work. Who's next?"

Parker also added the #KeepYourFork hashtag, which has been a long-running mantra for his team and signifying their hunger for continued success.