Baseball: Oswego East’s Ashton Izzi drafted by Seattle Mariners in fourth round ‘It was awesome’

Ashton Izzi watched the first night of the MLB Draft Sunday to see former Oswego East teammate Noah Schultz get selected.

Izzi’s turn came the next day.

The hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Oswego East was drafted by the Seattle Mariners on Monday in the fourth round with the 126th overall pick.

“I was in my house watching the draft and expecting if my name would come up around the third or fourth round, I got a call from my advisor and they said to watch the draft,” said Izzi, who also received a call from a Mariners scout at the time of the selection. “I called my family in the room, saw my name, and it was awesome.”

Izzi, who posted a 3.27 ERA with 69 strikeouts over 30 innings as a senior and a 3-2 record with a 2.59 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 27 innings as a junior, was projected to go in the third or fourth round. MLB.com in April had Izzi, who committed to Wichita State last fall, as the No. 109 overall prospect.

“I was a little bit nervous [watching the draft],” Izzi said. “If I went I would have have to prepare myself to leave, if not prepare myself for college. Two different mindsets for each situation.”

Izzi did not indicate whether he would sign with the Mariners or opt to go to Wichita State, saying “still working that out.” But Mariners Director of Amateur Scouting Scott Hunter told the Seattle Times they expect to be able to sign Izzi. Hunter said they got to know Izzi at the MLB Draft Combine in San Diego.

“He fits everything we do as an organization,” Hunter told the Seattle Times.

The 6-foot-3, 165-pound Izzi emerged as an early-round draft prospect with a projectable arm. He has good arm action for his size and a slider that tunnels well off his fastball that sits in the low 90s but has touched 97 this spring. Izzi is still working to develop his changeup as a third pitch, and believes it’s his best pitch when he throws it right.

“He’s an extremely projectable high school arm, with a frame that should fill out a ton in the next few years,” Keith Law wrote in his draft breakdown for The Athletic. “He gets on top of the ball really well and can get some depth on his breaking ball. He could be a completely different guy in two years and 30 pounds, in a good way.”

Izzi said he probably started to realize early last summer that he had a future playing college baseball at a high level, and signed with Wichita State last November. From last fall to now, the idea of a big future in pro ball, and being drafted, became reality. He said he probably topped out at 91 on his fastball last year, but at the combine in San Diego was sitting 94. He’s added 10 mph on his fastball over the last two years.

“When I have the adrenalin I can bring it 96 every time,” he said.

At the MLB Draft Combine in June at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, Izzi struck out two and allowed one hit facing five batters. He also had the opportunity to meet with the Mariners while in San Diego.

“It was a great experience to see what it’s like to pitch in a big league park, to throw pro ball against guys in the same situation as me. It was my first one,” Izzi said. “It was a nice way to dip my feet in the water for pro ball.”

Izzi marvels at the thought that one day in the not so distant future two former Oswego East teammates could both be pitching in the big leagues. Schultz was drafted by the White Sox with the 26th overall pick.

“Hearing our names on the draft, hearing Oswego East, it’s surreal,” Izzi said. “It means a lot to give back to the community. It will be sweet to have us both doing the same thing eventually, pitching at the highest level.”