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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland man accused of setting mother's Talent house ablaze ... Phoenix: Recreational marijuana grows must stay indoors ... Emergency Services ... Ashland man accused of setting mother's Talent house ablaze ... Phoenix: Recreational marijuana grows must stay indoors ... Emergency Services ... Bechler taken in third round By DAVID PRESZLER MailTribune.com By DAVID PRESZLER Posted Jun. 3, 1998 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 7:34 AM By DAVID PRESZLER Posted Jun. 3, 1998 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 7:34 AM » Social News Photo from Mail Tribune files — — — South pitcher is selected 99th in draft by Orioles Coming home for lunch on Tuesday afternoon, South Medford pitcher Steve Bechler knew something was up. I came home and there were probably about 15 or 20 people here, he said. Word spread quickly. The 18-year-old had been taken in the third round of baseball's amateur draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He was the 99th pick overall and the first player from Oregon taken. It hasn't really quite set in yet, he said. My initial thought was, `Wow, my dream is coming true.' The crowd of close friends and family gathered at his house may have come as a bit of a surprise but Bechler was confident that he would be drafted in the early rounds. There's a little sense of disappointment because I thought I could have gone higher than that, he said. Some guys told me first or second round. But the third round is not too shabby. I'm excited and just looking forward to get on with my career. Bechler went 6-2 in Southern Oregon Conference play last season with a 1.13 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 55 2/3 innings. On April 18, he fanned 17 hitters with only one walk in a 4-1 victory over Roseburg. The right-hander has a fastball that has been clocked in the low 90s and impressed scouts with his curveball. He also throws a slider, the occasional splitfingered fastball and is working to develop a changeup. Baltimore officials are flying to Medford on Thursday to begin contract negotiations with Bechler. He said he doesn't have an agent yet but is being advised by Tracy Codd. Codd represents two other pitchers with ties to the Rogue Valley -- South graduate Andy Larkin of the Florida Marlins and North Medford graduate Bob Wolcott, who is in Class AAA Tucson with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Bechler said he's gotten calls from Wolcott, Larkin and another South pitcher who went on to the minor leagues, Russ Koehler. They've called a couple of times and kind of let me know how things are going to go and giving me some advice, Bechler said. The Orioles have told Bechler that he will likely start his pro career in Sarasota, Fla., with the Baltimore's rookie league team in the Gulf Coast League. It's only natural for high school picks, Bechler said. It's going to take some time to get used to the whole surroundings. I'm pretty anxious to see how well I'll do against this caliber of players. Bechler made a brief appearance at Tuesday's tryouts for the American Legion Medford Mustangs. He was the pitching ace on last season's team that was the runner-up in the Legion World Series. The Orioles have given Bechler the OK to pitch for the Mustangs until he heads to Sarasota. It all depends on when I have to leave, but they want me to go out there and take it easy, Bechler said. Mustangs coach Sandee Kensinger said Bechler's selection is an indication of how much potential he has. That's quite an honor to get drafted as high as he did, Kensinger said. The scouts know what they are looking for and last summer they saw some durability and a live arm in a kid that young. Steve has so much more development ahead of him. He still has some room to grow and get stronger. Bechler is 6-foot-3 and weighs 195 pounds. His high school coach at South, Dennis Allen, agrees that Bechler has a bright future. It's just the beginning of his potential at his age, Allen says. It's only in the last two years that he's emerged as a pitcher. That's the great thing about him. With more advanced instruction, it's exciting to think of how far he can go. Allen said the Orioles and the Cleveland Indians were the two teams that showed the most interest in his ace. Bechler says that Orioles general manager Pat Gillick made two trips to Oregon to see him pitch -- once in a non-conference game against Henley and a when South lost to Canby in the Class 4A playoffs. Heading into the draft, Bechler wasn't listed among the top 100 pitchers -- let alone players -- by Baseball America. The prestigious magazine rated him as the state's second-best prospect behind Oregon State pitcher Chris Pine. Pine, a former Tualatin High standout was taken in the fifth round with the 146th pick overall by the Milwaukie Brewers. The first 25 rounds of the draft were completed Tuesday with the final 25 slated for today. Bechler was one of four Oregon prep players selected on Tuesday. Yoncalla pitcher Joel Williams was selected in the ninth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Kansas City Royals grabbed the other two Oregonians, taking Jesuit catcher Brock Griffin in the 15th round and Beaverton outfielder Aaron Fausett in the 19th. Bechler was taken higher than any Rogue Valley product since 1992, when Wolcott was selected in the second round by the Seattle Mariners and Crater High pitcher Rich Ireland was picked in the third round by the Florida Marlins. He's not the first area hurler to be picked by Baltimore. Medford High left-hand pitcher Randy Boyd was picked by the Orioles in the second round of the 1981 draft. A Dodger fan, Bechler said he'll have to adjust to life as an Orioles farmhand. They aren't exactly my favorite team, he said. But it looks like I'm going to have to start liking them. By DAVID PRESZLER MailTribune.com By DAVID PRESZLER Posted Jun. 3, 1998 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 7:34 AM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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