Wash's Freese picked by White Sox

Dakota Freese was still in bed when his mother got a text from a friend Wednesday, informing her that her son had been taken in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

"We got on the computer and saw it was the White Sox," the Cedar Rapids Washington pitcher said. "I went crazy."

Freese has always followed Chicago and has a couple of White Sox hats in his collection. He was just a 34th-round selection and has no guarantees he'll even be offered a contract but can't help but be excited by the possibility of joining the organization.

"It'll all depend on the money," Freese said.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander with the Tim Lincecum delivery went decidely lower in the draft than a lot of experts predicted. Perfect Game USA originally had him as a 10th-to-15th-round selection, though he may have been hurt by a poor showing in his only appearance for Washington thus far, last weekend against Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

He's scheduled to pitch Thursday against Linn-Mar.  Freese is getting a late start to his prep season because of a suspension for violating school policy, which also may have hurt his draft status.

He has signed to play junior-college baseball at LSU-Eunice.

"It was frustrating, but not disappointing," Freese said of going in the 34th round. "It doesn't matter what round. I got drafted, and that feels good."

Others with Iowa ties drafted Wednesday were Wartburg College right-handed pitcher Bradley Watson (37th round by St. Louis Cardinals). The senior from Urbandale went 10-4 with a 2.07 earned run average this season.

Southeastern Community College shortstop Vhoxion Medina went in the 38th round to the Cleveland Indians and infielder Cody Gabella to the San Diego Padres in the 43rd. Des Moines Area Community College pitcher Austin Urban to the Chicago Cubs in the 41st round.

Sioux City Heelan prep shortstop David Kerian was taken by the Washington Nationals in the 42nd round. Former Davenport Assumption prep Willie Argo was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 43rd round as an outfielder. He just finished his junior season at Illinois.