Athletes in Action Texas Collegiate Player Scott Bittle Drafted in 2nd round by New York Yankees

Posted on June 6, 2008 by taylorhargrove

Scott Bittle of the Mineral Wells Steam Athletes in Action Team Texas was the 75th overall pick of the 2008 MLB draft. Bittle played with us in 2006 and 2007 summers and tore it up this year at the University of Mississippi. I texted bittle today congradulated him and dropped a prayer text for him. I asked if he had anything he wanted to say for the blog and here is what the good old southern boy had to say, “I just want to say that I feel honored and blessed that the Lord has given me an opportunity to continue a career in professional baseball. It is an honor to be drafted by such a distinguished organization like the New York Yankees. I want to thank everyone that has helped me along the way.” Bittle is definately got the stuff to play at the next level and the character as well. Bittle leads by example on and off the field. Scott had a pretty dirty slider in the TCL that would break bats but hitters would get like 3 foot base hits or dribblers. I guess this year he got tired of that and decided to strike guys out as he had 130 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched.

Please be lifting up Scott in prayer as this is an exciting time for him and everyone he knows. With the blessings of playing at a high level there is also a hightened need for disernment in who to trust and getting involved with the right agents, friends, teammates and being wise with money and time. Please be lifting Scott up to make an incredible impact in professional sports for Jesus Christ and for him to enjoy the moment.

By Taylor Hargrove

Below is an email I received from the newly married Kevin Mcarty who had been running alot of the show for Athletes in Action as a SID and Assistatn General Manager the Last three years in Mineral Wells Texas.

Scott Bittle became the first Athletes in Action Alumn to be selected in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft when he was taken in the second round by the New York Yankees on Thursday. Bittle was the 75th overall selection and highest AIA alumn taken since Josh Donaldson was selected by the Cubs as the No. 48 player in the supplemental first round in 2007.

Bittle, who pitched for AIA’s Mineral Wells Steam in the Texas Collegiate League in the summer of 2006 and 2007, anchored the bullpen for Ole Miss this spring. The senior from Texarkana, Texas, notched eight saves with a 1.78 ERA while striking out 130 batters in 70.2 innings. Bittle was dominant for the Rebels in the post-season, striking out 12 of 13 batters faced in a 4.1 inning appearance against Missouri. Bittle also posted a 7-1 record in 2008 and limited hitters to a .145 batting average.

Bittle joined the Steam from Northeast Texas Community College in 2006 and made the TCL All-Star team as one of the team’s top pitchers. Bittle was limited but participated with the Steam again in 2007 and rejected a free agent contract from the Yankees before returning to Ole Miss for his senior campaign.

Bittle is the highest Mineral Wells Steam player to be drafted, surpassing Texas A&M’s Blake Stouffer and Mercer’s Cory Gearrin, who were both taken in the third round of last year’s draft.
—
Kevin McCarty
Graduate Assistant | Baseball Contact
Illinois State University Athletics
Campus Box 7130
Normal, IL 61790

See write up at http://www.aiabaseball.org/news/?id=7722