June 12, 2006

ATHENS, Ohio - Taken last week in the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Ohio hurlers Anthony Gressick and Derek Witt have signed with their teams and reported to Florida for temporary rookie league assignments.

Gressick, a native of Lancaster, Ohio, was drafted as a pitcher by the Cincinnati Reds as the 774th overall selection in the 26th Round. A right-handed hurler, he signed and reported to the Gulf Coast League Reds in Sarasota, Fla., this past weekend. It is expected that Gressick will report to the Billings (Mont.) Mustangs of the Pioneer Rookie League upon the completion of his instruction in Sarasota.

Gressick led the Mid-American Conference with a 2.76 ERA in 2005 and as a senior this past season he finished 4-1 with a 4.47 ERA and recorded 49 strikeouts in 54 1-3 innings pitched.

Witt, a pitcher from Powell, Ohio, was taken as the 832nd overall pick in 28th Round of the 2006 Draft by the Detroit Tigers organization. This past weekend he signed and reported to the Gulf Coast League Tigers in Lakeland, Fla. From Lakeland it is expected that Witt will move on to the Short-Season Class A Oneonta (N.Y.) Tigers of the New York-Penn League.

Witt went 12-8 as the team's lead starter in the weekend rotation the past two years and compiled a 3.98 ERA in 26 starts and 46 appearances during his four-year career. He led the team in wins, innings pitched and strikeout-to-walk ratio in each of his final two seasons in a Bobcat uniform.

With the signings of Gressick and Witt, Ohio now has six former players on rosters of Major League affiliates. Ben Crabtree (Texas Rangers), Adam Fox (Texas Rangers), Cory Keylor (Baltimore Orioles) and Adam Russell (Chicago White Sox) also currently appear on minor league rosters.