Former Ouachita Baptist baseball players Steve Smith and Destan Makonnen have had a very enjoyable summer playing professional baseball.
Smith, who was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the Major League Baseball Draft in the 25th round, currently is a rookie for the Gulf Coast League Indians.
After earning numerous collegiate honors, including being named the Most Valuable Player of the NCAA Division II College World Series, Smith has pitched in 15 games for the Indians with a 2.70 ERA. He has started two games, while working in 23 1/3 innings, fanning 28 and walking just five.
Smith, a native of Texarkana, Ark., has 18 strikeouts as a reliever and four walks, along with two saves. His best outing came Aug. 7 against the Gulf Coast League Phillies, where he pitched three innings, surrendering a run on two hits with a walk, while striking out six.
Makonnen, who was tabbed the Gulf South Conference West Division Co-Player of the Year, currently is in his first year for the Kalamazoo Kings of the Frontier League. He has played in 37 games, while batting .300.
Makonnen, a native of Grand Rapids, Mich., has 36 hits, 23 runs scored, 16 RBIs, nine doubles and three home runs. He is slugging .450 with an on-base percentage of .368.
