Pair of Former Oilmen Pitchers Selected in MLB Draft Whiting, Ind. – July 12, 2021 – The tradition of former Northwest Indiana Oilmen players advancing to the professional ranks continued on Monday as a pair of Oilmen alumni were selected in the first 10 rounds of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft. Chad Patrick (Purdue Northwest / Hebron, Ind.) was selected in the fourth round, becoming the first NCAA Division-II player picked in this year’s draft. He was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 107th overall pick. Matt Litwicki (Indiana University / Dyer, Ind.) was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 10th round with the 286th overall pick. Patrick earned three All-American awards and was the Pitcher of the Year in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season at Purdue Northwest. He finished his final collegiate season with a 5-2 record, 1.83 ERA, 97 strikeouts and eight walks in 64 innings spanning nine starts. Patrick pitched for the Oilmen during the 2018 season, posting a sparkling ERA of 1.27 while striking out 33 and walking 14 in 21 1/3 innings. He posted a 3-1 record over six games (four starts), earning an MCL All-Star appearance while contributing to a league-championship season under manager Adam Enright. Litwicki logged 12 innings over 10 relief appearances with the Hoosiers this season, posting a 4.50 ERA while striking out 17 and walking two. He spent time with the Oilmen each of the last two summers, tossing two innings over two games in 2020 before pitching two frames without allowing an earned run while walking none and striking out three in two games this summer. Patrick and Litwicki join Jimmy Govern (2019), Marshawn Taylor (2018), Craig Dedelow (2017 & 2016), Donivan Williams (2017) and Enrique Zamora (2016) as players who have gone on to be drafted after their Oilmen careers. In addition, Jake Plastiak (2018), Taylor (also drafted out of high school in 2013), Brandon Murray (2014) and Larry Crisler (2014) were selected in the MLB Draft prior to their Oilmen debuts. The Midwest Collegiate League, founded in 2010, has produced over 90 players who have gone on to play at the professional level. NORTHWEST INDIANA OILMEN ALUMNI IN THE PROS Name (Year with Oilmen) – Highest Level Reached, Organization Craig Dedelow (2014) - Class-A Advanced, Chicago White Sox Matt Pobereyko (2013-2014) - Triple-A, New York Mets Zack Jones (2014-2017) - Class-A Advanced, Arizona Diamondbacks Donivan Williams (2017) - Class-A Short Season, St. Louis Cardinals Jimmy Govern (2016) - Triple-A, Kansas City Royals Marshawn Taylor (2016) - Rookie Ball, Arizona Diamondbacks Alec Olund (2015 & 2017) - Independent, Frontier League Chase Dawson (2016 & 2017) - Independent, Frontier League & American Association James Meeker (2014) - Independent, Frontier League Jackson Dvorak (2017-2019) - Independent, Frontier League Luke Jaksich (2016) - Independent, American Association Nate Montgomery (2018) - Independent, Frontier League Enrique Zamora (2015) - Independent, Frontier League Andrew Lowe (2014) - Independent, Frontier League Bill Miller (2012) - Independent, Frontier League & Can-Am League Kevin Franchetti (2012) - Independent, Frontier League Andy Wellwerts (2012-2013) - Independent, Frontier League Danny Britt (2012) - Independent, Frontier League |