Texas Rangers Pick Ledyard's Ken Turner In 20th Round MLB Draft

Ledyard Colonels pitcher Ken Turner was picked in the 20th round of the MLB draft Wednesday by the Texas Rangers. The right-handed, 6-foot-5, 195 pound pitcher and first baseman has a decision to make. For now, it’s congratulations and reveling in the exciting news.

Ledyard baseball coach Scott Chiasson cheered when Turner was selected.

Huge CONGRATS to my man Ken Turner from Ledyard High School getting selected by the Texas Rangers in the 20th Round!!! STUD!!! Wish we could’ve won a state title as a team but this is pretty awesome too!!— Scott Chiasson (@BaseballLedyard) June 5, 2019

Turner, who was elected to the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II all-star baseball team was 5-1 this baseball season, giving up four runs with an ERA of 0.73. He also struck out 73 and walked 11, The Day reported.

The MLB Draft Tracker tweeted out the news, too.

20 (595): @Rangers select Ledyard HS (CT) RHP Ken Turner. https://t.co/uEOk71ZIz4 #MLBDraft— MLB Draft Tracker (@MLBDraftTracker) June 5, 2019

The Day spoke to Chiasson who said other teams had reached out to him to express interest about Turner, but that the Texas Rangers “fell in love with him.”

“Every time the Texas Rangers scout was there (at our games), he really shined the day he was there. The Texas Rangers really fell in love with him.”

But Tuner has a decision to make. Sign or continue with his plan to play for the University of Hartford next year.

Turner pitched a 1 hitter with 12 K's in a 4-0 win over East Lyme in early April, Ledyard Public Schools boasted on its Facebook page. A couple of weeks later, a “no-no, shutting down Waterford.”

Turner didn’t just play baseball. He wore a Colonels jersey for both the soccer and basketball teams.

Turner told The Day that after he learned the Ranger's had chosen him, he went fishing with friends. Chiasson said "that's the kind of kid he is, pretty down-to-earth.”