LCSC-to-San Fran pipeline a frequent path to pro baseball

Just about every team in Major League Baseball has, at one time or another, drafted players from Lewis-Clark State's venerable program.

But none has tapped the Warrior vein as frequently as the San Francisco Giants, who won the World Series earlier this week.

While no players with L-C ties were on the current Giants' squad, the franchise has drafted 19 Warriors over the years. The Seattle Mariners have drafted the second-most Warriors with 10. (The Chicago Cubs are the only MLB team that has never picked a Warrior.)

In all, LCSC has had 117 players drafted with 130 draft picks (some didn't sign the first time they were selected). The program also has produced 14 major league players, five of whom were drafted by the Giants and another who was signed as a free agent by San Francisco.

The five players drafted who played in the pros were signed by either Jack Shafer or his son, John Shafer, both former scouts with the organization.

Here's the list, compiled by the LCSC athletic department:

l Frank Williams was selected by San Francisco in the 11th round with the 278th pick of the 1979 draft. The right-handed pitcher was the first L-C player drafted to make it to the big leagues when he debuted on April 5, 1984, with the Giants.

l Steve Decker was the next Giants' L-C draft pick to make it to the big leagues. The catcher was selected in the 21st round of the 1988 draft with the 541st pick, and made his big league debut on Sept. 18, 1990. Decker wound up playing for four teams during his career and had two stints with the Giants. Following his playing career, he has been serving as a hitting coach and manager in the Giants' minor league organization, and this year he managed the Giants' Class AAA team in Fresno. The Grizzlies finished four games behind division winner Sacramento.

l Outfielder Marvin Benard was pick by the Giants with the 1,391th pick in the 50th round in 1992, and made his debut on Sept. 5, 1995. He spent his entire MLB playing career with the Giants and was a member of the team that made the World Series in 2002.

l Pitcher Keith Foulke was the 256th pick in the ninth round by the Giants in 1994, and made his MLB debut on May 21, 1997. He spent only part of that season with the Giants before being traded to the Chicago White Sox. Foulke is best known for being the closer for the Boston Red Sox during the 2004 World Series title season.

l Jason Ellison was the fifth and final L-C player selected by the Giants to make it to the big leagues with the club. Ellison was the 661st pick of the 22nd round of the 2000 draft, and made his debut with the Giants on May 9, 2003. He spent four seasons with the club before playing with three other teams.

l Relief pitcher Steve Reed is the only Warrior to make it to the majors without being selected in the draft. Reed signed with the Giants as a free agent in 1988 and made his big league debut on Aug. 30, 1992. He played that season and the 1998 season with the Giants and wound up playing for eight clubs during his 14-year career.

l The Giants also drafted the following former Warriors: catcher Chad Miltenberger (1984, 18th round, 450th pick overall); pitcher Chuck Higson (1986, 21st round, 526th pick); pitcher Steve Callahan (1989, 17th round, 438th pick); pitcher Mark Yockey (1990, 15th round, 406th pick); outfielder Don Montgomery (1991, 41st round, 1,076 pick); shortstop Kenny Woods (1992, 15th round 411th pick); third baseman Todd Wilson (1994, 24th round, 676 pick); third baseman Art Baeza (27th round, 792nd pick); pitcher Fletcher Lee (1999, 13th round, 408 pick); shortstop Ryan Luther (1999, 21st round, 648th pick); shortstop Elliot Strankman (2000, 12th round, 361 pick); pitcher Wes Hutchinson (10th round, 316th pick); shortstop Jay Knowlton (2002, 24th round, 727th pick); and outfielder Joey Dyche (2005, seventh round, 222nd pick).