Josh Watson selected by the A’s in the 15th round of the MLB Draft

The first four year player is off the board, as TCU Baseball’s Iron Man, Josh Watson was selected by the Oakland A’s in the 15th round Wednesday, #464 overall. He improved his draft stock significantly by returning for his senior season despite being drafted in the late rounds last year.

Watson was a day one starter when he arrived in Fort Worth as a freshman out of Arlington Martin, where the two-sport star made a name for himself as a football linebacker and baseball outfielder. He brought that linebacker mentality to the baseball field, playing a hard-nosed style that often left him dirtied and with rips in his uniform.

Watson did it all for the Horned Frogs in his four years in Funky Town, leading the team in home runs as a freshman (11) - including one that he hit out of the ballpark and is probably still rolling around Wichita - never missing a game in a school-record 253 chances.

After a sophomore slump saw his average dip in 2017, Watson preceded to hit over .300 in his last two seasons including a career high .324 this past year, primarily as TCU’s lead-off man. His patient approach at the plate - 162 career walks - was the stuff of legends, and fans took to getting on umpires when they disagreed with the switch-hitter’s assessment of what was and was not a strike. And when he did connect, he was dangerous, leaving TCU with 54 career doubles (including 21 in 2019), nine career triples, and 30 career home runs. He stole 37 bases and committed a scant eight errors.

Degree in hand, Watson is not a guy to bet against. The Freshman All-American and multiple time All-Big 12 Player came back for one more run after being drafted in the 35th round a season ago. Now, he’s off on a path to the Big Leagues, where someday he could once again be teammates with Brian Howard, who has been steadily working his way up the organizational ladder since being drafted two years ago.

I have no doubt that he will get there.