Right-hander Kevin Malisheski was selected by the Dodgers in the 38th round of 2016 First-Year Player Draft waiting until the 1,151st pick to get the call. The 18-year-old Malisheski was one of three high school pitchers the Dodgers selected in the final three rounds of the June draft. These were not picks made just because the team had three more rounds to finish off the draft. They were selections of highly regarded high school players who would be a definite bonus for the team if they could be signed. The hope most likely was to sign at least one of the three. Right-handers Ryan Watson (39th round) and Zachary Taglieri (40th round) did not sign but Malisheski (38th round) did.

The 6’-3”- 200-pound Malisheski was born and grew up in Wauconda, a village with a population of about 14,000 in Lake County, Illinois.

Kevin Malisheski
(Photo credit – Gilbert R. Boucher II)

Malisheski played both football and baseball with the Wauconda Community High School Bulldogs in 2015, excelling in both sports. His goal in his junior year was to play football in the National Football League. In his final season as team quarterback he finished with 1,668 yards passing and 18 passing touchdowns while adding 323 yards rushing and nine rushing touchdowns. However, his football dream came to a close when he tore his ACL and meniscus in the Wauconda football team’s playoff loss to the Montini Broncos.

On the mound in 2015 he finished the season with a 9-3 record and an impressive 2.00 ERA.

While rehabbing from his football injuries Malisheski missed the first half of the 2016 baseball season but got back into action in May following his reconstructive knee surgery. His speedy recovery from the surgery took a bit less than six months. He made only two appearances in which he pitched well striking out eight in three innings.

Following his rehabilitation, and just a short period of time before the June draft, it seemed unlikely he would be selected by a MLB team in the draft, except perhaps by the Dodgers. Although he knew the Dodgers were interested in him, he planned to attend Illinois State University and play for the Redbirds in 2017. He had already begun taking two summer courses at ISU before the MLB draft.

Perhaps the Dodgers sensed they could sign Malisheski but no matter how it played out they had at least made it known to him they had more than a little interest in him by constantly shadowing him at his outings.

“Ever since I pitched against St. Viator (in the sectional semifinals), (the Dodgers) have been at every game,” Malisheski said. “Last week (for a game at Hersey), it was two of the higher-up (scouts). I had never seen or met them before.”

Malisheski had filled out questionnaires for only six teams – the Dodgers, White Sox, Royals, Rays, Reds and Blue Jays – but only the Dodgers followed up after their initial inquiry.

“I knew I was going to be taken. (The Dodgers) were hinting at it,” Malisheski said. “I knew it was going to be late. They kept saying, ‘No one knows about you, so we’re going to take you later on in the draft and try to get some good players before you, too, so we can stock up.’ It all worked out. Some people didn’t sign. They had a bunch of money and wanted to offer some of it to me.”

After one final visit by a Dodgers scout to Malisheski’s home the young right-hander made his decision to sign with the Dodgers. He had been torn between starting his professional career or beginning a college baseball career with the Illinois State University Redbirds. His signing bonus was acceptable to him and did not include $120,000 set aside for college continuation.

Kevin Malisheski began his professional career with the Arizona League Dodgers on July 26 against the AZL White Sox pitching a scoreless inning with three strike outs. On the season in seven appearances he pitched 14 innings with a 3.86 ERA along with 18 strikeouts and four walks.

It seems that Malisheski must have been added to most MLB teams’ wait-and-see list because of his reconstructive knee surgery but the Dodgers saw an opportunity to acquire a fresh arm right out of high school with very few innings on it and a young man dedicated to his pursuit of a MLB career and a college education.

He will play the entire 2017 season as a 19-year-old most likely beginning the season with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League and progressing to the Great Lakes Loons during the season.