BRADENTON -- Tyler Eppler found himself in good company at the start of the year. The right-hander, taken in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, was slated to go to Bradenton, skipping over West Virginia. The Pirates send most of their college pitchers to West Virginia, with some of them getting promoted to Bradenton in the second half of their first full season. But only a few have skipped that step like Eppler has.
The biggest guy who skipped West Virginia was Gerrit Cole, but that was expected for a first overall pick. When it comes to the middle rounds, the list shrinks.