Seven players from Mid-American Conference schools were drafted during
the first 20 rounds of the 2000 Major League Baseball First-Year Player
Draft. Bowling Green junior pitcher Tony Fontana was the first MAC
player drafted, one of five pitchers to be drafted from the league's 12
participating schools. Fontana, a first-team all-MAC selection this
season, was selected by Boston in the seventh round (212th overall),
while two other pitchers were drafted in the eight round -- Akron junior
Mark Malaska (Tampa Bay, 226th) and Ball State's Jason Hickman (Los
Angeles, 237th).
Fontana led the MAC with a 2.69 ERA and compiled an 8-3 record for the
Falcons, while Malaska picked up four saves and had a 1.13 ERA in 24
innings pitched for the Zips. Malaska, who also played in the outfield
for Akron, was a first-team all-conference selection in the outfield.
Hickman, a junior, was 2-0 with a 4.14 ERA in 63 innings of work for the
Cardinals.
Two of the five hurlers selected on the first day came from MAC West
Division co-champion Ball State, while the other two players drafted
were middle infielders, Miami junior second baseman John Lackaff (15th
round, Chicago White Sox, 442nd) and MAC Player of the Year Shayne
Ridley (Sr., SS) of Ball State (19th, Baltimore, 564th).
Lackaff, a first-team all-MAC utility choice and MVP of the league
tournament, led the league in RBIs (67) and hit .354, which also paced
the RedHawks. Ridley, who was a unanimous all-MAC choice at shortstop,
ended his final collegiate year with a league-high .434 batting average.
Lackaff's teammate Nate Tekavec was chosen by Detroit in the 12th round
(348th). A junior, Tekavec tied for the league lead in wins (9) and
also sported a 4.67 ERA. The third Cardinal to be drafted was senior
hurler Adam Sheefel, who went to Cincinnati in the 17th round (513th).
Sheefel was 5-4 this year with a 5.93 ERA.