JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Trinity Christian baseball star J.C. Flowers has signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Flowers, a junior two-way player at Florida State, will get a $500,000 signing bonus, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis. The slot value for Flowers’ 124th overall selection in the draft was $460,000.
Flowers had a sterling third season in Tallahassee. He hit .266 and started 62 games for the Seminoles. He had 13 home runs and 53 RBI while playing centerfield.
But Flowers was drafted as a pitcher by the Pirates and he was exceptional on the mound in college. In 23 appearances and 26.2 innings pitched, Flowers had 13 saves as the Seminoles reached the College World Series.
In all, 18 players with ties to the area were taken in the MLB draft. Flowers was the second-highest local selection, going in the fourth round. Providence infielder Tyler Callihan was a third-round selection of the Braves. Only three of those 18 players remain unsigned.