Penn's Billy Lescher Settling Into Life In The Pros

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The University of Pennsylvania saw four of its players selected in last month's Major League Baseball Draft. The first Quaker off the board was right-hander Billy Lescher, who was taken in the 17th round by the Detroit Tigers.

Now Lescher is getting his first taste of pro ball down in Lakeland Florida, pitching for one of Detroit's Gulf Coast League teams.

"I feel pretty good," Lescher tells KYW Newsradio. "I was pretty nervous the first time out. I mean I think I'm still nervous about every time I go out, but I think it's good nerves. Nerves that I think you need to have to throw well, to compete out there. I think I'm throwing the ball well. I think we're in a good throwing program. We've got a great group of guys down here, a great coaching staff, great training staff that keeps us at our best. I feel good about what I've done so far and I hope to keep improving."

So far, Lescher has made six appearances out of the bullpen in the GCL. He has yet to allow an earned run (allowed three unearned runs) and has a 1-1 record with nine strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.

Lescher, a native of Virginia, made 16 appearances out of the bullpen this season for Penn as a junior, going 2-2 with four saves and a 3.18 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings. He was a big reason why the Quakers won the Ivy League's Gehrig Division for the first time since 2007. He talks about what's allowed him to have the success to reach the pro level.

"I've got to give a lot of credit to the coaches at Penn actually," he says. "They were great with me, developing me. I didn't throw a whole lot my freshman year and then kind of ramped up my sophomore and my junior year. I got some decent velocity behind my fastball which definitely helped a lot, I was able to run it up into the mid-90s. Developed a pretty good working slider and change-up that kind of help me work off my fastball and be effective. Helped me be effective in college and it's helped me be effective so far down here in pro ball."

The other Penn players that were drafted in June were RHP Jake Cousins (20th round by Washington), LHP Adam Bleday (27th round by Houston) and RHP Jake Nelson (33rd round by Detroit). Lescher says it's big to have been a part of that group.

"I think it's good for other players to see, who are thinking of coming to Penn, that you can get a phenomenal education and still pursue your dreams of baseball at a very high level with great coaches and great teammates," he says.