Matt Byars fourth MSU underclassman taken in MLB draft

Matt Byars became the fourth Michigan State underclassman selected in the MLB First-Year Player draft on Saturday.

The Minnesota Twins drafted the junior catcher in the 24th round with the 723rd overall pick. Byars joined redshirt junior pitcher Cam Vieaux (Pirates/sixth round), junior infielder Jordan Zimmerman (Angels/seventh) and redshirt sophomore pitcher Dakota Mekkes (Cubs/10th) as the most underclassmen drafted in one class during coach Jake Boss’ nine seasons.

All underclass players drafted have until July 15 to decide whether to turn pro this summer or return to MSU in the fall.

Byars hit .284 with four home runs, 16 doubles, two triples and 26 RBIs in his first season at MSU. The 6-foot-1, 188-pounder from Lodi, Wisconsin, started 54 of MSU’s 56 games this spring after spending his first two seasons at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois.

Catching, however, is Byars’ strength. He earned MSU’s Defensive Player of the Year award for throwing out 12 runners from behind the plate and directing a pitching staff that was among the NCAA leaders in ERA all season.

The Spartans now have had 25 players drafted under coach Jake Boss, including 14 underclassmen with this year’s draftees so far. Nine of them previously signed pro contracts, with only Vieaux bypassing pro baseball last year to return to MSU.

MSU had three underclassmen drafted in 2012, with Torsten Boss, Ryan Jones (Haslett) and Tony Wieber (Grand Ledge) all leaving after their junior seasons. The other MSU players to turn pro early are A.J. Achter and Jonathan Roof in 2010; David Garner in 2013; Jimmy Pickens in 2014; and Cam Gibson and Anthony Misiewicz in 2015.

Contact Chris Solari at (517) 377-1070, csolari@lsj.com or on Twitter at @chrissolari.