Here’s how 10 stars from southern Illinois are doing in professional baseball

Below is a look at nine former metro-east area baseball standouts currently with Major League Baseball organizations.

Jake Odorizzi, Highland

Odorizzi, 32, was drafted out of Highland High School by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round of the 2008 amateur draft.

He has since spent time with the Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, and, now, the Texas Rangers.

In April, it was announced Odorizzi would miss the entire 2023 season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder.

Odorizzi has compiled a career 74-69 record with a 3.99 earned run average and one save in 1,253 1/3 innings pitched. Overall, he went 40-37 with Tampa Bay; 22-18 with Minnesota; 10-10 with Houston; 0-1 with Kansas City; and 2-3 with Atlanta.

Tanner Houck, Collinsville

In nine starts with the Boston Red Sox, Houck is 3-3 with a 4.99 ERA. He’s struggled with the strike zone, walking 17 batters in 48.2 innings through Monday’s tough-luck 2-1 loss to the Angels, but he’s also struck out 46 batters.

Houck, 26, was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Collinsville High School in the 12th round of the 2014 amateur draft and by the Boston Red Sox out of the University of Missouri in the first round of the 2017 draft.

After stints with the Red Sox minor league organizations starting in 2017, Houck was first called up to the big club in 2020 and went 3-0. Following a brief return the minors in 2021, the Red Sox called Houck back up later that season. Since then, he compiled a records of 1-5 in 2021 and 5-4 in 2022 and is currently 3-3 with a 5.48 earned run average.

Trevor Richards, Breese Mater Dei

Richards, a right-handed pitcher, has appeared in 15 games for the Toronto Blue Jays, all in relief. He has yet to factor into a decision through 18 innings pitched. He has a 4.50 ERA and has struck out 28 batters through Saturday’s game.

Richards, now 30, was pitching for Gateway Grizzlies of the independent Frontier League when the Miami Marlins discovered him and signed him as an undrafted free agent in July 2016. Barely a year later, he was named Miami’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year and earned his first major-league start against the Boston Red Sox in May of 2018.

Since spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Marlins, Richards has been with the Tampa Bay Rays (2019-2021), the Milwaukee Brewers (2021) and the Toronto Blue Jays (2021-present). He has a career mark of 20-25 and a 4.42 ERA.

Josh Fleming, Columbia

The 27-year-old right-hander got the win in the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 win over Toronto Monday night. He lasted six innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out two batters. It was just his second start of the season against 10 total appearances.

On the year, Fleming is 1-0 with a 3.59 ERA. In 42 innings pitched, he’s struck out 21 and has walked 17.

Fleming was drafted out of Webster University by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth round of the 2017 amateur draft and made his big league debut in 2020 and posted a 5-0 record that season.

After a brief minor league stint at AAA in 2021, the Rays recalled Fleming that season and he posted a 10-8 record. Following another short stay at AAA in 2022, Fleming went 2-5 with the Rays that season and currently is 0-0 with a 3.68 earned run average in nine games in 2023.

Geoff Hartlieb, Highland

Hartlieb, 27, was drafted out of Lindenwood University by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 29th round of the 2016 amateur draft and made his big league debut in 2019.

After brief stints with the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox organizations, he signed as a free agent with the Miami Marlins last November.

He’s been assigned to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp of the International League. In 8.1 innings over four appearances, he has yet to allow a run, while giving up just two hits, walking three and striking out four. Hartlieb also has two saves.

Hayden Juenger, O’Fallon

Juenger, 22, was drafted out of Missouri State University by the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth round of the 2021 amateur draft.

He’s been assigned to the Buffalo Bisons — Toronto’s AAA affiliate — and currently is 3-1 in 21.1 innings pitched with a 6.33 earned run average and 29 strikeouts.

Drew Millas, Belleville East

Millas, 25, was drafted out of Missouri State University by the Oakland Athletics in the seventh round of the 2019 amateur draft.

Millas has been with the Washington Nationals organization since 2021 and currently was assigned to the Harrisburg Senators, the AA affiliate. In 22 games this season, Millas is batting .333 with 3 home runs, 12 RBI and 23 hits.

On Tuesday, however, Millas was promoted to the Rochester Red Wings, the Nationals’ AAA affiliate. Millas’ hitting coach will be Belleville West graduate and former Boston Red Sox star Brian Daubach, who played in the major leagues eight seasons.

Bryan Hudson, Alton

Hudson, 26, was drafted out of Alton High School by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 2015 amateur draft.

Hudson has remained in the Cubs’ organization throughout his professional career with stints at A, AA and AAA. He’s currently assigned to the Cubs’ AAA affiliate, the Oklahoma City Dodgers, and is 2-0 this season with a 1.96 earned run average with 34 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched.

Trey Riley, Edwardsville

Riley, 25, was drafted out of John A. Logan College by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the 2018 amateur draft.

Riley has remained in the Braves’ organization throughout his professional career with stints in A and AA. He’s currently assigned to the Braves’ AA affiliate, the Mississippi Braves, and is 1-1 with a 4.63 earned run average and 13 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings pitched.

Drew Gray, Belleville East

Gray, 20, was drafted out of IMG Academy by the Chicago Cubs in the fifth round of the 2021 amateur draft.

He pitched in two games for the Cubs’ rookie league affiliate in 2021 where he did not allow a run while striking out nine batters in four innings pitched in the Arizona Complex League.

However, Gray underwent Tommy John surgery in March of 2022 and missed the entire season. He has not pitched thus far in 2023.