By Bob Elliott
A major league scout would have needed help from a boy scout and search party to find Matt Lloyd last spring during an the Iowa Western Reivers game.

Same for fall ball in 2014.

This fall? Lloyd is one of the top junior college players in North America heading into next June’s draft. Lloyd (Okotoks, Alta.) appeared fully recovered from Tommy John surgery.

The left-handed hitting shortstop, a red-shirt freshman, has already committed to Indiana, his dream school.
 

The former Okotoks Dawgs who played for coach Allen Cox, is ranked 75th on the top 100 junior college players heading into the 2016 draft.

“Not only have I seen him, I love him! He’s on my list,” said one scout. “He can really swing the bat. He has a plus arm. He also pitches, but I see him as a shortstop.”

Another scout compared Lloyd’s expected game down the road to that of San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford.

Lloyd will play for coach Marc Rardin as Iowa Western looks to add to its resumes which to date includes three National champions (2010, 2012, 2014), 16 trips to the JUCO World Series, 16 Northern District titles and 23 Region XI titles.

In all, Iowa Western has sent 123 players off to NCAA Division 1 schools.

RK Player POS YR B-T HT WT College Hometown ST    Last Drafted    Commitment
1. Kyle Weatherly RHP So R-R 6-3 185 Grayson (Tex) Garland TX Never Drafted Louisiana State
75. Matt Lloyd SS Fr L-R 6-2 180 Iowa Western Okotoks AB Never Drafted Indiana