The chance to play again at Elfstrom Stadium has become more tangible for former Batavia and St. Charles North baseball standout Kenny Smalley.

Smalley signed with the Oakland Athletics on June 14 and has been assigned to Scottsdale, Ariz. for extended spring training. He hopes to be on the Kane County Cougars roster before the end of July.

He was chosen by the A’s in the 24th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. It was the third time that he had been drafted.

“Everything went really well,” Smalley said. “We got it done as quickly as we could and I was able to get my college paid for as I’d hoped. It’s a great team and I’m really excited to get started on my career.”

When he completes extended spring training in Scottsdale, Smalley said he’ll be shipped to the Class A Vancouver Canadians.

“I was talking to the team (Monday),” Smalley said. “They said, maybe, I could be in Kane County by the middle of July. It should be about three weeks.”

Smalley would be the first Tri-Cities player ever to play for the Cougars, according to Kane County general manager Jeff Sedivy. The Cougars played their initial season in Geneva in 1991.

“We’ve had opportunities with one other individual,” Sedivy said, “but the closest we’ve come is the Streamwood/Bartlett area.”

Streamwood High School graduate Joe Piekarz was on the Kane County roster in 2006 and early 2007. Sedivy said having Smalley in uniform would be a good situation for both the player and the team.

“That would be nice for us to have a local guy here,” Sedivy said. “It will be nice to be able to showcase him. I think it will be great from a community standpoint.”
Smalley, of course, has played at Elfstrom Stadium and attended games there several times.

“It will be a lot of fun,” he said. “I have a lot of friends and family there. There are a lot of people there that haven’t seen me play in a long time.”

The 2004 and 2005 Republican Player of the Year  started his post-high school career at Howard Junior College in Texas after being chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the 27th round in 2005 out of St. Charles North. He was picked by the Minnesota Twins in the 48th round last year out of John Logan Community College in downstate Carterville.

Smalley pitched this year at Delta State University, an NCAA Division II program in Cleveland, Miss. He finished with a 9-2 record and struck out 85 in 94-1/3 innings. Smalley was selected to the Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches All-South Region second team.

“He’s a good, strong right-hander,” Delta State coach Mike Kinnison said. “He has a great fastball. He throws consistently in the upper 80s and has a nice change-up. He can really bring the ball. His other two pitches are kind of average, but those two pitches are really plus.”

Smalley was the Most Outstanding Player in the Gulf South Conference Tournament. He won two tournament games. Smalley retired the first 10 batters in order and struck out nine over eight innings in a 6-2 win against North Alabama.

“Kenny had a good year,” Kinnison said. “He was one of our weekend guys. He had great numbers in what is a real strong conference. He pitched really well at a time that was really important for us.”

Smalley said he was able to concentrate on pitching after splitting time between the outfield and the mound at John Logan. The key to his season, he said, was improving his change-up.

Currently, he’s pitching in simulated games and getting instruction in Oakland Athletics baseball.

“I came (to camp) in pretty good shape,” Smalley said. “It’s just getting familiar with the programs and how they do things. It’s just learning signs and other stuff before they send me off.”