Edwards signs with Baltimore

Two days after being selected in the 16th round by the Baltimore Orioles in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, former IU pitcher Brad Edwards signed a deal with the Baltimore Orioles. \nDespite having a sub-par junior year going 1-6 with a 6.78 ERA and setting a school record for walks, Edwards' freshman and and sophomore years were good enough to get him selected in the first day of the draft. In his first two years at Indiana, Edwards was 9-6 with a 5.41 ERA while compiling 137 strikeouts. The left-hander -- who once struck out 16 opponents in one game, threw a one-hitter against Northwestern and had at least one strikeout in each of his appearances freshman year -- is now ninth on the all-time IU strikeout list and was a USA Today Honorable Mention All-American in high school.\nCoach Bob Morgan said if Edwards could have had a better 2001 campaign, he could have easily been selected in the first ten rounds of the draft.\n"If he can go out and get his consistency down and get command of the ball, he can pitch at the next level," Morgan said.\nAccording to a press release, Edwards will report to the Bluefield Orioles in Bluefield, W. Va., of the rookie-level Appalachian League June 12.\nEdwards said he isn't disappointed in his draft position, and he is happy to be playing professional baseball.\n"Much like what it took to get a college scholarship, the same type of hard work will only get me closer to my ultimate goal of playing in the major leagues," Edwards said in a press release.