After amazing run with Illini, Spillane's MLB journey begins in Montana

As the second day of the Major League Baseball draft got underway June 5, Wheeling's Bren Spillane was at his aunt and uncle's house surrounded by family and friends.

Named the 2018 Big Ten Player of the Year after a remarkable season in which he hit .407 with 22 home runs and 57 RBI at Illinois, Spillane was excited to see which team wanted him as part of its future.

Then, just moments after the third round began, Spillane got a text. Then another. Then another. And another.

"Congrats! Congrats! Congrats!"

Spillane had been taken by Cincinnati with the 82nd overall pick to become the highest-drafted position player in Fighting Illini history … although it took those gathered in that house an extra 60 seconds to realize why his phone was going crazy.

"We had plugged the computer into the TV and it was like a minute behind," Spillane said. "My phone started buzzing and going off like crazy.

"When it went on the TV it was a surreal moment. Something that you grow up dreaming about and you've worked your entire life for. To see all that hard work go into action, it was really cool."

Spillane, a four-year starter and three-year captain at Wheeling High School, originally was drafted by Pittsburgh in the 34th round in 2015, but he opted to attend Illinois rather than begin his pro career.

After sitting most of his freshman year at Illinois, the versatile 6-foot-5, 210-pounder hit .295 with 5 homers and 23 RBI in 36 games as a sophomore.

Then came this year. A year in which Spillane hit everything in sight, claimed the Big Ten regular-season triple crown and became the first Illini player to be named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Player of the Year.

"He is so deserving of it," said Illini coach Dan Hartleb. "The numbers are special. He's probably the most decorated player for a single season in the history of the University of Illinois.

"But the thing that is so special is Bren is a great person. There's some great athletes that play at a high level and put up big numbers. They're not necessarily good people or good team players.

"Bren's the ultimate. Great player. Great person. Great teammate. … I enjoyed him so much. It was fun to be around him."

The past two weeks have been hectic for Spillane, who was assigned to play rookie ball for the Billings Mustangs in Montana.

Shortly after he was drafted, Spillane flew to Arizona to attend a minicamp for three days at Cincinnati's spring-training complex. There were workouts, intrasquad games and meetings about how the Reds go about their business.

On June 13, Spillane jumped on another flight - this time with all of his Mustangs teammates - as they began the first step in what they hope is a long, fruitful MLB career.

Two days later, Spillane was in right field in his professional debut - one that ended in a 6-5 victory, but also one in which he went 0-for-3 with 3 strikeouts.

"During the national anthem, you get some chills," Spillane said. "It's a pretty cool feeling. But then after that you realize it's just baseball and you go out and play your game."

Much like the Cubs' Kris Bryant and other sluggers of this era, Spillane has plenty of power. He's also a free swinger, striking out 26 percent of the time last season. That doesn't bother most teams, though, as MLB hitters struck out a record 21.6 percent of the time in 2017.

"That's definitely part of the game these days," said Spillane, who was hit in the hand in the opener and missed the next four games but went 4-for-4 with a triple and a home run in a 4-0 victory Saturday at Helena. "It's kind of an adjustment from old-school baseball. I know home run numbers are way up and flyball rate is up a lot. …

"But obviously you don't want to strike out. You want to be able to put the ball in play and give yourself a chance."

Billings completed a six-day road trip Sunday, and Spillane expects to settle in with a roommate and host family Monday.

If he performs well, Spillane could be out of Montana and begin his ascent up the minor league ladder in a matter of weeks. If not, he could fine-tune his game there all the way into September and likely head to Class A ball next season.

Not that he's worried about where his path will lead him just yet.

"The one thing you can control is showing up to the park and trying to help your team win," Spillane said. "That's how you're going to move up, rather than thinking about it all the time."

The Bren Spillane file

<b>2018</b>• Named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Year, the first Illini in history to win a national player of the year award

• 2018 Big Ten Player of the Year, the 10th Illini in history to win the award

• Unanimous All-Big Ten first team first baseman

• Big Ten regular-season triple crown (.407, 22 HRs, 57 RBI)

• Highest drafted position player in Illinois history (No. 82 overall, Reds)

• First Big Ten player drafted this year

• Led the Big Ten in average, homers, RBI, slugging (.944), OBP (.512), OPS (1.456) and total bases (153) during regular season

<b>2017</b>• Hit .295 with 6 doubles, 5 HRs and 23 RBI in 112 at-bats.

• Played in 36 games, 28 in the outfield

<b>2016</b>• Went 0-for-9 in five games for Illinois

<b>2015</b>• As a senior at Wheeling High School, hit .429 with a .512 OBP. Had 8 HRs, 23 RBI and 38 stolen bases.

• Named all-conference, all-area, all-state.

• Drafted in 34th round by Pittsburgh Pirates