SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Only a few players drafted into Major League Baseball will make the giant step from high school or college to a major league field. Even fewer make that step immediately.
Only 24 players have made it straight from draft day to the Major Leagues, according to Major League Baseball (MLB). Industry analysts have said over the past several years that it can take a draftee three to five years to make the “bigs” or the “show,” as the major league is frequently referred to.
The path to playing in a major league stadium is typically much slower for a baseball draftee than a player drafted to the National Football League or National Basketball League.
Marcus Phillips has taken the first of what is likely to be several steps to playing for a Major League Baseball team. Phillips, a Sioux Falls native, was the 33rd overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. Phillips was selected by the Boston Red Sox. Phillips was a right-handed pitcher for the Tennessee Volunteers. He was also a member of the Little League team from Sioux Falls that had national success. He is Roosevelt graduate.
A study by Baseball America released in 2019 said that about 18% of players drafted make the major leagues. Bleacher Report said the number is around 20%.
The odds are best for those drafted in round one. But even then, it can take a few years to get to the major league stadium and even a few more to stay there.
Phillips was drafted 33rd overall, which increases his odds of making a major league team. Phillips can also throw his fastball at 96-98 mph and that can reach 100, according to MLB. That’s another factor in his favor.
Coleman, another Sioux Falls native to make MLB
Dusty Coleman was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the 28th round in 2008. Coleman was from Sioux Falls and a sophomore at Wichita State when he was drafted. Coleman made it to the “bigs” in 2015.
“Not everybody gets to the ‘bigs,'” said Dusty’s dad Brad Coleman. When Dusty was drafted, “It was such a cool, surreal thing to know that your son made the next step in his dream,” Coleman said.
And that draft step was one of several Dusty Coleman took before he landed with the Kansas City Royals and was part of a World Series Championship team in 2015. Dusty Coleman has retired from baseball and lives in Kansas City.
Brad Coleman will be watching Phillips. “I hope Marcus gets there a lot quicker than Dusty,” Coleman said.
Phillips’ journey could be similar to Dusty Coleman’s.
Coleman said his son didn’t lose confidence and “he just plugged away until the opportunity to get there. You encourage your kids along but he was confident in himself, but never cocky,” Coleman said.
After the 2008 draft, Dusty Coleman was assigned to the Cape Cod League.
The Cape Cod League is a kind of training ground for players. Several players drafted this year, including Phillips’ Tennessee teammate Liam Doyle, have played in the Cape Cod League.
Other paths include high school players who may be assigned to what is called a low-A minor league of baseball. College players may be assigned to High-A baseball at the minor league level.
Players can also be assigned to short seasons for additional development. Dusty Coleman was assigned to Vancouver, Canada, his dad said.
AA baseball is often the next step on the road to the big leagues. AA minor league baseball has a mix up and coming players as well as those with major league experience.
Some players skip the AAA step and go into the major leagues. The roster for AAA minor league teams may include major league players who are recovering from injuries and those rising players with major league potential.
Dustin Coleman was at the minor league level for several years. “Before 2010 he was playing really well,” Coleman said.
But an injury and two wrist surgeries sidelined him for the 2010 season. “He was on the fast track before that,” Coleman said.
Dusty Coleman’s path started with the A’s but then, he was signed by Kansas City where he played several games in 2015. He was filling in for an injured player, and when that player returned, Coleman was sent to the minor league.
“Which is kind of normal,” Coleman said of his son’s experience. Coleman said his family was on its way to family gathering in July of 2015 when they found out their son was going to play in his first major league game.
Just like draft day, that first major league day was surreal, Coleman said.
“Oh my gosh, your son made his dream come true,” Coleman said of his thoughts that day. “We were just so super proud. It’s one of those life moments that you are never going to forget,” he said.
Coleman was signed by the Padres after Kansas City. He played for San Diego in 2017.
At the time, San Diego needed pitchers and there was an option on his son’s contract. Dusty Coleman was one of the few roster players that had the option to be sent back to the minors.
“He thought he’d get called up in September but he never got brought back up,” Coleman said.
An injury in 2018 and a growing family prompted Dusty Coleman to decide to retire. “He didn’t want to be an absentee father,” Coleman said. Still, “Does he think he could still play? Oh yeah,” Coleman said.
His son is now active with his children’s baseball and softball teams. “We are just super proud of him and his wife…,” Coleman said.
The Red Sox structure
The Red Sox have four minor league teams. The Salem Red Sox are an A team in Massachusetts and the high A team is the Greenville Drive in South Carolina. The team’s AA minor league team is based in Portland ,Maine, called the Sea Dogs. The Worcester Red Sox is the AAA team in Massachusetts.
Some draftees work their way through the Red Sox system while others may get traded.
Triston Casas of the Red Sox is an example of a journey to the big leagues. Casas was drafted in the first round from high school in 2018 as the 26th selection. Casas, an infielder, was assigned to the rookie league at Gulf Coast League Red Sox. Injuries hampered his stints at Greenville and Salem. He made the major league roster in 2024 and this year. He was injured this year.
Second baseman Nick Yorke was drafted seventh overall by the Red Sox in 2020 and was traded to the Pirates in 2024. He made his major league debut with the Pirates in 2024.
Other South Dakotans who made the major leagues
Phillips could be, like Dusty Coleman, one of the players from South Dakota that makes it to the major leagues. Historical records show 39 major league players who were born in South Dakota. Some, like, Sparky Anderson, only spent a few years in the state. Anderson played for one and went on to coach and manage teams for many years, including Cincinnati and Detroit.
Others, like Dave Collins, graduated from high school in the state.
Collins played for 16 years. He was drafted in 1971 and played his first major league game in 1975. Collins started his major league career with the Angels and ended it 1990 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Coleman said it’s been fun to watch Phillips progress.
Although Coleman said he is a Yankees fan, he will be rooting for Phillips who was drafted by rival Red Sox.
