From Eli Lovich’s perspective, the two-time Kansas Class 6A state champion from Blue Valley West couldn’t have been in a better spot than the batting cage upon learning this week that he’d been taken by the Chicago Cubs in the 11th round of the Major League Draft.

Even better, his two older brothers — Jackson and Ross — were there with him when he got the news. Both of them also have baseball backgrounds, playing in college.

Before Eli’s own prep career took off with the Jaguars, he saw plenty of action in person or on television watching his brothers play.

“I watch them on TV all the time, which is crazy to me that my brothers are on TV,” he said.

As for his future path, Lovich says he plans to announce by next week whether he’ll sign professionally or fulfill his commitment to play college ball at the University of Arkansas.

Drafted players have by Tuesday, July 30, to make up their mind.

“Thriving” in the shadow of his older brothers

Though Eli concedes he picked up different characteristics from each of his older brothers, he’s out to establish his own identity. Physically, Eli stands 6-foot-4, the same height as Jackson. But both are taller than Ross who’s listed at 6-foot.

“Typically, the younger brother has higher expectations and everybody’s waiting to see how he does,” said Joe Allison, the Blue Valley West coach who guided all three Lovich brothers at one time or another. “Sometimes it’s difficult for that younger brother to live up to those expectations, but Eli has just thrived on that.”

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With an “explosive” swing, according to his coach, Eli Lovich helped lead Blue Valley West to two consecutive Kansas Class 6A state titles in 2022 and 2023. Photo credit Ty Hardy.

Besides Eli’s physical attributes, he has drawn plenty from his older siblings about handling the mental aspects of the game. Allison also noticed that.

“He has that charisma to his character,” said Allison. “He’s a very fun, outgoing young individual.”

From the baseball standpoint, Allison added that Eli as a three-year varsity player with the Jaguars has his own “explosive” swing.

“He’s done a really good job adjusting from last year to this year with making more solid contact,” said Allison. “He went from being just a line drive hitter last year to (hitting to) all fields and being able to hit for a lot more power this year.”

Lovich recognizes that his hitting will improve further as he adds muscle to his 175-pound frame. “That’s going to be life-changing, especially with baseball being a grown man sport,” said Lovich, who was this year’s Kansas Class 6A Baseball Player of the Year.

Another Blue Valley baseball product was drafted

Also drafted this week was Blue Valley Southwest right-handed pitcher Anson Seibert, whose senior season was cut short by an elbow injury on his throwing arm.

Seibert was chosen by the Detroit Tigers in the 16th round, the final day of the three-day draft, this week. But he has already said he plans to enroll at the University of Tennessee, who won the College World Series this past season.

Anson Seibert’s senior year at Blue Valley Southwest was limited by injury, but last summer he played for USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline team in North Carolina. Photo via Instagram.

“We weren’t even watching the draft because we pretty much had our minds made up on Tennessee, where he was formally committed,” said Tim Seibert, Anson’s father.

Both Anson and Tim traveled to Omaha during the first weekend of the College World Series to watch the Vols as fans en route to the school’s first-ever baseball championship.

Seibert made an immediate impact as a high school freshman in 2021, helping BV Southwest win the Kansas Class 5A state title.

As an imposing figure on the mound at 6-foot-8, Seibert teamed up with Kansas City Royals pitching prospect Ben Kudrna that year to help the Timberwolves get to the top.

Kudrna, currently with the Quad City River Bandits in the Class A Midwest League, pitched for the American League Futures team last week in Arlington, Texas.

Other JoCo natives sign professionally

Two other Johnson County natives, after completing their collegiate careers, signed professionally as undrafted free agents this week.

First baseman Garrett Pennington, who concluded his collegiate career with North Carolina State at the College World Series, inked a deal with the Detroit Tigers.

Pennington also played college ball at the University of Central Missouri (NCAA Division II) and Wichita State.

Plus, Arkansas Razorbacks left-handed relief pitcher Stone Hewlett of Leawood, a Rockhurst High School graduate, will report to the Los Angeles Angels organization.

Before this season in Fayetteville, Hewlett pitched for three seasons at the University of Kansas.