Owasso, Broken Arrow Pitchers Go Top 10 In MLB Draft

Lynn Jacobsen

TULSA, Oklahoma -- It's only fitting that Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley held a joint watch party for the 2011 Major League Baseball First Player Draft on Monday.

The close friends sat side-by-side during a watch party at the Renaissance Hotel in south Tulsa.

Read more about Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley on OKBlitz.com

Twenty-six minutes in, Bundy was chosen by the Baltimore Orioles with the fourth overall pick, the same organization that selected Bundy's older brother Bobby in the eighth round in 2008.

Bradley was taken 16 minutes later, at exactly 6:42 p.m. by the Arizona Diamondbacks as the seventh overall pick.

Bundy was hoping to follow in his older brother's footsteps.

"That's what I wanted," Bundy said. "My brother Bobby is pitching (Monday night), hopefully he got the news. I'm not an emotional person, but today is pretty exciting. Archie and I didn't know for sure where we would be picked, but it's great to have him by my side."

"It was the longest five minutes of my life," Bradley said, alluding to the five-minute interval each team gets before making its selection. "I teared up. I always told myself I wouldn't cry in this situation, but when it becomes true, I couldn't help it. It's a dream come true. Words can't explain what I am feeling."

The impact they had for the local community wasn't lost on Bradley.

"Oklahoma baseball in general as a state gets overlooked by Texas, California and Florida but this really put the star on baseball in Oklahoma," Bradley said.

The two standout pitchers were decked out in their college shirts, Bundy wearing Texas orange and Bradley in OU red. Draft picks have until Aug. 15 to sign contracts.

"Right now my plans are to work out and be prepared for college," Bundy said. "We'll see what happens."

Bradley was expected to be a two-sport athlete at OU, playing both football and baseball.

"OU wished me well," Bradley said. "I'd like the negotiations to be as quick as possible. I don't want to drag it out for either organization. "

The impact they have had in the metro area is unmistakable.

Bundy was 11-0 with a 0.20 earned run average for Owasso, having allowed a mere two runs in 71 innings. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out 158 en route to registering one no-hitter and eight shutouts this season.

Bradley was 12-1-1 for the Broken Arrow Tigers, including a complete-game, 14-strikeout performance against Owasso in the state championship game to record the 4-0 victory.

Also a hard-throwing right-hander, Bradley fanned 137 in 71 1/3 innings.

"I'm not sure Tulsa will ever see two more dominant players," said Denver Bundy, father of Dylan.

Owasso coach Larry Turner agreed.

"Dylan is one of the best baseball players I've ever seen and I've coached some really good ones," Turner said.

Broken Arrow coach Shannon Dobson was equally in impressed.

"You're talking about two of the best arms in the country," Dobson said. "Think of all the kids who play high school baseball and to have two guys of that caliber right here. It's really unique. Both Archie and Dylan are great guys off the field. Both are deserving and I expect a lot of good things in the future for both."

Close friends, summer teammates and even adversaries, Bradley and Bundy have remained close the last three years.

"It's a big day for sure," Bundy said. "I've leaned on my brother, Bobby, the most because he's been in the minor leagues for two years. But Archie and I have talked about everything. We've played together and against one another since we were eight years old. Once we got to high school we started working out together. The last two years we lived together playing ball in Dallas. So, we've become brothers."

Bradley said his friendship with Bundy made this process more special.

"It means everything to go through this with Dylan," he said. "It's been great with everything we have gone through to have him by my side