Kilgore's Todd named Cardinals' April pitcher
PRO BASEBALL
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

TODD

The fast track Jess Todd's baseball career is on just keeps getting faster.

The Kilgore native, a Kilgore High School graduate four years ago who was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals organization last summer, is currently in a minor league assignment in Palm Beach, Fla., and is the Cardinals' organization's minor league pitcher for the month of April.

Todd, 22, went 3-0 in April with a 1.48 ERA. That includes, the team's website notes, three starts and 24 1/3 innings. He struck out 31 and walked five, and in that period, opponents got just three extra-base hits. He also came out of the bullpen once for a save.

Todd is the son of Tom and Kim Todd of Kilgore. He graduated from Kilgore High School in 2004, and has been dynamic on the field since in stops at Navarro College, then for a season at the University of Arkansas, where he set the 'Hogs' single-game strikeout record.

Palm Beach is in first place right now with an 18-8 record.

The Kilgore News Herald is always looking for news on former Kilgore-area athletes, be it college or pro. Anyone with information of that type is encouraged to call sports editor Mitch Lucas at (903) 984-2593, or write him an e-mail at sports@kilgorenewsherald.com