Concordia-St. Paul's Baseball Brothers Getting Looks From Pros

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Forty-seven consecutive shutout innings has a way of catching the attention of baseball's talent evaluators.

That's what Concordia-St. Paul's starting rotation pulled off earlier this season, anchored by four potential pro prospects, being scouted ahead of the MLB draft in June.

Two of them are brothers from North St. Paul.

"It all started in the backyard, like, honestly for us. Playing wiffleball, just baseball games in the backyard," Louie Varland said.

Gus Varland, a junior, is the most heavily scouted -- striking out 60 in just 45 innings. He's fifth in all of Division II in ERA.

Louie Varland, a sophomore, opened the year with 22 consecutive scoreless innings, and given up just four earned runs all year. He's third in the country in ERA.

"Out of high school, we were considered late bloomers. And we were lucky and fortunate enough to have Concordia St. Paul give us an opportunity to play baseball at the next level," Gus Varland said.

"It's interesting that they weren't good enough to play Division I, and now they might be good enough to play professionally," coach Mark McKenzie said.

So how's something like that happen?

"I would have to credit it to the coaching staff here," Gus said.

That'd be pitching coaches John Gaub and Marcus McKenzie -- both former Gophers. Gaub even pitched briefly for the Chicago Cubs.

"Gus would come home and say, 'Hey, coach Marcus showed me this, coach Gaub showed me this,' and he'd take Louie out in the backyard and they were doing it, and Louie just fell in love with it too," McKenzie said.

It also helps to understand their mentality. Just ask them about their similarities and it comes out.

"Similar in every single way, pretty much. Looks. Righthanded throwers," Gus said.

"I'm more competitive," Louie said.

"Yeah right," Gus said.

That classic sibling rivalry factor has pushed them both.

"It's something not really talked about, but it's definitely there. Just a brother thing. You always try to be better than your older brother, always try to be better than your younger brother," Louie said.

"If I didn't have Louie, I don't think I'd be in the position where I'm at right now," Gus said.

Two late bloomers in Division II who've become such sought after baseball brothers.

"To me, it was always in there," McKenzie said. "They just hadn't brought it out."

It's out now.