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Three former Eagles already have stretched their rookie wings in minor league play.

Left-hander Richard Bleier, who became Florida Gulf Coast University’s highest-ever draftee when the Texas Rangers took him in the sixth round (283rd overall) just three weeks ago, has leapt furthest from the nest.

The junior — who entered the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft after going 7-1 for the Atlantic Sun regular-season conference champion Eagles — gave up just one hit and had three strikeouts and no walks in three full innings of relief in Spokane’s 8-3 Class-A short season win against Northwest League rival Everett on Friday night.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound reigning A-Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year and Davie native had a flawless ERA.

“The competition is right where I left off,” Bleier said. “It’s not really too much of a jump up, so it’s not that hard to adjust to the hitters. Make your pitches, you’re going to get people out.

“I felt good, came in throwing strikes. I think I had pretty much everyone 0-2 except for one guy, and no matter where I am, I think if I’m ahead like that, it’s tough to hit me. The one hit, I had a guy 0-2 and I made a mistake and he got a single. The next guy I got into a double play.

“It was definitely a successful first outing, I would say. Definitely better than my first college outing when I gave up a home run against the first batter I faced.”

Indians coaches — whom Bleier said tend to let pitchers go through the motions for a month before making technical changes — were impressed.

“They give you a scouting report every single time you pitch, and they said I pitched well,” Bleier said. “I think I was nine of 10 on first-pitch strikes. My slider was really good, and I was very effective — think I only threw 35 pitches in three innings. They were impressed enough ... originally, they were going to keep working me up out of the bullpen, but now they’re going to start me.”

Bleier has been instructed to holster his curveball for now but he will make his first start at Eugene tonight.

Cape Coral-Mariner grad Casey Coleman, a 6-foot, 180-pound right-hander who was taken by Chicago’s Cubs in the 15th round (461st) had an up-and-down debut for the Class A short-season Boise Hawks on Saturday.

Coleman picked up the 2-0 loss to Northwest League foe Eugene in his first start, allowing four hits and both earned runs in two innings. That left him with a 9.00 ERA.

But don’t read too much into Coleman’s first-outing stats.

“I told people the boxscore can lie sometimes,” Coleman said. “For my first outing, I was happy with the way I threw. They got two broken bat hits and two ground balls down the line. I didn’t give up a gapper or anything like that.”

Coleman, who went 7-3 as an FGCU junior last season, threw between 90-93 miles per hour and struck out two of the first three batters he faced.

“In the first two innings, I felt great, my velocity was up,” Coleman said. “The third inning, I made some good pitches, but probably the wrong counts to throw those pitches in. At this level, they’ll hit that.”

The Hawks are “piggy-backing” Coleman, meaning they’ll use him in two to three innings of relief, then work him three innings as a starter, and so forth.

“After the first time I pitched the other day, my arm was a little sore getting back into it, so it’s good I’m only going two innings,” Coleman said. “The arm feels good, but it’s going to take a while to get it back into shape and be able to start again.”

Actually, it won’t take that long. Coleman is slated to start against Everett on Thursday night.

First baseman Jason Peacock, the A-Sun’s Player of the Year after batting .434 as an FGCU senior, has played in both Marlins games in Gulf Coast (rookie) League competition.

A 26th-round selection (778th), the 6-foot, 215-pound Bartow native has gone 1-for-5 for the 0-2 club based in Jupiter heading into Monday’s game against the Nationals.

“They’re getting their feet wet,” said FGCU coach Dave Tollett. “It’s early. I’m sure they had some nerves going on.”

Actually, Bleier and Coleman said they’re taking professional things in stride.

“It’s great,” Coleman said. “Pro ball’s so relaxed. Coming from a college season into pro ball, everyone notices there’s such a big difference, how laid-back it is. You’ve got to work hard but it’s mainly up to you. You’re grown up now, and it’s on you. You want to advance, you’ve got to put in the work.”