After winning the College World Series, Arizona baseball has lost all six of its upper classmen to professional baseball in recent weeks.
Junior and Tucson native Seth Mejias-Brean agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Reds, who selected him in the eight round of the MLB first-year player draft held in June. Mejias-Brean’s contract is worth a reported $125,000.
All-American shortstop and Pac-12 Player of the Year Alex Mejia signed with the St. Louis Cardinals on July 1 and for a reported $250,000. Mejia was selected in the fourth round of last month’s draft.
On June 3, former UA center fielder Joey Rickard, a ninth-round selection, signed with the Tampa Bay Rays for an unreported amount. Rickard made his minor league debut with the Hudson Valley Renegades Monday night, batting two-for-five with two strikeouts.
College World Series MVP Robert Refsnyder signed with the Yankees on July 7, ending his eligibility at the UA after three seasons. Refsnyder’s deal is worth $205,900, Baseball America’s Jim Callis reported. The Yankees may try to move Refsnyder from his UA position in right field to second base.
Former UA ace Kurt Heyer, who pitched two games in the College World Series for the Wildcats, agreed to terms with the St. Louis Cardinals, who drafted him in the sixth round for $165,1000, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Heyer won 13 games as a junior at Arizona with a 2.24 ERA and 113 strikeouts.
Bobby Brown, a fifth-year senior on Arizona’s championship squad went undrafted in last month’s amateur draft, but reached a free agent agreement with the Kansas City Royals.