Six UA baseball players were selected in the 2016 MLB Draft this week, with junior third baseman Bobby Dalbec as the first Wildcat off the board, being picked by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round at 118th overall.
“It’s pretty cool,” Dalbec said after Arizona’s win over Mississippi State University on Friday. “I got to play out there for two summers, and got to do those workouts in Fenway [Park]. It’s people’s dreams to play in Fenway, so this is obviously a step closer to that.”
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Dalbec, selected as a positional player, pitched 8.2 shutout innings for the Wildcats on the same day he was drafted, helping the team advance to the College World Series.
Dalbec only needed one word to describe the eventful day.
“A whirlwind,” he said.
Dalbec is among the team leaders with six homer runs this season, along with 38 RBI and a .266 batting average. On the mound, he has compiled a 2.92 ERA in 80 innings of work.
Joining Dalbec as draftees were senior outfielder Zach Gibbons, senior second baseman Cody Ramer, junior left-hander Kevin Ginkel, senior right-hander Nathan Bannister, and senior first baseman Ryan Aguilar.
Gibbons and Ramer were selected in the 17th round and 19th round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, respectively.
Meanwhile, Ginkel was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 22nd round, Bannister was chosen by the Seattle Mariners in the 28th round and Aguilar was chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 31st round
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Eight signed Arizona recruits were also selected in the draft, as well as Arizona football wide receiver Trey Griffey, who was selected in the 24th round by the Mariners. Griffey, the son of Hall of Fame outfielder and former Mariner Ken Griffey Jr. was an honorary selection however, and will not be pursuing a career in baseball.
The newly-selected Wildcats will return to action on Saturday when they face the Miami Hurricanes in Omaha, Nebraska as part of the College World Series.
First pitch is at 5 p.m. MST and will be aired on ESPN2.
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