FAU junior third baseman Kyle Newton was selected in the 19th round by the Rockies on Wednesday. (Owl Access file photo)
Draft hits hard
Two more FAU players are drafted on the third day of the Major League Baseball Draft and the Owls are hoping one of their signees chooses to play at FAU.
Originally published on
6/6/2012
by
Marcus Nelson
The third day of Major League Baseball's draft may have dealt another blow to Florida Atlantic.
A day after pitcher R.J. Alvarez was selected in the third round, FAU junior third baseman Kyle Newton was selected by the Rockies in the 19th round on Wednesday.
FAU coach John McCormack believes Newton will follow Alvarez and sign a professional contract.
“I think this year after being drafted, he's decided to go pro,” McCormack said. “I'm happy for him because he worked hard.”
While losing the top reliever in the conference and a power-hitting third baseman to the draft is bad enough, FAU also has to sort out what will become of its recruiting class.
The Owls had three players who had signed with them picked high enough in the draft to entice them to sign professional contracts instead of playing at FAU.
FAU signee Brandon Welch, a pitcher from Palm Beach State College, was drafted by the Mets in the fifth round with the No. 170 overall pick. The Mets also drafted Haines City pitcher Robert Whalen, himself an FAU signee, in the 12th round.
Milwaukee drafted signee Alex Lavendero, an outfielder from Belen Jesuit, in the ninth round with the 305th pick.
McCormack is hoping that Lavendero, who was picked higher than many had thought, will choose to play for FAU.
“He hasn't made up his mind,” McCormack said. “If he comes, then it might be pretty close to what we thought might happen. ...This is the business we are in.”
Senior pitcher Ryan Garton was taken by the Rays in the 34th round with the 1052nd overall pick.