We’re into Day 2 of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, and we’ve already had significant movement among the black college baseball ranks. Let’s take a look at some of the stars baseball players coming out of historically black colleges and universities.
Boston Red Sox
Michael Thomas – Catcher – Southern University - Taken 378th overall, a broken hand limited Thomas to just 18 regular season contests for the SWAC champions. Thomas was named to the 2009 all-SWAC second team, and finished his season with a .448 on-base-percentage and recorded 86 putouts for the Jaguars.
Oakland Athletics
Myrio Richard – Center Fielder – Prairie View A&M University - Richard, a 2009 second-team all-SWAC selection, was taken by the Athletics with the 273rd overall pick. Richard led the Panthers in runs scored, home runs and stolen bases.
Anthione Shaw – Shortstop – St. Augustine’s College – The CIAA Player of the Year was among the national leaders in batting average, runs per game and on-base percentage in 2009.
Seattle Mariners
Eric Thomas – Pitcher – Bethune-Cookman University – An unherladed member of the Wildcats starting rotation, Thomas was a second-team all-MEAC selection in 2009 and ranked third and second in the conference in strikeouts and wins, respectively.
Chicago Cubs
Charles Thomas – Third Base – Edward Waters College - Thomas led the EWC Tigers in slugging percentage, games played, home runs and RBI.
Colorado Rockies
Jeffrey Squier – Shortstop – Mississippi Valley State University – With the 421st selection, the Colorado Rockies selected the Colorado native and first-team all-SWAC shortstop. Squier led the Devils with a .352 batting average, and led the conference with 41 stolen bases.
Brandon Whitby – Catcher – Prairie View A&M University - Whitby was a first-team all-conference selection for the Panthers in 2009, and was fourth in the conference in batting average (.373). Whitby led PVAMU in RBI, and showed great patience at the plate with only 25 strikeouts in 153 at-bats.
Dan Perkins – Pitcher – Delaware State University - The MEAC Pitcher of the Year in 2009 was selected with the 811th pick by the Rockies on Day 2. While he posted a 5-5 record on the year, he struck out 86 batters and threw five complete complete games.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Zac Varnell – Catcher – University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff - Varnell was not an all-conference selection in 2009, but showed a great propensity for advancing runners in clutch situations. He recorded four RBI in two-out scenarios with runners on base during the season for the Golden Lions.
Milwaukee Brewers
Hiram Burgos – Pitcher – Bethune-Cookman University – Burgos is no stranger to the national spotlight. Burgos was a member of the all-MEAC second team in 2009, posted the third lowest ERA in the MEAC at 3.74 runs per game, and was the conference leader with 94 strikeouts. Burgos was the 196th pick overall.
St. Louis Cardinals
Christian Beatty – Centerfielder – North Carolina A&T State University – A man of many talents, MEAC first-teamer C.J. Beatty hovered around the lead in a number of offensive categories, including home runs andd batting average. He did lead the Aggies in walks and doubles, and was a power threat.
Andrew Moss – Pitcher – Lincoln University (Mo.) - Moss led the Blue Tigers in wins, ERA and strikeouts in 2009, on his way to making the Heartland Conference first-team.
If you followed the draft, I’m looking to score interviews with some of the drafted players on this week’s edition of HBCU Sports Talk Radio.
Feel free to email me at jarrett@hbcusportsblog.com with any contact info on these players, or any additional comments and questions about the draft.
Technorati Tags: Andrew Moss, Anthione Shaw, Bethune-Cookman University, Brandon Whitby, Charles Thomas, Christian Beatty, Dan Perkins, Delaware State University, Edward Waters College, Eric Thomas, Hiram Burgos, Jeffrey Squier, Lincoln University, Michael Thomas, Mississippi Valley State University, Myrio Richard, North Carolina A&T University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University, St., St. Augustine's College, University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff, Zachary Varnell
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