Seven SteepleCats Selected In MLB Draft
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Seven North Adams SteepleCats were selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, including four current players. The four players from the current roster include: catcher John Murrian was selected in the ninth round by the Detroit Tigers; shortstop David Narodowski was selected in the 15th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks; outfielder J.D. Martinez was selected in the 20th round by the Houston Astros; and pitcher Tommy Mackoul was selected in the 20th round by the Minnesota Twins.Murrian is the only player of that bunch to have already seen time this season for the SteepleCats. This past season at Winthrop University Murrian hit .327 with 42 RBI, six home runs and an on-base percentage of .399. Narodowski was named the Big 12’s Newcomer of the Year in 2009 after he hit .354 with eight home runs and 19 doubles for the University of Kansas. Martinez had a phenomenal year at Nova Southeastern University, where he hit .428 in 55 games with 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 41 walks, an on-base percentage of .530 and a slugging percentage of .770. Martinez was second in the Sunshine State Conference in batting average and third in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and home runs. He also led the conference with 73 runs scored. Mackoul saw very limited action this past spring at the University of California Riverside but is a tall lefty with a 90+ mph fastball.
In addition to the four current SteepleCats being selected, three former were selected. Mitchell Clegg form the U. of Massachusetts pitched for the SteepleCats in 2008 and was selected in the 21st round by the Washington Nationals. Nick McCully from Coastal Carolina University was a 2007 NECBL All-Star was selected in the ninth round by the St. Louis Cardinals. Greg Wilborn from the U. of Louisiana at Lafayette who also pitched for the SteepleCats in 2007 was selected in the 18th round by the Los Angles Dodgers.
“One of the major goals of summer baseball is to provide a platform for these guys to compete and see what it takes to advance to the next level,” said SteepleCats general manager Sean McGrath. “On behalf of the entire organization, we are thrilled for all of these players and their families.”
The North Adams SteepleCats team is a summer collegiate baseball team that plays in the 12-team New England Collegiate Baseball League. They play from the first week of June through the second week of August. For more information, please log onto www.steeplecats.com.
