Thursday, June 10, 2010

NEW YORK - The MLB First-Year Player Draft concluded on Wednesday with three more Atlantic Sun student-athletes selected bringing the final total to 14 drafted this year.

Belmont's Packy Elkins was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 37th Round (1129th overall). He becomes the 26th player in Belmont Baseball history to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team and is the first Bruin to be drafted by the Cardinals Baseball Club.

Elkins had a long and distinguished career with the Bruins after capping his senior campaign in 2010, batting a third-best .327 on the team. He also led the team in slugging percentage (.679), was second in home runs (15), and was ranked among the top-five in single season home runs. Elkins, a regular starter in the left side of the infield since his freshman year, departed the program as Belmont's all-time bases-on-balls and sacrifice hits leader. He also owns BU's single season and career marks in both categories.

Read the full BELMONT release HERE

In the 44th round, the Baltimore Orioles selected UNF's Preston Hale. In 2010, hale led the team in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, RBI, doubles, total bases and walks.

Hale finished the regular season with a .391 batting average, collecting 93 hits in 238 at bats. He scored 59 runs while driving in 63 RBI, starting in all 58 of UNF’s games this season. Hale boasted 20 doubles, two triples and 12 home runs with a .643 slugging percentage. During last month's A-Sun Championship, he hit .462 (6-for-13) with three home runs. Hales boasted a 1.154 slugging percentage and scored six runs while driving in five RBI.

Paul Hoilman became the second ETSU baseball player to have his named called in the 2010 Major League Baseball draft after being selected in the 49th round by the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon.

Hoilman joined junior Chas Byrne, who was drafted in the 16th round by the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, as the only two Buccaneer players to be drafted.

The first baseman was also named a 2010 Ping!Baseball Second Team All-American by Ping!Baseball.com. Hoilman led the Atlantic Sun with a .421 batting average and 25 home runs.

Read the full ETSU release HERE

Wednesday's A-Sun Drafted Players
Packy Elkins, Belmont 37-1129 (Cardinals)
Preston Hale, UNF 44-1318 (Orioles)
Paul Hoilman, ETSU 49-1481 (Rays)