Matt Antonelli Set To Begin Professional Career Monday
6/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 19, 2006
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Former Wake Forest third baseman Matt Antonelli is expected to begin his professional baseball career on Monday, June 19 for the Eugene Emeralds of the Class A Northwest League. The Emeralds will open their season at the Boise Hawks at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on Monday.
Antonelli was selected by the San Diego Padres with the 17th pick of the first round in the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Antonelli was the fourth Demon Deacon in school history to be chosen in the first round and the program's first ever position player. Detroit drafted Kyle Sleeth 3rd overall in 2003, Kansas City drafted Mike MacDougal 25th overall in 1999 and St. Louis took Bret Wagner 19th overall in 1994. Jamie D'Antona, second round and 66th overall pick of Arizona, was the highest previously drafted Wake Forest position player.
Antonelli, a first team All-ACC selection in 2006, batted .333 with 11 home runs, 38 RBI and 15 stolen bases this past spring. The Peabody, Mass., native also recorded team-highs in runs scored (64), hits (73) and doubles (18). Antonelli ranked in the ACC's top 10 in runs scored (4th), home runs (t-8th), doubles (5th), total bases (6th), walks (8th) and slugging percentage (10th). He also ranked 28th in the NCAA in runs scored.
In three seasons at Wake Forest, Antonelli started all 163 games the Demon Deacons played. He finished his career with a .324 batting average, 18 home runs and 110 RBI. Antonelli swiped 46 career bases and set a new school record with 128 career walks -- surpassing D'Antona's previous mark of 113. He also finished sixth on Wake's all-time runs scored list with 183. Antonelli stands among the top 10 in three different single-season categories. In 2005, he not only set a school record with 57 walks, but also scored 68 runs (t-10th) and registered 22 doubles (t-8th).
In other Demon Deacon baseball news, right-handed pitcher Justin Keadle signed a free agent contract with the New York Yankees.
-- WakeForestSports.com --