Deacons in the MLB Draft
6/4/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 4, 2012
By Steven Wright, Wake Forest Media Relations (@SIDeacons)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The First Round and the Comp A Round of the 2012 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft is set for Monday night at 7 p.m. Coverage of the event will be live on the MLB Network and MLB.com.
Rounds 2-15 will begin at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, while Rounds 16-40 will begin at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6. Coverage of Rounds 2-40 will be solely on MLB.com.
Wake Forest players have been a mainstay in the MLB Draft, as at least one player to suit up for the Demon Deacons has been drafted every year since 1994. That year, RHP Bret Wagner became the first-ever Deacon to be drafted in the First Round when he was selected 19th overall by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Here are some other notes regarding Demon Deacons in the MLB Draft:
Wake Forest has had five all-time first rounders:
- Bret Wagner - RHP - 1994 - 19th overall - St. Louis Cardinals
- Mike MacDougal - RHP - 1999 - 25th overall - Kansas City Royals
- Kyle Sleeth - RHP - 2003 - 3rd overall - Detroit Tigers
- Matt Antonelli - 3B - 2006 - 17th overall - San Diego Padres
- Allan Dykstra - 1B - 2008 - 23rd overall - San Diego Padres
Highest Deacon Drafted
- Kyle Sleeth became the highest Demon Deacon drafted when he was selected third overall by the Detroit Tigers in 2003.
2011 Deacs in the MLB Draft
- Matt Martin - 2011 - 44th Rd. - Boston Red Sox
- Mac Williamson - 2011 - 46th Rd . - Boston Red Sox
- Kevin Jordan - 2010 - 19th Rd. - New York Yankees
- James Harris - 2010 - 50th Rd. - Minnesota Twins
- Niko Spezial - 2009 - 32nd Rd. - Pittsburgh Pirates
- Daniel Marrs - 2008 - 40th Rd. - Philadelphia Phillies
Baseball America Prospect Rankings for Current Deacs
- LHP Tim Cooney is ranked 116th nationally and fourth in North Carolina.
- OF Mac Williamson is ranked 236th nationally and fifth in North Carolina.
- SS Pat Blair is ranked 19th in North Carolina.
- INF Carlos Lopez is ranked 36th in North Carolina.
- LHP Brian Holmes is ranked 55th in North Carolina.
- LHP Max Tishman (signee) is ranked second in Massachusetts.
- LHP Mark McCoy (signee) is ranked third in New Jersey.
Red Sox and Pirates Like the Deacons
- The Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates have each drafted seven Demon Deacons, dating back to 1989.
- The Red Sox selected OF Jake Austin in 1991, RHP Sean DePaula (signee) in 1993, RHP Bobby Rodgers in 1995, 1B Allan Dykstra (signee) in 2005, 1B David Mailman (signee) in 2007, C Matt Martin in 2011 and OF Mac Williamson in 2011.
- The Pirates selected OF Jake Austin in 1992, LHP Seth Hill (signee) in 1999 and in 2000, RHP Danny Mackey (signee) in 2000, LHP Tim Morley (signee) in 2001, RHP Lee Land in 2003 and LHP Niko Spezial (signee) in 2009.
Most Deacs Drafted in 2000
- Wake Forest had nine players and signees drafted in the 2000 MLB Draft, including Rocco Baldelli, Chris Narveson, Danny Borrell, Chase Voshell, Dan Conway, Kyle Sleeth, Eric Schmitt, Danny Mackey and Seth Hill.
- Only Baldelli and Narveson turned pro before playing for Wake Forest. Baldelli was taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with the sixth overall pick, while Narveson was taken by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 53rd overall pick in the second round.
