WAC Pitcher of the Year Tanner Scheppers was the second pick of the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
June 5, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. -
While he's disappointed he's not in Tempe getting ready to take on No. 3 Arizona State in the Super Regional Round of the NCAA tournament, junior pitcher Tanner Scheppers is still having a pretty good day.
Scheppers was drafted early in the second round of Thursday's Major League Baseball draft. He was the 48th overall pick, the second pick of the second round, by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Many believe he would have been drafted much higher had he not suffered a late-season injury that has kept him off the field for the last six weeks.
"Tanner is a tremendous talent and has been one of the best pitchers in college baseball the last two seasons," said head coach Mike Batesole. "He has great upside and I think is going to be a great professional athlete. We are proud of him."
Scheppers posted an 8-2 record this season with a 2.93 ERA and a WAC-best 109 strikeouts. He ranked among the top four in the NCAA in strikeouts most of the season. He has a 16-8 record and 219 strikeouts in his career. He was named the WAC Pitcher of the Year.
He's the fourth player under head coach Mike Batesole to be drafted among the first three rounds of the draft and the 23rd player to be take in the last six seasons. That includes two first round picks, Richie Robnett (Oakland As) in 2004 and Matt Garza (Minnesota Twins) in 2005.
Junior Justin Wilson joined Scheppers in the Pirate's organization, as the second pick of the fifth round, No. 144 overall. Wilson, the projected starter for Saturday night's series opener against the Sun Devils, has a 7-4 record for the Bulldogs this season with a 4.17 ERA. He's coming off an 11-strikeout performance against No. 11 Long Beach State in the NCAA Long Beach Regional.
Several other Bulldogs are projected to be taken as the draft continues.
The Bulldogs won the Long Beach Regional last weekend and will open play in the Super Regional at No. 3 Arizona State Saturday night at 6 p.m. That game will be on ESPNU. The Bulldogs and Sun Devils will play a best two-of-three series with the winning advancing to the College World Series.
Arizona State had two players selected among the Top 17 picks in third baseman Brett Wallace and first baseman Ike Davis.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The Fresno State baseball team continues play at the 2008 NCAA tournament at the Super Regional in Tempe, Ariz., against No. 3 Arizona State. The Fresno State games will be broadcast live in the Valley on KMJ Radio 580 AM. Follow gobulldogs.com for further updates.
