Three More Cougars Selected in MLB Entry Draft
6/9/2011 12:05:00 AM | Baseball
CHARLESTON, S.C. – On day three of the 2011 Major League Baseball Entry Draft, redshirt-junior Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla.), senior Casey Lucchese (Lexington, Ky.) and junior David Peterson (Walnut Creek, Calif.) were all selected, joining redshirt-junior Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J.) who was chosen in yesterday's 10th round.
Leeds, a two-time All-Southern Conference First Team selection, was chosen by the Texas Rangers in the 31st round with the 954th overall pick. He completed the 2011 campaign with a .345 batting average, 18 home runs and a team-high 80 runs batted in. Leeds was recently named to the Louisville Slugger All-American Third Team and was previously selected to Capital One Academic All-America First Team as selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).
Lucchese was taken in the 38th round with the 1,149th overall selection by the Chicago Cubs. He made 23 appearances in 2011 with two starts, posting a 3-2 record with seven saves. Lucchese notched 48 strikeouts in 43-1/3 innings and a 3.95 ERA.
The Houston Astros selected Peterson in the 49th round with the 1,480th pick. Peterson compiled a 5-6 overall record in 15 starts with a 4.52 ERA. The right-hander fanned 56 batters on the season in 87-2/3 innings with 29 walks.
Kral was selected in the 10th round of the 2011 MLB Entry Draft by the San Diego Padres. Kral, the 323rd overall pick, was an All-Southern Conference selection the past two seasons and finished the 2011 campaign with a .319 batting average, 11 home runs and 48 runs batted in. His 61 walks this year set a single-season program record for the second straight season, breaking the mark of 58 he set in 2010.
