MLB 2009 Northeast Draft Picks
Players to Watch - Kyle Vazquez, Jeremiah Bayer, Patrick McKenna
Jun 27, 2009
Leading up to the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft there was much excitement about the big names projected to go pro in the early rounds: Dustin Ackley of North Carolina; pitcher Jorge Sanchez of Boston College; and Donovan Tate of Cartersville High School in Georgia. Of course the player discussed the most was flamethrower Stephen Strasburg from San Diego State University, the eventual number-one pick in the draft.
But what about some players who were picked up in the later rounds of the draft, specifically those from the New England? Here is a closer look at some players who played in New England, including from Divisions II and III, who were drafted to the MLB.
Kyle Vazquez - Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, New Hampshire
In the 15th round of the draft the San Francisco Giants picked up Vazquez, one of the best right-handers in the NCAA Division II in 2009. He led the Ravens pitching staff in the Northeast-10 Conference, posting an 8-1 record and 1.93 ERA. In over 93 innings pitched he struck out a team and conference-best 112 and held batters to a .217 batting average. Franklin Pierce got a taste of the future in 2007 when Vazquez, a freshman at the time, pitched 6 1/3 innings of scoreless relief against Southern New Hampshire, yielding only two hits and striking out eight in the win.
The Berlin, Connecticut native kicked off his junior season by combining on a no-hitter with senior Mike Adams against Dowling College. Probably the most impressive performance put on by the second team All-American was on May 2, when he pitched a career-high 10 innings, allowing only three hits, walking two and striking out a career-high 15 against UMass-Lowell in the Northeast-10 Regular Season title-clinching game. He mixes his fastball and curveball very effectively and his control improved tremendously over his career at Franklin Pierce.
Jeremiah Bayer - Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut
This senior right-hander made the right move in prior to the 2008 season when he transferred from University of Vermont to Trinity College. The Greenfield, Massachusetts native helped lead the Bantams to the NCAA Division III College World Series title in 2008, and following a spectacular senior season was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 30th round of the draft.
Bayer's numbers were tremendous in 2009, posting a 12-1 record and a mere 0.85 ERA. Through 95.1 innings he struck out 94 batters and walked 24, and finished the year with five complete games, two shutouts, and a save. In two years at Trinity he put together an impressive 21-1 record in 31 appearances, which included 176.1 innings pitched and 165 strikeouts. The lone loss came in the opening round of the College World Series this year, although he threw 8.1 innings and allowed four earned runs.
The 2009 season was nothing short of spectacular for Bayer, as he was able to pitch on short rest, go deep into ballgames, and make key appearances out of the bullpen. The 2009 NCAA Division III Pitcher of the Year threw a seven-inning no-hitter on April 25 against Amherst College, throwing only 65 pitches but only striking out 3. In the New England Regional Tournament Championship Bayer came out of the bullpen and strike out seven in 4.1 innings to send the defending champion Bantams back to the College World Series.
Patrick McKenna - Bryant University
The Bryant Bulldogs moved to Division I prior to the 2008-09 academic year, leaving the Northeast-10 Conference in Division II. In the 2008 New England Regional Tournament, the Bulldogs were defeated twice on the final day by Franklin Pierce, ending an impressive campaign in the NE-10.
That didn't stop senior shortstop Patrick McKenna, who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 27th round of the draft. McKenna, a native of Orange, Connecticut, set the program record for games started and games played, impressively starting all 223 games played by the Bulldogs in his four-year career. A small and speedy player, McKenna ended his career with a program-best 15 career triples while showing patience at the plate by drawing a program-record 113 career walks. His defense was also fantastic, setting the career record for assists with 801 while committing 89 errors.
In 2009 McKenna finished third on the team in batting average, hitting .338 with team-highs in runs (62) and home runs (12). Bryant opened eyes in the Northeast when the Bulldogs beat teams like Virginia Tech (7-5), Holy Cross (4-2), and Boston College (8-5). In those games McKenna batted .440 with five runs scored, three RBI and two homers. Against Boston College, McKenna went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, three driven in and two homers.
