Baker, Rallings And Four Incoming Freshmen Picked Saturday In MLB Draft
June 11, 2016 | Baseball
SEATTLE – Two current Washington players, including Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Troy Rallings and All-Pac-12 selection Chris Baker, and four future Huskies were selected in the third day of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft on Saturday. They join senior Spencer Jones, who was selected in the 10th round on Friday.
Baker was the first Husky to go off the board as the San Diego Padres selected the junior infielder in the 17th round with the 504th overall pick.
Baker, from San Mateo, Calif., was named All-Pac-12 and to the All-Pac-12 Defensive Team after an outstanding season that helped the Huskies to an NCAA Regional appearance. He hit .315 and was the team leader in many statistical categories, including home runs (7), triples (3) and RBI (34). Baker ranked ninth in the Pac-12 in homers and hits (68) and was 11th in slugging percentage (.491). He also was sixth in the conference with 106 total basses as he led the Huskies with 21 total extra-base hits.
Baker has made 116 consecutive starts over the last three years, including 56 as a junior this season: 34 at third base, 12 at second base and 10 at shortstop. He started 54 games in 2015, all at shortstop.
Rallings was picked by the Anaheim Angels in the 22nd round, 666th overall. The 2016 First Team Louisville Slugger and Baseball America All-American was previously a 2015 MLB Draft by Oakland in the 36th round.
The Carlsbad, Calif., native has already visited every Major League ballpark as a fan and now will begin his pursuit to do so as a professional. Rallings ended his Washington career tied atop the school's all-time career saves list with 31 and appearances with 94.
In his final season, he was 4-1 with a 0.89 ERA in 61 innings. He tied for second in the nation in ERA and tied for third nationally with 16 saves, totals which led the Pac-12. He made 28 appearances and led the conference in opposing avg. (.155), fewest hits allowed (32), fewest runs (7) and earned runs allowed (6).
Rallings was 12-6, with 31 saves and a 1.82 ERA over 193 career innings. He allowed just 142 hits, 39 earned runs and 40 walks while striking out 163 hitters in 94 games.
The first member of Washington's 15th-ranked incoming recruiting class to be selected was shortstop Ben Baird from Agoura Hills, Calif., who was picked in the 20th round, 602nd overall by the Cleveland Indians.
Baird is ranked as the 84th overall recruit by Perfect Game. He participated in the Perfect Game National Showcase and the Area Code Games for the Brewers .
The next newcomer to be selected was pitcher Josh Burgmann, chosen in the 30th round, 916th overall by St. Louis. The native of Nanaimo, B.C. was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team and went to Vauxhall Academy.
Washington Gatorade State Player of the Year Christian Jones out of Federal Way HS was selected in the 31st round, 928th overall by the Boston Red Sox. He's the highest ranked recruit in Washington's baseball class and also helped Federal Way to back-to-back 4A state basketball championships. He scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the title game. On the baseball field, he played outfield and first base and hit .444 with six home runs during his senior year.
The final recruit to hear his named called Saturday was Austin Shenton, a left-handed hitting infielder from Bellingham HS. Shenton is ranked as the 166th overall recruit by Perfect Game. He will play for the Bellingham Bells this summer and competed in the 2015 Area Code Games.
Excluding incoming freshmen, 25 Huskies have now been selected in the Major League Baseball drafts under Husky Coach Lindsay Meggs in seven seasons.
Huskies in the 2016 MLB Draft
Name Team Round Overall Pick
Spencer Jones Tampa Bay 10th 300
Chris Baker San Diego 17th 504
Ben Baird Cleveland 20th 602
Troy Rallings Anaheim 22nd 666
Josh Burgmann St. Louis 30th 916
Christian Jones Boston 31st 928
Austin Shenton Cleveland 34th 1022
