2018 Baseball Roster
Roster
AJ Graffanino
- Position:
- Infielder
- Bats/Throws:
- L
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 180
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Wilmington, Del.
- High School:
- Northwest Christian (Peoria, Ariz.)
2018 MLB Draft - Selected in the 8th Round, 232ndย overall by Atlanta Braves
2018 NCAA Conway Regional All-Tournament Team
2017 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
PERSONAL
Previously selected in the 26th round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians ... played for Cowlitz Black Bears of the WCL during the summer of 2015 ... was named the league's No. 6 prospect by Baseball America ... son of former Major Leaguer Tony Graffanino.
WASHINGTON
2018: Selected in the 8th round, 232nd overall by Atlanta Braves in 2018 MLB Draft ... led team with a .364 average, .440 on-base percentage ... was limited to 29 games (28 starts) after an early-season hamstring injury cost him over two months of action ... ended the year on a 9-game hit streak (16x37, .432, 10 RBI) ... hit .406 (26x64, 11 RBI) in final 18ย games after returning from injuryย ... hits in 25ย of 28ย starts, reached base in 28ย of 29ย games overall ...ย made last 16ย starts at second base, but 110 other career starts are at shortstop ... was 2x8 in College World Series ... led team with .441 averageย (15x34, 9 RBI) in the post season ... 5x11 at CS Fullerton, including 3x3 with 2 RBI in the opening win ...ย named to Conway Regional All-Tourney Team after collecting multiple hits in each game and going 8x15 (.533) with 6 RBI ... broke 6-6 tie in clinching win vs. UConn with 3-run, 8th inning double, part of 3x5 night (never had 3 RBI in a game previously) ... 2x5, RBI vs. Coastal Carolina and 3x5, 2 RBI in GM 1 vs. UConn ...ย 6x12, 4 RBI, 4 R at Utah ... 3x9 vs. UCLA ... returned to action vs. UCLA after missing 32 games due to hamstring injury (Mar. 4 vs. Illinois), returning for one game April 20 vs. Cal ...ย had 12-game hit streak, dating back to 2017, and 9 games this season, snapped on Sunday vs. Illinois ... did not play vs. Seattle U to rest hamstring ... had hits in each game of first two series this year ...ย 4x12, 3 runs, 2 RBI vs. UCR ... had hits in each game at Sac St (6x18, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2B, 3B) ... had go-ahead 2-RBI single in 11th inning of season-opening win vs. Sac St ...ย No. 75 prospect for 2018 MLB Draft according to D1Baseball.com ... played for 2017 Cape Cod champions Brewster Whitecaps.
2017: Earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention ... one of 2 Huskies to see action in all 54ย games, 53ย starts ... finished the year strong hitting .304 in May and .269 overall ... played gold-glove caliber defense all season at the shortstop position, committing just six errors in 223 chance, with just two errors over the final 37 games ... tied for team lead with 2 triples and secondย with 197ย at bats ... had RBIs in six of the last seven games ... was 6-for-11 in series finale vs. USC, collecting multi-hits in each of the final two games ... was 3x4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI in season finale May 27 vs. USC ... had streak of recording an RBI in 3 straight games snapped in series finale at Stanford, but was 3x12 in series with 2 doubles, 2 RBI ... had a career-high 12-game hit streak dating back to last season snapped Mar. 3 vs. Sac St ... will bat only left handed after switch hitting in 2016 ... No. 81 MLB prospect for 2018 by D1Baseball.com ... played for Brewster in Cape Cod League this past summer.
2016:ย Led UW freshmen with 54 games, 46 starts all at shortstop ... hit .250 with 13 RBI ... ended the season with a five-game hit streak (6x15, 4 BB) ... was 4x10 at Nashville Regional, including 2x4, RBI vs. Vanderbilt ... 2x9 at Utah, including 1x2, 2 BB May 28 when he saw 27 pitches in 4 plate appearances ... hits in 8 of 9 games from Apr. 30-May16 (10x33, .303) ... 1x3, game-winning RBI single May 16 vs. N. Colorado ... 3x10 vs. WSU ...ย 4x11 at USC, including 2 RBI in series-clinching win Sunday ...ย 3x8, first career 3B, with hits in all 3 games vs. UCLAย ... 2x8, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R at ASU ...ย 3x8 vs. AZ, including 3x3, 3 R, BB, SB in GM 2 win ...ย collected a hit and a run in all 3 games vs. Santa Clara (3x7, 3 R, 2B) ...ย 2x9 at UC Riverside ... 2x5, 2B, 2 RBI in game 1 of DH at UCR ... 2x9 at Baylor, starting all 3 games at SS.
NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Named to 2015 Perfect Game Honorable Mention All American as well as West All Region 1st Team... ย His senior season he batted .474 with 26 RBIโs, 16 doubles, 2 triples, and 4 homeruns.ย Was selected as the Indians 26th round pick (784th overall) in the 2015 MLB Draft... In the 2014 American Family Insurance Division III All-Stateโฆplayed in the Area Code Games for the Reds and the Arizona Senior Fall Classic in 2014โฆfinished with a batting average of .461 with 76 hits, 25 RBIโs and 56 runs scored in 2013-14โฆteam finished 25-6 overall and 11-0 in league in 2013-14โฆalso played basketball in high school.
COACH MEGGS ON GRAFFANINO
"AJ is a switch hitting shortstop who has just begun to scratch the surface of what I believe will be a long baseball career.ย The son of formerย big league infielder Tony Garaffanino, AJ has a great feel for the way theย game should be played and he already plays defense like a Pac 12 veteran.ย As AJ continues to mature and get stronger, the bat will catch up and then Husky fans are going to see the complete package in the middle of our infield.ย Obviously AJ has the pedigree we all look for but that is not his best quality.ย The best thing about AJ is the way he works.ย This guy lives and breathe it every day.ย He wants to go to Omaha, he wants to be a high draft pick, and he wants to play in the big leagues.ย And from what Iโve seen, I will not be surprised if he does all three."
GETTING TO KNOW AJ GRAFFANINO
First memory of baseball:
Playing t-ball with my grandma when I was 3.
Favorite baseball player:
J.J. Hardy - hard worker, great defender, great person
Any family members that played college sports or pro:
Father (Tony Graffanino) - Major League for 13 years
Why do you love baseball:
I love making friends and competing with them.
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