2003 Baseball draft features host of MAC picks
Greg Burghardt
Two players from the Mid-American Conference were selected in the first round of the major league baseball draft Tuesday.
It was only the second time in conference history that two players were selected in the first round of the draft.
“The bottom line is that it shows the caliber of talent and depth that the MAC has,” said Baseball Head Coach Steve Jaksa. “This bodes well for the conference, as we see the quality of the league getting better.”
Ball State’s Bradley Snyder went 18th overall to the Cleveland Indians. Snyder, a left-handed right fielder, is the second consecutive Cardinal to be taken in the first round. Bryan Bullington was picked No. 1 overall last season by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Snyder was selected to the 2003 Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger All-America First Team for his play this season. Snyder hit a career-best .405 to go along with his 154 total bases and 61 RBI. The outfielder garnered MAC player of the year as well.
Mitchell Maier was the 30th pick in the first round to the Kansas City Royals. The catcher played for the Toledo Rockets, where he batted .414 in his three years. Maier’s career average is the second highest in MAC history.
Maier ranked first in the conference this season and second nationally with a .448 batting average.
“Both of those guys (Maier and Snyder) will probably both sign, so that’s good for them, their schools and the MAC,” Jaksa said.
The MAC didn’t see another player taken from the conference until the fifth round, when the Texas Rangers selected Mathew Lorenzo of Kent State University with the 136th pick. Marc Cornell of Ohio was taken five spots later by the Cincinnati Reds.
Lorenzo posted a 6-5 record with a 3.64 ERA this past season. In 71.2 innings pitched, Lorenzo gave up 56 hits and struck out 78 batters.
Cornell has good arm strength with quality stamina. His fastball topped out at 96 mph, with most in the 92-93 range for the entire game.
“He could have gone in the first round if he didn’t hurt his shoulder,” Jaksa said.
Western Michigan pitcher Patrick Misch was selected in the seventh round by the San Francisco Giants. Last season, Misch posted a 3-4 record with a 4.42 ERA. He struck out 43 batters in 59 innings pitched.
The eighth round saw another MAC player taken, this time by the San Diego Padres. Dirk Hayhurst of Kent State was the second Golden Flashes player taken at that point.
Last season CMU pitcher Chad Pleiness was selected in the fifth round by the Toronto Blue Jays. Pleiness is pitching for the single-A affiliate, the Dunedin Blue Jays.
The draft will conclude today.
