Seven Beavers Selected In MLB Draft
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Seven players from the 2008 Oregon State baseball team were selected Friday in the second and final day of the 2008 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.
Senior pitcher Mike Stutes was the first player chosen when he went in the 11th round (346th overall) to Philadelphia. He was followed by senior infielder Lonnie Lechelt (21st round, 628th overall, Florida), senior outfielder Chris Hopkins (24th round, 729th overall, Toronto), junior pitcher Mark Grbavac (32nd round, 974th overall, New York Mets), senior first baseman Jordan Lennerton (33rd round, 1,003rd overall, Detroit), senior outfielder Daniel Robertson (33rd round, 1,005th overall, San Diego) and junior designated hitter Jason Ogata (38th round, 1,143rd, Texas).
Stutes went 4-7 with a 5.32 ERA for the Beavers in 2008. He ended his career with 287 strikeouts, which places him second in Oregon State’s record books, along with 24 wins, which puts him in a tie for ninth.
He was drafted in the 11th round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
“The Phillies are a really good organization,” Stutes said. “I really look forward to getting on the field and playing for them.”
Lechelt concluded his four-year Oregon State career by batting .287 in 44 games in 2008. He hit five home runs, drove in 33 runs and accumulated four triples. Lechelt, from Kennewick, Wash., came to the OSU program in 2005 and proceeded to play in 133 games with nine home runs and 12 doubles. He went to Omaha three times with the Beavers, winning two national titles.
He was drafted in the 21st round by the Florida Marlins.
“I’m so excited,” Lechelt said. “I was watching online and saw my name come up with Florida selecting me and I was a little surprised because I hadn’t talked to them much. But I’m glad they did. I’m very happy and I’m excited to get out there and play some baseball.”
Hopkins played two seasons for the Beavers after transferring from Sierra Junior College. In two seasons, he batted .272 with four home runs, 22 stolen bases and 50 runs batted in. Hopkins, from Oakland, Calif., batted .278 as a senior and drove in 23 with 10 doubles.
Hopkins was drafted in the 24th round by the Toronto Blue Jays.
“It feels good to be drafted by Toronto,” Hopkins said. “The scout who drafted me told me he was going to fight for me and he got me so it feels real good. I think the Blue Jays are a great organization to get drafted to.”
Grbavac, a right-handed reliever, tied for the team lead with four wins in 2008, compiling a 3.62 ERA in 22 appearances. He worked 27 1/3 innings for the Beavers, allowing 30 hits and 11 earned runs while striking out 27. In three seasons with Oregon State, Grbavac is 5-2 with a 3.21 ERA in 61 appearances, all of which have come in relief.
He is the second OSU reliever to be selected by the Mets in as many seasons. Eddie Kunz was selected in the first round of the 2007 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft by New York.
“It’s pretty cool,” Grbavac said of the selection. “I didn’t really expect it. I had just stopped looking at the draft tracker. But I had a friend call me with the news.”
Lennerton led Oregon State with six home runs as a senior, giving him 16 in two seasons with the Beavers. The first baseman played in 114 games with Oregon State after transferring to head coach Pat Casey’s program in 2007 from El Paso Community College. He batted .299 with 73 RBI in his tenure with the club.
He was drafted in the 33rd round by the Detroit Tigers.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity to be in the Detroit system,” Lennerton said. “I’m excited. Hopefully, I’ll be able to play every day for them.”
Robertson, a La Puente, Calif., native, transferred to Oregon State prior to the 2008 season from Concordia. In his one and only season with OSU, Robertson batted .327, hit 12 doubles, one triple and two home runs and drove in 27 RBI. He made four assists in the outfield and was involved in three double plays.
He was drafted just two spots behind Lennerton in the 33rd round, to the San Diego Padres.
“I’m very excited,” Robertson said. “Right after I got picked, Mitch (Canham) actually called and said, ‘Welcome to the organization.’ San Diego is close to home and I’m really excited to get drafted by the Padres.”
Ogata played in 51 games for the Beavers in 2008, hitting .301 with four home runs and 39 RBI. He led the club with 18 multiple-hit games. Primarily the team’s designated hitter in 2008, he has spent two seasons with the Beavers after transferring from LSU. A Portland native, he has batted .298 with eight home runs, 25 doubles and 81 RBI in two seasons with the Beavers.
He was drafted in the 38th round by the Texas Rangers.
“Getting drafted is a great feeling,” Ogata said. “Not many people get to say they’ve been drafted and now I have been twice (Ogata was drafted in the 50th round in 2005 by San Diego).”
The seven selections Friday gives Oregon State a total of 24 over the past three seasons. In 2006, the Beavers saw a school-record nine players taken, followed by eight in 2008.
For more information on Oregon State baseball, visit www.osubeavers.com.
