For the second consecutive season, the Louisville baseball team had eight players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft as three Cardinals were chosen during the final day of the 2017 edition on Wednesday afternoon.
Junior catcher Colby Fitch was selected in the 13th round (383rd overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies, senior outfielder Logan Taylor went in the 16th round (477th overall) to the Chicago White Sox and sophomore righthander Riley Thompson was taken in the 25th round (752nd overall) by the New York Yankees.
The eight Cardinals chosen in this year’s draft (as well as the 2016 draft) ranks as the second highest total in school history trailing only the 10 players selected in 2010. Overall, Louisville has produced seven or more MLB Draft selections five times in the last eight years, including four of the last five (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017).
A native of Rocheport, Missouri, Fitch connected for 11 home runs, 11 doubles and 43 RBI while hitting .256 in 59 starts this season while earning All-ACC Second Team recognition. A team captain, Taylor has a .279 batting average with 13 doubles, 40 RBI, 54 runs scored and 22 stolen bases in 25 attempts. The Lexington, Kentucky native ranks fourth in career games played with 235 and is eighth in career stolen bases with 51. In 13 appearances this season, all out of the bullpen, Thompson has a 1-0 record with a 4.30 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 14.2 innings.
On Monday, a pair of Cardinals were selected during the first two rounds of the MLB Draft as junior lefthander Brendan McKay became the highest draft selection in school history going fourth overall to the Tampa Bay Rays, while junior infielder Drew Ellis was selected 44th overall (second round) by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Louisville added a trio of selections Tuesday during the second day of the MLB Draft as junior righthander Lincoln Henzman went to the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round (117th overall), junior shortstop Devin Hairston went in the sixth round to the Milwaukee Brewers (174th overall) and junior righty Kade McClure went to the White Sox in the sixth round (177th overall).
The No. 7 national seed Cardinals (52-10) will continue their season at the 2017 College World Series against Texas A&M on Sunday at 2 p.m., ET at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha.
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
LOUISVILLE BASEBALL AT THE 2017 MLB DRAFT
• LHP/1B Brendan McKay (Darlington, Pa./Blackhawk HS) – 1st Round – 4th overall – Tampa Bay Rays
• 3B Drew Ellis (Jeffersonville, Ind./Jeffersonville HS) – 2nd Round – 44th overall – Arizona Diamondbacks
• RHP Lincoln Henzman (Lexington, Ky./Lexington Christian Academy) – 4th Round – 117th overall – Chicago White Sox
• SS Devin Hairston (Lexington, Ky./Tates Creek HS) – 6th Round – 174th overall – Milwaukee Brewers
• RHP Kade McClure (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor HS) – 6th Round – 177th overall – Chicago White Sox
• C Colby Fitch (Rocheport, Mo./Columbia Hickman HS) – 13th Round – 383rd overall – Philadelphia Phillies
• OF Logan Taylor (Lexington, Ky./Lexington Catholic HS) – 16th Round – 477th overall – Chicago White Sox
• RHP Riley Thompson (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy of Louisville) – 25th Round – 752nd overall – New York Yankees
Garett Wall
