Major League Draft
Appalachian State came up a bit short in its try for its first 40-win season and NCAA Tournament trip since 1986, but signs of a flourishing program will live on this summer.
The Mountaineers had seven players chosen in Major League Baseball’s draft over the last two seasons, a school record for the most drafted over a two-year period. That total will likely expand in next week’s 2010 draft.
Relief pitcher Chris Patterson and infielder Wes Hobson are the top candidates in the draft, but pitcher Matt Andress, catcher Jerod Faggart and first baseman David Towarnicky are also considered draft prospects.
Six ASU players are currently playing professional baseball: closer Josh Dowdy (Delmarva, low-A South Atlantic League; catcher Andrew Franco (Traverse City, independent Frontier League); reliever Zach Quate (Charlotte, high-A Florida State League); right fielder David Rubinstein (West Virginia, South Atlantic League); reliever Garrett Sherrill (Lake County, independent Northern League) and outfielder Rand Smith (Greensboro, South Atlantic League).
The Mountaineers finished the season 38-18-1 – one win away from the final in a closely-contested Southern Conference Tournament, but a bit too low in RPI and on sound non-conference wins for NCAA Tournament inclusion.
The SoCon did get three teams in the NCAA field for the first time.
All three teams begin play today: The Citadel against Virginia Tech at 2 p.m.; Elon vs. Alabama at 3; and College of Charleston vs. N.C. State at 7.