North Carolina State University Athletics
#Pack9 Roundup: MLB Draft, NCBWA and ABCA Awards
6/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 11, 2015
Freshman Brian Brown earned a place on NCBWA's 2015 Freshman All-America First Team, one of three starting pitchers, joining LSU's Alex Lange and Oregon State's Drew Rasmussen. Brown finished his freshman campaign 7-3 with a 2.03 ERA, which would have been below two if not for a dubious inside-the-park home run called during the Pack's 5-4 win on May 30 at No. 4 TCU. Andrew Knizner made the NCBWA All-Freshman First Team at third base in 2014. Carlos Rodon captured NCBWA's Freshman Pitcher of the Year award in 2012, while Trea Turner made the first team at shortstop.
Â
Logan Ratledge collected some hardware on his way to the MLB Draft, landing a place on ABCA's All-South Region First Team at shortstop.
ABCA All-Americans and Gold Glove winners will be announced June 13 & 14. All-Americans will be selected from the first teamers of each region. Jake Fincher was nominated by the NC State staff for ABCA's Gold Glove outfield, an award given to one player nationally by position, previously won by Brett Williams in 2013.
Â
On Wednesday, NC State saw five picked in the 2015 MLB Draft. After a bitter wait through the draft's first two days, Wolfpack names began flying off the board with Ratledge's 13th round selection to the Pittsburgh Pirates with pick number 397.
Curt Britt was the next to go, taken by the Miami Marlins in the 19th round with the 566th overall pick. Jon Olczak will decide between a senior season in Raleigh and a ticket to the Milwaukee Brewers organization, after his 21st round selection, pick 631.
Brad Stone garnered a 24th round selection to the Boston Red Sox after departing the NC State squad midseason, the 711th pick in the draft gave State its fourth of the day.
The last moment of celebration belonged to Jake Fincher, a 29th-round pick to the Chicago White Sox with the 862nd overall selection. Fincher joins the White Sox-Wolfpack connection renewed last year when Brett Austin and Carlos Rodon became South Siders. Former NC State head coach Sam Esposito played for the White Sox during their 1959 AL Pennant run, just eight years before taking the helm of Wolfpack baseball.
At a staff function on Wednesday night, the loudest roars of disapproval came when Bubby Riley's name fell by the wayside. Despite assembling a career-making stretch over the final six weeks, and serving as the catalyst for NC State's improbable postseason run, MLB GMs chose to pass on the senior. Jake Armstrong, another senior and trusted bat in the Wolfpack lineup since the 2013 College World Series team, did not hear his name called.
NC State's five players drafted gives the program 12 in the last two seasons, the most over a two-year period since 2007-08. Under Elliott Avent, the Wolfpack has seen 85 players drafted, 40 since 2008, and 16 in the four-year window since 2012. The NC State baseball staff and community expresses deep gratitude to every departing Wolfpacker, drafted or not, for their service to the program, and role in our future. Best of luck.
Â
Since the #Pack9's season ended, NC State baseball has continued to gather awards and accomplishments, with an eye toward a national ranking in the year's final polls.
Â |
Freshman Brian Brown earned a place on NCBWA's 2015 Freshman All-America First Team, one of three starting pitchers, joining LSU's Alex Lange and Oregon State's Drew Rasmussen. Brown finished his freshman campaign 7-3 with a 2.03 ERA, which would have been below two if not for a dubious inside-the-park home run called during the Pack's 5-4 win on May 30 at No. 4 TCU. Andrew Knizner made the NCBWA All-Freshman First Team at third base in 2014. Carlos Rodon captured NCBWA's Freshman Pitcher of the Year award in 2012, while Trea Turner made the first team at shortstop.
Â
 |
Logan Ratledge collected some hardware on his way to the MLB Draft, landing a place on ABCA's All-South Region First Team at shortstop.
ABCA All-Americans and Gold Glove winners will be announced June 13 & 14. All-Americans will be selected from the first teamers of each region. Jake Fincher was nominated by the NC State staff for ABCA's Gold Glove outfield, an award given to one player nationally by position, previously won by Brett Williams in 2013.
Â
 |
On Wednesday, NC State saw five picked in the 2015 MLB Draft. After a bitter wait through the draft's first two days, Wolfpack names began flying off the board with Ratledge's 13th round selection to the Pittsburgh Pirates with pick number 397.
Curt Britt was the next to go, taken by the Miami Marlins in the 19th round with the 566th overall pick. Jon Olczak will decide between a senior season in Raleigh and a ticket to the Milwaukee Brewers organization, after his 21st round selection, pick 631.
Brad Stone garnered a 24th round selection to the Boston Red Sox after departing the NC State squad midseason, the 711th pick in the draft gave State its fourth of the day.
The last moment of celebration belonged to Jake Fincher, a 29th-round pick to the Chicago White Sox with the 862nd overall selection. Fincher joins the White Sox-Wolfpack connection renewed last year when Brett Austin and Carlos Rodon became South Siders. Former NC State head coach Sam Esposito played for the White Sox during their 1959 AL Pennant run, just eight years before taking the helm of Wolfpack baseball.
At a staff function on Wednesday night, the loudest roars of disapproval came when Bubby Riley's name fell by the wayside. Despite assembling a career-making stretch over the final six weeks, and serving as the catalyst for NC State's improbable postseason run, MLB GMs chose to pass on the senior. Jake Armstrong, another senior and trusted bat in the Wolfpack lineup since the 2013 College World Series team, did not hear his name called.
NC State's five players drafted gives the program 12 in the last two seasons, the most over a two-year period since 2007-08. Under Elliott Avent, the Wolfpack has seen 85 players drafted, 40 since 2008, and 16 in the four-year window since 2012. The NC State baseball staff and community expresses deep gratitude to every departing Wolfpacker, drafted or not, for their service to the program, and role in our future. Best of luck.
Â
Auburn Regional Preview: Elliott Avent on ACC PM
Thursday, May 29
Game Three Press Conference: Athens Super Regional
Tuesday, June 11
Game Two Press Conference: Athens Super Regional
Sunday, June 09
Game One Press Conference - Athens Super Regional
Saturday, June 08