North Carolina State University Athletics
Butterworth, Whitaker Selected on Day Three of 2024 MLB Draft
7/16/2024 5:36:00 PM | Baseball
Butterworth Selected By Padres in 12th Round, Whitaker Drafted By Twins in 19th Round
ARLINGTON, Texas – The NC State baseball team had two players selected Tuesday on Day Three of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft. Junior shortstop Brandon Butterworth and redshirt senior pitcher Logan Whitaker became the third and fourth NC State players picked in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Butterworth, the No. 360 overall pick, was a 12th-round selection by the San Diego Padres. Whitaker, the No. 578 overall selection, was a 19th-round pick by the Minnesota Twins.
With Butterworth and Whitaker's selections on Tuesday, head coach Elliott Avent has now helped guide 131 players to MLB Draft selections during his 28-year NC State coaching career. NC State concludes the 2024 MLB Draft with 194 all-time draft selections.
Brandon Butterworth | 12th Round | No. 360 Overall Pick | San Diego Padres
Butterworth, a junior from Monroe, North Carolina, was one of four Pack9 players to play and start in all 61 games this season. The Western Carolina transfer started all 61 games for NC State at shortstop, recording 71 putouts and 133 assists while helping turn 26 double plays.
The junior shortstop batted .250 with 46 runs scored, 56 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, seven homers and 33 RBI in his first season with the Wolfpack. His two triples ranked first on the team, while his 13 stolen bases (on just 14 attempts) and 40 walks both ranked second on the roster in 2024.
Butterworth recorded 14 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games in his first year with the Pack. In the postseason, Butterworth batted .333 with three RBI and two walks at the plate and helped turn four double plays in the NCAA Raleigh Regional to be named to the All-Regional Team.
Butterworth played in 84 games at Western Carolina between his freshman and sophomore seasons. He started 52 games at second base as a sophomore and led the Southern Conference with seven triples, tying for Western Carolina's single-season record.
Logan Whitaker | 19th Round | No. 578 Overall Pick | Minnesota Twins
Whitaker tossed a total of 205.1 innings pitched over three seasons in an NC State uniform, finishing with a 10-8 record, 210 strikeouts and a 4.78 ERA in 46 career appearances with 38 starts.
The right-hander overcame multiple injuries during his Wolfpack career to become a weekend staple for the Pack. In 2024, Whitaker made 13 pitching appearances with nine starts, finishing with a 3-1 record over 59.0 innings pitched despite missing a month due to illness. He ranked third on the team with 69 strikeouts, sporting a 69-to-22 strikeout to walk ratio. The veteran right-hander allowed just 0.37 walks per inning and limited opposing batters to a .252 batting average against him.
Whitaker dominated opposing hitters in NC State's fourth journey to the Men's College World Series in program history, posting a 1-0 record with a 2.60 over 17.1 postseason innings. He led all NC State pitchers with 23 strikeouts in the NCAA Tournament and held opposing hitters to just a .161 batting average against him. In his final collegiate outing, he tossed 7.0 innings of relief in a College World Series game against Florida, allowing just two hits and one run with a career-high 10 strikeouts.
In 2023, Whitaker was the Wolfpack's primary Friday night starter, making 15 starts in 16 appearances. He finished the season with a 5-3 record, 4.29 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP, tossing 79 strikeouts over 79.2 innings pitched. The Winston-Salem, North Carolina native earned ACC Pitcher of the Week honors on May 22, 2023, after tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just one hit with six strikeouts in his final regular season start of his redshirt junior season.
In 2022, Whitaker made 14 starts and 17 total appearances, logging 62 strikeouts over 66.2 innings pitched. He finished his redshirt sophomore season with a 4.73 ERA and notched his first career win against Longwood on Feb. 23, 2022, spinning five shutout frames.
Butterworth, the No. 360 overall pick, was a 12th-round selection by the San Diego Padres. Whitaker, the No. 578 overall selection, was a 19th-round pick by the Minnesota Twins.
With Butterworth and Whitaker's selections on Tuesday, head coach Elliott Avent has now helped guide 131 players to MLB Draft selections during his 28-year NC State coaching career. NC State concludes the 2024 MLB Draft with 194 all-time draft selections.
Brandon Butterworth | 12th Round | No. 360 Overall Pick | San Diego Padres
Butterworth, a junior from Monroe, North Carolina, was one of four Pack9 players to play and start in all 61 games this season. The Western Carolina transfer started all 61 games for NC State at shortstop, recording 71 putouts and 133 assists while helping turn 26 double plays.
The junior shortstop batted .250 with 46 runs scored, 56 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, seven homers and 33 RBI in his first season with the Wolfpack. His two triples ranked first on the team, while his 13 stolen bases (on just 14 attempts) and 40 walks both ranked second on the roster in 2024.
Butterworth recorded 14 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games in his first year with the Pack. In the postseason, Butterworth batted .333 with three RBI and two walks at the plate and helped turn four double plays in the NCAA Raleigh Regional to be named to the All-Regional Team.
Butterworth played in 84 games at Western Carolina between his freshman and sophomore seasons. He started 52 games at second base as a sophomore and led the Southern Conference with seven triples, tying for Western Carolina's single-season record.
Logan Whitaker | 19th Round | No. 578 Overall Pick | Minnesota Twins
Whitaker tossed a total of 205.1 innings pitched over three seasons in an NC State uniform, finishing with a 10-8 record, 210 strikeouts and a 4.78 ERA in 46 career appearances with 38 starts.
The right-hander overcame multiple injuries during his Wolfpack career to become a weekend staple for the Pack. In 2024, Whitaker made 13 pitching appearances with nine starts, finishing with a 3-1 record over 59.0 innings pitched despite missing a month due to illness. He ranked third on the team with 69 strikeouts, sporting a 69-to-22 strikeout to walk ratio. The veteran right-hander allowed just 0.37 walks per inning and limited opposing batters to a .252 batting average against him.
Whitaker dominated opposing hitters in NC State's fourth journey to the Men's College World Series in program history, posting a 1-0 record with a 2.60 over 17.1 postseason innings. He led all NC State pitchers with 23 strikeouts in the NCAA Tournament and held opposing hitters to just a .161 batting average against him. In his final collegiate outing, he tossed 7.0 innings of relief in a College World Series game against Florida, allowing just two hits and one run with a career-high 10 strikeouts.
In 2023, Whitaker was the Wolfpack's primary Friday night starter, making 15 starts in 16 appearances. He finished the season with a 5-3 record, 4.29 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP, tossing 79 strikeouts over 79.2 innings pitched. The Winston-Salem, North Carolina native earned ACC Pitcher of the Week honors on May 22, 2023, after tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just one hit with six strikeouts in his final regular season start of his redshirt junior season.
In 2022, Whitaker made 14 starts and 17 total appearances, logging 62 strikeouts over 66.2 innings pitched. He finished his redshirt sophomore season with a 4.73 ERA and notched his first career win against Longwood on Feb. 23, 2022, spinning five shutout frames.
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