A pair of University of Maryland pitchers led the way among a group of local baseball players selected in this year?s amateur baseball draft.
Right-hander Seth Overbey went to the Toronto Blue Jays in the 15th round with the 450th overall pick while Pfinsgraff (Severn) went 667th overall in the 22nd round to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Overbey went 5-2 with a 3.49 ERA while setting a school record with 29 appearances, working as a setup man and closer for the Terps in 2006. Pfinsgraff struggled throughout much of the season as he recovered from arm inflammation. He finished 3-7 with a 5.87 ERA, but still managed 60 strikeouts while walking just 13 in 87.1 innings.
“It?s an honor to get drafted by a team on the rise like the Blue Jays,” said Overbey, who will attend a mini-camp this weekend in Florida before getting his minor league assignment. “I?m ready to go.”
Pfinsgraff can throw four pitches for strikes and feels like his arm problems are behind him now.
“It was tough for me early in the season because the inflammation led to some bad mechanics,” he said. “I feel fine now, but I know my overall stats hurt my draft status.”
Pfinsgraff and Overbey will be joined in the professional ranks with a number of players with local ties, including former Mount St. Joseph shortstop Steve Clevenger. Clevenger went to the Chicago Cubs with the 209th overall pick. He batted .395 with seven homers and 45 RBI in 51 games at Chipola (Fla.) Junior College.
“Steve is as talented as they come,” Chipola coach Jeff Johnson said. “He?s a good hitter with average arm strength. The only thing I?m not sure of is whether he would be a third baseman or shortstop at the professional level.”
Some other local draft picks include:
» Magruder first baseman Matthew Sweeney (252nd pick)
» William & Mary pitcher Joseph Kantakevich, of Rockville (Seattle, 381)
» Davis & Elkins pitcher Tobi Stoner, of Oakland (Mets, 484)
» Potomac State pitcher Enrique Garcia, of Mechanicsville (Arizona, 517)
» Delaware pitcher and Harford Tech graduate Brent Gaphardt (Seattle, 621)
Second-day Orioles draft picks
355. Brandon Tripp (OF) ? Cal St. Fullerton
385. Ryan Ouellette (RHP) ? Indian River CC
415. Brent Allar (RHP) ? Texas Christian
445. Dustin Black (C) ? Cleveland State CC
475. Justin Johnson (C) ? Illinois-Chicago
505. Anthony Watson (LHP) ? Nebraska-Lincoln
535. Nathan Nery (LHP) ? Stetson
565. Todd Davison (SS) ? Delaware
595. Zachary Dillon (C) ? Baylor
1165. Neal Davis (LHP) ? Catonsville HS
