Over the last day and a half six UNM Lobo baseball players, and one signee, have been selected by teams in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. Below is what’s been happening with the Lobo players.
Lobo 2009 MLB Draft Class:
6th Round: Cole White, Kansas City Royals
12th Round: Brian Cavazos-Galvez, Los Angeles Dodgers
14th Round: Mike Brownstein, Milwaukee Brewers
20th Round: John Hesketh, Seattle Mariners
27th Round: Cameron Monger, San Diego Padres
41st Round: Dane Hamilton, San Diego Padres
Lobo signee Austin House was selected in the 25th round by the Boston Red Sox.
Historical Note: The 1985 Lobo draft class included Jim Fregosi (2nd round, Cardinals), Rod Nichols (5th, Indians), Bret Davis (9th, Mariners), Dean Duane (19th, Royals), Greg Hall (23rd, Padres), and Jay Slotnick (free agent, Expos/Nationals).
Lobo fans following the 2009 First-Year Player Major League Baseball Draft might have been a bit confused in the sixth round when the name Mathiew White, U. New Mexico, showed up as the 182nd pick by the Kansas City Royals. That is Lobo closer Cole White’s given first name. No matter what name the MLB Draft used, the junior from Blossom, Texas, was excited to see one more year of hard work playing college ball pay off.
“It’s a very big deal,” said White from his home in Texas. “I was surprised because Kansas City had not talked to me lately, but ironic, because they were the first ones to talk to me in high school. This feels good and I’m ready to get my career started.”
White is the highest draft pick taken from a Lobo team since Rod Nichols was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 5th round of the 1985 MLB Draft. He is the third Lobo in three years to be selected in the first nine rounds – Bobby LaFromboise (8th round 2008) and Jordan Pacheco (9th round 2007).
“Playing one more year of college ball, especially at the Division I level, definitely paid off,” said White. “I learned a lot in this past year at UNM. Coach (Chad) Tidwell helped me with the technical side of the game and my mechanics, and (head) Coach (Ray) Birmingham taught me to just get after it and doing what he knew I could do, stop pitching scared. After that things started rolling.”
Two-time All-Mountain West Conference outfielder Brian Cavazos-Galvez, senior from Albuquerque, has been taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round with the 367th pick overall.
2009 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and Louisville Slugger All-American Mike Brownstein, senior second baseman from Tucson, Ariz., had been taken by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round with the 436th pick overall.
First team all-Mountain West Conference pitcher John Hesketh, senior right-hander from Langley, British Columbia, has been taken by the Seattle Mariners in the 20th round with the 593rd pick overall. Becomes Lobos 4th draft pick of the day.
Lobo outfielder Cameron Monger, a junior from Weatherford, Texas, has been selected by the San Diego Padres in the 27th round with the 804th pick overall. Monger is the fifth Lobo selected on Wednesday.
One Lobo signee also got a phone call on Wednesday. Fall signee Austin House, a pitcher from LaCueva High School in Albuquerque was the 768th pick overall by the Boston Red Sox in the 25th round.
Four seasons of college baseball paid off for the University of New Mexico’s Dane Hamilton on Thursday morning when he became the sixth Lobo to hear his name called in the 2009 First-Year Player Major League Baseball Draft. Hamilton, selected as a second baseman, was taken in the 41st round by the San Diego Padres.
Hamilton’s pick set a new standard for future New Mexico players. As the sixth Lobo drafted the 2009 group becomes UNM’s largest draft class, surpassing the class of 1985.
Hamilton, a senior from Grand Junction, Colo., was the starting third baseman for the Lobos in 2009 before a thumb injury sidelined him in late April. Hamilton is the second Lobo drafted in 2009 who is the son of a former pro baseball player. His father, Jamie, played in the Angels organization. Dodgers 12th round pick Brian Cavazos-Galvez’ father, Balvino, pitched for several MLB teams.
Several Lobos expect to be selected in the remaining rounds of the 2009 MLB Draft. Check back on GoLobos.com for updates.
Comments