Saalfrank, Gordon Selected in Sixth Round Tuesday
6/4/2019 5:51:00 PM | Baseball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana junior pitchers Andrew Saalfrank and Tanner Gordon were each selected in the sixth round of the MLB Draft on Tuesday. Saalfrank went 182nd overall to the Arizona Diamondbacks, while Gordon went 187th to the Atlanta Braves.
Saalfrank and Gordon become the 96th and 97th all-time draft picks at IU. They join Matt Gorski as the three players taken so far this year for the Hoosiers. Gorski was selected 57th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
The 2019 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Saalfrank entered the NCAA Tournament second in the Big Ten in strikeouts per nine innings (18th nationally), was third in wins, and was fifth in ERA and total strikeouts. The junior struck out 10 or more hitters in five of his 12 starts this season, which all came in a six-game stretch.
His 10-plus strikeout games streak reached four in the Michigan State win, where he punched out 11 hitters and allowed one run on two hits in seven innings. In his March 17th start against Canisius, Saalfrank went seven innings, allowing five hits and one run with 14 strikeouts and two walks. The 14 strikeouts for Saalfrank marked the most for an Indiana pitcher since Zach McClellan had 14 against Vermont on March 18, 2000. The Hoagland, Ind.-native hit that 14 punchout number again in the 6-5 win over Evansville on April 13.
Saalfrank struck out 13 while giving up two runs over seven innings in the Penn State win. The 13 strikeouts against the Nittany Lions broke Joey DeNato's record (12 vs. Michigan on April 27, 2012) for most strikeouts by an IU pitcher in a Big Ten game.
Gordon was slotted in the Saturday starting role for Indiana this season. The junior allowed three hits or fewer in seven of his 16 starts and entered the NCAA Tournament first in the Big Ten in WHIP (37th nationally), and was third in strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks per nine innings.
Gordon fanned a career-high 12 batters against the Iowa on March 23, earning him Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors. Following the win over the Hawkeyes, he surrendered just one run on three hits in the Maryland win, striking out five.
He previously attended John A. Logan College for two years, posting a 6-0 record his freshman year, striking out 52 batters in 49.2 IP and owned a 2.06 ERA his sophomore year, striking out 104 batters in 70.0 IP, only allowing 16 earned runs.
The 2019 MLB Draft comes to a close on Wednesday as rounds 11-40 are announced.
Saalfrank and Gordon become the 96th and 97th all-time draft picks at IU. They join Matt Gorski as the three players taken so far this year for the Hoosiers. Gorski was selected 57th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
The 2019 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Saalfrank entered the NCAA Tournament second in the Big Ten in strikeouts per nine innings (18th nationally), was third in wins, and was fifth in ERA and total strikeouts. The junior struck out 10 or more hitters in five of his 12 starts this season, which all came in a six-game stretch.
His 10-plus strikeout games streak reached four in the Michigan State win, where he punched out 11 hitters and allowed one run on two hits in seven innings. In his March 17th start against Canisius, Saalfrank went seven innings, allowing five hits and one run with 14 strikeouts and two walks. The 14 strikeouts for Saalfrank marked the most for an Indiana pitcher since Zach McClellan had 14 against Vermont on March 18, 2000. The Hoagland, Ind.-native hit that 14 punchout number again in the 6-5 win over Evansville on April 13.
Saalfrank struck out 13 while giving up two runs over seven innings in the Penn State win. The 13 strikeouts against the Nittany Lions broke Joey DeNato's record (12 vs. Michigan on April 27, 2012) for most strikeouts by an IU pitcher in a Big Ten game.
Gordon was slotted in the Saturday starting role for Indiana this season. The junior allowed three hits or fewer in seven of his 16 starts and entered the NCAA Tournament first in the Big Ten in WHIP (37th nationally), and was third in strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks per nine innings.
Gordon fanned a career-high 12 batters against the Iowa on March 23, earning him Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors. Following the win over the Hawkeyes, he surrendered just one run on three hits in the Maryland win, striking out five.
He previously attended John A. Logan College for two years, posting a 6-0 record his freshman year, striking out 52 batters in 49.2 IP and owned a 2.06 ERA his sophomore year, striking out 104 batters in 70.0 IP, only allowing 16 earned runs.
The 2019 MLB Draft comes to a close on Wednesday as rounds 11-40 are announced.
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