Arizona State sees nine players selected in three-day MLB draft
Jun 10, 2015, 5:19 PM | Updated: 5:46 pm
The Arizona State Sun Devils have had a player selected in every year of the MLB draft since the draft’s inception in 1965. In fact, the Sun Devil program entered this year’s draft as the school with the most MLB draftees of any program in the country with 400.
At the conclusion of the 2015 draft, that number has officially risen to 409.
The run on Sun Devil players began on Monday, when the Miami Marlins selected left-handed pitcher Brett Lilek with the 50th overall pick in the second round. A two-time All-Pac-12 honoree, Lilek’s 3.05 career ERA ranks as the seventh-lowest in school history. Starting 15 games this past season, Lilek posted a 3.20 ERA and an opponent batting average of .213, earning him all-conference honorable mention and good enough for the fourth-lowest ERA in the conference.
Four more players joined Lilek Tuesday, as Ryan Burr, Ryan Kellogg, David Graybill and Darin Gillies each saw their name called on day two of the draft.
Burr, a right-handed pitcher who was selected in the fifth round by the hometown Arizona Diamondbacks, earned All-Pac-12 accolades in three seasons with the Sun Devils, setting the school’s career saves record with 38. Seven picks later, the Chicago Cubs took Burr’s left-handed pitching companion Ryan Kellogg. One of only eight Sun Devils in school history to earn all-conference honors in three consecutive seasons, Kellogg’s 28 career wins also ranks tenth in school history and fourth among all Arizona State lefties. His 62 career walks are the lowest of any pitcher in school history with at least 300 innings career innings.
The Sun Devil faithful would have to wait until the ninth round before one of their own would be selected again, as Graybill would go to the San Francisco Giants with the 276th overall selection. A Phoenix native and graduate of Brophy College Prep, Graybill — a right-hander — saw action in 47 games as a infielder and outfielder before making the transition to the mound. As a pitcher, Graybill made nine appearances, including two starts.
In the 10th round, the right-handed Gillies would be selected by the Seattle Mariners with 305th overall pick. A three-time All-Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention, Gillies ranks sixth in school history in career appearances with 84. Additionally, Gillies 49.1 innings pitched this past season were the most of any reliever on the team, with his 58 strikeouts serving as a career-high.
Four more Sun Devils were selected Wednesday, rounding out the 2015 class of MLB draftees from Arizona State.
Round 14 Pick 409 Johnny Sewald (CF) – Houston Astros
Round 26 Pick 765 Trever Allen (RF) – Los Angeles Angels
Round 32 Pick 974 Dalton DiNatale (3B) – Washington Nationals
Round 34 Pick 1,006 Jake Peevyhouse (LF) – Arizona Diamondbacks
