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June 7, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – University of Virginia baseball player Matt Avery (McLean, Va./Landon Prep) was drafted in the ninth round as the 280th pick overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2005 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft. Avery, a third-year right-handed pitcher, is the second UVa player selected in the 2005 MLB Draft and joins teammate Ryan Zimmerman on the first day of the draft after Zimmerman was picked as the fourth overall selection in the first round by the Washington Nationals. With the selections of both Avery and Zimmerman, Virginia has now had multiple players chosen in the MLB Draft for the 15th time in school history.
“Today is a very exciting day for me, my family and my friends,” said Avery. “It’s a dream come true for me to be given an opportunity to play professional baseball. I now realize the decision ahead of me is going to be a tough one. On one hand, I’m a part of a great university with great coaches and players. On the other hand, I now have the chance to pursue a professional baseball career and complete my dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. It’s going to be a difficult decision. But I know whatever I decide to do, it will be the right decision in the end.”
For his career, Avery has started 32 of the 45 games he has appeared in and has posted a record of 15-11 on the mound. His 15 career wins ties Avery for 11th all-time at UVa. Avery has struck out 142 batters through 211.1 innings pitched and has thrown three complete games including one shutout.
“I’m very happy for Matt Avery. I think the Chicago Cubs are an outstanding organization and I know Matt Avery will have a difficult decision to make – whether to sign with the Chicago Cubs or return to UVa for his senior season,” said UVa head baseball coach Brian O’Connor. “I believe Matt Avery is ready to complete in professional baseball.”
In 2005, Avery started all 15 games he appeared in and went 6-5 on the mound with a 4.34 ERA. He pitched 85.0 innings, struck out 71 batters (second on the team) and held opposing hitters to a .260 batting average while tossing one complete game. Avery served in Virginia’s weekend rotation and was named to the 2005 ACC All-Tournament Team. He entered the 2005 season as a Top-10 prospect in the ACC and was a Cape Cod Top-30 prospect choice by Baseball America.
In 2004, Avery ended the season as one of UVa’s top starters and was named to the 2004 Charlottesville Regional All-Tournament Team. He was also named the ACC Pitcher of the Week on April 12, 2004.
With his selection in the draft, Avery became the 60th total selection and the 55th player from Virginia selected in the MLB Draft.
Here is a complete look at Virginia players selected in the MLB Draft:
Virginia Players in the Major League Baseball Draft
Year Player, Position Round, MLB Organization1966 Edward Turnbull, LHP 17th (Baltimore Orioles)1970 Steve Miller, C 3rd (Boston Red Sox)1971 Mike Cubbage, SS/2B 2nd (Washington Senators)1972 Bill Hall, 2B 6th (San Diego Padres)1976 Anthony Zentgraf, 3B 17th (Baltimore Orioles)1978 Columbus Duncan, 1B 11th (Milwaukee Brewers)1979 Paul Voigt, RHP 9th (Minnesota Twins)1980 Rickey Horton, LHP 4th (St. Louis Cardinals)1982 David Hopkins, RHP 14th (Texas Rangers)1983 Tony Latham, OF 4th (Boston Red Sox)1983 Glenn Harris, 1B 21st (St. Louis Cardinals)1983 George Priftis, 2B 26th (Seattle Mariners)1985 Tim Burcham, RHP 6th (California Angels)1986 Bill Narleski, SS 18th (Baltimore Orioles)1986 Bob Malloy, RHP 19th (Texas Rangers)1988 Tom Crowley, 2B 38th (Philadelphia Phillies)1989 Keith Seiler, LHP 18th (New York Yankees)1989 Chris Kughn, OF 25th (Atlanta Braves)1990 Doug Johns, LHP 16th (Oakland Athletics)1990 Keith Seiler, LHP 21st (New York Yankees)1991 Todd Fiegel, LHP 11th (New York Mets)1991 Todd Ruyak, LHP 17th (Detroit Tigers)1992 Frank Lankford, RHP 18th (St. Louis Cardinals)1992 Todd Ruyak, LHP 31st (Cincinnati Reds)1992 John Cappelmann, RHP 45th (St. Louis Cardinals)1992 Kevin Stock, LHP 48th (Seattle Mariners)1993 Seth Greisinger, RHP 7th (Cleveland Indians)1993 Frank Lankford, RHP 16th (New York Yankees)1993 Adam Robinson, SS 30th (Chicago Cubs)1993 Deron Dowhower, RHP 34th (Minnesota Twins)1993 Jason Cook, SS 55th (Seattle Mariners)1994 Brian Buchanan, OF 1st (New York Yankees)1994 Yates Hall, RHP 4th (St. Louis Cardinals)1994 Pat Daneker, RHP 40th (Boston Red Sox)1994 Reid Beucler, RHP 65th (Detroit Tigers)1995 Casey Crawford, 1B 16th (Atlanta Braves)1996 Seth Greisinger, RHP 1st (Detroit Tigers)1996 Jason Sekany, RHP 2nd (Boston Red Sox)1996 Adam Robinson, SS 52nd (Minnesota Twins)1997 Greg Withelder, LHP 3rd (Minnesota Twins)1997 Pat Daneker, RHP 5th (Chicago White Sox)1997 Adam Robinson, SS 12th (Oakland Athletics)1997 Geoff Zawatski, RHP 14th (Philadelphia Phillies)1998 Javier Lopez, LHP 4th (Arizona Diamondbacks)1999 Julian Gonzalez, OF 36th (Kansas City Royals)2000 Jon Metzger, LHP 13th (Kansas City Royals)2000 Tim LaVigne, RHP/SS 32nd (New York Mets)2000 Kevin Shrout, RHP 43rd (Milwaukee Brewers)2001 Jon Benick, INF 9th (San Diego Padres)2001 Hunter Wyant, SS 16th (Florida Marlins)2002 Robert Word, 1B 10th (Florida Marlins)2002 Dan Street, INF 20th (Colorado Rockies)2002 David Stone, OF 36th (San Francisco Giants)2002 Chris Sweet, OF 37th (San Francisco Giants)2004 Andrew Dobies, LHP 3rd (Boston Red Sox)2004 Joe Koshansky, LHP/1B 6th (Colorado Rockies)2004 Mark Reynolds, SS 16th (Arizona Diamondbacks)2004 Jeff Kamrath, RHP 36th (Cleveland Indians)2005 Ryan Zimmerman, SS 1st (Washington Nationals)2005 Matt Avery, RHP 9th (Chicago Cubs)
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