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6/11/2009 - BASEBALL
Six More Hear Named Called on Final Day of MLB Draft
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SECAUCUS, N.J. - Six more A-Sun stars of the diamond were selected by Major League clubs on the final day of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, boosting the final number to 18, the most draftees for the conference in three years.
The day started with the 31st round and two all-conference performers went off the board when Atlanta tabbed Belmont's Derek Wiley with the seventh pick of the round and Campbell's Ryan Hamme going to the Chicago While Sox. Wiley set the conference's career home-run record during the 2009 season while Hamme led one of the nation's top offenses with a .438 average, good for fifth-best in the country.
Kennesaw State's Tyler Stubblefield went to Atlanta in the 33rd round, making it six Owls selected during the three days, the most for an A-Sun school since former member UCF saw seven of its players taken during the 2005 draft.
Tampa Bay took Mercer's Dan April in the 39th round and the A-Sun representation in the draft concluded with a pair from USC Upstate as Pittsburgh picked Edward Fallon in the 43rd round and Houston picked Matthew Branham four rounds later.
In total, 18 players from the A-Sun went drafted, up four from last year and the most since 2006.