Courtesy of GoBonnies.com
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – St. Bonaventure University right-handed pitcher Connor Grey heard his name called Saturday afternoon in the 20th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft as he was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Saturday’s draft selection comes as the culmination of an incredible year for Grey, a product of Frewsburg, N.Y., who improved steadily during his four-year Bonnies career. Bona’s Friday starter for a staff that ranked in the top 10 nationally in team ERA, Grey set the program record for strikeouts in a season with 95 and also moved into fifth place in program history with 201 career punch outs. His 95 strikeouts this spring ranked second in the Atlantic 10 while he was also second among all A-10 pitchers in batting average against, limiting opposing hitters to a .206 mark.
Grey, who also becomes the first player from Frewsburg to be drafted, went 3-6 this season with a 2.84 ERA in 92.0 innings of work. He finished his collegiate career with perhaps his best performance, striking out 15 batters in a win at Saint Joseph’s last month.
He began his Bonaventure career as a reliever, making 16 appearances including 15 out of the bullpen as a freshman before joining the starting rotation for his sophomore campaign. This past year, he struck out seven or more batters seven times including 10 or more strikeouts in three games, all in Atlantic 10 play. As a senior he worked into the seventh inning in 10 of his 13 starts and allowed three or fewer earned runs 11 times. He stands fifth in Bona history with 260 innings pitched.
Taken 599th overall, Grey becomes the 12th Bonnies player selected in the MLB Draft during the tenure of head coach Larry Sudbrook and gives Bona players picked in back-to-back years. Right-hander Steven Klimek was drafted in the 33rd round last year by the Baltimore Orioles.
In recent seasons, only two St. Bonaventure players have ever been selected higher in the MLB Draft – Brian Pellegrini was selected in the 12th round by Houston in 2007 and shortstop Jesse Bosnik went in the 13th round to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010. Right-hander Vance Cozier went in the 17th round to San Francisco in 1999 and lefty Jonny Phillips to Houston in the 19th round of the 1993 draft, making Grey the fifth-highest Bonnie ever selected.
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