Courtesy of GoXavier.com
SECAUCUS, N.J. – Xavier junior ace Zac Lowther was selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the 74th overall pick in the MLB First Year Player Draft on Monday, June 12, becoming the highest-ever XU player drafted when his name was called in the compensatory selections of the second round.
Lowther has been one of the top strikeout artists at the NCAA Division I level all season long. After leading the prestigious Cape Cod League in strikeouts last summer, Lowther has been mentioned as the top MLB Draft prospect in the BIG EAST during 2017.
An All-BIG EAST First Team selection, Lowther set the Xavier single season strikeout record in 2017 with 123 punchouts — a number which ranks 12th nationally. Lowther is also fifth nationally in hits per nine innings (5.18) and fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (13.28).
He capped the season with a 2.92 ERA and a 5-5 record, while fanning 123 in 83.1 innings. The junior lefty allowed just 48 hits and a .164 opponent batting average. In BIG EAST play, he was even more dominant with a 2.25 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 32 innings.
He allowed just 15 hits in six league starts, holding conference opponents to a .134 batting average.
DRAFTING MUSKETEERS
• Zac Lowther was the highest-ever selection by a Xavier baseball player on Monday night, going in the second round compensatory selections. XU’s previous high pick was Seth Willoughby, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2012 by the Colorado Rockies.
• Xavier had two players selected in the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft for the first time since 2008. Dan Rizzie went first, going to the New York Mets in the 13th round and Andre Jernigan followed as a 14th round selection of the Minnesota Twins.
• Xavier has now had at least one player drafted in 11 of the last 13 years.
• 13 total XU players have been drafted since 2005.
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