ROCK HILL, SC – Winthrop junior catcher John Murrian and junior shortstop Kevin Nolan were selected in the ninth round and 20th round, respectively, on day two of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.
Murrian (Summerville, SC) was the 270th pick overall by the Detroit Tigers of the American League and the first player selected from a Big South Conference school. He becomes only the sixth Eagle in school history to be drafted within the first 10 rounds. Murrian joins Carl Dale (2nd round, Cardinals, 1994), Jason Colson (7th round, Blue Jays, 2001), Daniel Carte (2nd round, Rockies, 2005), Kevin Slowey (2nd round, Twins, 2005) and Chris Leroux (7th round, Marlins, 2005). He is also the second Winthrop player to be joining the Tigers as Jeremy Herauf signed as a free agent with Detroit in 2001.
Murrian finished the 2009 season with a .327 average (67-205) with six home runs, 42 RBI, 19 doubles, one triple and three stolen bases in 59 games played and started. He was second in the Big South Conference in doubles and was ranked 14th in the nation with eight sacrifice flies. Murrian was named Big South Player of the Week on Feb. 23 after hitting .600 for the weekend with two homers and 10 RBI and fell a single short of the cycle in a 17-9 victory over Eastern Michigan during the first game of the season.
Nolan (Nashua, NH) was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League with the 610th pick overall. He becomes the second Eagle shortstop (along with Matt Repec) to be picked in the draft and the third player at Winthrop to be drafted by the Blue Jays along with Colson and Dave Steffler (67th round, 1997).
Nolan was second on the team with a .392 batting average (87-222) with two home runs, 38 RBI, 17 doubles and 11 stolen bases. He earned Second Team All-Big South Conference honors this season and finished third in the conference in hits, tied for fifth in runs scored, tied for fourth in doubles, tied for second in walks (38) and fourth in on-base percentage (.479). Nolan also ranked in the top 100 nationally in batting average, hits, on-base percentage and toughest to strikeout (13.1).
“We are excited for both players (Murrian and Nolan),” said head coach Joe Hudak. “They have worked very hard to put themselves in this position. Both of them have been very instrumental in the success that we have had in their three years here. If they decide to sign, we wish them both the best. If they both come back to Winthrop, we would be excited about that as well.”
The 2009 Major League Baseball Draft will conclude with rounds 31-50 on Thursday, June 11 beginning at 11:30 a.m.
