On June 10, two members of the Virginia Tech baseball team and an incoming Hokies freshman were selected in the MLB first-year player draft. The Baltimore Orioles in the 12th round selected outfielder Steve Bumbry, and pitcher Rhett Ballard was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the 26th round.
Bumbry's selection by the Orioles has some family ties. His father, Al, was a center fielder and a mainstay in the Baltimore lineup from 1972-84, and was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1973. Al Brumby owns a World Series championship ring from the Orioles 1983 title, and also made the All-Star team in 1980.
Bumbry hit .283 this season as a junior for the Hokies with 10 home runs, the most on the team in six years. He also had 40 RBI, eleven extra base hits, nine stolen bases, and 37 walks.
Against High Point on April 15 this season, he launched three home runs in the same game, a career high. He had 17 home runs for his career.
He is the highest-drafted Tech player since Jeff Landing went in the 12th round with the 344th overall selection to the Mets in 2004. Bumbry's name was called with the 356th overall selection on Wednesday.
With one year of college eligibility remaining, Bumbry has the option of joining the Orioles organization now or finishing his college career at Tech.
Ballard, a recent graduate, finished his career at Tech with 263 strikeouts, eight more than current Anaheim Angels ace and former Hokie great Joe Saunders. In 2009, Ballard went 7-4 with a 4.05 ERA.
Ballard began his career at Liberty University, where he redshirted in 2005 before transferring to Tech.
He finished his career with an overall record of 19-17 with a 4.75 ERA in 96 appearances. He has only been a full-time starter one season, as he became a regular starter midway through his junior season in 2008.
Ballard and Justin Wright were the two aces of the Hokies' pitching staff in 2009, with Wright often throwing the first game of the weekend series and Ballard throwing on Saturday.
Also selected in the MLB draft was Joe Mantiply, a high school pitcher from Tunstall, VA, who is committed to the Hokies. The New York Mets took Mantiply in the 48th round.
Mantiply, whose fastball has been clocked at 84 mph, just recently completed a senior campaign in which he helped Tunstall High School reach the Group AA state basekbal tournament.
It is very likely he will fulfill his commitment to the Hokies and play at Tech next season. MLB rules state that if a player does not sign a contract when he is drafted out of high school, he must go play in college for at least three seasons before he is eligible for the pros again.