Gyorko Selected by San Diego Padres
June 08, 2010 12:39 PM | General
June 8, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University's Jedd Gyorko has been selected 59th overall in the second round by the San Diego Padres at Tuesday’s Major League Baseball first-year player draft.
“I’m extremely thankful and blessed to have a chance to play in the San Diego Padres organization,” Gyorko said. “My family and I are very excited and I’m looking forward to getting the whole process underway.”
Gyorko’s selection makes him the third-highest pick in the modern draft era in Mountaineer baseball history. He trails only Chris Enochs’ 11th overall selection in the 1997 draft by the Oakland Athletics, and Darrell Whitmore’s second-round, 46th overall pick by the Cleveland Indians in 1990. He is the highest pick of any middle infielder in school history, and is just the fourth WVU player from Morgantown to be taken in the draft.
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| Jedd Gyorko has an opportunity to play in the same organization as two of his former teammates
WVU Photographic Services |
Gyorko finishes his Mountaineer career as the school’s all-time leader in batting average (.404), doubles (73), extra base-hits (113) and is tied for first-place in home runs (35). The state native is WVU’s first career .400 hitter, and is the single-season leader in home runs (19 in 2010 is tied with Mark Landers), doubles (28 in 2009 and 2010), extra-base hits (48 in 2010), walks (43 in 2010), total bases (177 in 2010) and assists (192 in 2010).
The two-time all-BIG EAST first team player holds top-five career marks in several other offensive categories, including base hits (281), RBIs (178), walks (92), runs scored (207) and multiple-hit games (89). He is also on the top-five in single-season base hits (96 in 2009, 95 in 2008), RBIs (63), runs scored (74 in 2009, 71 in 2010) and multiple-hit games (31 in 2009, 30 in 2008).
Gyorko became WVU’s first two-time All-American last season, and has earned All-America honors in all three years after being named to the Louisville Slugger second team last week. He was named a Brooks Wallace Award finalist in 2009, and is a candidate to be named a semi-finalist for the award again this year.
The former BIG EAST Rookie of the Year started all 168 games at second base or shortstop. He walked 92 times to just 75 strikeouts for his career, batted .508 against left-handers, .364 against right-handers, .398 with runners in scoring position, .341 with two outs and .321 with two strikes at WVU.
In his junior season, Gyorko set career marks with 19 home runs, a .750 slugging percentage, 43 walks and 28 doubles. He finished the regular season first in the conference in total bases, slugging percentage and doubles, third in runs scored and walks, tied for third with a school-record 192 assists, fourth in home runs and fifth in base hits.
During the summer of 2009, Gyorko began to catch the attention of professional scouts with his performance at the Cape Cod Baseball League. He played in the Under Armour All-Star Game and participated in the league’s home run derby, both held at Fenway Park.
Gyorko led the Brewster Whitecaps in nearly every offensive category despite missing the team’s first five games due to USA Baseball tryouts. Gyorko batted .323 with five home runs, 18 RBIs, six doubles and 18 runs scored in 34 games played, proving he could compete in the country’s best wooden-bat summer league.
Gyorko has an opportunity to join former teammates Vince Belnome and Joe Agreste in the Padres organization. Last season, Belnome was selected in the 28th round, while Agreste was signed to a free-agent deal.
“That is one of the first things I thought of when I got drafted by the Padres,” Gyorko said of possibly playing with two of his teammates. “It seems like the Padres and Mountaineers are well-connected, and I’m excited to see those guys and have a chance to be teammates with them again.”
Gyorko is also the third Mountaineer to be selected by San Diego in the MLB Draft, joining Belnome and former pitcher Joe Filandino.
