Shippensburg University Athletics - Shippensburg's Matt Wright Drafted in 12th Round By Toronto Blue Jays

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Shippensburg's Matt Wright Drafted in 12th Round By Toronto Blue Jays

Wright Becomes Third Red Raider Pitcher in the Blue Jay Organization

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6/6/2008 2:05:40 PM

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Shippensburg University baseball junior Matt Wright was selected on day two of the Major League Baseball Amateur Player Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 12th round, becoming the fifth Red Raider to be drafted in the last five years.

Wright, a 2008 NCBWA Division II All-American third-team selection, was the 369th pick overall and the first player to be chosen from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). He capped off his junior year by being named a regional Pitcher of the Year by the PSAC, American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Daktronics, Inc. and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

A two-time NCBWA North Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year and PSAC Western Division Pitcher of the Year, Wright concluded his third season at Shippensburg by breaking the school and conference record for strikeouts in a season and in a career.

Wright finished the 2008 campaign with 151 strikeouts, breaking the school record of 113 set by Evan Englebrook ’04 and the conference record of 148 set by Kutztown’s Glenn Woolard in 2002. In three seasons, Wright totaled 333 strikeouts in 244 innings, surpassing the conference record of 332 set by IUP’s Anthony Zombotti in four seasons from 2000-03.

He ranks third in school history in innings pitched (244) and fourth in career starts (35) after logging 98 innings this season. In addition, Wright was also selected as Rawlings/ABCA "Golden Glove Award" winner after finishing the season without committing an error in 22 fielding chances.

Wright was a consensus first team all-region selection and has received six Pitcher of the Year awards in three seasons with the Red Raiders. He totaled 22 victories in his career with the Red Raiders, which is tied for third in school history with Englebrook.

In his most recent start with Shippensburg, Wright tied a career-high with 15 strikeouts to help the Red Raiders win their first career game in the Division II Baseball Championships in a 9-2 victory over 14th-ranked Franklin Pierce. He threw 166 pitches while allowing just two runs on five hits.

Wright becomes the third Red Raider currently in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, joining fellow pitchers Nathan Starner ’06 and Ross Buckwalter ’07.

In 2006, Starner signed a free agent contract with the Blue Jays and is currently with the organization’s Class A affiliate in Dunedin, Florida after spending one-and-a-half seasons with the team’s Midwest League Class A affiliate, the Lansing Lugnuts.

Starner has recorded a 3.24 ERA in 8.1 innings with Dunedin, striking out four batters. After leading Lansing in victories (12), innings (140.1) and strikeouts (143) in 2007, Starner compiled a solid 1.67 ERA in eight starts for the Lugnuts this season, striking out 45 in 43 innings.

Last year, Buckwalter was selected by the Blue Jays in the 26th round with the 805th overall pick and has been teammates this season with Starner on the Lugnuts. Currently on the 7-day disabled list, Buckwalter has recorded a 1.30 ERA in 27.2 innings this season.

Buckwalter was one of two Red Raiders drafted last year, as Eric Perlozzo ‘06 was chosen by the Baltimore Orioles in the 35th round, 1,055th overall.

Since 1979, Shippensburg has had a total of 22 players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. Another 10 players have signed pro contracts in the team’s history, including Clyde Barnhart who won a World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925.

A total of 12 Red Raiders have been drafted since 1998, with Wright becoming the third player drafted by the Blue Jays over the last five years. Randy Dicken was selected by Toronto in the seventh round of the 2004 draft with the 207th overall pick but is currently out of professional baseball.

In 2004, Englebrook was drafted by the Houston Astros in the eighth round, 244th overall. He is currently 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA through 16 games with the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Astros’ Class AA, Texas League affiliate.

Meanwhile, Paul Abraham ‘01 is the closest Red Raider to the major leagues. Originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 12th round of the 2001 draft, 351st overall, Abraham is currently with the Portland Beavers, the Class AAA, Pacific Coast League affiliate of the San Diego Padres. In 19 relief appearances, Abraham has logged 28.1 innings and a 5.40 ERA to go along with 21 strikeouts.