Yesterday was a big day for WSU baseball
Where to begin? Five Cougars began their professional baseball careers on Wednesday, one made his MLB debut, others were honored for academics and Washington State got a surprise arm for next season.
Let's start with 25-year-old Adam Conley, an Olympia native (like myself) who the Miami Marlins took with their second-round pick in 2011. Conley finally reached the majors yesterday, and threw a perfect inning in Miami's loss to Toronto.
Maybe a few more Cougars will get to play in The Show in the coming years, with five players getting selected in the 2015 MLB Draft.
Sam Triece was a steady reliever for the Cougars this season, going 5-0 with a 2.66 earned-run average in a team-leading 31 appearances and allowing just one run on 10 hits over his final 15 appearances. He became the first Cougar drafted Wednesday when the Tampa Bay Rays chose him in the 10th round with the 298th pick in the draft.
Ian Sagdal was the first Cougar in more than two decades to lead the team in batting average (.298), home runs (six), RBI (34), doubles (13), runs (35) and stolen bases. He also tied for second in the Pac-12 Conference with five triples and was ninth with a .498 slugging percentage. The Washington Nationals made him the No. 494 overall selection with their 16th round pick.
The Seattle Mariners kept ace starting pitcher Joe Pistorese in the Pacific Northwest, picking the lefty in the 17th round. Pistorese was twice named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week and led the conference with four complete games. The two-time All-Conference selection went 8-5 for the Cougars in 2015 and finished with a 2.41 ERA.
Pistorese could be working with a familiar backstop in the minors; with their 19th round pick the Mariners selected WSU catcher P.J. Jones. Jones was a workhorse behind the plate this season, starting 42 games and hitting .258 with 15 RBI.
Finally, Matt Bower went in the 23rd round to the Houston Astros. Bower, the only junior selected from WSU, has the option to return for his senior season. He finished second on the team with seven wins despite pitching out of the bullpen.
Also on Wednesday, WSU sophomore pitcher Wes Leow was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic First Team after posting a 3.68 grade point average. Triece and sophomore Cameron Frost earned honorable mention status. Here is WSU's release.
Perhaps the best news for the WSU baseball program on Wednesday, however, was Park McFadden's decision to postpone his professional career. WSU's previous baseball coaching staff intimated to me that they did not expect McFadden, who was expected to be selected in the first three-to-five rounds, to pass up a hefty signing bonus. But McFadden fell to the 20th round and told MLB.com that he will play college ball.
