June 10, 2009
ATLANTA – Outfielder Luke Murton became the first Yellow Jacket taken in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and sophomore outfielder Jeff Rowland and junior right-handed pitcher Zach Von Tersch joined the senior on the second day of selections.
The New York Yankees made Murton the 595th overall pick in the draft with their 19th round selection. The senior concluded his final season on the Flats with a team-best 20 home runs while batting .354 with 63 RBI. He is one of just 10 players in school history to eclipse the 20-home run plateau in a single season and concluded his career ranked among Tech’s career top-10 in doubles (4th, 61), home runs (4th, 47), RBI (7th, 201) and total bases (8th, 465). He was named a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and was a first-team All-ACC honoree in 2009.
Murton had been drafted twice before, but never higher than the 33rd round. The Yankees made the outfielder their 40th round selection in 2007, and the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Murton in the 33rd round last year.
Also drafted through the first 19 rounds were 2009 Georgia Tech baseball signees Tucker Barnhart (10th round), Crawford Simmons (14th) and Luke Bard (16th).
The Cleveland Indians selected Rowland in the 21st round as the 635th overall pick after the draft-eligible second-year outfielder batted .340 with 84 hits and a team-high 21 stolen bases for the Jackets in 2009. The speedy All-ACC first-teamer led the Jackets with 66 runs scored this season and has tallied 43 stolen bases in his first two years on the Flats.
One round later, Von Tersch became the third Yellow Jacket chosen in the 2009 MLB Draft when the New York Mets drafted the pitcher in the 22nd round as the 674th overall selection. The right-hander concluded his third season on the Flats with a 6-2 record, tallying 52 strikeouts in his 13 starts.
The second day of selections began in the fourth round after the first three rounds were completed Tuesday evening.
Georgia Tech Players in the 2009 MLB Draft
Player Class Pos. Round/Pick TeamLuke Murton Sr. OF 19th/585 YankeesJeff Rowland So. OF 21st/635 IndiansZach Von Tersch Jr. RHP 22nd/674 Mets
Georgia Tech Signees in the 2009 MLB Draft
Player Pos. Round/Pick TeamTucker Barnhart C 10th/299 RedsCrawford Simmons LHP 14th/422 RoyalsLuke Bard RHP 16th/498 Red Sox
