June 7, 2013
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech outfielders Kyle Wren and Brandon Thomas were selected with consecutive eighth-round picks by the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees, as the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued on Friday.
In all, an Atlantic Coast Conference-leading five Yellow Jackets were selected in the first 10 rounds and Tech tied a program record with five picks in the top-10 rounds (2006 and 2010). Wren and Thomas joined junior RF Daniel Palka (3rd round, Arizona), junior C Zane Evans (4th round, Kansas City) and senior RHP Buck Farmer (5th round, Detroit) who were picked earlier in the day. .
Friday also marked the first time Yellow Jacket players were drafted with consecutive picks. In 1994’s first round, Nomar Garciaparra (12th overall) and Jason Varitek (14th overall) were separated by one pick.
Another Tech signee was selected on Friday as OF Terry McClure, an Atlanta native from Riverwood International Charter School, was selected in the eighth round (229th overall) by the Colorado Rockies.
The draft concludes on Saturday with rounds 11-40.
Kyle Wren – 8th round (253rd overall) Atlanta Braves
Wren orchestrated an impressive junior campaign by hitting .400 in ACC play, which ranked second in the league, and .360 overall, en route to a second-team All-ACC nod in the outfield. Wren leads the ACC in hits (98), is second in stolen bases (28) and is tied for second in triples (six). He finished the year with 11 doubles, two homers and scored 50 runs. The Peachtree City, Ga., native started all 64 games in either left or center, and recorded eight of Tech’s 14 outfield assists this season.
Notes: Kyle is son of Braves GM Frank Wren… Kyle is the 19th Yellow Jacket drafted by the Braves, but the first since 2009… No other MLB franchise has drafted more Jackets than the Braves… He was a draft-eligible sophomore last year and was picked in the 30th round by Cincinnati.
Brandon Thomas – 8th round (254th overall) New York Yankees
Thomas is a five-tool senior outfielder that hit .321 this year with 15 doubles, four triples, a home run, nine stolen bases and 30 RBI. Thomas was leading the ACC in hitting at .440 in late March before missing nine games with mononucleosis. The Atlanta native is also a standout in the classroom, as the business major finished this semester with a 4.0 GPA. He is one of 10 finalists for the 2013 Senior CLASS Award and is a two-time Academic All-America pick.
Notes: Thomas is the ninth Jacket to be selected by the Yankees, and the first since RHP Kevin Jacob in 2010… Thomas was drafted last year by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth round but elected to return for his senior season.
Georgia Tech Players In 2013 MLB Draft (thru 10 rounds)
Rd. (Pick), Name, Year, Pos., Team
3 (88) Daniel Palka, Jr., OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
4 (114) Zane Evans, Jr., C, Kansas City Royals
5 (156) Buck Farmer, Sr., RHP, Detroit Tigers
8 (253) Kyle Wren, Jr., OF, Atlanta Braves
8 (254) Brandon Thomas, Sr., OF, New York Yankees
Georgia Tech Signees In 2013 MLB Draft (thur 10 rounds)
Rd. (Pick), Name, Pos., Team
2 (37) Josh Hart, OF, Baltimore Orioles
8 (22) Terry McClure, OF, Colorado Rockies
