University of Tennessee Athletics
Marlins Select Steckenrider in 8th Round
June 05, 2012 | Baseball
June 5, 2012
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee junior right-handed pitcher and outfielder Drew Steckenrider has been selected by the Miami Marlins in the eighth round (257th overall) of the 2012 Major League First-Year Player Draft.
A two-way standout for the Big Orange this season, Steckenrider was named to the All-SEC Second Team as the designated hitter/utility player, becoming the first Vol to earn All-SEC honors since Blake Forsythe claimed first-team accolades in 2009.
The Lawrenceville, Ga., native was most effective on the mound this year where he posted a 4-6 record with one save and a team-best 3.36 ERA in 27 appearances, the most of anyone on the UT pitching staff.
In 67.0 innings, Steckenrider struck out a squad-high 79 while limiting opposing hitters to a miniscule .197 batting average, the lowest of any pitcher in the SEC. He also averaged 6.04 hits allowed per nine innings and 10.61 strikeouts per nine innings to top the league in both categories as well, while ranking 12th and 17th in the nation, respectively.
At the plate, the 6-5 switch-hitter paced the Vols with six home runs and finished second on the team with 26 RBIs and 12 stolen bases while hitting at a .221 clip. Steckenrider also drew 39 walks, placing him fourth among all SEC players.
In his three years at Rocky Top, Steckenrider has posted a 6-7 record, two saves and a 4.45 ERA in 56 career appearances on the mound spanning 113.1 innings, during which he has struck out 132. Offensively, he has seven career home runs and 33 RBIs in 79 games played, including 69 starts.
UT has now had 120 players drafted a total of 132 times since the free-agent draft began in 1965. The Vols have had at least one player selected in each of the last 29 drafts, with 113 selections during that span for an average of 3.90 per year. Steckenrider is the 50th Vol picked in the top 10 rounds.
The Vols have also had five signees selected on the third day of this year's draft. A pair of junior college signees went first as Adam Giacalone, a RHP/1B from Neosho County Community College was picked in the 16th round (515 overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers and RHP Tyler Smith from USC Sumter was tabbed in the 19th round (606 overall) by the Texas Rangers.
A trio of high school signees were then drafted when LHP/OF Vincent Jackson from Luella High School in McDonough, Ga., was picked up in the 23rd round (727 overall) by the New York Yankees, 3B/SS Vance Vizcaino from Wakefield High School in Wake Forest, N.C., was selected by the New York Mets in the 31st round (950 overall) and local product SS A.J. Simcox was drafted in the 32nd round (978 overall) by the Colorado Rockies.
For the most up-to-date information about the Tennessee baseball program, visit UTSports.com/baseball and follow @Vol_Baseball on Twitter.
