It is understatement that Alexandria’s Connor Van Hoose was stunned when he found out Tuesday he had been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Yankees. The right-hander pitcher from Bucknell of the Patriot League was taken in the eighth round.
“It was a big surprise, coming from a small school like Bucknell,” he told The Washington Times on Wednesday. “It was really a waiting game on Tuesday.”
Van Hoose, a product of Gonzaga in The District, was the Patriot League pitcher of the year this season for the Bison. He was 16-13 in his career with a 2.55 ERA and 238 strikeouts — second most in school history.
Van Hoose said he didn’t hear from the Nationals or Orioles during the draft process. He has not yet signed with the Yankees, but planned to do so Wednesday night after arriving at the Yankees spring training facility in Tampa, Florida.
“It’s just unbelievable,” he said while waiting for a flight Wednesday from Reagan Airport to Tampa. “I never really thought about the draft (before heading to Bucknell).”.
Other local players selected included: University of Maryland infielder Nick Dunn, taken in the fifth round on Tuesday by the St. Louis Cardinals; George Washington University pitcher Isaiah Pasteur, who went in the 13th round on Wednesday to the Yankees; and George Mason University pitcher Zach Mort, who went in the eighth round on Tuesday to the Chicago Cubs; University of Maryland outfielder Marty Costes was taken by the Houston Astros in the 22nd round.
Among the several University of Virginia players selected were pitcher Daniel Lynch, taken 34th overall by the Kansas City Royals on Monday.
Towson shortstop Richard Palacios went in the third round to the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday. Towson is a member of the CAA while Mason and GW are part of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
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