PROVIDENCE, R.I. – UConn lefthanded pitcher Anthony Kay, the 2016 American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, was chosen by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Kay was taken with the 31st overall pick, marking the second straight year that the American Athletic Conference has produced a first-round draft selection. Outfielder Ian Happ of Cincinnati was chosen by the Chicago Cubs with the ninth pick in the 2015 draft.
Kay, who was named The American's Preseason Pitcher of the Year, lived up to his billing in 2016 as he went 9-2 with a 2.65 earned-run average for the Huskies. He won his last seven decisions, including two wins in the American Athletic Conference Championship on his way to Most Outstanding Player honors. Kay struck out 111 batters against 37 walks in 119.0 innings and held opposing hitters to a .223 batting average. Kay was chosen as a Louisville Slugger Second Team All-America selection and was named to The American's all-conference first team.
The Major League First-Year Player Draft continues Friday with rounds 3-10 and concludes Saturday with rounds 11-40.
American Athletic Conference Players in the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft
Round |
Overall |
Player |
Pos |
School |
MLB Team |
1 |
31 |
Anthony Kay |
LHP |
UConn |
New York/NL |
3 |
97 |
Jake Rogers |
C |
Tulane |
Houston |
3 |
105 |
Stephen Alemais |
SS |
Tulane |
Pittsburgh |
8 |
242 |
Andrew Lantrip |
RHP |
Houston |
Cleveland |
8 |
247 |
Nick Hernandez |
RHP |
Houston |
Houston |
9 |
269 |
Tommy Eveld |
RHP |
USF |
Arizona |
12 |
360 |
Brandon Lawson |
RHP |
USF |
Tampa Bay |
14 |
412 |
Nolan Blackwood |
RHP |
Memphis |
Oakland |
16 |
491 |
Darien Tubbs |
OF |
Memphis |
Los Angeles/NL |
16 |
495 |
Matt Diorio |
OF |
UCF |
Pittsburgh |
26 |
784 |
Jack Sundberg |
OF |
UConn |
Washington |
27 |
815 |
Patrick Ruotolo |
RHP |
UConn |
San Francisco |
28 |
832 |
Josh Vidales |
2B |
Houston |
Oakland |
29 |
882 |
Andrew Deramo |
RHP |
UCF |
Toronto |
32 |
959 |
Trevor Simms |
RHP |
Tulane |
Arizona |
33 |
981 |
Emerson Gibbs |
RHP |
Tulane |
Milwaukee |
34 |
1007 |
Luke Maglich |
OF |
USF |
Philadelphia |
36 |
1093 |
Alex Massey |
RHP |
Tulane |
Kansas City |