USF All-America shortstop Kevin Merrell was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the Competitive Balance round A with the 33rd pick of the 2017 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft Monday.

Merrell, who set an American Athletic Conference record with a  .384 batting average in 2017, becomes the third-highest player drafted in USF's program history

Merrell was named to the American Athletic Conference First Team for the second time in 2017 and was second team All-America choice of Baseball America. He led the Bulls with 48 runs scored, hit 11 doubles, four triples and a career-high seven homers with 19 stolen bases.

Merrell highlighted a group of 26 American Athletic Conference players who were chosen in the 2017 First-Year Player Draft. The total is the highest in The American's four-year history. 


American Athletic Conference Players in the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft