Gridley, Mangum Selected In 2017 MLB Draft
June 14, 2017 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Two days after Mississippi State's Brent Rooker was drafted in the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins, a pair of Diamond Dawgs heard their names called on the draft's final day.
Ryan Gridley was selected by the Oakland A's in the 11th round and 321st overall. The Milton, Georgia native finished his junior season second on the team in hitting with a .327 average. He was also third on the team in home runs with a career-high six.
Gridley's honors included being named first team All-Southeastern Conference at the shortstop position, as well as being a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award.
Gridley becomes the first MSU shortstop drafted since Adam Frazier was taken in the sixth round in the 2013 draft by Pittsburgh. He also is the first Bulldog selected by the A's since Jonathan Papelbon was chosen in the 40th round by the A's in 2002, but did not sign.
Jake Mangum was also taken in the draft, going in the 30th round (902 overall) to the New York Yankees. Mangum finished his sophomore season owning a .324 clip at the plate and finished second on the team in hits with 90. He was named to the All-SEC second team as well as the conference's All-Defensive team.
The Pearl, Mississippi product is the first MSU outfielder chosen by the Yankees since 1977, when Nat "Buck" Showalter was selected in the fifth round. He is also the third MSU outfielder chosen since the start of the 2016 draft, when Jacob Robson and Brent Rooker were selected.
Both Gridley and Mangum were named to the Hattiesburg Regional All-Tournament team.
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateBB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
Ryan Gridley was selected by the Oakland A's in the 11th round and 321st overall. The Milton, Georgia native finished his junior season second on the team in hitting with a .327 average. He was also third on the team in home runs with a career-high six.
Gridley's honors included being named first team All-Southeastern Conference at the shortstop position, as well as being a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award.
Gridley becomes the first MSU shortstop drafted since Adam Frazier was taken in the sixth round in the 2013 draft by Pittsburgh. He also is the first Bulldog selected by the A's since Jonathan Papelbon was chosen in the 40th round by the A's in 2002, but did not sign.
Jake Mangum was also taken in the draft, going in the 30th round (902 overall) to the New York Yankees. Mangum finished his sophomore season owning a .324 clip at the plate and finished second on the team in hits with 90. He was named to the All-SEC second team as well as the conference's All-Defensive team.
The Pearl, Mississippi product is the first MSU outfielder chosen by the Yankees since 1977, when Nat "Buck" Showalter was selected in the fifth round. He is also the third MSU outfielder chosen since the start of the 2016 draft, when Jacob Robson and Brent Rooker were selected.
Both Gridley and Mangum were named to the Hattiesburg Regional All-Tournament team.
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateBB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
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