SEATTLE - General manager Jack Zduriencik, scouting director Tom McNamara and the rest of the Seattle Mariners scouting department decided adding another arm trumped a bat.

Even Danny Hultzen was shocked by this development.

The Mariners grabbed Hultzen, a left-handed pitcher from Virginia, with the No. 2 overall pick in Monday's baseball draft. Picking in the same position two years ago, Seattle went with Dustin Ackley who was considered the top hitter in college that year.

This time, Seattle passed on Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon, who was considered the top college hitter in the draft and eventually taken sixth overall by Washington, and went with Hultzen.

The 21-year-old Hultzen was so surprised, he threw his hands on top of his head when his name was announced during the television broadcast of the draft. But it should not have been much of a surprise considering how impressive his junior year was for the top-ranked college team in the country.

Hultzen has an 11-3 record and helped the Cavaliers reach the NCAA super regionals.

He has a 1.57 ERA in 15 starts this season and limited opponents to a .189 batting average.

In his career at Virginia, Hultzen is 31-5 with a 2.18 ERA.

He's Virginia's all-time leader in victories and strikeouts and was Virginia's first three-time all-American.

He's a finalist for the 2011 Golden Spikes Award along with UCLA pitcher Trevor Bauer and Texas' Taylor Jungmann.

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected hard-throwing UCLA righty Gerrit Cole with the No. 1 pick.

Cole, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior, posted mediocre numbers this season for the Bruins (6-8, 3.31 ERA), but has what many consider to be the best pure stuff in the draft. His college teammate, right-hander Trevor Bauer, wasn't far behind, going third overall to Arizona.

Rounds 2-30 will be held today.