Coug trio, GU's Reyes picked on final day
From news services | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 7 months AGO
The New York Mets selected Washington State junior J.D. Leckenby in the 14th round, the first of three Cougars selected in the final day of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Saturday.
Leckenby, a right-handed pitcher from Buhl, was the 416th overall pick and has been a versatile arm during his three years in Pullman. He pitched exclusively out of the bullpen as a freshman and recorded a 2.28 ERA in 18 appearances. In 2012, he won four games in 14 starts and during the 2013 campaign, moved back to relief and contributed two wins and a team-leading six saves in 25 appearances.
WSU redshirt junior Adam Nelubowich was selected by the Houston Astros in the 18th round and 527th overall.
Nelubowich spent time in the outfield and third base for the Cougars in 2013 and was selected as a third baseman by the Astros. A Stony Plain, Alberta, native, Nelubowich batted .299 with a team-high 14 doubles, with three triples, three home runs and 34 RBIs and was the only Cougar in the batting order for all 55 games this past season.
Trace Tam Sing, a redshirt sophomore, was selected in the 26th round (774th overall) by the Kansas City Royals.
Tam Sing started 52 of the Cougars' 55 games and played in 53 overall, batting .280 with 14 extra base hits, 17 RBIs and four stolen bases.
The Bellevue, Wash. native started as a freshman before missing the 2012 season due to injury.
Gonzaga junior pitcher Arturo Reyes was selected in the 40th round by the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the third Bulldog pitcher to be selected this year. Junior Marco Gonzales (St. Louis) and Tyler Olson (Seattle) were selected on the first two days of the draft.
Reyes, who transferred to Gonzaga this year, filled many roles for the Gonzaga pitching staff, working as a starter, reliever and closer for the team. In 20 appearances, Reyes went 6-3 with a 3.79 ERA in 59 1/3 innings.
Lewis-Clark State College's Cody Lavalli was selected in the 37th round (1,120 overall) by the Texas Rangers.
Lewis-Clark State has now had a total of 122 players selected in the draft since 1975, and had at least one player selected every year since 1978.
Lavalli, a 6-foot-4 native of Apple Valley, Calif., helped the Warriors to a national runner-up finish at the NAIA World Series in Lewiston. He is the first Warrior outfielder drafted since Joey Dyche in 2005, and becomes the 10th player in program history selected by Texas.
He led the team in RBIs (50), home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.627) and was second in batting average with a .373.
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