The U baseball team suffered a huge loss, but in a way that can give the U a burst of pride. Four players from the 2002 team were selected during the Major League Baseball draft last week.
Two juniors and two seniors were selected in the two days of player selection. Both Ute juniors, left fielder/second baseman Donnie Saba and pitcher Jason Wylie, were selected on the first day of the draft.
Wylie was the first Ute to be selected, chosen in the 12th round (363 overall) by the Chicago Cubs.
He was the ace of the U staff, and although the statistics didn’t show it, he had the most potential to become the best U pitcher.
“It was a pleasure this year to be able to coach a guy that we know is going to the major leagues,” said U baseball coach Tim Esmay.
Wylie finished the season with a 7-7 record and recorded 76 strikeouts in 103.2 innings of work. He also broke the school record with 19 starts.
Saba, chosen in the 17th round (517 overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks, was more of a versatile player that Esmay could put at many positions.
Saba was used primarily in left field, but was able to fill in for Adam Castleton at second when Castleton was scratched from the line-up because of a leg injury. Saba led the team in runs scored (63) and was third on the team with 10 home runs. Saba was also consistent at the plate, owning a .312 batting average.
The two seniors selected both went on day two of the draft. Power hitting Nate Weese and pitcher Mitch Maio were the fourth-year men who will attempt to make it in the big leagues.
Weese, picked in the 23rd round (677 overall) by the Montreal Expos, finished his career as the all-time hits, at-bats, and home runs leader at the U.
Weese was named to the all-conference second team this season. In the two seasons prior, he was named to the all-conference first team.
This season, Weese had a batting average of .343 and led the team with 17 home runs. He also knocked in 63 runs.
Finally, Maio was chosen in the 26th round (792 overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals. Maio garnered the co-Mountain West Conference Player of the Year award, leading the MWC with 9 wins. Maio tied the single game strikeout record three times, with 11 strikeouts. Maio also won the MWC Pitcher of the Week award four times .
There is no doubt these losses will make the team a bit thin next season, but the four players drafted have raised the prestige of the school, as Esmay has coached only 10 other Utes that have been drafted to the bigs.