Liberty pitcher Evan Brabrand and catcher/outfielder Jonathan Embry were selected on the second day of the 2019 Major League Baseball (MLB) First Year Player Draft, this afternoon.
The Miami Marlins chose Brabrand in the ninth round with the 261st pick of the draft, while Embry was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 10th round with the 301st pick of the draft.
With their selection, Liberty has now had 70 players taken in the MLB Draft during the 46-year history of its program and had at least one player chosen in each draft since 2000.
Brabrand was named to the 2019 Collegiate Baseball All-American team after posting a 4-3 record with 13 saves and a 1.56 ERA over 63 1/3 innings for 43-21 ASUN Champion Liberty, this season. In 25 appearances, all in relief, the Raleigh, N.C., native struck out 66 and walked 13.
A first team ASUN All-Conference member, Brabrand finished the season 11th nationally and as the ASUN leader in saves. He etched his name in the program’s record books, completing the year second on the Flames all-time single-season saves list.
This season, Brabrand also was named to the Midseason Update for the 15th National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award and was selected to the Perfect Game/Rawlings Mid-Season All-American team. The Raleigh, N.C., native was one of four relief pitchers selected to the squad.
Embry was named the 2019 ASUN Player of the Year and voted the 2019 ASUN Tournament MVP as the Flames posted a 43-21 and won the ASUN Championship. The first team all-conference team member finished the year as the ASUN leader in runs scored with 55 and walks with 54. The Louisville, Ky., native finished the year with a .312 batting average, a .454 on base percentage and 44 RBI in 64 games. He posted a .538 slugging percentage for the season, belting 11 home runs and collecting 16 doubles, both team highs.
Along with leading the league in runs scored and walks, Embry also finished the year second in the ASUN in home runs and on base percentage. The catcher/outfielder also completed the year fourth in the conference in slugging percentage. He was ASUN Player of the Week for March 18-24. Embry also posted 18 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI contests.
For his career, Embry hit .267 with 84 RBI and 108 runs scored. Last season, he was selected to the Big South All-Tournament team.
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