Liberty’s Ellard selected on Day 2 of the MLB Draft

Liberty pitcher Fraser Ellard was selected on the second day of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft on Monday.

The Chicago White Sox chose Ellard in the eighth round with the 245th pick of the draft with the selection, Liberty has now had 71 players taken in the MLB Draft during the 48-year history of its program. The Flames have had at least one player chosen in each draft since 2000, except last year’s draft which was limited to five rounds due to COVID-19.

In his only season at Liberty, Ellard was named to the ASUN All-Conference first team. A transfer, the senior posted a 0-1 record with a 3.65 ERA and team-high seven saves in a team-high 26 appearances. He made 25 relief appearances and one start in 2021.

Ellard struck out 63 and walked 13 over 44 1/3 innings. The Roswell, Ga., native held opponents to a .212 batting average and posted a 1.24 WHIP. The right-hander finished the year second in the ASUN in saves and second in appearances. He had the most strikeouts of any relief pitcher in the conference.