Six ‘Hoos taken in MLB Draft

Edited by Chris Graham
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Six Virginia baseball players were selected Tuesday in the second day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The six selections matches a program-best, equaling the six picks in 2007 and 2008.

Jarrett Parker (Stafford, Va.) was a second-round pick (74th overall) of the San Francisco Giants. Phil Gosselin (West Chester, Pa.) was a fifth-round pick (164th overall) of the Atlanta Braves and Robert Morey (Virginia Beach, Va.) was also a fifth-round pick (167th overall) of the Florida Marlins. Kevin Arico (Flemington, N.J.) was a 10th-round pick (307th overall) of the Cincinnati Reds. Dan Grovatt (Tabernacle, N.J.) was an 11th-round pick (327th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tyler Cannon (Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) was a 12th-round selection (360th overall) by the Cleveland Indians.

Parker, a second-team All-ACC selection, is hitting .338 on the season and shares the team lead with 10 home runs, while driving in 55 RBI. The junior was recently named to the Charlottesville Regional All-Tournament Team after batting .462 (6-for-13) with two home runs, five RBI and seven runs scored.

Gosselin, a first-team All-ACC pick, is hitting at a .378 clip, good for second on the squad. The junior has amassed 94 total hits this season, putting him in a tie for most hits all-time at Virginia in a single season, tying Parker’s 2009 total. Gosselin also has nine home runs, 57 RBI and has stolen a team-best 18 bases as the Cavaliers’ offensive catalyst.

Morey, a second-team All-ACC pick, is second on the pitching staff with nine wins, accumulating a 9-3 record in 15 starts. The junior has posted a 3.72 ERA over 96.2 innings pitched, while accumulating 76 strikeouts and tossing two of UVa’s three complete games thrown by the Cavalier starters this season.

Arico, a first-team All-ACC pick, leads the nation with 17 saves, needing two more saves to eclipse the ACC record of 18 in a season. The junior has posted a 1-1 record with a 2.59 ERA over 31.1 innings of work, while making all 27 of his appearances out of the bullpen.

Grovatt is hitting .289 on the season, with eight home runs and 56 RBI. Cannon moved up significantly in the 2010 MLB Draft after he was a 41st-round selection in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The senior shortstop, a second-team All-ACC pick, is hitting .341 with three home runs and 38 RBI. Cannon is No. 1 in the UVa annals with 241 games played and is making a run for most career hits with 273, sitting No. 3 all-time. He trails only Bill Narleski (281) and David Stone (276).