in

Diamond Heels’ Trio Selected On Final Day Of MLB Draft

LOS ANGELES – University of North Carolina outfielder Angel Zarate along with left-handed pitchers Brandon Schaeffer and Shawn Rapp were selected on day three of the 2022 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday.

Zarate and Rapp were drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in the 17thth and 20th rounds, respectively, while Schaeffer was selected in the 18th round by the Seattle Mariners.

With three selections today, the Diamond Heels had five players drafted this season, their most since nine were chosen during the 2019 draft. Shortstop Danny Serretti was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the sixth round and pitcher Davis Palermo was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the eighth round on Monday.

Zarate was a third-team All-ACC selection following the 2022 season, leading the conference with 100 hits, and ranking fifth in doubles (19). He became the ninth different player in program history to reach the century mark for hits in a season and was one of just six players to reach the mark this past year.

He opened the game on a 24-game hitting streak and reached base safely in each of the initial 27 games. Zarate finished the year with a slash line of .352/.425/.500, hitting seven home runs and driving in 40 runs. He was named to the all-tournament team at the ACC Baseball Championship and NCAA Chapel Hill Regional.

As a junior college transfer, Schaeffer made an ACC-best 18 starts in his first season at UNC. He posted a 7-3 record with a 3.75 ERA in 96.0 innings pitched with a 3.0 strikeout to walk ratio. He recorded five quality starts and pitched 5.0 or more innings in 10 of his 18 starts, including a complete-game, six-hit shutout against No. 2 Virginia Tech. His performance against the Hokies was one of six outings in which he tossed at least 5.0 innings without issuing a walk, earning all-tournament team honors.

Rapp led the NCAA with 42 pitching appearances last season, fourth-most in program history. He compiled a 4-0 record with a 3.80 ERA in 45.0 innings pitched and averaged 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings with a 2.7 strikeout to walk ratio. Rapp made 39 relief appearances and struck out three batters in 2.0 innings or fewer six times. He earned his lone save of the season by striking out four of six batters faced against Pittsburgh on March 13.

What do you think?

Jewish Broadway star opens for MLB all-star game

Sports betting conference takeaways — Mattress Mack, offshore sportsbooks and match-fixing concerns