Burkhart, Hurley Taken on Day Two of MLB Draft – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A day after his friend and longtime battery mate was drafted, Ohio State junior catcher Dan Burkhart was taken in the 10th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft by the San Francisco Giants Tuesday. Joining Burkhart on day two of the draft was senior outfielder Zach Hurley, drafted in the 29th round by the Oakland Athletics.
The Big Ten player of the year in 2009 and semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award in 2010, Burkhart went on to bat .353 with 15 doubles, three triples and 37 runs scored this season. He also threw out 22 of 50 (44 percent) potential base stealers while guiding a Buckeye pitching staff that dropped its earned-run average from 6.39 in 2009 to 5.24 in 2010. In his three seasons, the Cincinnati native has batted .340 with 35 doubles, six triples, 12 home runs and 120 RBI in 156 games played, all starts.
“Getting drafted is a great moment and something you’ll never forget. It is a life changer. It’s an honor and I am just really excited to find out what going to happen next and where they are going to want me to go,” Burkhart said. “Obviously it is an honor to be selected in the Major League Baseball draft no matter what the round. It shows how much work you’ve put in. I spoke to Pete Jenkins [Ohio State assistant coach the past three years] a short while ago and told him that much of the credit goes to him because of the way he worked with me on catching the way he did. He helped me out a lot.”
Surprisingly, Burkhart was not the first one to hear the news.
“I went golfing with my dad and some buddies today because I thought it would be better to do something than just sitting around having to watch the draft,” Burkhart added. “As we were driving home from the course my dad got a call from my sister Jennifer saying the Giants just called our house and they were going to draft me. Next thing you know I got about 20 text messages in about two minutes.”
Hurley, a 2010 co-captain, led the Buckeyes and ranked third in the Big Ten with a .385 batting average. The 2009 draft pick of the Florida Marlins was not only an excellent table-setter, but he was a most valuable offensive performer as he lead the Buckeyes in runs (51), hits (85), doubles (19), triples (4), total bases (133) and slugging percentage (.602). He also tied for second on the team with seven home runs.
“I heard the news and it was the greatest thing my ears have ever heard as it has been a dream of mine for a long time,” Hurley said. “I elected to come back to school for my senior season to pursue my degree and it has paid off but I’ve waited my entire life for this one phone call and I’m looking forward to continuing my career with a great organization.”
Hurley tied for fourth all-time at Ohio State with 12 career triples. His 222 career hits rank 15th at Ohio State and he also has Top 25 career numbers in average (.342; 24th), doubles (39; 22nd) and runs scored (142; 20th).
It marks the ninth-consecutive year Ohio State had at least two of its players selected in the MLB Draft and second time in the last four years the Buckeyes have had at least two players taken in the top 10 rounds after Cory Luebke (supplemental first round), Matt Angle (7th round) and Eric Fryer (9th round) did so in 2007.
