Tampa Continues MLB Draft Presence With Five Overall Selections

TAMPA, Fla. - After having a school-record 10 players sign MLB contracts following the 2010 season, The University of Tampa baseball program was expected to be in a rebuilding campaign in 2011. After playing to a 36-17 record, UT had five players drafted in the 2011 MLB Draft as Frank DeJiulio and Mike Bourdon had their names called on Wednesday.

With Shane Riedie, Shawn Pleffner and Taylor Wrenn each hearing their names called on Tuesday, DeJiulio went off the board in the 38th round, landing with the Los Angeles Angels with selection 1,155. Bourdon was then grabbed by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 42nd round at choice 1,290.

DeJiulio, a junior pitcher, completed his first season as a Spartan after two years at Daytona State College. He recorded a 5-4 record while throwing in 17 games, starting 10 for Tampa. In 54.0 innings, DeJiulio notched 48 strikeouts for UT.

Bourdon is a three-year letterwinner for UT after playing his freshman season at Fairfield University. He is also the lone Spartan selection who was a senior, with the other four holding a year of collegiate eligibility if they do not come to terms. The backstop also excelled in the classroom and hit .316 while playing in 40 contests. He also slugged a pair of home runs, driving in 17 runs.

Riedie compiled a 3-2 record in 16 games with the Spartans. In 39.0 innings of work, he notched 40 strikeouts to go with a 4.15 ERA and one save. He picked up his first UT win against No. 5 Mount Olive on Feb. 13 and was also the victor in games versus Stillman (Feb. 19) and Lynn (March 19).

Pleffner, a junior first baseman/outfielder from Gambrills, Md., hit .366 in his first season at UT after transferring from Tallahassee Community College. He started 45 games and slugged four home runs with 39 RBI on the year.

Wrenn started 19 of 21 games in a shortened junior season after transferring from the University of Southern California. The shortstop from Lakeland, Fla., batted .341 with a home run and 18 RBI.

Tampa has now had a player selected in the MLB Draft for a string of nine straight years, dating back to the 2003 season. Today's selections bring the number of Tampa players picked in the past six years to 32.

2011 University of Tampa MLB Draft Selections
Shane Riedie - Los Angeles Angels - Round 21 - Number 645
Shawn Pleffner - Washington Nationals - Round 26 - Number 787
Taylor Wrenn - Cincinnati Reds - Round 27 - Number 835
Frank DeJiulio - Los Angeles Angels - Round 38 - Number 1,155
Mike Bourdon - Tampa Bay Rays - Round 42 - Number 1,290