Pohl taken in 28th round

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June 14, 2012

Pohl taken in 28th round

The Cooperstown Crier Thu Jun 14, 2012, 08:41 AM EDT

BY ROB CENTORANI

THE DAILY STAR

Cooperstown graduate Phil Pohl, four former Oneonta Outlaws and one ex- Cooperstown Hawkeye were selected in Major League Baseball’s First Year Player Draft.

Pohl went to the Oakland A’s on Wednesday, June 6, in the 28th round (859th overall pick).

Three of the former Outlaws — catcher Tom Murphy (drafted in third round by the Colorado Rockies), right-handed pitcher Brady Wager (drafted in the ninth round by the Baltimore Orioles) and right-handed pitcher Derrick Stultz (drafted in the 14th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks) — were selected Tuesday, June 5.

On Wednesday, left-handed pitcher Brandon Rohde, a member of the Outlaws in 2010, was selected in the 25th round by the Atlanta Braves. Two rounds later, 2010 Cooperstown Hawkeyes outfielder Goose Kallunki, was selected by the San Diego Padres.

Pohl earned Daily Star Player of the Year honors in 2007 and 2008 as a standout catcher and part-time pitcher for the Redskins, who won a Section Three Class C title in Pohl’s junior year.

“He’s the only kid I’ve ever had drafted,” said Cooperstown baseball coach Frank Miosek, who just completed his 22nd season. “Everybody here has been on pins and needles hoping he would make it.”

It is the second time Pohl’s been drafted. The Tampa Bay Rays picked him in the 44th round of the 2008 draft, but Pohl decided to attend Division I Clemson University.

“He’s just so energetic and put in so much effort into it and was always positive,” Miosek said. “He never looked at it as a job. It’s his passion and the same was true in the classroom, too.”

As a senior, Pohl hit .286 with nine homers and a team-high 58 RBIs for the Tigers, who finished 35-27.

In Clemson’s first NCAA Division I tournament game, Pohl hit a grand slam and finished with five RBIs as the Tigers routed Coastal Carolina, 11-3, Friday. A First Team Academic All-American, Pohl went 2-for-4 in an elimination game Sunday, helping the Tigers to a 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina.

Clemson’s season ended with a 4-3 loss to South Carolina on Sunday. Pohl had an RBI groundout in the loss and earned a spot on the Columbia Region all-tournament team.

Over four seasons at Clemson, Pohl hit .286 with 15 home runs, 44 doubles and 113 RBIs in 198 games.

“It’s what he’s always wanted to do,” Pohl’s father, Bruce, said of his son playing professional baseball.

It’s possible Pohl will start his career in the New York-Penn League — former home of the Oneonta Tigers. The Vermont Lake Monsters are the A’s short-season affiliate in the NY-P.

University at Buffalo junior Murphy, who played for the Outlaws in 2010, was the 105th overall selection. He hit a school-record 13 homers and drove in 51 runs this past season.

The Orioles used the 282nd overall pick to take Wager, who closed out the Outlaws’ 5-1 championship seriesclinching victory over the Webster Yankees on Aug. 2 at Damaschke Field. He just finished his junior season at Grand Canyon University.

“At the beginning of the draft I wasn’t sure where I was going to end up,” Wager said in a story on GCU’s website. “The Orioles had showed interest in me and I’m very happy for the opportunity to be a part of their great organization.”

Wager, a right-hander, struck out a Pacific West Conference-best 78 batters over 84 innings. He won seven of his 13 starts and had an ERA of 3.75.

Stultz pitched for the Outlaws in 2010. As a senior at South Florida, he went 9-1 with a 3.29 ERA. Stultz struck out 60 over 87 2/3 innings.

Rohde went 6-3 for Central Washington in his senior season. He had a 4.81 ERA and struck 73 over 63 2/3 innings. Kallunki earned All-American honors as a senior for Utah Valley. He hit 18 homers and led the nation with 86 RBIs.