Photo by: Arizona Athletics
Matijevic Selected in 2nd Round by Astros
06/13/2017 | Baseball
TUCSON, Ariz. – JJ Matijevic was drafted by the Houston Astros with the 75th overall pick in Monday's Major League Baseball Draft. The junior infielder from North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania was the first Pac-12 position player selected in this year's draft.
He's the highest Arizona draft pick since 2015 when Kevin Newman was selected 19th by the Pittsburgh Pirates Scott Kingery went 48th overall to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Matijevic, who won the Pac-12 batting crown and was named to the All-Pac-12 team was selected in the compensatory B round, an eight-pick sequence that took place directly after the completion of the second round.
Matijevic, who has already been named a second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America, batted .383 this season with 92 hits, 30 doubles, 10 home runs, 65 RBI and nine stolen bases. He led the conference in batting average, doubles, hits, RBI, slugging percentage and total bases. His 30 doubles tied a single-season school record.
Matijevic had 20 multiple-hit games this season to lead the Wildcats and had 14 multi-RBI games. He had a 21-game on-base streak during the season and only had back-to-back hitless games just once this season. He never went more than five games this season without a multi-hit game.
The first baseman is the first Arizona player to be drafted by the Astros since James Farris went in the 15th round of the 2014 draft. Farris, however, didn't sign with the Astros and returned for his senior season. The last Arizona players to be drafted by Houston and sign were Jon Gaston and T.J. Steele, both picked by Houston in 2008.
The Wildcats are expected to have several other players selected during the three-day Major League Baseball Draft. Rounds 3-10 are scheduled for Tuesday, with rounds 11-40 slated for Wednesday. Continue to check ArizonaWildcats.com for continued updates.
He's the highest Arizona draft pick since 2015 when Kevin Newman was selected 19th by the Pittsburgh Pirates Scott Kingery went 48th overall to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Matijevic, who won the Pac-12 batting crown and was named to the All-Pac-12 team was selected in the compensatory B round, an eight-pick sequence that took place directly after the completion of the second round.
Matijevic, who has already been named a second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America, batted .383 this season with 92 hits, 30 doubles, 10 home runs, 65 RBI and nine stolen bases. He led the conference in batting average, doubles, hits, RBI, slugging percentage and total bases. His 30 doubles tied a single-season school record.
Matijevic had 20 multiple-hit games this season to lead the Wildcats and had 14 multi-RBI games. He had a 21-game on-base streak during the season and only had back-to-back hitless games just once this season. He never went more than five games this season without a multi-hit game.
The first baseman is the first Arizona player to be drafted by the Astros since James Farris went in the 15th round of the 2014 draft. Farris, however, didn't sign with the Astros and returned for his senior season. The last Arizona players to be drafted by Houston and sign were Jon Gaston and T.J. Steele, both picked by Houston in 2008.
The Wildcats are expected to have several other players selected during the three-day Major League Baseball Draft. Rounds 3-10 are scheduled for Tuesday, with rounds 11-40 slated for Wednesday. Continue to check ArizonaWildcats.com for continued updates.
Players Mentioned
INF
/ BaseballFriday, August 14
Wednesday, May 06
Wednesday, April 29
Thursday, April 23
