TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona Wildcats left-handed pitchers
Andrew Nardi and
Randy Labaut were both selected on the final day of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday. Nardi was taken by the Miami Marlins in the 16th round (471st overall), while Labaut was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 35th round (1060th overall). They are the fifth and sixth Wildcats selected in the 2019 draft, respectively.
Nardi is the third Arizona player ever to be selected by Miami, and the first since Jeff Van Houten was tabbed by the Marlins in 2005.
Nardi, a junior college transfer, logged one season with the Wildcats. During the 2019 season he made 17 appearances and 14 starts for Arizona, going 4-5 with a 6.75 ERA. Nardi went at least 5.0 innings in eight of his starts and notched four quality starts. He struck out a career-high 10 batters on April 7 against Washington and his 66 strikeouts in just 66.2 innings of work during the year were the second-most on the team.
Prior to his time with the Cats, Nardi spent time with Ventura Community College - where he posted a 1.17 ERA in 14 appearances - and Moorpark Community College.
Labaut is the 26th Wildcat to be selected by the Cleveland Indians, and the first since Dwight Childs in 2009.
The Havana, Cuba native played three seasons for Arizona from 2017-19, seeing time in 41 games with 23 starts. As a junior in 2019, he went 8-3 with a 5.19 ERA across 85.0 innings of work. He led the team in both strikeouts (79) and innings pitched while tying for the team lead in wins. Labaut got stronger as the season continued - over his final eight starts he posted a perfect 6-0 record and registered a 4.09 ERA with six quality starts and 47 strikeouts.
During his career in Tucson Labaut went 11-6 with a 4.25 ERA and limited opposing batters to a .270 batting average. He issued 123 strikeouts in 150.1 innings of work.
Overall, the Wildcats have seen six players selected in the 2019 draft, including
two players taken within the first 50 picks. Since taking over at Arizona in 2016, head coach
Jay Johnson has coached 26 players who went on to be selected in the MLB Draft.
