Three Wolverines Picked in MLB First-Year Player Draft
6/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Sophomore RHP Derek Feldkamp (Adrian, Mich./Blissfield HS) and senior/junior RHP Jim Brauer (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS), projected by Baseball America as the top potential draft picks for the University of Michigan baseball team, were taken late in the 2004 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft this afternoon (Tuesday, June 8).
Feldkamp, who owned a 6-5 record and a 3.59 ERA in 2004, was the first Wolverine taken as the Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the 41st round (1,227th pick). Feldkamp was Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week for the Iowa series (April 9-11) when he tossed an eight-hit shutout against the Hawkeyes.
Brauer, winner of the Geoff Zahn Award as Michigan's Most Valuable Pitcher, was taken by the New York Mets in the 42nd round (1,243rd pick). Brauer, drafted for the third time in his career, was 7-3, led the Wolverines with 86.1 innings pitched and ranked ninth in the Big Ten with his team-leading total of 69 strikeouts.
Brauer, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, doubled his career win total in 2004 from seven to 14 and he beat Indiana (2-1), Penn State (7-0) and Ohio State (10-4) in his final three starts of the season, leading the Wolverines to third-place finishes in the final standings (tied with Michigan State) and in the Big Ten Tournament.
Senior designated hitter Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS), who led the Wolverines with a .368 batting average as a senior, was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 45th round (1,334th pick).
Roberts, a Big Ten All-Academic selection, was the All-Big Ten first team DH and he was the all-tournament DH at the Big Ten playoffs.
N O T E S
Feldkamp shared Michigan's team lead with four saves while ranking third on the team in innings pitched (72.2) and second with 51 strikeouts.
Brauer, who has another year of eligibility due to injury in 2003, was drafted by Montreal in the 29th round out of high school when he was Indiana's Mr. Baseball in 2000, and he was selected by Colorado in the 17th round in 2003 despite pitching just 4.2 innings the entire season.
Three of Brauer's five complete games have been vs. Ohio State.
Roberts, who served as a captain, led the Wolverines with a .368 batting average, one point better than Leon Roberts, his dad, who led U-M with a .367 average in 1972.
Roberts, who played in 193 games, finished his career tied for sixth in doubles at Michigan with Casey Close (49, 1983-86) and Ken Hayward (49, 1982-85).
Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
