Four Wolverines Selected on Day Three of MLB Draft
6/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 11, 2016
• Michigan MLB Draft Selections
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Four University of Michigan baseball players, including junior utility player Carmen Benedetti, senior left-handed pitcher Evan Hill, junior right-handed pitcher Jackson Lamb, and junior catcher Harrison Wenson were selected on the third day of the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Saturday afternoon (June 11). The group joins junior left-handed pitcher Brett Adcock, who was taken on day two of the draft.
Benedetti was selected in the 12th round by the Houston Astros, while Hill was taken in the 24th round by the Detroit Tigers. Lamb then followed with a 35th round selection by the St. Louis Cardinals, and Wenson went in the 39th round to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Michigan has now had at least one player taken in the MLB Draft in each of the last four years and at least three drafted players in each of the last two years. Michigan's five picks this season is the most since 2010.
A native of Gross Pointe Woods, Michigan, Benedetti has played in 165 games in his career as a two-way player at Michigan. Though originally announced as a drafted pitcher, Benedetti will join the Astros as a utility player. In 165 games played throughout his career as a Wolverine, Benedetti's career batting average of .323 and his 56 career doubles rank third all-time. The junior owns a career slugging average of .485 as well as a .410 career on-base percentage.
As a junior, Benedetti played all but three games, totaling 63 hits for the Wolverines in 193 at-bats. He also led Michigan with 45 walks and a .465 on-base percentage this past season, boasting a .492 slugging average. Benedetti finished the season with a selection to the All-Big Ten Conference second team.
Following Benedetti, Hill was the third player from Michigan to be selected in the draft. A native of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, Hill has ranks fifth all-time among Wolverine pitchers with career 272.1 innings pitched. In 57 appearances on 48 starts, Hill has amassed a career earned-run average of 3.73 and tossed a complete game during both his freshman and sophomore seasons. His 209 career strikeouts also rank ninth all-time at Michigan, while his 19 victories are tied for 18th all-time.
During his senior campaign, Hill made 16 appearances with 12 starts, totaling 63.1 innings pitched and striking out 62 batters. The senior co-captain also picked up his second career save in a Big Ten Tournament win over Minnesota (May 26).
With a 35th round selection, Lamb was Michigan's third pitcher to be taken in the 2016 MLB Draft. A native of Temperance, Michigan, Lamb has appeared in 19 games for the Wolverines, tossing 24.0 innings in his career. With an impressive 1.50 earned-run average, Lamb has recorded 28 strikeouts and only allowed four runs with two wins and two saves.
As a junior, Lamb tossed 8.1 innings throughout ten appearances. He picked up his first career save with a strikeout to end the game against Central Michigan (Mar. 28) and struck out 13 batters on the season.
Wenson rounded out the Michigan draft picks with a 39th-round selection, marking the first time since 2010 that five Wolverines were selected in the draft. In 91 games played throughout his career at Michigan, Wenson has amassed a .264 batting average on a .447 slugging average. With 23 career walks and 10 hit-by-pitches, Wenson has also registered a .329 career on-base percentage. From behind the plate, the catcher has tallied 552 putouts on a near-perfect .987 fielding percentage.
As a junior, Wenson had a breakout season, leading Michigan and the Big Ten Conference with 56 RBI through the regular season. He started and played in all 57 games, leading Michigan with eight homers and boasting a .491 slugging percentage with 18 doubles and a triple. In addition, Wenson was an All-Big Ten third team selection and a semifinalist for the prestigious Johnny Bench Award.
Communications Contact: Katie Gwinn Hewitt
