Photo by: Mitch Robinson
Kevin Coulter Selected by Indians in MLB Draft
6/5/2019 6:38:00 PM | Baseball
Coulter drafted in the 33rd round; Mercer signee Colby Thomas taken in 37th round
MACON, Ga. – Mercer senior right-handed pitcher Kevin Coulter was selected by the Cleveland Indians organization in the 33rd round of the 2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday afternoon.
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Coulter, the 1,000th overall selection, was Mercer's second player drafted this year, joining fellow pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long, who was taken by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round on Tuesday. Mercer has had 25 draft selections during head coach Craig Gibson's tenure, dating back to 2004.
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"We're excited to see Kevin get a shot at the next level with Cleveland," Gibson said. "I kept watching the draft tracker all day waiting for his name to show up. There is no one more deserving than Kevin; he's one of our program's all-time competitors and he has a bright future ahead of him."
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The Buford, Ga., native logged nearly 280 innings and posted an 18-11 record with 195 strikeouts during his four-year collegiate career. As a senior this spring, Coulter tossed a team-leading 83 innings over 21 appearances and 12 starts while playing a critical role in Mercer's run to the Southern Conference Tournament title and a NCAA Athens Regional berth. The right-hander was 5-3 with a 3.90 earned run average and posted 66 strikeouts this season.
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Mercer 2019 signee Colby Thomas was also taken on the third day of the MLB Draft. The right-handed outfielder out of Valdosta, Ga., was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles organization with the first pick of the 37th round (1,098th overall). Thomas is one of nine incoming freshmen in Mercer's 2019 class.
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Inside the Pick
» Mercer has had multiple players drafted in each of the last four years and five out of the last six.
» Five of Mercer's six draft selections in the last two years have been pitchers.
» Coulter joins Robert Broom (10th round, 2018) and Rob Belloir (eighth round, 1969) as Mercer players who have been drafted by the Cleveland Indians.
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Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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Coulter, the 1,000th overall selection, was Mercer's second player drafted this year, joining fellow pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long, who was taken by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round on Tuesday. Mercer has had 25 draft selections during head coach Craig Gibson's tenure, dating back to 2004.
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"We're excited to see Kevin get a shot at the next level with Cleveland," Gibson said. "I kept watching the draft tracker all day waiting for his name to show up. There is no one more deserving than Kevin; he's one of our program's all-time competitors and he has a bright future ahead of him."
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The Buford, Ga., native logged nearly 280 innings and posted an 18-11 record with 195 strikeouts during his four-year collegiate career. As a senior this spring, Coulter tossed a team-leading 83 innings over 21 appearances and 12 starts while playing a critical role in Mercer's run to the Southern Conference Tournament title and a NCAA Athens Regional berth. The right-hander was 5-3 with a 3.90 earned run average and posted 66 strikeouts this season.
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Mercer 2019 signee Colby Thomas was also taken on the third day of the MLB Draft. The right-handed outfielder out of Valdosta, Ga., was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles organization with the first pick of the 37th round (1,098th overall). Thomas is one of nine incoming freshmen in Mercer's 2019 class.
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Inside the Pick
» Mercer has had multiple players drafted in each of the last four years and five out of the last six.
» Five of Mercer's six draft selections in the last two years have been pitchers.
» Coulter joins Robert Broom (10th round, 2018) and Rob Belloir (eighth round, 1969) as Mercer players who have been drafted by the Cleveland Indians.
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Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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