SportsCollege

Actions

Virginia’s Smith, Haseley selected in top 10 of Major League Baseball draft

Posted at 11:09 PM, Jun 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-12 23:09:52-04

Pavin Smith of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia junior standouts Pavin Smith (Jupiter, Fla.) and Adam Haseley (Windermere, Fla.) were selected back-to-back in the first round of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday evening. Smith was taken seventh overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Haseley’s name was called next by the Philadelphia Phillies with the eighth pick.

This marks the fourth straight year in which Virginia has produced a first-round draft pick. UVA is one of just two college programs to boast a first-round draft pick in each of the last four seasons. Smith and Haseley are the first set of position players from the same college to be selected in the top 10 of an MLB Draft since Oklahoma State’s Monty Fariss and Robin Ventura in 1988.

Adam Haseley of the Virginia Cavaliers slides into second safely.
(Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

Smith and Haseley are the 11th and 12th first-round draft picks in Virginia Baseball history and join Seth Greisinger (No. 6 in 1996), Ryan Zimmerman (No. 4 in 2005), and Danny Hultzen (No. 2 in 2011) as the five top-10 picks in program history. The two were key figures on three straight NCAA tournament teams at Virginia, including the 2015 National Championship squad.

The draft continues Tuesday with rounds 3-10, while the final 30 rounds are held Wednesday.