A trio of UNC baseball players saw their lifelong dreams come true on Monday night, as they were each selected in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
JB Bukauskas–the hard-throwing righty who won this season’s ACC Pitcher of the Year award–was the first to hear his name called.
The Houston Astros selected Bukauskas with the 15th overall selection, which means he’ll enter into a farm system that already includes fellow Tar Heel alumni Colin Moran, Trent Thornton and Kent Emanuel.
Bukauskas ended his collegiate career fifth in UNC history with 294 strikeouts.
Next off the board for the Tar Heels was First Team All-American shortstop Logan Warmoth–who was chosen 22nd overall by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Warmoth led the team with 10 home runs and a .554 slugging percentage in 2017, while also flashing fantastic defensive ability.
Centerfielder Brian Miller was the third, and final, of UNC’s first round draft choices.
The Miami Marlins selected the Raleigh native with the 36th overall pick–which was a compensation pick still considered to be part of the first round.
Miller’s dynamic ability as both a hitter and a runner have allowed him to hold down the lead-off spot for head coach Mike Fox in each of the last two campaigns.
This past season, Miller led the team with a .343 batting average and 24 stolen bases.
It was the first time in UNC history that three Tar Heels were chosen in the first 36 picks, and the first time since 2013 (Colin Moran) that any UNC players were taken in the opening round.
Also worth noting is that the Oakland Athletics selected North Davidson High School outfielder Austin Beck–a highly touted prospect from North Carolina–with the sixth overall pick.
Beck was previously committed to play at UNC, but will likely take his talents to the professional level instead.
The MLB Draft will resume on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
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