MLB Draft Central
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Pittsburgh Pirates selected right-handed pitchers and University of Portland recruits Tyler Glasnow and Kody Watts during the fifth and 15th rounds, respectively, on the second day of Major League Baseball’s 2011 Draft on Tuesday. Both Glasnow, who was the 152nd pick overall, and Watts have signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball for the Pilots.
“We are very happy for both Tyler and Kody,” UP head coach Chris Sperry said, “but naturally we’re concerned with our ability to retain them. They both had great years and both have tremendously strong upsides, and we’re excited to watch them develop during the years ahead.
“Of course we really want them both because we feel that they’re part of a group which suggests an exciting future for our program. At this point, we hope they make the best decision for themselves, and we hope that that includes the University of Portland.”
Glasnow is a 6-foot-7 pitcher out of Newhall, Calif., where he attended William S. Hart High School. As a senior this spring, Glasnow went 8-2 with a 1.25 ERA, and he finished his high school career with 99 strikeouts.
Watts, who stands 6-foot-3, attends Skyview High School, which is just across the Columbia River from UP in Vancouver, Wash. A four-year letterwinner for the Storm, Watts was named to the Washington All-State Second Team as a junior after posting a 6-1 record, while shattering the school’s single-season strikeout record with 74 K’s.
“Obviously, and for good reason, my coaching staff was not the only group that liked Tyler and Kody,” added Sperry.
The 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft is set to conclude on Wednesday.
