Garcia becomes highest draft pick in Chapman’s D-III era

ORANGE, Calif. – Following skyrocketing up draft boards this spring, junior pitcher Nick Garcia was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 79th general select in the 3rd spherical of the 2020 MLB Draft. He is just the next player in the illustrious history of Chapman College baseball to be drafted in the initial a few rounds.

The All-American correct-hander from San Carlos, Calif. grew to become the next-optimum draft select in Chapman’s history and the optimum in the program’s Division III period (because 1995). Garcia joins Don August as the only two Panthers to be chosen in the prime-three rounds of the MLB Amateur Draft. August was the seventeenth general select in 1984 when Chapman competed in Division II.

The 2020 draft marks the 3rd year in a row that Chapman has experienced a player chosen – the longest active streak for any Division III software – pursuing previous teammates Christian Cosby (14th spherical/select 422) in 2018 and 2019 ABCA Pitcher of the Yr Tyler Peck (twenty eighth spherical/select 845). Garcia is the 66th player in Chapman’s history to be drafted in the MLB Draft and the 14th to be chosen because transitioning to Division III in 1995.

Garcia wasn’t on most scouts’ radars till he begun lights up radar guns in his sophomore period. The six-four righty arrived to Chapman as an infielder but transformed to the mound after his freshman period. With a fastball in the mid- to higher-90s, Garcia grew to become the prime nearer in Division III and a consensus 1st Workforce All-American reliever.

He aided the Panthers to the 2019 NCAA Division III countrywide championship in 2019, going 9- with twelve saves and a microscopic .sixty four Era. In fifty six innings above 30 reduction appearances, he struck out 82 batters and permitted just 4 attained operates on 31 hits.

In 2020, Garcia transformed from a flame-throwing nearer to a frontline starter. He went four-1 in 5 starts off with a 2.00 Era ahead of the period was canceled thanks to COVID-19. With his a few-pitch mix and a fastball frequently in the mid-90s, he continued to soar up draft boards and prospect rankings.

Garcia is the optimum draft select from an NCAA Division III software because 2012 when Bruce Maxwell was taken as the 62nd select out of Birmingham Southern. In 2007, current Detroit Tigers pitcher Jordan Zimmerman was also taken in the next spherical with the 67th general select.

He is the fourth-optimum draft select in SCIAC history. Whittier’s Tony Woods was taken as the seventeenth general select in 1982 and Cal Lutheran’s Jason Hirsch was the 59th select in 2003 as the optimum draft picks in the SCIAC’s Division III period. La Verne’s Willie Norwood was a 3rd-spherical select in 1972 and was taken 56th general when the conference competed in the NCAA Higher education Division.

The 2020 MLB Draft was shortened to just 5 rounds thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and ended Thursday with rounds two by way of 5 getting chosen.

Chapman won its 3rd countrywide title in 2019 and was rated in the prime-10 for all of the 2020 period. The Panthers had been twelve-three when period abruptly ended in March.

By Steven Olveda.
Sports Information and facts Director

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