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Schwartz selected by Braves in MLB Draft
6/14/2017 3:26:00 PM | Baseball
Grand Canyon outfielder Garrison Schwartz was a 16th Round selection by the Atlanta Braves in the 2017 MLB Draft on Wednesday. Schwartz becomes the highest drafted GCU outfielder since 2004. The Lopes have had at least one draft selection in all four years of their transition to Division I.
"It means a lot to get the opportunity to play at the next level, and I'm thankful that the Braves gave me the call," Schwartz said. "It's what we all work towards our whole lives in this game, and getting an opportunity to move forward in my career means the world! It was an unbelievable feeling to get the call and see my name come up, and I am excited for the future."
Grand Canyon once again proved it is recruiting elite talent also, with signees Seth Nordlin and Cole Bellinger hearing their names called. Nordlin (GateWay) went in the 13th Round to the Texas Rangers and Bellinger (Hamilton HS) went in the 15th Round to the San Diego Padres.
In just three seasons, Schwartz has become the most decorated GCU baseball player at the Division I level. He was named Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year following the 2017 campaign after hitting .384 and slugging .698 in conference play. This backed up the junior's Preseason WAC Player of the Year selection. He was also named to the ABCA / Rawlings All-West Region second team on Wednesday. Schwartz has also been a member of the All-WAC team all three seasons, including a WAC Freshman of the Year selection in 2015.
Schwartz becomes the 87th selection all-time in school history and the eighth under head coach Andy Stankiewicz. He joins a list of seven members of the GCU Baseball program to be drafted since GCU's transition to Division I. In addition to Schwartz, Paul Panaccione (2016), Chad De La Guerra, David Walker, Andrew Naderer (2015), Brandon Bonilla and Jorge Perez (2014) have been selected.
The last GCU outfielder to be picked as high as the 16th Round was Travis Kaats, going to the Cincinnati Reds in the 16th Round in 2004.
16 (470): @Braves select Grand Canyon U OF Gary Schwartz. https://t.co/Vr4ar2n33e #MLBDraft
— MLB Draft Tracker (@MLBDraftTracker) June 14, 2017
"It means a lot to get the opportunity to play at the next level, and I'm thankful that the Braves gave me the call," Schwartz said. "It's what we all work towards our whole lives in this game, and getting an opportunity to move forward in my career means the world! It was an unbelievable feeling to get the call and see my name come up, and I am excited for the future."
Grand Canyon once again proved it is recruiting elite talent also, with signees Seth Nordlin and Cole Bellinger hearing their names called. Nordlin (GateWay) went in the 13th Round to the Texas Rangers and Bellinger (Hamilton HS) went in the 15th Round to the San Diego Padres.
In just three seasons, Schwartz has become the most decorated GCU baseball player at the Division I level. He was named Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year following the 2017 campaign after hitting .384 and slugging .698 in conference play. This backed up the junior's Preseason WAC Player of the Year selection. He was also named to the ABCA / Rawlings All-West Region second team on Wednesday. Schwartz has also been a member of the All-WAC team all three seasons, including a WAC Freshman of the Year selection in 2015.
Schwartz becomes the 87th selection all-time in school history and the eighth under head coach Andy Stankiewicz. He joins a list of seven members of the GCU Baseball program to be drafted since GCU's transition to Division I. In addition to Schwartz, Paul Panaccione (2016), Chad De La Guerra, David Walker, Andrew Naderer (2015), Brandon Bonilla and Jorge Perez (2014) have been selected.
The last GCU outfielder to be picked as high as the 16th Round was Travis Kaats, going to the Cincinnati Reds in the 16th Round in 2004.
Congrats to @gtschwartz7 for his @MLBDraft selection by the @Braves. pic.twitter.com/ERft6zBhwQ
— GCU Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) June 14, 2017
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