Four Wildcats, Three signees picked in MLB draft

(Courtesy K-State Sports Information)

Kansas State seniors Kayvon Bahramzadeh, Jake Brown, Wade Hinkle and Dan Klein along with three signees were taken in the 2012 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft Wednesday.

Three of the four seniors were drafted for the first time in their careers, while the 2012 draft class pushed the total number of Wildcats drafted under head coach Brad Hill to 33. Kansas State has had at least three players drafted in each of the last five years, while the Wildcats have seen at least three signees drafted in each of the last three years.

Bahramzadeh was selected with the 11^th pick of the 24^th round (No. 739 overall) by the Oakland Athletics. He became the fourth Wildcat drafted by Oakland and the first since Ben Hornbeck and Justin Murray were taken by the A’s in the 2008 draft. A four-year letterwinner, Bahramzadeh enjoyed his best season at K-State in 2012 as he went 7-4 with a 4.74 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts. The right-hander totaled 79 strikeouts, which ranks ninth in the Big 12 and was just outside K-State’s top 10, while his seven victories were tied for 10^th in school history. He was the only member of the 2012 K-State draft class selected for the second time in his career as he was a 47^th-round draft pick out of high school by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008.

Hinkle was drafted with the 19^th selection of the 27^th round (No. 837 overall) by the Los Angeles Angels, becoming the first Wildcat to ever be drafted by the organization. A former transfer from Cochise College, Hinkle hit above .300 in his two seasons at K-State, including a .330 mark with eight doubles, 10 home runs and 49 RBI in 2012. The first baseman also tied a school record with 48 walks this past season – a mark that leads the Big 12 – while his 10 homers are tied for fourth in the league.

A 28^th-round selection (No. 865 overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays, Klein is the first Wildcat catcher drafted since Rob Vaughn in 2009 and the first K-State player selected by Toronto since Pat Maloney in 2002. A former transfer from Hutchinson CC, Klein was a career .275 hitter in his two seasons, while he hit four home runs during his senior campaign. The Overland Park, Kan., native made 67 starts behind the plate in his two seasons and led the Big 12 with seven pickoffs this year.

The Chicago White Sox selected Brown in the 30^th round (No. 921 overall) after his four-year career at K-State. The Russell, Kan., product was the fifth Wildcat selected by the organization after playing in 188 career games, a mark that is eighth in school history. Brown recorded his best offensive year in 2012 as he hit .261 with seven doubles and one home run, while he drove in a career-best 33 RBI. He left K-State also ranked in the school’s career top 10 for stolen bases (10^th; 43) and fielding assists (4^th; 456).

In addition to the four seniors, signees Cody Gunter, Blake McFadden and Matt Fultz were also drafted on Wednesday. Gunter, a third baseman and right-handed pitcher from Flower Mound, Texas, was selected by the Miami Marlins with the ninth pick of the 19^th round (No. 587 overall). McFadden, a right-handed pitcher from St. Joseph, Mo., was drafted in the 32^nd round (No. 994 overall) by the Detroit Tigers. Fultz, a catcher from Lee’s Summit, Mo., was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 34^th round (No. 1043 overall).