It took a while, but the Arizona State Sun Devils have a player selected in the 2017 MLB Draft: left-handed pitcher Connor Higgins.
Higgins was picked by the Texas Rangers at pick No. 1064 in the 35th round. The left-hander just finished his sophomore year with ASU.
35 (1064): @Rangers select Arizona State LHP Connor Higgins. https://t.co/JgOfZoNEZF #MLBDraft
— MLB Draft Tracker (@MLBDraftTracker) June 14, 2017
He was mostly used as a relief pitcher in 2017, where he appeared in 19 games, threw 34 strikeouts, and recorded an ERA of 3.92. Higgins stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 250 pounds.
However, there's no guarantee that Higgins will be off to the minors since he's only through his sophomore year. If he comes back to ASU next season, he would likely be a starter.
While the Sun Devils did not have a good season (the team finished with a losing record for the first time since 1985) there were still some other players that could have been drafted.
There were two seniors on the team by the end of the season, those being pitcher Eder Erives and catcher Zach Cerbo. Both went undrafted.
Another ASU player left off the draft board is outfielder Andrew Shaps, who was kicked off the team near the end of the season. In 37 games played, Shaps hit .299 with 17 RBI and five home runs.
Last season, the Sun Devils had five players drafted. ASU has had a player selected in every single MLB Draft since it began in 1965 and lead all college baseball programs with 415 total picks. Higgins is the 15th player drafted in the Tracy Smith era.
Reach the reporter at mpharri7@asu.edu or follow @Harris_Mark7 on Twitter.
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