Nine Tigers Selected in Major League Draft

June 9, 2004

Nine Tigers, highlighted by lefthander Tyler Lumsden’s selection in the supplemental round between the first and second rounds, were taken in the Major League Draft from June 7-8, 2004. The nine selections sets a school record for most Tigers drafted in one year. The previous mark was eight, as both the 1996 and 2002 teams had eight players drafted.

Collin Mahoney (RHP/C), Lou Santangelo (C), Brad McCann (3B), Steven Jackson (RHP), and Patrick Hogan (RHP) were also selected within the first 14 rounds. Garrick Evans (OF), Zane Green (OF), and Tony Sipp (OF/LHP) were taken Tuesday in the second day of the draft. All of the players drafted, except Jackson, Hogan, and Green, are juniors and have the option of returning for their senior seasons in 2005.

Lumsden, a junior lefthander from Roanoke, VA, was chosen by the Chicago White Sox (34th overall pick). He was 5-4 with a 3.98 ERA in 14 starts and one relief appearance in 2004. In 81.1 innings pitched, he struck out 88 against only 37 walks. Lumsden was a fifth-round selection out of Cave Spring High School in 2001.

A pair of Tigers were taken in the fourth round, Mahoney and Santangelo. Mahoney (103rd overall pick), drafted by the Detroit Tigers, was moved to the bullpen prior to 2004 and displayed a fastball clocked in the high 90s. In 19.0 innings pitched (16 relief appearances), the junior from Patterson, NY struck out 26 against 12 walks. He was especially tough on righthanded batters, holding them to a .143 batting average.

Santangelo, a junior from Colts Neck, NJ, was the 124th overall pick by the Houston Astros. The Tigers’ top power-hitter in 2004 batted .300 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 64 games. The first-year transfer from Seton Hall and Second-Team All-ACC catcher also hit 15 doubles, two triples, and stole seven bases in eight attempts.

McCann, a junior from Duluth, GA and the 188th overall pick by the Florida Marlins, led the team with a .379 batting average in 63 games. He also led the team in runs scored (64), doubles (20), RBIs (65), walks (36), and on-base percentage (.468) to go along with 16 home runs. The sixth-round pick was one of 30 semifinalists for both the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award.

A pair of senior captains were taken next. Jackson, a righthander from Summerville, SC, returned for his senior year after being taken in the 32nd round of the 2003 draft by the Cleveland Indians. This year, he was taken in the 10th round (296th overall pick) by the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2004, Jackson was 4-3 with a 3.56 ERA in 19 relief appearances and three starts. He allowed a .253 opponents’ batting average and 16 walks in 43.0 innings pitched. He also pitched 220.0 career innings and had a 19-8 record in four seasons.

Hogan, a righthander from Columbia, SC who graduated in May, became just the third Tiger in history to record double digits in saves when he had 10 in 2004. The 14th-round selection (428th overall pick) of the Marlins was a two-time captain and member of five NCAA Tournament teams. He had 18 career saves in 190.0 innings pitched over 79 appearances. The Second-Team All-ACC reliever also struck out 60 in 44.2 innings pitched in 2004.

Evans, a junior outfielder from Burke, VA, was the 25th-round pick (745th overall) by the Kansas City Royals. In 2004, he hit .308 with 13 doubles, two homers, and 17 RBIs along with five stolen bases.

Green, a senior outfielder from Lake Park, GA, was the 44th-round pick (1,323rd overall) by the Chicago Cubs. Despite having a down year in 2004, Green will be remembered for his six home runs in 10 NCAA Tournament games during the 2002 season. He was also a career .371 hitter in 21 NCAA Tourney games.

Sipp, a junior outfielder and lefthander from Moss Point, MS, was the 45th-round pick (1,333rd overall) by the Cleveland Indians. After transferring from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College prior to this season, he posted a .280 batting average, 13 doubles, four triples, a homer, 23 RBIs, and a team-best 20 stolen bases as the Tigers’ predominant leadoff batter. He also had a 4.69 ERA in 22 appearances (48.0 innings pitched), where he struck out 59 against only 17 walks.