Six KU Baseball Players Selected in MLB Draft
June 7, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Six KU baseball players were selected in the 2006 MLB Amateur Draft. The six Jayhawks selected are tied for the most in a year in KU baseball history (1998, 1994 and 1993)
Below is a list of the six Kansas players selected:
Kodiak Quick
Detroit Tigers
33rd round / 982 overall
Belton, Mo. (Stanford)
Sr. / RHP
Since transferring from Stanford in 2005, Quick became KU’s ace pitcher and accumulated 21 wins, including a school-record 11 this season. After pitching a school-record 121.1 innings last season, Quick led KU with 112.0 innings of work during the Jayhawks run to the Big 12 Championship and NCAA Tournament.
In his two season’s at Kansas, Quick went 21-10 with a 3.51 ERA. The Belton, Mo., native struck out 159 batters and was named All-Big 12 Second Team in 2005.
Jared Schweitzer
St. Louis Cardinals
30th round / 916 overall
Sherwood Park, Alberta (Lethbridge CC)
Sr. / Infielder
After hitting .366 in 2005, Schweitzer led the Jayhawks in hitting again in 2006 with a .369 average. In addition to leading KU in hitting, the Sherwood Park, Alberta, native also led Kansas in slugging percentage (.573), on-base percentage (.445), runs scored (53), hits (89) and walks (34) during the Jayhawks run to the Big 12 Championship and NCAA Tournament.
Schweitzer also owns a school record 24-game hitting streak set in 2005. This season, Schweitzer was named First Team All-Big 12 as a second baseman while also playing at first base. The Cardinals list Schweitzer’s draft position at third base.
Ritchie Price
New York Mets
18th round / 554 overall
San Luis Obispo, Calif. (San Luis Obispo HS)
Sr. / Shortstop
Price has been a mainstay at shortstop all four season’s at KU. The switch-hitter started 255 games including 252 straight. A career .305 hitter, Price holds KU career records for hits (312), runs (204), games played (255), at-bats (1,022), sacrifices (34) and hit by pitch (52).
Gus Milner
Philadelphia Phillies
14th round / 427 overall
Olathe, Kan. (Hutchinson CC)
Sr. / Outfielder
After being selected in the 47th round by the Cleveland Indians last year, Milner retuned to KU for his senior season and hit .328 while starting 67 games in right field. The Olathe, Kan. native led KU with 58 RBI and tied for the lead with 20 doubles and 138 total bases.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
After spending two seasons at Hutchinson Community College, Milner finished his two-year career at Kansas with a .314 average, 97 runs, 34 doubles, 16 home runs and 103 RBI.
Sean Land
Minnesota Twins
9th round / 276 overall
Greenwood, Mo. (Lee’s Summit HS)
Jr. / LHP
A 6’5, 230 lbs, left-hander, Land struck out 55 batters in 87.1 innings of work. In Land’s lone relief appearance of the season on May 6 against Texas, he struck out the first four batters he faced.
A native of Greenwood, Mo. (Lee’s Summit HS), Land has a career 14-14 record while starting 36 games and appearing in 68 total. Land’s 68 career appearances are tied for ninth all-time in KU history.
Don Czyz
Florida Marlins
7th round / 215 overall
Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley HS)
Sr. / RHP
Czyz leads the NCAA with 19 saves and finished the 2006 season 6-0 with a 1.56 ERA while striking out 60 batters in 63.1 innings. A native of Overland Park, Kan., Czyz is the highest Jayhawk taken since Brandon O’Neal was selected by the Anaheim Angels in the sixth round of the 2000 draft.
Czyz holds the Big 12 record for appearances (128) while his 19 saves this season set a new KU record and was one shy of tying the Big 12 single season mark. The right-hander is one of five finalist for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year award presented to the best closer in college baseball.
Records held by Czyz:
Big 12 Career Appearances: 128
Kansas Career Saves: 30
Kansas Single Season Saves: 19 (2006)
Kansas Career Appearances: 128
Kansas Single Season Appearances: 37 (2006)
