Kansas Junior Walz Selected by Oakland Athletics

June 9, 2010

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Kansas junior right-handed pitcher T.J. Walz has been selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 50th round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft with the 1,505th overall pick.

Walz becomes the seventh Jayhawk selected in this year’s draft, and the fourth pitcher taken from KU. The seven KU draft picks is a school record. The Jayhawks had as many as six draft picks in 2006, 1998, 1994 and 1993.

Walz, a junior right-handed pitcher from Omaha, Neb., went 8-6 for Kansas this season with a 5.06 ERA in 15 starts. The junior earned Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors following an 11-strikeout performance at Oklahoma State on April 30. Walz finished the season ranked ninth in the Big 12 in wins (eight), fifth in innings pitched (101 1/3), ninth in strikeouts (95) and sixth in games started (15).

The junior has been KU’s top starting pitcher the last three seasons, posting a 20-10 record with a 4.92 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 237 2/3 innings on the mound. Walz ranks seventh in career wins (20), fourth in career strikeouts (222) and eighth in innings pitched (237 2/3) at Kansas.

As a drafted junior, Walz can sign a contract with the Athletics’ organization or opt to return to Kansas for his senior season.