Two players from the PSAC West were drafted over the course of the MLB Draft which took place this past weekend.
Leading the way by a landslide was Mercyhurst pitcher Dan Altavilla. Altavilla became the first Division II player taken and the highest Mercyhurst player ever drafted when the Seattle Mariners took the right-hander in the 5th round, 141st overall. He also became the highest selected draft pick from the PSAC since 1995.
Altavilla went 9-1 over the 2014 season, including five shutouts, with a 1.23 ERA, striking out 119 batters and holding opponents to a .167 batting average. The highlight of his season may have come in the PSAC Tournament against West Chester where he recorded a career-high record 19 strikeouts. The 19 strikeouts also broke a 99 year-old PSAC record. He also recorded a no-hitter against Clarion this past season.
He led the country in shutouts, strikeouts per nine innings and tied for the national lead in strikeouts while finishing fifth in ERA and seventh in hits allowed per nine innings. His season success led to him being named the top pitcher in Division II in two different awards, winning the Brett Tomko Award and the 2014 ABCA/Rawlings Division II National Pitcher of the Year award. He was also named an ABCA/Rawlings First-Team All-American as well as garnering several other honors.
Altavilla will likely translate to a reliever at the next level with a fastball in the low 90s while his slider and changeup is still developing.
The other selection from the PSAC West was Slippery Rock shortstop Will Kengor.
Kegnor was drafted in the 28th round (850th overall) by the Detroit Tigers, becoming the first position player from the PSAC to be taken. He hit a team-high .415 scoring 47 runs with 12 doubles and four triples while possessing a .563 slugging percentage and a .470 on-base percentage. He also stole 17-of-18 bases successfully.
He led the PSAC in runs scored and hits while finishing second in triples, third in batting average, fourth in slugging and eighth in stolen bases. He was a First-Team All-PSAC selection along with being named PSAC West Player of the Year. Other postseason awards included being named Daktronics First-Team All-American and a ABCA/Rawlings Second-Team All-American selection.
Also being selected from the PSAC was East Stroudburg’s Christian Knott in the 34th round (1,027th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Photo Credit: Mercyhurst Athletics
