Three Long Beach State baseball players heard their names called in this year’s MLB First-Year Player Draft, including shortstop Matt Duffy, outfielder Brennan Metzger and pitcher Shawn Stuart.
Duffy and Metzger were each drafted by the San Francisco Giants, going in the 18th and 22nd rounds, respectively.
“I was just sitting at my computer and I saw my name pop up on the draft tracker,” Metzger said. “Then my phone started blowing up and about five minutes later I got the call from the scout.”
Stuart was the last to get that dream phone call when he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 31st round.
Of the three Long Beach State prospects, Duffy had the highest value coming into the Dirtbags’ season. He caught the eyes of scouts with his play in the Cape Cod League last summer, as he hit .348 and was named to the league all-star team.
That value may have taken a hit during the regular season though, as he only managed a .244 batting average. A 16-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 22 RBI undoubtedly saved him from a draft day slide, however, and he became the first Dirtbag to go off the board.
Metzger, on the other hand, earned all of his draft stock with excellent play in a Long Beach State uniform. The senior center fielder led the Dirtbags in batting average (.302), RBI (37), stolen bases (11) and fielding percentage (.994) and was named to the All-Big West first team.
Metzger will be joining Duffy in Oregon for short-season rookie ball in the Giants’ organization.
“It’s nice to have someone to lean on if things are looking down,” Metzger said of retaining Duffy as a teammate. “We’ll be able to pick each other up if one of us goes through a slump.”
The ace of the Dirtbags’ staff, Stuart, finished his Long Beach State career with a second-team All-Big West selection. He posted an impressive 2.44 ERA over a team-leading 92.1 innings and struck out 69 batters en route to a 7-1 record.
The three LBSU alums will now start a long journey that in the best of outcomes will result in a major-league call-up. Metzger, however, is keeping his sights and focus on this year.
“I’m hoping to just make a good mark on the organization,” he said. “I’m looking forward to going out and taking advantage of the opportunity.”
While Metzger and Duffy head off to Oregon to play for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, Stuart will likely end up in Washington as a member of the Tri-City Dust Devils.
Two Long Beach State recruits were drafted as well.
Pitcher Ryan McNeil (brother of Dirtbags second baseman Jeff McNeil) went to the Chicago Cubs in the third round and pitcher David Hill was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 17th round. Whether or not they will choose Long Beach State over the minor leagues remains up in the air, as neither has signed a pro contract at this point.